You may have decided to move to PEI because of the scenery. Perhaps you have moved to Prince Edward Island for the peace and quiet. Perhaps you moved to PEI for a job opportunity. Regardless of the reasons, Prince Edward has a lot to offer.
I know that moving can be stressful. I have moved 9 times, lived in 6 municipalities in three provinces. That is not a lot of moves by today’s standards but it does give me the opportunity to claim some experience.
Fortunately, there is a lot of help available to those who choose to move here. Let’s start with the Government Website. There is a section for residents.
Medical
The first section is on medical services. The first link in that group is called Medicare where you will find out how to get a health card and the waiting list for family physicians. Yes, we have a shortage of doctors here also.
Schools
Then there is a section on schools, including information on financial programs. In the wintertime, we can get several bus delays, late openings, or snow days. Most radio stations will announce these in the morning or you can check online. Here is one of my favourite storm watch pages. If you check this page during a snowstorm, you will see several announcements.
Basic Needs
Section 3 is on basic needs. It includes social programs and housing. The link to rental agreements is broken at the moment so I have included it here. Prince Edward Island is known to have several verbal leases. I inquired about this and found out they are perfectly legal. They function the same way as month to month leases with the usual 30-day notice to terminate. However, you may run into minor issues if you require a copy of your lease for tax purposes – just ask the landlord for a letter stating verbal lease agreement.
Motor Vehicles
Section 4 deals with transportation: how to get your driver’s licence,vehicle registration, etc. If you do not have a vehicle, you can take the bus, but is seems the government website has forgotten to tell us about public transit – see below
Environment
The last section has a clump of information labelled environment. Don’t be fooled! There is considerable useful information here. Ooops, another broken link for waste management. Sorting your garbage can be tricky if you are not used to composting (organics) and extensive recycling. You will find a very good interactive guide. Electronics and batteries, for example have to be recycled responsibly at designated centres. Check out the address locator. Once you know where you will be living, you can find out your garbage collection day, including fall cleanup and Christmas Trees. It will also tell you your Fire and Police District, your member of parliament and riding, school district and much more.
Local Transportation
So you do not have a car. The city of Charlottetown has had municipal bus service for a few years. You can find the full schedule on the internet, including an interactive Google map version for the main line. The web site also has links for bus routes to the neighbouring communities of Stratford and Cornwall. There is also a shuttle that runs morning and night between Charlottetown and Summerside with stops in Hunter River and Kensington.
Then there is a special section just on Moving to PEI. It is hard to find but I found it after writing all the above. Waste not what si already there, but please visit the official moving site 🙂 it features the following topics:
- All about PEI+
- Banks and Credit Unions+
- Building on PEI+
- Buying Land on PEI+
- Child Care Facilities
- Churches+
- Currency and Banks
- Driving on PEI+
- Emergency+
- Employment+
- Health Care Services
- Libraries
- Public Schools+
- Real Estate+
- Reference+
- Rental Housing+
- Transportation+
Call it the cart before the horse, a catch 22 or a vicious circle, it all works out the same. You can’t get a driver’s licence or bank account without an address. It is hard to register for a job without an address. You cannot buy a car or insure it without a driver’s licence or address. You probably cannot rent somewhere to get an address without proof of employment and a bank account for reference. So if you move to PEI without a car and are looking for a job, things might be complicated for the first few weeks. Be patient; things will eventually work out. If you have a car and are planning to dispose of it, consider doing so on the Island so you have a car for the first few critical days while house and job hunting. It is impossible to cover alll the possible permutations here – A man who has been warned is worth two – Literal translation of a French Proverb.
There are plenty of other forms of help for people moving to PEI:
- The PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada has several resources; many of those are also applicable to moving from another province.
- The Islanders by Choice Alliance has a website a Facebook page, and a blog.
- The PEI Government has its own “job bank” where you can search for public sector and private sector jobs.
- The city of Summerside has just launched a site for skills matching
- The Confederation Bridge has a useful website that includes Rates and current conditions.
- The Regulatory and Appeals Commission (IRAC) regulates fuel and oil prices. These are usually modified on the 1st and the 15th of the month.
I hope my list of references is useful. I have probably forgotten a dozen or more resources for newcomers or existing residents. If you have suggestions, please let me know and I will include in an update. I am hoping to keep this page up to date for a permanent reference.
Cheers – Granny – ~00~
Lots of great information. Thank you for sharing! 🙂
Thanks Yvonne; I hope to keep this information current by re-posting periodically with more information. If my dream of RVing across Canada ever comes true, I will certainly review http://projectzoom.ca/ for some hints and tips.
Cynthia ~oo~
So glad to come along with a site that offers much specifics of any common subject just like that which you are covering. Appreciate posting, keep up the nice work!
Hello, my name is Brigitte Fuller and My husbands name is Andrew. We fulfilled our dream of moving to pei about 1 year and a half ago. We started working with an agent Trevor Murray who works for Exit reality in PEI, his phone number is 902.394.4037, and he has brought us through two house purchases and worked without tire to help us succedd. We started with a small cash purchase of a mini home close to the city of charlottetown, brace your self we payed a whopping 11,000 dollars for our home, we have worked hard to bring it up to what we were used to in ontario and we have done so by using local tradesman and doing some work ourselves. Trevor helped us find our dream home only about 25 minutes to where we work in charlottetown. It is a beautiful 2. and some acres near a place called Calodenia, brace yourself again, for a whopping 45,000 dollars. Trevor worked with us for almost a year and I must say he is the most patient, wonderful realtor. There is something to be said when you move from a place to a new place where you do not know anyone. Trevor helped with everything like advice on where to shop, look for jobs and to just get our feet on the ground. He has been a great friend and above all a wonderful realtor. We also used our existing bank of scotia for our financing so if you are going to move make sure that you have some contacts. We also had the the love and attention of some fantastic co workers. There are many job opportunities out here, depending on what you want. You can make this move and be happy. I would if you could sell your house and maybe move and did what we did, it allowed us to bring just ourselves, we sold everything in ontario, we came with our car, our dog and cat (all in a three day snow storm drive in a little corolla,, and most of our stuff mailed through canada post, and the most important items left behind with loving parents who happen to own a storage business. We slept on an air matteress for two weeks before being able to get the house furnished and with all the second hand stores and such here, it did not take long to accomplish and restore myhome with my ecclectric homey style. My husband immedaitly found work in the health care field and has three jobs, one with the government, and he works at Hillsbourgh Hospital, I work at a private health care faciiltiy which I love and enjoy full time.
We were and still are refreshed at the ocean scenery, the island culture and the loving and accepting ways of the islanders.
We love to go to the market and buy our grocerys we have a local butcher called Bluefields and they sell organic beef. The wages are comparable here and most companies are happy to hire you because they know that we people from Ontario will work till we drop. It took me a long time to learn to relax, as you can well imagine the pace here which I was used to is not the pace which they function with down here. Some can even spot us as we do come across as a little tightly wound, at least I did, still working on it.
This has been the most wonderful experience for us and there are many of “US” from other provinces, the island is also rich in culture with wonderful people from phillipines and India.
In addition my best advice is to make contact with Trevor and talk with him about opportunity, he is knowledgeable and knows the island as he grew up here. It is funny to see when he went out with my husgand and I that he was greeted by most of the patrons with a hey how’s it going Trevor, he is well known and respected by anyone you talk too.
Thanks for sharing your story Brigtte. I always like to hear about how people have succeeded in “transforming” their way into PEI. life here is a matter of shifting the decimal point 1 or sometimes 2 places. To the left once for house prices and twice for population. I shift it to the right one or two places for quality of life, peacefulness, cleanliness, etc.
Guy
I am RN working in the LTC would like to move to PEI to be able relax with my family. Any chances
thanks
When I moved to PEI, I was trying to find work here. However, in the government system, it is hard to come in from away. My solution was to “move” my position here – sort-of teleworking. However, that approach may nt work for nursing. Contact the health department and see.
I am thinking of moving from PA, USA to PEI. I am a 67 year old retired pastoral counselor seeking peace, quiet and a simple lifestyle. What would transition be like for me?
Hi Barb; thanks for visiting
I am not sure how much different it might be coming from the USA. Once thing for sure, you would find our climate much more temperate. 80 degrees here is a hot summer day. I would say health care would be your biggest change. I don’t know how long it would take to get registered in the system; also the wait time for family doctors is still quite long. We have lists but they seem to move slowly.
The price of gas is regulated so you are protected from price fixing but our current prices are 1.19 per litre which works out to over $4.50 per gallon.
The other big difference you will find is the income tax rate. We pay a lot more income tax but we get our health care “sort of free”. See this web site for the federal and provincial tax rates
Our sales tax is being harmonized (federal and provincial combined) next year so you will pay 14% tax on most goods and services.
On the positive side, you get get a lot of house in PEI for $200,000. Depending on your current equity situation, this may be an attractive incentive.
I hope you decide to move to PEI. I have not regretted moving from the big city to this little piece of heaven.
Guy
I was looking at some websites about immigration and that might be the biggest hurdle.
I am so ready for a simpler lifestyle!
Thanks for the encouragement! Blessings!
Barb
Hi Barb, I have also made the decision to move to PEI,CA. I live in NY (southern tier). By the date of your post, I hope you are well on your way.
Wendi
camp7chris@aol.com
Hello Guy,
I was browsing on the website to migrate to PEI, but dont know how.
We live in the U.S and relocating to another country is something we are very much interested in.
My husband is cop and i am an LPN ( lisenced Practical Nurse), do you think there is a job opportunity for us? Also what do we have to do achieve this goal.
Your advise is needed, pls point to the right direction,
Thank you,
Patricia
Hi Patricia
I’m glad to see your search fro moving to Canada brought you to a site in PEI. We have a beautiful province and I love it dearly.
As elsewhere in Canada, Doctors and Nurses are in short supply. Moving from one province to another is certainly less complicated than coming from the US. However, there are plenty of places to get help. The department of Immigration has a good website. It has a section on the application process for professionals. have alook at
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/index.asp
I wish you luck in your endeavours.
Guy
Thanks so much for your blog. My husband and I are moving to PEI as soon as our house sells in sask. We will be setting up my acupuncture and laser wellness clinic and a little organic farm just outside of Cardigan. We are so excited to move but at the same time we are middle aged and hope it is not too hard to meet others. I see the islanders by choice group has dissolved. Are there any other suggestions for groups to join?
Hi Ingrid.
Yes the IBC has dissolved. However, several of us still keep contact on facebook. i do not have a facebook account (yet) but nmy wife Cindy does. Look up “scrapandwrap” on facebook or twitter . Let her know you are moving to PEI. She can put you in touch with a few other people who still communicate regularly. You can also follow my blog about pei. We are currently on holidays and I am posting about our experience with Hurricane Sandy relief in Staten Island. However, in a week or so I propose to resume writing about Prince Edward Island.
Good luck in your move from Saskatchewan.
Guy
I found your information helpful, but also not helpful at the same time. My husband and I discovered PEI for all it has to offer two years ago and have come back for a week or two every June to get a piece of our dream to move here. We want to move here and would without hesitation, however i am curious how people go about it without a job in place. I work in childcare and my husband for the bank, not positions I expect are in high demand on the island. Are there resources or assistance to help people move and get settled and find employment?. i know the island is striving to increase its population but i find little ways of assisting people in doing so. I’d rather move here and be a productive citizen instead of waiting till that day of retirement to venture out and find this dream a reality,.
Hi CIndy
Moving to PEI can be difficult. Finding full tiem work here can be even more difficult. It seems every time we turn around we hear about job cuts and not so much about new employment opportunities. In addition to the resources in the blog post, you can consult
:
Or you can do like we did and CREATE your own job in PEI by doing appropriate market research.
Happy Hunting
Guy
My husband and i and our two kids are seriously considering the move from ontario to PEI. My family is originally from PEI and we visit often. We will make enough profit from oir house to live for two years if need be but hopefully we will find work asap. Im a law clerk with many years of office.experience and the hubby works in security for the ontario government. His job is changing and not for the better. As of january 1st he starts working every weekend when the kids and i are home. No work life balance at all. This and my mom’s decision to retire in PEI is what is driving us to do this by end of summer before our daughter starts grade five. I guess i need to know the job market to be able to make this decision final.
You should really have a solid job offer before moving. The market here is slim. If you are looking for a government job, the “area of competition” may get in the way if you are not resident.
Good luck with your projects. We are currently on a road trip and connections will be sporadic until mid January….Guy
Funny, I have started my blog about moving here, I commented year ago the experience of using a Realtor, well almost four years later and that awesome Realtor we used, actually got me involved in Real-estate ! I have been licensed and working with people from away for almost a year, a full ten months and most of my clients have been from away! I used that great experience I had with Trevor and Passed that on to my clients from other provinces including Ontario, and Calgary. I think its great to say I made the move but how are we doing almost four years later. GREAT! and I think getting updates about how the move has worked for us may encourage others to take advantage of the great opportunities that we have taken advantage of.
Andrew has a Great Job at Hillsbourgh Hospital in Charlottetown and I am working for Century 21 in Charlottetown with also an office in Montague which is in the East End of the Island, I have done wonderful in Real estate thanks to a great team, and enjoy the experience of finding the right home for people. I never would have had the opportunities in Ontario that I did here, and I am so thankful to live in one of the most beautiful places in the world. It s affordable, and offers many opportunities for Canadians as well as from other Countries. It is starting to become very Multi Cultural which is awesome.
I am just following up with my prior posting to say that we are still happy and so content.
Hi Brigitte
It is always good to hear the success stories. I am glad you have been successful in establishing yourself on the Gentle Island. Although the last few snowstorms have us wondering how gentle Prince Edward Island really is.
Still, there is no place I would rather be.
Guy
Very helpful site, thank you.
My husband and I are listing our Ontario home with plans of living full time in PEI. We have a cottage in Souris that we will have insulated and prepped for year round living. Fortunately we’ll have a bit of a nest egg but given we are in our 50’s we’ll need to work even if part time to bring in a bit of income. Our concern is health care, my husband will be leaving a good job with benefits, we will need a health plan to help with current medications- we need help figuring that aspect out. We welcome the different lifestyle and long for summers filled with beach combing adventures!
Glad you found my posts helpful, Lisa.
I agree, when leaving employment “with benefits”, supplemental health insurance for prescriptions and such is important. Perhaps you will be fortunate to find employment with a company here that has such benefits. If you have any other questions relating to your move, feel free to contact me guyc@eastlink.ca
Hi, found this blog really helpful!… me and my wife with 2 kids under 5 are planning to move to PEI, canada through provincial nominee programme from UAE. Do you think it will be a smart move?… we dont know anyone there in canada… plus i’m an HR professional…. do you think there are opportunities for my profession?
Seeking advice.
Mohad
Prince Edward Island is a great place to raise children. Be sure to read the full details of the Provincial Nominee Programme. There are some conditions and sometimes refunds that are contingent on other events. As for employment, with a population of 150,000 and the highest unemployment rate in Canada, there could be some issues. I have a friend who has been trying to get established here for 2 years. She has found part time work (about 30 hours a week) and is hoping to become full time soon. Like anywhere else around the world, the baby boomer wave is nearing the end, and there are hundreds of people retiring every day. The big question is: will the employer downsize or fill the upcoming vacancies? Look up potential employers and make some contacts before you move.
Good luck with yoru relocation….Guy
Hi,
I am single from Bangalore, India. I am an IT professional for past 6 years. Looking for a calm place away from cities. I got suggestions from friend about relocating to CANADA. but I have some deliberations about relocating. E.g. if I can earn enough to settle down there. Probably there will be very less scope for IT.
Can somebody please suggest me whether should I think about relocating there or not. Or what is the IT scope there.
-Sukhjit
sorry for the late reply. I have been travelling and this post escaped my attention. Despite our small population (150,000), PEI has a fairly large IT sector. Because of lower overhead costs (e.g. office space), many call centres have chosen to locate here. The aerospace sector has a sizable operation in Summerside. As I suggest to all potential relocators, please find a job first.
Guy
HI, I am thinking about relocation my small family to the island, I will transfer my job to Charlotetown but it the winter months I’m worried about. Are there many part-time job oppertunities there for the winter months?
Hi Kenneth,
Unemployment is high in PEI, especially in the winter. The main industries of fishing, farming, and tourism are very seasonal. We also have many migrant workers who come to PEI just for the summer, returning elsewhere for the winter months. My suggestions to all who plan to relocate is to find a job first.
Guy
I have a job there , it’s full time in the summer but only two days a week in the winter. Just looking for something to fill the void.