Questions Kenyans in Canada ask 174 quick answers, each linked to its guide.

Get your Social Insurance Number, apply for your Ontario health card, and open a bank account, in that order. Then give your new address to IRCC, visit the Thunder Bay Multicultural Association, and get a free library card. Keep your passport and immigration papers together, because most steps ask for the originals. Read the guide

No. If you qualify, Ontario health coverage starts right away. Permanent residents qualify, and so do work permit holders who work full time for an Ontario employer for at least 6 months. You apply in person at a ServiceOntario centre with three documents: proof of status, of your Ontario address, and of who you are. Read the guide

Yes. You have the right to open a bank account even with no job and no money to deposit yet. Bring two original documents, one with your name and address and one with your name and date of birth. A foreign passport counts. Read the guide

Yes. Bay Credit Union has branches at 142 S. Algoma Street and 406 N. Cumberland Street. Northern Credit Union lists branches in Thunder Bay and Red Rock, and you can open chequing and savings online. That no-job banking right is for a bank. A credit union sets its own membership rules, so ask what it needs. Read the guide

A new card costs $5 at the Transit Office, 570 Fort William Rd, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or at City Hall, 500 Donald Street East. Register it, online or at 807-684-3744, so a lost card's rides can be moved to a new one. Reload at liftpassreloads.thunderbay.ca. Lift+ is the door-to-door bus you apply for if a disability keeps you off the regular bus. Read the guide

911 is for a life-threatening emergency. 811 is a free nurse, day or night. 211 is free, confidential and multilingual, 24 hours, for community and social services, and you can search 211Ontario.ca. 411 is not free: the charge depends on your phone company, so look numbers up at canada411.ca. Thunder Bay is not on Ontario's 311 list. For city services call 807-625-2195 or City Hall at 807-625-2230. Read the guide

60 days after you move to Ontario. Kenya has no licence exchange agreement with Ontario, so after that you take the vision test, the knowledge test and the G2 road test. Since July 1, 2026, a letter confirming your Kenyan licence can earn credit for up to one year of driving experience. Read the guide

Once you have your Ontario health card number, join Health Care Connect, the province's waitlist for a family doctor or nurse practitioner, online or by calling 811. Joining doesn't guarantee a doctor right away, so sign up early. While you wait, call 811 for free advice from a nurse. Read the guide

Yes. You don't have to wait for your first tax return. With children under 18, apply with form RC66, which also covers the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit and the Ontario child benefit. You report your income from outside Canada for up to two years before you arrived. On a work or study permit, you qualify for the child benefit only after you or your spouse have lived in Canada for the previous 18 months and hold a valid permit in the 19th month. Read the guide

A CVITP clinic can file it free if your income is modest and the return is simple, such as a job in Canada or no income. The CRA's suggested line is $40,000 for one person. Income from Kenya is not a simple situation, so a clinic will not prepare that return. Filing is how the CRA starts or continues the Canada child benefit and the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (formerly the GST/HST credit), and how you claim the Canada workers benefit. Read the guide

For July 2026 to June 2027, file the return and the ON-BEN form. The Northern Ontario Energy Credit is up to $189 for one person or $290 for a family. The energy and property tax credit is up to $1,307 (ages 18 to 64) or $1,488 (65 and over), plus $25 for a designated college or university residence in 2025. The sales tax credit is up to $378 per adult and $378 per child under 19. The Canada Disability Benefit is up to $204.20 a month in that year for adults 18 to 64 approved for the Disability Tax Credit who have filed taxes. Read the guide

Register the card, online at liftpassreloads.thunderbay.ca, at the Transit Office at 570 Fort William Rd, or by calling 807-684-3744. Transit can then cancel a lost card and move the remaining rides or monthly pass to a new $5 card. Pick up a card at that office or at City Hall, 500 Donald Street East. Lift+ is separate: you apply, then book door-to-door rides at 807-345-0777. Read the guide

Yes. Newcomers in their first year in Canada qualify for a no-cost account, with no monthly fee, at the 14 institutions that signed FCAC's commitment, including BMO, CIBC, National Bank, Royal Bank of Canada, Scotiabank, Tangerine Bank and TD Bank. It includes at least 18 debit transactions a month and no minimum balance. Bring original ID: a foreign passport counts. Read the guide

Not automatically. Equifax and TransUnion, Canada's two main credit bureaus, only collect credit activity in Canada, so you start from zero. Some lenders will look at your credit history from another country; you may need to bring that report and meet a bank officer. Read the guide

FCAC names a secured credit card as an option for newcomers with no credit history. You pay a deposit, and the limit is usually equal to or higher than it. Pay the full balance by the due date, never miss a payment, and use less than 30% of your limit. Check your report free from Equifax and TransUnion; checking it doesn't lower your score. Read the guide

File anyway. The CRA says filing is how you begin or keep getting the Canada child benefit and the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (the new name for the GST/HST credit), and Ontario's Trillium Benefit needs a filed return with the ON-BEN form even if you had no income. Newcomers file their first return the year after they arrive, usually by April 30. Read the guide

Your TFSA room starts in the year you become a resident of Canada, not the year you turned 18, and a part year still gives you that year's full limit. The 2026 limit is $7,000. You need to be 18 or older with a valid SIN. Count your own deposits, because extra money left in a TFSA is taxed at 1% a month. Read the guide

Not if you lived in it as your main home this year or in the previous 4 years. To open an FHSA you must be a first-time home buyer, and the CRA counts a home outside Canada the same way as one in Canada. If you qualify, your room is $8,000 in the year you open your first FHSA, up to $40,000 over your lifetime. Read the guide

Interest and investment income is taxable and must be reported, even when it is under $50 and no T5 slip is sent. Who reports it depends on how the group and its account are set up, so ask the CRA or a tax professional before the group invests. A fund that pays out when a member dies can be treated as insurance under Ontario's Insurance Act. Read the guide

Join Health Care Connect, Ontario's waitlist for a family doctor or nurse practitioner, online or by calling 811, as soon as you have your health card number. People with urgent needs are matched first, and joining doesn't guarantee a doctor right away. Thunder Bay's nurse practitioner-led clinic is full and takes new patients from Health Care Connect. Read the guide

NorWest Community Health Centres at 525 Simpson Street runs a walk-in clinic for people with no doctor or nurse practitioner elsewhere; it's free with a valid Ontario health card. The North West Region Virtual Care Clinic sees people by phone or video every day, 12 to 8 p.m., at 1-800-409-3484. For advice, call 811 to talk to a nurse. For an emergency, call 911. Read the guide

No. Study permit holders aren't on the list of people who qualify for OHIP. Lakehead University automatically enrols and bills international students in its academic programs for the University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP): $948 for one student for 2026-27, and a spouse and children who came with them must be enrolled too. Read the guide

In a crisis, call or text 988, or the CMHA Thunder Bay crisis line at 807-346-8282, 24 hours a day. For help that isn't urgent, call 811 or ConnexOntario at 1-866-531-2600. Students can call Good2Talk at 1-866-925-5454. African, Caribbean and Black youth can text RISE to 686868. Read the guide

If you have OHIP and live in the Thunder Bay district, the grant helps when you travel at least 100 km one way to the nearest specialist or ministry-funded facility in Ontario or Manitoba. It pays 41 cents per kilometre of the round trip. For treatment on or after December 1, 2024, paid lodging is $175 for 1 night, $350 for 2, $475 for 3, $1,025 for 4 to 7 nights, or $1,150 for 8 or more. Staying with family does not count. Apply within 12 months. The office is 159 Cedar Street, 7th Floor, Sudbury, ON P3E 6A5, 1-800-262-6524. Read the guide

Midwives are funded to provide prenatal, birth and postnatal care, including routine lab work, to Ontario residents in their area even without OHIP. People who come only to give birth and leave are not covered, and neither is someone whose private insurance already pays for pregnancy care. Refugee HealthLine, 1-866-286-4770, connects you with a provider for an initial assessment. It is not an emergency line. Read the guide

Healthy Smiles Ontario is free preventive, routine and emergency dental care for children 17 and under in low-income households. Children on Ontario Works or ODSP are enrolled automatically, except Ontario Works families in a First Nations community, who apply by mail. The Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program is free routine care for people 65 and over with no other dental coverage, if income is $25,480 or less for one person or $42,290 or less for a couple. Without a SIN or a tax filing, use the guarantor form. Read the guide

Only a little. For sudden, unexpected illness that needs immediate care, OHIP pays up to $50 a day for emergency outpatient care, up to $400 a day for inpatient care in an operating room, ICU, CCU or neonatal/paediatric special care unit, $200 a day for other inpatient care, and doctors at Ontario rates or less. It does not pay for a medical transfer home. Ontario recommends buying private travel health insurance before you go. If you are outside Ontario more than 212 days in any 12-month period, you may have to reapply for OHIP. For a longer absence, apply at ServiceOntario before you leave to keep your coverage. Read the guide

Under Ontario's PHIPA, a health provider needs your consent to share your personal health information, except where the law allows it without consent. Seeing a counsellor does not get reported to IRCC, your employer, your school or your landlord, apart from a few legal exceptions such as a serious risk to someone's safety or a court order. A counselling visit is not IRCC's medical exam, which a panel physician does. This is not immigration advice. Read the guide

CMHA Thunder Bay's 24/7 text line is free, and Children's Centre walk-in counselling lists no fee. Settlement help at the Thunder Bay Multicultural Association is worth a call. LINC English classes are free for eligible newcomers, mainly permanent residents and Convention refugees. Enrolled students get free counselling at Lakehead or Confederation. Any Ontario college or university student can use Good2Talk. Read the guide

Kids Help Phone's RiseUp service is for African, Caribbean and Black youth. Text RISE to 686868, or call 1-800-668-6868, or text CONNECT to 686868, 24/7. Black Mental Health Canada connects Black communities with care, at 1-888-220-2510 on weekdays. Read the guide

The Ontario Structured Psychotherapy Program offers free cognitive behavioural therapy for adults 18 and over living in Ontario. In Northwestern Ontario, St. Joseph's Care Group leads it, in person, by phone or by video. You can apply yourself, and you do not need a family doctor. The program collects your Ontario health card number when you enrol, so if you don't have one yet, call St. Joseph's OSP at 807-624-3543 first. It is not a crisis service. In a crisis, call or text 988. Read the guide

No. Ontario lists Talk4Healing for Indigenous women. Call or text 1-855-554-4325, any time. It is culturally grounded support, not a general line. Read the guide

Centr'Elles, 234 Van Norman Street, offers free confidential support for French-speaking women 16 and over. The office line is 807-788-0613, toll-free 1-888-415-4156, Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For a shelter, the site points to Fem'aide at 1-877-336-2433, 24 hours. Read the guide

Yes, but not for long. When you move to Ontario, you can drive on your valid Kenyan licence for 60 days. After that you need an Ontario driver's licence. Start the process early, because the tests take time to book. Rules change, so confirm with DriveTest before you apply or pay. Read the guide

No. Some countries have an agreement that lets drivers swap their licence for an Ontario one, but Kenya isn't one of them. You take a vision test and a knowledge (written) test, then the G2 road test, and at least 12 months later the G road test for your full licence. Read the guide

Since July 1, 2026, Ontario gives credit for up to one year of driving experience from a country without an exchange agreement. You show your valid, original Kenyan licence and an authentication letter. The letter must be an official letter from the government or agency that issued the licence, confirm it is authentic, and be in English or French. Read the guide

We haven't been able to confirm it. The High Commission verifies Kenyan licences by mail for CAD $20, but Ontario asks for a letter from the government or agency that issued the licence, and Kenyan licences are issued by Kenya's transport authority. Ask DriveTest before you pay or mail your original licence. Read the guide

A private seller must give you a Used Vehicle Information Package, which shows any liens. Get a signed bill of sale, and a Safety Standards Certificate from an Ontario DriveON station if you are registering the car to drive. Register at ServiceOntario within 6 days. In most cases you pay 13% retail sales tax on the purchase price or the wholesale value, whichever is greater. A purchase from an OMVIC-registered dealer can be covered by the compensation fund. Call OMVIC at 1-800-943-6002. A private sale is not covered. Read the guide

No. An Educational Credential Assessment says what your Kenyan degree or diploma equals in Canada, and some immigration programs need one. It does not give you a licence or promise a job in your field. For a regulated job, such as nursing or engineering, you still apply to the regulator. Read the guide

Not in public job ads. Since January 1, 2026, an Ontario employer with 25 or more employees may not ask for Canadian experience in a public job ad or its application form. The same ads must show the expected pay or a pay range. Read the guide

Ontario's general minimum wage is $17.95 an hour from October 1, 2026. On a work permit you have the same workplace rights as Canadians, and your employer may not take your passport or work permit. Read the guide

Literacy Northwest connects you to a local provider for adult literacy, upgrading or employment skills, including Get SET. It does not run the programs itself. Call 807-622-6666, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Read the guide

No. A temporary help agency in Ontario must hold a provincial licence. It cannot charge you to find work or to help with your resume, and it cannot stop a client employer from hiring you permanently or from giving you a reference. Read the guide

The Office of the Worker Adviser gives free representation to non-unionized workers on WSIB cases and on health-and-safety reprisals. The Thunder Bay office is 435 South James Street, Suite 335, Thunder Bay, ON P7E 6S7, by appointment. Call 807-475-1280 or toll-free 1-800-465-3966. Read the guide

If you are enrolled in an approved Ontario bridge training program, you can apply for a one-time bursary of up to $5,000 for tuition, books and equipment. Settlement.Org's Alternative Jobs tool lists related work that may not need the licence you are still waiting for. Read the guide

January averages −13.4 °C over a whole day, with average lows of −19.2 °C. In an average year there are about 42 nights colder than −20 °C and about 7 colder than −30 °C. Watch the wind chill too: below −28, bare skin can freeze in 10 to 30 minutes. Read the guide

On priority routes, from 2 a.m. to 7 a.m. every night from November 15 to April 30, snow or no snow. Your car can be ticketed or towed. Streets with calendar-parking signs have their own rules from early winter to March 31. Read the guide

Use winter tires with the mountain-and-snowflake symbol, and ask your insurer whether they give a discount for them. Keep your gas tank at least half full and carry an emergency kit with a blanket, a shovel, booster cables, water and food. Read the guide

DenkyMax African Food Market, 59 Court Street North, lists white corn meal, which you can use for ugali. We haven't yet confirmed a shop that stocks the Kenyan maize meal brands. If you know one, tell us through Share and we'll add it. Read the guide

Yes. DenkyMax African Food Market, 59 Court Street North, sells African and Caribbean groceries, including white corn meal, fufu flours, yams, palm oil and dried and smoked fish. The African Lounge, 146 Centennial Square, is a West African takeout and market with spices. Indian grocers such as Spice World, Rice n Spice and Bombay One Stop sell spices, rice and pulses. Rice n Spice says it offers free delivery. Read the guide

Thunder Bay Masjid's guide for Muslims new to the city says there is no dedicated halal butcher in Thunder Bay, and that halal meat is sold at Walmart, Superstore and Maltese Grocery. Check the label yourself. For a meal out, Shekho's Shawarma says its whole kitchen is halal and that it serves no pork or alcohol. Famous Tandoor calls itself halal. Read the guide

Join Wakenyatbay, a volunteer group for Kenyans in Thunder Bay. We'll welcome you, tell you about events like Jamhuri Day on December 12, and connect you with wakenya who have been here a while. Settlement classes and volunteering are good places to meet people too. Read the guide

Yes. Active clubs in the Lakehead University Student Union's directory include the African Caribbean Student Association, the Thunder Bay Nigerian Students group, the Muslim Student Association and the International Students Advocacy Collective. Read the guide

Thunder Bay Masjid, run by the Thunder Bay Muslim Religious Association, is at 591 John Street. Its website posts daily and Friday (Jumu'ah) prayer times, and it publishes a guide for Muslims new to the city. Read the guide

Not if you're on a work permit, waiting for a decision on one, a permanent resident or PR applicant, a refugee claimant, or on a study permit and studying full time at a publicly funded Ontario university or college. Otherwise the law requires the board to charge international student fees unless another exemption applies, so ask before you register. Read the guide

Only after you or your spouse have lived in Canada for the previous 18 months, and you hold a valid permit in the 19th month. Permanent residents and protected persons can apply as soon as they arrive, with form RC66 and schedule RC66SCH. Read the guide

Apply online at thunderbaychildcare.ca, the District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board's waitlist. Tick Fee Assistance Required if you want help with fees. At centres in Ontario's reduced-fee program, fees for under-6s are capped at $22 a day, and Ontario has committed to keeping the average at $19 a day until at least June 30, 2027. Read the guide

Report it to the Thunder Bay District Health Unit yourself by uploading a photo through its secure link. Doctors don't report it for you, and a child can be kept out of school if the record isn't up to date. If records are missing, some vaccines may be repeated, which the health unit says is not harmful. Read the guide

Brodie Library is at 216 Brodie St. S., Waverley Library at 285 Red River Rd, Mary JL Black Library at 901 Edward St. S., and County Park Library at 1020 Dawson Rd. Cards are free for city residents and for students in the area. Call 807-345-8275. Waverley closes on November 23, 2026 for a renovation. Read the guide

EarlyON programs are free for children from birth to 6 and their caregivers. Communities Together for Children runs EarlyON Child and Family Centre Northwood at 425 Edward Street N., Suite 11, (807) 624-5691. To attend its programs, create an account at keyon.ca. City recreation is listed in The Key and booked on the City's registration page or at 807-625-8463. The 55 Plus Centre at 700 River Street is for people 55 and older, with no membership fee. Read the guide

File your tax return and the ON-BEN form for July 2026 to June 2027. The Northern Ontario Energy Credit is up to $189 for one person or $290 for a family. The energy and property tax credit is up to $1,307 from ages 18 to 64, or $1,488 at 65 and over, plus $25 for a designated college or university residence in 2025, or up to $290 on a reserve or in a public long-term care home. The sales tax credit is up to $378 per adult and $378 per child under 19. Read the guide

Up to $204.20 a month from July 2026 to June 2027, for adults 18 to 64 who are approved for the Disability Tax Credit and have filed taxes. You must be a citizen, a permanent resident, a protected person, or a temporary resident who has lived in Canada for the previous 18 months. A spouse files too, if you have one. Read the guide

Students who started Grade 9 in 2024 or later need 17 compulsory credits, including 1 Grade 9 or 10 technological education credit, plus 13 optional credits, the literacy test, at least 2 online learning credits, and 40 hours of community involvement. Students who started Grade 9 in 2025–26 or later also complete a financial literacy requirement in Grade 10 Career Studies, taking effect in the 2026–27 school year. Read the guide

For programs that start on or after August 1, 2026, grants at public colleges and universities are capped at 25% of OSAP funding, so at least 75% is a loan. At a private career college, the provincial part of OSAP is all loans. The full-time application is for Ontario residents who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents or protected persons. Read the guide

TVO Learn Mathify is free one-on-one math tutoring with an Ontario Certified Teacher for Grades 4 to 12, for students in Ontario's publicly funded English-language schools. Sign-up asks for an Ontario Education Number. Read the guide

The City pages for Boulevard Lake and Centennial Park do not list a gate fee. Chippewa Park lists ride prices and no separate walk-in price. Outdoor rinks do not list a fee, and skating aids at Prince Arthur's Landing are free to borrow. Library programs are free. Winter FunDays, every Sunday from January 3 to March 14, 2027, are free. Provincial parks and Mount McKay charge at the gate. Read the guide

A vehicle needs an Ontario Parks day-use permit, and the passengers in that vehicle are included. From April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027 the regular daily totals are $12.25, $15.50, $18.00 or $21.00. The fee table does not say which one these parks use, so read the price when you buy. The library loans a one-week Ontario Parks pass. Late fees can apply. Read the guide

Outdoor rinks usually run from mid-December to mid-March, if the ice holds. Prince Arthur's Landing, at 2201 Sleeping Giant Parkway, lends skating aids at no fee and does not rent skates. Vickers Park has a 500-metre skating trail. The City lists sledding at Balsam Pit Park, Centennial Park, Northwood Playfield and Chapples North Park. Indoor public skating is priced, and helmets are required. Read the guide

Thunder Bay Art Gallery is free for everyone on Wednesdays. Other days adults pay $5 and children under 12 are free. The Thunder Bay Museum is pay-what-you-can. Suggested amounts are $8 for adults, $3 for ages 6 to 17, and free for age 5 and under. Children 14 and under must be with an adult. Read the guide

The cash fare is $3.25 in exact Canadian money, and the operator cannot make change. Children 12 and under ride free. Age 5 and under needs no card. Ages 6 to 12 need a Lift Pass. If you pay cash and will change buses, ask the operator for a paper transfer as you board. It lasts 90 minutes. Buses stay inside the city, so Kakabeka Falls, Sleeping Giant and Mount McKay are not bus trips. Read the guide

Kakabeka Falls and Sleeping Giant are the short trips. Fees are in the free things to do guide. Dorion is 70 km northeast, and Ouimet Canyon is about 12 km up Ouimet Canyon Road off Highway 11/17, open for day use in a 2026 season that ended October 30; the park page does not yet list 2027 dates. Nipigon is 110 km east and Red Rock is 116 km east, on Superior Country's 2025 brochure. That brochure does not print a drive time. Read the guide

Ouimet Canyon needs an Ontario Parks day-use permit. The 2026 table lists $12.25, $15.50, $18.00 or $21.00 and does not say which price Ouimet uses. Pukaskwa National Park lists a daily adult fee of $7.25, senior $6.25, and $15 for up to seven people in one vehicle. Youth 17 and under are free at Pukaskwa. That youth rule does not apply at Ontario Parks. Parks Canada says the park is a 3.5 hour drive from Thunder Bay. Read the guide

Use Ontario 511 at ontario.ca/511, or dial 511, for conditions, closures and plows. Highways 11 and 17 are the Ontario Trans-Canada highways. The province's target is bare pavement within 12 hours after a storm ends, and a bad storm can take longer. Keep the tank at least half full. Do not pass a working snowplow. Do not count on a cell signal the whole way. Read the guide

Ignace publishes Thunder Bay as 246 km and about 2 hours 39 minutes, and Kenora as 243 km and about 2 hours 45 minutes from Ignace. Fort Frances publishes 347 km from Thunder Bay and does not print a drive time. Treat Kenora and Fort Frances as a long day or a weekend. Check Ontario 511 the morning you leave, and stay in town if the highway is closed. Read the guide

Up to one month's rent, and it can only be used for your last month's rent. The landlord pays you interest on it each year. Damage deposits are illegal, and so are pet deposits in the lease. A key deposit is allowed, but the law limits how much it can be. Read the guide

For most units, 2.1% for increases in 2026 and 1.9% in 2027, with 90 days' written notice on the Landlord and Tenant Board's form. Units first lived in after November 15, 2018 are not covered by that limit, so ask when the unit was first occupied before you sign. Read the guide

Synergy North, at (807) 343-1111, or online with photos of two pieces of ID. A valid foreign passport counts as a second ID. A $30 set-up charge goes on your first bill, and new accounts pay a security deposit. You choose Time-of-Use, tiered or Ultra-Low Overnight prices. Synergy North's sign-up page lists online, email and fax. Read the guide

Water bills go out every three months and stay with the property. The Revenue Office is (807) 625-2255, by appointment at 501-34 Cumberland St. N. For your garbage and recycling day, enter your address on the City's garbage page. Waste questions go to City dispatch at (807) 625-2195. City Hall's switchboard is (807) 625-2230. Read the guide

No, if you share a kitchen or bathroom with the owner, or with the owner's spouse, child or parent. The Residential Tenancies Act does not apply, so there is no Landlord and Tenant Board hearing and the yearly rent-increase guideline does not apply. Read the guide

A landlord may ask if you have a pet and may refuse to rent to you because of the answer. A no-pets clause in the lease is void, except where the condominium's rules ban pets. Equifax says a credit check needs your full name, current address and date of birth. Giving your SIN is optional. Read the guide

The landlord must keep the heat at 20°C or more from September 1 to June 1, and cannot shut off heat, water, electricity or gas because rent is late. A city bylaw can set a higher standard. If the landlord does not supply air conditioning, you may install a window or portable unit after telling them in writing. If electricity is in the rent, a unit installed on or after July 1, 2026 can add a seasonal charge no higher than the power it uses, and that charge comes off when the unit is removed. Read the guide

An N12 does not make you leave. The termination date must be at least 60 days away, on the last day of a rental period, and the landlord must pay one month's rent by that date. The Landlord and Tenant Board decides, and a legal eviction is enforced by the sheriff. Changing the locks without giving you a key, or shutting off heat, water or electricity, is an offence. Call the Rental Housing Enforcement Unit at 1-888-772-9277. Fines go up to $100,000 for an individual and $500,000 for a corporation. A bad-faith N12 or N13 can be challenged with Form T5, usually within one year. Read the guide

For July 2026 to June 2027, file your tax return and the ON-BEN form. The Northern Ontario Energy Credit is up to $189 for one person or $290 for a family. The energy and property tax credit is up to $1,307 (ages 18 to 64) or $1,488 (65 and over), plus $25 if you lived in a designated college or university residence in 2025, or up to $290 on a reserve or in a public long-term care home. The sales tax credit is up to $378 per adult and $378 per child under 19. Read the guide

Survivors of abuse or human trafficking who also qualify for rent-geared-to-income housing can apply for the Special Priority Policy through TBDSSAB. They are placed at the front of that waitlist, behind other priority households already waiting. Ontario also lists the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit, a monthly payment that helps an eligible household pay the rent. Read the guide

Yes. Kenya is on IRCC's list of countries whose citizens need a visitor visa. You apply online. The fee is CAD $100 per person, and most applicants also give fingerprints and a photo (biometrics) for CAD $85. Read the guide

The main official routes are Express Entry for skilled workers, provincial nominee programs such as Ontario's, study permits, work permits, the Rural Community Immigration Pilot in communities like Thunder Bay, and family sponsorship. IRCC's Come to Canada tool shows which programs you may be eligible for. Read the guide

No. IRCC says you don't need to hire a representative, that using one won't draw special attention to your application, and that all forms and guides are free on its website. If you pay someone, they must be a licensed immigration consultant, a lawyer or, in Ontario, a licensed paralegal. Read the guide

No employer should charge you. For jobs that need a labour market impact assessment, employers must ensure that neither they nor anyone recruiting for them charges you recruitment fees, and charging them leads to a negative labour market impact assessment (LMIA) decision for the employer. IRCC also warns that no one can guarantee you a job or a visa. Read the guide

Pearson is YYZ and Billy Bishop is YTZ. They are different airports. On October 27, 2026, Thunder Bay's departure list showed Porter flights to Toronto City and to Toronto, Porter to Ottawa, and Air Canada flights to Toronto. Use the code on your ticket. Changing from YYZ to YTZ means collecting your bags and crossing the city. Book one ticket that ends at YQT. Read the guide

A CBSA officer prints it at your first Canadian airport, not at Thunder Bay. The letter of introduction in your IRCC account is not the permit. Keep your passport, that letter, your letter of acceptance and proof of funds in your cabin bag. Read the permit before you leave the counter. Read the guide

Declare every food item. From outside the United States, CFIA allows spices, tea and coffee up to 20 kg. Fresh, dried and cured meat, including sausages, is not permitted. Allowed dairy is ice cream, yogurt, kashk and pasteurized cheese, not milk. Fresh fruit, vegetables, grains and seeds: check AIRS. Undeclared food can be confiscated or fined. Read the guide

There is no limit on how much money you can bring into Canada, and CBSA says bringing it is not illegal. If you carry CAN$10,000 or more, in cash or in cheques, money orders or bank drafts, in any mix of currencies, you must report it at the kiosk, on your declaration, through Advance Declaration, or to the officer. Read the guide

On a Kenyan passport, you need a US visitor visa before you drive to Pigeon River. A PR card, a study permit and a work permit are Canadian documents. Kenya is not in the Visa Waiver Program, so ESTA is not available. A visa lets you ask to enter. The US officer can still refuse admission. Refugee claimants, protected persons and anyone waiting on a permit extension should get legal advice before leaving Canada. Answer any later visa application truthfully. Read the guide

A Kenyan passport needs an I-94 at a US land border. Most Canadian citizens visiting do not. Apply only at i94.cbp.dhs.gov or in the app named on CBP's I-94 page, up to 7 days ahead; other sites charge extra. The fee is US$30. Paying does not guarantee entry. If you are refused, or you miss those 7 days, you apply again and the fee is not refunded. Read the guide

You can ask, if the trip was only to the United States or St. Pierre and Miquelon and you return before your authorized stay ends. Bring your passport and a valid study permit or work permit. If you fly on from Duluth or Minneapolis to Kenya or anywhere else, that exception no longer applies. For that trip you need a valid visitor visa, and the officer still decides. Refugee claimants, protected persons and anyone waiting on a permit extension should get legal advice before leaving Canada. Read the guide

A same-day trip has no personal exemption, so duty and taxes can apply. After more than 24 hours the limit is CAN$200, with no alcohol or tobacco, and going over CAN$200 means duty and taxes on the whole amount. After more than 48 hours it is CAN$800, and you pay only on the amount above that. Each person has their own exemption. Keep the receipts. Read the guide

A dog that has been only in Canada, a low-risk country, for the last 6 months can cross if you complete the CDC Dog Import Form and show the receipt, printed or on your phone. It must be at least 6 months old, look healthy, and have a microchip that a universal scanner can detect. These rules have been in effect since August 1, 2024. If the dog was in Kenya, a high-risk country, in the last 6 months, it is not eligible to enter the United States directly from Canada, including at Grand Portage. Coming back into Canada, a dog 3 months or older needs a valid rabies vaccination certificate in English or French, and a cat 3 months or older needs a veterinarian's certificate that it is currently vaccinated against rabies. Read the guide

The Rural Community Immigration Pilot is a federal program that lets designated employers in the Thunder Bay area support a foreign worker for permanent residence. The Thunder Bay CEDC designates employers and issues recommendation certificates; Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada makes the permanent residence decision. Read the guide

No. You need a full-time, permanent job offer from a designated employer in the Thunder Bay area, and the employer submits your recommendation application to the CEDC. The CEDC doesn't match people with jobs or give immigration advice; you find the employer yourself. Read the guide

Candidate applications for 2026 closed at noon on October 15, 2026, and the remaining 2026 recommendation certificates are being issued in November. The CEDC says the 2027 priority sectors and occupations may change, so check its RCIP page for the 2027 launch. Read the guide

No. The CEDC lists asking for payment for a job offer as a dishonest practice that can get an employer removed from the program. If anyone asks you to pay for a job offer, don't pay, and report it. Read the guide

No. You can apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada yourself. IRCC says using a representative will not draw special attention to your application or guarantee approval. Be very careful with anyone who promises a guaranteed visa, permit or PR. Read the guide

Search the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants' register. Lawyers and Ontario paralegals must be members of the Law Society of Ontario, which has its own directory. If they aren't a member in good standing, IRCC says not to use them. Read the guide

Kinna-aweya Legal Clinic gives free help to low-income residents of the Thunder Bay district, focused on income benefits and housing, at 86 South Cumberland Street, (807) 344-2478. Legal Aid Ontario may pay for a lawyer for immigrants and refugee claimants who qualify financially. Read the guide

Yes. The Newcomer Legal Clinic at Lakehead University's Bora Laskin Faculty of Law gives free immigration, refugee and citizenship advice, referrals and sometimes representation to eligible people in Northwestern Ontario. Call 807-346-7800 or use the screening form. A request does not guarantee a meeting, there are no walk-ins, and services are limited during a staff transition. The office is Suite 3005A, 12 Cumberland St. N. Read the guide

AFNOO, the Association des francophones du Nord-Ouest de l'Ontario, helps francophone newcomers settle and look for work. That includes a settlement plan, referrals to French-language services, a Canadian-style resume and interview practice. It is at 234 Van Norman Street, 807-500-1885. It is not a law office. Read the guide

Yes. Lakehead University Community Legal Services, Suite PA1001, 401 Red River Road, is separate from the Newcomer Legal Clinic. Supervised law students help low-income residents with Landlord and Tenant Board cases, Employment Standards Act wage claims, Small Claims Court under $50,000, minor criminal offences and serious provincial offences. Call 807-346-7815 or toll-free 1-833-503-7815 for a screening appointment. Read the guide

No. IRCC says it will never ask for any kind of payment by phone, never asks you to pay into a personal bank account or with gift cards, and never threatens arrest or deportation over fees. IRCC may call about your application or unpaid fees, but won't take payment by phone. Real IRCC fees are paid to the Receiver General for Canada. If in doubt, hang up and call IRCC back on a number from canada.ca. Read the guide

No. For a job that needs a labour market impact assessment (LMIA), the employer pays any $1,000 processing fee and can't take it back from you, and must make sure no one recruiting for them charges you a fee. Anyone selling a job offer is a red flag. Read the guide

Call Thunder Bay Police on the non-emergency line, 807-684-1200, or use its online fraud report, and get a file number. Also report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or online. In danger right now, call 911. Read the guide

Use the Thunder Bay Police Safe Trade Zone at 1200 Balmoral Street. It is signed parking spaces with video surveillance, in from the Balmoral Street entrance and immediately to the right. It is for a sale you already arranged online. The non-emergency number is 807-684-1200. Call 911 if a crime is happening. Read the guide

Call your bank or the service you used right away, and keep every receipt and message. Report it to Thunder Bay Police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. Then watch for a second scam: never pay anyone who offers to get your money back. Read the guide

An unsolicited door-to-door contract for a furnace, air conditioner, water heater, water treatment or duct cleaning is void, and Ontario bans registering a lien on your home for consumer goods. A contract over $50 signed at your door has a 10-day cooling-off period from the day you get the written copy. Consumer Protection Ontario is 1-800-889-9768. A payday loan costs at most $14 per $100, and you have 2 business days to cancel with no fee. For a cell or internet bill, the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services is 1-888-221-1687. Read the guide

Yes. The Kenyan Embassy in Canada is the Kenya High Commission in Ottawa, at 415 Laurier Avenue East, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6R4. It is open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Eastern. Call +1 613-563-1773 or email balozi@kenyahighcommission.ca. Read the guide

Yes. You apply and pay on eCitizen, then hand in your documents in person at the High Commission in Ottawa, by appointment. It takes about 4 to 6 weeks. Our passport guide has the documents and the current fees. Read the guide

The Kenya High Commission in Ottawa directs marriage-certificate enquiries to the Registrar of Marriages in Nairobi. Birth registration for a child born in Canada is separate, and that one goes by courier through the High Commission. Read the guide

Fill in the passport application on eCitizen and pay there. Then email immigration@kenyahighcommission.ca for an appointment and take your documents in person to the High Commission in Ottawa. Processing takes 4 to 6 weeks, and your passport comes back by courier in the envelope you leave. Always confirm with the High Commission before you travel or pay. Read the guide

Passport fees are paid on eCitizen, in Kenya shillings. A 34-page "A" series passport is KSh 7,550, a 50-page "B" series is KSh 9,500, and a 66-page "C" series is KSh 12,500. Replacing a lost or damaged passport costs KSh 20,000. Always confirm with the High Commission before you pay. Read the guide

You may first need to declare dual citizenship, or regain Kenyan citizenship if you became Canadian before August 27, 2010. When you renew, you bring proof that you declared or regained Kenyan citizenship along with your other documents. The Wakenyatbay dual citizenship guide explains which step applies to you. Read the guide

First, apply through the High Commission by mail for a Kenyan "born abroad" birth certificate. The fee is CAD $210, and it takes 4 months or more. Then, for the passport, bring Form 19 from eCitizen, the payment invoice, the child's Kenyan birth certificate, two photos and the signed parental consent form, among other items. Read the guide

Fill in Form Reg. 136A, then go in person to the High Commission in Ottawa for fingerprints and a photo. Bring your documents to the appointment, such as a copy of your Kenyan birth certificate and your passport photo page. The fee is CAD $70, paid by money order, and processing takes about 8 weeks. Read the guide

Bring Form Reg. 136A, a police report or a notarised affidavit explaining how it was lost, two passport photos, and copies of your passport photo page, your ID and your birth certificate. Every ID application needs you in person at the High Commission in Ottawa for biometrics. Your new ID comes back by courier in the envelope you leave. Read the guide

Sometimes. The High Commission asks for recent photos on a white background, 35 × 45 mm (3.5 × 4.5 cm). A 2 × 2 inch photo works if your face is small enough to fit inside 35 × 45 mm. A first ID needs three passport photos, while a lost ID or a change of details needs two. Read the guide

You apply to the Kenya High Commission in Ottawa, by mail or in person. Kenyan citizens send stamped rolled and plain fingerprints from a local police station, two copies of their second-generation Kenyan ID, a short letter requesting the certificate, and two copies of the application form. The fee is CAD $60, paid by money order or certified cheque. Read the guide

Processing can take up to 3 months, so start early if an immigration application needs it. The fee is CAD $60, and paying it doesn't guarantee a certificate will be issued. An incomplete application is sent back to you, so check every item on the list before you mail it. Read the guide

Fingerprints are taken at a local police station and stamped. You need a complete set of rolled and plain fingerprints, and you send the original and one photocopy. Old prints or photocopies are not accepted. Call the police service before you go to ask whether they take fingerprints for a foreign police certificate, and what it costs. Read the guide

Yes, if you lived in Kenya for 6 months or more, for example for work or study. You send fingerprints, a request letter, two application forms, copies of your passport with proof of your time in Kenya, and a certified copy of your passport's photo page. Non-citizens may also pay the CAD $60 fee by bank draft. Read the guide

Not if you became Canadian on or after August 27, 2010. Kenya's 2010 Constitution allows dual citizenship, so you are still Kenyan, but you must declare your dual citizenship right away. The fee is CAD $320. If you became Canadian before that date, you lost Kenyan citizenship under the old constitution, but you can apply to regain it. The High Commission says this applies to people born before August 27, 1987; if you were born on or after that date, ask the High Commission which step applies before you pay. Read the guide

Apply on Kenya's immigration system, fns.immigration.go.ke, and print the forms. Fill in two sets of the declaration form and have them notarised by a commissioner of oaths. Send them by courier to the High Commission in Ottawa with two copies of proof of your Canadian and Kenyan citizenship and a CAD $320 money order or cashier's cheque. Read the guide

Regaining Kenyan citizenship costs CAD $750, paid by money order. It is for people who became Canadian before August 27, 2010; the High Commission says the requirement applies to those born before August 27, 1987. You apply online at fns.immigration.go.ke (Form 5 and the dual nationality declaration), have the declaration notarised, and send two copies of each with proof of your previous Kenyan citizenship and your Canadian citizenship. Read the guide

Under Kenya's Constitution, a person is Kenyan by birth if either parent was a Kenyan citizen at the time of their birth, wherever they were born. Children born in Canada still need their birth registered with Kenya. If they travel on a Canadian passport, check the Kenya eTA. This is not legal advice. Read the guide

Send the Kenya High Commission in Ottawa two sets of Form BDA 1 and the supporting documents, including certified copies of your child's Canadian birth certificate and both parents' Kenyan passports, ID cards and birth certificates. The fee is CAD $210, and processing takes 4 months or more. Read the guide

CAD $210, non-refundable, paid to the Kenya High Commission by money order, bank draft or certified cheque. If you go in person, you can pay by debit or Visa. Include a prepaid, self-addressed Xpresspost envelope for the reply. Read the guide

Yes. Apply to the Kenya High Commission for a duplicate birth certificate with a formal letter, two completed search forms, two clear copies of your original birth certificate or hospital birth notification, CAD $210 and a prepaid return envelope. It takes between 2 and 6 months. Read the guide

A Kenyan citizen without a valid Kenyan passport can apply for an emergency certificate. It is for one-way travel to Kenya only. You apply by mail to the High Commission in Ottawa, and the fee is CAD $20, paid by money order, certified cheque or bank draft. Always confirm with the High Commission before you book or pay. Read the guide

Send Form 19 (the same form as for a passport), two passport photos, 2.5 × 2 inches, your original Kenyan passport, copies of your birth certificate and Kenyan ID, a copy of your flight itinerary, and a letter explaining why you need an emergency certificate. Include a prepaid return envelope. An incomplete application is sent back to you. Read the guide

Book your flight at least three weeks out. The itinerary you send must be dated at least three weeks after the day you mail your application. If someone is in serious trouble abroad and needs help urgently, the High Commission also has a Kenyans in Distress form and an emergency line, +1 613-406-2065. Read the guide

Kenya asks travellers to apply and pay online for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) before they fly. The High Commission says this applies to all travellers except those the official eTA site lists as exempt. If you or your children travel on a Canadian passport, check etakenya.go.ke well before you book. Read the guide

The Kenya High Commission says all travellers to Kenya must apply and pay for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) before they travel, except those the official eTA site lists as exempt. If anyone in your family travels on a Canadian or other non-Kenyan passport, check whether they need an eTA well before the trip. Read the guide

Check before you book. If your children travel on Canadian passports, find out whether they need an eTA well before the trip. The official eTA site, etakenya.go.ke, keeps the list of who is exempt. Kenya asks travellers to apply and pay online for the eTA before they fly, so leave time for it. Read the guide

Apply on the official site, etakenya.go.ke, which the Kenya High Commission links to. The eTA team can be reached on WhatsApp at +254 110 922 064 or by phone at +254 717 436 070. Wakenyatbay is not part of the Government of Kenya, so always check the official eTA site before you book flights. Read the guide

eCitizen is the Government of Kenya's online portal for applying and paying for government services, at ecitizen.go.ke. Official Kenyan government sites end in .go.ke, so check the address before you sign in or pay. Read the guide

The Kenya High Commission says an expired licence can be renewed online through eCitizen. Kenya's National Transport and Safety Authority lists the smart driving licence renewal as a 3-year licence, processed in 5 working days. Read the guide

Email support@ecitizen.go.ke or call +254 780 806 206, as listed by the Kenya High Commission. For passports abroad, the Department of Immigration's overseas desk is overseaspassports@immigration.go.ke. Read the guide

Use a service with tracking. Canada Post's Xpresspost International to Kenya includes tracking and delivery confirmation; Small Packet does not. Kenya was not on Canada Post's Tracked Packet delivery-standards list when we checked. In Kenya, Posta parcels usually wait at a post office for collection. International couriers such as DHL, FedEx and UPS sell door-to-door service with tracking. Read the guide

No. A Canadian car is left-hand drive. KRA says an imported vehicle must be right-hand drive, and it must meet the KEBS age and inspection rules. A returning resident from Canada may qualify to bring in a replacement right-hand-drive vehicle instead. Confirm with KRA and KEBS before you ship any car. Read the guide

A numbered air waybill or bill of lading, and a written quote that says whether KRA customs duty and clearance are included or paid by the recipient on arrival. Match the company's legal name to a Canadian business registration. Don't pack undeclared cash, prescription drugs, or batteries and electronics the carrier restricts. Read the guide

Kenya is on East Africa Time, UTC+3, all year, with no daylight saving. Thunder Bay is on Eastern Time. In summer (EDT, UTC−4) Kenya is 7 hours ahead, so 7:00 a.m. here is 2:00 p.m. there. In winter (EST, UTC−5), from the first Sunday in November, Kenya is 8 hours ahead, so 7:00 a.m. here is 3:00 p.m. there. Read the guide

On a mobile, dial +254 and drop the leading 0. A number written 07XX XXX XXX becomes +254 7XX XXX XXX, and 01XX XXX XXX becomes +254 1XX XXX XXX. From a landline, start with 011 254 instead of the plus sign. WhatsApp calls use the internet and don't dial +254. Read the guide

Use an ordinary call: app or PINless calling credit, a prepaid calling card, or your Canadian plan's international add-on. That reaches a basic phone upcountry, a phone with no data, and a landline such as a bank, a hospital, a university switchboard or KRA. Read the price for that Safaricom, Airtel or landline number before you pay. The list on the guide is not a ranking. Read the guide

Read the connection fee, any weekly or service fee, the minute rounding, whether the toll-free access number adds a surcharge, and the expiry date. A $5 or $10 card can run out faster than the minutes on the poster, and a scratch card generally cannot be topped up. Compare that with the rate an app shows for the same Kenyan number on the same day. Read the guide

With no international add-on, Bell Mobility listed Kenya at $2.50 a minute on October 27, 2026. Other carriers publish their own pay-per-use rate. An add-on helps only when Kenya is included. Koodo's province-wide plans cover numbers in your home province only; an access number in another province, such as Montreal's 438, is long distance unless you have a Canada-wide plan. Lucky Mobile's advertised international texts are not minutes of calling. Read the guide

They may not recognize the number. Some apps hide your number unless you turn on your own caller ID. Turn it on, and agree a time first. They should not call back an international number they do not recognize, and they should never send money because of a call from a number they don't know. Read the guide

Safaricom may disconnect a prepaid line that goes unused for more than 120 days after the last top-up's validity ends. A top-up, a chargeable call or text, data, or M-Pesa counts as use. Daima, for individual prepaid lines, keeps the line for 6 months (KSh 200), 1 year (KSh 500) or 2 years (KSh 1,000). Put the SIM in a dual-SIM phone if you need texts here. Read the guide

KRA says you need a PIN if you expect to earn any income from Kenya, whether you live there or not. You also need one for many transactions in Kenya, such as buying or transferring land, opening a Kenyan bank account, and registering a vehicle or a company. Read the guide

Yes, if you have a PIN. KRA says that if you have no income to declare, you must file a nil return. Returns are filed on iTax between January 1 and June 30 of the following year. Late filing costs 5% of the tax due or KSh 2,000, whichever is higher. Read the guide

Yes. The Canada–Kenya Income Tax Agreement, signed on April 27, 1983, is on the Government of Canada's list of tax treaties in force. Under it, Kenyan tax paid on income arising in Kenya can generally be deducted from the Canadian tax on that income, subject to Canadian law. Read the guide

Yes. Once you are a resident of Canada, you report your world income, which includes rent from property in Kenya. You may be able to claim a foreign tax credit for tax paid in Kenya. If your foreign property costs more than CAD $100,000 in total, you may also need to file Form T1135. Read the guide

Work with a funeral home. The Kenya High Commission in Ottawa issues a letter of no objection once it has copies of the death certificate, burial transit permit, embalming certificate, a health department letter, the person's ID, next-of-kin phone numbers and a prepaid Xpresspost envelope. Read the guide

No. The High Commission says there is no fee for the letter of no objection that allows the remains to be transported to Kenya. The funeral home, flights and other costs are separate. Read the guide

Yes. For ashes, the High Commission needs copies of the death certificate, the crematorium's certificate, a funeral director's certificate that the container holds only the remains, the person's ID, and a prepaid Xpresspost envelope with a tracking number. Read the guide

Only if your study permit allows off-campus work and you meet IRCC's other conditions. Self-employment counts as work: the hours count toward the limit of 24 hours a week during term, and you can work full time during scheduled breaks. You must keep track of your own hours. Read the guide

Not if you're a sole proprietor using your own legal name. To use any other business name, register it on the Ontario Business Registry. It costs $60 online and lasts 5 years. ServiceOntario no longer registers businesses in person. Read the guide

Once your sales go over $30,000, in one calendar quarter or over the last four quarters. You then have 29 days to register for GST/HST, and if you went over in a single quarter, HST applies from the sale that took you over. Below that you're a small supplier and don't have to register, except taxi and ride-share drivers, who must register from the start. Read the guide

Yes, as a home caterer. Tell the Thunder Bay District Health Unit before you start, follow its home caterer guidelines, write a food safety plan for each item, and let an inspector visit up to three times a year. Check with the City about a licence too. A food business needs someone with a food handler certificate on site, for most businesses that cook or serve food. Read the guide

The Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre, at 2400 Nipigon Rd, gives advice, funding routes and workshops to innovative businesses and entrepreneurs in the region. Call 807-768-6683. The CEDC Entrepreneur Centre still gives free business advice by appointment. Read the guide

PARO Centre for Women's Enterprise runs peer lending circles of 4 to 7 women. Members can borrow $1,000 to $5,000, and part may not need to be repaid if you meet the criteria. The office is Suite 201, 34 Cumberland Street North. Call 807-625-0328 or toll-free 1-800-584-0252. Read the guide

No. This page is a proposal for members to discuss. Wakenyatbay does not run an insurance plan, a death-benefit fund or a savings pool, does not collect or hold money, and no one becomes entitled to any payment by joining or attending. Read the guide

Ontario's Insurance Act says a club or association that collects money from its members and pays benefits when members die is deemed to be an insurer, and insurers need a licence. So we won't start a standing fund without a lawyer's advice and a vote of members. Read the guide

Give directly to the family's own appeal, such as an online fundraiser or a treasurer they name. We plan to share appeals after confirming them with the family, but the money never goes through Wakenyatbay. Give only to appeals you trust. Read the guide