Settling in a small Canadian community can offer a sense of warmth, connection, and simplicity that is easy to overlook when thinking about where to build a new life. In this story, Bennie, a Canada InfoNet program participants, shares how starting out in a close-knit town provided comfort, support, and an easy pace of life as she and her family adjusted to a new country and how those early experiences shaped their sense of belonging in Canada.
A New Beginning
We moved to Canada in 2022 for practical reasons. We wanted a place with good public libraries, socialized healthcare, and a more economically supportive environment to raise a child. My husband’s family has been here for decades, so the idea of trying life in Canada came with encouragement and support. We settled first in St. Thomas because that’s where his sister and her husband owned a home, and living with family made the transition easier. It wasn’t a strategic choice at the time; we were just starting from where it felt safe and familiar.
Embracing the Community
In St. Thomas, the public library became my anchor to the community. Before I had our daughter here in Canada, I joined storytelling workshops and small group sessions there, and it was the kind of place where people actually talked to each other. St. Thomas has a warm, easy way of connecting: strangers chat at the salon, in line at the grocery store, or while walking down the street. I also joined a local Facebook group, St. Thomas Happenings, which helped me understand the rhythm of the community and what the locals cared about.
Earlier this year, we moved to London so we could have our own space to raise our daughter. The feel of this city is different: more diverse, more options, more movement. I found my day-to-day community through the EarlyON playgroup near our home, just a short walk away. I also joined a Filipino group made up of people from the same province I grew up in, where we speak the same language (Hiligaynon).
I tend to keep to myself, but these familiar spaces gave me grounding, as well as a sense that connection can be both simple and gradual.
My work has always been remote, and my role is with a marketing agency based in the United States. Because of that, my career hasn’t been dependent on the local job market. What the smaller community has influenced is the pace of my life. There’s stability in the surroundings. My husband’s commute remained easy. Daily life felt less rushed. The calmness of the environment made it easier to balance work, parenting, and the slow unfolding of a new routine.
What I enjoy most now is how accessible everything is. In London, there are many opportunities to meet people and get involved if you want to, such as through playgroups, libraries, cultural communities, or neighborhood spaces.
You can choose how much to engage, and when. St. Thomas was warmer and more tightly knit; London is broader, more diverse, with far more options.
Conclusion
If someone were considering settling in a smaller community, I would say to start with the places that welcome everyone: libraries, playgroups, community centers, or even a local Facebook group. Observe first. Get a feel for the culture and spaces. Try one thing at a time. Let belonging happen slowly. It doesn’t need to be dramatic or fast.
Canada InfoNet supports pre-arrival participants on this journey — offering mentorship, career guidance and resources to help you explore opportunities and make informed decisions before arriving in Canada. Contact us to learn more about how we can support your journey.
