FAQ About Immigrating to Asessippi

A place to call home.

Q: How much does it cost to buy a home in the Asessippi Parkland region?
Answer: Housing prices vary in the region from a low average of $50,000 CAD (32,347 EUR or £25,996) to highs of around $200,000 CAD (104,006 EUR or £129,376). A typical 1,500 square foot home (456 square metres) on a serviced lot would cost around $110,000 (77,396 EUR or £53,713). On average the size of a yard in town would be 75 to 100-foot frontage (approximately 23 metres to 30 metres and about 150 feet deep (or 46 metres deep). To build a new home it is safe to estimate $200/square-foot CAD (141 EUR or £98). Back to top

Q: Can I buy acreage in the country?
Answer: Yes, it is possible to purchase a home on an acreage near any of our communities or to develop an acreage with a new home. There are also building lots, with lake frontage available, for both year round and summer cottage living. Back to top

Q: How far is Asessippi Parkland from an international airport?
Answer: There are international airports located in Winnipeg, Manitoba and Regina, Saskatchewan. Winnipeg is located 3 1/2 hours southeast of our region and Regina is about 2 1/2 hours southwest. Back to top

Q: How much does it cost for an average family to live in the Asessippi Parkland region?
Answer: Manitoba is one of the most affordable places to live in Canada with the lowest cost of child care, gasoline tax, vehicle insurance, electricity and housing. A family of four, with one income, earning $40,000 a year would havethe lowestannual taxes and personal costs in the country, according to data included in the Province of Manitoba's 2007 budget. Low cost living is one of Manitoba's key advantages over the rest of Canada. Since 1999, Manitoba’s overall ranking for personal costs and taxes have been among the best in Canada, with Asessippi Parkland being one of the cheapest places to buy a house. Back to top

Q: What services are available locally?
Answer: Our local communities have a wide range of retail services with the Town of Russell acting as the main service centre. Everything you need is available locally including groceries; family clothing & footwear; pharmacy; hardware; sporting goods; jewellery & giftware; building, paint and decorating supplies; automotive supplies, etc. In addition, there are also a wide range of other services like personal care providers (hairstylists, aestheticians, etc.), trades people (mechanics, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, etc.) and professionals (such as accountants, lawyers, dentist, veterinarian, optometrist, etc.) Larger shopping centres and department stores are available within close driving distances: Yorkton SK (1 hour west) or Brandon MB (2 hours south-east). Back to top

Q: Where will our children attend school?
Answer: Children in the region can choose to attend one of the following public schools in the area:
• Major Pratt School in Russell – provides a Kindergarten to Grade 12 program. (age 5 to 17)
• Binscarth School – provides a Kindergarten to Grade 8 program (age 5 to 13)
• Inglis School – provides a Kindergarten to Grade 8 program (age 5 to 13).  In 2007, Inglis School was recognized by Today's Parent Magazine as one of the Top 25 Schools in Canada because of its cultural diversity and ability to embrace this diversity despite its small size.
Out of town children are provided with a daily bus service from their homes to the school at no extra cost. Preschool children (ages 3 to 5) can also attend a weekly nursery school class in Russell, Binscarth or Inglis. Please click here for more information about education in Asessippi Parkland. Back to top

Q: Where is the nearest hospital?
Answer: The Russell Health Centre provides 24-hour emergency care and the four family doctors also offer a clinic service on weekdays through the Russell Clinic. In addition to emergency and clinic services, the Russell Health Centre provides public health, lab & x-ray, dietician, physiotherapy, and cancer care services. Click here for more information on health care in Asessippi Parkland. Back to top

Q: What's the weather like in Asessippi Parkland?
Answer: We have four distinct seasons.
• Winter: December 21 to March 20
• Spring from March 21 to June 20
• Summer from June 21 to September 20
• Autumn from September 21 to December 20.
Average seasonal temperatures are:
• January (winter) - 14° C 6.8° F
• April (spring) 8° C 46.4° F
• July (summer) 24° C 75.2° F
• October (autumn) 10° C 50.0° F
Asessippi gets a lot of sunshine with an average of 314 days a year and at least one hour of sunshine per day. We get an average of 344 mm (13.76 inches) of rainfall each year and 136 mm (5.56 inches) of snowfall. In most years, snow will begin to fall in late autumn and will stay on the ground after the beginning of November until the spring. Our predictable weather pattern means major weather disturbances are rare, such as tornadoes, or non-existent, such as hurricanes.  In addition, our location protects us from major disaster risks, such as earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions. Back to top

Q: Does everything shut down in the winter because of the cold and/or snow?
Answer: Although we do experience cold winter days, Canadians are well prepared for the changing seasons. In winter, schools and roads can sometimes be temporally closed due to cold weather or snowstorms. However, all of our communities are well equipped for snow removal and can have roads reopened within a very short period of time. Our utility providers are also well prepared, which means power outages and other such disruptions are very rare. Back to top

Q: Do you have biting insects?
Answer: Yes, in the summer months we have the usual stinging bees, wasps and hornets as well as the pesky biting mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are more of nuisance in years with high rainfall. However, Asessippi Parkland boasts a lower mosquito population than other parts of the Province of Manitoba, including the City of Winnipeg. Wearing light-coloured pants and long sleeve shirts/jackets provides protection as well as using a mosquito spray with DEET, as well as staying indoors at dusk. While the mosquito is a pest, Manitoba is free of such things as poisonous spiders and snakes. Back to top

Q: How safe are your communities?
Answer: We consider ourselves very lucky to live in small, safe communities where neighbours look out for each other. The Town of Russell participates in a Citizens on Patrol program, while the rural areas are involved in a rural crimewatch program. These programs encourage local residents to report any suspicious activity. The area is served by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).  There is a low occurrence of criminal offences, with the majority being property or traffic offences rather than violent crimes. Back to top

Q: Can I get Internet access?
Answer: Yes, the towns of Binscarth, Inglis and Russell all have access to high-speed DSL Internet service and the region is in the process of rolling out high-speed wireless broadband access that will be available to both town and rural residents throughout the region at competitive rates. Where high-speed access isn’t available you can still access the Internet via telephone lines. Back to top

Q: What kinds of jobs are available in your region?
Answer: The Asessippi Parkland region is primarily an agricultural area (grain and livestock) so jobs exist in the agricultural service sector (i.e. heavy equipment mechanics, truck drivers, and production workers). We also have a growing tourism industry centred on recreation and lake activities. Tourism provides opportunities for entrepreneurs who would like to open specialty shops, or crafters and artisans with products to sell. Due to an increase in local construction and a provincial shortage of workers there are opportunities for skilled trades people (carpenters, plumbers, electricians, etc.). Manitoba is also faced with a shortage of health professionals and our communities need people with these skills. These are only some of the skills we need. If you are interested in further information please contact us and we will do our best to match your skills to the needs of our local employers. Back to top

Q: Is it possible to start a business in the region?
Answer: There are several businesses available for sale in the area.  There are also opportunities to purchase vacant buildings and vacant land to develop a new business.  It is possible to immigrate to Manitoba as a business immigrant.  Click here for more information about immigrating as a business immigrant.  The economic development officer in the region can also provide you with valuable information to help you start your business.  Click here for the economic development officer's contact information.

Q: What can I expect to earn?
Answer: Minimum wage in Manitoba is $9.00 CAD per hour. The following table will give you an idea of the hourly rate of pay in some skill areas.Occupation

*The above information was sourced from Service Canada Labour Market Information on wage rates, 2007 data (updated with current minimum wage levels).
Back to top

Q: What is there to do for recreation/leisure activities?
Answer: The list is long. We are located in a four seasons wonderland for recreation and leisure activities. The great outdoors provides opportunities for hiking, biking, horseback riding, swimming, golfing and fishing in the summer months and downhill and x-country skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, ice fishing, and skating in the winter months. There are also opportunities for all ages to join in team sports such as hockey, curling, baseball, volleyball, broomball, etc. Clubs exist for dance, visual arts and theatre and private music lessons are available from a number of very qualified instructors. Click here for more information about our recreation and leisure activities. Back to top

Come to the ASESSIPPI PARKLAND a Region Rich in OPPORTUNITY