Fredericton, New Brunswick: A safe, affordable, and thriving multicultural city for Canada’s newcomers

Take a moment to imagine the freedom of living in a city that matches your pace instead of setting it.

Fredericton, the charming capital of the province of New Brunswick in Atlantic Canada promises the right balance of economic opportunity and exceptional lifestyle. This small city offers all the essentials while being only a short distance from various trails and waterways. Within the larger Capital Region, residents enjoy the opportunity to be city-adjacent with a scenic morning commute and closer proximity to the outdoors.

Learn more about living, working or studying in Fredericton

Fredericton’s decades-long focus on digital infrastructure and the knowledge economy has led to its recognition as the Startup Capital of Canada, an innovation district, and one of the world’s Smart 7 communities.

With an impressive 155% increase in job vacancies during the last five years and the lowest unemployment rate among urban centres in Atlantic Canada[1], Fredericton offers countless employment opportunities to the skilled newcomers and immigrants that make it their home.

The most prosperous sectors include the IT cluster with the largest number of IT firms in Atlantic Canada, the engineering cluster with over 40 employers, and the research and development cluster with over 5 million CAD invested in research in the last 5 years[2]. Fredericton’s more traditional sectors also promise lucrative opportunity, including healthcare, hospitality and food, finance and administration, skilled trades, retail and services[3].

With remote work opportunities comes the unique option to explore some of New Brunswick’s smaller towns while staying close to a city centre and all its amenities. Set down roots anywhere within the Capital Region and have easy access to one of many trails set up for snowmobiling, ATVing, hiking, and more. You can also have access to lakes, rivers, waterfalls, and other water systems, all within range of your home office, or a short drive from the city.

The Fredericton region has seen unprecedented population growth and business investment during the last five years, resulting in more infrastructure development, increased economic activity, and a growing labour force populated by skilled immigrants.

Fredericton is thus busier, more prosperous, and more exciting than perhaps ever in its more than two-century history. Though it may sound intense, the City’s pace is calm and steady: no frantic big-city rush. Here, you are not expected to compromise living over livelihood. Fredericton has been named among Canada’s best top ten small cities by bestcities.org, and has also been ranked the 2^nd best city to live and work in by Maclean’s[4]. These are just a couple accolades among the numerous other rankings and recognitions it has received over the years owing to its well-thought-out urban design, colonial architecture, rich art and cultural landscape, and sheer natural beauty. Not to mention its lower cost of living and warm-hearted people, quick to offer a smile.

The average cost of renting an apartment in Fredericton is almost 50% less than other larger urban centers in Canada. The cost of buying a house is less than half when compared with other major cities[5], which enables newcomers to hold onto their life’s savings and also enable them to afford quality living conditions. The city is well-connected with over 120 kms of multi-use trails perfect for walking, running, cycling or cross-country skiing. The Wolastoq (Saint John) river that winds majestically through the city is a water-lover’s playground, providing the perfect setting for boating, kayaking, paddle-boarding, fishing, and other similar activities.

There truly has never been a better time to come to Fredericton, and you will have lots of support getting here. Ignite, the region’s catalyst economic development agency, serves as a one-stop shop for all your support needs when you land in the Capital Region. Whether you are a skilled immigrant looking for workforce support, a newcomer looking for settlement information, a businessperson looking for training, or an international student looking for opportunities to integrate, the Ignite team is ready to help you. When it comes to helping newcomers find jobs in their fields of interest, all of Fredericton’s workforce development partners come together to organize job fairs, company spotlights, speed interviews, and other activities to bridge the gap between newcomers and employers.

Learn more about living, working or studying in Fredericton

Learn more about the benefits of living in Fredericton

Learn more about living in Fredericton by visiting immigrationfredericton.com. To read some inspiring stories of newcomers that made Fredericton their home, download Immigration Fredericton’s newcomer guide.

To stay up-to-date with Fredericton’s active business and immigration network, please follow Ignite’s social media channels:

Facebook: @MyIgniteNB
Twitter: @MyIgniteNB
LinkedIn: My Ignite

Check out www.ignitefredericton.com and sign up for the newsletter here to keep up-to-date with the latest information.

[1] “An economic and demographic review of the Fredericton Region” prepared by Jupia Consultants, February 2022

[2] Statistics Canada Business Counts, June 2021

[3] Hiring demand Bulletin, Central New Brunswick, September 2022, nbjobs.ca

[4] https://www.macleans.ca/canadas-best-communities-in-2021-full-ranking/

[5] Year to date average for Fredericton sales by the The New Brunswick Real Estate Board