The Rural Municipality of Reynolds, consisting of 1,333 sections of land, which is approximately 3,572 km2 and is situated in the eastern corner of the Province. The population of 1344 is comprised of small hamlets namely Richer East, Ste. Rita, Molson, Rennie, Hadashville, Prawda, McMunn and East Braintree.
The RM of Reynolds sits in the Treaty 1 territory and on the border of Treaty 3, the ancestral and traditional homeland of Anishinaabe peoples. Treaty 1, signed in 1871, took this territory from seven local Anishinaabe First Nations in order to make the land available for settler use and ownership.
This land acknowledgment is about being clear and accurate about the Original Peoples of this land as well as other Indigenous communities who lived and continue to live where the RM of Reynolds stands. It is an expression of respect and appreciation for these ancestors, and their present-day relatives, who continue to love and care for the land. We offer this acknowledgement in the belief that doing so will help mindful educators, researchers, and members of the RM of Reynolds Communities.
We respect the Treaties that were made on these territories, we acknowledge the harms and mistakes of the past, and we dedicate ourselves to move forward in partnership with Indigenous communities in a spirit of reconciliation and collaboration.
The river systems found in the municipality are the Brokenhead, the Rennie, the Hazel, the Whitemouth, the Birch and the Boggy. There are four major highways passing through the municipality: PTH #1 (Trans Canada), PTH #15, PTH #11 and PTH #44. There are also three railway companies in the municipality: Canadian National, Canadian Pacific and the Greater Winnipeg Water District. There are four community centres and one heritage site. There are four forest reserves within the RM of Reynolds. These reserves being the Sandilands, Agassiz, Whiteshell and North West Angle take up much of the land in the municipality. The land types vary in the municipality, from Canadian Shield to gravel/sand to peat to forest to farmland. Key industries in the area are forestry, construction, agriculture/horticulture, tourism/hospitality, transportation, government services and other services.
The administrative centre for the RM of Reynolds is located in Hadashville, in the geographic center of the municipality. Regional offices for the Manitoba Departments of Infrastructure and Conservation are also located there. Hadashville is located near the junction of PTH #11 and the Trans Canada Highway, approximately 100 km east-southeast of Winnipeg.
The RM of Reynolds offers abundant opportunities for adventure, outdoor sporting and ecotourism. The area is rich with unspoiled land and waterways, dense boreal forests and provincial parks. Wildlife abounds in the Provincial forests. Large mammals include black bear, moose, deer, wolves and red fox, and smaller mammals include otter, mink, hares and beavers. Owls, hawks, bald eagles and numerous waterfowl can all be found. Visitors can observe Canada Geese and other waterfowl at the Alfred Hole Goose Sanctuary near Rennie. For the sport-fisher there are perch, walleye, jackfish, whitefish, trout, white bass, smallmouth bass and more. The RM of Reynolds offers everything for the outdoor enthusiast, but is only a short drive to all of the urban amenities available in Manitoba's larger centres.
We invite you to travel and capture the beauty and peace of nature, consisting of bogs, meadows, trees, rocks, various species of plants and wildlife throughout the RM of Reynolds. Enjoy the outdoors and camp along the Whitemouth and Birch Rivers at the Whitemouth River Campground and Pinetree Campground. Stop and tour the museum situated in the Sandilands Forest Reserve sponsored by the Manitoba Forestry Association or admire natures best by venturing on the hiking trail. If you enjoy cross country skiing, then ski the trails through the pines in the Sandilands Forest Reserve. Brave the cold and snowmobile the trails south of the Trans Canada Highway.
Be adventurous and explore the Whitemouth, Birch and Boggy Rivers by canoe. For the most advanced canoeist, experience natures most undisturbed waters of the Whitemouth River through the Whitemouth River Ecological Reserve. Take home a catch of the day, by fishing at the Reynolds Trout Ponds. Venture on Provincial Road 404 through the Pocock Ecological Reserve and see the last known species of the Ironwood tree. If you are searching for that special gift for someone, stop at Geppetto’s along Trans Canada Highway. Here you will find an assortment of wooden craft-ware. Before entering the Whiteshell Provincial Park, stop at East Braintree and visit the Midwinter School. This school was built in 1917, restored and designated as a Heritage Site in 1990. Travel to the most northeast corner of the District, to a small community of Rennie, known as the Gateway to the Whiteshell. Enjoy the scenic view of Canada geese and other water birds at the resting and feeding grounds of the Alfred Hole Goose Sanctuary. Further your enjoyment by taking a hike on the edge of the Canadian Shield through the Whiteshell Provincial Forest at the Goose Sanctuary.
Whichever outdoor desire you may have including hiking, canoeing, fishing, camping, hunting, cross country skiing, or snowmobiling, you’ll be sure to find it through the Rural Municipality of Reynolds. When travelling through our Municipality, be sure to stop at any one of the restaurants or spend the night at any one of the hotel/motels along Highway # 44 and the Trans Canada Highway.
Permits and Licenses:
Manitobal BizPal (http://bizpalmanitoba.ca) is a free online service, offered through the co-operation of the federal, provincial and municipal governments, which allows simplified access to information about business permits, licenses and other requirements needed to establish, operate and grow a business. Based on user selections, BizPal generates a list of permits and licenses from participating levels of government, along with basic supporting information. Links to government sites for more information and, in some cases online application, are also provided.
Utilities:
The principal telecommunications provider to the municipality is Bell-MTS (telephone, mobile and internet). Mobile service is also available through Rogers and Telus. Internet service is also available through Shaw, Starlink and Xplornet. Manitoba Hydro provides electrical service and natural gas.
Schools:
The RM of Reynolds is part of the Sunrise and Seine River School Divisions. The principal schools in the area are the Whitemouth School (K - 12), the Richer School (K-8), the Falcon Beach School (K-10) which is part of the Frontier School Division, Ste. Anne Collegiate, Ste. Anne Immersion, and Edward Schreyer School in Beausejour (6-12).
Health Services:
The RM of Reynolds is part of the Manitoba's Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority. Primary care facilities are available in Whitemouth, Oakbank and Beausejour. Prawda has a Mobile Health Clinic that services the area one day a week. Currently, the IERHA are looking for staff and a new space so services are sporadic (please check the notices on the website for upcoming dates). Additionally, primary care facilities are available in Ste. Anne and Steinbach, which are part of the adjacent Southern Health authority.
Fire Protection:
The Reynolds Fire Department, based in Prawda, is responsible for the areas of Spruce Siding, Medika, Hadashville, Prawda, McMunn and East Braintree. Additionally, the municipality has fire protection agreements with adjoining municipalities to supply fire-fighting services.
Police:
Police services are provided by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, with detachments in Whitemouth, Pinawa, Lac Du Bonnet, Falcon Beach, Beausejour and Steinbach.
The month of July features the community of Ste. Rita hosting an annual picnic featuring baseball activities, children’s games, beer gardens, and bingo.
Annual Fall Suppers are hosted by the community clubs at Ste. Rita and Hadashville and Prawda as well as breakfasts and other activities (watch the bulletin boards and website for notices or events postings.
