Meota

This article is about the village. For the surrounding area, see Rural Municipality of Meota No. 468.

Meota (2016 population: 304) is a village in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan within the Rural Municipality of Meota No. 468 and Census Division No. 17. The village name is derived from the Cree phrase Meotate or Mo-Was-In-Ota, meaning "good place to camp" or "it is good here."^[5][6]

Meota
Village
Village of Meota
Meota business district
Motto:  It is good here!
Meota Show map of Meota No. 468 Meota Show map of Saskatchewan Meota Show map of Canada
Coordinates: 53°02′09″N 108°27′17″W
Country	Canada
Province	Saskatchewan
Region	Northwest
Census division	17
Rural Municipality	Meota No. 468
Established	1894
Incorporated (Village)	February 1, 1911
Government
• Mayor	John MacDonald
• Administrator	Bill Jamroziak
• Governing body	Meota Village Council
Area
• Total	1.55 km2 (0.60 sq mi)
Population  (2006)
• Total	297
• Density	191.9/km2 (497/sq mi)
Time zone	CST
Postal code	S0M 1X0
Area code	306
Highways	Highway 26
Railways	Canadian Northern Railway
[1][2][3][4]

Meota is on the south-western shore of Jackfish Lake and is accessed from Highway 26. Meota Regional Park is adjacent to the community.^[7]

History

A post office named Meota was established in 1894, but it was located where the present-day community of Metinota is,^[8] leading to some confusion over the origins of the current village of Meota. The first post office in present-day Meota was established in 1910, although it was initially called Beachview.^[8]

Joseph A. Dart, an early merchant, had previously established a store in a tent near current-day Meota, and in 1910, he moved to the Meota townsite where his store operated in a building on Main Street.^[5] The Canadian Northern Railway opened its line through Meota in 1910–1911.^[5][8] Meota incorporated as a village on July 6, 1911.^[9] In 1912 the first grain elevator was constructed, and then a dance pavilion opened in 1921.^[8] Other industries included brick manufacturing, a flour mill, and commercial fishing ("Meota Whites").^[8] A series of fires has since decimated the village's business district, and the advent of the automobile caused many local residents to drive to North Battleford for shopping.^{[citation needed]}

Demographics

Population history
(1981–2016)

Year	Pop.	±%
1981	235	—
1986	241	+2.6%
1991	268	+11.2%
1996	274	+2.2%
2001	293	+6.9%
2006	297	+1.4%
2011	307	+3.4%
2016	304	−1.0%
Source: Statistics Canada via Saskatchewan Bureau of Statistics[10][11]

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Meota had a population of 325 living in 156 of its 213 total private dwellings, a change of 6.9% from its 2016 population of 304. With a land area of 1.61 km² (0.62 sq mi), it had a population density of 201.9/km² (522.8/sq mi) in 2021.^[12]

In the 2016 Census of Population, the Village of Meota recorded a population of 304 living in 148 of its 208 total private dwellings, a -1% change from its 2011 population of 307. With a land area of 1.55 km² (0.60 sq mi), it had a population density of 196.1/km² (508.0/sq mi) in 2016.^[13]

Meota Regional Park

Meota Regional Park (53.0379°N 108.4507°W / 53.0379; -108.4507)^[14] is a regional park in the village of Meota on the shore of Jackfish Lake. The park has a campground, lake access with a sandy beach, boat launch, ball diamonds, swimming pool, and a tennis court. The 9-hole Meota & District Lakeside Golf Course is adjacent to the park.^[15] The campground has 100 campsites, washrooms, showers, and laundry.^[16][17]

See also

• List of communities in Saskatchewan
• List of francophone communities in Saskatchewan
• List of villages in Saskatchewan

References

1. National Archives, Archivia Net, Post Offices and Postmasters, archived from the original on October 6, 2006
2. Government of Saskatchewan, MRD Home, Municipal Directory System, archived from the original on November 21, 2008
3. Canadian Textiles Institute. (2005), CTI Determine your provincial constituency, archived from the original on September 11, 2007
4. Commissioner of Canada Elections, Chief Electoral Officer of Canada (2005), Elections Canada On-line, archived from the original on April 21, 2007
5. Russell, Edmund T. (1973), What's In a Name: The Story Behind Saskatchewan Place Names (3rd edition), Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: Western Producer Prairie Books, p. 200, ISBN 0-88833-053-7
6. "Saskbiz Community Profiles: Meota". Enterprise Saskatchewan, Government of Saskatchewan. 2009. Retrieved October 19, 2009.
7. "Meota".
8. McLennan, David (2008), Our Town: Saskatchewan Communities from Abbey to Zenon Park, Regina, Saskatchewan: Canadian Plains Research Center, University of Regina, p. 261, ISBN 978-0-88977-209-0, archived from the original on April 10, 2010
9. "Urban Municipality Incorporations". Saskatchewan Ministry of Government Relations. Archived from the original on October 15, 2014. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
10. "Saskatchewan Census Population" (PDF). Saskatchewan Bureau of Statistics. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 24, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
11. "Saskatchewan Census Population". Saskatchewan Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
12. "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Saskatchewan". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
13. "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2016 and 2011 censuses – 100% data (Saskatchewan)". Statistics Canada. February 8, 2017. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
14. "Meota Regional Park". Canadian Geographical Names Database. Government of Canada. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
15. "Meota and District Lakeside Golf Club". Tourism Saskatchewan. Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
16. "Meota Regional Park". Tourism Saskatchewan. Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
17. "Meota". Regional Parks of Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan Regional Parks. Retrieved June 10, 2023.