Canadian Immigrant Stories

From the far north to the far south of the globe, our Canadian friends find themselves at home in laid-back New Zealand.

Jennifer Manning

Resides in: Whakatane
Moved From: Toronto
Job Title: Events Organiser

The best decision we've made.

Jennifer and her husband invested time in making sure that the Eastern Bay of Plenty was the best pick in the North Island.

We knew we wanted something completely different from "big city living" however needed a place that was self-sufficient. We spent the first six months driving around the North Island looking for a new place to call home. We first came to Whakatane and enjoyed the tourist activities. We took a look around  and were impressed with the look and feel of the town as a whole. We came back 5 more times during different times of the year and each time it remained our top choice as a place to live. No other town could compare to what Whakatane had to offer.

Jennifer had spent most of her working life climbing the 'corporate ladder' in Toronto and living an expensive lifestyle to "keep up with the Jones". She and her husband decided life is too short and that there must be a happy balance out there... somewhere. They wanted a place which spoke their language and offered opportunities.

We also wanted a place with a better climate. After speaking with people who had very positive comments about New Zealand and doing a bit of research we decided New Zealand was the best option because of its weather, government structure (similar to Canada) and opportunities for careers and lifestyle.

Sometimes small town living can be scary for those used to the big city...

On the first day after our move the fire alarms went off at the fire station and we didn't know what to do. Thinking there was an emergency we called the police. Being from a city we didn't realise the alarms were for volunteers.

Not knowing all of the businesses and services that are available had it challenges as a new resident. The biggest challenge was getting acceptance into the community. We came to the community with my husband already having a position at a local school. However, I was left with the challenge to getting to know people and finding a job which would meet my personal career goals.

Work opportunities are endless here for anyone with the desire to succeed. It's just a matter of knowing what you want and figuring out how it fits within the community.

Jennifer is enjoying the fruits of her decision to move to the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

The weather is fantastic. The beach is beautiful and the landscape breath-taking. If you want to be active there are lots of things to do. However, if you just want a more relaxed lifestyle you can have that too. It has everything you need and lots of things you will want once you see what is here.

Even though it has been hard to adjust to a small community, let alone a new country, it has been worth it and was the best decision we've made.