The Pas - town in Manitoba, Canada

The Pas (once Fort Paskoyac and still sometimes called Paskoyac) is a small town in northern Manitoba. The Pas is known as "Gateway to the North". It had about 5500 people in 2011, a population roughly split between Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals.

Understand

It is approximately 630 km (390 mi) northwest of the provincial capital, Winnipeg, and 40 km (25 mi) from the border of Saskatchewan. It is sometimes still called Paskoyac by locals after the first trading post, called Fort Paskoya and constructed during French colonial rule. The Pasquia River begins in the Pasquia Hills in east central Saskatchewan. The French in 1795 knew the river as Basquiau.

Known as "The Gateway to the North", The Pas is a multi-industry northern Manitoba town serving the surrounding region. The main components of the region's economy are agriculture, forestry, commercial fishing, tourism, transportation, and services (especially health and education). The main employer is a paper and lumber mill operated by Canadian Kraft Papers. The Pas contains one of the two main campuses of the University College of the North.

The Pas is bordered by part of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation.

Climate

The Pas experiences a humid continental climate with long, cold winters and short, warm summers.

Get in

By car

The Pas is 626 km (about 6½-9 hours) north of Winnipeg on Highways 6 and 60.

By train

• VIA Rail Canada, 1300 1st Ave (Stops at The Pas station), 53.82406°, -101.2477°. Operates a route two days per week between Winnipeg and Churchill with stops in Portage la Prairie, Dauphin, Roblin, Kamsack, Canora, Hudson Bay, The Pas, and Thompson. In addition, the route travels one day per week between The Pas and Churchill. Travel time to The Pas from Winnipeg is 13.75 hours, from Portage La Prairie is 12.5 hours, from Thompson is 9.5 hours, and from Churchill is 1 day 4 hours. 2022-04-02

By bus

• Mahikan Bus Lines, +1-204-623-2161. Operates bus routes in Manitoba. 2022-05-16 Operates the following routes to The Pas:
  • Operates a route three days per week between Winnipeg and Flin Flon including stops in Portage la Prairie, Neepawa, Ste. Rose du Lac, Dauphin, Swan River, and The Pas. Travel time to The Pas from Winnipeg is 9.25 hours, from Portage la Prairie is 8 hours, from Neepawa is 6.75 hours, from Dauphin is 4.75 hours, from Swan River is 2.5 hours, and from Flin Flon 1.5 hours.
  • Operates a route two days per week between Flin Flon and Cedar Grove including a stop in The Pas. Same day transfer available at Cedar Grove for transfer to and from Thompson and Winnipeg. Travel time to The Pas from Flin Flon is 1.5 hours, from Cedar Grove is 3.5 hours, from Thompson is 8 hours, and from Winnipeg is 8 hours.

By plane

Airport

• The Pas Airport (IATA: YQD), 53.971389°, -101.091111°. 2022-04-29

Airline

• Calm Air. A regional airline operating flights in Manitoba and Nunavut. 2022-04-25 There is one direct flight a day from Winnipeg (IATA: YWG) to The Pas on Calm Air (1 hr 40 min, $440), and one flight that stops at Flin Flon (IATA: YFO).

Get around

• Cal's Can, +1 204-623-3333. 24 hours. 2018-01-10
• City Cab, +1 204-623-2500. 2018-01-10

See

• Northern Manitoba Trappers' Festival, +1 204-623-2912. Manitoba's oldest festival and one of Canada’s oldest winter festival. It has been held every year continuously since 1948 and features a wide variety of winter activities including ice fishing, muskrat skinning, and an annual sled dog race, which is part of the International Federation of Sleddog Sports. 2018-01-10

Do

• Clearwater Lake Provincial Park, 54.083056°, -101.078333°, +1 204-627-8287. This park has an area of 593 km². Clearwater Lake comprises almost half of the park. Large areas of boreal forest including spruce bog cover the land areas. Clearwater Lake, a deep, clear, cold lake, is renowned for its excellent water quality and large lake trout. The nearly circular lake, 16 km (10 mi) in diameter, has an average depth of 13.1 m (43 ft) and a maximum depth of 39 m (127 ft). It is spring-fed and lacks major inflowing streams which may carry silt, although there are several small inflowing streams on its south and west shores. Campgrounds are on the south shore. Vehicle permit: $5/day, $12/3 days 2018-01-10

Buy

• Otineka Mall, Highway 10 N, Opaskwayak. M-W 10AM-6PM, Th F 10AM-9PM, Sa 10AM-6PM, Su noon-6PM. "The Largest Mall in the North": Warehouse One, Red Apple, North of 53 Paperwork Plus, Bank of Nova Scotia, Super Thrifty Drug Mart, Sports Traders, Shane’s Music, Kick It Sports, Ardene, food court. 2018-01-10

Eat

• Good Thymes, 1607 Gordon Ave,, +1 204-623-2412. M-Th 11AM-11PM, F Sa 11AM-1AM. Sandwiches, burgers, pizza, pastas. Lunch $10-18, dinner mains $13-25 2018-01-10
• Fat Boy Restaurant, 329 Fischer Ave, +1 204-623-6322. M-F 6AM-9PM, Sa 7AM-9PM, Su 9AM-8PM. 2018-01-10

Drink

Sleep

• Andersen Inn and Suites, 1717 Gordon Ave, +1 204-623-1888. All smoke-free rooms, free continental breakfast, indoor pool, free Wi-Fi access, business center. 2018-01-10
• Wescana Inn, 439 Fischer Ave, +1 204-623-5446. Rooms are equipped with coffee makers, small fridges, microwaves, and LCD TVs. Hair dryers, irons and ironing boards at your request. Free local telephone calls, free wireless internet in the restaurant/lounge, internet rooms available on request, onsite ATM, smoking and non-smoking rooms, one room wheelchair access, pet-friendly rooms. From $94 2018-01-10
• The Pas Motel, 1316 Gordon Ave, +1 204-623-3431. Just south of Clearwater Lake Provincial Park. 24 drive-up rooms at a budget price. Each room is equipped with refrigerators, microwaves, new flat screen televisions with HD channels, and wireless internet. Smoking and non-smoking rooms available. Taavi's Grill restaurant is open daily 7AM-3PM. From $79 2018-01-10

Connect

Go next

• Native-owned Keewatin Railway Company operates a subsidized connecting service from The Pas to Pukatawagan which reaches isolated native communities in that region of Manitoba (7½ hr, twice a week). Reservations +1 204-623-5255 .