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Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Yellowhead Highway, and has served as the cultural and economic hub of central Saskatchewan since its founding in 1882 as a Temperance colony.
With a 2021 census population of 266,141, Saskatoon is the largest city in the province, and the 17th largest Census Metropolitan Area in Canada, with a 2021 census population of 317,480.
Saskatoon is home to the University of Saskatchewan, the Meewasin Valley Authority—which protects the South Saskatchewan River and provides for the city's popular riverbank park spaces—and Wanuskewin Heritage Park, a National Historic Site of Canada and UNESCO World Heritage applicant representing 6,000 years of First Nations history. The Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344, the most populous rural municipality in Saskatchewan, surrounds the city and contains many of the developments associated with it, including Wanuskewin. Saskatoon is named after the saskatoon berry, which is native to the region and is itself derived from the Cree language misâskwatômina. The city has a significant Indigenous population and several urban Indian reserve. The city has nine river crossings and is nicknamed the "Paris of the Prairies" and "The City of Bridges".
Historic neighbourhoods of Saskatoon include Nutana, Riversdale, and Sutherland which were separate towns before amalgamating with the town of Saskatoon and incorporating it as a city in 1906. Nutana, Riversdale, their historic main streets of Broadway Avenue and 20th Street, as well as the downtown core and other central neighbourhoods are seeing significant reinvestment and redevelopment. Sutherland was a rail town beyond the University of Saskatchewan lands, annexed by the city in 1956.
A town charter for the west side of the river was obtained in 1903, and this settlement adopted the name Saskatoon; the original townsite, which became a village that year, was renamed Nutana. In 1906 Saskatoon became a city with a population of 4,500, which included the communities of Saskatoon, Riversdale and Nutana. In 1955, a newly established community west of the city, Montgomery Place, was annexation, followed by the neighbouring town of Sutherland in 1956. Saskatoon serves as a regional center for the northern prairies and for central and northern Saskatchewan.
Saskatoon is divided into east and west sides by the South Saskatchewan River. It is then divided into Suburban Development Areas (SDA) which are composed of neighbourhoods. Street addresses are demarcated into north and south (for avenues aligned in those directions) and similar east and west (for streets aligned in those directions). West of the river, the demarcation line for north and south addresses is 22nd Street, while east and west are divided by Idylwyld Drive (north of 20th Street) and Avenue A (south of 20th). On the east side, in order to line up with 22nd/Idylwyld, Lorne Avenue demarcates east and west while Aird Street, a minor residential road, marks the north–south boundary, except in the Sutherland community where a separate east/west demarcation takes place with Central Avenue as the boundary (there is, however, no separate north–south divide). As a result of the unusual demarcation on the east side, few streets there actually carry a "North" or "West" designation, and only a few streets in Sutherland are demarcated "East" and "West".
A second major water feature aside from the river is the Hudson Bay Slough, a remnant of a glacier-formed body of water that at one time dominated the northern end of the city. Industrial development has resulted in most of the slough being drained, however a large remnant has been preserved off Avenue C as part of RCAF Memorial Park, and another portion remains intact within the Hudson Bay Industrial area. Several residential communities also feature "man-made lakes," with Lakeview (developed from the early 1980s) being the first.
Pike Lake and Blackstrap Provincial Parks are both approximately south of the city on Highway 60 and Highway 11, respectively. Batoche, a national historic site associated with the North-West Rebellion of 1885, is north of the city. Both Blackstrap and Batoche are popular destinations for school field trips.
The "Blizzard of 2007" was described by many residents as the worst they had seen and paralyzed the city with its low visibility, extreme cold and large volume of snow. Winds rose to over and an estimated of snow fell throughout the day. Many area residents took refuge overnight at area work places, shopping centres, hospitals and the university.
The highest temperature ever recorded in Saskatoon was on 6 June 1988. The lowest temperature ever recorded was on 1 February 1893.
At the census metropolitan area (CMA) level in the 2021 census, the Saskatoon CMA had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.
The 2021 census reported that immigrants (individuals born outside Canada) comprise 53,210 persons or 20.4% of the total population of Saskatoon. Of the total immigrant population, the top countries of origin were Philippines (11,840 persons or 22.3%), India (5,845 persons or 11.0%), China (4,695 persons or 8.8%), Pakistan (3,975 persons or 7.5%), Nigeria (2,090 persons or 3.9%), United Kingdom (2,045 persons or 3.8%), Bangladesh (1,830 persons or 3.4%), Vietnam (1,510 persons or 2.8%), United States of America (1,470 persons or 2.8%), and Iraq (1,200 persons or 2.3%).
| German people | 59,110 | 22.7% |
| English people | 48,140 | 18.4% |
| Scottish people | 40,355 | 15.5% |
| Ukrainian | 37,740 | 14.5% |
| Irish people | 33,855 | 13.0% |
| French people n.o.s | 24,655 | 9.4% |
| Canadian | 20,900 | 8.0% |
| Norwegian | 16,175 | 6.2% |
| Polish Canadians | 13,990 | 5.4% |
| Filipino | 13,320 | 5.1% |
| Métis | 12,010 | 4.6% |
| Note: multiple responses permitted | ||
Saskatoon has the second highest percentage of Indigenous population among major Canadian cities at approximately 11.5%, behind Winnipeg at 12.4% and Regina close by with 10.4%; in certain neighbourhoods such as Pleasant Hill, this percentage exceeds 40%. Most First Nations residents are of Cree or Sioux cultural background although to a lesser extent Saulteaux, Assiniboine, and Dene communities also exist.
Saskatoon also has a substantial Métis population and is close to the historically significant Southbranch Settlements to the north, as well as the Prairie Ronde settlement near Dundurn, Saskatchewan.
| + Panethnicity groups in the City of Saskatoon (2001−2021) ! rowspan="2" | Panethnicity group ! colspan="2" | 2021 ! colspan="2" | 2016 ! colspan="2" | 2011 ! colspan="2" | 2006 ! colspan="2" | 2001 | ||||||||
| European | 166,540 | 166,325 | 168,960 | 164,965 | 162,460 | |||||||||
| Indigenous | 29,885 | 27,310 | 21,335 | 19,820 | 19,020 | |||||||||
| South Asian | 18,880 | 13,335 | 5,925 | 2,210 | 1,820 | |||||||||
| 17,810 | 13,105 | 8,555 | 2,865 | 2,545 | ||||||||||
| East Asian | 10,070 | 8,650 | 5,995 | 4,615 | 4,220 | |||||||||
| African-Canadian | 8,325 | 5,390 | 2,480 | 1,825 | 1,480 | |||||||||
| Middle Eastern | 4,745 | 3,475 | 2,490 | 1,595 | 830 | |||||||||
| Latin American | 2,545 | 1,915 | 1,235 | 1,045 | 835 | |||||||||
| Other/Multiracial | 2,150 | 1,910 | 1,345 | 435 | 470 | |||||||||
According to the 2011 Census, 66% of the population identified as Christian, with Catholics (28.5%) making up the largest denomination, followed by United Church (10.9%), and other denominations. Others identified as Muslim (2.6%), Buddhist (0.8%), Hindu (0.7%), with traditional (indigenous) spirituality (0.5%), and with other religions. 28.5% of the population reported no religious affiliation.
Saskatoon hosts many festivals and events in the summer, including the Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan Festival, The Great Plains Comedy Festival, the Jazz Festival, the Saskatchewan Children's Festival, the Saskatoon Fringe Theatre Festival (a showcase of alternative theatre), Saskatoon Folkfest (a cultural festival), Doors Open Saskatoon, Fairy Door Tours Saskatoon and the Canada Remembers Airshow.
For over 25 years, Saskatoon has hosted a gathering of antique automobiles, (mainly from the 1960s) that has grown into an event called "Cruise Weekend". The event is usually held on the last weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) in August. Activities include a poker derby, dances, and a show 'N' shine with over 800 cars from all over western Canada. No admission is charged and everyone is free to walk around and enjoy the atmosphere.
The city's annual exhibition (now called the Saskatoon Exhibition but also known in previous years as Pioneer Days and "The Ex") is held every August at Prairieland Park. In the late 1990s, the Saskatoon Exhibition was rescheduled to August so that it no longer was in direct competition with the Calgary Stampede, which frequently overlapped the event.
Saskatoon's Sikh community celebrates the festival of Vaisakhi with a parade held in May.
The francophone community is represented by the Fédération des francophones de Saskatoon which organizes many cultural events.
The Saskatchewan Craft Council Gallery is on the main floor of the Saskatchewan Craft Council building in the Broadway Avenue area. It is Saskatchewan's only public exhibition gallery dedicated to fine craft as an art form. Saskatchewan Craft Council Gallery presents seven to eight exhibitions each year. The SCC Fine Craft Boutique, located in the gallery, features the work of over 75 SCC fine craft artists.
The Ukrainian Museum of Canada is on the banks of the South Saskatchewan River. It was founded in 1941 by the Ukrainian Women's Association of Canada. The Meewasin Valley Centre, in Friendship Park, has information on Saskatoon's history, the South Saskatchewan River, and the future of the Meewasin Valley.
Saskatoon is also home of the Saskatchewan Western Development Museum. This museum, one of four throughout the province, documents early pioneer life in Saskatchewan. It is noted for its interior recreation of a "Boom Town" main street, including one original building relocated from its original site. The Saskatchewan Railway Museum is just outside the city and includes displays of rolling stock and historic railway buildings from various parts of the province.
The Forestry Farm Park and Zoo is a National Historic Site situated in the northeast region of the city. The Forestry Farm was a historic nursery (dating from 1913) responsible for growing many of the trees planted within the prairie provinces. In 1966 the nursery operations were discontinued and part of the region turned into a municipal park. The city zoo is also housed within the park and features over 80 species of animals. Wanuskewin Heritage Park is a National Historic Site situated five km to the north of Saskatoon. It is an Indigenous archaeological site and features displays, special events, and activities, recent renovations are on hold due to a lack of funds during the renovations.
The Broadway Theatre primarily shows art film – while the two-screen Roxy Theatre is an "atmospheric-style" discount theater that reopened in 2005 after sitting unused for over a decade. The remainder of the city's theatres are multiplexes. The only movie theatre in the downtown core is the Scotia Bank VIP Theatre; the Empire Theatres shut down on April 3, 2008. The city's other movie theatres are The Landmark Theatre in the new subdivision of Brighton, Rainbow Cinemas (a second-run cinema) and the Cineplex Cinemas at The Centre mall on the city's east side.
Among the many movie theatres of the past that have come and gone was the Capitol Theatre, which opened in 1929 with a showing of the first talkie to be exhibited in Saskatoon. The Capitol closed in the early 1980s to make way for the Scotia Centre office tower; its name was transferred to the aforementioned Capitol 4 a block away.
For years, a parcel of land west of the Traffic Bridge, south of 19th Street, and east of Avenue C has been the subject of on-again, off-again redevelopment plans. The site formerly held the Saskatoon Arena, a power plant, a branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, and the head offices of the Saskatoon Public School Division; all these structures have been demolished to make way for redevelopment, with plans for same dating back to the 1980s. The most recent version of the plan called River Landing is ongoing. Calgary developer Lake Placid has proposed a 200 million dollar mega hotel/condo project to be built on the site although Lake Placid had difficulty securing financing and missed an October 30, 2009, deadline to submit a 4.5 million dollar payment for the parcel of land which seemingly killed the deal. On November 16, 2009, it was revealed by Lake Placid that the financing should be secure within a week. In April 2010, Saskatoon City Council voted in favour of entering new negotiations with Lake Placid over the site. November 2010, Victory Majors Investments buys out Lake Placid's interest in the project and in August 2011 of the next year proposed a major overhaul to original design which would later include building a 20-story residential and 14-story hotel towers, and an 18-story and a 13-story office tower as part of River Landing Towers completed in 2021. The Saskatoon Farmers' Market and some commercial sites have also been developed. Future plans separate from Lake Placid include the development of a new art gallery to replace the Mendel Art Gallery by 2014. Other landmarks in the city include the iconic Traffic Bridge (which was demolished in 2016 and is currently being replaced by a new structure evoking the appearance of the original), the University of Saskatchewan campus, and the large Viterra grain terminal which has dominated the western skyline of the city for decades and is large enough to be visible from Pike Lake Provincial Park 32 km away.
Nearly two-thirds of the world's recoverable potash reserves are in the Saskatoon region. Innovation Place founded in 1980 brings together almost 150 agriculture, information technology, and environmental, life sciences and agricultural biotechnology industries in a science park or technology park setting. Saskatoon is also home to the Canadian Light Source, Canada's national synchrotron facility. Saskatoon's digital media scene is growing with start-up tech companies such as Noodlecake, Point2, Vendasta Technologies, and Zu.
One of Saskatoon's nicknames, "Hub City", refers to its ideal central location within Canada for distribution and logistics. Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Airport with 105,620 aircraft movements in 2008 was listed as the 19th busiest airport in Canada, 12th busiest in passenger traffic. Passenger Traffic Passenger statistics from airport
Saskatoon is developing the South Central Business District, or block 146, which is called the River Landing Project. River Landing . Retrieved February 4, 2007. The Partnership . Retrieved February 4, 2007. Long range planning is underway for an expected city population of 325,000 by 2028 (2011 MXD report).
Saskatoon was expected to see a 4.2 percent growth in gross domestic product for the year 2012. The city saw a 3.4% growth in 2004, 5.1% increase in 2005 and a 2.8% increase in 2006. Saskatoon held Canada's No. 1 economic growth spot for Canada in 2005 according to the Conference Board of Canada. The Conference Board again predicted the city would rate first for economic increase in 2012, showing a growth rate of 4.2%. The Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority (SREDA) has also been ranked amongst Canada's top ten economic development organizations by Site Selection magazine.
From 1988 to 2016 Hitachi Canadian Industries operated a power equipment manufacturing plant. It was closed and assets acquired by Brandt Group in 2017.
In the early 1990s, the Saskatoon police were found to engage in "starlight tours," where officers would arrest Indigenous men and drive them out of the city in the dead of winter to abandon them.
Construction of Saskatoon's beltway, Circle Drive, began in the mid-1960s (after first being proposed in 1913), and was completed on July 31, 2013, with the opening of the $300 million South Circle Drive project. Saskatoon's south bridge finally becoming a reality , Saskatoon StarPhoenix, June 20, 2008. Retrieved July 11, 2008.
Saskatoon has 78 elementary schools and 14 high schools, serving about 37,000 students. Saskatoon has three main school boards, the Saskatoon Public School Division, the Saskatoon Catholic School Division and the Conseil des Ecoles Fransaskoises.
The western annexation of what is now called the Blairmore SDA also brought the Yarrow Youth Farm within the city limits; operated by the Province of Saskatchewan, this was a correction facility for at-risk youth. The facility was subsequently closed in March 2015 and the land, located within the under-development Kensington community, was out up for sale the following autumn.
The city is home to two professional franchises, the Saskatchewan Rush of the National Lacrosse League (NLL), and the Saskatchewan Rattlers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). The Rush relocated to Saskatoon from Edmonton in 2016; already the defending NLL Champions, the Rush made it to the NLL final in its first three seasons in Saskatoon, winning in 2016 and 2018. The Rattlers were a charter CEBL franchise and won the league's inaugural championship in 2019. Saskatoon is also home to the semi-professional Saskatchewan Heat of the National Ringette League (NRL).
Canadian football is another popular sport in Saskatoon, and the city is home to a number of successful football teams. The University of Saskatchewan Huskies are one of the top University football programs in Canada, with three Vanier Cup national championships and 19 Hardy Trophy Canada West championships. The Huskies have made nine Vanier Cup appearances since 1990, and were the first team from outside of Ontario to host the Vanier Cup, doing so in 2006. The Saskatoon Hilltops of the Canadian Junior Football League have won 22 national junior championships throughout their history, the most in the country. The Saskatoon Valkyries are the Western Women's Canadian Football League's most successful club, having won 8 WWCFL Championships since play began in 2011.
The Huskies play U Sports league games at the University campus. Their facilities include Griffiths Stadium, Merlis Belsher Place, and the Physical Activity Complex. The Huskies participate in twelve sports at the national level and have been most successful in football, men's volleyball, women's basketball, and men's and women's Track and Field. Baseball is also popular in Saskatoon. The city has been home to a variety of amateur teams including the Saskatoon Yellow Jackets, Saskatoon Stallions, and Saskatoon Legends. The Saskatoon Berries joined the Western Canadian Baseball League as an expansion team for the 2024 season.
Saskatchewan International Raceway has been in operation for over 40 years and is home to 1/4 mile IHRA drag racing and holds racing events from May to September. North of the city lies Wyant Group Raceway, a paved oval track home to local stock car racing as well as races for several different Western Canadian series. In 2009, the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series made its inaugural stop there, signalling a move to a larger profile track in Saskatoon. Marquis Downs at Prairieland Park hosted horse racing from 1969 until 2020; the owners hope to build a soccer-specific stadium on the site.
The city is home to a number of sports and recreation centres. Saskatoon has three curling clubs: Sutherland, Nutana, and CN. The city has two indoor soccer facilities under the control of the non-profit Saskatoon Soccer Centre organization. Lions Skatepark was built in the Riversdale area in 2003. Saskatoon is home to several golf courses and various parks which include tennis courts, ball diamonds, and soccer pitches for spring, summer, and fall use, and outdoor rinks for winter use.
| +Major sports teams | |||||
| Saskatoon Blades | Ice hockey | SJHL (1964–1966) WHL (1966–present) | Saskatoon Arena (1964–1988) SaskTel Centre (1988–present) | 1964 | 0 |
| Saskatchewan Rush | Box Lacrosse | NLL | SaskTel Centre | 2016 | 2 |
| Saskatoon Berries | Baseball | WCBL | Cairns Field | 2024 | 0 |
| Saskatchewan Rattlers | Basketball | CEBL | SaskTel Centre | 2018 | 1 |
| + !Event !Sport !Year | ||
| Canada Games | Various | 1971 (Winter), 1989 (Summer) |
| Montana's Brier | Curling | 1946, 1965, 1989, 2000, 2004, 2012 |
| Scotties Tournament of Hearts | Curling | 1972, 1991 |
| Canadian Olympic Curling Trials | Curling | 2021 |
| Memorial Cup | Hockey | 1989, 2013 |
| 4 Nations Cup | Hockey | 2018 4 Nations Cup |
| IIHF World Junior Championship | Hockey | 1991, 2010 |
| U Sports University Cup | Hockey | 1998, 1999, 2000, 2013, 2014 |
| Canadian Ringette Championships | Ringette | 1994, 2010 |
| Canadian Figure Skating Championships | Figure skating | 1991, 2003, 2009 |
| U-18 Baseball World Cup | Baseball | 1984 |
| Women's Softball World Cup | Baseball | 2002 |
| Men's Softball World Cup | Baseball | 1988, 2009, 2015 |
| CEBL Championship Weekend | Basketball | 2019 |
| FIVB Volleyball Women's U21 World Championship | Volleyball | 1999 |
Other members of the Royal Family who have visited include Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon in 1980, the Prince of Wales Charles (now Charles III) in 2001, the Princess Anne in 1982 and (as Princess Royal) in 2004, the Duke and Duchess of York (Andrew and Sarah) in 1989, and the Prince Edward in 1978. Governors General and Lieutenant Governors also pay regular visits to Saskatoon. Saskatonian Ray Hnatyshyn is credited with popularising his office as Governor General from 1990 to 1995. Saskatchewan Lieutenant Governors Gordon Barnhart, Sylvia Fedoruk, McNab, Monroe, George Porteous and Stephen Worobetz were all former residents of Saskatoon.
Connections to the crown include the royal namesakes of about one hundred neighbourhoods, parks, streets, schools and other places. These include King George, Queen Elizabeth and Massey Place neighbourhoods, and Victoria, Coronation and Princess Diana parks. It was at one time considered that Saskatoon's Broadway Bridge would be renamed George V Bridge. Landmarks and institutions also have connections and these include the Royal University Hospital, one of four royal designations in Saskatchewan. Grade schools named for royals include Ecole Victoria School, King George School, Queen Elizabeth School, Prince Philip School and Princess Alexandra School.
Existing and historic hotels with royal namesakes include the King George Hotel which has been recently converted to ultra-luxury condominiums, the King Edward Hotel, the Queen's Hotel and the Patricia Hotel. The Hotel Bessborough was named for a Canadian Governor General who visited the landmark under construction in the 1930s. The Queen Elizabeth Power Station is within the city and named after Queen Elizabeth. The Prince of Wales Promenade along the South Saskatchewan River is a focal point on the riverfront trails. In 2002, 378 Saskatoon residents were presented with Canada's Golden Jubilee Medal by vice-regals to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Queen's accession to the throne.
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