Moving to a new community: a practical guide

Visit twice, in different seasons

One visit tells you how a place looks. Two visits, in different seasons, tell you how it lives. If you can rent for a month before you commit, do that instead, because a month of groceries, appointments and rainy afternoons teaches you more than a fortnight of sightseeing.

Sort out health care early

Health coverage is provincial, and moving between provinces means moving between plans. Some provinces apply a waiting period before new residents are covered, so ask both your current and your new province what applies, and keep your existing coverage until the new one starts.

Most provinces also run a registry for people looking for a family doctor, and waits can be long. Register as soon as you are eligible, and bring your records, your medication list and the name of your current pharmacy.

Line up the move itself

Get quotes from several moving companies and ask each one what is included and how the price is set. Book early, since summer and month-end dates fill up. Check that the company is insured and that your own home insurance covers goods in transit.

Pack a bag with what you need for the first few days: medications, documents, chargers, bedding and a kettle. Assume the boxes will arrive later than promised.

Change your address in the right order

Put together a list in advance: banks, pensions, insurers, the Canada Revenue Agency, your driver’s licence and vehicle registration, your health card, subscriptions and the people who send you mail. Do the government and financial ones first and the rest as they come up.

The first month

Resist the urge to unpack everything in a weekend. Get the bedroom and the kitchen working, then walk the neighbourhood every day and say hello to people. Join one thing in the first month, whether that is a class, a club or a volunteer shift. It is the fastest way to turn a new address into a place where you belong.