We are pleased you have arrived.

We will help you settle in the community. You have taken a big step. It is challenging to move to a new country. It is also exciting and full of new opportunities. Your first year here will be full of change. You will find a place to live, a job and schools for your children.

You will make new friends. Some of them may know how it feels to settle in a new country. They can help you. Others may not understand your situation, but want to help you adapt to Canadian life.

MACC
The Multicultural Association of Carleton County is here to help you settle.  Our resource kit has details that will help you. In the kit you will find a membership form to join the association if you wish.

Housing
When you first arrive, finding a place to live is your first priority. A settlement counselor may help you.  If you are looking by yourself, there is a list of apartment buildings in the “yellow pages” of the phone book. You will also find a list of available apartments in the newspapers. You will need a heated apartment in this country. Your apartment should have the following things:

Heat and other utilities are often included in the price of an apartment. Heat can be very expensive if you have to pay for it yourself. Be sure to check on who is responsible for heat and electricity before you agree to rent a place. Telephone and cable television payments are your responsibility.
If you buy a home or live in an unheated apartment you will have to look after the heating yourself. Most places have either electric heat or oil heat. There is little upkeep to electric baseboard heating but oil furnaces require yearly maintenance. You must order oil from a fuel company. Look under” Furnaces-Heating’ or “Oils-Fuel” in the Yellow pages of the telephone directory to find a company in your area.  Most companies will arrange a plan for you to make equal payments over the year; otherwise you must pay when oil is delivered. Some companies will automatically make deliveries to you after you have made the first contact. Winter is very cold; you cannot do without heat, so check the level of your oil tank regularly!

Signing a lease
Many landlords will ask you to sign a ‘lease’ usually for a year or more. If you do not have a lease then you are renting month to month. You many have to pay a penalty if you ‘break’ the lease before the time period is over. If you rent without a lease you just have to give the landlord one months notice.

The lease will list the number of rooms, utilities and options such as car parking and storage space. Read these carefully before you sign it. You may also be asked for a damage deposit, whether you rent month to month or sign a lease. Check the apartment very carefully for damage before you agree to rent, bring it to the attention of the landlord so that you will not be blamed for it. Landlords usually ask for the first and last month’s rent before you can move in.

You can live where you want
It is important to remember you can live anywhere you choose. It is against the law to discriminate against someone on the basis of color, religion, sex, age or disability.

Respect property and neighbors
You should confirm to generally accepted customs. These customs include:

If you ignore these customs, you could be evicted from your apartment.

Moving to a new place
At some point, you may decide to move into a new apartment or a home of your own. Before you move, you must usually give your landlord one-month’s notice. If you have damaged the apartment he will take the money from your damage deposit – if there is no damage and he does not return the deposit you may complain to the Rentalsman’s Office in Fredericton. The telephone # is 506-453-2557

Telephone
There is a basic monthly charge. There are extra services for telephone customers, which are not included in the cost of your monthly service. Some extra costs include:

Pay your phone bill on a regular basis. This can be done in a variety of ways,  including:

Mobile Phones
There are many service providers for these phones, you can get a phone very cheaply if you sign a contract with a service provider or you can get pre-paid phone cards. You need to carefully compare the services provided by the different companies.

Television
If you have a television, you will have three channels. Most Canadians have cable television, which gives access to many more stations. This is available for a monthly fee.
If you live where there is no cable you can buy satellite from either Bell Express View or First Choice. Their charge depends on how many channels you receive.

Utilities
Many landlords do not pay for the electricity. If this is the case for you, contact NBPower and establish an account. There is a one-time charge for establishing your account, after this you will be billed once a month. Pay your bill promptly when it arrives, you may pay at the bank, on-line or at the NB Power office. To contact NB Power for service call 1-800-663-6272

Mail
Once you find a place to live, inform the post office of your address. If you move inform them of your new address. They charge a fee to direct your mail to your new home. Sometimes a post office delivery person or a courier service delivers a package that will not fit in your mailbox. If you are not at home, they will leave a note telling you where to pick it up.

Stamps
Stamps can be purchased at the post office. They are also available at pharmacies and grocery stores

Shopping
You will need beds, dressers, tables, chairs and lamps for your new apartment. You will also need supplies for your kitchen, like cooking utensils and dishes. For your bedroom and bathroom, you will need things like sheets, towels and blankets. You will need to shop for food after you have settled into your apartment. You will also need warm clothing for the winter. This is important for people from warm climates. It is very cold here in the winter. Do not buy these things too quickly but look around in various stores for the best bargains.

Food
When you are shopping by yourself, it is good to avoid shopping for food at places like the corner stores. Items like butter, milk, bread and rice are much cheaper at the grocery stores. Each store advertises weekly specials in flyers you will find at the store. Check the phone book for the shop closest to you.

Furniture, household supplies and clothing
Clothing can be expensive in Canada. Discount and second-hand stores offer very good value. Sometimes you should spend more money. For example you may want to use flannel sheets in the winter. They are more expensive, but warmer that cotton or other materials.

Stores
Because Carleton County is largely a rural area you might have to travel to find all the goods you need.  Both Florenceville and Woodstock have “Sears” catalogue offices, it would be a good idea to get one of their catalogues and then it will give you an idea of what things cost. Sometimes it is cheaper to buy from another source; sometimes it is more convenient to buy from Sears. There are many “dollar” stores in the county. They are very popular with life-long residents and new comers alike. At these stores, you can buy many small household items for $1 each. Their addresses are located in the phone book.

Transportation
One of the main set backs of residing in a rural community is the lack of public transportation. You must have a car and a valid licence. You will need a New Brunswick driver’s licence; first you pass a written test and then a road test. Booklets to help you prepare for the written test may be picked up at Service New Brunswick. You will find the Service NB office in either Bristol or Woodstock.

Buying a Vehicle
When buying your first car in NB make sure you buy from a reputable dealer who gives you some kind of a guarantee and will provide service. There are 3 types of tires you may use on your car: “summer tires” which should only be used for summer driving;” winter tires” which have a heavier tread than summer tires and are designed for driving in the snow. to make winter tires even safer you may have studs put in new winter tires, these studded tires must be taken off your car by March 1 ; “ all season tires” which are designed for summer and winter driving, these are not as safe as winter tires but are better than summer tires. First year winter drivers should use winter tires.YOU MUST BUY INSURANCE FOR YOUR CAR. Insurance is expensive so take the cost into consideration when you are purchasing a car.
When riding in a car, you must fasten your seatbelt. The driver must make sure passengers are wearing seatbelts. The police will fine you if you are caught without your seatbelt fastened. The driver is responsible to see that any passenger under the age of 16 has his seatbelt fastened. Small children must be fastened in an infant seat or child seat in the back seat of the car. It is against the law to ride in a car holding a baby in your arms.

Insurance
People need to buy insurance. Usually your employer will provide Health Insurance but you also need Car Insurance and Homeowners Insurance. These can be purchased from Insurance Agents in your area. Look in the Yellow Pages of your telephone book under “Insurance” to find a company. If you have your car insurance and homeowners insurance with the same company you usually get a small discount.

Traveling outside the county
People travel long distances by plane, bus or train. You can buy tickets at bus stations. Airline tickets may be purchased on- line or through a travel agent. The nearest airport in Canada is in Fredericton. If you have a visa for the US and are flying to destinations outside of Canada it may be cheaper to travel on American Airlines. Sometimes you can make connections through Presque Isle, Maine but usually you go to Bangor, Maine. It is about a 21/2 hour drive to Bangor.

Identification
You do not need a passport to travel inside Canada but there are times when you may need to identify yourself. For example, you will need identification when cashing cheques or dealing with government officials. You should carry at least two pieces of identification at all times, even when you are traveling locally, such as:

Education
The law requires that you send your children to school from age 5 to 16. Go to the nearest school to enroll your child as soon as you arrive. The schools have money available for language instruction for your child if he/she does not speak English. The school will arrange for this tutoring. The public schools do not charge the students and most Canadian children go to public schools. You have to pay for supplies such as notebooks, pens and pencils but textbooks are provided free of charge. Students must look after these textbooks, as they have to be returned at the end of the year.  If a textbook has been destroyed the pupil may have to pay for it. Boys and girls are educated in the same school and take the same classes. There are three levels of schools for children. “Elementary school” refers to Grades 1-5. “Middle school” is Grade 6 – 8. “High school” is Grade 9 – Soon after your family comes to Canada your children will begin school. Children attend school five days a week, Monday to Friday.

School transportation
Many children walk to school. There is a free school bus service for children who live too far away to walk. The school will tell you if your child may go on the bus and where you he/she can be picked up. School starts early in September in Woodstock and in late August in Florenceville.

Florenceville students get a two- week break in late September, early October to help the farmers harvest potatoes. The students are not required to work but many older students like to work to earn money. Schools close for summer holidays during July and August. There is also a two-week break at Christmas, and a one- week break in March.

Adults- ESL
The Multicultural Association has been providing English classes in the mornings Monday to Friday.  There is no charge for these lessons. If your English is not adequate please enroll as soon as you are settled.  The phone number for the association is 506-392-6011.

There are further educational opportunities for newcomers who have graduated from high school and speak good English. You may apply for a student loan after you have lived here for one year. Some of the post-secondary schools in the area are:

Computer schools
Computer skills are very important. Many jobs require that you know “word processing” programs and have acknowledge of the Internet. There are formal training programs but they can be very expensive. You can learn at the Community Access Centre. You can use the Internet at public libraries. This service is free of charge. Ask a librarian for assistance.

Documents
The following is a list of documents needed in most of the processes you could be involved during your first two years of living in Canada.

People who certify photocopies have to compare the original document to the photocopy and provide the following information:

They also have to write the following statement on the photocopy:

This photocopy is a true copy of the original document, which has not been altered in any way.

You cannot certify photocopies of your own documents, and you cannot ask a relative to do it for you.

Finding a job
Finding a job is not easy. Do not be discouraged if you have a hard time finding one. Many people in Canada, not just newcomers are unemployed. The Multicultural Association of Carleton County offers employment services, without charge. Contact the Employment Counsellor at telephone number 392-6011. Human Resources Skill Development Canada also employs someone to help people find jobs, phone 325-4970.

A resume is important
A resume is one or two pages of personal information (name, address and phone number) and a summary of your work history.  The Employment Counsellor at the Multicultural Association will help you write this. You may not be able to practice your profession right away. For example, if you are a doctor, lawyer, engineer, you must become certified first. In some cases, this may require further training and testing. Do not be discouraged if you must first take a job that does not meet your expectations. Many doctors, teachers and business owners once worked in jobs that required little training and did not pay much money.

Social Insurance Number (SIN)
You need a Social Insurance Card to work in Canada. You will receive your SIN card shortly after you arrive in Canada. It is against the law for employers to hire a person without their Social Insurance Number. Contact the Woodstock-Human Resource Center at 680 Main Street [in the back of the Post Office] Phone 1-800-206-7218

Residence Card
Contact Citizen and Immigration Canada 1-888-242-2100 for information or check the website www.cic.gc.ca

Medicare Card
The government pays for healthcare. The system is called “Medicare.” The government pays for it with tax money. You must obtain a Medicare Card to use the system. In NB you can not apply for Medicare until you have your SIN number and after you apply there is a three month waiting period. Therefore it is important to apply for your SIN as soon as possible even if you are not interested in working at this time. Medicare will not pay for some things. It will not pay for:

You will find doctors listed in the phone book. Canadians have a family doctor whom they visit in the doctor’s office for routine health matters. If your condition requires a specialist your doctor will refer you.

If you or a member of your family becomes seriously ill or injured, you should go immediately to the “emergency department” of the nearest hospital. In life threatening situations, dial “911” from the nearest telephone and ask for an ambulance.  To obtain information call 1-888-762-8600

Maintaining Work
Employers have rules and regulations that employees must follow. For example, employees must report to work on time everyday. Employees must also respect their coworkers, both men and women. If you are unhappy with your work, talk to your boss or to a settlement counselor. They will help you find a solution. Remember you should have a good relationship with your employer, even if you plan to leave the job. Future employers will check on your past work record. They may want to talk with your previous employers.

Wages
The minimum wage in New Brunswick is currently $7.25 per hour. By law, employers cannot pay you less than that amount. There are 35-40 hours in an average week of work. Your employer must pay you an overtime wage if you work more than 44 hours per week. From your wages, you will pay taxes, employment insurance. You will also put money in the Canada pension plan. This is a savings plan for your retirement. Many companies also have private pension plans and private health plans to supplement Medicare. Money will be deducted from your salary to pay for these. Do not make out a budget until you find out what your take- home pay will be.

Vacations
Employers must give two weeks paid vacation per year. If you leave your job before a year has passed then the employer must give you 4% of your salary to make up for this. If you stay with the same employer for several years, you may get more vacation time.

Volunteer Work
Many Canadians do unpaid work for social service organizations. Service organizations in Carleton County include: Lions International, Rotary Club. Kinsmen Club, Elks Club, Masonic Lodge, Women’s Institute. Each church usually has a service organization. People join these organizations to help others, however for newcomers they are useful for making new friends and contacts.

Why should you do volunteer work?
Canadians do volunteer work for a variety of reasons. Many people simply want to assist people in need of help. For example, an older person may need someone to shovel snow in the winter. They may need someone to drive them to the doctor or the grocery store.

Budgeting
It is expensive to live in Canada. Canadian salaries are relatively high, but so are the costs. You should create a budget. A budget is a plan to manage your money. You will spend most of your money on necessities such as rent, food and clothing. If you budget carefully, you will have money left over for things like movies, long distance phone calls and gifts for friends and family.

Make a long-term plan
When you create your budget, you should consider your long-term needs, as well as your monthly ones. . Most Canadians retire when they are 65 years old and like to make provision for this. Many Canadians contribute to a registered retirement savings plan. People call this an RRSP. You can do this on your own but your plan must be registered, or through a financial institution. Many people contribute to such a plan at their workplace.

Emergencies
For example, if you lose your job, you will need money to live until you find a new job. We have unemployment insurance, but in some cases people do not qualify. Most financial advisors suggest you keep three months salary in the bank.

Education
You or your children may want to attend college or university. This is expensive; you must save money for this purpose.

Major purchases
One day, you may want to buy a house, a car or an expensive piece of furniture. You can borrow money from a bank to make a big purchase. They will usually require that you provide a down payment of up to 20 per cent from your savings. If you must borrow money, try to do it from a bank. Do not use your credit card for major purchases, try to get a line-of –credit from the bank. Only use your credit card if you can pay the balance at the end of the month. If you are buying a house or a car get a car loan or a mortgage for a house.

Spend your money wisely.
You will see things that you want to buy. Through advertising, companies encourage you to buy products you do not need. Salespeople may try very hard to sell you things. You may feel pressured to borrow and buy things you do not need. You should be very careful. Some stores have special programs that let you buy things and pay for them later called “deferred payment programs.” They may be advertised with slogans like “Do not pay until next year.” Read all the details of the purchase agreement. If you do not pay on time, you will be charged interest from the day you actually took the item home from the store.

Banking
In Canada, most people do not keep large sums of money at home. They put their money in a bank, credit union or trust company. They take it out of the bank when they need to buy things or pay bills. Our banking system is considered to be one of the safest in the world. There are many banks to choose from but they all offer the same basic services Canadians do most of their banking through “automated teller machines. Most people call them “bank machines” or “ATMs.” Your bank will give you a debit card when you open an account. These machines are located at bank branches. You will also find them at shopping malls and stores. They operate 24 hours a day. You should use a machine from your bank though. If you use a machine from another bank, there will be an extra service fee. You can also use your banking card to make purchases in stores. If you have any questions, ask the teller in the bank

Taxes
Many of the benefits we enjoy today are made possible by taxes. For example, taxes pay for roads, law enforcement and education. You pay taxes on most goods and services. It is called HST- Harmonized Sales Tax. You will see it listed on receipts when you make a purchase or pay a bill. When you go to buy anything you will have to pay the sales price plus the tax.

Income tax return
Once a year, every Canadian resident has to complete income tax forms. Income taxes are deducted from most kinds of income you receive. Every year, Canadian residents submit an Income Tax Return. The deadline for submitting completed tax return is April 30. If you submit your forms late and you owe the government money, you will be charged a penalty plus interest. It is not very difficult to fill out the form but some people who are unsure use a company which specializes in Tax Return Preparation – look under this heading in the Yellow Pages of your telephone book for a company near you.

Emotional health
Some people need professional help if they have emotional problems. Do not feel shame if you must get help. Settling in Canada is stressful. Your doctor may recommend psychiatric counseling, which is paid for by Medicare. Do not be afraid to share your thoughts with others.

Families
There are many different family traditions. Canadians come from many national and ethnic backgrounds. A generation ago, many families had 4 or 5 children. Today, many couples have one or two children; some have none.

Men and women share work
In many families, both the man and the woman work outside the home. In such families, the man and the woman share the housework and child rearing duties. A generation ago, these responsibilities belonged to the woman. Now both the man and the woman will help each other.

Children’s Rights
By law, parents must provide their children with the necessities of life. That means food, clothing shelter, and an education. There are a number of laws and customs you must obey:

Canadian authorities may even separate children from their parents if the children have been physically or emotionally harmed. Emotional abuse is hard to define and prove, but children who have been abused have been legally separated from their parents.

Women’s Rights
By law, a husband cannot physically or emotionally abuse his wife. It is also a crime for the wife to abuse her husband. This does not occur as often in Canada though. Women who are abused by their husbands should seek the protection of the law.

Human Rights
Your rights are guaranteed under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This is the case even before you become a Canadian citizen.The constitution

In our Constitution there are three significant articles: 2,7,15:

2. Everyone has fundamental freedoms:

7. Everyone has a right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice.

15. (1) Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to equal protection and equal benefit of the law with out discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, sex, age, or mental or physical disability.

Know your rights

It is important that you understand your rights. For example, do not let an employer pay you less than the minimum wage. Other things that are important to know about your rights:

Customs and Culture
In general, Canadians are individualists. Each person is in charge of his or her own destiny. Nonetheless, Canadians accept a joint responsibility for each other. For example, we pay taxes so that everyone gets the same standard of health care. Our taxes also provide social assistance for people who cannot find work. Our right to a good standard of living and freedom comes with responsibilities; for example, you must do your best to find paid work.

Most Canadians are immigrants

All Canadians are of immigrant origin, except “First Peoples.”  This is what the Inuit and Indians call themselves. Canada is a culturally diverse country. Many people tell you there is no racism in Canada. Others may tell you racism is a problem. There are intolerant people in Canada as there are in other places, but most are fair-minded and tolerant but rather reserved.

Public behavior
It will take time for you to understand the local customs. The following are some generally accepted standards of public behavior.

Smoking
It is illegal to smoke in government buildings, elevators, airplanes, banks, grocery stores and malls. Some restaurants have smoking sections. Some will not let you smoke at all. It is impolite to smoke in someone’s home without asking his permission.

Time
Canadians try to arrive on time at school, work and appointments. You can be fired from a job or suspended from school for being late on too many occasions. Most Canadians will not wait more than 15 minutes for someone who is late for an appointment. If you think you may be late, inform the person you are supposed to meet.

Customs
Some of our customs may confuse you. The following are examples of ways in which some Canadians may behave differently than you:

Authority
All Canadians can achieve positions of authority.  Legally they cannot be excluded because of their sex, age or social class. Many women are judges and police officers.

You should expect public officials to behave toward you in a civil, impersonal manner. Bribery is against the law. For example, a public official cannot ask you for money for a service you should get free of charge. You can also expect police officers to act in a formal, impersonal manner. A few things you should keep in mind when you encounter a police officer:

Recreation and Culture
Both Woodstock and Florenceville have public libraries and civic sport centers. Woodstock has an all season swimming pool and Florenceville has an outdoor public pool open in the summer. Most cultural events will take place at either the auditoriums at Carleton North High School or at Woodstock High School. There is a movie theatre in Woodstock. To find out what is going on in your community read the local newspaper the Bugle-Observer, published on Tuesdays and Fridays.

There are two nearby golf courses, The Woodstock Golf Club and The Covered Bridge Golf Club in Hartland.

Alpine skiing can be enjoyed at Crabbe Mountain, below Woodstock or at Big Rock at Mars Hill, USA.

There are many walking trails. Contact your local Recreation Director to find out the facilities in your area.

Recreation Directors: Florenceville – 392-6797 and Woodstock  325-4671