East Region
The very first families to establish themselves in this area were French, beginning in 1900. At first, the village bore the name Saltel, in honour of Norbert Saltels family.
Later, the parish adopted the name of St. Geneviève, patron saint of Paris, to recognize the first settlers, most of them French. The breeding of livestock and milk production became the community’s main livelihood for many years.
The charming little church and the museum of the former presbytery form the main tourist attractions in St. Geneviève. Given its proximity to the City of Winnipeg, the town has in late years become somewhat of a “bedroom” community of the former.
A visit to Manitoba means travelling through Treaty 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 territory and communities signatory to Treaties 6 and 10, the original lands of the Anishinaabeg, Anish-Ininiwak, Dakota, Dené, Iiniwak, and Nehethowuk and the homeland of the Métis Nation. Its ongoing existence is thanks to these ancestors and their present day relatives who continue to love and care for the land.
