Île-des-Chênes is an unincorporated community in Manitoba, Canada, within the Rural Municipality of Ritchot. The community is located 13 kilometres south-east of the provincial capital Winnipeg, just east of Highway 59. Île-des-Chênes is a French name, translating to Island of the Oaks, coming from a nearby stand of oaks on higher ground, where early settlers sought refuge from the annual spring floodwaters.[3]
History
The first settlers, francophones from Quebec,[4] arrived in the 1880s.[3] The post office was established in 1890[5] and the local Catholic parish was founded in 1905.[3] Telephone service came to Île-des-Chênes in 1920, but electricity only arrived in 1946. The credit union was established in 1945.[3]
Demographics
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Iles des Chenes had a population of 1,606 living in 634 of its 657 total private dwellings, a change of 3.9% from its 2016 population of 1,546. With a land area of 2.03 km2 (0.78 sq mi), it had a population density of 791.1/km2 (2,049.0/sq mi) in 2021.[1]
Water
On 31 August 2000, a boil-water advisory was issued for the Île-des-Chênes community by Manitoba Health after water testing found the water supply well to be contaminated. The next year, a C$6-million program funded through the Canada-Manitoba Infrastructure Program paid for the replacement of the supply pipes, distribution pipes, water treatment plant was undertaken and the project completed in 2002.[6]
Politics
In politics, St. Adolphe is located in the ridings of Provencher (federal), represented by Conservative MP Ted Falk and Springfield-Ritchot (provincial), represented by Progressive Conservative MLA Ron Schuler. As well, St. Adolphe in Ward 1 of the R.M. of Ritchot, represented by Shane Pelletier, who also serves as deputy mayor. Chris Ewen is currently mayor, after having been elected in a by-election in 2017[7] and acclaimed in the 2018 election.[8]