New to Calgary? Here is the order of things.

What describes you?

Pick everything that applies; the list adapts. Nothing is required.

Paperwork that is easier from where you are now.

• Gather originals and scans: ID, birth certificates, marriage certificate, diplomas, driving record, vaccination records, prescriptions.Registries, schools and employers will ask; a translated copy may be needed later.Banking, ID and paperwork →
• Book temporary housing for the first 2–4 weeks and decide whether you will rent first.Relocation guide →
• If you arrive between October and April: a real winter coat, boots rated for −30, a toque and mittens, before you land.Seasons and winter →

The four cards and the three accounts.

• Register for Alberta health coverage (AHCIP) at a registry agent, with ID and proof of Alberta address.Healthcare →Alberta: apply for AHCIP ↗
• Open a chequing account and ask about newcomer packages; get a debit card the same day.Banking, ID and paperwork →
• Get a Canadian phone number; compare prepaid and contract plans.
• Learn the CTrain lines and buy a fare or pass (the downtown stretch is free); students check the UPass.Getting around →
• Get a free Calgary Public Library card: French books, newcomer desk, programs, free museum passes.Libraries and free activities →
• Find the French doors: ACFA Calgary, La Cité des Rocheuses, Alliance Française, PIA. Say hello to one of them this week.French services in Calgary →

Settle the household, the car and the kids.

• Exchange your driver’s licence and, if you brought a car, register and insure it in Alberta within the legal window.Getting around →
• Sign a lease you understand: deposit (max one month), inspection report, who pays which utilities, notice periods.Renting in Calgary →
• Set up electricity and gas (retailers), internet, and the City’s waste and recycling carts.
• Update your address everywhere: CRA, bank, employer, insurance, Canada Post forwarding, and your home province or country.
• Look for a family doctor accepting patients; use a walk-in or 811 in the meantime.Healthcare →
• Get tenant (or home) insurance; many landlords require proof.
• Winter-ready the car: winter tires, block heater cord, emergency kit, 511 Alberta app.Seasons and winter →

People, places and routines.

• Go to one French-language event from the calendar. Just one.Events →
• Join your community association: cheap memberships, rinks, gardens, neighbours.Neighbourhoods →
• Pick a winter thing: skating, a pool pass, cross-country skiing, a hockey league, a choir in French.Recreation →
• Drive west once. Kananaskis or Banff, with the Conservation Pass or park pass.Seasons and winter →
• Finish one lesson and claim a badge in your Calgary Passport.Learn →
• Volunteer once in French (bilingual volunteering programs exist) or in English.How to find community →
• If buying is on the horizon: read how buying works in Alberta, then talk to someone. No rush.Buying a home in Alberta →