Saskatoon

South Saskatchewan River

Saskatoon, city, south-central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. It was founded in 1883 as the proposed capital of a temperance colony, and its name was derived from Mis-sask-quah-toomina, a Cree word for a local edible red berry. Following the arrival of the railroad from Regina (161 miles [259 km] southeast) in 1890 and its amalgamation with two adjoining settlements (1906), Saskatoon experienced rapid growth. As Saskatchewan’s most populous metropolitan area, Saskatoon is a distribution and service centre for an important wheat-, oats-, barley-, rye-, flaxseed-, and canola-growing region. Mining is also a vital part of Saskatoon’s economy, and the area is among the world’s leading producers of uranium and potash. Natural gas and oil extraction and refining have also grown in importance in Saskatchewan and Saskatoon. Other significant industries include food and dairy processing, printing, and the manufacture of wood products, chemicals, clothing, machinery, computer and electronic products, metal, and fabricated metal products. Local industry also benefits from the numerous research facilities located in Saskatoon, including Canadian Light Source, Inc., which carries out synchrotron research. Saskatoon is a major transportation hub (served by both national railroads), is the focus of provincial highways, and has a busy international airport, the Saskatoon John E. Diefenbaker International Airport.

Saskatoon is a cultural and educational centre with its own symphony orchestra; its Mendel Art Gallery and Civic Conservatory and its Memorial Art Gallery have notable collections of Canadian artists, and the central display at the Saskatoon Western Development Museum is a pioneer village street. Saskatoon is the seat of the University of Saskatchewan (1907), and its associated colleges include St. Thomas More (1936), St. Andrew’s (1912), and the College of Emmanuel and St. Chad (two Anglican schools that amalgamated in 1964). In 1913 the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Manitoba and other provinces founded the Lutheran College and Seminary, which was located in Saskatoon in 1915. The University of Saskatchewan also is the site of the Diefenbaker Canada Centre, the archives, museum, and gallery of which celebrate Canadian history and especially the contribution of Canada’s 13th prime minister, John Diefenbaker. A provincial school for the deaf and the Saskatchewan Research Council headquarters are also in the city. Pion-Era and the Saskatoon Exhibition (one of Canada’s biggest historical-agricultural pageants) are annual (July) events. The huge Gardiner Dam on the South Saskatchewan River, impounding Lake Diefenbaker, is 62 miles (100 km) south. Inc. village, 1901; town, 1903; city, 1906. Pop. (2006) 202,408; metro. area, 233,923; (2021) 266,141; metro. area, 317,480