Living in the Enterprise Fundy Region

Our People Are Friendly

Canadians are known throughout the world as polite and considerate people and that is what you will find in the Enterprise Fundy Region. You’ll be greeted warmly in shops and businesses and on the streets of our towns and villages.

Although the Province of New Brunswick is officially bilingual (English – French), most people in this Region speak English as their primary language, although other languages may be spoken at home or within cultural groups. As elsewhere, English is the language of business and every day use throughout the area.

Retail shopping, medical facilities and other services are primarily located in the towns and villages. For most people, that means that it is necessary to drive to grocery stores, pharmacies, etc. and many plan one or two major shopping trips per week during which they take care of several errands at once. Those who enjoy wandering from shop to shop will find that experience available on the “main street” in the towns and villages. Bakeries nestle next to all-purpose hardware stores. Unique craft shops can be found just up the street from banks. Most of the communities have restaurants ranging from tiny coffee shops to full service dining rooms.
Our Area is Vast

The total population in the Enterprise Fundy region is around 50,000 people, with about one-third living in the towns and villages and the remaining two-thirds living in the rural, unincorporated areas. In other words, there are about ten people per square kilometre on average. As you can see, there is a very low population density here compared to European or Asian countries, which means that there are vast amounts of land available for investment and development.



The Region is central to the Province’s three major urban areas (the cities of Saint John, Fredericton and Moncton). In this region you are never more than one hour’s drive from one of these cities so you can easily drive to any one of these cities for a wider selection of shopping or an evening out for dinner, attending a play or concert, or some of the hundreds of cultural, sport and entertainment events that are offered throughout the year. This gives you the benefit of enjoying the high quality of life available in a rural setting while having easy access to urban amenities you may be accustomed to.

If you like to travel, the Region is strategically situated to provide easy access to Canadian, American, South American and European travel and tourism destinations via car, ship or airplane.
Our Communities Offer Many Things to Do

Depending on the season, you will find a wide variety of activities available to you. For the outdoor enthusiast there is both coastal and wilderness hiking, sea kayaking, rappelling, horseback riding, hunting, fishing, golf, boating, swimming, downhill skiing and cross country skiing, hockey, cycling and snowmobiling, to mention just a few.

On the cultural scene, many of our communities offer both amateur and professional theatre troupes and classical, country or modern music groups. There are handicraft organizations, business clubs, hobby clubs, and scouting groups for youths.

While not nearly as old as European or other countries history, as one of the first areas of North America that was settled by Europeans, our history is long and culturally diverse by North American standards. Throughout the Region you will find several museums dedicated to preserving and respecting our heritage. Across our landscape you will find a large number of covered wooden bridges spanning rivers and streams. Many have been preserved in tribute to our past and still function today to unite neighbours across the water.

Many festivals take place in our Region. One of the most well known is the Atlantic International Balloon Fiesta that is held in Sussex each September. Hot air balloon enthusiasts from around the world converge to demonstrate their flying skills. There are also many agricultural, musical and community events that occur throughout the year across the Region.

Some of the benefits of having a smaller population are our slower pace of life, the lack of urban traffic congestion and pollution, and our low crime rate. Neighbours know each other and are always willing to help when they are needed.

Canada has a small population relative to its geographic size. Since the population is distributed across a large area, there is an extensive, high quality highway system and most people do the majority of their travel by car.

In the Enterprise Fundy Region, access to the major cities is primarily by road. The main highways are comparable to the autobahns found in Europe and those found on other continents. Since gas and diesel are less expensive here than in Europe and many other regions, people in North America have come to depend on the convenience of their own automobile for personal transportation.

Our Education and Health Care Programs

Since most of the population lives in the rural areas, a large portion of the children travel to school on buses provided by the school system. There are several kindergarten, elementary, junior and senior high schools within the region most of which paid for by the government through the tax system.

Moncton, Saint John and Fredericton all offer access to universities and technical schools. In Canada, universities and colleges receive a lower level of financial support from government than is the case in many European countries and some other non-North American. Consequently, the cost of sending a student to university here is higher than in those other locations – but it is still substantially lower than in the U.S.

Like many European counties, we have a universal primary health care system, which is paid for through the tax system. That means that you always have access to basic primary medical care that does not stop when you leave your place of employment, change jobs or retire. Here in Canada primary health care includes the services of doctors and some diagnostic testing but, unlike in some European and other countries, it does not include prescription drugs, dental or eye care.

As in many parts of Europe and in other geographic locations, getting a family physician may take some time for a new resident. However, you always have access to a physician through a local health care clinic or hospital. In our Region there is one full-scale hospital, located in Sussex while other communities are serviced by health care clinics within the Region which are similar to hospitals in the services that they offer and they are staffed with physicians and nurses. These clinics are intended to provide basic and some emergency health care but are not equipped with beds for long-term care. If that is needed, patients are referred to the nearest hospital. This region is fortunate in that there are also major hospitals located in the three major cities any one of which will be within a one-hour drive of any location within our Region.

Our Climate is Cool and Sunny

In the Enterprise Fundy Region you will experience four distinct seasons. For many, the highlight of the year is experiencing the brilliant colours of the autumn foliage. Cool days, crisp nights and hard wood forests combine to provide a unique and spectacular canopy of colour in October.


Winters are long and cold. From November through to April, the average temperature ranges from -7°C (February) to 3°C (April), but the humidity is moderate and there are over 700 hours of sunshine. Occasionally there may be extremely cold days or nights, usually in January or February, where the temperature may drop into the -20s°C, but fortunately it doesn’t last long. Working or playing at outdoor activities can be pleasant as long as you are dressed in layers for comfort and warmth. If you enjoy down hill or cross-country skiing, snowfall between December and March averages 75 cm per month.

Spring is a transition period. From late April through until early June, average temperatures rise from 3°C to 10°C. Over 350 hours of sunshine, combined with melting snow and over 140mm of rain, prepare the soil and gardens for a bountiful summer season.

Summers are generally sunny in our Region. From June through September you will experience over 850 hours of sunshine and temperatures that range from 9°C (lowest in June) to over 30°C (highest in late July) with average temperatures ranging from 15°C to 19°C during the season. Rainfall is usually highest in July with 103mm falling during the month, although most often at night.

Others Have Moved Here Before You

This region has long been a favourite location for people moving to this part of Canada. This is especially true for Europeans from Holland and Germany. First and second generation Dutch and German people can be found across our region.

These immigrants have made a smooth transition to the North American lifestyle and have been very welcome and successful addition to our society. You will find this group of people a great source of information about the many small differences between life here and that which you are accustomed to in Europe.