A Guide to Retirement Care & Senior Living in Saskatchewan

Known for being an outdoors province with flat prairie landscapes, Saskatchewan is the perfect fit for retirees who love the open air and wilderness. With an endless number of parks and sunny days, you can find yourself spending your days golfing, skiing, fishing, or even canoeing, as Saskatchewan has it all to offer to any outdoors lovers. If Saskatchewan sounds like the right fit for you, Cared Upon is here to help connect you with the perfect retirement community that fits your needs. 

From exploring the sand dunes at Great Sand Hills to marvelling at the Milky Way in Grasslands National Park, there is no shortage of outdoor activities that you won't find in other parts of Canada to partake in. You’ll find that many older adults in Saskatchewan enjoy fishing as a pastime, as the Government of Saskatchewan offers seniors 65 and up with a free license to angle. Seniors are also given special priority for parking access at their provincial parks with free vehicle entry permits for their registered vehicles. 

With a relatively dry climate and dramatic changes in the weather, you can expect to see all four seasons in Saskatchewan. Late into fall and all throughout winter, you can typically expect the weather to be below the freezing point. However, near April is when the weather becomes milder as spring comes around. Despite the varying temperatures throughout all four seasons, Saskatchewan is known for having sunshine all year long. 

From assisted living to ageing at home, seniors in Saskatchewan can find a variety of health services to match their care needs. If you are an older adult requiring less care, you may find that a personal care home is the right fit for you. However, if you require certain hospitality services but would still like to live independently, assisted living could be more suitable for you.  

Personal Care Homes: Personal care homes generally offer services to seniors that can live more independently, though you may find homes that offer services to those requiring more care. While personal care homes in Saskatchewan are privately owned, seniors living on a low-income budget are eligible for monthly assistance through the Personal Care Home Benefit (PCHB). The PCHB benefit is available to seniors aged 65 and up living in a licensed care home, who are receiving an Old Age Security pension. For more information on your eligibility for the PCHB benefit, visit the official Saskatchewan website. 

Assisted Living Facilities: For retirees that require certain hospitality services but can still make decisions on their own, assisted living may be a suitable option for them. There are a number of different assisted living facilities to accommodate your personal care needs and lifestyles. Assisted living facilities in Saskatchewan are not monitored on a provincial level and are instead privately owned. To find the right assisted living facility for you in Saskatchewan, visit our search portal at caredupon.ca.  

Long-Term Care: For those seeking long-term care at a subsidized cost, the Government of Saskatchewan offers their residents access to special nursing homes to those needing care services outside of community or home-based services. Your assessment is based on the level of care needed, and the cost is assessed based on your personal income.  

With lower costs for housing and only a 6% Provincial Sales Tax, the cost of living in Saskatchewan is lower than in most Canadian provinces. Depending on your personal lifestyle and the type of retirement care you require, your budget for retirement may vary. However, there are several programs designed to help you fund your personal lifestyle and expenses - from government-funded programs to personal savings accounts.  

Federal programs such as the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) and Old Age Security Pension (OAS) are both available to Saskatchewan retirees looking for income support. Additionally, permanent residents of Saskatchewan that have minimal income sources aside from the OAS and GIS program are entitled to a Seniors Income Plan (SIP), which provides them with a monthly additional coverage for both finances and health care costs. For more information on government funding, visit our resource centre.  

Saskatchewan Pension Plan (SPP): For employees and business owners seeking to save for retirement, there is the option to save through the Saskatchewan Pension Plan (SPP). For those with minimal options for private pension plans or other post-retirement income sources, the SPP provides a way for employees to directly contribute to their own retirement savings. For more information on how the SPP works, visit Wealth Simple’s guide to the Saskatchewan Pension Plan.  

If you’re seeking funding outside of federal and provincial programs, you have several options for post-retirement income sources. 

Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs) and Tax-Free Savings Accounts (TFSAs): Through a Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs) or a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSAs), your post-retirement income is dependent on the amount you put into these accounts when you first began saving and the interest you received. 

Investment accounts: Many older adults turn to investment accounts, such as stocks and bonds, as a form of post-income sources. 

Employer-sponsored pension plans: Under an employer-sponsored pension plan, you and your employer can contribute money over the course of your employment. When you decide to retire, you can access the income you’ve saved from the plan.  

Saskatchewan is often noted as the birthplace of Medicare and the reason that Canadians benefit from free health care, as the province was the first to introduce public health to medical care. Saskatchewan residents with health coverage receive free health care on medically necessary services by physicians, immunization services, psychiatrists' services, certain dental services, and even prescription drugs coverage. For their senior population, additional support is given through specialized senior services that help cover additional costs of prescription drugs and home care nursing services to reduce hospital stays. Depending on the health care you need, the Saskatchewan Health Authority provides you with an assessment to determine the length and type of service you require.  

Home care: For older adults looking to live independently at home but still require certain health care services, they can choose to receive home care services. These services include nursing, meal plans, personal and respite care, and therapies. While the cost of these services is dependent on the level of care you require and your income, the health authority offers seniors subsidized options for home care.  

Seniors’ drug plan: This program offers additional support to seniors making below $69,057 annually to help reduce the cost of prescription drugs, making the cost of these drugs $25 dollars. To see which drugs are eligible for coverage under this service, visit Saskatchewan’s official website.   

For further information, you can visit and/or contact these sources:

Healthline 811: A 24-hour, confidential telephone line designed to connect you with the health care services and support you need. Call 8-1-1 toll-free or for deaf/hard hearing residents call 1-800-855-0511 using a SaskTel relay operator.  

 www.saskhealthauthority.ca: Online healthcare resource centre for all things health-service related.  

Saskatchewan's Seniors Booklet: Comprehensive guide on health and housing-related programs in Saskatchewan.