Big River 118Saskatchewan

It is a reserve of the Big River. With 1,613 residents, it is a First Nations reserve in Saskatchewan.

Population

1,613

people, 2025 estimate

Median age

years · Saskatchewan’s towns: 41.4

Postsecondary

25%

of residents 15 and over hold a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree · Canadian towns: 56%

Walk, cycle, transit

walk, cycle or take transit to work · Canadian towns: 8%

Is Big River 118 a good place to live?

Hazard risk is low (A+). Where it falls short is health (D−). Jobs & income is weaker too (C−).

As a First Nations reserve, Big River 118 isn’t given an overall grade or ranked. Too much of a reserve’s data is suppressed or uncollected by Statistics Canada for a fair comparison with other towns.

No Safety Grade: no police service publishes a crime rate for this place on its own. No School Grade: this province doesn't publish comparable results school by school. Health is graded on the health region's survey figures and life expectancy, with the distance to hospital giving the town its own spread. A First Nations reserve: subject grades only, with no overall grade and no place in ranked lists.

StrongestA⁺Hazard riskWeakestD⁻Health C⁻Walkability

What makes Big River 118 stand out

The 3 things Big River 118 does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Residents 65 and over

Who lives here

Only 4% are 65 or over

For the middle of Canadian towns, 19%

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree

Education

25% have a postsecondary qualification

Next to 56%, the median among Canadian towns

Statistics Canada, Census 2021

Health

Behind 99%

of Canadian towns on health

Its health grade: D−.

How Big River 118 grades

Each subject compares Big River 118 with Canadian towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.

How grading works

HealthNear the bottom of the towns comparedD⁻Open →Hazard riskGraded on earthquake risk and radon, with high wildfire risk able to lower itA⁺Open →WalkabilityAmong the hardest places to get around without a carC⁻Open →Jobs & incomeBased on what households earn, poverty and workC⁻Open →

Cost of livingNot graded: not enough data–

SafetyNot graded: not enough data–

SchoolsThe province publishes no results school by school, which leaves towns in Saskatchewan without a schools grade.–

How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Big River 118.

HealthHealth D⁻

Big River 118 scores below almost every Canadian town for health

Expected years of life at birth: 77.0, below both Saskatchewan’s towns (80.2) and Canadian towns (81.5). Smoking is commoner than in the province: 18% of adults, against 13% for Saskatchewan; by contrast, the survey puts the region’s share in very good or excellent health at 47%, behind the 49% for Saskatchewan. The town’s own part is the trip to care: residents of Big River 118 live 42 km from a hospital on average, and 100% of them more than 30 km.

47%very good or excellent healthD⁻Health Grade

Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised

Big River 11847%

Saskatchewan’s towns49%

Canadian towns52%

Health	Big River 118	Saskatchewan	Canada
Smokers	18%	8.6%	12%
Chronic conditions (average share)	21%	17%	17%
Life expectancy at birth	77.0	80.2	81.5
Very good or excellent health	47%	49%	52%

77.0

years of life expectancy, 2022/2024

42 km

from homes to a hospital, on average

18%

of adults smoke, age-standardised

42 km

from homes to a pharmacy, on average

Full pageBig River 118’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health survey47% very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised Getting careA pharmacy 42 km away on average The wider areaLife expectancy: women 79.6, men 74.5 Conditions and habits21% with chronic conditions · adults, age-standardised

Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities · Health survey and life expectancy: one figure for all of the North Central East health region

Natural hazardsHazard risk A⁺

Hazard risk in Big River 118 is lower than in 98% of Canadian towns

Fire seldom reaches Big River 118: since 1986, 1.5% of the land within 25 km has burned (0.04% a year). Of the homes tested for radon, 7.4% were over 200 Bq/m³, below Saskatchewan’s towns (9.1%) but above Canadian towns (6.6%).

Lowwildfire bandA⁺Hazard risk Grade

Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³

Big River 1187.4%

Saskatchewan’s towns9.1%

Canadian towns6.6%

Hazards	Big River 118	Saskatchewan	Canada
Radon tests above the guideline	7.4%	9.1%	6.6%
Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year	$0.003	$0.006	$0.030

Low

wildfire band

1.1 km

to the nearest land burned since 1986

Full pageBig River 118’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

WildfireLow wildfire band · 1.5% of the land within 25 km burned since 1986 FloodNo flood study on record Earthquakes$0.003 a year per $1,000 · Canadian towns: $0.030 Radon7.4% of tests above the guideline Be readyAlerts, FireSmart and radon tests

NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory · Area behind the radon tests figures: the Prince Albert Parkland RHA

Who lives here

More of Big River 118’s residents have an Indigenous identity than in Saskatchewan’s towns or Canadian towns: 99%

21median age

Big River 118SaskatchewanCanada

SaskatchewanCanada

Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021

36%

Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over

No certificate, diploma or degree46%

Postsecondary qualification25%

Women and men · all residents

Women make up 48.2% of Big River 118

Census 2021 put women at 740 and men at 795; women are 50.9% of Canada.

Who lives in Big River 118
	Big River 118	Saskatchewan	Canada
Under 15	36%	18%	16%
15 to 64	61%	65%	64%
65+	3.6%	16%	19%
No certificate, diploma or degree	46%	15%	16%
Postsecondary qualification	25%	52%	56%

Full pageBig River 118’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Ages21 median age · 4% are 65 or over Households340 households · 4.5 people per household English and French0% speak French but not English

Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Saskatchewan and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+

Work & commuteJobs & income C⁻

Commuters in Big River 118 have a short way to work, 17 min on average, less than in Saskatchewan’s towns and Canadian towns

Driving is how 97% of commuters got to work at the census.

4%walk, cycle or take transit

How working residents got to work · census 2021

Car or van97%

Walk4%

Census 2021	Big River 118	Saskatchewan	Canada
Average trip	17 min	18 min	26 min
Car or van	97%	91%	89%

$62,000

median household income, 2020

worked from home, May 2021

75%

of commuters work inside the municipality

Full pageBig River 118’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment18% unemployed · Of the labour force · Canadian towns: 9.9%Getting to work4% walk, cycle or take transit Where people commute to10 commuters · The biggest flow out: to Canwood No. 494

Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · The 2021 census was taken in May 2021, during COVID-19 restrictions: more people than usual worked from home or were off work.

Climate

Summers stay cool in Big River 118: July afternoons reach 23.7°C, below Saskatchewan’s towns and Canadian towns

The most precipitation falls in July: 76 mm in a normal year. January nights fall to −22.8°C on average, below Saskatchewan’s towns (−20.7°C) and Canadian towns (−13.5°C) alike. Frost usually lifts by 30 May and returns around 4 September: 97 days without it. Most of the snow comes in December, about 24 cm.

23.7°CJuly afternoons

Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

Winter−9.2°C

Spring8.6°C

Summer22.5°C

Autumn7.9°C

Normals, 1991–2020	Big River 118	Saskatchewan	Canada
January night low	−22.8°C	−20.7°C	−13.5°C
July afternoon high	23.7°C	25.0°C	25.5°C
Days with frost a year	217	203	159
Precipitation a year	407 mm	383 mm	883 mm

125 cm

of snow a year

217

days with frost a year

frost-free days, 30 May to 4 Sep

days with precipitation a year

Full pageBig River 118’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearJuly highs 23.7°C, January lows −22.8°C Rain and snow407 mm a year · Canadian towns: 883 mm Snow125 cm of snow a year Weather station90 km to the station · Meadow Lake

Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Meadow Lake)

Weather

A normal November in Big River 118 runs from −12°C to −2°C

Precipitation in November averages 17 mm. Snow is normal by November, about 22 cm over the month. Into December, the normals move to −9°C and −20°C. Hour-by-hour figures come from ECCC’s Spiritwood forecast, on the Weather page.

−2°Ca normal November afternoon

Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020

November−2°C

December−9°C

January−11°C

February−8°C

Season	High	Low	Rain and snow
Winter	−9°C	−21°C	43 mm
Spring	9°C	−5°C	75 mm
Summer	23°C	8°C	213 mm
Autumn	8°C	−4°C	76 mm

−12°C

a normal November night

17 mm

of rain and snow in a normal November

Full pageBig River 118’s weather pageOpen the full Weather page

Next 24 hoursTemperature and chance of rain, hour by hour The week aheadECCC’s days ahead, beside the normals The yearWarmest July, coldest January

ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Meadow Lake); the forecast is on the Weather page

Town hall

Big River 118’s MP is Randy Hoback (Conservative Party of Canada), for Prince Albert

Across Saskatchewan, 13 of the 14 MPs sit with the Conservative Party of Canada.

Full pageBig River 118’s town hall & politics pageOpen the full Town hall & politics page

Who runs itIndian Reserve

Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada

Library & civic lifeCivic life grade A

Big River 118 has no public library of its own; the nearest is Leoville Library, 31 km away

The next is Canwood Library (Canwood No.

Full pageBig River 118’s library & civic life pageOpen the full Library & civic life page

Places to belong4.3 charities per 1,000 residents

Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada

Outdoors

Big River 118 is ringed by protected land: 24% within 10 km

Prince Albert National Park is the closest national park, 26 km from town. The closest provincial park is Great Blue Heron Provincial Park, 68 km from the edge of town. Fish and Wildlife Development Fund (126,136 ha) is the biggest, 0.1 km from town. 9 areas within 10 km are protected for nature.

24%of the land within 10 km protected

Protected land · of the land within 10 km

Big River 11824%

Saskatchewan’s towns1.7%

Canadian towns2.3%

Outdoors	Big River 118	Saskatchewan	Canada
Protected land within 10 km	24%	1.7%	2.3%
Public protected areas within 10 km	8	2	4

26 km

to Prince Albert National Park

68 km

to Great Blue Heron Provincial Park

beach within 5 km

public protected areas within 10 km

Full pageBig River 118’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Protected landof the land within 10 km Protected areas9 protected areas within 10 km · Fish and Wildlife Development Fund National & provincial parks26 km to a national park · Prince Albert National Park

Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Big River 118

15pages on Big River 118

The big questions

SafetyHousing & costProperty pricesSchoolsHealthD⁻Life expectancy 77 in its region Work & commuteC⁻30% of adults in work Natural hazardsA⁺Wildfire band: low

Out and about

Outdoors24% of the land within 10 km protected AttractionsClimateJuly afternoons around 24°C WeatherECCC’s forecast, beside the normals

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 21 HistoryTown hallFamous people

Questions about Big River 118

How old are the people of Big River 118?

The typical resident is 21 (Canadian towns: 45.2), with seniors at 4% of the population and under-15s at 36%.

What kind of homes are in Big River 118?

85% of homes are single-detached houses, against 64% for the median of Canadian towns, and 0% are in apartment buildings of five storeys or more. A household averages 4.5 people; 15% are one person living alone.

Is Big River 118 growing?

No: the census counted 1,553 in 2016 and 1,535 in 2021, 1.2% fewer, against growth of 4.1% for the median of Canadian towns. The 2025 estimate is 1,613.

About Big River 118

First Nations reserve in Saskatchewan

Big River 118 is a First Nations reserve in Saskatchewan, which Statistics Canada treats as a census subdivision of its own.

Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.

Population: 1,613 (people, 2025 estimate)
Province or territory: Saskatchewan
Census division: Division No. 16
First Nation: Big River
Census subdivision: 4716858

Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021 · population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155) and 2021 census boundaries · CMHC rents as published by Statistics Canada (34-10-0133) · grades by TownRatings. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.

Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).