Introduction to  Russell, Manitoba

The Town of Russell is located on Highways 16 and 83, approximately 15 km from the Saskatchewan border and 340 km northwest of Winnipeg. The community is home to approximately 1,700 people with a trading area population of over 14,000.

Russell is the home of Manitoba's Beef and Barley Festival which is held annually in October to celebrate the region's strong agricultural tradition. Grain farming and cattle ranching are extensive in the surrounding areas.

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT

Recent changes to agriculture, such as the elimination of the Western Grain Transportation Subsidy, have put the region in a unique position. With one of the highest freight rates in Western Canada the Russell area is well positioned to experience an explosion in value added processing.

Russell is also home to Bunge Canada, one of the most advanced canola processing plants in Western Canada, located at Harrowby, 15 km west of Russell.

Nearby potash mining in Saskatchewan, makes a significant contribution to the local economy by employment of Russell residents and local purchases of supplies and services. Manitoba's first Potash mine is proposed for a site just southwest of Russell.

Even with a strong growing economy the Town of Russell and the surrounding Rural Municipalities are aggressively promoting local economic development initiatives through the Asessippi Parkland Economic Development Corp.

EDUCATION

Russell is a major service centre for the agricultural communities in the region. Russell provides excellent educational facilities, ranging from daycare and nursery to post secondary facilities. Assiniboine Community College has a regional campus located in Russell. The community also has access to First Year Distant Education transmission allowing individuals to take the first year education by interactive television. 

RECREATION

Recreational facilities available to Russell residents and visitors include a serviced campground, tennis courts, ball fields, curling and hockey arenas, community halls, a swimming pool, downhill skiing & snowboarding and one 9 and one 18 hole golf course at Prairie Lake Lodge.

Russell is located only 27 km away from Asessippi Provincial Park, the site of Asessippi Ski Area & Winter Park, a world class ski facility and year round family park as well as the Lake of the Prairies, a 64 km long lake rated as the third best pickerel fishing lake in North America.

Russell provides an excellent environment for raising a family. A quiet friendly town with a low crime rate.  Russell combines the beauty of rural life with many of the benefits of urban living. Russell offers all this and more, with a relatively low cost of living and high quality of life which includes: recreational, educational, medical and cultural facilities.  Russell also offers affordable housing, available commercial and residential property; and low business costs.

We hope you enjoy our website.