Saskatoon
1883 temperance colony grew into potash capital—45% of world reserves here. Nutrien ($36B) merged 2016; potash exports hit 22.8M tonnes in 2024. By 2026: diversifying beyond fertilizer or doubling down?
Saskatoon exists because temperance colonists wanted a dry community. Founded in 1883 as the proposed capital of a temperance colony, the city took its name from Mis-sask-quah-toomina—the Cree word for a local edible red berry. The railroad arrived from Regina in 1890, and the city amalgamated with two neighboring settlements in 1906, beginning rapid growth on the banks of the South Saskatchewan River.
The city's modern economy sits atop an underground treasure. In 1941, oil drillers near Radville accidentally discovered potash; by 1958, the Potash Company of America opened Canada's first potash mine at Patience Lake, east of Saskatoon. Saskatchewan now holds 45% of the world's known potash reserves—every operating potash mine in Canada is here. In 2016, PotashCorp merged with Agrium to form Nutrien, headquartered in Saskatoon and valued at $36 billion—the world's largest potash producer.
The University of Saskatchewan, founded in 1907, anchors the city's research capacity. Potash sales hit a record $10.9 billion in 2022, and export volumes reached 22.8 million metric tonnes in 2024. Nutrien committed $15 million to Saskatchewan Polytechnic's mining and manufacturing programs in March 2024. Saskatchewan's 2024 GDP reached $80.5 billion—an all-time high—with mining, quarrying, and oil extraction accounting for over 26% of provincial GDP.
By 2026, Saskatoon faces the question of whether potash prosperity translates into economic diversification. The University of Saskatchewan provides research capacity; agricultural biotechnology offers growth potential. But the city's fortune remains tied to global fertilizer demand—and whether the 'Bread Basket of Canada' can export enough potash to feed the world's farms.