The Prairie Provinces of Canada

Manitoba –

The capital city is Winnipeg and it is the largest city in the province, the second is Brandon. Manitoba joined the Confederation and became Canada’s fifth province in 1870. Churchill, which is located near to Hudson Bay, is considered to be the best destination in Canada for viewing polar bears and Wapusk National Park, located in Northern Manitoba protects one of the world’s largest known polar bear birthing areas . Manitoba is known as the land of 100,000 lakes, although it actually has over 110,000.

The ethnic background of the population in Manitoba includes British, German, Ukrainian, French, native people, Dutch, and Poles. The province has the largest Aboriginal population of any of the provinces and is home to many Métis and native peoples.

Polar air masses bring very cold air down from the Arctic and in the winter there are often blizzards with strong winds and extreme cold temperatures. Winnipeg holds the record as the coldest major city in Canada where approximately 60% of the population of the province live in and around the city.

Manitoba is a world leader in the production of nickel, and other minerals and metals are also mined there. Agriculture is also a major industry. Other industries found in the province are manufacturing, food processing, aerospace and transportation. The average hourly wage of full time employees in Manitoba is $22.47 compared to the Canadian national average of $24.81. The cost of living is reasonable in the province with the average house price of $216,000.

Saskatchewan –

The capital city is Regina and is often referred to as ‘The Queen City’. The city was built on a flat treeless plain and it is an exercise in terra forming, with all of its trees being hand planted and its hills and lakes man-made. The province is known for the geographical area known as The Great Sand Hills which lie just south of the South Saskatchewan River and just east of the Alberta border. The area is the largest remaining native prairie area in Saskatchewan and it is home to native plants and animals.

The province has 40% of the arable land of Canada and is the country’s largest producer of grains and oilseeds, although more than half the province is forested.

Like Manitoba, Arctic air masses move swiftly down the province, leading to frigid winters.

The Métis were among the first settlers, but the majority of the provinces population are of British origin, followed by Germans and Austrians, native people, Ukrainians, Scandinavians, and French.

The province has a strong agricultural industry, part of which produces over half of Canada’s total wheat crop. The oil industry is also present in Saskatchewan, and the province is Canada’s second largest producer of oil after Alberta. The province is also the world’s largest producer of uranium.

Average hourly wage of full time employees is $24.36 which is close to the Canadian national average of $24.81.

The province’s average house price is $236,000 and reflects its reasonable cost of living.

Alberta –

The capital city of the province is Edmonton. The province has the highest population of the Prairie Provinces and is renowned for its huge cattle ranges which help to make Canada one of the world’s largest beef producers. Most of the larger communities are in the south of the province which is reflected in the fact that Calgary is the province’s largest city.

The province’s population is made up of many cultural backgrounds including British, German, Ukrainian, French, Scandinavian, Dutch, as well as other countries.

There are five national parks in Alberta, among the most well known are Banff National Park which is the oldest national park in Canada, and with Jasper National Park has stunning ice field and glacier landscapes. Wood Buffalo National Park also in the province is the home to about 2200 wood buffalo which are an endangered species.

The Badlands, the centre of which is Drumheller Valley, is well known for its dramatic moonscape-like topography with its rugged valleys of colour changing sandstone and tower like rock formations called hoodoos.

The province is also the main producer of oil and natural gas in Canada. Alberta sells the oil, natural gas and coal that it mines to other provinces and other countries. Agriculture is also a major industry, and the Calgary Stampede which is held annually showcases ranching skills.

Average hourly wage of full time employees is $27.30 which is higher than the Canadian National Average of $24.81 and with the province’s average house price of $349,000, the cost of living is higher than in other parts of Canada.

Find out about the other regions in Canada