Saskatoon

Saskatoon is a city in West Central Saskatchewan. With a metropolitan population of approximately 317,000 people (2021), it is the province's largest city, and its economic and cultural hub. It has a beautiful setting along the South Saskatchewan River, and makes the most of it with parks and bridges. It's a little oasis among wheat fields.

Understand
Saskatoon is located on bluffs along the South Saskatchewan River. Early planners set aside the riverfront for parks. Several bridges cross the river, affording gorgeous views of river, trees, and skyline.

Founded in 1906, with growth driven by immigration, railway links, and mining wealth, Saskatoon offers cultural sophistication and wealth of Art Nouveau architecture. That, together with the river and its bridges, gives it the nickname of "Paris of the Prairies".

The foundation of Saskatoon's economy is potash and other resource mining; oil and gas extraction (fracking and conventional); and wheat and other agriculture. These are abbreviated as "POW". The city hosts corporate headquarters of world-leading firms like PotashCorp (potash) and Cameco (uranium). Until the commodities slump of 2014, Saskatoon had been one of Canada's economically most vibrant cities. From its earliest days, Saskatoon has been home to the University of Saskatchewan. It boasts "The Canadian Light Source", Canada's only synchrotron.

The name Saskatoon comes from a Cree word for a berry that grows along the river called missaskquahtoomina.

Districts
Roads which run generally east-west are usually named "street"; those running generally north-south are usually named "avenue". The major north-south road called Idylwyld Drive, Louis Riel Trail, and Highway 11 marks the division between "east" and "west" streets. 22nd Street (west of the river) and Aird Street (east of the river) mark the division between "north" and "south" avenues.

The Meewasin Park along the river, from just past University Bridge in the northeast to just past Idylwyld bridge in the southwest, is the heart of the traveler's beat. It is a beautiful, peaceful place to stroll, ride bikes, or skate.

On the east side of the river, the University of Saskatchewan lies just north of University Bridge and College Drive (highway 5); Nutana is between University Bridge and Idylwyld bridge, to 8th Street East on the south and Clarence Ave South on the east; and the Broadway Avenue district (within Nutana) runs from the Broadway bridge eastwards, particularly between 8th Street and 12th Street, and generally including roughly a block on either side, full of interesting shops and restaurants.

On the west side of the river, the Central Business District is bounded by 19th Street East on the south, Idylwyld Drive - Louis Riel Trail (highway 11) on the west, 25th Street East on the north, and the Meewasin park on the east. (Streets here are "East".) It is pedestrian-oriented, with many shops and restaurants. 21st Street East and 2nd Avenue North and South are the main arteries, and the intersection of these two is the "heart" or centre of the city. Bus lines pass through a transit terminal here.

"Alphabet Soup" is the informal name for the alphabetized avenues west of Idylwyld Drive - Louis Riel Trail (highway 11), from Avenue B through to Avenue Y, south of 33rd Street West. (Streets here are "West".) It is considered to be sketchy, with more crime than other areas. Gentrification is nibbling away at the sketchiness, along major roads and near the river. There's little reason for tourists to be outside the gentrified areas in this part of town anyway.

These neighbourhoods are useful references for travellers, but don't cover the whole city. Other attractions and important transportation hubs are also outside of these areas.

Tourist information
Regina Tourism website

Airport
Direct flights to Saskatoon within Canada include from Calgary (1.25 hours), from Edmonton (1.25 hours), Prince Albert (30-40 minutes), Regina (45 minutes), from Toronto (3.5 hours), from Vancouver (2 hours), and from Winnipeg (1.75 hours).

Airlines
Canadian airlines operating to Saskatoon:



Other airlines operating to Saskatoon:


 * Delta Air Lines fly to Saskatoon from Minneapolis and WestJet fly to this city from Phoenix, and Las Vegas in the United States.

Ground transportation
To get to the city centre from the airport:


 * Saskatoon Transit: Route 12
 * Rent a vehicle from one of the car rental companies
 * Cab: Should cost you approximately $12

By car
Saskatoon is on Highway 16 (Yellowhead Highway) which connects to The Battlefords and Edmonton to the west and Winnipeg to the east. This highway is entirely divided (save for a few minor exceptions and construction zones) between Edmonton and Saskatoon. Highway 11 connects to Prince Albert to the north and Regina to the south. You can also drive via Alberta Highway 9/Saskatchewan Highway 7 from Calgary, but this highway is not divided.

By bus

 * Routes operating to Saskatoon:
 * Between Prince Albert and Saskatoon including a stop in Rosthern. Travel time to Saskatoon from Prince Albert is 1.5 hours. Operates several days per week.
 * Between Regina and Edmonton with stops in Davidson, Sasktoon, North Battleford, Lloydminster, Vermilion, and Vegreville. Travel time to Saskatoon from Regina is 3 hours, from North Battleford is 2 hours, from Lloydminster is 3.5 hours and from Edmonton is 7 hours. Operates several days per week. Some additional trips only operate between Regina and Saskatoon.



By car
This is a car-oriented city. There is plentiful street parking downtown ($2/hour typically). Outside the central business district, driving may be your most convenient option. The best choice of rental cars is at the airport. There are few rental car offices in the Central Business District or Nutana.

Walking is a great way to get around the compact and pedestrian-friendly tourist haunts of the Meewasin park, Central Business District, Broadway Avenue, and Nutana.

By public transit
Saskatoon Transit serves most of the city. Both regular and express (DART) service is provided. Pay cash for individual fares, or buy a GoCard and load packages of 10 rides at a discount. You can buy tickets at the Customer Service Centre, City Hall, and at shops like Co-op, Mac's, Safeway, Shopper's Drug Mart (complete list on Saskatoon Transit's web site). Timetables for every bus can be found at the downtown terminal or at Transit's web site. At outlying stops, call the 'Phone & Go' line (below) and use the 4-digit stop code to determine information about the routes that service that stop. There are transit hubs in various locations, of which the City Centre Hub is the most useful for travelers.

By bicycles
Saskatoon is a very bicycling friendly city, and boasts the second highest per capita commuter cycling rate in Canada. Recreational cyclists will enjoy exploring the Meewasin Valley Trail along the South Saskatchewan River. Almost all parts of the city are accessible by bicycle and bicycle lanes and routes are marked along some key corridors... be careful because there are also a lot of bad drivers.

By taxi
Taxis are easy to find but generally pricey. A ten minute drive (enough to get you most places in the city if it's not rush hour) will cost $10-15.



See


A good place to start is to walk up and down the Meewasin Trail, crossing the South Saskatchewan River at the University Bridge, the Broadway Bridge, and the Idylwyld Bridge. On a fine day, this rewards you with beautiful views, and connects you to attractions and the districts of most interest to a visitor.



The following attractions are at the University of Saskatchewan:

These attractions are outside the core districts of the city.

Do




Festivals
Saskatoon hosts many festivals and events during the summer. These include:


 * Art in the Heart - this is a great little event in the Caswell area. There is artist vendors from Saskatoon, as well as crafts, face-painting and henna. Live local music is playing all day, and there is a kid's area in the Church Basement where they can do crafts and learn a play. Truly a unique experience to check out when in Saskatoon. Late September.
 * Saskatoon International Fringe Festival - Street performances and alternative theatre centred around Broadway Avenue in the first half of August.
 * Folk Fest - an annual, multi-cultural festival comprised of up to 25 ethnic pavilions located throughout the city. Inside each pavilion, visitors will find cultural displays, dance, song, food, folklore, fables and skits. Runs in August. A passport to the 3-day event cost $16 in 2018.
 * Saskatoon International Fringe Festival - Street performances and alternative theatre centred around Broadway Avenue in the first half of August.
 * Folk Fest - an annual, multi-cultural festival comprised of up to 25 ethnic pavilions located throughout the city. Inside each pavilion, visitors will find cultural displays, dance, song, food, folklore, fables and skits. Runs in August. A passport to the 3-day event cost $16 in 2018.
 * Folk Fest - an annual, multi-cultural festival comprised of up to 25 ethnic pavilions located throughout the city. Inside each pavilion, visitors will find cultural displays, dance, song, food, folklore, fables and skits. Runs in August. A passport to the 3-day event cost $16 in 2018.

Learn

 * The University of Saskatchewan is the oldest and largest university in the province. The U of S is located in the near centre of the city, across the river from downtown. The University is easily accessible by car or public transit from nearly any area of the city. The campus is built around a large central space known as the Bowl, which is used for Orientation events and as a skating rink during winter. Notably, it is the home of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, the only college of its kind in Western Canada.
 * St. Thomas More College is a Catholic-based federated college of the University of Saskatchewan. The two are academically integrated and students can take classes from either school. STM specializes in undergraduate liberal arts classes and classes taken at the college usually have less students than the same class taken at the College of Arts & Science.
 * Saskatchewan Polytechnic (known as the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology until 2014) is Saskatchewan's primary public institution for post-secondary technical education and skills training. Located on Idylwyld and 33rd Street, the Saskatoon campus is the largest of the four in the province (the other campuses are in Regina, Prince Albert, and Moose Jaw). The campus is easily accessible by public transit and is not far from downtown.
 * Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies, which specializes in industrial and technical programs for First Nations people in Saskatchewan.

Like most major cities in Canada, Saskatoon has several English as a Second Language' (ESL) schools. The U of S Language Centre offers full-time and part-time classes, as well as a university prep program for prospective students to the University.

Buy


Broadway Avenue (particularly between 8th Street and 12th Street, and generally including roughly a block on either side) is a popular shopping and cultural area. There are many little boutique and specialty shops worth checking out, and many restaurants and bars. It is a pedestrian-friendly environment with a high density of some of Saskatoon's most popular businesses.



The Central Business District (bounded by 19th Street on the south, Idylwyld Drive on the west, 25th Street on the north, and Spadina Crescent (South Saskatchewan River) on the east) also contains plenty of shopping opportunities outside of the large Midtown Plaza shopping mall on 1st Ave. The majority of this shopping opportunity is realized along 21st Street and along 2nd Avenue. Where these streets intersect is considered by many to be the "heart" or centre of the city, particularly in terms of pedestrian-oriented amenities.

Stay safe
Saskatoon has a fairly high crime rate per capita, but this tends to be concentrated in small areas of the city.

The majority of the alphabetized avenues west of Idylwyld, from Avenue B through to Avenue Y (often referred to as "Alphabet Soup" by locals) are considered to be sketchy, with a lot of gang/drug activity, violent crime and prostitution. It's probably best to avoid this part of town, particularly the alphabet avenues south of 22nd Street, and also immediately surrounding the 33rd Street intersection with Idylwyld. It's usually relatively safe during daylight hours, and there's little reason for tourists to be in these parts of town anyway.

The east side of the river has the general reputation among locals of being safer than the west side.

The usual common-sense rules apply, and you should be fine.

Cope
There is a free wireless internet network in the whole of Saskatoon’s downtown core, Broadway Avenue, and on the University of Saskatchewan campus.

Go next

 * Drive north for 1.5 hours on Highway 11 to Prince Albert
 * Drive south along Highway 11 for 2.5 hours to Regina