March 15, 2016 / By: Mehran Saadat

Saskatoon: my new home

Personal Interest, Human Resources, Saskatoon
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Moving from one city to another can be traumatic. New environment, new people and new weather! It seems Canada is cold most of the time. I remember arriving in Halifax in the winter of 2003. I saw snow for the first time in my life the morning after. I was amazed and excited with the snowfall. My first exposure to the cold weather was filled with excitement and joy. It lasted for 2 months. As I see more snow and more cold snaps, I realize how this is going to be and I better cope with it sooner rather than later. Then came my introduction to Tim Hortons. French vanilla was the first and only beverage I trusted to taste good for the first six months. I remember one of my friends, instead of asking for a medium french vanilla asked for a "medium Tim Hortons please" We still joke about that.

What I am writing here is my reflection and personal experience from what I have been exposed to during my years living in Halifax and three months of living in Saskatoon.

There is not much difference in population between Saskatoon and Halifax. Saskatoon feels like a larger city than Halifax though. I definitely see more diversity in Saskatoon. I like diversity. I like to see different points of view. I like to see how people of different cultures think, react and how they engage in their day to day lives. It's a form of education for me, and helps round out my life experiences. This is what Canada is all about to me, after all.

Thanks to the Atlantic Ocean, the weather is humid in Halifax but dry in Saskatoon. In my estimation, the temperature is relatively mild in Halifax now that I have witnessed the cold shocks and temperature drops in Saskatoon. In terms of snow, Halifax gets far more than Saskatoon, but the snow starts later in the winter in Halifax. My last year in Halifax, I remember piling up snow in my driveway over and over again. I literally had two snow walls five feet high on my driveway at one point. It snowed so bad that the city decided to dump the snow into the ocean. I have not seen that much snow in Saskatoon yet. I will keep my fingers crossed!

The nature and landscape of the two cities are vastly different. Halifax has plenty of lakes and beautiful walking trails. Whereas, Saskatoon, is farmland. this becomes quite evident when you drive down Yellowhead Trail.

Rental accommodations in Saskatoon are much more affordable than in Halifax. I find utility bills, property taxes and building costs higher in Halifax, which might be the reason for higher rental costs.

In conclusion, I have to say I am glad I moved from Halifax to Saskatoon, so far. I see more diversity and personal potential in Saskatoon. I have enjoyed the friendship, comradery and welcoming feeling among my peers at Mainstreet. Thank you to my team who made me feel at home. Saskatoon Shines!

 

Mainstreet Equity Corp. is a publicly-traded (TSX: MEQ) residential real estate company in Canada. Mainstreet currently owns and operates properties in Surrey, BC; New Westminster, BC; Abbotsford, BC; Calgary, AB; Cochrane, AB; Lethbridge, AB; Edmonton, AB; Fort Saskatchewan, AB; and Saskatoon, SK.

Mainstreet provides affordable, renovated apartment suites to Canadians, and is committed to creating real value without diluting shareholder interests.