Is Regina Saskatchewan a safe and a good place to live?

Question

I am being assigned in 2660 Quance Street East Starlite Drive Regina in Saskatchewan for a managerial position at Boston Pizza. I hardly have any idea what's in store for me in this place. Please tell me more about this place in terms of the following:

a) Peace and Security (I've heard about Regina being crime infested)

b) Cost of Living (Average Food, Apartment, Utilities Costs etc. Per Month)

c) Weather (Average winter temperature, is it tolerable?)

d) Lifestyle & Culture (I am an outdoor person)

e) Economics (Long Term Goals of the Gov't)

f) People (Are people friendly?)

g) The Boston Pizza Company

I come from another country and this offer comes with an immigrant opportunity. Since this is going to be a life changing decision, please help me before I accept the offer.

Answer 1

I live in Saskatoon which is north of Regina. (it's the other "big" city in saskatchewan). Of course I think Saskatoon is better but there is nothing REALLY wrong with Regina.

Regina does have crime problems, but so does everywhere.

You can expect -20 to -40 degrees celcius during the winter. It is tollerable. You would be surprised.

Cost of living isn't that bad. You will be able to live fine on a BP manegerial salary.

The province of saskatchewan is flat. There are miles and miles of miles and miles. Very pretty though. Camping is great.

People are people. Same as anywhere else.

BP's is a restaurant chain. It's no worse then any other one.

Answer 2

I am being assigned in 2660 Quance Street East Starlite Drive Regina in Saskatchewan for a managerial position at Boston Pizza. I hardly have any idea what's in store for me in this place. Please tell me more about this place in terms of the following:

a) Peace and Security (I've heard about Regina being crime infested)

The aboriginal/native are has a regrettably high crime rate, but it rarely spills outside of that group.

b) Cost of Living (Average Food, Apartment, Utilities Costs etc. Per Month)

Cost of living considered to be relatively low by Canadian standards, though elements like housing have risen substantially over the last two years as the local economy has strengthened. Fortunately, housing costs hit a plateau this spring, and a considered manageable.

c) Weather (Average winter temperature, is it tolerable?)

Warm and dry in summer; cold and dry in winter. Cold (-30C) is not as bad as it sounds because of the low humidity. Indeed, a pal who spent a winter living in Britain said that Britain at 0 degrees Celsius is far more uncomfortable than Regina at -30C. It sunds counterintuitive, but it's true.

d) Lifestyle & Culture (I am an outdoor person)

Excellent hunting and fishing in northern Saskatchewan. Some hunting in the area around Regina, along with hiking (my specialty). Bird-watching is undergoing a rebirth. There are several notable lakes and provincial parks within a 90-minute drive of the city.

e) Economics (Long Term Goals of the Gov't)

Good question. A small-C conservative government recently replaced a fiscally conservative social democratic government. Both parties shared a desire to diversfy the economy away from agriculture and resources and into resource processing, manufacturing and services. Prominent in Regina's economy are insurance, public administration and resource-based industries. An oil refinery employs about 600 people and other major employers include a steel plant, the provincial telecommunications utility and the University of Regina.

The local football team has an unbelievably loyal following.

f) People (Are people friendly?)

Very friendly. Saskatchewanians have a reputation for being practical, polite and helpful, if a wee bit shy.

g) The Boston Pizza Company

It's a large national chain with dozens of outlets nationally and four locally. Middle of the market. I've never heard any complaints about its treatment of staff.

I come from another country and this offer comes with an immigrant opportunity. Since this is going to be a life changing decision, please help me before I accept the offer.

Answer 3

The Land of the Living Skies.... is Saskatchewan's motto

wikepedia has a good over view of regina

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regina,_Sas...

while true that regina has a higher crime rate than other canadian cities its hardly what i'd term "infested" by the global standards.  The RCMP (Mounties) are headquartered there..how bad could it be.  The crime figures are largely, and sadly, a reflection of the high aboriginal component of the poulation.

Winter weather, yes -30-40C some days but its a dry cold and suprisingly bearable.  The city itself has a nice downtown park area around wascana lake and 30 miles east is the qu appelle valley which is great for camping, hiking cycling etc and a nice relief from the otherwise flat prairie.   Economy is great and growing fast.. its commodity based.. potash, oil and wheat all on a tear right now.

Saskatchewan was the first in the world to devlop universal healthcare and still does along with other strong social programs. Northern Saskatchewan is an outdoor paradise for fishing.  

Friendly people,,, you bet possible the most so in Canada. Polite and lots of social civility still left.  

Boston Pizza does quite well in my neck of the woods.. (west coast) always busy and popular with 20-30 crowd but cant speak to this particular location you've been offered.  But generally here if economy is good the restauraunts do well too. I'd look at this as an opportunity to get into Canada and do a few years and then look around further to the west Alberta and BC as outdoor paradises with mountains, ocean and milder climates

Hope things go well for you.