Exhibition, Saskatoon: Best for First-Time Buyers and Investors Near the River and Downtown

Exhibition is a small, established Saskatoon neighbourhood on the east bank of the South Saskatchewan River that tends to suit first-time buyers and rental-property investors who want a more affordable entry point close to downtown and Prairieland Park.

Exhibition at a Glance

Exhibition is a small, established neighbourhood in Ward 7, on the east bank of the South Saskatchewan River, near downtown Saskatoon, Prairieland Park, and the Western Development Museum. It may be a strong fit for first-time buyers and investors who want a smaller-scale, mixed-housing neighbourhood with a Median Multiple below the Saskatoon average. It may be less suitable for buyers who want a large selection of newer detached homes, a high owner-occupied profile, or schools confirmed inside the neighbourhood boundary.

Exhibition had a 2025 population of 2,757, a 54.0 percent homeownership rate, and an average household size of 2.0 according to the City of Saskatoon’s 24th Edition Neighbourhood Profiles (December 2025). The same City profile shows a mixed housing pattern, with 48 percent single-family dwellings, 20 percent two-unit dwellings, and 32 percent multi-unit housing as of 2024.

Quick Facts

Category	Exhibition Details
Area of Saskatoon	East bank of the South Saskatchewan River, within Ward 7
Population	2,757 in 2025, City of Saskatoon 24th Edition Neighbourhood Profiles (December 2025)
Homeownership Rate	54.0 percent owned, 46 percent rented (2021 Census)
Average Household Size	2.0
Main Housing Types	Single-family homes, two-unit housing, low-rise apartment condos, condo townhouses, semi-detached homes
Dwelling Mix	48 percent single-family, 20 percent two-unit, 32 percent multi-unit housing (1,432 total dwellings, 2024)
Neighbourhood Area	158.1 hectares, or 390.8 acres, at 9.1 dwelling units per hectare
Main Parks	Exhibition Park, Achs Park, Thornton Park
Park Space	2.8 hectares, or 7.0 acres, according to the City profile
Median Multiple	Exhibition 3.12 (2024) versus Saskatoon 3.96, below the city average
Schools in the Area	None confirmed inside the boundary as of this draft, see Schools And Childcare below
Nearby Amenities	Prairieland Park and Exhibition Grounds, Western Development Museum, Diefenbaker Management Area, downtown Saskatoon
Transit and Road Access	Route 1, Exhibition / City Centre, plus Idylwyld Freeway nearby and Saskatoon Transit route planning by address
Buyer Fit	First-time buyers, investors, and buyers who want a smaller-scale, river-adjacent location close to downtown

The City profile includes time-sensitive real estate sales data showing average sale prices by property type in Exhibition. These figures should be treated as historical context, not a current pricing guarantee.

Where Is Exhibition in Saskatoon?

Exhibition sits on the east bank of the South Saskatchewan River, within Ward 7, close to downtown Saskatoon. According to Wikipedia’s summary of the neighbourhood, Exhibition is bordered by Taylor Street to the north, the South Saskatchewan River to the west, Melrose Avenue to the east, and Ruth Street, Prairieland Park, and the Western Development Museum to the south. The neighbourhood’s own “places adjacent” reference shows Buena Vista to the north, Avalon and Queen Elizabeth to the south, and the Diefenbaker Management Area and South Saskatchewan River to the west.

For buyers, the location is one of Exhibition’s main advantages. The neighbourhood is close enough to downtown to be convenient for commuters, and it sits next to Prairieland Park, home of the Saskatoon Exhibition (the EX) and the Marquis Downs racetrack, and the Western Development Museum. The Idylwyld Freeway runs through the area and, according to Wikipedia, has separated part of the community from the rest of the east side since it was built through the neighbourhood in the 1960s.

Exhibition is a smaller neighbourhood than many in Saskatoon, at 158.1 hectares, and its housing mix and scale give it a different feel than larger suburban areas. Buyers should compare block-by-block differences, especially around the freeway and the commercial and institutional uses at the neighbourhood’s edges.

What Is Exhibition Known For?

Exhibition is known for Prairieland Park, home to the annual Saskatoon Exhibition (the EX) and the Marquis Downs horse racing track, and for the Western Development Museum’s 1910 Boomtown exhibit, both located at the neighbourhood’s southern edge. According to Wikipedia, the area was historically known by other names, including Bellevue and Thornton, and its roots go back to the 1880s, with the Pioneer Cemetery in the Diefenbaker Management Area receiving its first burial in 1884. The Exhibition subdivision itself was developed between the First and Second World Wars.

The City profile shows a housing mix that is close to half single-family homes (48 percent), with a meaningful share of two-unit (20 percent) and multi-unit (32 percent) housing as well. That mix creates more entry points for buyers and investors than a neighbourhood made up almost entirely of one housing type.

Exhibition is also known for its Median Multiple, a measure of housing affordability calculated by the City and RBC Economics Research. The City’s 24th Edition profile shows Exhibition at 3.12 in 2024, below the Saskatoon-wide figure of 3.96 for that year. The City profile notes a Median Multiple of 3.0 and under is rated as affordable, so Exhibition sits just above that exact affordability threshold, while still being more affordable than the Saskatoon average.

Who Is Exhibition a Good Fit For?

Exhibition fits buyers who want a smaller, established neighbourhood close to downtown, with housing options across detached homes, two-unit properties, and apartment or condo units. The City profile shows a 46 percent rental share in 2021, which reflects the multi-unit and two-unit housing available rather than any single type of resident.

The neighbourhood’s median personal income in the City’s 24th Edition profile is $42,970 (2022 tax-filer data), compared with $44,650 for Saskatoon as a whole, and its 2021 housing costs averaged $1,324 for owners’ major payments and $1,156 for gross rent. Combined with the Median Multiple figures above, this points to a neighbourhood that can offer a relatively accessible entry point into Saskatoon home ownership or into a rental-property investment.

Families considering Exhibition should pay close attention to schooling, since the neighbourhood currently has no Saskatoon Public Schools or Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools building confirmed inside its boundary (see Schools And Childcare below). Exhibition may be a better fit for buyers without school-aged children, or for families willing to confirm busing arrangements before deciding.

School availability, programs, transportation, and boundaries should always be confirmed directly with Saskatoon Public Schools or Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools before buying.

Schools And Childcare

This is an area where Exhibition’s situation has changed recently, and buyers should read carefully before assuming the City’s printed profile still applies.

The City of Saskatoon’s neighbourhood profile still lists “St. Frances School” inside Exhibition’s enrolment data, referring to the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools building formerly located at 2141 McPherson Avenue, within the Exhibition boundary. That building had operated as a Cree bilingual Catholic school since a language and cultural program began there in 2007. According to Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools and reporting from the Diocese of Saskatoon, that program relocated in September 2025 to a newly built school at 2010 7th Street East, outside the Exhibition boundary, consolidating with a second program location on Bateman Crescent. The new school’s name is awâsisak kâ-nîmîhtocik, also called St. Francis School. As of this draft, public reporting indicates the former McPherson Avenue building is planned for demolition and redevelopment into a residential apartment building, a private development matter that should be confirmed with the City of Saskatoon and the developer before relying on it for any decision.

The result is that, as of today, no Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools building was confirmed to be operating inside the Exhibition neighbourhood boundary. Saskatoon Public Schools previously operated Thornton School in the area, but Wikipedia’s summary of the neighbourhood states that school was decommissioned in 1986 and demolished in 1997, with area students bussed to Queen Elizabeth School since then.

Riverside Christian School, a private school operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church serving kindergarten through grade 9, is located on Herman Avenue inside the Exhibition boundary. Buyers interested in a private school option should confirm enrolment, tuition, and program details directly with the school.

Given how recently the Catholic school relocated, families should confirm current attendance boundaries, busing, and any new programming directly with Saskatoon Public Schools (spsd.sk.ca) and Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools (gscs.ca) before making a purchase decision based on schools.

Parks And Outdoor Space

Exhibition has 2.8 hectares, or 7.0 acres, of park space according to the City profile, a smaller total than many larger Saskatoon neighbourhoods. The named parks in the profile are Exhibition Park (1.3 hectares, or 3.1 acres), Achs Park (0.7 hectares, or 1.8 acres), and Thornton Park (0.8 hectares, or 2.0 acres), all classified as neighbourhood-type parks.

Beyond the neighbourhood’s own park space, Exhibition sits next to Prairieland Park and the Saskatoon Exhibition Grounds, home to the annual Saskatoon Exhibition and the Marquis Downs racetrack, and the Western Development Museum’s 1910 Boomtown site. Wikipedia also notes the Diefenbaker Management Area, immediately west across the river boundary, includes a toboggan hill and the Pioneer Cemetery, a heritage site declared in 1982, though that area sits outside Exhibition’s own boundary.

Buyers who want larger-format shopping and additional river valley pathway access should confirm exact walking and driving distances by address, since Exhibition’s small size means many amenities sit just outside its formal boundary.

Housing Types And Price Reality

Exhibition’s dwelling mix, per the City’s 24th Edition profile, is 695 single-family dwellings (48 percent), 284 two-unit dwellings (20 percent), and 453 multi-unit dwellings (32 percent), for 1,432 total dwellings in 2024.

The age of housing skews older. The City profile shows 41 percent of dwellings were built before 1960 and 30 percent from 1961 to 1980, meaning 71 percent of the housing stock predates 1980. Smaller shares were built from 1981 onward, with 12 percent from 1981 to 1990, 5 percent from 1991 to 2000, and small single-digit shares in each period since 2001.

For 2024, the City’s real estate sales data shows 51 single-family dwelling sales at an average price of $309,471, 14 semi-detached sales at an average of $430,457, 11 semi-detached (two titles) sales at an average of $397,855, 14 low-rise apartment condo sales at an average of $157,857, and 5 condo townhouse sales at an average of $334,920. No high-rise apartment condo sales were recorded that year. These figures are historical context from a specific year and should not be used as a current pricing guide.

For buyers, the older housing stock means inspections matter. Foundation condition, sewer line age, electrical panel capacity, roofing, windows, and any history of renovation work should all be reviewed carefully, especially for homes built before 1960.

Prices are only one piece of the math. The guide to how much cash a Saskatoon purchase really takes covers the deposit, closing costs, and the other money you need ready.

Buying in Exhibition

Exhibition is worth considering if you want a smaller, established neighbourhood close to downtown, the river, and Prairieland Park, with a Median Multiple the City rates as more affordable than the Saskatoon average. The City’s housing data shows 54 percent owned and 46 percent rented in 2021, a more balanced ownership and rental split than some strongly owner-occupied suburban neighbourhoods.

Buyers should pay close attention to the exact location within the neighbourhood, including proximity to the Idylwyld Freeway, Prairieland Park’s event and racetrack activity, and the planned redevelopment of the former school site on McPherson Avenue. Property condition and age carry significant weight given how much of the housing stock predates 1980.

Best Fit for Buyers Who Want:

• A smaller, established neighbourhood close to downtown and the river
• A more affordable Median Multiple than the Saskatoon average
• A mix of single-family homes, two-unit housing, and apartment or condo units
• Proximity to Prairieland Park, the Western Development Museum, and downtown
• Older homes with renovation or rental potential
• Investment or rental-property possibilities

May Not Be the Best Fit for Buyers Who Need:

• Schools confirmed inside the neighbourhood boundary
• A newer neighbourhood with mostly modern detached homes
• A high owner-occupied housing profile
• Minimal exposure to event-related traffic or noise from Prairieland Park
• No nearby freeway influence
• A larger selection of available park space within the neighbourhood itself

Selling in Exhibition

Sellers in Exhibition should understand what buyers are likely comparing the property against. A buyer may be cross-shopping Buena Vista, Avalon, and Queen Elizabeth, depending on budget and priorities, since these are Exhibition’s direct neighbours. That means the listing should make the home’s exact location, age, and condition clear, especially relative to the Idylwyld Freeway and Prairieland Park.

For detached and two-unit homes, buyers will likely focus on the age of the home, mechanical updates, basement usability, and renovation history, given that 71 percent of the housing stock predates 1980. For condos, buyers will review condo fees, reserve fund information, bylaws, and the condition of common areas.

Sellers should avoid overstating proximity to schools, since no Saskatoon Public Schools or Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools building was confirmed inside the Exhibition boundary at the time of this draft, and the Catholic school previously located in the neighbourhood has relocated. Honest positioning about distance to the nearest school, busing, and the planned redevelopment activity nearby will generally serve sellers better than vague claims.

Investor Notes for Exhibition

Exhibition deserves investor attention because of its 32 percent multi-unit and 20 percent two-unit housing share, its 46 percent rental share in 2021, its location close to downtown and Prairieland Park, and its 2024 Median Multiple of 3.12, below the Saskatoon average of 3.96.

Potential investor options may include low-rise apartment condos, condo townhouses, semi-detached properties, two-unit housing, and detached homes. Investors should not assume any property can be converted into a legal secondary suite without confirming zoning, permits, ceiling height, egress, parking, fire separation, and electrical capacity with the City of Saskatoon.

A specific, time-sensitive item for investors to track is the former Catholic school site at 2141 McPherson Avenue inside the Exhibition boundary. Public reporting indicates the building is planned for demolition, with a developer reported to be proposing a multi-story apartment building on the site. This is a private development matter and should be confirmed directly with the City of Saskatoon’s planning department and the developer before relying on it for any investment decision. A redevelopment of this scale, if it proceeds, could affect rental supply, density, and demand patterns in the immediate area.

Investor risks in Exhibition also include older-home maintenance, proximity to the Idylwyld Freeway, event-related traffic and noise from Prairieland Park during the Saskatoon Exhibition and Marquis Downs race meets, and block-by-block perception differences across a fairly small neighbourhood footprint.

Commute And Daily Convenience

Exhibition’s location close to downtown Saskatoon is one of its main commuting advantages. The Idylwyld Freeway runs through the area, giving residents a direct route toward downtown and other parts of the city, though Wikipedia notes the freeway has also separated part of the neighbourhood from the rest of the east side since the 1960s.

Saskatoon Transit’s Route 1, listed as Exhibition / City Centre on the official routes and schedules page, serves the neighbourhood with full service. Buyers should confirm current stops, schedules, and any service changes directly through saskatoontransit.ca or the Transit mobile app, since routes and schedules can change.

For buyers who commute downtown, Exhibition can be convenient. For buyers who work in other parts of the city, drive times across the Idylwyld Freeway and surrounding bridges should be tested during actual commute hours.

Safety And Neighbourhood Perception

No independently verified crime statistics for Exhibition are cited here, none were available from an official source as part of this draft. What can be said directly from the City profile and other public sources is that Exhibition is a smaller, mixed-density neighbourhood with a freeway running through part of it, an active event venue (Prairieland Park) at its southern edge, and an older housing stock, all of which can affect how individual blocks feel compared with a more uniform suburban neighbourhood. Buyers who weigh safety perception heavily should walk the specific blocks they’re considering at different times of day, including during Prairieland Park event periods, rather than judging the neighbourhood as a whole, and can request current crime statistics from the Saskatoon Police Service directly.

Pros and Cons of Living in Exhibition

Pros	Cons
Close to downtown Saskatoon and the South Saskatchewan River	No school confirmed inside the neighbourhood boundary as of this draft
Median Multiple rated more affordable than the Saskatoon average	Smaller park space than many larger neighbourhoods
Mixed housing types, including condos, two-unit housing, and detached homes	Idylwyld Freeway runs through part of the neighbourhood
Proximity to Prairieland Park, the Western Development Museum, and event venues	Event-related traffic and noise possible near Prairieland Park
Existing rental market and investor appeal	Most of the housing stock predates 1980, so inspections matter
Saskatoon Transit Route 1 serves the area directly	Former school site nearby is slated for redevelopment, an unresolved variable

Compared To Nearby Areas

• Buena Vista: Better fit if you want to stay close to Exhibition’s north side while comparing another established, river-adjacent neighbourhood.
• Avalon: Better fit if you want a neighbourhood directly south of Exhibition with its own distinct housing profile and access to Circle Drive.
• Queen Elizabeth: Better fit if you want a small, established neighbourhood south of Exhibition with schools confirmed inside its own boundary.

Best Fit By Buyer Type

Exhibition is worth considering if you want a smaller, established neighbourhood close to downtown, the river, and Prairieland Park, with housing variety and a Median Multiple the City rates as more affordable than the Saskatoon average. It may not be the right fit if you want schools confirmed inside the neighbourhood boundary, a newer subdivision feel, or distance from freeway and event-venue activity.

For many buyers, the decision comes down to property condition, comfort with an older housing stock, and whether proximity to downtown and the river outweighs the trade-offs around schools and freeway exposure.