InternaƟonal
S t u d e n t
H a n d b o o k
SUPPORT
You have questions about living in Canada. Find answers here!
SERVICES
Learn about the many services available on campus and in Saskatoon!
InternaƟonal
Student Handbook
School of Environment and
Sustainability Students’ Association
SUPPORT
Housing .......................................................................................... 2
School of Environment and
Sustainability
University of Saskatchewan
Social Insurance ............................................................................ 4
117 Science Place
Saskatoon, SK
Canada S7N 5C8
Tax Forms........................................................................................ 4
Winter ............................................................................................ 5
Comments about the
handbook? Information you
would like to see added? Send
your comments to
sharla.daviduik@usask.ca.
Canadian Customs and EƟqueƩe ................................................ 5
Support on Campus ...................................................................... 6
SERVICES
Academic Assistance .................................................................... 8
TransportaƟon ............................................................................... 9
Groceries ........................................................................................ 9
Budget-Savvy ................................................................................. 10
Health Care .................................................................................... 10
Canada became a country on July 1, 1867, with the passing
of the British North America Act. Three British colonies, New
Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Canada (the southern part of
modern-day Ontario and Quebec) formed the new country.
More provinces were created over the following decades.
Newfoundland and Labrador was the last province to join
Canada, in 1949. July 1 is Canada Day, the nation’s birthday!
Canada is a bilingual country; English and
French are its official languages.
Canada is governed by a parliamentary system, and is a
constitutional monarchy. As such, Queen Elizabeth II of Great
Britain is the Canadian head of state. Her representative in
Canada is the Governor General. The head of government
is the Prime Minister. Typically, the leader of the federal
party gaining the most seats in a federal election becomes
Prime Minister while that party forms government. Canada’s
Parliament is in Ottawa, Ontario.
Canada has ten provinces and three territories. Each of these is governed
by an elected legislature, with a Premier being the head of a provincial or
territorial government. The Queen is represented by a Lieutenant-Governor
in each province. Saskatchewan’s legislature is located in Regina.
Canada’s culture is heavily influenced by that of its European settlers, primarily British
and French. The Aboriginal people who inhabited Canada prior to European colonization
were typically treated with little respect, and in fact, intentionally had their culture
repressed by the government until as late as the mid-1990s. Steps are now being taken
to attempt to rectify these actions, as much as is possible.
Canada is a multicultural country; Saskatchewan’s culture is the result of a mix of
Aboriginal, English, German, Ukrainian, Russian, French, Irish, and Scottish traditions.
While those immigrating to Canada tend to settle in larger cities such as Toronto,
Montreal, and Vancouver, Saskatchewan also has a diverse multicultural society, but to a
lesser extent than found in other parts of Canada.
Photo credits: MorgueFile, except Saskatchewan
Legislature photo from Legislative Assembly of
Saskatchewan and student photo from SENS
SENS, too, is multicultural! Raea,
Ranjan, Jada and Manuel each
came to SENS from a different
country!
WELCOME!
Welcome to SENS!
Moving to a new country can be fun, exciting, intimidating and challenging
all at once. I should know—I’m not from Canada either! There is a lot to
learn and our hope is that this handbook will help you negotiate some of
mysteries of living in your new country. You are fortunate to be surrounded
by a wonderful group of staff, students and faculty who are willing to answer questions, give directions and help you learn to live like a Canadian.
We are so very pleased you chose to come to SENS and hope that your
time here is stimulating, productive and energizing. Let us know how we
can help make your transition easier.
Toddi A. Steelman, Ph.D.
Executive Director and Professor
On behalf of the School of Environment and Sustainability Students’ Association (SENSSA), I want to welcome you to SENS and Saskatoon! All
SENS students are a part of SENSSA and every student has the opportunity to join the SENSSA executive and council. Joining the executive or council provides a wonderful opportunity to meet other students and engage in
meaningful work that enhances the experience of all SENS students. We
play an important role by representing the needs and wishes of SENS students at SENS faculty meetings and at university-wide events, such as the
Graduate Students’ Association Council Meetings. We also plan unique social experiences, such as our annual Cross-Cultural Food Fair, start important initiatives, such as our Better than Bottled Water campaign, and provide
an important source of information and support for any student in need. I
encourage each and every one of you to join the SENSSA executive and
participate in our events to further enrich your experience here at SENS!
Krystal Caldwell
SENSSA President
Page 1
SUPPORT
Moving to a new country to start a new degree program is exciting, but it
can also be daunting! Be assured that SENSSA and SENS are here to
help you find your way.
BEFORE YOU ARRIVE IN
CANADA
HOUSING: Finding a place to live
before you arrive in Canada will be
helpful to you in many ways: you
won’t be faced with hotel expenses,
and you will have a place to call your
own as soon as you arrive!
Photo credit: University of Saskatchewan Communications
Page 2
Graduate students at the University of
Saskatchewan can either live on campus or off campus. For on campus
options, visit: http://livewithus.usask.
ca/ —Graduate House at College
Quarter is one option; the residences
at McEown Park are another. Both
are located within walking distance of
campus. Rental rates and a schedule
of other fees to live in a University of
Saskatchewan residence are detailed
here: http://livewithus.usask.ca/current-residents/rates%20and%20payments/index.php
Students also have the option of living
off campus. Several websites have
information about houses and suites
for rent:
•
University of Saskatchewan
Students’ Union (USSU) Housing
Registry (see also the useful information the USSU provides about
warning signs of possible fraud):
http://ussu.ca/main-page/services/
housing-registry/
•
Kijiji’s real estate listings: http://
www.kijiji.ca/h-saskatoon/1700197
•
Gottarent: http://www.gottarent.
com/sk/saskatoon/
•
Mainstreet Equity’s Listings:
http://mainst.biz/apartments/saskatoon
•
RentSpot: http://saskatoon.rentspot.com/listings/954/index.html
According to the Canada Mortgage and Housing
Corporation, the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $827; it is $1,020 for a two-bedroom apartment, and $1,074 for a three-bedroom
apartment. These data are from April 20131, however, so rates may now be somewhat higher.
Saskatoon is a mid-sized Canadian city with many
different neighbourhoods. Neighbourhoods within
easy walking distance of the University of Saskatchewan include Varsity View, Nutana, and City
Park. Saskatoon Transit provides bus service to
other parts of the city, and many students live in
neighbourhoods such as Sutherland, Lakeview, and
Lakeridge. The City of Saskatoon has a Google
Map application available at https://www.google.
com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zWeF0ZggRVmA.kWkwWx3jL8xs to help you with your search.
1 Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. 2015. “City of Saskatoon.” Available
at: http://www.cmhc.ca/en/co/buho/seca/sa/sa_002.cfm. Accessed July 30, 2015.
These websites, from the Government of Saskatchewan and the City of Saskatoon respectively, may
also help you in your housing search.
•
Government of Saskatchewan. Housing and
Household Needs in Saskatchewan. http://www.
economy.gov.sk.ca/immigration/housing-household-needs-sk-english
•
City of Saskatoon Housing Handbook. https://
www.saskatoon.ca/sites/default/files/documents/
community-services/planning-development/
Housing%20Handbook.pdf
If you are renting accommodation, you should be
aware that you have certain rights as a tenant. The
Government of Saskatchewan Office of Residential
Tenancies details these on its website: http://www.
saskatchewan.ca/government/government-structure/
boards-commissions-and-agencies/office-of-residential-tenancies#information-you-might-be-looking-for
Should you have a dispute with your landlord that
cannot be settled, you can contact this office for
assistance.
Welcome to Saskatoon!
Photo credit: University of Saskatchewan Communications
Page 3
NOW THAT YOU ARE HERE:
APPLY FOR YOUR SOCIAL INSURANCE NUMBER
IMMEDIATELY UPON ARRIVAL: A social insurance
number (SIN) is a Government of Canada identification
number. Note that only certain organizations can legally require you to provide your SIN. The most common
ones are your employer, the Canada Revenue Agency
(for income tax purposes), or financial institutions, if
you earn income on an account you hold with them.
Please find a complete list of who can and cannot ask
for your SIN at: http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/
sin/protect/provide.shtml.
You should NEVER provide your SIN to an organization which cannot legally ask for it.
To apply for your SIN, visit: http://www.servicecanada.
gc.ca/eng/sin/apply/how.shtml. Also visit http://www.
servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/sin/employers/contract.shtml
to learn specific requirements that international students must meet.
FILL OUT YOUR TAX FORMS IMMEDIATELY UPON
ARRIVAL: Depending on your residency status in
Canada, you may have to file a Canadian income tax
return. Visit http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/internationalstudents/ for more information.
If you need assistance with applying for your SIN,
determining your residency status, or completing your
tax forms, contact the International Student and Study
Abroad Centre (ISSAC), located in Room 80, Place
Riel, on campus. ISSAC is available for all international students and their families, to help them with the
transition to the U of S and to living in Saskatoon.
You can go to ISSAC once you arrive, and they will
provide you with an arrival package and settlement
support — this includes important tasks such as setting
up a bank account, finding housing, and applying for a
Saskatchewan Health Card. Visit their website at http://
students.usask.ca/international/issac.php
SENSSA’s annual
multicultural food
fair has become a
tradition! You will
have the opportunity
to attend social events
such as this one during
your time at SENS.
Photo credit: SENS.
Page 4
GET READY FOR WINTER: You
have probably heard stories about
the Canadian winter. In Saskatoon,
snow can fall anytime between
October and April, but this is highly
variable. You should, at the least,
be prepared for winter to last
from November through to March.
Temperatures will range from just
above 0° C and may fall as low as
-40°C. The wind can often make
the weather seem considerably
colder—this is what we call “wind
chill.” So, during the winter, weather forecasts will include things like:
“the temperature is -22°C, but with
the wind chill, it feels like -32°C.”
Dress for the temperature that
includes the wind chill.
Dressing properly for the cold
weather is critical. At certain
temperatures, skin can freeze
within minutes of exposure (rest
assured that the weather is only
this cold for a few days each winter,
if that). At the least, you will need
a heavy winter coat (or “parka,” as
we say), a warm hat (Canadians
often wear knitted caps; we call
them “toques”), warm mittens or
gloves, a woolen scarf, and boots.
Dressing in layers will help to keep
you warm. This website provides
good advice about how to dress
for extremely cold weather: http://
www.wikihow.com/Dress-for-a-Saskatchewan-Winter
“tolerant, polite, and extremely
community-oriented.”
•
Canadians can have a strong
allegiance to their region within
Canada. Saskatchewan is
part of Western Canada, along
with the provinces of Alberta
and Manitoba. Saskatchewanians are “open, friendly, and
relaxed.”
•
When meeting someone for the
first time in a business or academic setting, the handshake
is the most common greeting.
“It should be firm and accompanied by direct eye contact
and a sincere smile.” Handshakes are less common when
meeting new people in social
situations.
•
Waiting until invited to call
someone by their first name is
polite, but Canadians tend to
move to using first names very
quickly. At SENS, calling your
professors by their first names
is perfectly acceptable, and is,
in fact, the norm.
If you are not sure about appropriate winter clothing, feel free to ask!
CANADIAN CUSTOMS AND
ETIQUETTE: The website “Kwintessenial” has a great page about
how Canadians tend to act in social
and business situtations. Here are
some key tips for navigating Canadian (and in particular, Saskatchewan) society. Of course, these are
generalizations.
•
Canadians are generally
MES student Brett MacKinnon is dressed for temperatures of about -15°C to -20°C in this photo.
At colder temperatures, he would have his hood up and would have a scarf over his nose and
mouth, exposing as little skin as possible to the cold air. Photo credit: Brett MacKinnon
Page 5
DID YOU KNOW?
Saskatoon’s name comes from the Cree
word mis-sask-quah-toomina—known as
the saskatoon berry in English. These
violet berries grow wild in the area. Be
sure to have a slice of saskatoon berry pie
while in Saskatoon!
The Meewasin Valley Trail, along the
east and west banks of the South
Saskatchewan River, is more than 60 km
long! Walk or cycle along the trail to see
the city’s beautiful riverbank.
The Meewasin Trail runs along the riverbank, and can be accessed from campus.
Photo credit: University of Saskatchewan Communications
•
Canadians prefer politeness, tact, and diplomacy.
Interrupting someone when they are speaking is
considered rude. Within this context, you will find
that the culture at SENS is informal and relaxed.2
Famous Saskatonians:
•
Musician Joni Mitchell
•
Author Farley Mowat
•
Hockey player Gordie Howe
•
Prime Minister John Diefenbaker
•
Author Yann Martel
The SENS community hopes that you will take advantage of events that both the School and SENSSA host
over the course of the year, beginning with the welcome lunch in early September. Many more opportuni-
J.J’s Complete Guide to Canada has this useful tip
about time: “Canadians are very literal about time
and schedules.”3 If your meeting with your supervisor
begins at 3 pm, arrive no more than 5 - 10 minutes
early and do not be late. You will find the same applies to meeting friends in social situations.
This website is also useful:
•
Prepare for Canada. Customs and Etiquette.
http://www.prepareforcanada.com/living/community/customs-and-etiquette/
SUPPORT ON CAMPUS: Becoming part of a community is an important part of moving to a new place.
At SENS, all students are instantly part of SENSSA,
the School of Environment and Sustainability Students’
Association. We encourage all of our students to become involved in this active, engaged student organization.
2 Kwintessential. 2014. “Canada - Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette.” Available
at: http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/canada.html Accessed July
31, 2015.
3 J.J.’s Complete Guide to Canada. 2015. “Canadian Manners and Etiquette.” Available
at: http://www.thecanadaguide.com/manners. Accessed July 31, 2015.
Page 6
Be sure to try some saskatoon berries!
Photo credit: Elsie Hul, Giddy Up Cafe. Source: Creative Commons.
ties to meet your fellow students will be announced via
email and in the SENS weekly email newsletter.
If you have specific questions beyond what is addressed in this handbook, we hope that you will seek
out your fellow students. Remember, they were new
to SENS not so long ago, and probably had many
of the same questions that you
have. SENS and SENSSA take the
School’s sense of community very
seriously, and you need only ask for
advice if you need it.
In addition, many groups at the
University of Saskatchewan have
been formed so that students can
meet others from their own country,
culture, or religion:
•
Bangladesh Undergraduate
Student Federation (busfuofs@
gmail.com)
•
Chinese Students’ and Scholars’
Association (cssa.sask@gmail.
com)
•
Malaysian Students Association
(uofs.masa@gmail.com)
•
Muslim Students Association
(uofs.msa@usask.ca)
•
U of S Ukrainian Students’ Association (studentyuofs@gmail.
com)
Student groups will continue to
be ratified throughout the year.
Check https://fms.ussu.ca/fmi/webd?homeurl=https://fms.ussu.ca/index.html#RatifiedCampusGroups for
new additions.
Kirk Hall, where SENS is housed.
Photo credit: daryl_mitchell. Source: Creative Commons.
Page 7
SERVICES
What about help with
academic issues, like writing
papers?
What about transportation in
Saskatoon?
Where should you go to buy
groceries?
What if you need to see a
doctor?
As a graduate student, you will receive a U-Pass for Saskatoon Transit.
Photo credit: seventwentysk. Source: Creative Commons.
ACADEMIC ASSISTANCE: The University of Saskatchewan has a
number of resources to help students:
•
Page 8
Student Learning Services (http://www.usask.ca/ulc/) - help with
writing, technology and study skills.
•
New Students (http://students.usask.ca/new-students.php#GetreadyforOrientation) - this website
has information about textbooks, U-Pass and
other items. Although this website is primarily for
undergraduate students, graduate students may
find some information useful.
The School of Environment and Sustainability is currently developing a new course called “Professional
Integrity and Generous Scholarship.” The description
for this course is as follows: “students will be introduced to and have opportunities to share a range of
skills required to successfully, and ethically, share
knowledge in academic and professional contexts.”
The first offering of this course is expected to be fall
2015.
TRANSPORTATION: If you are in Saskatoon without your own vehicle, you have the option of taking
the bus or a taxi cab to get around (unless of course,
you are able to walk, but this may not be practical
given distance or cold weather at certain times of
the year). As a graduate student at the University of
Saskatchewan, you will receive a U-Pass (universal
bus pass), paid as part of your student fees. You can
find information about the U-Pass here: http://www.
gsa.usask.ca/services/U-Pass/index.php. Saskatoon
Transit offers information about its route schedules
here: https://transit.saskatoon.ca/. Taking the bus is
significantly less expensive than taking a cab. How-
ever, taking a cab can be useful if you have a lot of
luggage with you (such as when you arrive in Saskatoon) or later at night when the transit service does
not run. Be aware, however, that hiring a cab in Saskatoon can be difficult depending on the time of year.
For example, you can expect delays with taxi service
during cold weather or during some holidays.
Cab companies in Saskatoon:
•
Comfort Cab - (306) 664-6464
•
United Cabs - (306) 652-2222
•
Blueline Taxi - (306) 653-3333
•
Saskatoon Radio Cabs - (306) 242-1221
GROCERIES: Saskatoon has a wide variety of grocery stores—some more expensive than others, some
with wider selection than others, some more conveniently located than others.
Supermarkets have a wide variety of grocery items;
most have pharmacies and some sell other items
such as hardware and clothing. The major supermarket chains in Saskatoon are:
•
Co-op
•
Extra Foods/Independent Grocers
•
Safeway
•
Sobey’s
•
Superstore
DID YOU KNOW?
What are some of the most Canadian foods?
•
Poutine - French fries with gravy and cheese curds
•
Ketchup chips
•
Maple syrup
•
Bacon
•
Butter tarts - a tart with a butter, sugar, syrup and
egg filling, sometimes with raisins
•
Nanaimo bars - a no-bake square with a custard
icing layer and a chocolate layer
•
Tim Horton’s double double1 - a Tim Horton’s coffee
Nanaimo bars.
Photo credit: Edward Kimber. Source: Creative Commons.
•
with 2 creams and 2 sugars!
Perogies - a potato dumpling common to many
Slavic cultures2
1 Patel, Artie and Clare Sibbony. March 18, 2013. “Canadian Food.” Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/06/28/canadian-food_n_2869764.
html. Website accessed: August 11, 2015
2 The Editors of Publications International, Ltd. April 18, 2008. “Canadian
Food” HowStuffWorks.com. Available at: http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/
canadian-food.htm Website accessed: August 11, 2015.
Page 9
You will find convenience stores or
“corner stores” in many neighbourhoods. Although they are indeed
convenient in terms of distance,
prices will be higher.
•
7-Eleven
•
Mac’s
Saskatoon also has several Asian
markets, including:
•
Super Fresh Asian Market
•
Chung Wah Chinese Grocery
Store
•
Filipino Asian Foods
FOR THE BUDGET SAVVY: As
with groceries, most items students
need to purchase can be bought for
a wide range of prices. Here are
some places with lower prices, for
the budget-minded student!
•
dollar stores, such as Dollarama
- sell a wide range of grocery
and household items
•
Value Village - second hand
clothes
•
Wal-Mart - clothes and groceries
HEALTH CARE: If you are a new
Saskatchewan resident (and you are
if you are an international student
living in Saskatchewan!), you will
need to apply for a Saskatchewan
health services card to be eligible
for health benefits. To apply online,
visit: http://www.ehealthsask.ca/
HealthRegistries/Pages/apply-forhealth-card.aspx
Supporting documentation for this
application is required:
• Each adult included on the
application must include copies
(both front and back of the document, if applicable) of documents proving:
• Legal Entitlement to be in
Canada - this is your student
visa. If your spouse has a
work permit, he/she should
use that document.
• Saskatchewan Residency
- this is a letter signed by
your landlord or residence
manager; you can ask them
to provide this for you.
• Support of Identity - you can
use your passport, Student
ID, Driver Licence, etc.
• Each dependant must provide
documents proving:
• Legal Entitlement to be in
Canada
• Support of Identity
Note that you cannot use the same
document to satisfy more than one
requirement.
You can access health services
on campus in Place Riel: http://
students.usask.ca/health/centres/
health-services.php
For emergencies, call 911 and a
medical team will be dispatched to
help you. Royal University Hospital
and St. Paul’s Hospital have 24 hour
emergency departments, and City
Hospital’s is open 9 am to 8:30 pm.
See https://www.saskatoonhealthregion.ca/patients/Pages/Emergency-Care.aspx
For a list of doctors in Saskatoon
who are accepting patients, visit:
https://www.saskatoonhealthregion.
ca/patients/Pages/Doctors-Taking-Patients.aspx
Before you
know it,
you’ll be out
in the field
conducting
research, like
these SENS
students!
Photo credit:
Vladimir
Kricsfalusy
Page 10
InternaƟonal
S t u d e n t
H a n d b o o k