In the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, a city is a type of incorporated urban municipality[1] that is created from a town by the minister of municipal affairs. The city form of governmental organization is created by a ministerial order via section 39 of The Cities Act if the town has a population of 5,000 or more and if the change in status is requested by the town council.[2]
In the early history of the province, the threshold for city status was much lower, with both Saskatoon and Regina achieving city status with populations in the 3,000 range. One city, Melville, currently has a population well below the current 5,000 threshold, but retains its city status even though the population criterion has changed since its current governmental form was designated.
Saskatchewan has 16 cities[1] including Lloydminster, which traverses the provincial border with Alberta, but does not include Flin Flon, which traverses the provincial border with Manitoba. With the exception of Flin Flon, Saskatchewan's other cities had a cumulative population of 595,707 and an average population of 37,232 in the 2011 Census.[3][4] Saskatchewan's largest and smallest cities are Saskatoon and Melville with populations of 246,376 and 4,562 respectively.[5]
^While the Saskatchewan portion of Flin Flon does not have a formal incorporation date, it was the passing of The Flin Flon Extensions of Boundaries Act, 1952, when the portion of Flin Flon in Manitoba held town status, that enabled a single municipal jurisdiction for the Manitoba and Saskatchewan portions of Flin Flon.[10]
^This population does not include 4,940 in the Manitoba portion of Flin Flon. The city's total population in 2021 was 5,099.
^This area does not include 13.14 km2 (5.07 sq mi) in the Manitoba portion of Flin Flon. The city's total area in 2021 was 15.15 km2 (5.85 sq mi).
^The balance of Lloydminster is located within Alberta.
^This population does not include 19,739 in the Alberta portion of Lloydminster. The city's total population in 2021 was 31,582.
^This area does not include 23.98 km2 (9.26 sq mi) in the Alberta portion of Lloydminster. The city's total area in 2021 was 42.04 km2 (16.23 sq mi).
^Martensville is Saskatchewan's smallest city by area.
^Melville is Saskatchewan's smallest city by population.
^Regina is Saskatchewan's capital and was its first city, incorporated June 19, 1903. The Regina census metropolitan area (CMA) is formed around the City of Regina.
^Saskatoon is Saskatchewan's largest city by both population and area. The Saskatoon CMA includes the cities of Martensville and Saskatoon.
^Warman is Saskatchewan's newest city, incorporated October 27, 2012.
^"The Development of Melfort". Welcome to The City of Melfort - The City of Northern Lights. October 21, 2002. Archived from the original on October 10, 2007. Retrieved February 16, 2008.
