Selkirk (Manitoba)

Selkirk is a city of over 10,000 people (2016) in the Interlake region of Manitoba, about a quarter of whom are of Indigenous origin. The mainstays of the local economy are tourism, a steel mill, and a major psychiatric hospital. A vertical lift bridge over the Red River connects Selkirk with the smaller town of East Selkirk.

Understand


The city was named in honour of Scotsman Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk, who obtained the grant to establish a colony in the Red River area in 1813.

Climate
Due to Selkirk's position on the edge of the Canadian Prairies, there is a moderate 510.4 mm (20.1 inches) of precipitation annually. Selkirk has a climate with four very distinct seasons. A general year will include warm (sometimes hot) summers, cold winters, and a comfortable spring and autumn. Selkirk has 21 days with snowfall per year, from about November (sometimes as early as September or October) to around April (sometimes as late as May).

Get in
Selkirk is 38 km northeast of Winnipeg on Highway 9. There is no longer a bus to Winnipeg (Jan 2018).

Connect
Selkirk has three community newspapers:
 * The Selkirk Record
 * The Selkirk Journal