Tag Archives: moving

Welcome to the inaugural post in our Moving To Moncton Series, highlighting why Moncton is such a fantastic place to live!  I consider myself to be a bit of an expert on the topic as I personally made the move from the Greater Toronto Area 4 years ago and am enjoying the benefits of life in Moncton to the fullest!

One of the most significant lifestyle changes that my family experienced when moving to Moncton was the traffic- or lack thereof which is the today’s topic.  In fact, I knew that I had adapted to our new city when I  caught myself complaining about being stuck for two entire minutes at an on-ramp.  It’s all about perspective.  In my previous life, I always allowed myself an hour to 90 minutes to get anywhere… in Moncton, 15 minutes to cross the city is ample.

The reality is, long commutes & hours spent idling in traffic are not only inconvenient, they are extremely bad for your health!  Stress & anxiety, air quality and strained relationships are all terrible side-effects of long commutes and overcrowded highways.

Last year, City News published “Toronto traffic affecting driver health: stress expert” .  In the article, City News interviewed Dr. Mel Borings:

“Some people when they walk into a car, it’s like they’re in a combat zone. They feel like they’re at war; they have to speed, and conflict and anger — that is the life of some people in a car,” Dr. Borins said.

Although my GTA was 40 mins from my office, I would spend 90 minutes making my way in and another 90 making my way out. That’s 3 hours a day- gone.  Once we had kids, I simply did not have 3 hours a day to sit in the car and, as a result, made a major life decision to move to Moncton.  My commute is currently 7 minutes.

Coastal Shediac, NB is an easy 21 minute commute to Moncton.

The relative absence of traffic allows Greater Monctonians more freedom and choice in their lifestyle.  For example, cottage country in Shediac, NB is only 21 mins away.  Many Monctonians move to their cottages for the summer (or even year round) as 21 mins is an easy commute by most cities’ standards.

Thinking of moving to Moncton? Have you recently moved back?  Share your story with us and let us know how much time you’ve gained in your life.

People who know me know that I like to jump into things with both feet.

So, when we decided to expand Martell Home Builders into a new market – I literally moved into the market. After many, many years of living in Moncton I’m now living in Saint John. I know you are wondering: of course I built my own house!

It only took 93 days.

One big reason the Martell Experience has worked so well in Moncton that I know the community, the people and the neighbourhoods. We want to bring that same level of service to the Saint Johns’ market. I think it will be easier to do when I wake up here in the morning. This is about getting to know and truly understand the surrounding communities and the city of Saint John. (Moncton friends and family, rest assured I’ll be around often – I’m only here for three quarters of the week.)

I’m already getting to know my new community – only about ten lots away from the Saint John river the neighbourhood is very beautiful . The community, Quispamsis, is amazing. And my neighbourhood Deer Haven has already lived up to its’ name: I’ve already seen the deer it’s named after four times!

Here is a picture of the new house; but please don’t let pictures be the only way you see my place – just invite yourself over! I’d be happy to give you a tour. Just send a quick note on our contact section and we will set it up:

Have you recently made the decision to move to New Brunswick or are you perhaps in the early stages of relocating? There are so many resources to check out online to help you make a smooth transition to this magnificent province.

Where to Live
If you have the choice, the first question you might ask is where to live. The three largest cities in New Brunswick are Moncton, Saint John and the provincial capital of Fredericton. Almost half of New Brunswick’s population lives within the metropolitan areas of these three cities. Smaller cities include Miramichi, Bathurst, Campbellton, Edmundston and Dieppe. Throughout the province you will also find many attractive towns and villages, each offering a range of attractions to visitors and residents alike. New Brunswick is Canada’s only officially bilingual province, with about 33% of its population French speaking, and today boasts a varied and increasingly multicultural population.

Buying a Home
Real estate in New Brunswick is amongst the cheapest in Canada. According to the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), the average price of an existing home in New Brunswick was $142,009 in January 2009. Should your move to the province include a search for a home, a few good places to start are the CREA’s online Multiple Listing Service (MLS), the New Brunswick Home Builders’ Association as well as the Manufactured Housing Association of Atlantic Canada.

Things to Do
A great resource for visitors as well as those making a permanent move is the official tourism site of New Brunswick. The site is brimming with information on the province such as maps and regions, festivals, culture, shopping, theatre, markets, museums, heritage sites, provincial parks, family activities and so much more. The site includes New Brunswick’s “Top 10 Attractions” as chosen by a panel of independent travel experts. The province is branded “Maritime Magnifique” for its many extraordinary qualities and the site proudly displays New Brunswick’s recent awards.

Living in NB
The official government website of New Brunswick includes essential resources for both residents and visitors. Service New Brunswick is the provincial government’s chief provider of front-line services to the public and includes information you will require once you have made the move to the province. Another great resource providing a wealth of information on the province as well as its regions and communities is www.new-brunswick.net.

Running a Business
Business New Brunswick, The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and the Enterprise Network are all essential resources if you are relocating or starting a business in New Brunswick once you arrive. If you run a small business, you should also make note of the Atlantic Association of Community Business Development Corporations (CBDCs). If you are a woman business owner, the Women in Business website offers useful information on business resources, training, networking opportunities and access to funding.

Schools
Do you have children? Information on schools and districts as well as post secondary education is readily available online.

Employment
Will you be looking for a job once you arrive in New Brunswick? Check out these handy job finding resources.

Immigrating
If you are immigrating to New Brunswick, the Population Growth Secretariat, is a great place to determine what you’ll need to get started.

News
If you want to catch up on provincial, regional and local news, check out CanadaEast, a collection of news sources from across the province.

Which events, activities or useful resources would you pass on to a new resident of New Brunswick?