Thunder Bay newcomer guide
For students and new arrivals · updated 2026-08-04
The first fortnight is the confusing part: half a dozen things to apply for, each one apparently blocked by another (the account wants an address, the lease wants credit, the credit wants an account). This page puts them in the order that actually works — week one → month one → once you're settled. Every price and rule carries the date it was true; if something here has gone stale, say so on the forum.
Week one: get the cards
These five have a dependency order — do the SIN and the phone number first, everything later needs them.
SIN (Social Insurance Number)
Free, and you need it to work, open an account and file taxes. Apply in person at a Service Canada office or online, with your passport and study/work permit — the number is issued on the spot. Don't hand your SIN around: give it only to an employer you have actually joined, a bank, or the government.
A phone plan
Coverage from all three national carriers (Bell/Rogers/Telus) is solid in Thunder Bay. On a tight budget, look at their sub-brands — Koodo, Fido, Virgin, Public Mobile — which are meaningfully cheaper per month. An eSIM or a prepaid card will carry you through the first days while you compare.
A bank account
All five big banks (RBC/TD/Scotiabank/BMO/CIBC) have branches in town, and all of them run newcomer or student offers. Bring your passport and permit, and book an appointment if you can. Once the account is open, get a credit card and start building a credit history — renting and borrowing in Canada both run on it.
Transit (Thunder Bay Transit)
Adult cash fare $3.25, adult monthly pass $92.65, youth (13–24) monthly pass $63.90, single-rider day pass $9.60 (fares effective 1 April 2026). You load them onto a Lift Pass card ($5 for the card itself), online or at retailers around the city. Without a car, the monthly pass is close to a necessity in your first month.
Somewhere to land
Take a short lease first and look properly afterwards. The rent-levels page shows what the market is actually asking; lakebbs' housing board and listings map carry local posts and prices by location (both in Chinese). If you are not in the country yet, members offer a view-it-for-you service — someone visits the unit, photographs it and calls you in.
Month one: coverage and ID
Not urgent, but don't let them slide — they all run on queues and appointments.
Health coverage
Work-permit holders in full-time employment are generally eligible for OHIP (Ontario's public plan) — apply for a health card at ServiceOntario. International students are usually not covered by OHIP and go through the school's student health plan instead, which you are enrolled in automatically at registration. ServiceOntario's published eligibility rules govern.
A driver's licence
Ontario has no reciprocal agreement with China, so you start from the written test (G1). But a notarised record of your driving experience abroad, taken to DriveTest, credits you against the waiting periods — with enough years behind you, you can book the G2 or even the full G road test directly. Ice is normal here all winter: fit winter tires and leave far more braking distance than you think you need.
Ontario Photo Card
Worth getting if you don't drive: an official ServiceOntario photo ID, so proving your age or identity doesn't mean carrying your passport everywhere.
Once you're settled
Quality of life, and the longer game.
Health care and emergency numbers
911 for emergencies; Health811 (dial 811) for non-urgent health questions, answered by registered nurses; 211 for community services. There is a waiting list for a family doctor — until you have one, use walk-in clinics and pharmacies (pharmacists administer many vaccines here).
Taxes
File last year's return by 30 April. Students and low-income filers usually get money back — the GST/HST credit and similar benefits — but only if you file. For your first year, free software such as Wealthsimple Tax works, or use the community free tax clinics (CVITP).
Winter gear
Winter here is serious: January averages around −15°C and can feel like −30°C. A long down parka, snow boots, gloves and a hat are not optional; Winners, Mark's and end-of-season outdoor brands in town will kit you out. If you have a car, note that a block heater (engine pre-heater) is standard equipment in this city.
Finding your feet locally
lakebbs runs in Chinese, and that is where the local knowledge is: the what's-new board for events and new openings, the classifieds for cheap furniture and appliances, and the jobs and immigration board for work. If permanent residence is the goal, start with the Thunder Bay RCIP guide, which is available in English.
Questions
How cold does Thunder Bay actually get?
January averages about −15°C, and a cold snap can feel like −30°C or below; snow runs from November into March. With the right gear (long down parka, snow boots, windproof gloves) daily life is fine — locals go to work and school through all of it. What wears on people is the darkness and the length of the season, more than the temperature.
Can you live in Thunder Bay without a car?
In town, yes: the bus network reaches the main shopping areas, both post-secondary campuses and the hospital, and an adult monthly pass is $92.65. But service is thinner than in a big city and waiting for a bus in winter is hard, so many people ride transit the first year and buy a car the second. The lakebbs cars board carries local used-car posts (in Chinese).
Do international students get OHIP?
Generally no. International students in Ontario fall outside OHIP; both Lakehead University and Confederation College enrol their international students in a student health plan, and the premium is usually already on your tuition invoice. Find out how your plan reimburses before you need to see anyone.
What does an hourly job pay?
Ontario's general minimum wage is currently CAD 17.60 (1 October 2025 to 30 September 2026, then it rises to the next step). Anything below that is illegal. The rules on how many hours students may work during term have changed more than once recently — check the conditions on your own study permit before you start a job.
How do you get from Thunder Bay to Toronto?
By air, mostly: Porter and Air Canada both fly direct daily, about 2 hours. Overland there is the Ontario Northland bus, or driving (roughly 1,400 km and 15+ hours) — which realistically only makes sense when you are moving your belongings.
Which parts of lakebbs should I open first?
In order: the housing board for a place to live (/thunderbay/realEstate), the jobs and immigration boards for income and status (/thunderbay/work, /en/thunderbay/rcip), the classifieds to furnish the place (/thunderbay/secondHand), and the what's-new board to get a feel for the city (/thunderbay/freshNews). Everything but the RCIP guide is in Chinese.
Compiled by the lakebbs editorial team. Transit fares come from the City of Thunder Bay's schedule effective 1 April 2026. Anything to do with government process here is navigation only — when you file, Service Canada, ServiceOntario and the other official pages govern.
Published 2026-08-04 · updated 2026-08-04 · lakebbs editorial