Newcomers · Finding community
Meeting People in Thunder Bay as a Newcomer You don't have to do Thunder Bay alone.
The first winter is easier with people around you. These are places to start, each one checked on its own website. We list what we can confirm, and we'll keep adding to it.
Last checked October 25, 2026. Rules change, so confirm on the linked page before you go or pay anything. Soma kwa Kiswahili.
1. Wakenyatbay
That's us: a volunteer group for Kenyans in Thunder Bay. Join and 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.
2. Newcomer and settlement help
The Thunder Bay Multicultural Association is the city's settlement agency. Besides practical help, it runs orientation sessions, English classes and citizenship classes, which are good places to meet other newcomers. Their contact details are in our First 30 Days guide.
Source: Thunder Bay Multicultural Association, newcomer services
3. Students at Lakehead and Confederation
- Lakehead University International Student Services offers orientation, immigration advice, peer mentors and emergency help. It is on the ground floor of the Chancellor Paterson Library on the Thunder Bay campus. Email international@lakeheadu.ca.
- Student clubs at Lakehead, all active in the Lakehead University Student Union's club directory:
- the African Caribbean Student Association
- the Thunder Bay Nigerian Students group
- the Muslim Student Association
- the International Students Advocacy Collective
- WUSC, which supports refugee students
- Confederation College students: start with the college's international education office.
Source: Lakehead University, International Student Services and the LUSU club pages linked above
4. Places of worship
| Place | Where and when | What its own site says |
|---|---|---|
| Thunder Bay Masjid | 591 John Street. Run by the Thunder Bay Muslim Religious Association. | Posts daily prayer times and Friday (Jumu'ah) prayer times. Publishes a helpful guide for Muslims new to the city. |
| Evangel Church | 1260 Balmoral Street. Sunday service at 11 a.m. | Kingdom Kids, its children's ministry, has classes for ages 1 to 3, 3 to 6, and 6 to 11. Contact: (807) 345-3503 or info@evangelchurch.ca. |
| Redwood Park Church | 2609 Redwood Avenue. Sunday services at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m.; the 11:30 service is livestreamed. | Redwood Kids is for children from 3 months to Grade 5, and there are youth and young adults ministries. A volunteer food bank gives emergency food every other Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Contact: (807) 577-3463 or office@redwoodpark.ca. |
Sources: Thunder Bay Muslim Religious Association; Evangel Church and "Kingdom Kids"; Redwood Park Church, "Sundays" and "Food Bank"
Thunder Bay has many more churches. We list a place only after checking its own website, and we never say who attends. If your church, fellowship or Swahili service welcomes Kenyans, tell us about it.
5. African and Black community events
Look out for Black History Month events every February. In 2026, for example, the City of Thunder Bay's event calendar listed the "Roots & Routes" Black History Month dinner and gala, presented by Sisters for Canadian Black Community and Northwest Black Collective. We'll post events like this on our events page as we hear about them.
Source: City of Thunder Bay event calendar
| Group | Where | What its own site says |
|---|---|---|
| Afro-Vibe Fest | Marina Park. The listed 2026 dates, 11 and 12 July, have passed. | A festival of African and Afro-diaspora music, dance, food and fashion. Phone (807) 630-6698 or info@afro-vibefest.ca. |
| Northwest Black Collective | Thunder Bay. Kwetu Youth Hub. | Its events page listed free library tutoring with bus tickets, African and Caribbean cooking classes, and a food-handler certificate pathway in 2025. Email kwetuyouthhub@gmail.com. Check the page for what is running now. |
Sources: Afro-Vibe Fest and Northwest Black Collective events, read 29 October 2026.
6. Volunteering
Volunteering is one of the fastest ways to meet people, practise English, and get a Canadian reference for your resume. Volunteer Thunder Bay lists opportunities across the city, plus workshops and a youth program.
Source: Volunteer Thunder Bay
7. Kenyan organisations in Canada
- The Kenya High Commission in Ottawa handles passports, ID, emergency travel documents and registration of Kenyans living in Canada. See our consular guide, or go to kenyahighcommission.ca.
- The Kenyan Community in Ontario is a province-wide not-for-profit that brings together Kenyan, African and African Canadian communities: kcontario.ca.
- Every other Kenyan community group we know of, province by province: Kenyan associations across Canada.
- Businesses that serve the community, whoever owns them: Soko, our community marketplace.
Help us fill this page
Know a church, chama, sports team, WhatsApp group or cultural group that welcomes Kenyans in Thunder Bay? Tell us. We check every suggestion before it goes on the site.
Suggest a groupQuick answers
How do I meet other Kenyans in Thunder Bay?
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.
Are there African student groups at Lakehead University?
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.
Where is the mosque in Thunder Bay?
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.