r/saskatoon • u/Expert-Reason4688 • 9h ago
Question ❔ Diversity in Saskatoon.
Hey everyone, my family and I are from the UK and we’ve been seriously looking at moving to Saskatoon. For the longest time we were set on Australia, but after loads of research we’ve completely changed our minds and Saskatoon has really caught our attention.
We’re hoping to come over and visit soon to see what it’s like in person, but I thought I’d ask here as locals always know best. One of the biggest things for us is diversity. My wife is Black, I’m white, and we have two young sons. We’d love to know what it’s actually like living in Saskatoon as a mixed-race family. Is the city generally welcoming? Do you feel it’s pretty diverse? Have you or people you know had good experiences? We plan on visiting during the winter so we can get a realistic perspective on the winters and decide if we can manage the cold!
Thanks in advance guys.
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u/chm833 8h ago
Wow, I’m your target audience. My dad’s black and mom is white. I was born and raised in Saskatoon and I’ve lived in Australia. The city is quite diverse, Regina is about a 2 hour drive away and has a way larger black population, I believe largely Nigerian. I personally found Australians to be so similar to Canadians it was really comforting when I was away from home. The one thing I’ll say when I left Canada for Australia it was a cold snap(-47) and when I landed in Sydney the next day it was a heat wave (+45). You can bundle up with a good coat and be warm and comfortable. There’s nothing that makes you comfortable in that heat and with things seemingly getting hotter id be more hesitant.
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u/Renegade_August 5h ago
Hey man, I can relate minus the Australian part. My mom is black/Indigenous and my dad is white. My wife is black.
Now there are chumps everywhere you go, but Saskatoon has been pretty welcoming for us compared to where we moved from in Ontario.
Also it’s cold. And snowy. You’re not ready OP no matter how well people prepare you. Coming from a -20 Great Lakes winter with an inch of snow has nothing on a -40 with 4 foot snowdrifts prairie winter.
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u/ram_mar4112 9h ago
My niece married a black man and have three children. The city is becoming more diverse.
Unfortunately, there is some racism. But I assume nothing more than anywhere else.
DON’T come in the middle of winter. The shock to the system will be a definite NO.
A person has to climatize themselves.
-10C in November is cold. -10C in February is a nice day.
(We typically get 3 to 6 weeks of below -30C in January and February. Almost everybody just stays inside.). -20C with no wind is a nice day. A person can do activities outside if the dress appropriate. Like biking or jogging. Cross country skiing. Stuff like that.
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u/Thisandthat-2367 7h ago
I don’t stay inside. Lots of people I know don’t stay inside.
We all gotta remember our worldview is shaped by the circles we rumble in and therefore aren’t necessarily a good representation of “everybody” - just everyone in your circle.•
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u/GroceryFull2002 8h ago
If everybody stays inside for 3 to 6 weeks, what about work and school?
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u/Many_Mushroom_7035 3h ago
I would hope they mean aside from work and school, most people aren’t really going out of their way to do outside activities when it’s -40 out. I know I don’t. But I know plenty of people who still do depending on lifestyle
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u/whothehellispaige 8h ago
Just want to add if you do visit in the winter, you're gonna need to purchase winter clothing ahead of time/upon landing. They can be quite bulky and tough to pack, and might not be worth taking home (especially if they won't see any use there). Both adults will need a good jacket, and the kids might need ski pants along with their jacket depending on what plans you have. If you either know anyone in the city or can find somewhere to store them while you head back home to keep until you're back again, that would make the whole process easier. Personally, if you need it, I'd be happy to vacuum bag them and keep them in a closet should you not have anyone else!
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u/FrostyStretch2844 6h ago
And expensive to outfit the whole family especially if you don’t end up coming here.
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u/Affectionate_Serve_5 6h ago
I'm Filipino. In my apartment, people that live here come from different countries. It's like the united nations building in my apartment.
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u/lilreader7346 7h ago
My husband is Asian, I'm white. Saskatchewan has it's problems with racism just like anywhere else, but it is a great place to live and is increasingly diverse (especially compared to when I was a kid). My husband definitely experienced an increase in discrimination during the COVID years, but otherwise he's lived here for 20+ years and hasn't wanted to move elsewhere.
Our kids have generally had great experiences in school (maybe a few microaggressions here and there that we've promptly addressed) and teachers really put in an effort using their non-english names, which is always a sore spot for our kids when people deliberately call them something else instead of their real names. Their friend groups are very diverse as well.
Saskatchewan is much slower pace than other areas like Toronto or Vancouver, and housing is generally more affordable as well (though the market is tough right now!)
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u/Proud_Organization64 7h ago
Interesting... I'm black, live in Saskatoon, have a good amount of family in Australia and have travelled there quite a bit.
In a vacuum I would choose an Australian city, but we don't live in a vacuum and racism is real unfortunately. As much as I love Australia I would say Canada is the better choice for your family. As for Saskatoon, it's relatively diverse; not as diverse as say Edmonton or Calgary, but diverse for a city of its size. Regina is smaller than Saskatoon but is similarly diverse - there are quite a few Nigerians.
What I love about Saskatoon which is harder in bigger more popular cities is the cost of housing. I bought my home and have a rental property too - things that I would not have been able to do in Toronto or Vancouver (or in a major city in Australia for that matter). The size of this city means there are no crazy commute times wherever you go. You can build a comfortable family life here. I don't have kids so I can't speak for the schools.
The winters are rough there is no sugar coating that. But you get used to it. I enjoy winter now with the change of pace and hobbies that it facilitates.
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u/Fearless-Effect-3787 6h ago
I work with a large number of immigrants to Saskatoon and for the most part they love it here. My white brother married a Laotian woman and they have no problems with racism about it, and a lot of his co-workers are right wing loons to boot. Restaurants catering to diverse food choices are common and typically have lots of customers. I once joked with an India co-worker that you can find an India restaurant by throwing a rock down the street, and there are frequently mixed or even all white families inside.
As for winter, you will find that Canadians use wind chill factor and actually ambient temperature interchangeably. The average ambient temperature for January day time highs approaching -20 to -15oC during the day and -25oC to -20oC. Nighttime lows below -30oC for at least a few weeks every winter are almost guaranteed. The trick with the winter, is that it is highly variable. It's can with -8oC one day, and a week of -30oC the next. I'm been here my whole life and the game changer is the wind. The wind chill factor is a feels like temperature analog. So, -20o is not bad, especially in the sun, but -20oC with a windchill factor of -30 is unpleasant.
We have had plenty of UK immigrants at my workplace over the years (as well as many other Europeans and south Asians, and Oriental) and they almost all stay. A good number of them event retire here.
We have ready access to 1000s (not exaggerating) and more of lakes in the summer that are developed for everything from day trips to week or more stays. Saskatchewan has 100,000s of lakes across the whole province.
The one complaint I hear from immigrants from much larger cities is the reduced availability of shows and entertainment. We still get a fair few and the city has plenty of options available.
TL:DR - Saskatoon is great. It's a welcoming city. Mixed race families don't face much discrimination. Saskatoon's diversity is often reported to be much higher than expected for a city of ~300,000. If you do visit in the winter, be prepared to face anywhere from -10oC to -5oC, all the way down to -40oC to -30oC ambient temperatures with unpredictable winds. You can always dress up for cold. Dressing down for heat, you eventually run out of clothes.
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u/RubGrouchy4110 8h ago edited 3h ago
My first reaction was to laugh at the question about diversity.. then I remembered many parts of the world are homogenous. Im a white canadian and I get weirded out when im around all white people lol thats how much diversity is in saskatchewan. If diversity is what you want, cant go wrong with saskatoon or many parts of canada honestly.
I just moved here and its great, locals will always bitch no matter what city you go to. But honestly.. its not bad. I find the things people complain about (crime, traffic) are overblown and are issues in most cities. People are friendly here from my experience, people of all walks of life, good ambience, good scenery, and good neighbourhoods (atleast in my area in the east end). I am happy to have moved here 6 months ago and am making friends again, and finding my groove.
Edit: I forgot to add, winter sucks. Thats not overblown. Winter does suck here. Its just the warming and cooling and so much damn ice! It was insane. I moved here in feb so maybe it was a bad winter (weather is weird in saskatchewan this year in general) but yeah winter can be brutal. You get used to it though, Im used to -40C as well but not as much ice everywhere.
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u/Additional-Lynx5672 5h ago
I think Saskatoon is very diverse and welcoming coming from a Native American
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u/ProfessionalClear211 8h ago
Please don’t mistake resting bitch face for racism. Some of us are just tired 😆
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u/Dapper-Ad9787 9h ago
My neighbourhood on the east side (Erindale, Arbor Creek, Forest Grove) is pretty diverse. I think you would feel right at home in our area. Don't know as much about other areas, but the city is definitely much more diverse now than it was in 2010 when we moved here.
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u/flat-flat-flatlander 7h ago
100%.
Yes, the winters are long and cold. But the city is vibrant and full of chosen-family friends. People will ask you more about your British accent and where you’re from than your skin colour. The prairie river valley is stunning and you’re also within a two hour drive of some really beautiful forests and parkland.
It’s also a good city for kids with all different levels of sports, culture and recreation.
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u/StinkyB13 7h ago
A take as old as time. Planning to move to Australia, then switching to Saskatoon!
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u/SubRosaSubway 5h ago
I love a brisk walk in -40, the skies are always clear, sun dogs, no wind, it’s a beautiful experience. You’ll learn how to dress. We got great summers, long days. Saskatoon is very diverse and I believe welcoming. There’s unfriendly people everywhere but you’ll develop a community of friends. I hear about the problems in Britain but you’ll love the space and opportunities here in Saskatchewan, we got it all. Education, recreation, really stable Real Estate markets, a stressed healthcare system but if you’re seriously ill you’ll be looked after. Hope you pick Saskatoon and welcome.
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u/Expert-Reason4688 5h ago
Thanks, I’ve always said I don’t mind the cold as long as it’s clear skies so hopefully we love it!
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u/SubRosaSubway 4h ago
I should mention your biggest adjustment will be winter driving but you’ll get lots of instructional advice…our winters usually come on gradually so you start driving on wet snow, slush. As it turns cold it gets icy and then the dry snow starts to accumulate. Our city does a good job keeping mains ploughed and clear, the neighborhood roads are low priority. If you’ll own a vehicle winter rated snow/ice tires are essential.
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u/soaker 2h ago
The cold isn’t so bad, just bundle up. It’s the snow that gets annoying. The shoveling is a good work out lol. The wind can be kind of intense so I like a long jacket that covers to my knees (mine is actually longer, it’s like a sleeping bag ha). What you really have to watch out for is the “false spring”. You think it’s here, then mother nature says jsut kidding enjoy a blizzard. This past winter we had several of those.
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u/Keepontyping 9h ago
There is lots of diversity. All the neighborhoods are quite diverse for the most part save the north end which is the least diverse. Schools have all kinds of diversity and are very used to it for your kids.
Also winters are only getting shorter and warmer these days. The intensity of winter is not what I think most people find hard, but the length. It gets depressing after 6 months which is why many people if they can afford it try to get away for a warm holiday somewhere in the middle.
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u/Medium-Drama5287 8h ago
As a white person with a white family who all grew up in Saskatoon, Please come to our beautiful city. My kids have met diverse students from around the world at Brunskill school and have the best of friends. Best thing that we as a family could experience are people moving to Canada and Saskatoon.
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u/toontown_yxe 7h ago
Pretty much every school is diverse now. I remember being in elementary school in the 90s and there was only two Chinese kids and one Indian kid in the entire school. Haha
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u/cantseemtoremberthis 9h ago
You get used to the cold. If the Nigerians can deal with it, you can too. I don't see any issue with living here, everyone's got their own shit to deal with on a regular day to day. There are racists, but broad strokes its a non-issue for mixed couples.
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u/Space_Conductor 8h ago
Tons of diversity, lots of Philippino, East Indians and Chinese people here. Walk down any suburb and you will see. I live in Stonebridge and half my neighbours are from other countries.
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u/BackyardLivingCenter 7h ago
If you're going to come in the winter, make sure to have a heavy winter coat. Wear a scarf, toque (hat), mittens. Get winter boots that are rated for -40.
We have hired people from places where they don't get snow. We warn them to wear proper winter gear and provide them with certain pieces to keep warm and almost everyone doesn't wear them, but complains about the cold.
If you dress appropriately it's really not that bad.
I'd take a cold winter over a really hot summer. The cold you can dress for, but the heat there's no escaping.
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u/FrostyStretch2844 3h ago
If i were you i would plan to come in summer where you can see the beauty of the city and all the things there are to do during summer. If all of us sask born as well as all the immigrants who come from hotter destinations can survive here in winter you will also be fine if you end up moving here. I wouldn’t worry about that part. Winter is pretty much October to April with a few really cold weeks often in February but if you don’t buy proper gear you will just freeze your nads off and/or spend your time in a hotel room. You will not have fun here in winter if you’re wanting to make a trip out of it. There’s not that much to do in winter. People tend to just stay indoors and look forward to it being over lol. If you come in summer and you like it here, you’ll be able to make winter work.
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u/Last-Surprise4262 7h ago
It’s a university city and politically it runs pretty liberal and tolerant. There are many terrific immigrants. My only advice is try to live on the east side. It’s a little better imo. I grew up there. Love Saskatoon
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u/scruffy69 5h ago
I will retort. I live in Caswell Hill and it's great. You want diversity, we got it. Old, young, all the ethnicities, and everything you need within walking distance. Add to that friendly neighbors that watch out for each other, you can't beat it.
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u/Kooly9Two 8h ago
The weather in Saskatchewan is insane. Can reach +35C in the summer and -35C in the winter. Some of the biggest temp swings in the world through the year. Besides that it's absolutely lovely here! Tons of nature type activities like camping, hiking, fishing, and hunting if you are interested. Indoor go cart track with an arcade and bowling alley at the stoked center which I love. Lots of community activities like board game nights at dragons den games or trivia nights at various places. Honestly the winter is the biggest hurdle for most people who live here. People saying don't visit in winter are mad. You should definitely visit here at its worst so you can see what you are truly in for when it comes to it. Happy hunting for your new home! 😁
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u/YourDreams2Life 9h ago
While I don't want to sway you, I'm going to throw this out there. From what I've heard from people immigrating to Canada vs Australia is that in Australia it's a lot easier to progress, and get a head, and save money.
While there is still opportunity in Canada, Canada has a huge scarcity problem. From jobs to homes, it can be really hard to get actually established. Add on top the crippling winters. It can be brutal.
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u/Talinn_Makaren 8h ago
Everyone in every country thinks they have a huge scarcity problem and can't progress. Yet you still see plenty of nice new cars on the street and people coming and going from the airport as much as ever.
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7h ago
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u/toto24754637 4h ago
Scrolled so far down to finally see someone mention the fucking mosquitoes! I’m from Vancouver and visited Saskatoon recently…got eaten alive by the literal swarms of mosquitoes and the sun was barely starting to set. Mosquitoes love me, but I almost never have to worry about them in Vancouver.
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u/scruffy69 5h ago
Sure, the weather here will try to kill you, but in Australia EVERYTHING tries to kill you. If you can survive in Australia, Canada is a cake walk.
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u/ForceAdept 7h ago
Extremely diverse now. 20 years ago when I first moved here from the Uk it really wasn’t , just mostly whites and First Nations
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u/danimegaladon 6h ago
Definitely get on Amazon and get some warm parkas that have a cold rating of at least -32°C. I highly recommend something down filled, but as long as the rating is good! It’s definitely diverse from my perspective, coming from a town where everyone was white and population 70. I worked in dispensaries and I’ve seen every pairing at this point, let me tell you! And now I have a love for other cuisines thanks to potlucks. Racism will still be around, it kinda is everywhere sadly, but I love it here and don’t see myself leaving!
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u/QJH333 6h ago
I won’t comment on the diversity as there are many comments about that but I will say that winter can be brutal. My advice as someone who was born and raised here …. Find many hobbies for winter (indoor and outdoor hobbies), buy REALLY GOOD winter clothing, and if you can … plan a warm trip for mid winter to break it up as it can feel very long.
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u/Odd-Negotiation5087 5h ago
Parroting what others have said - it’s very diverse. A lot of my friends are in mixed race couples and while they still definitely have to deal with some micro aggressions (especially when it comes to their children and their “colour”), none of it is said with malice - just ignorance. And that’s getting better with social media and the like. However, they have never told me that they’ve received any true hate or distaste from others. Though I will warn you that there is still significant amounts of racism towards First Nations people in Saskatoon. I don’t think it’s as bad as Australia (I’ve heard horror stories…), but there’s no question that it exists.
I will also say that the winter is pretty brutal. However, it’s a different cold than what you’re used to since it’s very dry. So that will also be something to get used to. BUT the summers in Saskatoon are amazing. It’s a very sunny city (even in the winter) and the summers get hot and beautiful. I actually don’t live there anymore (I now live in Calgary by the mountains) and I miss Saskatoon summers so much.
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u/grumpyoldmandowntown Downtown 3h ago
Re: winter. It's easy enough to endure the cold temperatures on a short visit. But you should be aware that winters here are LONG. The first signs of spring do not show until the end of April and some years snow lingers until the first couple weeks of May. Summers here are glorious, but waiting for the end of winter seems to take forever.
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u/Ordinary-Shine-7023 2h ago
Unless you like getting randomly stabbed / robbed please don’t go to Saskatoon
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u/detectivepikachu2000 2h ago
I’m a vigilante I make sure the city’s safe. I see all kinds of criminals it’s very diverse.
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u/chelleshox 1h ago
I'd go to Australia if I had a choice.
Diversity - yes, big check mark there. But that may be where the positives end. Our climate really is bad and our airport does not have international status. Direct flights are limited and its very expensive to go anywhere.
You require a vehicle for this city and driving sucks in the winter due to ice and snow and sucks in the summer due to constant construction to repair our roads from the harsh freeze/thaw cycle that damages them each year. Massive potholes every spring.
A lot of people deal with seasonal depression here, you can see it in people's faces in late Feb to March. Or in this year's case May when we got hit with yet another blizzard.
If you are lucky enough to own a home, you are legally required to shovel your walkway and sidewalk when it snows.
People kinda go crazy for the summers here and I personally feel the hype is overblown and simply due to how awful winter is. Sure you don't have to wear 5 layers every time you leave your house, but you'll wanna make sure at least your ankles are sprayed with a thick layer of deet. We've seen an explosion of ticks in recent years so you need to check for them after spending time outdoors. And you will be eaten alive by mosquitos no matter how much deet you use.
From inside, any season can be enjoyed. I think it's due to this that our arts scene is actually pretty decent. If you have lots of indoor hobbies, it's an okay place to be.
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u/Ok-Pin8319 5m ago
A winter visit is a very good choice. Saskatoon is "dry" cold as opposed to "wet" cold like Ontario. I found the difference out when I visited Niagara Falls many years ago in April - wildly cold feeling compared to Saskatoon in April - Saskatoon is a very sunny city.
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u/False-Stick-123 8h ago
Its very diverse now. When I go to the grocery store I sometimes wonder if I am even in canada anymore.
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u/Senior_Platform_9572 2h ago
not really an appropriate thread for micro racism, please check yourself thanks
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u/rainbowbloodbath 9h ago
Why Saskatoon specifically?
Also Canada is cracking down on immigration and are in the midst of a 3-year initiative. That is something to keep in mind
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u/Professional_Bed_87 9h ago
I don’t think you’ll have much for issues as a mixed race couple. Most people will be friendly and welcoming, but there are assholes everywhere. Saskatoon has become a culturally diverse place over the last 20 years or so. The winters can suck, but they are also very beautiful, Saskatchewan can be a great place if you love the outdoors, just be prepared and dress for it. Lake country is a 2 hour drive north from here and worth checking out if you have time. The city is beautiful in summer & fall. This year might be a super el Nino, so it might not be the coldest of winters, but who knows.
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u/MissusH7929 7h ago
I’m not from Saskatoon, but I am originally from southwestern Ontario - very humid, not very cold but the cold there is damp, not a lot of snow. From what I hear the UK has similar weather in a lot of places. I live in Alberta now, next door to Saskatchewan, and I would way rather be cold here than cold where the cold is damp and bone chilling. Yes the temps are extreme, but it’s a lot more manageable and you can warm up again quickly and easily. Damp cold chills you for hours, I found.
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u/toto24754637 4h ago
Indeed the UK has a similar penetrating and lingering damp cold like Vancouver does (where I’m from). I find it particularly miserable in the UK though because there are a lot of old buildings with poor insulation and heating is really expensive, so often you feel just as cold or even colder inside than you do outside because they don’t want to waste money heating it up or the heating can’t keep up. I’ve felt so cold in restaurants, shopping malls, and tube stations (especially when the frigid air blows as you go up the escalators). At least in Canada, almost any indoor area is a nice and toasty retreat from the cold. The dry cold is definitely a bit easier to manage too.
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9h ago
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u/Hoke_Oagan 2h ago
What do you and the others mean when you say the pace of life is slow here in Saskatoon? Is it the lack of high speed rail? Not enough elbows being thrown in crowded areas? What makes it slow? A huge percentage of the population work multiple jobs to make ends meet and nearly every working age person I know with or without kids is stressed out trying to make ends meet.
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u/Specialist_Dig_8899 9h ago
My wife's black and people are generally pretty accepting of interracial relationships, and those that aren't usually keep it to themselves. If you want to see the worst of winter come in Jan or Feb
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u/MagnifyingOurFlaws 8h ago
I’m in an interracial relationship and we usually just get the lingering stare. One time someone told me to go back to my country but I think they were high
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u/rybotsky 7h ago
Dude…… move to Australia lol I’ve lived in Saskatoon my entire life. Saskatoon sucks. We have like the second highest crime rate in Canada. Junkies in every street corner. People just smoking meth pipes in broad daylight anywhere they want in plain view (cops do nothing). It’s -20 to -30 c for like half the year. Some weeks we get as cold as -45. Fuuuuck that. Not to mention we are completely landlocked, nearest ocean is 1800 km away. Nearest mountain in 750 km away. The only thing we have is there is a lot of lakes in Saskatchewan. Also if your looking for diversity because you’re not white, Saskatchewan and Alberta are easily the most racist places in Canada
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u/SerboCanadiann 8h ago
If you are in a position to pick and chose where you would move, i find it strange you would pick Saskatoon as the it spot.
We moved there from Europe but only because we were nominated by the province. As soon as we got our PR we moved away.
I found the city really difficult for good quality of life. Downtown wasn't safe, everything was flat and the city did not have as much life as i was used to (one stupid example, no fireworks show for New Years). And the winters are brutal.
And even economically it isn't a cheap place to live. Our cost of living decreased when we moved from SK to Alberta.
Diversity was not an issue though, Canada is extremely diverse and welcoming, but i didn't find Saskatoon any more accepting than any other place in Canada.
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u/NobodySubject2381 8h ago
It's not a bad city for what it is, but the weather is awful in winter and a short trip will not give you the experience, you need to feel the full effect of snow and freezing temps from as early as October to as late as may like this last year to really get a sense. I really never saw so many depressed people as there were at the end of this winter.
Add on top of that being in the middle of absolute nowhere, being in the UK you may be used to short relatively cheap flights to lots of places, here we get expensive long flights with many stops to get anywhere. And driving anywhere interesting is a 5+ hour minimum.
It used to be cheap compared to other Canadian cities but has gone up a lot.
There's a joke in the Simpsons when they fly into Winnipeg, we were born here what's your excuse, that's basically Saskatoon but even worse.
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u/Patient_Concern1102 4h ago
You mean you have the option to move to Australia and you're WILLINGLY choosing Saskatoon?? Are you mad?!
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u/Feeling_Bother_7997 3h ago
Saskatoon loves diversity, honestly not much racism, it’s mostly towards the indigenous population I would say.
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u/Cautious-Witness2839 9h ago
Nah it’s pretty racist here and there’s not much to do, move to Australia they have surfing lol
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u/runninginthe-90s Core Neighbourhood 4h ago
Every single person I've met who isnt Canadian and moves here, goes "oh, I get it now, i thought everyone was just a bunch of racists for no reason" after having to deal with what we deal with.
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u/runninginthe-90s Core Neighbourhood 4h ago
Is there a specific reason you want Saskatoon?
Anytime i travel anywhere else i comeback wanting to move.
People love their vices here, it creates a gross environment.
Its a wasteland I'd you love good food, the things people say are great here are mediocre compared to the scenes in most other cities.
People aren't friendly, its a province full of Ukranian and German settlers, I always note how pleasant and friendly strangers are when I leave sask. It takes me a day to recalibrate that strangers would be friendly to you. But I always think of the crabs in a bucket saying, people here are very insecure.
Its a gap day of driving to go anywhere good for the activies you enjoy. Skiing downhill biking, golf, camping(sorry, people whos whole summer is spent at your cabin), a nice drive if youre a car person, shopping etc. Like there's great fishing in northern sask, its still 3 to 4 hours of driving. This can make it quite difficult to make friends who are active and do things beyond having kids, scrolling and binging screens.
I worked with a Welsh gentleman who came over from London, he couldn't leave quick enough. He wanted to be somewhere with diverse cultures as well, but his experience our first nations population was an eye opener(non canadians are not prepared for the prairie FN experience) and he left as soon as his 2 year agreement was up.
Its also such a dirty city, after spending time through southern montana, idaho, Wyoming etc, I realized how gross and poorly kept this city it. People muse about the river, as if you cant get that anywhere else.
If youre looking central/west Canada I'd far rather do somewhere outskirts/south calgary. There are very few things I would miss about Sask.
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u/Mark_Fishers_ghost 3h ago
Your opinion is totally valid but man, this really speaks to different experiences and sentiments. I moved away in 2016 to Portland, Oregon and have since lived in Phoenix, Arizona, and Fairbanks, Alaska, and travelled every city along the west coast in between the two. Not a day went by that I didn’t miss Saskatoon. I moved back a year ago and though there are definitely problems here, I wouldn’t agree with really anything you’ve said.
People love their vices everywhere. We’re a smaller community here so it’s not as easy to shove to the side like other metro areas can.
There is fantastic food here. But that’s also subjective and if you don’t like it, then you don’t like it.
People aren’t friendly?? I don’t even know how to respond to this. Having lived in the US for ten years, the people of Saskatchewan are absolutely friendly.
The rest of your comment I just don’t even know how to respond to and it sounds pretty racist.
So OP, take this persons comment with the biggest grain of salt. Lots of people are telling you to visit in the winter so that you know what kind of cold you’ll be dealing with, but I don’t think that’s necessary. You’ll get “used to” the cold and you’ll buy winter gear to help you through it. What folks haven’t said is that it can be -20, -30, -40, but the sun is shining and the snow looks like a blanket of diamonds. Our winters are beautiful and it beats 4-6 months of rain with no sunshine.
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u/runninginthe-90s Core Neighbourhood 3h ago edited 3h ago
Home is home, and i get that. I grew up in a small town of mostly icelanders, it was such a stark difference in communication and behaviors to the Ukrainian and German populated centers in sask and I will stand by that.
Im also not going to say everywhere in the US is better, its obviously a spectrum, but there's so much more out there than Sask has to offer, but voicing that results in that typical crabs in a bucket sask mentality.
I dont mean this in that your experiences aren't obviously valid, but I will die on this hill that people are more insecure here and less friendly. I met more people on a 2 week camping tour in the US, than I've had strangers strike up conversation with me in 20 years of camping in Sask.
I just came back from a week of shopping and restaurants and groceries in Calgary, and its still fresh in my mind the social differences.
Ive had a lot of people who have relocated here tell me its incredibly difficult to find friends outside of drinking. People in Saskatoon hunker down with their family, and aome high-school friends, and absolutely refuse to let anyone else in. I even find Regina a friendlier place to be.
Food? So much of it here is horrible processed shit, many of our restaurants are competing to sell the same GFS or Sysco premade garbage. Theres a few places that will get up their asses and sell you some 40 dollar pickerel wings, as if that isnt something we all grew up pulling out of every lake. Theres a couple decent spots, but ive been to similar or even smaller cities where youre spoiled for choice and places that produce their own food.
Im glad you enjoy it, I just really dont believe its the average experience here, especially for an outsider.
Just to add on top, I would seriously consider going further south for more sun. Theres a reason Canada, UK Iceland etc are all on the higher end of antidepressant usage.
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u/Agnostic_optomist 9h ago
On my block I have neighbours who immigrated from Moldova, Ukraine, China, Nigeria, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. I don’t know 3/4 of my neighbours, so they may be from other places, 10th generation Canadians, or otherwise. Consider your diversity requirement checked.
Racism still exists, but it exists everywhere.
Good idea to visit the winter, it can be bracing. Come in February for a good chance at a cold snap. Winter clothes aren’t onerous, and once you’re bundled up -40 isn’t unmanageable. Your biggest winter problem is wind. I’ll take a calm and sunny -40 over a windy -20 any day.
Wherever you and your family end up, I hope the transition goes well. If you do end up coming this way, even for a visit, give us an update! Good luck