Saskatoon

Saskatoon
Climate diagram
	Temperature in ° C , precipitation in mm
	Source: Canadian Climate Normals 1971–2000: Saskatoon Diefenbaker International Airport

Saskatoon
	;
; coat of arms	; flag
	Motto : Commerce, Industry, Education
Location in Saskatchewan
	Saskatoon
	Saskatoon
State :	Canada
Province :	Saskatchewan
Region:	CA-SK
Coordinates :	52 ° 8 ′ N , 106 ° 40 ′ W Coordinates: 52 ° 8 ′ N , 106 ° 40 ′ W
Height :	481 m
Area :	228.13 km²
Inhabitants : ; - Metropolitan Area :	246,376 (as of 2016); 295,095 (as of 2016)
Population density :	1,080 inhabitants / km²
Time zone :	Central Time ( UTC − 6 )
Postal code :	S7H - S7W
Foundation :	1883
Mayor :	Charlie Clark (2016-2020)
Website :	www.saskatoon.ca

The Midtown Plaza shopping mall

Saskatoon [ ˌsæskəˈtuːn ] is a city in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan . It lies on the South Saskatchewan River and extends over an area of 228 km². The city has a population of over 245,000, making it the most populous city in the province even before the capital, Regina .

A total of 295,000 inhabitants live in the metropolitan area of Saskatoon (census metropolitian area) . It is the seventeenth largest in Canada and, after Vancouver (2.31 million), Calgary (1.21 million), Edmonton (1.15 million), Victoria (344,615), the fifth largest in the three western provinces of British Columbia and Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Within the metropolitan area of Saskatoon, a total of eight bridges - two of them for rail traffic - cross the South Saskatchewan River, so that the city is often called the "City of Bridges" or "Paris of the Prairie" . The University of Saskatchewan has 19,469 students (2011) and is the city's premier employer.

geography

Saskatoon is not only centrally located in the heart of the Saskatchewan Province, but also in the middle of the inhabited part of Canada. The city is located 780 km northwest of Winnipeg, Manitoba, 525 km southeast of Edmonton, Alberta. It is 625 km from Calgary, Alberta. Regina is 250 km south of Saskatoon. All of these cities can be reached in a maximum of one hour's flight from Saskatoon Airport. The US-American border is approximately 400 km away.

The city has excellent transport links and is therefore also known as “the hub city of the prairies” .

Various national and regional highways meet in Saskatoon, including the Yellowhead Highway (officially Saskatchewan Provincial Highway 16), which connects the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and Highway 11 towards Regina, which in turn joins the Trans-Canada Highway meets. The route network of the Canadian National Railway (CN) and Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) runs through Saskatoon.

The Canadian transcontinental long-distance train, operated by VIA Rail Canada , connects Saskatoon to the North American rail network, providing direct train connections to Edmonton- Jasper- Vancouver and Winnipeg- Toronto . Long-distance buses connect Saskatoon with Calgary and Regina, among others . The city also has an international airport .

history

The city was founded in 1882 by a group of colonists from the Temperance Colonization Society . The aim was to ensure trade in goods through the city's central location. The following year, John Neilson Lake settled permanently in the newly founded city. The settlers traveled by train from Ontario to Moose Jaw and then on horses and carriages, as the train connection was not yet completed.

In 1885 the Northwest Rebellion slowed the city's growth. Chief Whitecap and Charles Trottier moved through what is now the university campus and joined the rebel soldiers of Louis Riel . Two battles followed, the Battle of Fish Creek and the Battle of Batoche . Wounded Canadian soldiers were treated at the Marr Residence . This building has been a listed building since 1982.

In 1933 the Roman Catholic diocese of Saskatoon was established. The St. Paul's Cathedral was built in 1910-11 as a parish church and in 1934 the Cathedral levied.

Cityscape and landmarks

Downtown

The Saskatchewan Western Development Museum

There are many shopping opportunities in the city center. The 2nd Avenue is the main shopping street that connects all important points. One of the largest shopping malls is the Midtown Plaza , which opened on July 30, 1970 and consists of 131 shops, several restaurants and cafes. A twelve-story office building and an event hall are connected to the shopping center. Another shopping center is the Market Mall with over 90 shops, restaurants and cafes. The Center is a shopping center with 99 shops and several restaurants. Scotia Center Mall is a smaller mall with an office building that houses offices and the like. a. by Potash Corp. and the Scotiabank are located.

The Delta Bessborough Hotel

Public facilities

The water park on the river

The local police department ( Saskatoon Police Service ) consists of 475 officers. Corman Park Police Service and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are also in action. Saskatoon has three hospitals: Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon City Hospital and St. Paul's Hospital.

Attractions

The largest museum dedicated to the history of the province is the Saskatchewan Western Development Museum . The Mendel Art is an art museum with around 5,000 exhibits and is located in the City Park in Saskatoon. The Marr Residence is a historic building, which is a listed building and served to supply soldiers at the end of the 18th century. The building played an important role in the Battle of Fish Creek . The Wilson's Entertainment Park is an amusement park with a few rides. The Broadway Theater has several shows a week. Another attraction is the Delta Bessborough Hotel in downtown, which was opened by the Canadian National Railway in 1930. Saskatoon has several parks, such as Friendship Park or the Mendel Riverbank and Island Sanctuary on the Saskatchewan River .

Brevoort Park in northern Saskatoon

economy

The production of potash salt and oil as well as agriculture and the service sector are economically significant in Saskatoon .

Extraction of raw materials

The world's largest uranium mining company, Cameco , and the world's largest potash producer, Potash Corp. , are headquartered in Saskatoon. Almost two thirds of the world's potash reserves are in the Saskatoon region. Other large companies with offices in Saskatoon are the French company AREVA NC and BHP Billiton . In addition, several medium-sized raw material production companies have their headquarters in the city. a. Denis Mines, United Uranium and Star Uranium.

Technology and manufacturing industries

In addition to the extraction of raw materials, several technology companies are based in the city, including a. Hitachi Canadian Industries , CNH Global , International Road Dynamics , Siemens Laserworks Inc., SED Systems , General Electric. Many of these companies are based at the Innovation Place Research Park .

Service industry

Due to the central location of Saskatoon, many companies in the transport industry operate distribution centers. Several banks have a head office in the city, including the First Nations Bank of Canada , Concentra Financial , Affinity Credit Union , TCU Financial Group . In addition, several trading companies and other service providers operate locations in the city such as B. Walmart Canada .

The largest employers in the city include:

Saskatoon Health Region (11,000)
University of Saskatchewan (7,170)
Potash Corp. (4,879)
Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (2,150)
Federated Co-operatives (2,000)
Graham Construction & Engineering (2,000)
Siemens Transportation Group (1,915)
Maple Leaf Foods (1,000)
Bank of Nova Scotia (783)
Vecima Networks (782)
CNH Global (750)
Yanke Group (750)
Cameco (654)
Concorde Group of Companies (650)
AREVA Resources Canada (500)

climate

Temperatures in Saskatoon averages around −17 ° C in January and 19 ° C in July. There is severe drought in summer, as it often does not rain for several weeks. Saskatoon is considered sunnier than other Canadian cities. The average annual sunshine duration of 2,380 hours, excluding shower clouds. In the summer months, extremely high temperatures of up to 40 ° C can be reached. Thunderstorms and thunderstorms usually take place in the summer months. This includes hail, storms, high winds and tornadoes.

The lowest temperature ever recorded was −50 ° C in 1893, the highest temperature 40.6 ° C on June 5, 1988.

Average monthly temperatures and rainfall for Saskatoon

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Max. Temperature ( ° C )	-11.8	-7.8	0.7	10.6	18.4	22.6	24.9	24.4	18th	10.8	-1.5	-9.2	O	8.4
Min. Temperature (° C)	-22.3	-18.2	-10.9	-1.9	4.5	9.4	11.4	10.2	4.4	-1.9	-10.9	-19.3	O	−3.7
Temperature (° C)	-17.0	-13.0	-5.8	4.4	11.5	16.0	18.2	17.3	11.2	4.5	-6.2	-14.3	O	2.3

Precipitation ( mm )	15.2	10.3	14.7	23.9	49.4	61.1	60.1	38.8	30.7	16.7	13.3	15.9	Σ	350.1

Rainy days ( d )	11.3	8.3	8.1	8.0	9.6	12.2	11.4	9.4	8.1	6.2	8.4	10.7	Σ	111.7

Source: Canadian Climate Normals 1971–2000: Saskatoon Diefenbaker International Airport

Population development

in brackets Greater Saskatoon

2002: 199,669 (231,487)
2003: 202,564 (232,273)
2004: 205,600 (233,671)
2005: 205,900 (235,242)
2006: 207,200 (236,797)

(Source: Statistics Canada)

education

Entrance to the Thorvaldson building on the University of Saskatchewan campus

Colleges

Saskatoon has several universities or colleges :

University of Saskatchewan
St. Thomas More College is a Catholic college of the University of Saskatchewan.
The First Nations University of Canada has a campus in Saskatoon on the corner of 7th Avenue North & Duke Street. The main campus is in Regina .
Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology
Gabriel Dumont Institute
Saskatoon Business College
Saskatoon Broadcasting School
Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies

Elementary and high schools

Saskatoon has 78 elementary schools and 14 high schools (secondary schools through grade 12) that are attended by 37,000 school-age children. The schools are under the supervision of three agencies: the Saskatoon Public School Division , Saskatoon Catholic School Division and the Conseil des Ecoles Fransaskoises .

Transport infrastructure

Highways

Saskatoon is located on the Yellowhead Highway, part of the Trans-Canada Highway System also known as Highway 16, which connects the provinces of Saskatchewan , Manitoba , Alberta and British Columbia . Highways 5, 7, 11, 12, 14, 41, 219, 684, and 762 all pass Saskatoon.

The University Bridge in Saskatoon

The following bridges run over the South Saskatchewan River within Saskatoon (order south to north):

Grand Trunk Bridge (Railway Bridge)
Circle Drive South Bridge (completed July 2013)
Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge
Traffic Bridge (closed in August 2010)
Broadway Bridge
University Bridge in Saskatoon
CPR Bridge (Railway Bridge)
Circle Drive Bridge

Some of the transport hubs were designed as Seagull Intersection with fewer conflicts for road users.

Flight connections

The Saskatoon / John G. Diefenbaker International Airport has two start / runway and is served by regional airlines. Non-stop connections are available to: Calgary, Chicago, Denver, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Ottawa, Prince Albert, Regina, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg. There are seasonal connections to Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic and Churchill in Manitoba. The airport will u. a. served by the airlines Air Canada , Westjet and Purolator Courier, which also operate several cargo handling points at the airport. 15 km southeast of Saskatoon is a smaller airport, the Saskatoon / Corman Air Park.

Rail transport

The Canadian Pacific Railway and the Canadian National Railway offer daily connections between different cities. Both providers operate the infrastructure and cooperate with each other. In Saskatoon there is a stop of the The Canadian Train, which runs through all of Canada. Located to the west on the outskirts, the station opened in 1960 after the old downtown station was closed and demolished to accommodate Midtown Plaza, TCU Place, and other shops.

Public transport

Urban public transport is operated by Saskatoon Transit. National public transportation is operated by the Saskatchewan Transportation Company, which connects all municipalities with Saskatoon in the province. The Saskatoon Bus Terminal is also served by Greyhound Canada, which offers a connection between Manitoba and Alberta.