White Butte

White Butte is a collection of bedroom communities east of the provincial capital, Regina in southern Saskatchewan. It consists of the towns of White City, Pilot Butte, and Balgonie, plus the surrounding area. It is in the Southeastern part of the province and is located on the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1). With about 12,000 people (2016), White Butte is a similar size to Estevan.

Understand
White Butte is pronounced so that it rhymes with “cute”. The name of the region comes from combining the names of its two largest towns, White City and Pilot Butte.

White Butte is not one city. Rather, it consists of three towns:


 * – with about 5,000 people, home to most of the services and places of accommodation in the region
 * – with about 1,500 people, home to the high school in the region
 * – with about 2,000 people

In between and surrounding each of these towns consists of farmland and acerages.

History
Indigenous peoples inhabited the area for many years before any European settlement. European settlement in the area can be traced back to the 1840s. The Canadian Pacific Rilway was constructed through the region in 1882, and in that same year the towns of Pilot Butte and Balgonie were founded along the railway (which is still in operation).

World War II had a harmful effect on the towns, as residents moved to the nearby city Regina. After World War II, people became more reliant on cars, so living in Pilot Butte and Balgonie began to become a popular option for those who wanted to commute to work in the city. In the late 1950s, the Trans-Canada Highway was completed around the two towns. At this time, White City was formed along this new highway.

All three towns in White Butte have experienced substantial growth since 2011. White City is now the largest town in White Butte.

By plane

 * Airplane services are available to nearby Regina.

Major highways

 * Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway) − White Butte sits along the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1 in Saskatchewan) and is a 10-minute drive east of Regina. Calgary is 7 hours to the west on Highway 1, and Winnipeg is a 5-hour drive to the east on Highway 1.
 * Highway 10 − Fort Qu’Appelle is 45 minutes to the northeast on Highway 10, and it continues to Melville then Yorkton.
 * Higwhay 48 – runs further into southeast Saskatchewan toward Kipling and Wawota.

Minor highways

 * Highway 46 is a short commuter highway into Regina.
 * Highway 364 is a short commuter highway from Edenwold.

Get around
To navigate White Butte, you need a car.

Drink
The legal drinking age in Saskatchewan is 19 years.

Stay safe
White Butte is a safe area.