Karibu Thunder Bay: seven guides for newcomers are live

Every Kenyan who lands in Thunder Bay asks the same questions. Where do I get my SIN? How do I see a doctor? What do I wear when it’s −30? Where can I buy maize meal?

Until now, the answers were scattered across government sites, WhatsApp groups and whoever you happened to meet. So we put them in one place.

Seven guides, in the order you’ll need them

• Your first 30 days: SIN, Ontario health card, bank account, the Thunder Bay Multicultural Association, and a free library card.
• Your first 90 days: driving on your Kenyan licence, registering your children for school, getting on the list for a family doctor, the Canada child benefit, and building credit.
• Jobs and credentials: getting your qualifications recognised (including a section for nurses), free job help, and your rights at work.
• Housing and utilities: what a landlord can and can’t ask for, rent increases, setting up hydro and gas, and help with bills.
• Your first winter: how cold it really gets, wind chill, dressing in layers, walking on ice, and free winter fun.
• Finding community: student groups, places of worship, African community events and volunteering.
• Groceries and food: cooking Kenyan food here, halal meat, the farmers’ market, and food help if money is tight.

We’ve also added guides for Kenyan paperwork from Canada (e-passport, national ID, police clearance, dual citizenship) and a gentle guide for families on when someone dies far from home.

Every fact has a source

Each guide links to the official page it came from, whether that’s the Government of Canada, Ontario, the City, or the organisation that runs the service, and shows the date we last checked. Rules change, so always confirm on the linked page before you go or pay.

Help us fill the gaps

Some things only wakenya know: which shop stocks your favourite unga, which church has a Swahili service, where to find a good winter coat second-hand. If you know, tell us. We check every suggestion before it goes online.

And if a guide helped you, send it to someone who has just arrived. Asante!