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There are many benefits to living in a small city. Smaller cities in Canada can provide advantages such as:
Discover the advantages and benefits of choosing to live in a small city in Canada and important questions to guide your decision!
Vikram and Nutan had great lives as budding professionals in India’s IT capital Bangalore. But, after a close friend immigrated to Canada, they decided to explore moving to Canada. They soon discovered they met the requirements to immigrate to Canada! However, they were unsure about where they wanted to live. Canada is a vast country.
Both agreed, on factors that were important to them. For example, they wanted to live in a small city that offered job opportunities, affordable housing options, and a nice quality of life. The Atlantic Provinces were a big draw and they settled on Fredericton, New Brunswick for its beauty, charm, and sense of community. Two years later, they had jobs, a 5-bedroom home, and the lifestyle they wanted. But, most importantly, they became members of a welcoming community.
Small cities across Canada attract newcomers by providing quality job opportunities, and a better quality of life. Living in a small City can offer newcomers an option to avoid congestion issues, high housing costs, and hectic pace.
While large cities attract newcomers, you may find high competition for jobs. But, smaller Cities often experience job growth when existing residents leave the community, or retire. So, many small cities look to newcomers with the right job skills to meet their employment needs.
A small city can be much quieter and laid back than life in a large city. This can benefit newcomers looking to integrate into the community more easily. Living in a small city may help you to easily immerse yourself in the local community. But, you must decide if you prefer to live in a large and bustling city or a more relaxed, small city.
In Canada, smaller cities recognize the many benefits of welcoming newcomers. To attract and keep newcomers, they continue to build communities that welcome, embrace, and support newcomers.
Newcomers often move to large Canadian cities such as Toronto and Vancouver because of the social, economic, and community networks. With these networks in place, newcomers may find better access to jobs, cultural and social communities, and support services. However, newcomers often find these same services and jobs in small cities!
Population and migration growth in large cities often puts pressure on areas such as:
As a result, large cities often have a higher cost of living and can create financial stress. As a newcomer, you must decide what you prefer, living in a large or small city. You may discover that a small City can provide the lifestyle and many of the amenities you seek.
When choosing a city, it’s vital to research job opportunities, housing costs, and the culture of the city to determine if it’s the right city for you.
This is a very important question. If few jobs match your skill set, you will leave the community if you and your spouse cannot find suitable jobs. While you may initially settle in the community, you will likely make a costly secondary move to another city.
Questions to Consider:
While many cities in Canada face rising housing costs, small cities can offer more affordable options. As of July 2024, the national average price for a home in Canada was $667,317. The median home price in Fredericton, New Brunswick during the same period was $404,534.
Questions to Consider:
Best Fredericton Neighbourhoods for Renting
Searching for your first home in Canada? Join this exclusive session for key insights on housing market conditions, affordable options, and renting without credit history. Tailored for newcomers settling in the next six months, register now for valuable tips and a free guide!
REGISTER FOR THE WEBINARImmigrants often consider the existing cultural and social network when deciding where to live. This can include services in different languages, faith-based, and nationality-based communities.
Small cities recognize the economic, cultural, and social benefits of welcoming newcomers. Supporting newcomers creates benefits for the community and attractive options for future residents.
Questions to Consider:
What groups, ethnic networks, and professional associations support newcomers?
What’s the quality of life? (fast-paced or relaxed? Access to nature, bike trails, etc?)
Newcomers benefit from services available to help them settle and find jobs in the local community. Services could include help to conduct job search activities, write a Canadian resume, enroll children in school, apply for government programs; and many other activities.
Questions to Consider:
Small city living can be a great option for newcomers seeking a relaxing pace and an option to bustling, hectic, and expensive Canadian cities. With many advantages, it’s worth exploring!
For many across Canada, the spring/summer season means one thing – the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs are here!
And Canada’s Edmonton Oilers are in the finals. They fought back from a 3-0 deficit against the Florida Panthers to make it a 3-2 best-of-seven series.
They can even the series with a win in Game 6 tonight in Edmonton.
For newcomers to Canada and international students, the Stanley Cup playoffs between 16 National Hockey League (NHL) teams provide an insight into the sport of ice hockey and perhaps Canada’s national culture and identity.
On Saturday, June 8, Canada’s Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers began their 7-game Stanley Cup final series to decide the 2023-24 season champion.
Meanwhile, Professional Women’s Hockey teams, including Toronto and Montreal, competed for the Walter Cup for the first time. Minnesota won the Cup on May 29, defeating Boston in five games.
So, what’s behind all this hockey fever, and why should newcomers care?
Lloyd L. Wong and Martine Dennie are the authors of a 2021 report entitled “I feel more Canadian with hockey.” Identity and Belonging via Ice Hockey in a Diverse Canada.
In their paper, published in Canadian Ethnic Studies, Wong and Dennie argue that their “findings show that for most immigrants and racialized minorities engaged in organized ice hockey, there is more likely a sense of Canadian national identity and a sense of belonging to Canada compared to the Canadian-born and to whites.”
They also state that the game and sport of ice hockey are embedded in Canada’s national culture and identity mythically and literally and that hockey has its most significant presence in Canada regarding people, places, and social spaces.
According to their report, about 1.8 million people globally are registered hockey players, of which over one-third, or 631,295, live in Canada.
Per capita, the number of registered hockey players in Canada is well above all other countries by a wide margin, with 17,277 registered hockey players per one million people.
Further, hockey’s popularity in Canada extends beyond players and referees to include coaches, managers, workers in the hockey industry, parents, and fans.
As Wong and Dennie point out, Canada “is also an ‘immigration society’ where immigrants are considered as society-building assets and as central to national identity,” just like hockey.
So, here are some Stanley Cup facts for newcomers and international students who want to find out what all the fuss is about:
The Oilers, after eliminating the Los Angeles Kings in the first round, then eliminated the Vancouver Canucks in a 7-game series. Edmonton advanced to the Western Conference Final on June 2, defeating the Dallas Stars in six games. They now face the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup finals.
Meanwhile, another hockey playoff championship series is taking place this spring.
The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is a new-team league in North America holding its first-ever playoff series.
There are six franchises (three from Canada and three from the United States). The three Canadian teams are PWHL Montreal, PWHL Ottawa, and PWHL Toronto.
Each franchise played a 32-game regular season to earn one of four places in a postseason tournament. The winner claims the “Walter Cup.”
On Feb. 17, The PWHL’s first game at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena set a league and women’s hockey attendance record with a crowd of 19,285.
CBC and TSN, their French-language affiliates Radio-Canada and RDS, and Sportsnet broadcast PWHL games nationally in Canada. YouTube has global streaming.
Recently, Scotiabank announced that it had become the official bank of the PWHL.
The PWHL playoffs began May 8. The best four teams qualified for a postseason tournament that determines the champion. The playoffs comprise two semi-finals and a final played as a best-of-five series.
Toronto, Montreal, Boston, and Minnesota all made the playoffs. Ottawa was eliminated in the final game of the regular season.
Toronto, which finished first in the regular season, chose to play Minnesota and was eliminated in five games. Montreal played Boston and was eliminated in three straight games.
Minnesota defeated Boston in five games on May 29 to make history by winning the first-ever Walter Cup.
Obviously, between the Stanley Cup and the Walter Cup, there is plenty of hockey for newcomers and international students to embrace this spring.
As Wong and Dennie wrote in their report:
“Engagement in the game, either as players or fans or in some other capacity, provides a multicultural common space potentially enabling interactive pluralism amongst diverse communities.
These findings further support the value of making hockey more inclusive through equity, diversity, and inclusion policies and initiatives.
Go, hockey! Go, Canada!
This story was updated on May 21/2024.
CITATIONS:
Steve Tustin is the Editor for Rentals for Newcomers and a contributing editor for Prepare for Canada. He is also the former managing editor of Storeys.com and a former senior editor at the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star.
© Prepare for Canada 2024
Senior immigrants often face significant challenges when settling into Canada. Many struggle with language barriers, mobility issues, and feelings of isolation. They may rely heavily on their adult children who sponsored them to come to Canada, but this can lead to feelings of being taken advantage of, such as being overused for babysitting. Additionally, some may feel disconnected from their children and grandchildren as they adapt to Canadian society.
However, there is good news. Many elderly immigrants find comfort in connecting with others who are in similar positions. They often organize events or meetings tailored to their age group or ethnic background. For instance, in Vancouver, a group of retired Russian people runs a chess club that hosts weekly tournaments. To find similar groups and programs, seniors can turn to their local ethnic newspapers or immigrant settlement agencies. These resources offer a variety of activities, ranging from outdoor outings to weekly dance classes to English lessons.
It is crucial for senior immigrants to actively engage with their community and explore all that Canada has to offer. By doing so, they can enhance their quality of life and find a sense of belonging in their new home.
We often discuss many practical and interesting topics about migration, but not about the mixed emotions when living in the great white North! And, those mixed emotions come with migrating to Canada.
As we approach another change in season, and with it a lot of mixed emotions, I would like to share my personal experience when I first landed in Canada two Fall/Winters ago.You’re almost packed with your landing date in sight. And, buried deep with all the stress and excitement of your new life, a job, a home, a car, etc. But, have you thought of how your body and mind will react to the extreme change in climate when you first land in the great white North?!
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We are into the Fall season and soon heading into the harsh and white winters. Just like everybody else, I too did not give this much thought when I planned my trip in the fall/winter months. Most pictures I researched online about my destination city had nice warm sunshine, plenty of people walking the streets, shops and activities galore. And, that painted a very beautiful yet deceptive picture in my mind. Not here to demotivate anyone but a series of emotions and feelings that I went through after I first landed in the freezing cold months, aka The Canadian Winters!!
Migrating to Canada, I had never before experienced such cold weather for months! Leave alone snow falling from the sky non-stop for 3-4 days on end. I had heard of it, but took it in my stride, like I was going on a holiday and would easily cope with it. Though, the first fall of snow for someone like me was like a blessing from the sky. And, I played in the snow for a good few hours.
But, I soon realized it’s not that easy to take it in for days! And mind you, I am not referring to the cold weather here. What I am really getting to is the dark and gloomy skies, poor visibility, and shorter days (less and less sunlight) during the winter months.
I landed in Vancouver, British Columbia (the mild west). And, the winters are mild compared to some of the other provinces. The rain, and the layers of clothing are no different for someone who had moved from a hot and humid tropical country. But, soon I noticed a sudden change in my behaviour, mood, and thoughts.
I was new to the city, sans friends or family and had migrated by myself. So, I often found myself lost in a lot of soul searching and sometimes doubtful questions:
Trust me, a few months down the line when you’re settled in and things seem to have moved along well, you will laugh at yourself. And, with the warmer summer months and long days coming about you’ll find life comes full circle as we approach this season again next year. So, I felt it important to discuss this and termed it as mixed emotions. as it’s often mixed with excitement, yet some soul searching.
This is my third fall/winter in Canada, and I again find myself in that zone I was the first time around. This prompted me to write about it and maybe help those who are about to land, or are on the brink of their first experience with the change of season. Let me tell you, it’s completely natural to feel that way! Don’t add to your stress.
We are so used to the sunshine, having loads of people around, and being up and about until the wee hours of the night. So, it’s a very strange situation when suddenly everything looks so glum. This is a cold country! We all know that. So, that’s something none of us can control. But, what we can do is:
Related Post:
How to stay positive when dealing with NO!
There are many more interactive things you can do to kill the negativity or uncertainty that the winter season brings. I have only listed a few activities that I did do personally or learned along the way looking at others like me. And, it has kept me in good shape and spirits through the changing seasons in Canada.
It is very easy to feel lost or overwhelmed. So, we need to find love (in the small things in life), and a reason to smile each day. Because, you can’t just think about making money, paying bills, buying a car, a home, etc, (even though those are vitals thorns in the shoe that we need to consider. You need to sit back, relax, and absorb every day you live through these seasons.
So, the mixed emotions are not as bad as it may sound…it’s just a phase and remember, Summer is just around the corner! ????????????
Canada is a mosaic of languages and cultures. Half the residents in Toronto alone cited a mother tongue other than English or French, according to a 2011 census. In fact, Statistics Canada identified 160 different mother tongues among Greater Toronto Area (GTA) inhabitants and 200 home languages across the country. (more…)
Childcare is the responsibility of the parents. If both parents work and you don’t have grandparents or other family or friends to watch your children in your absence, you’ll have to find — and pay for — suitable childcare.
To help offset the costs, Canada offers the Universal Child Care Benefit, which provide financial assistance to all Canadian families with young children, regardless of where they live, their family circumstances or preferences. Parents receive $100 a month for each child under six years of age. This is in addition to being eligible for the Canada Child Tax Benefit.