Saskatchewan

Provinces of Canada

In this series of articles, we will talk about the provinces of Canada, covering demographic, economic and climatic aspects, among others.

Saskatchewan

Located in the centre of Canada, Saskatchewan is one of the three prairie provinces, along with Alberta and Manitoba. It is the fifth province in area, with 650,000 km² and the sixth in population with almost 1.2 million people. Most of its territory is covered by forest and fresh water and has more than 100,000 lakes. Regina, the capital of the province, and Saskatoon, the largest city, are the most important cities in Saskatchewan and where more than half of its population lives. In the last 5 years, the province has welcomed an average of 14,000 immigrants per year.

Geography

Situated in the great plains, Saskatchewan is boarded in the west by Alberta, north by the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, west by Manitoba, and in the south by the United States. The only province that the borders are not natural features, instead, the borders follow geographical coordinates giving the province a rectangular shape. It is also one of only two provinces in Canada, along with Alberta, with no access to the ocean. Most of the population is concentrated in the south, and the north, for being forested, is sparsely populated. Besides Regina and Saskatoon, Prince Albert and Moose Jaw are other cities with notable populations.

Climate

For being mostly plain and far from large bodies of water, Saskatchewan has a continental climate characterized by warm to hot summers with temperatures reaching 30 °C and very cold winters with temperatures of -45 °C. The province also has more hours of sunshine and more tornados than any other province in Canada. Regina has an average temperature of 19 °C in the summer and -14 °C in the winter.

Language

English is the official and predominant language in Saskatchewan with 82% of the population speaking only English. Some public services and education are offered in French. Other languages spoken in the province include German, Algonquian, and Ukrainian.

Economy

The economy of Saskatchewan has been based on extractive industries from the beginning. In agriculture, the main product cultivated is wheat for external markets. Canola and crops such as peas, barley, oats, and lentils have also increased in the last decade. The province is the world's largest exporter of mustard seeds. Mining is also a major industry in the province, with Saskatchewan being the world leader in potash and uranium exports. Other important extractive industries are fishing, forestry, oil, and natural gas. Since 2000, several companies focused on science and technology have been established near the Universities of Regina and Saskatoon, which has generated jobs in this industry.

Education

The school year in Canada starts in September and ends in June, with the months of July and August being the summer break. Like many other aspects of the country, it is the responsibility of the provinces to monitor and regulate education. In Saskatchewan, all children from 6 to 21 years old have the right to go to school. Canadian citizens, permanent and temporary residents have access to free education from Kindergarten to Grade 12, as long as certain requirements are met. The province offers the Prekindergarten Program, which is available in some schools for three and four years old children. French-language education is also provided by the province.

Saskatchewan has three major universities: the First Nations University of Canada, with campuses in Regina, Saskatoon, and Prince Albert, focusing on serving the academic, cultural, and spiritual needs of First Nations' students, the University of Saskatchewan, located in Saskatoon, which is the oldest university in the province and the University of Regina.

Immigration

In addition to the immigration process offered by the federal government,) to immigrate to Canada. Saskatchewan offers the  Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP), which nominates eligible people to apply for permanent residency. In general, skilled workers, people with work experience in the province, entrepreneurs, and someone willing to own and operate a farm, can apply for the SINP.

Tourism

There are numerous heritages and cultural attractions in the province, including museums, dinosaur digs, aboriginal culture and heritage sites, art galleries, theatres, and archaeological sites. Nature tourism is also very popular in Saskatchewan, with two national parks, four National Historic Sites, and 37 provincial parks, attracting more than 13 million visitors each year. Important destinations are the, GrasslandsGrasslands National Park, Prince Albert National Park, Fort Walsh National Historic Site, Batoche National Historic Site, Fort Battleford National Historic Site, Wanuskewin Heritage Park, and Athabasca Sand Dunes Provincial Park.

Saskatchewan is home to a number of important museums and art galleries in Canada. The Royal Saskatchewan Museum serves as the provincial museum of the province. Other important museums and art galleries include the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Heritage Centre, the Saskatchewan Western Development Museum, Saskatchewan Science Centre, the T.rex Discovery Centre, the MacKenzie Art Gallery, and the Remai Modern.

Para obter mais informações sobre Saskatchewan visite saskatchewan.ca and tourismsaskatchewan.com.

By Janayna Sercheli

If you wish to immigrate to Saskatchewan, contact Klaps Immigration Consulting for more information on immigration processes.