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About 67,000 people call Norfolk home and it is growing as more people move here from overseas, from across Canada, and across Ontario. People are attracted by many things: small town living, lower housing costs, employment and business opportunities, a healthy quality of life, and an abundance of recreation options including Lake Erie on the doorstep.
For generations, newcomers have come to Norfolk. We’re also proud to be a second home to thousands of international agricultural workers who work hard on local farms every year. The workers come from Mexico, Jamaica, and other Caribbean or Central American countries. They contribute to the prosperity and the richness of daily life in Norfolk. The same is true for the international students and temporary foreign workers who come each year.
Norfolk has volunteers and grassroots organizations that are continuing the tradition of Norfolk County being a welcoming community. These include Norfolk Community in Action, Norfolk Refugee Committee, and Refugees of Hope. Together they collaborate as the Norfolk Newcomers Network.
See below for information for all newcomers about daily life in Norfolk.
Finding suitable and affordable housing is a challenge in all communities. The local government, community agencies, churches, and other groups may be able to help.Â
Haldimand and Norfolk Housing and Homeless Prevention Services
Has programs and services to help people looking for affordable rental housing and rent-geared-to-income housing, and for people who are or at risk of being homeless. Run by the health and social services department of the two local municipal governments.
Haldimand Norfolk Housing Corporation – Community Housing
Owns and maintains 330 housing units in Simcoe, Delhi, Port Dover, Port Rowan, and Waterford. The rental rates are based on a person’s or a family’s income, or meet the standards for affordable housing. Sometimes known as public housing. Part of Health and Social Services Haldimand Norfolk.Â
Address: 25 Kent Street North, Unit 2, Simcoe
Housing Support – Simcoe office of the Catholic Community Services
Can help you navigate the local rental market, understand tenant rights, and find safe, affordable housing options for you and your family.
Norfolk County covers a large geographic area. There are ways to get around if you don’t have a car. Ride Norfolk is the public transit system owned and operated the Norfolk County government. Bicycles are another option. Motor vehicles and bicycles can share the road, with drivers looking out for and making room for cyclists, and cyclists looking out for cars. For extra safety, cyclists should wear helmets and wear reflective clothing.
Ride Norfolk
This is the public transit system that serves all Norfolk communities. Ride Norfolk operates an on-demand, shared-ride service Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. Residents can book trips through a mobile app, the Ride Norfolk website, or by phone. Ride Norfolk also provides bus trips to Brantford and back Monday to Friday, with a set time schedule and route. A Ride Norfolk brochure that describes the service is available in English and Spanish.
Share the Road – Norfolk Pathways
Share the Road is a public information campaign that was launched to educate motorists and cyclists about road safety and to reduce accidents.
Cycling Skills
This is a free guide that can be downloaded and printed. It has a lot of information about cycling safety, the Ontario cycling rules, and the use of e-bikes.
Norfolk County Public Library
Libraries are information and community hubs. They are more than just books. They offer a wide range of free services to people of all ages. They work with the YMCA to offer programs in branches for newcomers. In Norfolk there is one library system with 5 branches: Simcoe, Delhi, Port Dover, Port Rowan, and Waterford.Â
All residents, including International Agricultural Workers, can get a library card. Services include:
EarlyON Centres are places where parents with young children can go in Norfolk County to give their babies and children a chance to play with other children. There are fun activities, story times, games, and sing-a-longs. Parents can also meet other parents to socialize and ask questions about parenting. Parents can also learn about resources and services in the local community.
Haldimand-Norfolk REACH operates EarlyOn Child and Family Centres across Norfolk in Delhi, Houghton, Langton, Port Rowan, Port Dover, Simcoe, and Waterford.
Child Cares
There are also dozens of child cares in Norfolk and surrounding areas, some operating as child care centres and others as private child cares in people’s homes. Many have before and after school programs. Some child cares are supported by government dollars to make them more affordable to parents. Many child cares have waiting lists and thus it might be hard to find a spot.
You can do a web search to look for Norfolk child cares.Â
Here are some additional places to look for child care services.
The YMCA of Hamilton Burlington Brant operates a number of child cares in Norfolk County. You can scroll through the list or search.
The online Community Information website for Brant, Haldimand, and Norfolk also lists some child cares.
The online Newcomers Gateway housed on the website of the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie also lists some Norfolk child cares.
There are 50+ places of worship within Norfolk County. Norfolk County has an online map that you can download that shows the location of these places of worship.
Places of worship for the Islamic, Sikh, and Hindu faiths are about a 30-minute drive away in Brantford, while places of worship for the Jewish and Buddhist faiths are about a 60-minute drive away in Hamilton.Â
There are dozens of grocery stores, farm markets, convenience stores, and specialty food stores of different sizes in Norfolk County.
More and more stores, including large grocery stores, are selling international food products, including ones sought after by newcomers, international agricultural workers, international students, and foreign workers. That includes Mexican and Caribbean groceries and ready-made meals. CanaMex Groceries at 8 Norfolk County Road 21 in Langton specializes in Mexican Groceries.Â
There are a number of stores selling Caribbean, West Indian, African, Middle Eastern, South Asian, Punjabi, and Asian groceries within a 30-minute drive in Brant County and Brantford.
More people are finding it difficult to put food on the table, especially with groceries costing more each day. Norfolk County has several food banks and faith-based organizations that help residents. Some churches provide hot meals to people in need.Â
Food BanksÂ
These rely on donations of food and money so they can provide food on an emergency basis to individuals and families. You usually have to show proof that you live in the community and proof that you have a low income. Food banks usually will only allow 1 visit a month. They are sometimes open only a few hours each week and rely on volunteers.
Food banks provide food to newcomers, refugees, and international students, but usually not to international agricultural workers.
Norfolk food banks include: Simcoe Sharing Cupboard, Waterford & District Food Cupboard, Delhi Sharing Pantry, Lifeline Food Bank in Port Dover, Mission Food Bank in Port Rowan, Salvation Army in Simcoe, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
Riversyde 83 FoodHub
Riversyde 83 is a faith-based organization that runs a community food hub in downtown Simcoe at 83 Sydenham Street. It has a community kitchen to teaches people how to cook, operates a Cafe Eatery, and sells seasonal produce and other local food products. It is part of the Church Out Serving charity.
Make Norfolk your playground
Norfolk County is blessed with so many choices for recreation, sports, and outdoor activities for all ages. There are kilometres and kilometres of walking, hiking, and biking trails. Dozens of parks and conservation areas. Lake Erie is just minutes away, with wide public beaches and boating. Long Point is a United Nations recognized Biosphere Reserve, with a variety of habitats, from sand dunes to forests. And there are all kinds of sports played here.
Visit Norfolk App
Norfolk County has a free downloadable app, with an interactive map, that lists dozens of things to do for all ages and all interests. But it’s not just for tourists. Why should they have all the fun? It’s available from the App Store and Google Play. There’s also a desktop version of Visit Norfolk (see below).
Discover:
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Haldimand & Norfolk Women’s Services
Provides 24-hour crisis intervention, counselling, support, and shelter to women ages 16+, including those with or without children, who need a place of safety from abuse.
Newcomers are sometimes targeted by fraudsters and scammers. The Government of Canada has advice and information to help protect immigrants and international students, and how to report fraud or abuse. Fraud artists have used the Internet, email, and the telephone to try to scam people.
Some things about money and taxes aren’t easy to understand. But it is a part of daily life that is important so take the time to learn about it.
Below you’ll find information that should help.
Opening a bank account normally requires going into a bank or credit union. You’ll have to provide identification, such as a photo ID or passport, and sometimes a Social Insurance Number. You don’t have to be a Canadian citizen to open an account.
All 3 levels of government collect taxes in one way or another to pay for programs and services people use.
There are various types of taxes but the main ones collected by the Canadian and Ontario governments are income taxes, HST (sales tax), and business taxes. In some cases, one level of government collects the tax and shares it with the other level of government. Norfolk County’s main type of tax is property tax, which is a yearly tax based on the value of any property you own such as a house, a building, a farm, or land.
The Canada Revenue Agency has a good explanation of taxes and the benefits newcomers may be eligible for when filing their taxes.
Income taxes
The Canadian government collects taxes on the income a person earns. In general, the more someone makes, the more income tax they pay.
In most cases, an employer deducts this tax from someone’s paycheque and sends it to the government. Income is taxed for Seasonal Agricultural Workers, Temporary Foreign Workers, international students who work, refugees, and Canadian citizens.Â
Canada has tax treaties with some countries so that if a Seasonal Agricultural Worker pays tax on their income here, they aren’t taxed a second time on that income when they return home. Canada has tax treaties with Mexico, Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Many people get money back from the government. Sometimes it is because a person’s income isn’t very high. Sometimes it is because they’ve paid for things the government helps cover, such as child care fees.
The Canada Revenue Agency handles tax matters for the Canadian government level. The CRA has information for newcomers about the tax system and the benefits and tax credits newcomers may be eligible for when they file their tax return. The same information is included in a video.
HST
In Ontario, a tax of 13% is charged at the cash register when you purchase many things: clothes, haircuts, meals at restaurants, snack foods like potato chips, pop, toothpaste, movie tickets, cigarettes, alcohol, taxi rides, and much more. Some of the money goes to the Canadian government and some to the Ontario government. There is less tax on things like children’s clothes, children’s shoes, books, diapers, and others. There is no HST charged on groceries, prescription drugs, feminine hygiene products, and perhaps others.
There are several businesses in Norfolk County that for a fee will send money back home for newcomers, international agricultural workers, and temporary foreign workers. Some of these have offices, while others are based in other businesses such as grocery and convenience stores. You want to make sure the service has a good reputation and is registered to do money transfers from Canada. JN International Money Transfer, Ria Money Transfer, and Western Union are registered.
The website Settlement.org has advice for newcomers sending money overseas, including checking if a business is registered to do so.
The Canadian Government requires that businesses that send money overseas for customers be registered and maintains a list who are:
Advice for avoiding fraud and common scams
Here are some of the most common money-related scams that Canadians face. Learn what to watch out for and how to avoid them.
Financial literacy means knowing more about money such as banking basics, ways to save, spending, borrowing, and safeguarding your money from scams. Here below are some online resources that can help people improve their knowledge.
ABC Money Matters:Â Offers many free resources, including workbooks. Some workbooks are in Arabic, Spanish, and Simplified Chinese.
Managing Your Money: General advice from the Canadian government about banking, making budgets, credit scores, and other planning.
PFLAG Canada – Norfolk County Chapter
A volunteer-run group that provides peer support to individuals, families, and friends with questions and concerns about sexual orientation and gender identity. They meet the first Monday night of every month at the Simcoe branch of the Norfolk County Public Library.
YouthLine
YouthLine provides free, confidential and non-judgmental information and peer support to LGBTQ2S+ youth. Youth can chat or text the service, connecting with specially trained volunteers ages 16 – 29. The service operates Sunday to Friday, 4 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.Â
Trans Life Line
A grassroots hotline run by and for trans people, offering peer support to trans people in crisis. Operates in Canada and the United States.
Other LGBTQ2S+ resources
The Grand River Community Health Centre, which serves Norfolk, lists several LBGTQ2S+ resources in nearby communities on its website.
Volunteering is a great way to contribute to your community. Volunteering is also a great way to connect with other people who may have similar interests. And volunteering even looks good on a resume. It may help you stand out when applying for jobs or make a good impression on a potential employer.
There are hundreds of community groups and organizations of all types that are looking for volunteers. Not sure where to start? Start with what you’re passionate about. Perhaps helping seniors or helping in a food bank, animal shelter, library, community organization. Volunteering at a hospital, art gallery, or museum. Coaching sports. Organizations that help newcomers also use volunteers. There are endless opportunities.
Some volunteer work where you’ll be in contact with children, youth, people with disabilities and other vulnerable people, require a Vulnerable Sector Check by police. You would apply to the Norfolk County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) detachment.