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Saint John’s Immigration History Saint John is Canada’s oldest incorporated City and was founded by Loyalists from the 13 Colonies (now the United States) in the 1780s. Starting in the 1820s, Saint John’s dominant ‘American’ population was joined by newcomers from England, Scotland and Ireland. In the mid-half of the 19th century, 45% of Saint John’s population had been born in Ireland. In later decades, small numbers of European Jews, Lebanese, Italian and Chinese immigrants arrived in Saint John. By the 1920s, one in ten residents had been born outside of Canada, usually in the British Isles.
Small numbers of Europeans reached Saint John following World War II. The Chinese population also began to rebuild and was joined by South Asian families in the 1970s. Refugees arrived from Vietnam, South America, and the former Yugoslavia. In recent years Saint John has experienced resurgence in its newcomer population with people from all over the world, and growing Chinese, Korean, and Iranian communities.
Population Saint John CMA 122,389
Schools The Saint John region offers high quality education at all levels. Children start public school at 5 years of age. Most neighbourhoods have small Elementary Schools and include Kindergarten to grade 5. Middle Schools are from grades 6 to 8, and local High Schools run from grade 9 to grade 12. New Brunswick also provides French Immersion programs in the Anglophone schools starting in Grade 3 or Grade 6. For parents who would like their children to attend school in French, Centre scholaire Samuel de Champlain is located within the City and teaches a French curriculum. All newcomers to Saint John have the option of schooling their children in either English or French. High school students have access to both an International Baccalaureate and an Advanced Placement Program. These are international university entrance programs recognized throughout the world as comprehensive and challenging curriculums. Student loans and scholarships are available at completion of High School to help students attend college or university. There are two private schools located in the Town of Rothesay – Touchstone Community Elementary School (Grades K – 5) and RCS Netherwood (Grades 6 – 12) Most children in Saint John attend public schools. Children can participate in a variety of activities including music, theatre, sports, and art at no extra charge. Post-Secondary Education At the university level, UNB Saint John offers both undergraduate and graduate programs, including a Medical School. It is a very international campus with over 50 countries represented in its student population. The New Brunswick Community College in Saint John offers a hands-on approach to learning and real-life work experience. It offers 35 programs from a variety of disciplines. There are a variety of private post-secondary institutions available for students looking for training including Atlantica Centre for the Arts, Eastern Trades College and the Academy of Learning.
Choosing a place to call home is an incredibly important decision. We have a wide variety of neighbourhoods throughout the Saint John region. From urban areas to suburban and rural, Saint John offers newcomers a variety of lifestyles all within a 20 minute drive to the City Centre. The average price of a new home in Saint John is approximately $270,000. A three bedroom apartment rents for an average of $700/month.
Saint John is home to the largest hospital in New Brunswick. It is the primary centre for acute care, the trauma and heart centre for the Province and offers both paediatric and adult oncology. Costs for dental and eye care are not covered under Medicare, but private health insurance is available and many employers offer additional health benefits.
The Saint John Arts Centre offers numerous workshops and classes for both children and adults and also houses a public art gallery. Saint John also has many private art galleries and is the home of the New Brunswick Museum. Throughout the year, there are festivals and events that bring the community together and celebrate the City’s rich cultural heritage .
Saint John also has many organized sports and recreational programs. Adults and children can join many sports teams including hockey, basketball, soccer, tennis, rowing, rugby, baseball, and softball. Rockwood Park is Canada’s largest municipal park and offers many activities throughout the year. Swimming, rock climbing, biking, geo-caching, camping, boating, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and hiking are among the many things you can enjoy.
Support for Business Enterprise Saint John also has a Business Immigrant Mentorship Program that offers newcomers ready to start a business the opportunity to meet with, learn from, and talk to established local business people.
The Saint John Multicultural & Newcomers Resource Centre provides Newcomers to the City with a wealth of information to ease you in to the local community. The organization also hosts business workshops and employment services for newcomers. The Saint John Board of Trade has more than 1,000 members representing 600 small, medium, and large businesses. It hosts training sessions, networking events, and is a dynamic advocate and the principal voice for the business community. Uptown Saint John Inc. promotes the City Centre as a place for people to live and do business and is the official voice of more than 650 business and property owners operating in the Uptown. PropelICT is a connected community of people in New Brunswick interested in growing the Information and Communications Technology Industry (ICT) by investing in ideas, people, and capital in business start-ups.
YM-YWCA Settlement Services offers a free-of-charge LINC Program (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada) that includes Pre-LINC (Literacy), LINC 1, LINC 2, LINC 3, and a combined LINC 4/5. www.settlementservicesymca.ca The Saint John Multicultural and Newcomers Resource Centre offers conversational classes in English and French for newcomers.
Check out maps of our beautiful region for a clearer picture.
Chinese Associations and Support
Some local groups or organizations you might find interesting include:
Korean Associations and Support
Saint John Korean Association:
Iranian Associations and Support
New Brunswick Multicultural Council Inc.
Latino Associations and Support
New Brunswick Latino Association HOLA Saint John (Hall of Latin America) is a Spanish forum which falls under the Saint John Board of Trade. Its purpose is to create an easier transition for Spanish-speaking newcomers into the community. The group serves as a link to the cultural sector to facilitate newcomers into the city, and it looks to develop business opportunities with Latin American countries. The group maintains a database of Spanish-speaking families in the area, organizes opportunities for Spanish-speakers who wish to mix with members of the English community to practice their English-speaking skills, runs a welcoming committee, and is currently working on building a small Spanish section in the Library. Each year the HOLA Saint John Fiesta is held in Saint John, New Brunswick. New Brunswick Multicultural Council Inc. |
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