New Members

In BC there is primary and secondary (also called extended) health insurance plans. The public primary insurance plan is BC Medical Services Plan (MSP). Primary insurance is required by law and covers doctor’s visits, hospital trips, and medical diagnostic tests. You must apply for MSP when you arrive in BC, but there is a 2-3 month wait time before your coverage begins and during this time you must be covered by a private insurance provider. Secondary insurance covers vision and dental care as well as prescriptions. Graduate students are automatically enrolled in the Graduate Student Society Extended Health and Dental plan. Most post-docs will have an extended health plan through Pacific Blue Cross.

Links

•  For general information on medical insurance: https://www.sfu.ca/medical-insurance.html
•  For information specific to international students: https://www.sfu.ca/students/isap/explore/medical.html
•  For information about the GSS plan: http://www.studentcare.ca/View.aspx?locale=en&uid=IHaveAPlan_SFUSimonFraserUniversitygraduatestudentsGSS_Home&
• For information about the post-doc extended health plan: https://www.sfu.ca/content/dam/sfu/human-resources/forms-documents/benefits/2020-Benefits/PDF%20benefit%20summary%20January%202020.pdf

Online websites like craigslist and kijiji are often used for finding a place to live. There are also a few Facebook groups/pages for students looking for a place to live or a roommate. Before signing a rental agreement and paying a deposit, be sure to ask what utilities are included in the rental cost. Wifi, heat, water, and other utilities may or may not be included. Rental properties tend to go very quickly, so it is a good idea to set up some viewings for your first few days here. If you do get stuck in a hotel or need a car rental, CAUBO (https://www.caubo.ca/discover-caubo/member-discounts/) has discounts for post-docs and university employees.

While online sites are a great resource for finding housing, you do need to be careful of scams. Never transfer any money before seeing the place in person and be wary if the landlord is asking for an unusually high security deposit. For more tips, check out this site: https://www.thespruce.com/apartment-rental-scam-recognize-and-avoid-155640.

Slang to know

Hydro: in BC most of our electricity is produced by hydroelectric dams, therefore the Crown corporation that controls electricity distribution is called BC Hydro. When you hear someone refer to their “hydro bill”, they are discussing their electricity bill.

Strata: if your property is part of strata housing then the property owner owns the property itself and all owners in the strata collectively own the common areas. Each strata has their own rules and bylaws, and require residents to pay strata fees. Find out more about stratas here: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/strata-housing

If shipping your belongings to Canada, be sure to have the proper documentation in order to avoid duties. For more information on duties see the Government of Canada website. Some shipping companies may require that you have arrived in Canada and have a work/study permit or visa before shipping your belongings to you. For a guide on importing your belongings, you can check out this page: https://www.pcb.ca/post/how-to-import-personal-goods-vs-personal-belongings-8568

Many students choose to live in areas across Burnaby, Coquitlam, Surrey, New West and Downtown Vancouver, which are all easily reachable from SFU by transit. However, when visiting Downtown Vancouver you may choose to avoid an area called the Downtown Eastside. Centered on East Hastings Street right outside the downtown core, the Downtown Eastside is an area of about 6 blocks between Main Street and Clark Drive that has a large concentration of homelessness and drug use. 

When you arrive in Canada you will need to apply for a SIN, which is required for employment. Additionally, most banks require a SIN before allowing you to open an account. See this link for details: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/sin/apply.html.

There is a Scotiabank on Burnaby campus and CIBC ATMs.

• For advice on opening a bank account in Canada, see https://www.canada.ca/en/financial-consumer-agency/services/banking/opening-bank-account.html

• SFU has provided advice on banking at https://www.sfu.ca/students/isap/explore/finances/banking.html

A compass card or contactless credit card is needed to ride public transport in Vancouver (SkyTrain, SeaBus, bus, or West Coast Express). If you choose to purchase a compass card you will have to load it with funds before you can use it. Your trip cost is determined by the distance travelled (how many zones passed through). Go to https://www.translink.ca/ to see rates, where to buy a compass card, and how to plan your trip. Graduate students pay for U-pass BC with their student fees. For more details on U-pass BC, go to https://www.sfu.ca/students/upass.html.

Car insurance in BC is provided by ICBC (there are no private insurers). ICBC also handles driver licencing. Newcomers to Canada will only be able to drive in BC on a foreign licence for up to 90 days. To get a local license and insurance, go to ICBC’s website and check out https://www.icbc.com/driver-licensing/moving-bc/Pages/default.aspx for more details about driving in BC.

• Ride-hailing was legalized in BC in December 2019. To discover ride-hailing services in Vancouver, check with companies like uber and lyft.
• Taxis are common
• Car-sharing services like evo, modo, and zipcar are also common. In particular, evo and zipcar have parking spots on the Burnaby campus.