greenhouses and numerous small farms, primarily of the market gardening variety, as well as natural forest, creek and pond areas. The population growth of East St. Paul has slowed significantly in recent years. Like other surrounding communities, the municipality has historically attracted people from Winnipeg and elsewhere due to its close proximity to Winnipeg, the larger properties, lower rates of property tax, and semi-rural atmosphere. In 2017 Manitoba Communities in Bloom awarded the R.M. of East St. Paul a Heritage Canada 150 Special Edition Award for its heritage conservation, and recognized its tidiness efforts, environmental action, urban forestry, landscaping, and floral displays. In 2019 M.C.I.B. awarded the municipality a special mention for its farmers market. Demographics In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, East St. Paul had a population of 9,725 living in 3,464 of its 3,504 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 9,372. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021. Water An underground carbonate aquifer provides water services to the R.M. Water is pumped via two well sites, one at Oasis Rd. just east of the Floodway, the other at Wenzel Street. Constructed in 1995, Wenzel Street. is the site of the Water Treatment Plant, Reservoir and the PW 7 well. The Reservoir has a capacity of 530,000 lgal as of 2003. A well field, consisting of four wells, PW 1 (drilled February 1995), PW 4 (drilled October 1995), PW 5 (drilled November 2000) and PW 6 (drilled November 2000), at the Oasis Rd. site have provided the R.M. with water services. PW 5 at Wemzel Street was opened in 2005 and is used only during emergencies. PW 7 at Wenzel was drilled in February 2004. To meet growing demand, an additional well at Oasis Rd., PW 8, was added in July 2007. In that year, the water system served 770 of 3,100 residences. In September 2013 the R.M. applied to the Manitoba government to add a well at Bray Road and PTH 202 and to send this water to the Wenzel Water Treatment Plant. Recreation Hyland Park was established in the early 20th century by Winnipeg businessman J. L. Hyland as a destination for tourists riding aboard his two Red River steamboats Bonnitoba and Winnitoba and later, the Lockport, following the ruin of both ships. The Hyland Navigation and Trading Company (HNTC) built