New to Fredericton?

Government

In Canada, 3 levels of government have distinct areas of responsibility for the health and safety of our citizens.

Federal: Canada is divided into 338 districts, known as ridings. New Brunswick has 10 ridings, each represented by a Member of Parliament (MP), elected every four years. You can find details about which riding you live in and who your MP is by viewing the List of Current Constituencies.

At a high level, the federal government is responsible for:

Immigration
Canada Pension Plan
Employment Insurance Benefits
Old Age Security
Criminal Law
Income Taxes
Regulations affecting industries that are national or international

Provincial: The Government of New Brunswick is elected every four years with 49 provincial ridings. Elected officials are known as Members of the Legislative Assembly, or MLA's. As the Capital of New Brunswick, Fredericton has the Legislature Building at 706 Queen Street, and many provincial departments are located here. You can find out which provincial riding you live in, and the name of your MLA by visiting the Legislative Assembly website.

Main areas of responsibility for the Provincial Government include:

Education
Health & Medicine
Labour Standards
Family Law
Social Services
Housing
Property Tax Assessment and Collection
Building and Maintaining Provincially owned roads and highways

^{Legislature Building. 706 Queen Street, Fredericton}

Municipal: The City of Fredericton is a municipal government, with elected Mayor & Council that serve for a four-year term. City Council consists of elected representatives from different areas of the city, known as wards. There are 12 wards currently represented, you can find out which you reside in and who your Councillor is by viewing our ward map.

Main areas of responsibility for Municipal Government include:

Water and Sewer Services
Recreation
Street Construction & Maintenance (plowing, filling potholes, etc.)
Fire and Police Protection
Land Use Planning & Zoning
Building Inspections
Garbage and Waste Removal
Public Transit
Animal Control

City Hall. 397 Queen Street, Fredericton

Education & School Transportation

K-12

New Brunswick has two school systems managed by the Provincial Department of Education. Schools in Fredericton are part of the Anglophone West and Francophone South districts. Unless you apply for an exception, students attend the public school for which your address is zoned, in either English or French depending upon your family's needs and preferences. There are no publicly operated speciality high schools, but there are a few small private schools. You can find more information about public schools and zoning on the Provincial School Directory.

The school year starts in early September and runs until mid-June, with breaks at Christmas for two weeks and one week in March each year. Children start public school in Kindergarten of the year they turn 5 years old, and attend grades 1 through 12 after that.

Transportation to schools is offered via school bus for all students who live over 2km from their zoned schools. This information is available at The Anglophone West District page as well as the Francophone South District page.

Post-secondary Education

University of New Brunswick (UNB) is Canada’s oldest English university which proudly offers one of Canada’s best bachelor of engineering programs, Canada’s first computer science faculty, a leading entrepreneurship program, business and law schools, and top-notch science and nursing programs, plus so much more!

St. Thomas University (STU) has a highly esteemed liberal arts program, as well as numerous other programs like social work, journalism and communications and education.

New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) runs one of the best technical and vocational training colleges in Canada with a student employment rate in the 90%+ range after program completion.

New Brunswick College of Craft and Design (NBCCD) fuels our vibrant arts and cultural community.

Plus there are numerous private training colleges and institutes.

Healthcare

To access healthcare in New Brunswick, a valid Medicare card is required. This can be obtained by contacting Service New Brunswick. Primary healthcare is provided by a family doctor or a general practitioner (GP). If you do not have a family doctor, you can find more information about how to be matched with one on the GNB website. Emergency services, as well as most speciality services, are available at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital, as well as the nearby Oromocto Public Hospital, about a 20 minute drive from Fredericton.

Shopping

From handmade crafts in local markets across the Region to major chain stores to unique boutiques with curated goods in the heart of the City - the Fredericton Capital Region shopping scene is hard to beat!

The following areas of the city have the highest concentration of retail businesses:

Uptown Area: The area commonly known as “uptown” includes Prospect Street, intersected by Hanwell Road, Smythe Street and Regent Street. This area of the city is not incorporated as an organized business district, but includes lots of individual businesses as well as strip and enclosed malls. You will find a large concentration of fast-food restaurants and car dealerships intermixed with retail, sit-down restaurants and service-related businesses.

Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues

Services for New Canadians

The Fredericton Multicultural Association is an excellent resource to help with many aspects of getting settled in the city. Visit their website to see the services and information they offer.

Ignite is the region's economic development agency that offers many services to newcomers, including workshops, information guides and more.

The Fredericton Chamber of Commerce works with established businesses in Fredericton and provides advocacy and excellent networking opportunities.

English Second Language Classes: To access a complete list of all institutions providing language training in Fredericton, use the following key words in your online search engine. Keywords: “Fredericton Language Training”. Institutions such as the University of New Brunswick – College of Extended Learning, the New Brunswick Community College network, and the Fredericton Multicultural Association are a good place to start.

Business Groups & Services

Arts & Culture

From Atlantic Canada's largest music festival to Indigenous markets and food festivals, the Fredericton Capital Region is known for unforgettable events that proudly display our culture and heritage.

Visit an abundance of cultural events and venues across the Fredericton Capital Region that show our diverse art, flavours and legacy. You'll find our rich history proudly reflected in the current-day offerings of the Region. There's something for everyone—and if you’re lucky, you might even take a piece of our culture home with you.

Visit Fredericton Capital Region Tourism

Recreational Amenities

Fredericton has abundant recreational opportunities and activities for all seasons! Our 115+km of trail winding throughout the city and along the river can be used for walking, cycling, rollerblading, scooting and cross-country skiing!

The City of Fredericton is home to several organizations that offer sport and leisure programs. Getting involved is a great way to meet new people and maintain an active lifestyle.

Visit the Sport and Leisure Directory to find more information on the activities you're interested in.

Markets

Eat & Drink

Volunteer Opportunities

Things to See & Do!

Physician Recruitment

Situated along the scenic Wolastoq (Saint John River) in the heart of the province, the Fredericton Capital Region will captivate you at first sight. However, there is much more to Fredericton than just its beauty! Fredericton offers a balanced lifestyle all seasons plus a supportive medical community for all stages of your life and career.

No matter your interests – we have something for you and your family! We have compiled some quick links and useful information to help you get better acquainted with what we have to offer.