Our time to shine as Saskatoon turns 100!

May 26, 2006, officially marks the 100th anniversary of Saskatoon. On this day in 1906, three separate towns, Nutana, Riversdale, and Saskatoon, amalgamated and became the City of Saskatoon. The newly incorporated city had a population of only 4,500 people at the time. One hundred years later, Saskatoon now has a population of 206,500, making it the largest city in Saskatchewan. Saskatoon is a vibrant and cultural city offering a high quality of life and labour, and has a worldwide reputation for safety, affordability, and hospitality. It is located along the banks of the South Saskatchewan River, and is joined together by seven bridges giving it the nickname "The Bridge City." Saskatoon is also known as "Canada's Science City" for its incomparable mix of scientific infrastructure, including the Canadian Light Source (CLS) synchrotron, Innovation Place, POS Pilot Plant, and Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO). It is a diverse municipality with major industries including agriculture, biotechnology, manufacturing and metal fabricating, life sciences, mining, technology, and food processing.

Leading up to its centennial year, 2005 was another great year for Saskatoon. Our city received national recognition, attracted three new investments, and ended the year with the second highest gross domestic product (GDP) in Canada.

During 2005, two instances of national recognition for Saskatoon are worth mentioning. In August, the National Post referred to Saskatoon as the "City of Saskaboom" because of the booming resources sector. Two Saskatoon-based mining companies, Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan, the world's largest producer of potash, and Cameco Corporation, the world's largest producer of uranium, have cashed in on profits and contributed to the positive impact that the resources sector has had on Saskatoon's economy. In November, it was announced by the Department of Canadian Heritage that Saskatoon was selected as a Cultural Capital of Canada for 2006. One of five recipients of the award this year, Saskatoon is eligible to receive up to $2 million in funding, part of which will help support various activities planned for celebrating its centennial year. The purpose of the funding is to recognize and encourage a municipality's continued dedication to, and promotion of, the arts and culture.

The Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority (SREDA) Inc. welcomed three new investments to the Saskatoon region in 2005, which will create up to 460 new employment opportunities. Horizon Manufacturing Inc., a premium pet food manufacturer, constructed a $1.8-million manufacturing facility in Rosthern with the possibility of further expansion in the future. Marriott Global Reservation Sales & Customer Care, a division of Marriott International Inc., a leading worldwide hospitality company from Washington, D.C., announced the location of their third Canadian reservation centre in Saskatoon. The third new expansion into Saskatoon was Minacs Worldwide Inc., a company that provides customized business process outsourcing solutions. Minacs located a new multimedia contact centre for an existing client, Apple Computer.

The Conference Board of Canada's Metropolitan Outlook--Winter 2006 report recognized Saskatoon as second among 20 Canadian cities with an estimated GDP of 4.5 per cent in 2005. Saskatoon has had an average GDP of 4.4 per cent for the last three years, evidence of our city's consistently growing economy.

For more information on Saskatoon and its centennial celebrations, visit www.saskatoon100.ca.