Best Saskatoon Neighbourhoods for Renting

It often comes as a surprise to newcomers to Canada and international students interested in residing in Saskatchewan, that Saskatoon, and not Regina, is the largest city in this prairie province.

But it's true. With a population of almost 282,900 people, Saskatoon is the largest city in the province and the 19th largest city in Canada.

Located on the banks of the South Saskatchewan River, Saskatoon is a multicultural city affectionately known as the City of Bridges. 

But Saskatoon is also known as the "Hub City" because of its central location in this western Canada province. The economy of the city is associated with potash, oil and agriculture, mainly wheat. Nearly two-thirds of the world’s potash reserves are located in the Saskatoon region. The city offers job and entrepreneurship opportunities in mining and energy, biotechnology and life sciences, manufacturing and transportation.

Cameco, the world’s largest publicly traded uranium company, and PotashCorp, the world’s largest potash producer, have their corporate headquarters in Saskatoon. The city is also the new home of BHP Billiton’s Diamonds and Specialty Products business unit.

Saskatoon also has the second-highest percentage of First Nations population among major Canadian cities at approximately 11.3 percent. That's just behind Winnipeg at 12.2 percent  (Regina is third with 9.9 percent).

Saskatoon is the location of the historic Northwest Rebellion of 1885. 

Saskatoon has two publicly funded post-secondary schools: the University of Saskatchewan and SIAST (Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology), Kelsey Campus.

The University of Saskatchewan offers a wide variety of programs and courses. Agriculture and Bioresources, Arts and Science, Biotechnology, Edwards School of Business, Dentistry, Education, Engineering, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Kinesiology, Law, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy and Nutrition, Physical Therapy and Veterinary Medicine.

Colleges located in Saskatoon include Campion College, Luther College, St. Thomas More College, and The First Nations University of Canada. 

Writing in 2020, Swati Chaudhry described Saskatoon this way: "Saskatoon is an awesome city and there is a lot to love about it. The city is budget-friendly, has an awesome food scene and exudes welcoming vibes. As I explored more about this amazing city over the past few years, I gained major insight into its rich history, culture and share of other interesting stuff."

He also notes that renowned folk singer Joni Mitchell is from Saskatoon.
 

So, if you're thinking about settling as a newcomer to Canada in one of the great neighbourhoods of Saskatoon, you would officially be known as a  Saskatonian.

Best and most popular neighbourhoods in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
 

Here are some of the best and most popular neighbourhoods to rent in Saskatoon:

Arbor Creek Neighbourhood

This neighbourhood hosts 5100 people which was first established in the 1990s and is still under consistent development. Although there are no schools in this neighbourhood, there is a bus service which transports children to the next-door neighbour, Erindale.

Along with this, many recreational facilities are available such as multiple parks, namely Beckett Green Pocket Park, Budz Green Pocket Park, and Arbor Creek Linear Park. Arbor Creek’s Community Association organized special events and functions for the entertainment of its residents and played an important role in catering to the community’s concerns regarding schools.

Although there are no commercial areas in this neighbourhood, there are 51 home-based businesses available here which makes it a good place for young professionals who have a high income. They can operate through their homes or even take the initiative to establish a functioning commercial area.

City Park Neighbourhood

This is a neighbourhood located near the center of Saskatoon where a total of 4405 residents live. It mainly comprises of single family detached homes and apartment buildings and the area is generally considered to be a middle-income area. City Park School is featured here which is a public school where various programs are hosted; it also has an online learning center. Health is considered to be of vital importance here as various hospitals are built here which provide 24-hour services.

The most notable hospital is Saskatoon City Hospital which was opened in 1090 and provided an array of services such as surgical facilities and full care services for anyone who is in need. There are also a number of parks which include Wilson Park, Mendel Site Park etc.

Moreover, this neighbourhood also offers a public art gallery called the Mendel Art Gallery where the works of multiple local, national and international artists are features. Along with this, this neighbourhood has the City Park Community Association which organizes social and leisure programs which include adult fitness programs and children sports initiative.

For further entertainment, this association offers an outdoor rink which can be a fun activity for a few residents. These features make it good for singles to enjoy their move to this vicinity.

This neighbourhood contains several business districts where professional businesses have established themselves along various streets such as Queen Street. There is also a small collection of businesses located near City Park, and there are 66 home-based businesses to go along with it. This is also suitable for young professionals trying to establish their businesses on popular commercial sites.

Nutana Neighbourhood

Nutana is an upper income, residential neighbourhood found in the center of Saskatoon and hosts approximately 6261 residents. This neighbourhood consists of low-density, single detached dwellings along with apartment style multiple unit dwellings.

This neighbourhood also features schools, which include Oskayak High School- a Catholic secondary school, Nutana Collegiate- a public secondary, and Ecole Victoria School- a public elementary school. These schools provide high-quality education which can appeal to families.

One feature of attraction includes the Broadway Theatre which is considered a cultural cornerstone which runs a cinema and various performances. Along with this, the Refinery Arts and Spirit Centre serves as a multi-functional venue where art classes, conferences and live performances can take place.

In addition to this, there are also multiple annual events that take place in Saskatoon such as Bikes on Broadway, which is the largest road bicycle race.

Broadway Art Encounter where local artists display their work inside the theatre’s business district, alongside Broadway Street Fair there a sidewalk wales, auctions, art shows and live music is featured; many more events similar to these take place at Saskatoon. This place is ideal for those families who want to live in a trendy yet affordable neighbourhood. 

Buena Vista Neighbourhood

This area is largely residential with suites and apartments for the accommodation of students. Buena Vista may be a little distant from campus but there are several direct route buses which can take 20-30 minutes to reach the campus. Buenta Vista is close to downtown which means that students can take advantage of the amenities provided there, such as the business districts and multiple shops. Th average monthly rent here varies from $400-$600 which is relatively low cost when compared to other cities.

University Heights Neighbourhood

University Heights is generally located towards the northeast of the campuses here at Saskatoon. It is considered to be a largely residential area with an average monthly rent ranging from $500-$700; this price may be a little pricey when compared to Buena Vista. There is a large shopping centre here with all the necessities alongside the Saskatoon Forestry Farm and the Alice Turner Library where students can study and research on certain subjects. Moreover, this is also neighbouring the Sutherland Beach Dog Park where they can enjoy the fresh air.

River Heights Neighbourhood

This neighbourhood was first established in the early 1960s and today; it holds 4385 people inside its vicinity. There are schools present here such as Ecole River Heights School- a public, French elementary school, and St. Anne School-a Catholic elementary school.

Moreover, the Canarama Shopping Centre is a mall where most of this neighbourhood’s commercial activity takes place; however, there are other malls around the boundaries of this community which add to the commercial development.

There are various public serves in this area as well, water is treated and supplied by the city’s organizations, health professional offices are located in the business districts, and three hospitals are located in this and other neighbourhoods. Don’t we all know the stress of having new neighbours? What to say? What to do? Well, go ahead, break the ice and maybe avail River Height’s proximity with the river to indulge in some fun physical activities such as biking or running. Don’t worry; you can also do this alone.

It also features various retail outlets and lavish restaurants, which make the neighbourhood more appealing for everyone in it. Not to mention, but River Heights is an affordable place while renting or purchasing a house.