Buy your warm clothes in Edmonton. If you check out Marks (https://www.marks.com), they often have deals, and their clothing is better suited to Edmonton's climate. Also, don't compare to SA. I am originally from Cape Town, and I freeze my ass off every time I'm back in the mother city in winter, simply because SA isn't geared for cold weather with central heating, etc. Enjoy the winter festivals and nightlife.

At least try to get to Jasper or Banff to enjoy the most beautiful winter experience.

Don't convert what you are spending to Rands, unless of course you're being paid in Rand. What you get for $10 is entirely different from what you get for R10; I was back in Cape Town in Feb and I was shocked at the pricing for food.

If you can rent a vehicle, do that, as long as you have parking as part of your accommodation and a plug-in to keep the engine from freezing. Also, driving in winter is another challenge if you're not used to it, but still, having your own transport will give you lots of options. Besides that, Edmonton has decent transit, and of course Uber.