On the South Saskatchewan River is the Village of St. Louis, a small agricultural Francophone community that was founded by the Métis and French Canadians settlers who established themselves in the area. St. Louis was once a bustling village with a bridge running through its centre. But with a new bridge now bypassing the village, combined with aging populations and youth migration, the town has lost some of its vitality. Developing the area’s tourism and infrastructure sector is key for this small village to help rebuild its vibrancy.
The District of St. Isidore de Bellevue, comprised of many villages that have a strong concentration of Francophones, began as an agricultural community, producing wheat, oats, barley and legumes. Today, there are some family farms and small businesses in the fields of transportation and information technology, but the area is now also recognized for its artists and sculptors. Though it is a self-contained community, like many rural and small communities, St. Isidore-de-Bellevue is facing issues such as aging populations and youth migration.
