Why St. John’s?

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Home to a burgeoning tech sector

You will feel right at home in a city that has a tech startup scene that is bursting at the seams.

Facts & Figures

  • It’s a $1.6 billion industry in NL.
  • $48,000 is the average starting salary.
  • $71,800 is the average salary (7% higher than the Canadian average).
  • Over 165 companies in tech in NL.
  • 92% of these companies plan on expanding.
  • 75% of those companies plan to increase workforce and expand to other markets.
  • 6,500 + tech jobs in NL.

Learn so much more from technology industry association, techNL and econext, an association of businesses that accelerates clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador.

World-class adventures right in your backyard

Within a 15-minute drive in any direction, you will have access to some of the world’s best hiking trails.

Outdoor Adventure and Balanced Lifestyle

Offering a balanced quality of life in today’s hectic world, St. John’s is a safe, affordable, outdoor adventure hidden gem. Boasting some of the world’s most idyllic interlocking coastal trail systems, this unprecedented access to nature, combined with its safe and affordable lifestyle and strong sense of community are key factors positively impacting life in St. John’s – just ask anyone who lives here!

Unprecedented Access to Nature

In St. John’s, you can work on cutting edge innovations during the day and spend your evenings on the edge of the best coastal trails the world has on offer, all within 10 minutes. Whatever your passion and interests, St. John’s is an edgy, innovative and modern City, ripe with opportunity.

World Class Trails

Ranked in the past by National Geographic as the No. 1 coastal destination in the world, with its East Coast Trail as one of the 10 best adventure destinations in the world – there’s no question, St. John’s is a sanctuary for superior seaside hiking, mountain biking, trail running, exploring and more.

Adventures at Sea

As an island in the Atlantic Ocean, most of us have been born and raised by the water and want to share our passion with others. Several companies have perfected a Newfoundland ocean experience that is full of wonders and hidden treasures.

Iceberg Season

Discover the magic of 10,000 year old masterpieces flowing in the currents off our coast. Watching these magnificent icebergs glide through our waters is a must-see experience. Though showtimes are never guaranteed, April through June is typically when iceberg alley is in full swing, with the season often extending into early July.

A Place to be safe and part of a community

Be part of a kind community that looks out for one another, and that continues to thrive.

Safety

St. John’s is a safe city. Although there is some level of crime, residents and visitors feel a certain degree of safety when they are in St. John’s.  The City of St. John’s will receive up to $1.83 million through Public Safety Canada’s Building Safer Communities Fund over three years to help prevent crime and violence in the municipality.

Welcoming to All

St. John’s was ranked as Canada’s most accepting city in a CP/Ekos survey. We show more support to immigration and less support to populism than any other jurisdictions surveyed. More here.

Non-threatening Wildlife

St. John’s and Newfoundland and Labrador have a wide variety of marine and land-based wildlife. While sharks do occasionally enter our coastal waters, there are no recorded attacks on humans. There are also no poisonous or dangerous insects or snakes in the province. When highway-driving, it is important to keep a keen eye out for bears, moose and coyotes which may wander into traffic.

Immerse yourself in a vibrant culture

Newfoundlanders are well known for their pubs, fine dining, music, and cultural arts that will keep you busy.

This place is fun, whether you fancy Ryan’s Fancy, fancy dinners, or fanciful art.

  • St. John’s is not just a hub of culture for the province, but for eastern Canada. It is home to artists of all disciplines of both national and international fame. The Rooms Provincial Museum and Archives are the showcase for much of our culture.
  • Nightlife in St. John’s is difficult to surpass. Music from multiple genres, seven days a week can be enjoyed in the City’s downtown entertainment district.
  • St. John’s has 10+ art galleries, showcasing some of the best abstract, photographic, fine art, paintings and sculpture to be found anywhere.
  • St. John’s is a sports capital also. The Mary Brown’s Centre is home to the professional Newfoundland Growlers of the ECHL and the Newfoundland Rogues of The Basketball League (TBL).

St. John’s also has a diverse selection of restaurants and cafes. From traditional Newfoundland food to Korean, Japanese, Indian and Afghan, St. John’s has it all.

A city not too big, but not too small

With 224,000 people spread throughout the region, St. John’s has all of the amenities you need – while still feeling like a small town.

  • With a population of approximately 224,000, Greater St. John’s is the 2nd largest metropolitan area in Atlantic Canada and the 20th largest in Canada. It is also home to over one third of all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
  • The compact nature of our city means that average commuting times for work are approximately 15 minutes, which is one of the lowest times in Canada.
  • If driving isn’t your thing, Metrobus provides public transit to the city and some adjacent communities. Greater St. John’s is also home to the Grand Concourse, a network of 125+ kms of walkways, trails, linkages and connecting sidewalk routes throughout the region.

An affordable place to live, work and play

St. John’s ranks in the top ten in Canada on affordability measures, and curates a healthy work-live balance. An affordable, safe and clean future awaits you – this beautiful place we call home is your reward!

Buyer’s Advantage

With some of Canada’s most affordable houses, you’ll soon collect the keys to your dream home for a lot less than many other cities nationally. St. John’s is among one of the most affordable capital cities in Canada. According to the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), in February 2023 the benchmark price for single-family homes in St. John’s home was $324,700 compared to the national average of $662,437. In Halifax: $537,768. In Toronto: $1,095,617. Compare house prices in various cities using the Canadian Real Estate Association National Price Map tool.

Rental Costs

Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in St. John’s is $1,038/month, excluding utilities, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s October 2022 Rental Market Survey.

Inflation

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measure of the various retail prices of a shopping basket of approximately 300 goods and services including food, housing, transportation, clothing and recreation. The change in a price index such as the CPI is a measure of inflation. Increases in the CPI are often referred to as increases in the cost of living. In 2022, the CPI for St. John’s increased by 5.9% over the previous year. Nationally, CPI increased 6.8%. For further information on the CPI, refer to the Statistics Canada website.

Resources to help with your move

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Offering a balanced quality of life in today’s hectic world, St. John’s is a safe, affordable, outdoor adventure hidden gem. Settling into life in a new city can sometimes be challenging, but there are many services and resources available to help ease the transition.

Temporary Office Space / Co-Working Spaces
Looking for co-working/temporary office space while in St. John’s? Genesis Coworking space offers several membership offerings. Prefer the buzz of caffeine and working in a stimulating environment around other people check out a local cafe or connect to free public wifi in Victoria Park and Bannerman Park.

If you’ve outgrown your start-up workspace, consider shared office space at No Picnik in downtown St. John’s at 235 Water Street. 

You can use the following commercial real estate listing websites to search for commercial rentals and office space.

Transportation
Metrobus is the public bus system operating throughout St. John’s, Mount Pearl and Paradise. The fare is $2.50 per ride.

St. John’s has several taxi companies operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Taxi meter rates start at $3.75. There are a number of car rental agencies including at St. John’s International Airport. It is wise to book in advance particularly in the summer season when rental vehicles are in high demand.

Into a more active form of transportation, St. John’s boasts some of the world’s most idyllic interlocking coastal trail systems for pedestrians and cyclists. The Grand Concourse offers 125 kms of trails and runs throughout the inner city and region. With approximately 33 km of the East Coast Trail wilderness trail located within city boundaries, life in St. John’s is a life on the edge!

Visit Bicycle NL for resources and trail maps for cyclists.

Childcare
From child care to quality public and private schools, and award-winning post-secondary institutes, St. John’s offers a variety of educational options.

Visit Education and Early Childhood and check out the Early Learning and Childcare Directory for a listing of child care centres, family child care providers, and family resource centres in St. John’s. There is one French daycare centre in St. John’s, the Centre de la Petite Enfance et Famille des Grands Vents.

Newfoundland and Labrador offers a Child Care Services Subsidy Program to eligible income tested families including a new $25-a-day daycare. In order to qualify for the program, your child(ren) must be enrolled in a licensed daycare facility.

Grade Schools (K-12)
Newfoundland & Labrador English School District – The English School District (ESD) operates the English public school system in the St. John’s region. The ESD also offers classroom French and a full French immersion program to assist students in becoming fluent in a second language. An International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, an internationally recognized university preparation program, is offered by the ESD at Holy Heart of Mary High.

Ecole des Grands-Vents – Ecole des Grands-Vents in St. John’s is part of the province-wide Francophone public school district, Conseil Scolaire Francophone.

St. Bonaventure’s College – An Independent Roman Catholic School in the Jesuit tradition dedicated to educational excellence in a Christian environment.

Lakecrest Independent School – Lakecrest is an independent school offering an enriched international calibre education.

Recreation
St. John’s boasts an abundance of interesting and exhilarating activities. Whether it’s a walk along the Grand Concourse or East Coast Trail, or participating in your favourite team sport, you will find everything you are looking for in the St. John’s metro region. From golf courses located right in the heart of the city, to swimming, tennis and hockey it’s all here for you to enjoy.

For complete information on parks and the recreation programs offered by the City of St. John’s, refer to the Recreation and Parks section of www.stjohns.ca.

Consider joining organizations in support of the regions outdoor adventure growth and development. Some local organizations include: Mountain Bike St. John’sUltimate Frisbee NLSandboxGamingNLThree Pond Barrens709 Roller DerbyNL Runners.

Healthcare & Health Insurance
Provincial Medical Care Plan (MCP) – The province of Newfoundland and Labrador has a medical care plan designed to cover the cost of physician services for residents. Visit the Medical Care Plan website for information on applying. If accepted for coverage, you will receive a MCP card with a personal health identity number. Prescription drugs are not covered under MCP. For further information regarding health care in the province please visit the Department of Health and Community Services website. If you’re moving here on a temporary basis, we recommend checking directly with a travel insurance provider to discuss your needs and identify any pre-existing conditions to ensure you get the insurance coverage you need.

Walk-in Medical Clinics – There is a walk-in medical clinic, Blackmarsh Family Care Clinic, located at 260 Blackmarsh Road (in the Dominion supermarket building) where no appointments are required. Phone: 709-576-6555.

Local Hospitals – All hospitals and certified medical services in the St. John’s metro area are operated under the authority of Eastern Health. The two main hospitals for adults in St. John’s are the Health Sciences Center, Prince Philip Drive and St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital, Lemarchant Road. The Janeway Children’s Hospital is the provinces only children’s hospital and is attached to the Health Sciences complex. If you have a medical emergency, you should go to the emergency department of a hospital. If you require an ambulance telephone 911.

Health Help Line (non-emergency) – If you need advice on a medical issue, call the Newfoundland and Labrador Health Line at 811 or 1-888-709-2929 or visit their website. A registered nurse provides callers with health advice and information 24 hours per day, seven days a week. All calls are confidential and free of charge. Service is available in English and French.

Telecom and Utility Providers
Bell AliantEastlink, and Rogers all provide landline/mobile telephone and internet services for residential or business purposes. Xplornet is the other Internet provider in St. John’s. Depending on the company you choose and package purchased, speeds of up to 1 Gig symmetrical (1 Gig upload, 1 Gig download) are available. Other cell phone providers include: Telus. Fido, Virgin mobile, koodo.

Electricity is provided by Newfoundland Power at a rate of $12.346 cents per kilowatt hour (as of July 1, 2022).

Moving FAQ

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Is there an application to complete / Do I need a Visa?

If coming to St. John’s from outside Canada, please refer to Immigration and Citizenship for any visas or work permits that must be completed.

How do I get there?

If driving from mainland Canada, Marine Atlantic offers regular passenger services from North Sydney, NS to Port aux Basque, NL year round and seasonal services to Argentia, NL.

If flying, Air Canada, Westjet and PAL Airlines offer daily and weekly services to St. John’s International (YYT) from a number of Canadian cities. Porter Airlines offer seasonal services to St. John’s.

Where should I live?

The City of St. John’s has developed  Neighbourhood Profiles which can help you search the city by interest to help you decide which neighbourhood is right for you or your family.

How do I find a place to live?

There are a number of rental agencies in St. John’s such as: Krown Property Management; Metro Property Management; Oakford Realty; and Saltwater Property Management.

Contact Us

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