Government & Community Services
Government service offices
The federal, provincial or territorial, and municipal levels of government all have service offices where you can get information and services in person.
Service Canada provides access to a variety of federal government programs and services at more than 600 points of service located across Canada. For a list of Service Canada Centres and the information and services they provide, go to www.servicecanada.gc.ca or call 1-800-622-6232. The address and telephone number of your local Service Canada Centre will also be in the Blue Pages.
Consumer information
The Office of Consumer Affairs provides information from the federal government to help consumers make well-informed decisions. Their website is www.ic.gc.ca/consumer. The Canadian Consumer Handbook is produced by federal, provincial and territorial governments.
It offers reliable information on a number of consumer topics such as online shopping, contracts, housing and home renovations, identity theft, collection agencies and much more.
Government information sources
Canada has three levels of government: federal, provincial (or territorial) and municipal.
The federal government and most provincial and territorial governments have websites with information specifically for newcomers. Many municipal governments also have websites with local information for newcomers.
Federal, provincial and territorial websites for newcomers
Immigration and settlement
Employment in Canada
Province/Territory Website
Alberta www.albertacanada.com/immigration
British Columbia www.welcomebc.ca
Manitoba www.immigratemanitoba.com
New Brunswick www.welcomenb.ca
Newfoundland and Labrador www.nlimmigration.ca
Northwest Territories www.gov.nt.ca
Nova Scotia www.novascotiaimmigration.com
Nunavut www.gov.nu.ca
Ontario www.ontarioimmigration.ca
Prince Edward Island www.gov.pe.ca/immigration
Quebec www.immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca
Saskatchewan www.saskimmigrationcanada.ca
Yukon www.immigration.gov.yk.ca
Government websites (general)
Service Canada offers access to a wide range of government programs and services.
Province/Territory Website
Alberta www.alberta.ca
British Columbia www.gov.bc.ca
Manitoba www.gov.mb.ca
New Brunswick www.gnb.ca
Newfoundland and Labrador www.gov.nl.ca
Northwest Territories www.gov.nt.ca
Nova Scotia www.gov.ns.ca
Nunavut www.gov.nu.ca
Ontario www.ontario.ca
Prince Edward Island www.gov.pe.ca
Quebec www.gouv.qc.ca
Saskatchewan www.gov.sk.ca
Yukon www.gov.yk.ca
Driving licences
To drive a car in Canada, you will need a driver’s licence. It is illegal to drive without a licence and the penalties for doing so are very high. In Canada, a driver’s licence is issued by provincial and territorial governments. You must get a licence from the province or territory in which you live. This licence will allow you to drive anywhere in Canada. You must have it with you whenever you are driving.
You can find more information on driver’s licence from the department that regulates cars and driving in your province or territory.
Provincial and territorial government departments that license cars and drivers:
Ministry of Transportation Ontario (MTO)
Telephone: 1-800-387-3445
Insurance Corporation of British Columbia
Telephone: 1-800-950-1498
Quebec Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec
Telephone: 1-800-361-7620
Service Alberta
www.servicealberta.gov.ab.ca/Drivers_MotorVehicles.cfm
Telephone: 310-0000 (toll-free anywhere in Alberta)
780-427-2711 (outside of Alberta)
Manitoba Public Insurance
Telephone: 1-800-665-2410
Service New Brunswick
Telephone: 1-888-762-8600
Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Government Services
Telephone: 1-877-636-6867
Northwest Territories Department of Transportation
Telephone: Look online for regional “Issuing Offices” telephone numbers
Service Nova Scotia
Telephone: 1-800-670-4357
Government of Nunavut
Telephone: 1-877-212-6438
Prince Edward Island Access PEI
Telephone: 902-368-5200 or call a local “Access PEI” office
Saskatchewan Government Insurance
Telephone: 1-800-667-9868
Yukon Department of Community Resources
Telephone: 1-800-661-0408
You can find more information on vehicle purchasing or renting on our Transport & Travel section.