Moving to a new country always comes with numerous challenges and questions, especially when it comes to financial constraints and the need to quickly adapt to an unfamiliar environment. Edmonton, as one of Canada's most welcoming cities for immigrants and refugees, has created a highly developed system of free assistance services for newcomers, including multifaceted support during relocation and housing. Understanding what free resources are available, how to access them, and how they can facilitate the relocation process is critical to successful adaptation in a new city.
Canada has historically built its immigration policy around the principle of actively supporting newcomers at all stages of their settlement, from the moment they arrive in the country and throughout their first years in their new society. Edmonton, as the capital of Alberta and one of the most multicultural cities in the province, embodies this principle through dozens of organizations, government programs, and civil society initiatives that provide free assistance with relocation, transportation of belongings, and provision of furniture, housing, food, and other essentials. For the Ukrainian community, which has grown significantly since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, these services have become vital in building a new life in a safe territory.
Government-Assisted Refugee Resettlement Assistance Program
The Resettlement Assistance Program, known as RAP, is a federal government initiative that provides comprehensive financial and practical support to refugees arriving in Canada with government assistance. This program is the most comprehensive free resource for newly arrived refugees and covers virtually all aspects of initial resettlement, including moving and settling into housing.
RAP provides financial support for the first twelve months after refugees arrive in Canada, and this support consists of two main components. First, there are one-time settlement expenses, called Start-Up Costs, which are intended to cover initial needs when moving into new housing. These funds include the cost of basic furniture, bedding, kitchen utensils, hygiene products, clothing, and other essential items needed to set up a functioning household. For a single adult, Start-Up Costs amount to several hundred dollars, and for large families, they can reach one and a half to two thousand dollars, depending on the family composition.
Second, the RAP provides monthly financial support called Monthly Income Support to cover basic living expenses such as food, utilities, housing, transportation, and communication. The amount of monthly support varies depending on the family composition and is set at a level consistent with provincial social assistance rates. As of 2024-2025, a single adult in Alberta will receive approximately $536 for basic needs plus $330 for housing, for a total of over $860 per month, not including additional benefits. For a married couple with two children, total monthly support can reach $1,800-2,000, including assistance for housing, transportation, and communication.
A critical element of RAP is that the program also covers additional special benefits, such as a housing supplement of up to $200 per month if actual housing costs exceed the basic housing allowance, which is quite common in Edmonton, where rental prices have risen significantly in recent years. For large families with six or more members, the housing supplement can reach $300 per month. The program also provides special assistance for pregnant women in the amount of $75 per month for nutrition during pregnancy, a one-time assistance of $200 for maternity clothing, a one-time payment of $750 per newborn to cover initial expenses for the child, and special dietary assistance of $75 per month for individuals with medical needs for special nutrition.
Transportation assistance under RAP is provided to each adult family member, including seniors, at the cost of a monthly public transportation pass in their community or a minimum of $75 per month, whichever is higher. In Edmonton, where the cost of a full monthly adult transit pass is approximately $100, RAP transportation assistance covers this cost, enabling refugees to travel around the city to access medical facilities, language courses, employment services, and other important locations without financial burden.
Communication assistance of $78 per month per family, which was increased in 2024, is intended to provide access to telephone and internet services, which are critical for communicating with government services, resettlement organizations, potential employers, and to access online resources for learning English and finding work.
Free temporary housing and assistance upon arrival
One of the most significant forms of free assistance during relocation for refugees supported by the government is the provision of temporary housing immediately upon arrival in Edmonton. Catholic Social Services, also known as CSS, operates Reception House, a special reception house in Edmonton designed to accommodate newly arrived refugees with government support during their first days or weeks after arrival.
Reception House provides free temporary housing for up to fourteen days, during which settlement workers help refugees orient themselves in their new city, access basic services, and find permanent housing. These reception houses are located in central Edmonton and function as ordinary residential buildings without external signs or markings indicating their purpose, ensuring the privacy and safety of residents. During their stay at Reception House, refugees receive fully furnished living quarters with all necessary amenities, including kitchen equipment, bedding, and basic hygiene supplies.
In parallel with providing housing, Catholic Social Services provides intensive settlement support, which includes basic orientation to life in Canada, assistance in obtaining documents such as a social insurance number and Alberta health card, connection to banking, financial, medical, and educational services, enrolling children in school, arranging English language testing, and providing initial information and orientation about living and working in Canada.
During large-scale humanitarian crises, Edmonton significantly expands its capacity to receive refugees. For example, during the Afghan crisis in 2021, Catholic Social Services rented three large hotels in Edmonton to accommodate approximately 2,000 Afghan refugees who arrived over a period of several months. The refugees stayed in these hotels at federal expense for as long as it took to conduct language testing, find permanent housing, address all their needs, register children for school, and organize other aspects of settlement. This example demonstrates the flexibility and scale of the free support system that can be activated to meet the urgent needs of large numbers of new arrivals.
The process of bringing refugees to Edmonton with government support is well organized and begins before they arrive. Catholic Social Services receives an arrival notice from the federal government and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, which includes information about the number of people, family composition, languages spoken, and estimated time of arrival. Staff meet refugees directly at Edmonton International Airport, accompany them to Reception House or a hotel where everything is already prepared for their arrival, and assign a settlement advisor who speaks their language to work with each family.
During the first few days, a settlement advisor who speaks the refugees' language meets with the family, assesses their needs, develops a settlement plan, begins the process of finding permanent housing, and helps the family navigate the basics of life in Edmonton, such as using public transportation, shopping for groceries, understanding Canadian currency, and basic safety rules. Within a maximum of 21 days, families move into permanent housing that has been found and prepared by settlement workers and continue to receive support for a full year after arrival.
Free furniture and household items
One of the biggest challenges for newcomers when moving into a new home is the need to furnish and equip an empty apartment or house with all the necessary furniture and household items. Buying all new equipment can cost thousands of dollars, which is an insurmountable burden for most newcomer refugees and immigrants. Fortunately, Edmonton has several organizations that provide free furniture and essential items to newcomers.
FIND Edmonton is a social enterprise with two main goals: to provide basic furniture free of charge to individuals and families transitioning out of homelessness, and to sell quality furniture and household goods at low prices to the general public. FIND is located at 5120 122 Street NW in Edmonton and operates as a warehouse and store where people who qualify for the free program can select the furniture and household items they need. To qualify for free furniture, a referral is usually required from a settlement organization, social worker, or other recognized support service that confirms that the individual or family is emerging from a crisis situation and needs support.
The Afro-Caribbean Food Bank in Edmonton also offers Newcomer Support Services, which include not only culturally appropriate food packages, but also assistance with other aspects of settlement, including access to furniture and essential items through partnerships with other organizations. Their Newcomer Support Service is specifically designed to help immigrants and refugees adapt to life in Edmonton by providing culturally appropriate food packages that help newcomers access familiar and nutritious food, easing their transition to their new environment.
For the Ukrainian community in Edmonton, the Ukrainian Newcomer Free Furniture Warehouse has become a critical resource since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine. This free furniture warehouse, established and managed by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Alberta Provincial Council, provided free furniture and household items to thousands of Ukrainian newcomers who arrived in Alberta under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel program. The warehouse operated for two years from 2022 to 2024 in a space generously provided by the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Lodge 146 at 15330-114 Avenue in Edmonton.
During its operation, the Ukrainian Furniture Warehouse served more than seventy-five Ukrainian families each week, providing everything from beds, mattresses, box springs, kitchen tables, chairs, and sofas to smaller items such as lamps, dishes, towels, and home décor. Many of the volunteers who worked at the warehouse were Ukrainian newcomers themselves, creating an atmosphere of mutual support and understanding of the unique needs of those who had just arrived. The warehouse was open on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m., allowing newcomers to visit on weekends when they were not busy with language classes or job hunting.
Although the Ukrainian furniture warehouse closed in April 2024 after achieving its goals and serving thousands of newcomers, its model demonstrated the power of community support and the importance of culturally specific assistance for newcomers during their transition. The warehouse organizers expressed mixed feelings at the closure — pride in having exceeded their goals by providing furniture to thousands of newcomers to Alberta, but also sadness at the end of a program that had created a strong community and amazing friendships while serving those in need.
In addition to furniture warehouses, some church organizations, charitable groups, and community initiatives in Edmonton periodically organize the collection and distribution of Welcome Kits, which contain basic household items for newcomers. These kits are usually organized by category, such as kitchen kit, bathroom kit, bedroom kit, cleaning kit, and hygiene kit, and include everything needed to get a household up and running.
The kitchen set usually contains pots and pans, cutlery, plates, bowls, cups, kitchen utensils, knives, a cutting board, a can opener, measuring spoons and cups, mixing bowls, food storage containers, a dish rack, kitchen towels, oven mitts, and other basic items. A bathroom set includes hand towels, body towels, washcloths, a shower curtain, curtain rings, a bath mat, a toilet brush, a plunger, a small trash can, toilet paper, and hand soap. The bedroom set contains a set of sheets of the appropriate size, pillows, pillowcases, a blanket or bedspread, and possibly a reading lamp. The cleaning kit includes a broom and dustpan, mop and bucket, sponges, all-purpose cleaner, dishwashing detergent, laundry detergent, light bulbs, paper towels, and trash bags. The hygiene kit contains toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, soap, razors, shaving cream, body lotion, cotton swabs, and sanitary pads for women.
Settlement organizations and their free services
Edmonton has an extensive network of settlement organizations that are funded by the federal government through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to provide free services to newcomers. These organizations play a central role in supporting newcomers as they move and adjust, providing a wide range of services from practical assistance with finding housing to emotional support and cultural orientation.
The Edmonton Immigrant Services Association, or EISA, is one of the oldest and largest settlement organizations in Edmonton, founded in 1976 by five individuals who recognized that immigrants and refugees in Edmonton and surrounding areas were not having all their needs met. EISA provides free settlement services to permanent residents, protected persons, and refugees at dozens of locations throughout Edmonton, including their main office at Suite 201, 10720 – 113 Street, as well as at dozens of public schools and more than ten public library branches.
What makes EISA's approach unique is that they bring services directly to the communities where newcomers live, removing barriers to access related to unfamiliarity with the city and difficulties getting around in cold weather. EISA staff speak dozens of languages and have extensive experience working with newly arrived immigrants and refugees, providing multilingual and multicultural support that is centered on the needs of clients and their families.
EISA provides free housing assistance, which includes advising on tenants' rights in Alberta, explaining how to read and understand lease agreements, providing information on typical rental costs in different areas of Edmonton, assisting with finding affordable housing through online platforms and local networks, accompanying clients on housing viewings to ensure that newcomers understand the terms and conditions and do not fall victim to fraud, mediating with landlords to explain the situation of newcomers and build trust, and helping them understand the housing application process, including credit checks, references, and deposits.
Catholic Social Services Edmonton is the largest single social services agency operating in Western Canada, with over 2,800 employees across northern Alberta. Their immigration and settlement service has several offices in Edmonton, including a central office at 8212 – 118 Avenue, a south office, an east office, and a Bateman office, allowing newcomers to access services in different parts of the city.
CSS provides free settlement services to refugees with government support for the first six weeks after arrival through the Resettlement Assistance Program, which includes assistance with finding housing, help with opening bank accounts, referrals to medical services, registering children for school, arranging meetings to assess English language proficiency, and initial information and orientation about living and working in Canada. After the initial six weeks, CSS continues to provide settlement and integration services throughout the full year of RAP support.
An important feature of CSS is their Intercultural Education Program, a unique program that helps newcomers understand Canadian culture, customs, and expectations, while helping Canadians understand the cultures and experiences of newcomers. CSS also organizes large-scale Welcome to Edmonton orientation events, which are multilingual orientation sessions translated into as many languages as needed, where newcomers can learn about available resources, meet representatives from various organizations, and get answers to their questions in a safe and supportive environment.
The Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers, or EMCN, is located at 11713-82 Street and provides a wide range of programs and services for immigrants and refugees. EMCN offers initial needs assessments, numerous English as a Second Language programs, employment services, settlement assistance, and support in connecting to the community. Their approach focuses on achieving the full participation of newcomers in the community, as well as contributing their experience and skills to strengthen and enrich the lives of all Canadians.
ASSIST Community Services Centre at 9649 – 105A Avenue provides settlement and referral services, where immigrant services staff at the front desk provide support with suggestions and advice on issues related to everyday life in Edmonton. Their services include individual settlement counselling, which covers orientation, information or referrals to settlement information, guidance and support with settlement difficulties and problems, needs assessment to help immigrants identify their options, developing strategies for adapting to Canadian life, advocating for immigrants across language and cultural barriers, and information sessions and workshops on topics such as the transportation system, driving in Alberta, the school system, the legal series, rights, and responsibilities.
Changing Together: A Centre for Immigrant Women is the only immigrant-serving organization in Edmonton that focuses specifically on the needs of immigrant women from diverse backgrounds. For thirty-nine years, Changing Together has provided a wide range of services aimed at improving the integration and success of immigrant women in Canada. Their programs include free English as a Second Language classes, computer training, employment readiness programs, and family support services.
One of Changing Together's key services is family support, which offers non-therapeutic counseling and referrals to resources for legal, financial, and immigration issues. The organization also supports women experiencing domestic violence through a partnership with the City of Edmonton, providing a support group for women who have experienced violence. Changing Together is located in the McCauley School Building on the third floor at 9538 – 107 Avenue NW and can be reached by phone at 780-421-0175.
The Newcomer Centre, formerly known as the Millwoods Welcome Centre for Immigrants or Welcome Centre for Immigrants, is another large settlement organization in Edmonton, serving up to 17,000 newcomers each year from five locations and various community sites. They have a staff of two hundred and thirty people who collectively speak over fifty languages. The Newcomer Centre recently reopened the Welcome Centre for Immigrants in south Edmonton at Suite 304, 6203 – 28 Avenue in the Mill Woods Town Centre Professional Building, which has been a community hub and first point of contact for immigrants in south Edmonton for over two decades.
Free language programs and their role in supporting relocation
English language proficiency is critical to successful adaptation in Edmonton, and the federal government of Canada recognizes this by providing funding for free English language training programs for newcomers through the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada, or LINC, program. These free language courses not only help newcomers learn English, but are often the first place where newcomers build social networks, learn about available resources, and receive practical support during their transition and adaptation.
LINC is a federally funded program that is 100% free for permanent residents, protected persons, and certain categories of temporary residents who meet the eligibility criteria. To participate in the LINC program, newcomers must first take an English language proficiency test at the Catholic Social Services Language Assessment, Referral, and Counselling Centre, or CSS LARC, which determines their current level and recommends an appropriate class.
LINC classes are available in many locations throughout Edmonton through various provider organizations. The Newcomer Centre offers LINC classes from CLB 1 to CLB 4 in a virtual and in-person format at the Gupta Newcomer Resource Centre at 11713 82 ST NW. They offer morning part-time classes Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., afternoon part-time classes Monday through Friday from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., and evening part-time classes on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Solomon College offers a LINC program supported by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada for CLB levels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 for the full-day program and CLB levels 3, 4, 5, and 6 for the part-time program. Their full-time program runs Monday through Friday from 9:15 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. with rolling admissions, where new students can start on the first day of each month. Solomon College has two locations—downtown at 10621-100 Avenue and near Mill Woods LRT Station for higher-level classes.
Metro Continuing Education's English Language Institute provides English language instruction to newcomers to Canada with experienced ESL instructors and advisors. Their LINC program invites newcomers to Canada and permanent residents to join free English classes where they will improve their English, learn about Canadian life, and build friendships.
The Bredin Centre for Learning offers LINC classes for more advanced learners at Canadian Language Benchmarks 5, 6, 7, and 8. Their classes are available to newcomers to Canada aged eighteen or older who are approved for permanent residence. Bredin offers online classes mixed with in-person classes, providing flexibility for those who may have transportation or childcare limitations.
Changing Together also provides free English classes for immigrant women at Level 3 and Level 4 with funding from the Edmonton Community Adult Learning Association. Their Level 3 classes are held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., and Level 4 classes are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the same time. They also offer conversation classes for basic and advanced levels on Tuesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon.
It is important to note that many LINC providers also offer free childcare during in-person classes for parents with children under the age of eleven. This is critical support that allows parents, especially mothers, to attend language classes without having to arrange and pay for childcare, which could be financially impossible for many newly arrived families.
Free Food Assistance
Access to adequate nutrition is a basic need, and Edmonton has a well-developed network of free food banks and food assistance programs that support newcomers during their first months in Canada, when financial resources may be limited.
Edmonton's Food Bank is the largest food bank in the region, located at 11425 120 Street NW, and provides free food assistance to individuals and families experiencing food insecurity. They serve thousands of clients each month and provide food bags that contain basic food items such as grains, pasta, rice, canned vegetables and fruits, protein items, and sometimes fresh produce when it is available through donations.
To access Edmonton's Food Bank, newcomers must register and provide basic information about their family composition and financial situation. Settlement organizations often assist newcomers with this process by providing referrals and accompaniment on their first visit. Edmonton's Food Bank typically allows families to receive food bags once a month, although the frequency may vary depending on circumstances.
In addition to providing food, Edmonton's Food Bank also offers the Beyond Food program, which provides free employment services, including resume assistance, interview preparation, workplace safety training, and referrals to employers. This program is open to anyone eligible to work in Canada, including Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and work permit holders, and is provided free of charge thanks to donors.
Multicultural Health Brokers Co-operative runs the Grocery Run program, which is an emergency food access program that works with McCauley School. Every Thursday morning, at least a dozen volunteers gather to pack food parcels for their Grocery Run. They typically assemble between 175 and 200 bags filled with onions, potatoes, carrots, lentils, pasta, canned tomatoes and peas, and bread for the first families to arrive.
Executive Director Yvonne Chiu noted that the organization is facing financial challenges but is stretching its dollars and making cutbacks to provide food packages with culturally relevant staple foods to those in dire need. Grocery Run, in partnership with Edmonton's Food Bank, has compiled a list of favorite foods and common staples from different parts of the world, recognizing that providing culturally appropriate food is important for immigrant families to feel a sense of belonging.The Afro-Caribbean Food Bank specializes in providing culturally appropriate food packages to help newcomers access familiar and nutritious food, easing their transition to a new environment. They also offer resources and guidance on local services, housing, and employment opportunities through their support network, which aims to empower newcomers, promote community integration, and ensure that no family faces food insecurity while adjusting to their new home.Research by University of Alberta health professor Elizabeth Onyango has found that people from different ethnic backgrounds often feel that food bank products are not culturally appropriate when they seek assistance. If they are given canned foods, they often have no idea how to prepare them and in some cases throw them away. This leads some newcomers to stop visiting food banks. That's why organizations such as Umoja Community Mosaic in Calgary and Multicultural Health Brokers Co-operative in Edmonton strive to provide culturally relevant food by consulting with families about their cultural background and purchasing foods that meet their needs.## Free transportation assistance and discounted transit passesAccess to transportation is critical for newcomers to attend language classes, settlement appointments, medical appointments, job interviews, and other important locations. Edmonton offers several programs that provide free or reduced-cost transportation assistance to low-income newcomers.The Ride Transit program is a partnership between the City of Edmonton and the Government of Alberta that provides greater access to transportation for individuals and families in Edmonton. Through this program, eligible low-income Edmontonians receive an Arc card at a reduced cost. Instead of paying a monthly rate up front, participants pay for transportation as they use it by loading the card with four dollars or as much as they need.
When participants reach the daily limit of $10.50 or the monthly Ride Transit limit of $36 or $51, depending on their eligibility, they can ride for free for the rest of that day or month. For Ukrainian newcomers living in Edmonton, the city provides a discounted Ride Transit pass for $35 per month, as well as a free or discounted Leisure Pass, which is provided to residents with refugee status.
The Ride Transit program also includes access to the Leisure Pass, which provides discounts on City of Edmonton programs and services, including assistance with recreational fees, access to community centers, city programs, and other municipal services. This helps newly arrived families access activities for children, fitness programs, and community events that promote integration and well-being without financial burden.
As part of the Resettlement Assistance Program, each adult member of a refugee family receives government-supported transportation assistance that covers the cost of a monthly adult public transit pass in Edmonton or a minimum of $75 per month, whichever is higher. Since the cost of a full monthly transit pass in Edmonton is approximately $97-$100 as of 2025-2026, RAP transportation assistance covers this full cost, ensuring that refugees can move around the city without restrictions.
Information, Referrals, and Crisis Support through 211 Alberta
211 Alberta is a free, confidential service available 24/7 that connects Albertans with community and social services. For newcomers who may not know where to turn for help when moving or in crisis situations, 211 is a critical resource that provides information and referrals to over thirty-five thousand resources in communities across the province.
211 Alberta is supported in Edmonton and northern Alberta by the Canadian Mental Health Association – Edmonton and is available by phone, text message, and online chat in over 170 languages through its telephone service. 211 community resource specialists are trained to assess people's needs and refer them to appropriate services, whether it's food, housing, transportation, financial support to pay a bill, rent, or damage deposit, mental health support, information about government programs and phone numbers, access to legal support information, volunteer opportunities for organizations, or furniture and clothing donations.
For newcomers experiencing a crisis during the relocation or adjustment process, 211 can provide resources and connect them to the support they need, including access to services such as suicide prevention education, crisis teams, and the Distress Centre crisis support line. 211 is a completely free service, and there is no charge to access 211, whether by phone, text message, or chat.
Volunteer Support and Mentoring
Many settlement organizations in Edmonton coordinate volunteer programs that provide free support to newcomers as they move and adjust. These volunteers often help with practical tasks such as accompanying newcomers to appointments, assisting with shopping, explaining how to use public transportation, practicing English, and providing emotional support during a difficult transition.
EISA has over four hundred dedicated and experienced volunteers who make a valuable contribution to the successful integration and well-being of newcomers by sharing their unique talents, knowledge, and time. They offer a variety of volunteer opportunities, including the New Neighbors Program, where volunteers serve as mentors to newcomers, providing social support through one-on-one matching. Mentors commit to twenty hours over three months and help newcomers make new friends, learn about various amenities and resources in the community, practice and improve their English language skills, get to know Edmonton and what it has to offer, build social networks and engage in cultural exchange, and share information about Canadian culture, customs, and more.
The Newcomer Centre has over 150 volunteers who are the backbone of the organization and together support newcomers not only to build a new life in Edmonton, but also to thrive here. Newcomer Centre volunteers have the opportunity to help newcomers learn English, make new friends, meet people from other cultures, learn new skills, gain valuable work experience, build a welcoming, multicultural Edmonton, and make a difference in their community.Catholic Social Services also coordinates volunteers to support refugees with government assistance throughout the settlement process. The Somali Canadian Cultural Society of Edmonton categorizes its volunteers by different functions, including housing volunteers who help refugees and new immigrants find housing, understand rental laws and related by-laws, taking into account the financial constraints that refugees and new immigrants have, looking at what is available and how affordable it is, trying to ensure that the housing unit is close to transportation, schools, etc., and whether they will feel safe given the cultural competence of the landlord.Shopping volunteers provide training to refugees and new immigrants on purchasing food, especially familiar foods, but also introduce them to Canadian foods and cooking, give them guidance on how to use the stove and extinguish a fire in case of a fire, They also provide training on buying clothes, introduce them to second-hand clothing to help them stretch their budget, and buy adequate winter clothing.Transportation volunteers provide refugees and new immigrants with instructions on how to use the transit system, teach them how to find bus routes, and teach them quick ways to navigate the transit system to get where they want to go. Language training volunteers are in contact with language training providers, so they contact them in advance of the arrival of refugees and new immigrants, research available ESL classes, help refugees and new immigrants register for these courses, and assess the type of language training they need based on the courses available.## Restrictions and eligibility for free servicesAlthough Edmonton offers an extremely wide range of free support services for newcomers during their transition, it is important to understand that not all newcomers are eligible for all services, and there are certain restrictions and eligibility criteria.
Most settlement services funded by the federal government through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada are available to permanent residents of Canada, protected persons, and convention refugees. Some programs also serve specific categories of temporary residents, such as participants in the Atlantic Immigration Program, Rural and Northern Immigration Program, individuals approved under specific pathways, such as Palestinians who left Gaza on or after September 1, 2023, and their families, or participants in the Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot, including their families.
Refugee claimants, also known as asylum seekers, have limited access to settlement services in Edmonton. EISA, through its New Neighbors program, provides services to refugee claimants, naturalized Canadian citizens, international students, and temporary foreign workers, but the scope of services may be more limited compared to those provided to permanent residents and government-assisted refugees.
The Resettlement Assistance Program and all associated benefits, including financial support, temporary housing at Reception House, intensive settlement support, and relocation assistance, are available exclusively to government-assisted refugees and some clients of the Blended Visa Office-Referred Program. Privately sponsored refugees receive support from their sponsors rather than from RAP, although they may have access to some settlement and language training services provided by immigrant-serving agencies.
Free furniture and household items usually require a referral from a recognized settlement organization, social worker, or other support service that can confirm that the individual or family is in crisis or transitioning out of homelessness. FIND Edmonton, for example, serves individuals and families transitioning out of homelessness, which may include refugees and newcomers, but requires confirmation of need through a partner organization.
Food assistance programs, such as Edmonton's Food Bank, are generally available to all Edmonton residents experiencing food insecurity, regardless of immigration status, although there may be requirements to register and provide basic information about family composition and financial situation.
The Ride Transit program and discounted transit passes are available to eligible low-income Edmonton residents, and newcomers may qualify if they meet the income criteria and reside in Edmonton. For Ukrainian newcomers under the CUAET program, the City of Edmonton has created a special pathway to access discounted transit passes.
How to access free services: first steps for newcomers
For newcomers who have just arrived in Edmonton or are planning to move, understanding how to access all these free services can seem overwhelming. The best first step is to contact one of Edmonton's major settlement organizations, such as EISA, Catholic Social Services, Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers, ASSIST Community Services Centre, or Newcomer Centre.
Government-assisted refugees are automatically connected with Catholic Social Services or another designated service provider immediately upon arrival at the Edmonton airport, so they do not need to seek initial support on their own. For other categories of newcomers, it is recommended to call or visit one of the settlement organizations as soon as possible after arrival.
When they first contact a settlement organization, newcomers go through a process called needs assessment and referral , where a settlement worker interviews the client to understand their immigration status, what their needs are, whether they need to take a language test, whether they need to speak to someone who speaks their language, whether they have health concerns, and what other challenges they face.
Based on this assessment, the settlement worker creates an individual settlement plan and refers the client to appropriate services, such as LINC language courses, employment programs, housing assistance, food banks, legal aid, medical services, or other community resources. The settlement worker may also provide direct practical assistance, such as accompanying the client to appointments, helping them fill out forms, arranging interpretation, and providing document translation.
To access free furniture, newcomers must ask their settlement worker for a referral to FIND Edmonton or another furniture provider. The settlement worker can assess the situation, confirm the need, and provide a written referral that the newcomer can use to access free furniture.
To register for LINC courses, newcomers must first take the Canadian Language Benchmark assessment test at CSS LARC or another authorized assessment centre. Settlement workers can arrange this testing and assist with registration for appropriate classes based on test results.
To access food banks, newcomers can either contact Edmonton's Food Bank or other food assistance providers directly, or ask their settlement worker for a referral and accompaniment on their first visit.
To obtain discounted transit passes through the Ride Transit program, newcomers must apply, often with the help of a settlement worker or social worker who can verify their low-income status and eligibility.
Conclusion: A comprehensive system of free support
Edmonton offers one of the most comprehensive systems of free support for newcomers moving to Canada, reflecting the commitment of the city, province, and federal government to the successful integration of immigrants and refugees. From the moment of arrival at the airport, where refugees are met and escorted to free temporary housing with government support, to providing monthly financial support that covers basic needs, housing, transportation, and communication, to access to free furniture, food, language courses, employment services, and community support, the system is designed to remove financial and practical barriers that could hinder successful settlement.
For Edmonton's Ukrainian community, which has grown significantly since 2022, this system of free support has been vital in building a new life after fleeing the war. Specialized initiatives, such as the Ukrainian furniture warehouse that has served thousands of families over two years, demonstrate how the community can mobilize to provide culturally specific support that complements official government programs.
The key to getting the most out of these free services is to connect with a settlement organization as soon as possible after arrival, or even before moving, if possible. Settlement workers are navigators who help newcomers find their way through the complex ecosystem of services, ensuring that they access everything they are entitled to and receive the support they need to successfully relocate and adapt to life in Edmonton.
Understanding that virtually all basic needs during the transition can be met through free or very low-cost services—from transportation from the airport to temporary housing, from financial support to furniture, food to language courses, from housing assistance to transit passes — can greatly reduce the stress and anxiety associated with moving to a new country and allow newcomers to focus on learning the language, finding work, building social connections, and creating a solid foundation for a successful future in Canada.