Saskatchewan

Travel to Saskatchewan

Health Notes when travelling to Canada

No vaccinations are necessary for travel to Canada. Medical care is excellent but expensive, so medical insurance is advised.

Safety Notes when travelling to Canada

Most visits to Canada are trouble-free. The country is politically stable but does share the common international risk of terrorism. The crime rate is low but travellers are advised to take sensible precautions to safeguard their belongings, as they would anywhere. Canada is prone to tornadoes between May and September.

Customs in Canada

Smoking bans have been implemented in Canada in enclosed public places such as restaurants, bars, and shopping malls.

Duty Free in Canada

Travellers to Canada are allowed to enter the country with the following items without incurring custom duties: gifts to the value of C$60 per recipient (excluding advertising material, tobacco and alcoholic beverages); 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or cigarillos and 200g of tobacco or 200 tobacco sticks; 1.14 litres of liquor or wine or 24 x 355ml bottles or cans of beer or ale. There are strict regulations governing the import of the following: explosives, endangered animal and plant species, items of heritage, fresh foodstuffs and weapons. The plant Qhat (Khat) is illegal in Canada and prison sentences are heavy.

Doing Business in Canada

Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, and Montreal are the main business centres. English is the language of business except in French-speaking Quebec, where all written material and business cards should be in French. Business cards are not traditionally exchanged during an initial meeting, but at some appropriate time thereafter; it is best to wait for the host to offer theirs first.

A firm handshake is used by way of greeting, and meetings tend to begin on time so punctuality should be taken seriously, as should appearance. Canadians dress conservatively and smartly for business meetings and suits are the norm. Gifts can be given in conclusion to celebrate a deal, but should be understated; taking someone out for a meal is a popular way to conclude business dealings.

Canadians are reserved and frown on emotional outbursts. Business is based on facts and figures rather than relationships, so it is best to be as prepared as possible for meetings. Hours of business are usually 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.

Communication in Canada

The international access code for Canada is +1. The outgoing code is 011 followed by the relevant country code. The outgoing code is not necessary for calls to the US and the Caribbean. Hotels, cafes and restaurants offering free wifi are widely available. As international roaming costs can be high, purchasing a local prepaid SIM card can be a cheaper option.

Tipping in Canada

There is no service charge added to restaurant bills in Canada and staff expect a tip of around 15 percent. Hairdressers and taxi drivers are also usually tipped at the same rate, while bellhops, doormen, porters, and similar service providers at hotels, airports, and stations are generally paid at the customer's discretion. It has become more common for places with counter service to display tip jars, but in such cases tipping is not necessary.

Passport/Visa Note

All visitors must hold a valid passport. We recommend that passports always be valid for six months after intended period of travel. Visitors are required to hold onward or return tickets, all documents needed for the next destination and sufficient funds to cover the period of intended stay.

Travellers from most visa-exempt countries arriving in Canada by air need to fill in an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) form online prior to travel to Canada. This is a new requirement implemented on 28 September 2016 and is applicable to all but U.S citizens and travellers with a valid Canadian visa. Canadian citizens, including dual citizens, and Canadian permanent residents cannot apply for an eTA. As part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), all travellers travelling between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean region are required to present a passport or other valid travel documents to enter or re-enter the United States. If departing from the USA a valid passport will be required by immigration authorities.

Entry Requirements

Entry requirements for Americans:

US travellers should have a valid passport if departing from the USA, otherwise other proof of citizenship is accepted in the form of a birth certificate, a US certificate of citizenship, or US certificate of naturalisation. More suggestions would include a NEXUS card. A visa is not required for a stay of up to six months.

Entry requirements for UK nationals:

UK nationals must have a passport valid for the period of intended stay. A visa is not required for a stay of up to six months. However, the individual must have Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).

Entry requirements for Australians:

Australians must hold passports valid for period of intended stay. Nationals of Australia with an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) are visa exempt for a maximum stay of 6 months.

Entry requirements for Irish nationals:

Irish nationals must hold a passport valid for the period of intended stay. A visa is not required for stays of up to six months. However, the individual must have an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).

Entry requirements for New Zealanders:

New Zealanders require a passport valid for the period of the intended stay. No visa is required for stays of up to 6 months. However, the traveller requires an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).

Entry requirements for South Africans:

South African nationals must be in possession of a passport valid for the period of intended stay. A visa is required. South African temporary passports are not recognised. Passports, identity or travel documents of Bophuthatswana, Ciskei, Transkei and Venda are not accepted.

Currency

The currency used is the Canadian Dollar (CAD). Banks and bureaux de change will change cash, as will some hotels. Major credit cards are widely accepted and ATMs are widespread. US Dollars are widely accepted.

Exchange rate for 1 CAD - Canadian Dollar
0.76 BMD Bermudan Dollar	0.68 EUR Euro	0.76 USD U.S. Dollar	0.53 GBP U.K. Pound Sterling	83.23 JPY Japanese Yen	0.76 CHF Swiss Franc
1.06 AUD Australian Dollar	19.19 UAH Ukrainian Hryvnia	258.11 KZT Kazakhstani Tenge	1,150.93 LBP Lebanese Pound	0.54 LYD Libyan Dinar	5.24 BOB Bolivian Boliviano
82.45 NPR Nepalese Rupee	0.29 OMR Omani Rial	2.78 QAR Qatari Rial	1.05 SGD Singapore Dollar	6.33 SEK Swedish Krona	5.07 TTD Trinidad Tobago Dollar
7.63 VEF Venezuelan Bolivar	35.03 DOP Dominican Peso	5.14 HRK Croatian Kuna	14.24 MXN Mexican Peso	448.12 XOF West African CFA Franc	2.42 PGK Papua New Guinean kina
0.77 BSD Bahamian Dollar	1.61 FJD Fiji Dollar	17.30 HNL Honduran Lempira	84.48 DZD Algerian Dinar	910.53 MMK Myanma Kyat	8.55 BWP Botswana Pula
2.58 PEN Peruvian Nuevo Sol	530.07 CLP Chilean Peso	365.42 AMD Armenia Dram	18.48 CZK Czech Koruna	15.27 MDL Moldova Lei	94.99 ISK Icelandic Krona
2,246.12 UZS Uzbekistan Sum	2.95 ILS Israeli New Sheqel	0.54 JOD Jordanian Dinar	0.23 KWD Kuwaiti Dinar	23.96 UYU Uruguayan Peso	27.15 MUR Mauritian Rupee
21.79 NIO Nicaraguan Córdoba	6.38 NOK Norwegian Krone	3.00 PLN Polish Zloty	2.87 SAR Saudi Riyal	111.60 LKR Sri Lanka Rupee	27.22 THB Thai Baht
2.81 AED U.A.E Dirham	2.75 BRL Brazilian Real	3.09 RON Romanian New Leu	5.94 HKD Hong Kong Dollar	449.13 XAF Central African CFA Franc	17,177.63 VND Vietnamese Dong
10.66 ARS Argentine Peso	2.06 XCD East Caribbean Dollar	5.99 GTQ Guatemalan Quetzal	7.47 MAD Moroccan Dirham	0.29 BHD Bahrain Dinar	0.77 PAB Panamanian Balboa
1.14 AZN Azerbaijan Manat	2,382.97 COP Colombian Peso	52.20 KGS Kyrgyzstan Som	213.82 HUF Hungarian Forint	6.02 TJS Tajikistan Ruble	10,458.13 IDR Indonesian Rupiah
6.79 EGP Egyptian Pound	910.37 KRW South Korean Won	4,333.19 PYG Paraguayan Guaraní	3.18 MYR Malaysian Ringgit	411.77 CRC Costa Rican Colón	1.12 NZD New Zealand Dollar
80.05 PKR Pakistani Rupee	51.05 RUB Russian Rouble	11.93 ZAR South African Rand	1.62 TND Tunisian Dinar	1.53 BBD Barbadian Dollar	1.34 BGN Bulgarian Lev
2.25 TRY Turkish Lira	35.63 PHP Philippine Peso	24.93 TWD New Taiwan Dollar	150.19 NGN Nigerian Naira	81.90 XPF CFP Franc	2.99 GHS Ghanaian Cedi
95.48 JMD Jamaican Dollar	1.38 ANG Neth. Antillean Guilder	1.05 BND Brunei Dollar	84.50 RSD Serbian Dinar	5.03 CNY Chinese Yuan	15,208.62 BYR Belarussian Ruble
5.08 DKK Danish Krone	2.63 TMT New Turkmenistan Manat	51.41 INR Indian Rupee

Airports in Saskatchewan

Regina International Airport (YQR)
Regina International Airport
http://www.yqr.ca

Location: Regina The airport is located two miles (3km) from Regina city centre.

Time: Local time is GMT -6.

Getting to the city: The city centre is five minutes away from the airport. Taxis, shuttles, and car rentals are available from the airport to the city centre.

Car rental: Car rental companies represented at the airport include Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, National, and Thrifty.

Airport Taxis: Taxi services to and from the airport are provided by Capital Cabs. Taxis are available right outside the terminal doors.

Facilities: Airport facilities include a restaurant, cafe, lounge, fast food outlets, shopping, ATM, and currency exchange.

Parking: The airport provides both short and long-term parking options. Short-term parking has 110 stalls located immediately in front of the terminal building. Long-term parking can accommodate 1,100 vehicles.

Saskatoon International Airport (YXE)
Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Airport
http://www.yxe.ca

Location: Saskatoon The airport is located four miles (7km) from the city centre.

Time: GMT -6

Getting to the city: Taxis, limos, shuttles, and car rental services are available at the airport. Saskatoon Transit has two bus lines that service the airport and run to the city centre.

Car rental: Car companies represented at the airport include Avis, Alamo, Budget, Enterprise, and National.

Airport Taxis: United Blueline Cabs is licensed to operate taxi services from the designated pick-up and drop-off area located along the terminal curbside. Metered fares apply. A taxi coordinator is on duty from 7.30am to the last arrival of the day to assist travellers.

Facilities: Airport facilities include ATMs, currency exchange, wifi, an information booth, shopping (including duty-free), restaurants, and an art display.

Parking: The airport parking lot has more than 1,100 parking stalls, conveniently located just outside the terminal building. The public parking lot's front two rows are designated for short-term parking. Visitors can pay in the terminal at the exit kiosk (cash, debit and credit card) or at the exit lane (credit card only).

Regina

Regina is the capital city, and cultural and commercial hub of Saskatchewan, the Canadian province bordering the US states of Montana and North Dakota. While not a celebrated tourist destination in itself, the city is the region's main transport hub and a common stop for travellers. Visitors spending a day or two in town will find a few interesting museums, good shopping opportunities and a few vast green spaces scattered throughout.

In fact, Regina may have more open space per person than any other Canadian city, making it a popular choice for outdoor enthusiasts interested in biking, cross-country skiing and long walks. The Wascana Lake occupies the centre and is perfect for boating in summer and skating in winter.

The city is also known for its famed Wascana Centre, a park built around Wascana Lake. It's home to the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, the Regina Conservatory of Music and an art gallery, as well as the Saskatchewan Centre of Arts. The Cathedral Village has cafes, bookshops and a few good restaurants. Visitors should also be sure to check out the local dance, music and theatre scenes.

Getting around in Regina

Although public transport is not extensive, getting around Regina is relatively easy. Buses operate seven days a week along routes from the city centre to most areas of the city. A number of taxi companies also operate across Regina and can either be hailed off the street or ordered in advance via telephone. Car hire is available and the city is quite easy to navigate, with roads structured on a grid system.

Climate in Regina

Regina has a continental climate with warm summers and cold, dry winters. The city is one of the sunniest capitals in Canada, and has many days of sunshine throughout the year. The best time to visit Regina is during the warmer months of May to September, when temperatures reach up to average highs of 80°F (27°C). Winter lasts from about mid-November to early March, with average low temperatures dropping to -8°F (-22°C). January is usually the coldest month of the year.

Airports in Regina

Regina International Airport (YQR)
Regina International Airport
http://www.yqr.ca

Location: Regina The airport is located two miles (3km) from Regina city centre.

Time: Local time is GMT -6.

Getting to the city: The city centre is five minutes away from the airport. Taxis, shuttles, and car rentals are available from the airport to the city centre.

Car rental: Car rental companies represented at the airport include Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, National, and Thrifty.

Airport Taxis: Taxi services to and from the airport are provided by Capital Cabs. Taxis are available right outside the terminal doors.

Facilities: Airport facilities include a restaurant, cafe, lounge, fast food outlets, shopping, ATM, and currency exchange.

Parking: The airport provides both short and long-term parking options. Short-term parking has 110 stalls located immediately in front of the terminal building. Long-term parking can accommodate 1,100 vehicles.

Saskatchewan Attractions

Overview