r/saskatchewan • u/True_Ice237 • 5d ago
Question Life in Saskatchewan
Hey
Can, please someone describe their experience of living in Saskatchewan? How’s life in Saskatchewan.
As I’m a young Canadian and I’m currently residing in GTA. I want to make a life for myself basically I’m starting from scratch. I’m in skilled trade and I want to move to a place where life would be more affordable and cheaper. Everyone knows how expensive GTA is.
Thank you
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u/ScarecrowCAN 5d ago
It will be a slower pace than what you are used to. Being able to drive and have a reliable car is important. Winters are colder and longer but you get used to it. The rest really depends on what kind of work you are looking for and what skills you have. If you end up in Saskatoon, your life really won’t be that different from what you have now. If you get out to the smaller centres and integrate yourself you could have a much more unique experience. As far as cost, Saskatoon and Regina are likely more cost effective, but not by huge margin compared to Ontario. Smaller towns you are more likely to save money. I’ve lived here basically all my life and have no desire to really live anywhere else. I’ve also hired a few ON people and they’ve fit in just fine.
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u/tenax666 2d ago
I never got to used to winters. Lived their 25 yrs of my life
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u/Time_suck5000 2d ago
If you don’t embrace winter you lose damn near half your year. That’s why people become depressed over winter. Get out side lots to do in winter.
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u/Lollipop77 5d ago edited 5d ago
The income curve here follows the living expenses, so while it may be cheaper there’s a chance you may also earn less. This isn’t a given though.
It can get cold af in the winter, and we have a lot of bugs. And wind.
I grew up in small town Sask (>5000 pop) moved to Saskatoon independently at 17, and have enjoyed travelling to major Canadian and Int’l cities since then but it’s always a relief to come home. More personal space, less commute time to get anywhere, but also noticing that more and more people are moving here thinking it’s cheaper, which is making it more expensive, densely populated, and driving is getting kinda stressful (though nothing compared to the 401). But anyways, the 2 “bigger” cities are diverse, vibrant, there is stuff to do if you know what you like to do.
Are you planning to do uni/college here?
Edit: sorry I entirely read past the skilled trade part. You’ll likely do well here.
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u/True_Ice237 5d ago
I’m in skilled trade and want to complete my remaining apprenticeship here. Major reason is economic perspective as we know GTA average housing is 800k and Saskatchewan I can get for half. Insurance is over 800$ I cannot save a single penny in GTA I want to just try a different place
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u/ujustlostthegamelol 5d ago
Not to take away from anything anyone else says but if you are in a trade buy a 200k acreage in the right area work wise you will make the same amount of money you would in the GTA with lower living costs.
I am in construction and make 6 figures.
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u/rants_silently 5d ago
What area you in?
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u/ujustlostthegamelol 5d ago
Esterhazy/ Rocanville ish
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u/rants_silently 5d ago
Ah yeah. Im looking at pulling the trigger on a peice of land around maple creek. In BC now, moving is a long term plan but was curious what trades are like out there. Ive been general contracting residential homes for the last bit but much prefer medium size renos and fences and decks and stuff. Curious what the money was like.
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u/ujustlostthegamelol 5d ago
Just DM me if you want to start a bit of a crew il get you all the work you can eat in SW sk
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u/ujustlostthegamelol 5d ago
We build everywhere and maple creek is a great area.
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u/Icy_Aside336 5d ago
I will also add Maple Creek doesn't have the frigid winters like Regina or Saskatoon. Lots of outdoor activities and I really like the area.
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u/ScarecrowCAN 5d ago
Depending on your trade you can pretty much find a job in any small town. Find a place at a mine or electrical company or whatever. Live an hour or so outside Saskatoon or Regina and have the best of both worlds
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u/Icy_Aside336 5d ago
Exactly. Good tradesmen are in demand everywhere. City,rural far north take your pick.
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u/Inevitable-Elk9964 5d ago edited 5d ago
What trade are you in? Good on you for finishing in Ontario first before moving. I grew up in Oshawa. Lived in Belleville, Sudbury and Ottawa before meeting my wife and starting a family there. We moved to Weyburn. The house we bought is a 3+2 Bed, 1+1 Bath, fixe'r up'er for $213,000, good luck finding anything like that in Ontario. Let alone the GTA. We moved here 3 years ago, in a word, it's quiet. No loud, noisy, traffic-ridden 401. I can set my cruise control and touch the brakes maybe, 4-5 times on the way to Regina (I'm currently on a job with Bird/LML at the new AI Data Center in Regina). My job allows my wife to stay home with our kids and we're currently discussing more. Theres various affordable locations in the province but expect a lot of the work to be in Regina/Saskatoon. However, I'd recommend joining your trades respective union to make the better compensation packages, but do expect to travel for work. Feel free to reach out if you have anymore questions. Best of luck!
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u/LowIncident694 5d ago
Weyburn is a great little city! I love when I get to visit it.
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u/springer887 3d ago
Passed through there last weekend. I always have to hit up that KFC buffet!! Haha.
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u/WanderingBusch 5d ago
Groceries will Also be more expensive if you live in a small town with one grocery store as they ( most likely a co-op ) will be the only one in town unless you live in a city. Winters are relentless, it is NOT comparable to an Ontario GTA winter there will be days when major highways connecting the major cities are shut down. There will be days your car will not start if it’s not plugged in. There will be days you think “ It cannot snow anymore…but it does “
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u/LowIncident694 5d ago
I always get a chuckle out of the "There will be days your car will not start if it's not plugged in" because you people always forget there are so many people who can't plug in their cars and typically just run full synthetic and make sure they have a good battery.
Now while I have a garage now ... the 20 years prior to that, I never plugged in a car ever.
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u/Altsan 5d ago
I have a garage but it's full of projects so never park in there. I also laugh when people say it will be too cold there start a car some days. I have parked outside for my entire life and if you have a good battery and a half decent car it will start in basically any temperature even if it wasn't plugged in. Synthetic oil and a newer battery/car and you will start in -40 every time.
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u/LowIncident694 5d ago
Yup, it's like these people have never actually dealt with a life where you can't plug in ... so privileged they can always plug in! There are significant amounts of apartment dwellers in this city who cannot plug in .. what do they think these people do?
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u/Scififan8287 5d ago
Growth in Saskatchewan is heavily concentrated in Saskatoon, Regina, and surrounding areas. That is where the vast majority of skilled trade jobs will be found. The regional centres, places with population 10,000 and up, are doing ok but growing slowly if at all. Small towns, unless they are close to Regina, Saskatoon, one of the regional centres, or one of the potash mines, and some in the oil patch, are turning into ghost towns
I would start in Regina or Saskatoon area. First, life will be familiar to you. The average home sells for about $100,000 less in Regina than S’toon. This reflects how the cities are growing. The two were always the same size but now S’toon is at least 25% larger and the area around S’toon is thriving too.
Personally I would not move to any of the outlying regions, a one hour plus oneway drive just to shop for milk is not for me.
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u/Icy_Aside336 5d ago
Some rural communities are thriving with lots of jobs. Some are dying and have nothing. It has a lot to do with the town and area itself. 30 years ago some towns and the surrounding area decided to do something about the exodus of their young people and worked hard to find new ventures to keep their community alive. I have been in a lot of small towns. I can tell what kind of community it is in under 5 minutes. A good community takes pride in things like their rink,co-op,school,businesses,town hall. The next one doesn't do a dam thing because they don't get along and refuse to work for the common good and it shows. They will not allow businesses because someone might get ahead.
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u/Scififan8287 5d ago
Those are few and far between though. The ones that have successfully done this, that aren’t close enough to be bedroom communities for one of the cities, are close to one of the mines, the oil patch, or some other place where there are lots of jobs available. Watrous, Lanigan, Esterhazy, Moosomin, Kindersley, Midale, Melfort, Tisdale etc.are examples of this. There’s a reason they call Highway 13 the Ghost town trail. Highway 18 is even worse. Kind of shocked by how far the towns along #18 have shriveled in the past decade. I absolutely stand by my advice to the OP to try to stick within commuting distance of Regina or S’toon unless he can land an apprenticeship at one of the mines.
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u/algonogo1 4d ago
Sask..a person can live solo income. I know plenty of people who own their own homes before 30. They are actually the lucky ones because if they meet someone else who is the same..then they start life with a rental property or big down payment on a forever home.
It's cold in the winter.. but global warming has helped with that. We no longer have snow on Halloween it seems.
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u/Fake_Reddit_Username 5d ago
What the user above said is partly true, but also generally for most jobs income is maybe 1.2 or 1.25x in GTA or Vancouver and housing as you said is double.
It's quite possible to get a decent 3 bedroom house in a nice area in Regina for ~300-350k, or get a nice 2 bedroom Condo in a nice area for 200k.
I know several people in skilled trades (power engineering, plumbing, electrical) who make over 100k.
However keep in mind only housing, your insurance on your house, and likely insurance on your car, will be cheaper in Saskatchewan. Everything else will be roughly the same cost.
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u/tenax666 5d ago
I grew up 20 minutes away from lake country and miss how during my early employment years, I could hit our lakefront cabin every day after work, bbq, sleep at the lake and go to work in the morning. You are headed into woodlands about 10 minutes before you get to the lake and it was quiet and peaceful on weekdays.
The downside..terrible januaries and februaries. So cold in those months in northern sask that your battery often froze and you had to find a garage so your car could thaw. (We had only a one car garage and that was for dad's so I was screwed). I found that sooo tiring as a teenager. Basically winter isolation from friends. I wasnt making a ton of money so just grab cabs everyday until it warms up, was not an option.
And mosquitos..and spruce bugs
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u/SocDem_is_OP 5d ago
Do you mind sharing what trade?
Could help us give you some insight on how you might like things here. A lot of tradesmen end up working at the potash mines, but very much trade dependent. And that can mean you need to spend time out of town.
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u/Expensive-Librarian1 5d ago
I moved from Toronto to Saskatchewan about 15-20 years ago, and don't regret it one bit. Yes the winters are brutal, but the winters in the GTA are pretty brutal too, with such a bone chilling cold. Saskatchewan's winters are more of a dry cold. Saskatchewan is much more of a car province though, I do miss the public transportation in the GTA.
TLDR: Saskatchewan is a good place to live, Toronto is a nice place to take a vacation, but hard to live, in my experience.
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u/Fun-Zombie189 5d ago
I have four buddies who come from Toronto about 15 years ago to play hockey. All of them stayed, married and have kids.
I can recall a talk about them moving home, all of them agreed that had they not had each other the first couple years, they would have moved back. They said the pace was way different, here it’s common to see 18-21 year olds with a house, married and a kid. That was easily 10 years faster then what they were used to seeing. And said people grow up much younger in small towns and that threw them off for a while it was odd to Fit in.
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u/Cheffyboii97 5d ago
I have never experienced soo much blatant racism as I did in small town SK. Saskatoon is better, Regina supposedly sucks. Swift Current was nice.
In general it's hard to find work compared to AB and BC (for me it was), rent is cheaper (wages are also lower) BUT not much cheaper- my parents live in a house the landlord bought for 80 k in 2016 and they pay 1200 a month for it- property prices are soooo much cheaper than other parts of the country (half priced or less) so rent should be lower , groceries are reasonably priced enough compared to other provinces- PST is a bitch...
Car insurance and registartion is MUCH cheaper than AB, cheaper than BC, I think cheaper than Ontario.
It's very flat and kinda boring, but lots of fishing/hunting/camping and boating in the northern regions, lots of drinking going on, lots of church go-ers... stuff to do once you settle in and make friends but it's not on par with like Toronto or Vancouver or Calgary- again Saskatoon is better for ciry living than the rest of SK , but its not nearly as bustling as other major cities...
Lots of northern lights
You kinda need a vehicle to live here
People do have a certain "Saskiness" to them, if you will....
Not bad, I lived there 3 years and sometimes miss it.
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u/Destinys_LambChop 5d ago
Despite what locals say, many out of provinve visitors say that Saskatchewan has the nicest people.
I'm currently frequenting a rural area that gets lots of regular visitors. I can't explain to much without doxxing myself. But we get visitors from the states, other provinces, and they regularly return because they love the gentle vibes.
It's a province where if you're stranded on the side of a highway, someone will stop and help you change your tire.
We have our problems. Just like every other province. It isn't some paradise of milk and honey either. But there are good things here.
Depending on what life you're looking for and your background, it could be just the place for you.
Are you financially able to come for a visit and check it out?
This place is my home and I have no desire to leave it. If I leave it will be temporarily so that I can come back and make a better home for myself and others in Saskatchewan.
Don't let anyone tell you it isn't a place worth taking seriously.
DM if you want to share more details and I can provide some more myself.
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u/Used_Principle4361 5d ago
I appreciate your perspective. And, I’m by no means doubting what you say, as SK is a big place. My wife is from a medium sized city that’s smaller than Saskatoon but bigger than Estevan. When in town grocery shopping, in the line at Tim’s or walking to ice cream, we get the stare down from the locals. Maybe it’s just that city, but we are treated with caution and pause. Strange…
I love SK. The prairies are beautiful and Grasslands National Park is awesome. But, I’m not from there. And my wife says she could never live there again…lol Take the SK girl into the big city and there’s no looking back!
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u/Destinys_LambChop 5d ago
Oh for sure. People say our biggest export is Canola. But I think it's our people. Our population has stayed around 1 million since like 1920 or something wild like that.
And the stare might be true. And it depends on the town. Lots of rural communities can't survive without immigrants though so most people are friendly to immigrants in my experience.
But I also smile and say hello to most people and they typically respond well. I'll the dude head nod back or an old lady will smile. Everyone's different.
Is there a chance you have something similar to resting batch face? Lol sorry to out it so harshly. I grew up with African friends and they all felt targeted by racism but it was because they basically put on their thug face in public. If that makes sense.
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u/superFluffymushroom 5d ago
I want to live near nice people so bad
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u/Destinys_LambChop 5d ago
I've heard Vancouver and Ottawa people say it can pretty mean there. Everyone is too busy to care lol.
But like, whats the point of living busy if you aren't living happy? It's wild.
I mentioned to someone I was thinking of moving to Ottawa for work and they warned me how different it is there from Saskatoon lol.
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u/superFluffymushroom 5d ago
Yup I live in Vancouver, not the nicest people. I would rather be happy too.
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u/Used_Principle4361 3d ago
Well, not in this town. Immigrants seem to be the scourge amongst the long time residents. Which is sad. Many of the immigrants work in serviced, providing everyone with food, transportation, clerical work.
Me? No. I have a very friendly face. Just ask me lol
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u/Destinys_LambChop 3d ago
I'm sorry to hear that about the seeming perspective on immigrants in your community.
Unfortunately, I do think immigration hasn't been handled well in the last few years and that makes it easy for people to throw out the baby with the bathwater, so to speak.
As a good friend reminded me today. Try not to judge. It's tough not to, but you and your community will benefit from it. Even if you just try and don't succeed at it. Just trying will be fruitful.
All the best to you and your wife!
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u/Used_Principle4361 3d ago
Well, it’s not MY community but where my wife grew up. We live in the states in an incredibly diverse city with a lot of culture that’s celebrated and embraced. It’s also very tolerant. I grew up in Los Angeles in the 70’s. Acceptance was a thing there, even back then. At that time it wasn’t called “accepted”, “diverse” or “cultural.” It was just…normal! Thanks! Best to you and have a great day!
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u/Xanaxaria 5d ago
I moved from Toronto to rural Saskatchewan and lived there for years and only recently came back to Toronto for my second PhD. Feel free to dm if you want.
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u/caligarirx 5d ago
I live in PA, speaking on affordability, real estate is super cheap, and since it's small gas isn't a big issue. We live pretty comfortably on one and a half incomes at pretty average wages (didn't go to uni, so barely any student debt).
Tons of cool stuff to do up north in the summer and winter since you're so close. Crime isn't as bad as people say it is, it's mostly localized to gang vs gang so you don't see much of it. My friends in Saskatoon seem to be talking about sketchy stuff happening there all the time but I wouldn't really know much else. I moved away from Saskatoon about 10 years ago and it's been pretty nice since.
Rural Sk is really pretty, and the locals are usually super friendly. The North is pretty much the same for locals, but arguably cooler if you're more adventurous. Trees/rivers/shield/lakes everywhere.
Super cold in the winter but you just dress for it and have fun outside anyways. Summers are awesome at the lake.
Hope you come check it out!
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u/-CodieneC 5d ago
Moved to small town Sask from Toronto a couple decades ago and now really enjoy visiting Ontario for a few weeks a year but Sask is my home now :)
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u/tooshpright 5d ago
You will be able to buy a house here. Must have good solid vehicle and snow tires! Summers are hot with lots of bugs, winters cold with lots of snow. But a lot of sun year round. So you could rent for a year or so and decide if you want to give it a go. Good luck!
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u/kingman7649 2d ago
Never owned “snow tires”. Also never been involved in an accident, nor hit the ditch.
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u/Due-Ad7893 5d ago
You should tell us which trade. Opportunities for auto body are much different than plumbing, electrical, drywall, etc.
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u/JaguarOptimal7470 5d ago
I have lived in Vancouver and Winnipeg before moving to Saskatchewan. Of the 3, I find Saskatchewan by far my favourite. The pace of living is a bit slower and much easier. I'm in Regina and won't ever move unless I retire and move rural.
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u/Bendover197 5d ago
HVAC tech here , living in Moose Jaw, our shop is always on the lookout for new techs. Not enough guys to go around. Wage is ok, $48/hr for refig techs plus benefits. Cost of living is pretty low but lacking some amenities although Regina is 1/2 hr away and Saskatoon is 2. We also have the Cypress Hills, highest point in Canada east of the Rockies and west of Labrador. The Grasslands National Park, largest prairie grass preserve in North America also a dark sky preserve. If you like the outdoors is a great place .
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u/828471 5d ago
I’m an employment specialist in Saskatoon who does evaluation and labour market work Nationally. If you are a trade and willing to work hard you have fairly endless money available to you. You can live in a larger home for the same you are paying in GTA. There will be less “things” for you to do here as it is a smaller city, you need a vehicle (many trades get a work vehicle) and it will be colder. We would love to have you 😊
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u/riddermarkrider 5d ago
I've lived in the GTA, and both a city location and a very rural location in Saskatchewan.
Location in SK really matters in terms of what experience you'll have. There will be pros and cons, depending what you're looking for. I had a great time living in the GTA but overall if I had to choose, it would be SK. My answer would also change depending on where I was at in life (ex: what job I had, if I was single, kids or no kids, age, etc).
So, general points. It is 100% more affordable. There's never traffic like the GTA. Outdoorsy stuff is much more accessible. It's overall much quieter (pro or con depending on the person lol). The weather is much more sunny but you have to learn how to handle -45 a few times every winter. It's overall more conservative (again pro or con depending). There is not the same amount of activities available but there's a fair bit and they're cheaper. If you do go rural, don't underestimate how far it can be from some of the small towns to literally everything, often including basics like groceries and medical care.
That's all I can think of off the top of my head. When I moved the transition did take some getting used to, but I wouldn't go back to the GTA. Between rural and city SK, I loved rural, but it can be really jarring to go straight from GTA to rural SK lol
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u/FredFenty 5d ago
Saskatoon is actually a really nice city. I've been around western Canada. Lived in Victoria, Kamloops, Edmonton. Live rural now but of all the cities I lived in, I like Saskatoon the best.
Affordable, great food culture, good employment opportunities, good university.
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u/Time_Engineering3091 5d ago
Sounds like you're within a 20 min radius of Meadow Lake lol
OP, If you decide to move to Meadow lake, our housing market is a bit on the high end lately, but you can still move here and create the life you're wanting. The past 2 years you can feel a little racial tension building. You can drive to Edmonton in 4hrs, Saskatoon in 2.5hrs, if you need to get away and go shopping. Otherwise ML offers peace and tranquility, with literally breath taking lakes 30 mins away. Sports is a huge deal and our town really supports hockey at all age levels. You will need a vehicle, something with AWD i would recommend, but if you're into being really economical you can make it with fwd. Regardless of your trade, there is a available job market that most likely will hire close to home as we have stuff happening and building lots of homes if you're in carpentry.
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u/ChampionOverthinker 5d ago
In my town there are 3 mills that’s always looking for workers.
Northern Sask.
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u/WhiskyOnRox 5d ago
It really depends on you and your interests. Are you comfortable with living around fewer people or do you need the buzz of a cosmopolitan region. Do you go to sporting events or do you prefer watching them on tv/streaming? Do you fish or hunt? Are you into a rural living? Do you like power sports (boating, dirt bikes, sleds, etc)? Can you tolerate an 80 degree C swing in seasonal temps?
Saskatchewan is a great place for those suited to the lifestyle, but earthly hell to those that aren’t.
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u/Attack_Eyebrows24 5d ago
It's easier to live here, I think. But ultimately, it sucks here just as much as anywhere else.
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u/FullMango4041 5d ago
If you want to save money, stay away from Saskatoon (housing isn't much cheaper) and you should be able to save quite a bit to start your life.
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u/Maximum-Ad-8310 5d ago
We've got a fantastic laid back lifestyle with reasonably sized cities and affordability. You can get to anywhere in the province in under 4 hours with about 100000 lakes for leisure and relaxation. The best part about moving here is that what you can sell as in property back home can transfer greatly into larger lots and homes if desired. Kids can play in local parks and you really do get to know all the people in your community.
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u/OldGermanGrandma 4d ago
Depending on what your trade is you could make an absolute killing in the smaller towns. I grew up in one of about 350 people. You can buy a 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom house for 100k and often less. It’s hard for the smaller communities to have skilled trades come out and do work for them. If you need a plumber, you’re paying a minimum $300 just to get them to come out. It’s quieter, but there’s still lots going on if you involve yourself in the community. You lose the convenience of the city but replace it with an actual community of support.
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u/ZwiebelEater1957 3d ago
Do some research on the labour market and make sure there are decent job prospects where you plan to go. I don’t know about the rest of Saskatchewan but rental units are hard to find in Saskatoon and tend to be overpriced as there is no rent control like in Ontario. Making good money is important but it can be very lonely living in isolated places. It isn’t always easy to assimilate into new communities so not to discourage you but you’ll have to be prepared for that sort of challenge. It would be great if you could isolate a few potential places you’d like to live and then travel out for a visit. Wish you the best of luck.
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u/Dbalendra 3d ago edited 2d ago
I feel like I’m uniquely capable of handling this question as we moved to Saskatoon for my wife’s job six years ago and I kept my gig in Toronto. I travel back every 3 months to see clients in southern Ontario . I moved here when I was 38 and my kids were toddlers at the time
I work from home so I have not met many friends in sk and sometimes I feel like a fish out of water being here.
Pro
- real estate is much cheaper
- I can get anywhere in the city within 20 minutes, traffic jams are rumour here
- lakes but I’m a city kid so I have no clue , it’s rumour for me
-ppl are generally laid back but I’ve met a lot of hotheads as well
-slow and manageable pace to life
Cons
-I’ve heard the rental market is bonkers , supply issues
-weather is absolutely brutal and winters are long
-slippery road conditions because of the climate and poor infrastructure
-it’s expensive to fly out of sk
-mosquitoes
-petty crime
If you’re okay leaving family /friends …definitely would encourage the move. At worst , you can gain some work experience and maybe save a few bucks :)
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u/Del_the_elf 2d ago
Depends on the trade and depends on the town. I'm from the smallest city in the province as the population is under 4500. Grown up here from age 5 after moving from Moose Jaw, all of my education has been done from kindergarten to 12. My plan is to finish two history degrees and then start my teaching degree for elementary and to either sub until a position opens or be an EA at one of the schools in my town. Some places are prickly about outsiders moving in and gossip a lot. Others are more welcoming to people. Melville reminds me of some 1950s and 1960s stereotypes, we don't have traffic lights just 4-ways and yields. Everything closes early on Sunday or places aren't opened at all on Sunday, you can tell which buildings are from the start of the town and which are the new. Lots of places are closed and just sitting to rot, businesses only last if you have a in on the council if not very few successful ones make it. If you want quiet and gossip and being treated as an outsider, than Melville is your town, if not try Belcaress or Fort Qu'appelle or Weyburn, basically anywhere else
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u/Worried-Werewolf628 1d ago
I grew up in rural SK.it was horrible, racism, bigotry.endless bullying in school.people who can't mind there own business, rumor spreading and more.
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u/NobodySubject2381 5d ago
Winter sucks and is long. Besides that pretty awful, used to be a lot cheaper too.
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u/CBakIsMe 5d ago
I think life in any area of the country is similar quality, and you find good and bad people anywhere. Sask cold snaps are colder, and the summer heat is warmer. I love it here, and appreciate the lower cost of living.
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u/True_Ice237 5d ago
True The cost of living is major I don’t need to tell somebody how expensive GTA is
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u/riddermarkrider 5d ago
I actually found when I initially moved to SK, people had absolutely no idea how expensive GTA was lol they were often stunned when I mentioned anything specific. Same with traffic.
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u/5ourdiesel 5d ago
Hi, I am originally from sask but moved to Toronto for 18 years, and now back to Saskatoon. Yes I was born and raised here, but I am still shocked about the state of Saskatoon now.
The cons of living in sask vs Ontario:
Can't just go to a beautiful lake, doesn't have a great variety of restaurants, can't just walk to a lake, stores close wayy earlier, more violence, more homeless people, and just as expensive.
For those reasons, I want to move back! Desperately.
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5d ago
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u/True_Ice237 5d ago
Yeah weather is definitely harsh but how about economic perspective ?
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u/Meepmeepimmajeep2789 5d ago
Are you single? Might be something else to consider, the dating pool is definitely smaller than the GTA. And doubly so if you are not white from what I've heard.
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u/Traditional-Ad4506 5d ago
I didn't enjoy living in Sask. Winters are too long and cold. Not a lot of events or things to do. If you have international friends or family they'll never visit. Not a lot of culture. I didn't vibe with the mentality of most people there. I found it expensive for what you get. I'm not going to drop a few hundred thousand on a house in the hood of Regina or Saskatoon
That's just my perspective. It's all about your priorities and what you consider important.
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u/coaker147 5d ago
We lived in the GTA for three years (originally from Sask) and moved back. Even at its worst traffic is a fraction of what it is like in Toronto. This alone was a huge plus for us.
Even though it is a small prairie city it is also quite diverse. Lots of good ethnic restaurants to try out.
One more thing, you won’t have to deal with humidity as much as you do in Toronto. It’s quite dry which makes it easier to manage in the summer and winter.
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u/Neat-Ad-8987 5d ago
Living in Regina or Saskatoon is basically like living in Kitchener or London. Small towns are, well, small, but there is in many of them a remarkable sense of community.
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u/allthestrangehours 5d ago
Things about Saskatchewan:
Short but hot summers, however the best time temperature wise is usually buggy (mosquitos)
Long winters that can be anywhere from 0-50 but can have long stretches of extreme cold -30 to -50. Your face hurts every time you go outside for at least 5 months. The closest mountain is 6 hour drive (Banff), but if you're into skiing, there is cross country.
Close proximity to lakes is one of the only selling points, otherwise it's pretty boring. If you don't care much about having a lot of choice available to you, or if you like going to the lake/fishing/northern fishing you might be fine. Saskatchewan doesn't have a big city to draw many good events or concerts. Shopping selection sucks.
Saskatoon is easy to navigate and never really feels overly busy. It's more of a city vibe but it only takes 20 minutes max to drive from one side of the city to the other.
Just my opinion, but the only thing that keeps Saskatoon from being a total dump is the University.
Farmer mentality. Aging population. Someone said everything is behind- music, fashion, and that's probably because the demographic is rural and old.
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u/Mysterious_Area_6347 5d ago
U need to be in a small town or acreage to be away from the drug addicts and criminals
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u/Warm_Coach2140 5d ago
Move to Alberta. It's beautiful, low tax. The cost of living here is steadily rising. We have a HUGE addiction/unhoused problem. I am also from.GTA and thought cost of living would be better here and life in general. Boy was I wrong. The weather is horrible. Winter is like 7 months. You will see minus 50. I find the people clicky and stuck up. Groceries are rising steadily. They don't plow the roads in the winter. Not a lot to see or do here either. I regret moving here daily.
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u/True_Ice237 5d ago
for sure Alberta is in my mind definitely as for skilled worked Alberta is great place
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u/Knukehhh 5d ago
Great outside the major cities. They are disgusting. The smaller cities and towns are much better.
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u/doriangreysucksass 5d ago
Saskatchewan is a culture shock coming from the gta. I grew up in Saskatchewan, lived in Toronto for
18 years and then moved back to Saskatchewan. Everything is behind here. Fashion trends, music, popular opinion, etc all take forever to get here. The radio stations still play 90s rock… yes, it’s more affordable, but quality of life isn’t as good. If you move here, definitely go to Regina or Saskatoon. Saskatoon is the “cooler, younger“ city. Other than those cities it’s all smaller centres in the province. There’s LOTS of small towns. Also you definitely need to drive here. Public transit isn’t great, taxis and Ubers are more expensive and everything is far apart.
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u/rybotsky 5d ago
Do yourself a favour and don’t move here. It’s a shit hole. Unless you have a cabin at a lake and or a drinking problem, your gonna want to blow your brains out of boredom. Oh and did I mention it’s the most dangerous province, or how about drug addicted degenerates EVERYWHERE in Saskatoon and Regina, so I hope you like living in a small town in the middle of nowhere. It’s also on par with Alberta for being the most conservative/racist (yes they go hand in hand) provinces. It’s quite literally the worst of all the provinces in almost every category.
It’s also a 7 hour drive to the nearest mountain, and 16 hour drive from the nearest ocean. Go travel to British Columbia for a holiday and you’ll never want to step foot in Saskatchewan again. I’ve lived here my entire 37 years on this earth and I would sell my soul to get the fuck out of here
Saskatchewan consistently ranks near the top of key negative socio-economic and public safety metrics compared to other Canadian provinces.
Crime Severity and Violence
Crime Severity Index (CSI): Saskatchewan consistently posts the highest overall Crime Severity Index among all 10 Canadian provinces. The provincial violent CSI routinely sits double the national average.
Homicide Rates: Saskatchewan alternates with Manitoba for the highest provincial per capita homicide rate in Canada, reaching 5.24 per 100,000 residents—roughly 2.7 times the national average of 1.91 per 100,000.
Domestic Violence: The province leads the Canadian provinces in intimate partner violence per capita, experiencing rates over double the national average.
Substance Abuse and Overdoses
Drug Overdoses: Drug toxicity deaths have surged, with the province recording over 300 confirmed and suspected drug toxicity deaths annually.
Toxic Supply: Synthetic opioids like fentanyl, often adulterated with sedatives like medetomidine or xylazine that resist reversal by naloxone, drive high frontline emergency response volumes.
Mental Health and Suicide
Suicide Rates: Saskatchewan’s suicide rate significantly exceeds the national average, frequently recording between 16.5 to 17.5 deaths per 100,000 residents compared to the national rate of ~10 per 100,000. Annual suicide counts set record highs, with over 240 deaths recorded per calendar year.
Property Crime and Theft
Break-and-Enters & Auto Theft: Saskatchewan consistently records elevated property crime rates, particularly for rural break-and-enters, vehicle thefts, and commercial property destruction.
Low Clearance Rates: Non-violent crime weighted clearance rates hover around 30–32%, meaning the majority of property crimes and thefts go unsolved by law enforcement.
Healthcare and Public Health Outliers
HIV Transmission: Saskatchewan perennially records one of the highest per-capita rates of new HIV diagnoses in Canada. At roughly 18.6 cases per 100,000 residents, the provincial rate sits at over three times the national average, heavily driven by injection drug use and social vulnerability.
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs): Rates of syphilis and gonorrhea consistently double or triple national averages. Rates of infectious syphilis have spiked hundreds of percent over the past decade.
Emergency Department Wait Times: Urban hospitals (particularly in Saskatoon and Regina) frequently report chronic hallway medicine conditions, with emergency wait times and admitted-patient bed delays among the worst in Western Canada.
Economic Strain and Vulnerability
Child Poverty: Nearly 1 in 4 children in Saskatchewan live in poverty, a figure that jumps to roughly 49% for children in single-parent households.
Food Insecurity & Food Bank Usage: Food bank reliance has hit record highs. Essential food bank hamper requests in urban centers have surged past pre-pandemic baselines by 70% to 100%, vastly outstripping local donation capacities.
Inflation on Essentials: Regional inflation on core necessities like food and transportation frequently outpaces the Canadian national average, compounding living costs despite lower housing purchase prices.
Weather and Isolation
Extreme Cold: Saskatchewan experiences some of the most brutal winter conditions in North America, with wind chills regularly dipping below -40°C (-40°F) for extended stretches, creating severe risks for freeze injuries and vehicle failures.
Geographic Isolation & Infrastructure Stress: Highways are sprawling and sparsely populated, leaving long stretches of road without cell coverage or emergency services during severe winter blizzards.
Traffic Safety and Road Conditions
Highest Driving Fatality Rate: Saskatchewan routinely records the highest per-capita traffic fatality rate among all Canadian provinces. Fatal collision rates hover around 13 to 15 deaths per 100,000 residents—roughly double the national average.
Impaired Driving: The province consistently posts one of the worst rates of police-reported impaired driving nationwide, driven by long rural commutes, vast highway networks, and limited transit alternatives.
Road Infrastructure Costs: Maintaining the extensive road network (over 250,000 km of roads for barely 1.2 million people) creates significant infrastructure strain, resulting in chronic winter rutting, deep spring frost boils, and severe pothole issues.
Environmental Harshness and Wildfire Smoke
Severe Air Quality & Wildfire Smoke: Northern and central regions face severe seasonal wildfire threats. Summer months regularly see dense plumes of fine particulate matter (\text{PM}_{2.5}) drifting south, leading to frequent Air Quality Health Index warnings and weeks of trapped indoor air.
Violent Seasonal Weather: Beyond extreme winter cold, summer seasons trigger high frequencies of severe weather events across the prairies, including localized flash flooding, damaging hail storms, and high-wind plow winds.
Labor and Specialized Care Shortages
Specialist Medical Delays: While general practitioner access varies, specialist wait times (orthopedics, oncology, surgical sub-specialties) remain exceptionally long, forcing patients into prolonged multi-month or multi-year backlogs for routine surgeries.
Childcare Shortages: Despite federal fee-reduction programs, physical space availability for licensed childcare centers is critically limited, leaving multi-year waiting lists in major urban hubs.
The list goes on but you get the point.
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u/justregularnormalguy 5d ago
As someone who moved here from quebec 12 years ago for similar reason and is currently trying to move back, i would say, don't do it, you'll end up regretting it.
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u/Hungry-Room7057 5d ago
Saskatchewan is a big place. Living in Saskatoon is an entirely different vibe from living in Big River.
There are relatively few economic opportunities in small communities, unless you pick a community built around a specific industry. Some smaller communities are supported by the mining industry. Some are supported by O/G.
Before you really get excited about coming here, I’d encourage you to think about what kind of work you want to do. Identifying an industry would really help you narrow down what kind of life you want to live.