Aerial photo of Rainbow Lake with the golf course in the foreground, the school
in the center, The Rec Plex in the blue building on the upper right side.

There are approximately 1200 people living in the community of Rainbow Lake. This population swells dramatically during the winter months as a result of increased activity in the oil industry during this season. Much of the areas oil and gas deposits are located on soft ground known as muskeg, which is most easily accessed when the ground is frozen. This community was founded in the late 1960's and early 1970's as a direct result of the rich oil and natural gas deposits. Highway #58, which covers the 144 km from High Level, was paved during the mid-1980's, which permitted year-round, all-weather access to Rainbow Lake, which was previously hampered by inclement weather and tutted roads.

Many of the homes in Rainbow Lake are owned by the various employers and rented out to the employees. The three main oil companies which own most of the houses in Rainbow Lake are Imperial Oil, Mobil Oil and Husky Oil. It is a fully modern community with many modern conveniences.

The primary income sources are from the oil and natural gas industries. Many of the positions with the oil companies are highly paid positions. This leads to the community of Rainbow Lake having a high family income and a low unemployment rate. The people not directly employed by one of the three major oil companies are employed by a either a 'junior oil company', a natural gas production company, or a business which services these businesses. Virtually all income is derived from one of the above businesses.

The trends for employment opportunities are directly linked to the natural resources in the region. Most part-time or seasonal employment is related to the harvesting of these natural resources. There are some service industries which may begin to service the people or companies in the area but these are dependent upon economic factors such as a population base to support their services or the proposed expansion of Hwy #58 through to Fort Nelson, British Columbia. All in all the employment opportunities are bright for anyone in the oil or natural resources industries.

There is a large and active social life in Rainbow Lake with many activities available. Seasonal sports such as curling, hockey, soft-ball, golf, snowmobiling, quading, camping and tennis can all be enjoyed in Rainbow lake. Many of the aforementioned sports are organized into tournaments, leagues, and special outings. All of these organized events are well attended and special events which are well supported by the people and businesses in and around Rainbow Lake. This is all in addition to the obvious opportunities for hunting and fishing, which is extremely popular for many residents. Rainbow Lake also has other organized events which are well attended; seasonal dances, parties and special events turn out many people. Opportunites for gathering to worship are available as well, with Protestant, United and a Roman Catholic congragations sharing a facility owned by the Catholic Church.

The community school offers a full program K - 12, and is part of the Fort Vermillion School Division . The school has undergone a long overdue expansion which was just completed in the fall of 1997. The added space has provided more classrooms as well as a larger library. In addition to more teaching space there will also be additional facilities, such as a modern computer lab. The school has arranged for regular upgrading of the school computers, so that every 2 years there are new, more up to date computers for students and staff. A group of community volunteers spent a great deal of time and effort raising funds to upgrade the school / community playground. In May of 1998 a large, modern playground was opened on school property - a popular place for children to play - and play safely.

During the early 1990's the community of Rainbow Lake expressed the need for a stronger police presence in their community. At that time the community was expanding quite rapidly. The RCMP worked together with the Town Council of Rainbow Lake, and in 1995 the manpower establishment of the Assumption Detachment was increased by one officer. This officer was afforded housing in Rainbow Lake, in a home owned by the Town of Rainbow Lake, and leased by the RCMP.

The Town of Rainbow Lake recently demonstrated their continuing commitment to this initiative, by supplying a large office for use by the RCMP. This office is on the main floor of the Town Office (Airport) building and is open each Monday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the Assumption Detachment support staff and is used by the other officers on an on-going basis. Opening this office, even one day a week, has proven to be a difficult task recently. Please contact the detachment for the hours we are currently using to provide this service.