Regina and Saskatoon

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by CalgaryDesi

No place is boring. You have to create your own fun.

Exactly, even a small city(what we're apparently considered now with surrounding areas) like here could be a great place to live for someone who likes things like fishing, hunting, and camping. I'm not really into those things anymore so there's really not much to do here for me which is why(besides the lack of computer related jobs) I'm trying to get out of here.

I almost moved to Saskatoon a couple years ago to go back to college but ended up changing my mind since I was having doubts on whether I really should go back. I havent been to Regina so I cant comment on it but I've heard from other people that Saskatoon is alot nicer and has more things to do.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by CalgaryDesi

No place is boring.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boring,_Oregon

[North East Goon]

I am familiar with both cities. Saskatoon is definitely the more visually appealing of the 2. I think it's called gov't street or something like that, overlooking the river and the university? Stunning homes there, probably million dollar homes. Regina is not near as bad as people on here are saying, but really is not as nice as Saskatoon. If you are looking for an even smaller centre, people say that Moose Jaw is really starting to re-develop itself.

[Snake Wilson]

Originally Posted by North East Goon

I am familiar with both cities. Saskatoon is definitely the more visually appealing of the 2. I think it's called gov't street or something like that, overlooking the river and the university? Stunning homes there, probably million dollar homes. Regina is not near as bad as people on here are saying, but really is not as nice as Saskatoon. If you are looking for an even smaller centre, people say that Moose Jaw is really starting to re-develop itself.

You're talking about Saskatchewan Crescent. There's a lot of very nice houses there, most in the $500,000 to $1,000,000 range. There's also a lot of development in the north-east end and around the Willows golf course in the south, if you're looking for the mini-mansion thing.

As for the comparison between Regina and Saskatoon, I would have to agree with most of the posters here - Saskatoon wins, hands down. Regina is a government city, and it is more steady, but hasn't grown much and is definetly not as visually appealing as Saskatoon. Saskatoon has continued to grow, is more entrepreneurial and business friendly, and has better shopping, more concerts, and a better nightlife/dining scene.

All that said, there's no NHL hockey in Saskatoon. We have a couple of great sports bars (Shark Club and Joe Dogs come to mind), so that may tide you over. And we're only one-hour from Calgary by plane, with many flights between the cities daily.

[FurnaceFace]

I was born and raised in Regina, lived there for 27 years then moved to Calgary. As others have said visually, S'toon is more appealing as it's got the river which actually flows while Regina has Wascana Creek which sort of flows. I always felt S'toon had a bit of a younger vibe to it because the University is larger and seemed to be more of a focus than in Regina where government was the focus.

In Regina the Wascana Park/lake area is nice and the city has recently spend a heap of money upgrading it thanks to the centennial funds. We were back there a couple years ago and I was surprised at the amount of upgrades. They had also drained the lake (it's manmade) a few years ago and got rid of a lot of the muck and crud in it which I believe has improved water flow.

the downtown area is kind of like Calgary in that after work it's pretty much a ghost town, except it's even another factor up. Stores downtown are having a hard time competing with the suburban centers so it's turning into more of a ghost town. It was also surprising to me they are converting office towers into condos. It would be like say...taking 5th Avenue Place and converting it into condos. Seemed like a sign things are going downhill as far as business.

As far as sections of the city to live the east side is the end where are the new construction seems to be and all the big box shopping is going in. I'd compare it to perhaps Westhills for shopping. Emerald Park east of the city might be Regina's Cochrane, and there are a number of large houses out theere which back onto a golf course. If you own a house in Calgary you might be able to afford to live in style out there. I'm a south end Regina kid so I'm partial to that end of the city. "The North End" was always used as a derogatory term.

The weather can be pretty extreme. Calgary weather is so mild compared to the frozen tundra of Sask. Chinooks are not a common thing, and there are no mountains to regulate so -30 for weeks was standard. The opposite is true in the summer as Regina will usually get weeks of +30 where in Calgary typical years we get a few days of +30.

I do have a number of people I know who are in the 25-40 range who still live there and seem to enjoy it...or at least aren't looking to move. My situation would have to drastically change before I'd consider moving back there or frankly anywhere in Sask or Man.

[Red Mile Style]

Originally Posted by peter12

Whereas Regina is hell.

peter12 is a moron of Dubya Bush standards.

I grew up in Regina, and I moved to Calgary straight out of high school. I have been in Calgary for five years now, and I prefer Regina, or Saskatchewan in general. I have decided that I am going to move, probably to Saskatoon, in the next little while. Yep, I am going to be one of those ex-patriots... It's not that Calgary is all that horrible, but I love Saskatchewan. Here's why:

- There are NO homeless people, and I know this sounds crazy, but I have never once seen one homeless person. Not that homeless people are bad, it's just unfortunate and it took a while for me to get used to them in Calgary.
- Sask. has the lowest utility rates in the country, seriously, it was in the paper. Plus health costs are much lower and we do not have to pay for a library card, things like that.
- Two words: CAR INSURANCE: crown corporation = sweet. I hit a car last summer and destroyed the side mirror, it didn't do anything to my insurance rates or license because it was under $200. Can you believe that!?!?! Plus, because of this, cars do not go around after they have been in an accident like they do here. My friend pointed this out to me when he visited me, a lot of people do not take their cars in because of the premium hike, but it's really not that big of a deal in Sask.
- The cost of living as a whole is quite dramastically cheaper. The cost of houses are a percentage of that in Calgary, let alone Vancouver or anywhere else.
- Regina has two world records: Longest bridge over narrowest span of water and the number of parks per capita. My house is within walking distance of about 10 parks.
- The Riders - you think the Red Mile is crazy, and it is, but that's how all Rider fans are - even when they suck!
- The air. Oh man, the air! It is so clean, and crisp and you can just take in great big deep breaths and it feels amazing!
- Regina is about 175,000, I think, and Saskatoon is bigger, probably by quite a bit, so it's not a small town, or a big city. I personally think it is quite a nice balance. I mean, I try to think of things that Calgary has that Regina doesn't, but there isn't a lot (either than the Flames), there is just a less quantity of them.
- Lakes. Calgary is the most land locked place in Canada. I mean, the closest beach is probably Sylvan Lake. Within an hour drive of Regina there are about 10 different lakes, and Northern Sask is completely different than the South. The forests up there, and the nature, is unbelievable.
- The sky! The license plates do not say "Land of the Living Sky" for nothing. For the first couple of months, I felt so claustrophobic at night because I was constantly trying to see the sunset but I couldn't in Calgary. The stars, the northern lights, the sunrises... so awesome!
- Space, your own space. Your backyard will not have the view of five houses behind you. This also took a lot to get used to in Calgary, just being able to escape the rat race and get some sort of tranquility. I have had a few freak outs if I am in Calgary for too long. I've had to just drive east for a while untill I can look in the horizon and not see anything or HEAR anything. I have lived in a number of different places in Calgary, and there is always that "city hum"... that sound of traffic, buildings etc. The quiet that can be achieved in Sask. is so good for the mental environment, and I have come to appreciate it so much.

The sad thing is, I didn't realize all these things until after I left...

I will agree that Sask is not for everyone. There is a different mentality there, and the people are amazing! They are genuinely down to earth and stereotypically have a different outlook on life than people in Alberta. For the majority of people in Saskatchewan, family and friends are the most important. I notice this every time I go home. The first thing people ask me is if I'm married yet or how's that nice boy I was talking about... Wheras in Alberta it's always "where you working, or where you living nowadays". It's really funny that way. I've also noticed that the boom in Calgary has affected the people of the city. We used to go to Calgary all the time as a kid, and one of my fondest memories was the 88 Olympics, but the new Calgary is different. People here want to get a piece of the boom and I think that attracks a certain type of person. People move to Calgary for various reasons, but for some it is purely monetary gain. Which isn't necessarily bad, but people live in Saskatchewan for completely different reasons and I think it shows.

People might say that Regina, or Sask is boring, but like others have said, it's what you make of it. People in Sask know how to have a good time, and it's usually with good people and friends that you know you'll have for the rest of your life. We might not have too many touristy spots, so from that stand point, I can see how some might view it as boring, but some of the funnest times in my life have been in Sask with people I care about.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Red Mile Style

- There are NO homeless people, and I know this sounds crazy, but I have never once seen one homeless person.

Just because you don't see them, doesn't mean they aren't there.

2001 article: Regina receives $1.2 million for homelessness relief

And as much as I hate to say it, what causes homelessness in Calgary is one of the things that I currently enjoy about this city. In less than 2 years the value of my house has gone up $140K. May be a little selfish, but it happens to be true.

Originally Posted by Red Mile Style

Two words: CAR INSURANCE: crown corporation = sweet. I hit a car last summer......

For those of us with decent driving records car insurance isn't an issue unless you are under 25. And you also have to compare comperable rates; people in cities the size of Red Deer pay a lot less than the same person in Calgary, because there are fewer accidents in smaller cities. To do a fair comparison, take Winnipeg vs Calgary. I pay less for insurance than my dad, and he actually has a better record than me. (I have a speeding ticket to my name.)

I have no doubt that Regina has some things going for it. But I just find it funny when people move here, and then talk about how great where they lived before was. I did the same thing at first when I moved here from Winnipeg, so I understand. But as soon as I moved back to go to school I realized pretty quick which was the better city.

[Red Mile Style]

Originally Posted by ken0042

I have no doubt that Regina has some things going for it. But I just find it funny when people move here, and then talk about how great where they lived before was. I did the same thing at first when I moved here from Winnipeg, so I understand. But as soon as I moved back to go to school I realized pretty quick which was the better city.

Yeah, but you can't really talk, you're from Winnipeg, aka the *sshole of Canada, of corse Calgary is better!

[JimmytheT]

- There are NO homeless people, and I know this sounds crazy, but I have never once seen one homeless person. Not that homeless people are bad, it's just unfortunate and it took a while for me to get used to them in Calgary.
- Sask. has the lowest utility rates in the country, seriously, it was in the paper. Plus health costs are much lower and we do not have to pay for a library card, things like that.
- Two words: CAR INSURANCE: crown corporation = sweet. I hit a car last summer and destroyed the side mirror, it didn't do anything to my insurance rates or license because it was under $200. Can you believe that!?!?! Plus, because of this, cars do not go around after they have been in an accident like they do here. My friend pointed this out to me when he visited me, a lot of people do not take their cars in because of the premium hike, but it's really not that big of a deal in Sask.
- The cost of living as a whole is quite dramastically cheaper. The cost of houses are a percentage of that in Calgary, let alone Vancouver or anywhere else.
- Regina has two world records: Longest bridge over narrowest span of water and the number of parks per capita. My house is within walking distance of about 10 parks.
- The Riders - you think the Red Mile is crazy, and it is, but that's how all Rider fans are - even when they suck!
- The air. Oh man, the air! It is so clean, and crisp and you can just take in great big deep breaths and it feels amazing!
- Regina is about 175,000, I think, and Saskatoon is bigger, probably by quite a bit, so it's not a small town, or a big city. I personally think it is quite a nice balance. I mean, I try to think of things that Calgary has that Regina doesn't, but there isn't a lot (either than the Flames), there is just a less quantity of them.
- Lakes. Calgary is the most land locked place in Canada. I mean, the closest beach is probably Sylvan Lake. Within an hour drive of Regina there are about 10 different lakes, and Northern Sask is completely different than the South. The forests up there, and the nature, is unbelievable.
- The sky! The license plates do not say "Land of the Living Sky" for nothing. For the first couple of months, I felt so claustrophobic at night because I was constantly trying to see the sunset but I couldn't in Calgary. The stars, the northern lights, the sunrises... so awesome!
- Space, your own space. Your backyard will not have the view of five houses behind you. This also took a lot to get used to in Calgary, just being able to escape the rat race and get some sort of tranquility. I have had a few freak outs if I am in Calgary for too long. I've had to just drive east for a while untill I can look in the horizon and not see anything or HEAR anything. I have lived in a number of different places in Calgary, and there is always that "city hum"... that sound of traffic, buildings etc. The quiet that can be achieved in Sask. is so good for the mental environment, and I have come to appreciate it so much.

Though your geographic preferences are inarguable, you should know that the taxpayers fit the bill for several of the "perks":

-The lowest utility rates
-Low insurance premiums (which are not much different for people over 25 in this province); basically the employed ages 25+ are subsidizing lower rates for young drivers who should really be paying higher premiums (Im 23 by the way)
-Cheaper health-care

And I highly doubt there are "NO" homeless people in one or either of Saskatchewan's major cities. Hell I live in a small town that has one homeless person.

Im sure if you looked in the right places in Saskatchewan and/or did your research you would find there to be homeless people. To say that any province has no homeless people is nonsense.

[peter12]

peter12 is a moron of Dubya Bush standards.


Whereas you are one of the most boring and empty posters on the board. So I guess all those people pouring out of Saskatchewan in droves are morons too?
I can't count how many people I know at university, who are from Regina, and are never ever going back.

[Red Mile Style]

Originally Posted by peter12

peter12 is a moron of Dubya Bush standards.


Whereas you are one of the most boring and empty posters on the board. So I guess all those people pouring out of Saskatchewan in droves are morons too?
I can't count how many people I know at university, who are from Regina, and are never ever going back.

Jeez, chill out! You make a completely unjustifiable remark about Regina, without providing any reasoning, knowledge, background information or experience, and you get upset because it is about as thought provoking as Dubya.

I stand by my opening remark. peter12 IS a moron of Dubya Bush standards.

That's great if you apparently "know" people at university, and it's even better that you know some from Regina. But basing your opinions from these people is pretty... stupid.

Yeah, a lot of people migrate to Alberta from Sask., that's pretty obvious. But there are a lot that migrate back. I happen to be one of those people who will.

Now, please, enlighten me more about the kind of poster I AM. I'll keep in mind who it's coming from, and pay absolutely no attention to it. If you think my posts are empty, I would hate to know what your opinions are of your own posts - keeping in mind they consist of your uneducated opinion backed by no rationale whatsoever.

[Red Mile Style]

Originally Posted by JimmytheT

And I highly doubt there are "NO" homeless people in one or either of Saskatchewan's major cities. Hell I live in a small town that has one homeless person.

Im sure if you looked in the right places in Saskatchewan and/or did your research you would find there to be homeless people. To say that any province has no homeless people is nonsense.

Are you calling me a liar?

I can not speak for the entire province, as I have not been to every single place. But I have never seen a homeless person. Whether or not you choose to believe me is up to you, but if you've ever visited, you would not see any.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Red Mile Style

Jeez, chill out! You make a completely unjustifiable remark about Regina, without providing any reasoning, knowledge, background information or experience, and you get upset because it is about as thought provoking as Dubya.

I stand by my opening remark. peter12 IS a moron of Dubya Bush standards.

That's great if you apparently "know" people at university, and it's even better that you know some from Regina. But basing your opinions from these people is pretty... stupid.

Yeah, a lot of people migrate to Alberta from Sask., that's pretty obvious. But there are a lot that migrate back. I happen to be one of those people who will.

Now, please, enlighten me more about the kind of poster I AM. I'll keep in mind who it's coming from, and pay absolutely no attention to it. If you think my posts are empty, I would hate to know what your opinions are of your own posts - keeping in mind they consist of your uneducated opinion backed by no rationale whatsoever.

Oh more insults. Is that really all you can do? You follow up your complaints about my completely uneducated opinion wiht a couple more unqualified statements. So alot of people move out... but alot of people move back? In 2004, Regina had 23 005 immigrants move into the city, but in the same year had 26 315 out migrants. I'm not sure if you follow the math, but the city actually shrank that year.

[FurnaceFace]

Originally Posted by Red Mile Style

Are you calling me a liar?

I can not speak for the entire province, as I have not been to every single place. But I have never seen a homeless person. Whether or not you choose to believe me is up to you, but if you've ever visited, you would not see any.

It's a quantity difference. In Calgary walk down Stephen's Ave and you'll see several. In Regina walk through Vic Park or down the Scarth St mall and you'll see a couple. It's been a few years since I've been wandering around in downtown Regina but I know there are some. I've been asked for change in front of the Library before. I submit the big difference is the infrastructure in Regina is able to handle the few homeless where the infrastructure in Calgary is bursting at the seams.

Oh, and you should toss property taxes in as a negative to Sask, they are higher. Plus you need to add PST to your negative list and perhaps provincial income tax.

[Log]

Its time I weigh in on this one....

The problem with Saskatchewan is that we are competing with Alberta for the skilled workers. The wages in Alberta are way better and the number of opportunites higher. This results in kids going to universtiy here, then after graduating moving to Alberta. So, lets see, if Saskatchewan's population hasn't changed much in the past 10 years, and all the skilled workers are leaving, who's staying? Unforntunately the inner cities of Regina and Saskatoon are the ones who keep our population up. If this trend continues, Saskatchewan will be in deep deep trouble!!

Personally, I like living in Saskatchewan and would NEVER move to Calgary. Here are the things I enjoy.... being able to drive across town in 15 minutes tops, my 20 minute drive from the outskirts of the city to downtown, not having to buy a house that would require me to make six figures annually, low utilities, free health care, the 7% PST (I work in the PST department), light traffic, tons of parks, numerous lakes within an hour from Regina.

Things I don't enjoy.... Not living in the same city as the Flames play in, high property taxes, high prov income taxes, people leaving here all the time, high crime rates (although alot of it stays in the core areas), the old school mentality of our residents and government.

I think Regina and Saskatoon get an unfair rep. I can't speak for Saskatoon as I've never lived there, but Regina is a nice place to live in and I'm sure Saskatoon would be just as nice if not nicer.

Winnipeg is basically Regina and Saskatoon combined....

[Log]

Originally Posted by FurnaceFace

It's a quantity difference. In Calgary walk down Stephen's Ave and you'll see several. In Regina walk through Vic Park or down the Scarth St mall and you'll see a couple. It's been a few years since I've been wandering around in downtown Regina but I know there are some. I've been asked for change in front of the Library before. I submit the big difference is the infrastructure in Regina is able to handle the few homeless where the infrastructure in Calgary is bursting at the seams.

Oh, and you should toss property taxes in as a negative to Sask, they are higher. Plus you need to add PST to your negative list and perhaps provincial income tax.

PST and free health care as basically a wash. Quick question though... Would most employers cover your health care premiums? Or are they out of pocket?

Agreed about the homeless people.... If you can't see them here, then quit walking around with the blinders on. I see them once a week. I work on the outskirts of downtown and see people picking through dumpsters regularly.

Funny Saskatchewan story.... A friend of mine was in Florida a number of years ago. Anyways, they got into a conversation with a local down there. The local asked where they were from... My friend replied, "Saskatchewan"... The local replied, "So you're from the gap".... My friend - "Excuse me.." The local - "The Gap... The Gap in between Alberta and Manitoba".... Pretty funny if you ask me!

[Morozee]

Originally Posted by Log

Winnipeg is basically Regina and Saskatoon combined....

I've lived in Winnipeg for 4 years now and have visited Regina and Saskatoon many times. That describes Winnipeg perfectly. Take the worst of Regina and combine with the best of Saskatoon and you have Winnipeg.

[FurnaceFace]

Originally Posted by Log

PST and free health care as basically a wash. Quick question though... Would most employers cover your health care premiums? Or are they out of pocket?

I don't know about every employer, my employer pays for mine, and I expect any of the large Oil and Gas companies will. I know of one company in the IT field which doesn't. I would bet as the size of the company decreased the % who pay for it drops although I've heard of some restaurants for example offering to pay as an incentive to get employees. I believe Alberta Blue Cross or whatever it's called is only a few hundred (someone else is likely in the know) so it's not that much. I've never felt the PST was a huge deal however when you look at the 7% (or did it drop?) on all your purchases it adds up.

Originally Posted by Log

Funny Saskatchewan story.... A friend of mine was in Florida a number of years ago. Anyways, they got into a conversation with a local down there. The local asked where they were from... My friend replied, "Saskatchewan"... The local replied, "So you're from the gap".... My friend - "Excuse me.." The local - "The Gap... The Gap in between Alberta and Manitoba".... Pretty funny if you ask me!

That's awesome! Reminds me of a time years ago when I was in a hostel in Berlin and I was exchanging hellos with my room mates. One guy was from Brazil and I said I was from Canada. He asks me where in Canada and I sort of chuckle and say "well, you won't know it but Regina." His eyes lit up and he said "Oh Regina! I've been there twice! I liked it." Turns out he had gone across Canada twice. He'd seen more of my country than I had.

Bottom line is there is good and bad about everywhere you live in Canada be it a fishing village, farm, small town, or big city.

[Log]

Originally Posted by Morozee

I've lived in Winnipeg for 4 years now and have visited Regina and Saskatoon many times. That describes Winnipeg perfectly. Take the worst of Regina and combine with the best of Saskatoon and you have Winnipeg.

I lived in Winnipeg for a few months (was back in 99). I enjoyed it. Mind you I had a few close friends already living there.

[Log]

Originally Posted by FurnaceFace

I don't know about every employer, my employer pays for mine, and I expect any of the large Oil and Gas companies will. I know of one company in the IT field which doesn't. I would bet as the size of the company decreased the % who pay for it drops although I've heard of some restaurants for example offering to pay as an incentive to get employees. I believe Alberta Blue Cross or whatever it's called is only a few hundred (someone else is likely in the know) so it's not that much. I've never felt the PST was a huge deal however when you look at the 7% (or did it drop?) on all your purchases it adds up.


That's awesome! Reminds me of a time years ago when I was in a hostel in Berlin and I was exchanging hellos with my room mates. One guy was from Brazil and I said I was from Canada. He asks me where in Canada and I sort of chuckle and say "well, you won't know it but Regina." His eyes lit up and he said "Oh Regina! I've been there twice! I liked it." Turns out he had gone across Canada twice. He'd seen more of my country than I had.

Bottom line is there is good and bad about everywhere you live in Canada be it a fishing village, farm, small town, or big city.

I think you hit the nail on the head!