Saskatoon is the major economic and cultural hub of the Canadian Province of Saskatchewan. It is also the largest city in the province too.
With about forty six communities and a population of about three hundred and twenty-two thousand people, this city has been described as a growing city with very friendly residents. Many people are now making the choice to live and work here.
So if you are looking to make a move to a new city and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan is on your radar, the facts in this article might really interest you and help you with making your choice.
We consider the pros of living in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan first;
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Pros of living in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
1. Saskatoon is a city with a cultural heritage
This city was officially founded in 1883 but has had the same lineage of inhabitants for thousands of years and so its ancient culture is preserved.
If you like to be fascinated by the rich history in the area, the aboriginal sites, and stories about indigenous groups from the past and observe present day culture then you might really like Saskatoon, it’s that type of town.
2. Saskatoon is one of nature’s beauty
Saskatoon is a very big city adorned by many of nature’s very beautiful features.
There are national parks, mountain ranges, dunes, rolling hills and even cascading prairies; and with over a hundred thousand lakes and reservoirs Saskatoon’s landscape is a natural beauty and truly breathtaking.
The city is spread across a very vast region and a lot of it has not been explored, no major construction is going on in these areas, if you like to explore nature and find out cool spots for yourself then you just might really like moving to Saskatoon.
3. The cost of housing and living in Saskatoon is low
Amongst the major Canadian cities, the cost of renting an apartment and of living in Saskatoon is very low, the average cost of renting a single room apartment here is about $803, the cost of renting a single room apartment in a city like Toronto is about triple of that.
Purchasing a bungalow here costs about $338,882 but in a city live Vancouver, this could worth over a million dollars.
The tax rate here is also lower in most other places, most provinces in Canada charge about 15% as tax rate, in Saskatoon the Provisional Sales Tax is 6% in addition to the 5% nationwide Goods and Services Tax, making a total of only 11% tax.
4. A rapidly growing economy
One of Saskatoon’s nicknames is “Hub City”, which refers to its location as a center for distribution and logistics within Canada. Its airport -John G. Diefenbaker International Airport gets fairly busy within the course of the year.
Agriculture is a major part of this region’s economy, which Saskatoon housing over two-thirds of the world’s recoverable potash, it is also home to the world’s largest publicly traded uranium company -Cameco.
Livestock and grains, oil and gas, uranium, gold, diamond, coal, and potash are a major backbone of the economy here.
Saskatoon is also home to a few start-ups in the digital media scene.
5. Education
Saskatoon has about 14 high schools and 78 elementary schools and like the rest of the country, there is no tuition fee for residents up until college or university education, under the graduate retention program, the city provides a $20,000 rebate for undergraduates too.
The University of Saskatchewan is very popular in this region, it also has a catholic federated college -Saint Thomas More College present on its campus.
Other post high school options in the area include; the Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Gabriel Dumont Institute, and the Saskatoon annex of the First Nations University of Canada.
6. Saskatoon is a link city
This city is on Highway 16, the Yellowhead highway spur of the Trans-Canadian highway system that connects Saskatchewan to Manitoba and all the way through British Columbia. Highways 5,7, 11, 14, 41, 219, 684, 762 all meet within the city.
The city’s railway system is connected to both the National and Pacific railway lines and connects the city to others, The Saskatoon John G.
Diefenbaker International Airport provides scheduled and charter airline services to major cities within and outside the country.
Cons of living in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
1. The weather is Saskatoon is not the best
Saskatoon gets about three hot months in a year, another three hot months of mild weather while the other six months are usually a cold winter.
The province is landlocked and since there are no nearby water bodies to moderate the temperature it gets hot in the summer.
The winter months are also very cold and last a lot longer than they would normally, the weather here is really just an alternation between summers and winters.
2. The crime rate here is relatively high
The crime rate per a hundred thousand citizens here is higher than usual, and even doubles the amount in other areas of the country including the big cities.
Especially in the rural areas here, the crime rate increases year after year. This city is tagged one of the most dangerous in the country with the crime rates in its neighborhood adding up yearly.
3. Pop culture entertainment options are not a lot
Saskatoon does not have a buzzing nightlife exactly, it is not the type of city where the bars and restaurants stay very lively or are open round the clock.
You might most likely have to define your own entertainment, you could go on nature walks or hikes to have fun in your free time.
The population of people here is small compared to space and the city is not very densely populated, and it, therefore, is not as social as some other cities might be.
The bottom line
In conclusion, Saskatoon has its peculiarities and is different from most other cities in Canada, there is no denying that it is a beautiful place with a scenic outlook, but it is scarcely populated and is known for being a risky place to live.
You should carefully weigh your options when deciding to move here.