Saskatchewan is a beautiful place to live that has four distinct seasons with temperatures comparable to the northern United States. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories and by Montana and North Dakota to the south. It is a land of spacious prairies where you can glimpse anything from sunflowers as far as the eye can see to miles of wheat waving in a gentle summer breeze. It is also known as the Land of Living Skies.
Prairies don’t mean and absence of people, however. In 2010 there were 1,052,050 residents in Saskatchewan, about 20% of which live in Saskatoon the largest city and about 18% that live in the capital, Regina. There are half a dozen other major cities and many good sized towns as well as small villages. All these areas are home to an amazingly diverse population comprised of multicultural groups from all over the world; only 18.1% of all residents identify themselves as native Canadians.
Saskatchewan has a thriving economy; its 2006 GDP was about $46 billion. One of the reasons the economy is so stable and continues to grow is all the economic diversity. There is agriculture, logging, forestry, hunting and fishing as well as a very active tourist industry. Saskatchewan grows a big part of the nation’s grain such as wheat, rye, oats, flax, barley plus peas and lentils. Its cattle ranching activities are exceeded only by Alberta. Mining is a major industry; it is the world’s largest exporter of potash and uranium. There is also the oil industry and huge deposits of natural gas. The economy is also built on finance, insurance, communications, manufacturing, business and government services, construction and other industries and services.
Because of the healthy economy, Saskatchewan has the lowest unemployment rate in all of Canada. The cost of living is one of the lowest in the country while the quality of life is one of the best. Saskatchewan has an excellent education system, largely due to the voucher system that was developed to keep schools competitive and encourage them to maintain standards of excellence. Affordable housing is everywhere whether you want a house, condo, townhouse or apartment. You’ll find safe and friendly neighborhoods, an exemplary police force and very low crime rates.
There is not shortage of entertainment in Saskatchewan, either. You can enjoy performing arts, galleries, pioneer museums, rodeos, craft bazaars and multicultural festivals. A typical weekend might see you at a country music, rock or classical concert. Saskatchewan has more museums per capita than any province in Canada, including the Royal Saskatchewan Museum and RCMP Heritage Centre in Regina; there are smaller community museums like the Eastend Fossil Research Station that has one of the most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex skeletons in the world.
You’ll also find two national parks and 23 provincial parks that provide playgrounds for swimming, biking, camping, hiking, water sports and more. You can fish, canoe and enjoy water sports in the more than 100,000 freshwater lakes that are also used for skating and snowmobiling in the winter. There is football, hockey and baseball. You can enjoy golfing at one of the many public courses or, if you prefer, join a private club.
If you are looking for affordable living, job security and a high quality of life you’ll certainly want to take a serious look at Saskatchewan!
|
|
|
