Fifty years of township: La Ronge overcomes adversity, adapts to societal changes

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But times, like always, were changing and Northern Saskatchewan was being looked at for one commodity the world was particularly in need of: uranium. 

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“In the mid-90s, a number of new projects were proposed: McArthur River, Cigar Lake, Midwest Joint Venture, McClean Lake,” Boyes explained. 

“There was a long series of very involved hearings the federal and provincial government did together. We still call it the Joint Panel Hearings and that represented a real push on behalf of industry to build new projects and a real push on government to make sure it did a really intensive job with engaging with the public. For a large number of reasons it’s a good idea to have northerners working at the mines. One of those reasons is transparency. Everybody has a nephew or a cousin or a sister-in-law who works at the mine, so there is some transparency there.” 

Scott Boyes is the former editor/publisher for The Northerner, a longstanding newspaper in La Ronge. (Image Credit: Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

Another major news item at the time was the development of the La Ronge Health Centre, which officially opened on April 26, 1996. He compares the fundraising happening at that time to what’s occurring now for the new long-term care facility set to open in 2027.  

Society was also changing at a rapid pace as computers introduced the Internet into households, and cellphones became more widespread and capable of text messaging.  

“At first, I was really puzzled with this technology. I was like what the heck is happening?” Boyes reminisced.  

“There’s a message on my phone. How? Someone else figured out how to text before I did. I think back and its something we just take for granted now, but at the time just leap ahead, leap ahead, leap ahead. In many respects, we still have that. People are all abuzz now with AI (artificial intelligence).”  

Changes in technology and society also brought with it changes to the local newspaper. The Northerner had launched in 1974 and had delivered 1,383 editions before it closed in August 2015. Local news was later replaced by online news source, larongeNOW, in January 2018.  

“Business-wise, it ebbed and flowed,” Boyes, who left The Northerner in 2005, said of the local business community.

“As time went on, we notice in the newspaper industry because we make the majority of the revenue through advertising, not by selling subscriptions. As time went on, there were few retailer advertisers who would work with the local paper. It’s just the nature of the industry now. The news industry has now moved online; it is really not a paper product anymore. That’s not how people consume things.” 

Northlands College officially opened March 8, 1991. (Image Credit: Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

The La Ronge Health Centre officially opened April 26, 1996. (Image Credit: Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

The La Ronge Regional Fire Department opened in 2008. It replaced a much small structure. (Image Credit: Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

Churchill Community High School underwent a major redevelopment in the 2010s, which was completed in 2014. (Image Credit: Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

Construction of a new long-term care centre began in July 2023. It is expected to open in 2027. (Image Credit: Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited La Ronge in 2015 and 2023. (Image Credit: Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

Mayor Joe Hordyski, who served in the position from 1997 to 2009 and then again from 2022 until present day, said the town has changed remarkably since the 90s in physical and non-physical ways. For instance, he noted there are many more social issues the town now has to deal with, including crime and homelessness.  

At the present time, the top concern for town council is housing and the opening of a new daycare. In the next few years, more than 200 more housing units are expected to be built.  

Mayor Joe Hordyski has held the top spot on council for about 16 years. (Image Credit: Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

“Housing is our number one issue because it’s really been holding the community back in terms of business development and even attracting professionals into the community. It has been a real obstacle,” Hordyski said.  

“Just equally as important, we have switched some our focus to daycare. Again, it’s another challenge for people wanting to get into the workforce and even for students who want to upgrade and get back into the school system. Those are a couple of issues having a negative impact on the community.” 

In recent decades, La Ronge has also been faced wildfires that have threatened to destroy the community with instances in 1999, 2015 and 2025. Mandatory evacuation orders were declared in the latter two.  

Hordyski noted wildfires will continue to be a risk living in a northern community. 

A water bomber in action above La Ronge in 1999. (Image Credit: La Ronge Regional Fire Department/Facebook)

Robertson Trading was open for more than five decades in La Ronge. It was destroyed by a wildfire in June 2025. (Image Credit: Brian Sklar/Facebook)

“I think we all believe there is climate change and I think things go in cycles,” he added. 

“We have wet years and dry years. There seems to me more focus on FireSmart communities, but there is only so much we can do. Even when managing these FireSmart areas, they have to be maintained every so many years otherwise the growth comes back and you’re back in the same situation.” 

With Hordyski’s mayorship going on for 16 years, he’s about tied for the amount of time served with Mel Hegland. If he finishes off his term to 2028, Hordyski will be the longest serving mayor in the history of La Ronge.  

“It’s in my heart. Sometimes we don’t know why our lives takes us where it does,” Hordyski said. 

“This second go around … we have such a strong management team that I’m really enjoying these last few years and we are taking these challenges head on. Council is also great. It’s been one of the best councils I have worked with, so I don’t find it much of a challenge trying to come up with solutions to some of the challenges we are dealing with.”   

derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com