New to Fredericton?

See the Welcome Guide for lots of useful information to get settled.

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

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.

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.

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:

• Downtown Fredericton Incorporated
• Business Fredericton North

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. 

• Uptown Centre
• Regent Mall 
• Corbett Centre

As the City of Fredericton has grown, so have religious and worship options. You will find a community to suit your interests. 

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.

• Fredericton Chamber of Commerce 
• Ignite
• Downtown Fredericton Incorporated
• Business Fredericton North

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

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. 

Fredericton has many markets, some year-round and others seasonal.

Fredericton Capital Region Tourism keeps an updated list on their website

Fredericton has unique one-of-a- kind restaurants and is known as Atlantic Canada's Craft Brewing Capital!

Restaurants & Cafes

Craft Beer & Alcohol  + Taproom Trail

Pubs & Clubs

Markets

Volunteering is a great way to get involved in your community and meet new people. Many Fredericton organizations welcome volunteers, such as music festivals, services for seniors, Fredericton Community Kitchen, and the Greener Village Food Bank to name a few. Connect Fredericton is an online resource that works to match volunteers with the needs of organizations.

Our growing city has lots to offer for all ages!  Check out:

• Activities
• Curated Experiences
• Calendar of Events + Festivals
• Follow Capital Region Tourism on their website + social media like Youtube
• Search local events on Facebook

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.