About Manitoba & Saskatchewan

General Information

Canada is the largest country in the Western Hemisphere and the second largest in the world in terms of land area, although it ranks only 25th in population.

Politically, Canada is divided into ten provinces and three territories. Manitoba is one of the provinces in the country of Canada. It is sometimes referred to as the Keystone Province, and by looking at a map, it is easy to see why. Like the keystone in an arch, the province lies right in the middle of Canada. It is also right in the middle of North America. Saskatchewan is the 6th largest province in Canada. Saskatchewan agricultural land comprises 44% of the total Canadian farmland. The parkland and mixed prairie areas of the province are used for crop production, mixed farming and dairying.Saskatchewan usually produces about 54% of Canada’s wheat. There were 44,329 farms in Saskatchewan as of May 15, 2006 .

Manitoba

Manitoba’s people and economy are as diverse as its geography. Located in the geographical centre of North America, Manitoba has a population of more than one million and an area of approximately 650,000 square kilometers. The province has been enriched both economically and culturally by the generations of immigrants from around the world.

Manitoba’s economy is multifaceted with strong sectors in aerospace, mining and hydroelectric generation, agriculture, food processing, garment industries, film and sound, commercial printing, transportation, and information and communication technologies. Manitoba is a competitive location for doing business and offers an exceptional quality of life for its citizens.

Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of 588,276.09 square kilometers and a population of 1,023,810 (according to 2009 estimates), mostly living in the southern half of the province. Of these, 233,923 live in the province’s largest city, Saskatoon, The province’s name comes from the Saskatchewan River, whose name comes from its Cree designation meaning “swift flowing river”.

Saskatchewan’s economy is associated with agriculture; however, increasing diversification has meant that now agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting together make up only 6.8% of the province’s GDP. Saskatchewan grows 45% of Canada’s grain, but other grains like canola, flax, rye, oats, peas, lentils, canary seed, and barley are also produced. Beef cattle production in the province is only exceeded by Alberta. Mining is also a major industry in the province, with Saskatchewan being the world’s largest exporter of potash and uranium. In the northern part of the province, forestry is also a significant industry. Oil and natural gas production is also a very important part of Saskatchewan’s economy, although the oil industry is larger. Only Alberta exceeds the province in overall oil production.

Location

Situated in the middle of Canada, Manitoba is bordered by Saskatchewan on the west, the Northwest Territories on the north, and Ontario on the east. Manitoba is the eastern most of the three Prairie Provinces, those being Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Saskatchewan is bounded on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the American states of Montana and North Dakota. Saskatchewan has the distinction of being the only Canadian province for which no borders correspond to physical geographic features (i.e. they are parallels and meridians). Saskatchewan is also one of only two provinces that is land-locked, the other one being Alberta.

Size

In comparison to the other provinces, it is the fifth largest. The total area of the province, including land and freshwater is 649 947 square kilometers. (250,946 sq. miles)

Time Zones

Canada is divided into six time zones. Manitoba goes by Central Standard Time (CST), which means the province is six hours (6) behind Greenwich Standard Time (GST).

Climate

Manitoba has warm, sunny summers and cold, sunny winters. Afternoon temperatures in July and August average 25′C in Winnipeg, but mid-winter temperatures are almost always below 0′C.

Saskatchewan lies far from any significant body of water. This, combined with its northerly latitude, gives it a warm summer version of humid continental climate in the central and most of the eastern part, drying off to a semi-arid steppe climate in the southern and southwestern part of the province. Summers can be very hot, with temperatures sometimes above 31 °C (90 °F) during the day, and humidity decreasing from northeast to southwest. Warm southern winds blow from the United States during much of July and August. While winters can be bitterly cold, with high temperatures not breaking −17 °C (0 °F) for weeks at a time, warm Chinook winds often blow from the west, bringing periods of mild weather. Annual precipitation averages 30 to 45 centimeters (12 to 18 in) annually across the province, with the bulk of rain falling in June, July, and August.

Topography

Manitoba is the easternmost of the three Prairie Provinces. Parts of southern Manitoba are very flat with rolling hills and valleys. The land slopes gradually from the south and west to sea level in the northeast. Most of the province elevates to a range between 150 and 300 metres. Land that is located both south and west of Lake Winnipegosis and Lake Winnipeg is where most people live, and is where the land is most suitable for agricultural purposes. The rest of the land is filled with rocks, lakes, rivers and swamps. This type of land is know as Precambrian Shield.

Population

Approximately 75 percent of Manitobans live in a city or town, and out of those living in urban areas, 75 percent reside in Winnipeg

Manitoba: 1,071,232
Winnipeg: 614,000
Brandon: 38,708
Thompson: 14,701
Portage la Prairie: 13,198
Steinbach: 10,000

Major Industries and Resources

Manitoba has a highly diversified economy. Natural resources, manufacturing and services each make an important contribution to the province’s economy.

  • Agriculture

    Wheat is Manitoba’s most important crop and it accounts for over half of the crop production. Barley, canola, flaxseed, oats and rye follow in importance. Manitoba is more diversified than other Prairie Provinces because they also have specialized crops such as sunflowers, buckwheat, corn, soya beans, lentils, and field peas.

  • Mineral Production

    Nickel, copper.

  • Natural Resources

    Hydro electric power, petroleum.

  • Forestry

    Pulp and saw logs.

  • Service Industry

    Railway, locomotive repairs. Transcontinental highway.

Fast Facts on Manitoba’s Agriculture

  • Manitoba is Canada’s second largest potato producer with two multi-million dollar french-fry plants.
  • “Yes we have no bananas,” but we do grow strawberries, raspberries, Saskatoons and apples.
  • 70 per cent of Manitoba’s agrifood products are exported to more than 115 countries.
  • Canola, which stands for Canadian oil, was developed at the University of Manitoba.
  • Manitoba’s 1,500 hog farms generate $1.2 billion for the provincial economy and directly employ more than 12,000 people.
  • Manitoba pork is exported to the United States, Japan and more than 21 countries.
  • The Canadian Dairy Industry contributes $8 billion to the economy every year.
  • There are approximately 740 dairy farms in Manitoba.
  • Manitoba’s chicken production has increased almost 40 per cent in the last 10 years.
  • The beef industry is one of Canada’s oldest industries. Beef production contributes more than $20 billion annually to the economy.
  • The average herd size in Canada is 45 cows.
  • In 1997, Canadians ate about 4.2 kg of turkey per person.
  • In total, Manitoba raises approximately 1.6 million turkeys a year, the equivalent of 11 million kg of turkey.
  • Manitoba has approximately seven per cent of the turkey production in Canada and is the only province to regularly export turkey.
  • Manitoba is home to the largest egg processing plant in Canada, Inovatech.
  • An enzyme in eggs is used to make eye drops and lozenges and eggs and corn are used to make toothpaste.
  • 2.2 million hens in Manitoba produce more than 50 million dozen eggs a year.

Education

The school year begins in September and ends in June, with approximately 200 days of classes. Children must be six years of age by the end of the year in which they enter grade 1. However, compulsory school attendance begins at age seven. Children may enter Kindergarten at age five. Elementary and secondary education takes place over 12 grades, with the language of instruction being either English or French. Manitoba has three community colleges – Assiniboine in Brandon, Captain in The Pas, and Red River in Winnipeg. Manitoba also has three universities – The University of Manitoba, the University of Winnipeg, and Brandon University.

Medicare

The Manitoba Health Service Commission (MHSC) provides universal medical care with no insurance premium. Coverage is effective the first day of the third month of residency. People from other countries are required to present one of several documents including Canadian Citizenship papers, statement of landed immigrant status or one-year work visa when registering with MHSC. Coverage is effective from the arrival date in Manitoba stamped on the certificate. Saskatchewan’s medical health system is widely and inaccurately characterized as “socialized medicine”: medical practitioners in Saskatchewan, as in other Canadian provinces, are not civil servants but remit their accounts to the publicly funded Saskatchewan Medical Care Insurance Plan rather than to patients. Unlike in Medicare in Australia and private medicine in the UK, Saskatchewan sets a statutory tariff for medical services which may not be exceeded

Attractions

Manitoba has many interesting places to visit. From its 130 museums to more than 50 annual festivals, and Winnipeg Art Gallery, one can never find time to be bored! For sports fans there is hockey, football, and soccer. Assiniboine park is Winnipeg’s oldest park. It includes the Winnipeg Zoo, and a conservatory featuring year-round flowers and tropical plants in an indoor setting. Delta Marsh is one of North America’s largest waterfowl staging marshes. Other points of interest may be International Peace Garden, Spirit Sands, and the Souris, the longest free suspension bridge. Saskatchewan’s attractions are varied and compelling, reflecting our rich history, colorful culture, physical beauty and boundless imagination. Over 250 museums in every corner of our province proudly describe our past, while university-led cutting edge research helps define our future. Art galleries display collections that bring our many cultures to life, from First Nations’ traditions to modern experimental styles. The serene natural beauty of Saskatchewan is enhanced by conservatories and wildflower gardens. Science centers, mineral spas, river cruises, or dinosaur digs – if you like interesting, you’ll be interested in Saskatchewan.