IMMIGRATE TO FREDERICTON, NEW BRUNSWICK
Fredericton is the capital of New Brunswick and is an important cultural, artistic and educational centre for the province. Fredericton has two universities, the University of New Brunswick and the liberal arts focused St. Thomas University.
Geography and Climate
Fredericton is located in the middle of the Saint John River valley, with most of the city's post-war suburban development occurring on gently sloping hills on either side of the river, although the downtown core is flat and lies low to the river.
Fredericton and its surroundings are rich in water resources, which, coupled with highly arable soil, make the Fredericton region ideal for agriculture. The Saint John River and one of its major tributaries, the Nashwaak River, come together in Fredericton. The uninhabited parts of the city are heavily forested.
Fredericton enjoys a mild climate compared to most of Canada, although its location away from the coastline means it is more prone to extreme temperatures than most other major cities in Atlantic Canada.
The city gets a fair amount of precipitation, although major paralyzing snow and rain storms such as blizzards and hurricanes are uncommon. On average, Fredericton receives approximately 1100 mm of precipitation per year. Snowfall is common between late November and early April, and snow usually stays on the ground beginning in December.
Fredericton Immigration Profile
Recently, the New Brunswick government has been seeking to attract more immigrants to the province (and consequently the Fredericton area) to increase the labour force and compensate for an aging population.
The 1960s and 1970s began to see the influx of immigrants from Asia and the Middle East. This increase continued, as 51% of Canadian immigrants that settled in Fredericton were from Asia and the Middle East.
During the period of 2001 to 2006 Fredericton became home to 1,245 new Canadian immigrants. The chart to the left shows the regions of birth for the recent immigrants according to the Canadian 2006 Census.
While three-quarters of the recent Canadian immigrants in Montreal had a mother tongue other than English or French, 94.4% of them reported that they were able to carry on a conversation in English or French.
While a predominantly Anglophone city, the civil service has seen an increase in the City's francophone population. This population is serviced by the Centre Communautaire Sainte-Anne. In Fredericton the main languages spoken include, English (88.2%), French (6.4%), bilingual (0.4%), and other (5.0%).
Economy and Job Opportunities for Immigrants
During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the lumber industry - with corresponding mills - were a primary sector of Fredericton's economy. Over the course of the 20th century, these industries declined and gave way to the provincial government and the universities being the primary employers in the city.
Lately, the city has attracted technology firms, several local IT companies have specialized in e-Learning services making Fredericton an e-Learning hub. The city has been investing actively in IT infrastructure. Fredericton was recently the winner of the "Judges Innovation Award" at the 2004 C.I.P.A. (Canadian Information Productivity Awards) due to their "Fred-eZone" free municipality wide WiFi network initiative.
The Greater Fredericton Region has also established an investment attraction tool, Invest Greater Fredericton, to provide investors and site selectors with one central source for economic information such as real estate, demographics, key industries and more, making Fredericton an appealing choice for the business investor immigration class.
Looking down the hill from UNB towards downtown
Education for Dependant Children and Post Secondary
Fredericton's status as an educational centre is evident in the city's two degree granting universities: the University of New Brunswick and St. Thomas University, which attract students from all around the world.
The University of New Brunswick - commonly abbreviated UNB - was founded in 1785 and - along with the University of Georgia - is the oldest public university in North America. Built in 1826, UNB's Old Arts Building is the oldest university building still in use in Canada. UNB also houses Renaissance College which is a leading leadership training institution in New Brunswick. UNB houses a Faculty of Law which is one of two Anglophone common-law schools in Atlantic Canada.
Saint Thomas University is the province's only Catholic university and has been located in Fredericton since 1964, when it moved from its Chatham, New Brunswick campus. Commonly abbreviated as STU, it is a leading liberal arts university that boasts programs in gerontology, criminology, journalism, social work, native studies, and education.
Adding to Fredericton's cultural and artistic life is the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design which houses the province's leading programs in photography and visual arts. The New Brunswick Community College maintains a small campus in Fredericton providing two year degree programs oriented to quick entry into the job market, an excellent school for immigrants looking to update their skills. The Maritime College of Forest Technology maintains its English-language campus in the city; MCFT is a small post-secondary school training students from across the Maritime provinces.
Fredericton is also home to a small Pentecostal College, the Northeastern Christian College, located on the city's northside. This college trains and certifies pentecostal Ministers.
The Beaverbrook Art Gallery
Arts and Culture
Due to the presence of the two universities, Fredericton is more cosmopolitan than many cities its size. This is reflected in cuisine offered by local ethnic restaurants (which include Brazilian, Caribbean, Chinese, Greek, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Lebanese, Mexican, and Pakistani foods). There are also several retail outlets that sell ethnic products and artifacts, making it easy for new immigrants to obtain some of the old comforts of home.
Fredericton is an important cultural centre of the region featuring art galleries, the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design, museums and theatres which promote local artistic and literary talent.
Architecturally, Fredericton spans more than two centuries. The city features an eclectic mix of buildings and residences ranging from classical Victorian style to modern office buildings and architecture. Fredericton’s skyline is also distinguished by many historic churches.
The Beaverbrook Art Gallery, a prestigious art gallery on the south bank of the Saint John River, is New Brunswick's provincial art gallery and maintains a collection of considerable quality. For example, it has some paintings by Salvador Dalí. The gallery was established and built in 1958 by British press baron Lord Beaverbrook as a gift to his native province. Gallery 78, located across the street, features works by local artists.
The Fredericton Playhouse hosts plays and musicals throughout the year, and acts as the home base of Theatre New Brunswick (TNB) – the province’s largest stage troupe. The Playhouse also hosts visiting comedians and musical performances by Canadian and international artists. Officer's Square serves as a venue for outdoor concerts during the summer, featuring a variety of local and national talent. During the winter, Officer's Square is transformed into an outdoor skating rink.
Sports and Recreation
There are no professional sports teams in Fredericton, although both universities have extensive athletic programs. The UNB Varsity Reds and St. Thomas Tommies are rivals in most sports, and their hockey games are called the "Battle of the Hill".
Fredericton has several parks, including Odell Park and Wilmot Park. Killarney Lake and nearby Mactaquac Provincial Park have small beaches which are popular in the summer. Skiing (and snowboarding in recent years) at nearby Crabbe Mountain is also a common winter activity among city residents. There are also several cross-country skiing trails that cross the city.
Fredericton is in the process of constructing two sports and leisure complexes which will have several hockey rinks as well as health club facilities and an indoor track.
Fredericton Has a Strong Rugby History with the Fredericton Loyalists RFC. Fredericton Loyalists Each summer the Loyalists host the New Brunswick Black Spruce team which competes in the Rugby Canada Super League.
