Virden is a regional centre of Western Manitoba - Canada’s 5th province. Oil was first discovered in 1951 and Virden is known as the “Oil Capital of Manitoba”. The town is located along the Trans Canada Highway near the border between Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Virden has just over 3,000 residents as of the most recent census, and is located about 105 kilometres (65 miles) north of the Canada/U.S. border. The Town of Virden covers an area of 3 square kilometers, (1.2 square miles) and is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Wallace.