Moving to Saskatoon: Your City of Bridges Relocation Guide

Surrounded by beautiful nature and divided by a large winding river, Saskatoon is a thriving city that is well known for its lively atmosphere and rich and diverse culture. The large number of attractions, events and festivals attracts a steady flow of visitors who are eager to experience refreshing eateries, exciting nightlife and picturesque river trails.

If you’re about to move to Saskatchewan’s capital, this moving guide will show you the highlights of this fascinating city.

Geography And Climate

With a population of 253,000 people, Saskatoon is the largest city in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is located in the central part of the province, right on the banks of the South Saskatchewan River which divides the city into east and west sides.

Saskatoon’s climate is classified as humid continental – four distinct seasons with warm and dry summers and extremely cold winters. Because of the low precipitation, the city is sunnier than the average value in the country with 2,381 hours of sunshine each year. Thunderstorms are a common sight during the summer period and can be rather severe.

The temperatures range from 30°C (86 F) on the warmest summer days to -30 °C (-22 F) on the coldest winter days. On June 5, 1988, a record value of 40.6 °C (105.1 °F) was reached – the highest temperature in the city’s history.

You can keep an eye on the weather in Saskatoon on the following website.

Economy

Saskatoon’s economy is heavily fueled by the mining industry (potash, oil and gas, uranium, gold, diamond and coal). The largest potash producer in the world (PotashCorp) and the largest publicly traded uranium company in the world (Cameco) are headquartered in city. It’s been calculated that two-thirds of all potash reserves on the planet are situated in the Saskatoon region.

Also, the province of Saskatchewan, and especially its largest city, are responsible for half of the entire major crops production in Canada – wheat, oats, barley and rye.  Saskatoon, also nicknamed “POW City” where POW stands for potash, oil and wheat, is considered the agriculture biotechnology capital of Canada.

Main Sights And Attractions

Delta Bessborough

This is a 4 star ten-story hotel with castle-like appearance situated in the city center. Built by the Canadian National Railroad and opened in 1935, the 225-room hotel is a historical landmark in Saskatoon whose 5 acres of private waterfront gardens are often used for weddings, private parties, concerts and other events.

Wanuskewin Heritage Park

Located 5 km north of Saskatoon, the Wanuskewin Heritage Park is a national historic place that offers its visitors unspoiled natural prairie landscape with scenic trails, archeological sites and abundance of fauna and flora. For more than 6,000 years the park has been the meeting place of the Northern Plains Indians and today many aspects of their lifestyle can be learned and even partly experienced there.

University of Saskatchewan

Established in 1907 as an agricultural college, today the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) is the largest education institution in the province and offers more than 200 academic programs. Sulphate-resistant cement and the cobalt-60 cancer therapy unit are one of the distinguished discoveries of the research centers of the university.

Festivals And Events

If you love music, theater, the arts and great food, Saskatoon is the perfect place for you. The city is home to 65 annual events and festivals, the most popular ones being:

• Broadway Street Fair
• Folk Fest
• Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan
• Fringe Festival
• Saskatchewan Jazz Fest
• Reggae Fest
• WinterShines Festival

Moving To Saskatoon

Professional help

If your relocation to Saskatoon is imminent, employing the services of a licensed moving company is a smart move that will help you save valuable time and possible shattered nerves. Also, the best way to get perfectly ready for moving day, and the period that follows, is to consult this highly informative personal relocation handbook.

Accessibility

Saskatoon is easily accessed by air, road or rail.

• By air: John G. Diefenbaker International Airport is the largest airport in the province. In 201,1 it handled 1,246,405 passengers which ranks it the 14^th busiest airport in the country.
• By road: Numerous major highways lead into and out of Saskatoon. Highway 11 services the north and south approaches while TransCanada Highway 16 runs in northwest and southwest directions. The distances from the major Canadian cities are as follows: from Toronto – 2219 km (1379 miles), from Vancouver – 1574 km (978 miles), from Winnipeg – 783 km (486 miles), from Calgary – 620 km (376 miles), from Edmonton – 528 km (326 miles) and from Regina – 258 km (160 miles).

You can check the current road conditions in and around Saskatoon here:

• By rail: The city of Saskatoon is serviced by VIA Rail train network.

Interesting Facts About Saskatoon

• Saskatoon is nicknamed “The City of Bridges” because of the 8 bridges that cross the South Saskatchewan River.
• Another nickname is “Hub City” – the city is located in an ideal spot for distribution and logistics.
• The region of Saskatoon has been inhabited for between 5000 and 8000 years. Around 9% of the city’s population today is native.
• In 2011, 50 Saskatonians were over the age of 100.
• The city has more than 145 parks that cover 2300 acres of land.
• There’s been only one recorded earthquake in the city’s history – a 30-second tremor that occurred on May 15, 1909.

Useful information:

• City of Saskatoon

• Tourism Saskatoon

• Maps of Saskatoon