Ben Dembinsky moved to The Pas in 1914 and opened a series of trading posts and stores which flourished throughout Northern Manitoba. He became a town councillor in 1927 and was the town’s mayor from 1938-1947. Dembinsky was also a member of the Elks and the Rotary Club and was very involved in his community. He died in The Pas in 1960.

Born at Cornwall, Ontario in 1885, he came to The Pas in 1914 where he worked as a teamster and established a trading business. By 1918, he was sufficiently settled that he was able to bring his wife Anna (?-1977), son Isador D. “Sonny” Dembinsky (?-1969) and daughter Vera Dembinsky (?-1967) to join him. Second son Frank Dembinsky (1921-?, who later served as Mayor of Flin Flon) was born at The Pas. His company, the Western Trading Company, thrived and opened stores at Herb Lake (1922), Nelson House (1922), Churchill, Cranberry Portage, and Flin Flon (1928). Eventually, the stores at Flin Flon and The Pas operated as Ben Dembinsky Limited. In 1927, he became a member of the The Pas town council, and served as Mayor of The Pas from 1938 to 1947, and again from 1952 to 1957. He was a member of the Elks and Rotary Club. He died at The Pas on 18 September 1960.