July 28th, 2023 at 03:58 am
How to Grow Your Network and Make Your Life Interesting in Canada
It’s both exciting and hard to start a new life in a different country. When people move to Canada, they often leave behind their support systems, like coworkers, friends, and family. This makes the process of settling in harder than it needs to be. In times like these, it can be very helpful to have a lot of close friends in the area.
As a newcomer to Canada, it can be scary or nerve-wracking to try to make friends and build a network. People who have lived in Canada for a while might already have a group of friends and won’t be looking for more friends as much. So, sometimes you have to reach out to them on your own. In this article, we’ll talk about a few ways to meet new people, which will help you settle in and get used to life in Canada.
1. Go to conferences and events where you can meet people.
Attending industry-specific conferences and networking events is a good way to meet local professionals and industry leaders in your field of work and grow your professional network. Sites like Eventbrite and Meetup can help you find things to do in your area.
Sites like LinkedIn and Ten Thousand Coffees are great ways to meet professionals in your field for coffee chats or informational interviews, just like networking events.
2. Volunteer
Canadians usually respect and value people who give back to their communities or volunteer. It’s a good way to meet people who share your interests, build your network, and make friends. It can also help you learn about Canadian culture and get a feel for the country.
Read The benefits of volunteering as a newcomer in Canada to find out why volunteering is important in Canada and how to find volunteer opportunities.
3. Join online neighbourhood groups
In cities across Canada, many neighborhoods, condos, and communities have their own Facebook groups. Use the search tool on Facebook to find one near you and join it. These groups are a great way to meet people in your area and find out about parties and other social events.
Next door is another website that helps people in the same neighborhood get in touch with each other. Users must give their real names and street addresses when they use the site. Only other Nextdoor members who live in the same neighborhood can see what you post on the site. People often use the site to find recommendations from people in their area, buy or sell things, share news, and talk about upcoming events in their area.
4. Meet other parents of kids at the school where your kids go.
If you moved to Canada with your kids, you can meet other parents at your child’s school. Talk to them at the school gate, help with school fundraisers, or offer to be part of the parent-teacher association, school social committees, after-school activities, or sports schedules.
Hosting a small party for your kids’ friends and their parents is another great way to meet new people and introduce yourself. Most Canadians are busy, so don’t take it personally if someone turns down your invitation.
Keep in mind that Canadians don’t often invite you into their homes. Most socializing happens outside, in parks, bars, or restaurants, which may be different from what you’re used to back home.
5. Join a local sports team, a social club, or a group of people who share your interests.
Joining clubs or groups based on your interests or activities is a good way to meet people with similar interests who could become friends, especially if you already like the same things. Depending on what you’re interested in, you can look into groups for fitness, sports, hiking, music, biking, and helping out in the community. Every city in Canada has a list of clubs and groups that you can join. Most of these groups list their events on sites like Meetup, Facebook, and Reddit, so they’re easy to find.
If you like to read, go to your local library and see if there are any book clubs or readings you can join. Signing up for dance or fitness classes in your neighborhood or nearby is another great way to meet people who like the same things you do. No matter where you live in Canada, if you like sports, you can join leagues for everything from soccer, basketball, and swimming to tennis, volleyball, and everything in between, even if you aren’t an expert.
6. Use apps for dating and networking
Apps for dating are now used for more than just dating. Many people use dating apps to make new friends or meet people who like the same things they do. Apps like Bumble have a version called Bumble BFF that is just for making friends. They also have a version called Bumble Biz that is for professional networking. Shapr is another well-known app you can use to meet people who share your interests.
7. Meet up at your place of worship
Places of worship are good places to meet people who share your faith and make new friends. Most places of worship have groups and organizations that help the community that you can join if you want to. For example, if you are a member of a church and like to sing, you can join the choir. If you want to help with other things, you can join their social planning or fundraising committees and meet new people that way.
8. Visit parks
Canada is a country with a lot of nature and friendly people. Don’t be afraid to say hello to someone you don’t know. A common way to break the ice is to talk about the weather. Bringing your dog to the local dog park is a great way to meet other dog owners if you have one. Shared interests are a great way to start a conversation with anyone.
Some of the ideas here might be outside of your comfort zone in your home country, and you might not have thought to try them out to build your network. But with a little help from technology, it can be very easy to find and meet people close to where you live.
As you set out to build your social and professional network in Canada, keep in mind that it takes time to make connections that matter. You can build a strong relationship with someone if you talk to them often, help them out when they need it, and find common interests and activities to do together.
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