Everyday Needs

Groceries

In Canada, there are only two national food retailers, Loblaw Company Limited (LCL) and Sobeys. Both companies have retail operations in all provinces and employ a number of retail “banners” to capture market share in different market segments.
The retail food industry in Canada includes traditional major and independent supermarket operators, as well as mass merchandisers, warehouse clubs, drugstores, limited assortment stores, discount stores, convenience stores and specialty stores. These retailers primarily focus on food but many of them now include drug stores on site and a growing number of general merchandise items such as clothing.
There are other independent grocery stores specializing in ethnic products catering to the ethnic communities such as Chinese, Korean and Persian.

Places of worship

In addition to the private practice of religion, Canadians show their religious faith in public life and in their daily activities, for example, by charitable work, working hard and performing tasks well. They also gather in churches, synagogues, mosques, temples and other places of worship.

Find Services for Everyday Needs

Pet services

There are lots of pet lovers in Canada.  You can find pet services such as grooming and veterinarian in most of the cities and towns.  In Ontario, there is an organization called Humane Society which goes beyond an animal shelter.

According to the Toronto Humane Society website, they provide shelter, care, training, veterinary support and a second chance to animals in need. Providing a full range of services to support guardians and their pets at all stages; training and behavioural support, temporary sheltering, accessible veterinary care and pet food support. Ensuring we are doing all we can to help animals get healthy, remain healthy and experience a better life together with their guardians. Strengthening the human-animal bond not just for our shelter animals but for all the animals in our community.

For more information, you can check out https://www.torontohumanesociety.com/.

Sports 

Playing sports is a good way to meet new people of all ages. In most cities and towns, there are organized leagues for all major sports. For each sport, there are generally leagues available at different skill levels, from beginner to advanced, and for different age groups (adults, teenagers and children). There are also sports centres where you can enjoy fitness classes, swim, work out at the gym and do many other sports-related activities.

Libraries

Public libraries are an excellent source of free information for newcomers. Most offer Internet access and a variety of resources on many different topics. Many libraries also have book and newspaper collections in a variety of world languages. Staff can help you find the information you need. Some libraries have settlement workers who offer a range of services specifically to assist newcomers. For a list of local libraries, look in the Blue Pages or search the Internet.

Television and radio

There are many private television and radio stations available in Canada, including channels aimed at immigrant communities who broadcast in many different languages. Canada also has a national, taxpayer-funded broadcaster, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)/Société Radio-Canada, whose services are available in English and French.

To watch television at home in Canada, you have three main options:

  • Use an antenna on top of your television. With this method, you will receive a small number of local channels for free. You need a “digital converter box” or a television with a “digital tuner” for the antenna to work.
  • Sign up for cable or satellite television by paying a monthly fee to a cable or satellite television provider. Different types of plans are available depending on how many channels you want and how much you want to pay. To learn about different plans or to purchase a plan, contact a cable or satellite television company (search the Internet for listings).
  • Watch television on your computer through the Internet. Many TV channels have free online video content (both live and recorded). It is also possible to buy and download television programs from online media stores.

To listen to the radio, you have two options:

  • Purchase a radio and tune into stations on the FM or AM frequencies.
  • Listen to live radio online. Many radio stations broadcast for free over the Internet.

Newspapers and magazines

There are several independent national newspapers in Canada and every main city has one or more local newspapers. Most newspapers have print and online versions. Local newspapers are an excellent way of learning about issues and events in your city or town.

You can buy newspapers at convenience stores and at many other locations, or you can pay to have them delivered to your home.

In major Canadian cities, there are also newspapers and bulletins produced by immigrant communities. They provide members of these communities with news and information that matter to them. You can usually find them at stores that serve these communities.

In Canada, there are periodical magazines that cover many different topics – from news and current affairs to sports and hobbies.

Although newspapers and magazines are widely  available, there are also specialized stores that have the best selection of national and international publications.