History| Climate| Customs & Immigration| Currency| Size| Bank Machine| Time Zone| Store Closing Holidays| Health| Sales, Tax, Deposits, Credit Cards and Refunds| Taxes, Services and Tips

History

We were perhaps the first part of the New World to be explored by Europeans. Around the year 1000, Norse explorer Leif Ericson made several voyages west and southwest from Greenland. The discovery of nine Viking buildings near L’Anse aux Meadows shows that Ericson established a temporary settlement there. The site is now a UNESCO World Heritage site and a National Historic Site.

Five hundred years later, Portuguese and English explorers looking for the Northwest Passage to the Orient came to our shores. There are also strong indications that Newfoundland was the site of John Cabot's landfall during his first voyage to North America in 1497. In the wake of European voyages of "discovery," migratory fishers from Portugal, France, and Spain began to harvest cod off the coast of Newfoundland in the early sixteenth century lured by the rumor that you could “pull buckets out of the sea filled to the brim with cod.”

Even before the first Europeans arrived on our shores, Newfoundland and Labrador had a rich and ancient aboriginal history. Archeological evidence shows that people have lived here for over 9,000 years. The first settlers developed a culture strongly oriented toward the sea and belonged to the Maritime Archaic tradition. They were gradually displaced by the Palaeoeskimo people of the Dorset Culture, the Mi'kmaq and finally by the Innu and Inuit in Labrador and the Beothuk on the island.

The population of Newfoundland and Labrador came mostly from the southwest of England and the south and southeast of Ireland. Migration to the island was intimately linked to the fishery and occurred mainly between the mid eighteenth and mid-nineteenth centuries. The province is also home to four native groups (the Inuit, the Innu, the Mi’kmaq and the Métis) and to a French-speaking population, found mostly in the western portion of the island.

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Language

English is the official language of Newfoundland and Labrador, a predominantly unilingual province. French is the official language of the French islands of St. Pierre & Miquelon.

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Climate

The island of Newfoundland has a temperate marine climate. Winters are usually mild with a mean temperature of 0 degrees Celsius. Summer days range from cool to hot, with a mean temperature of 16 degrees Celsius. Good swimming weather generally begins at the end of June. The average annual rainfall is 1,050 mm, and the average snowfall is 300 cm. Labrador winters are much colder than those on the island. While summers are shorter and generally cooler, extreme high temperatures are not uncommon in Labrador.

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Customs & Immigration

At present, American citizens and permanent residents of the United States do not need a passport to visit Canada, but should carry a birth, baptismal or voter's certificate, or other documents establishing their citizenship. Naturalized U.S. citizens should carry evidence of citizenship, such as a naturalization certificate. However, re-entry to the U.S. requires a passport, passport card, or a trusted traveller card, such as a Nexus card. Please consult the U.S. Department of State website for full details. Visitors from other countries must have valid national passports, and visitors from certain countries also require a visa. For a list of visa-exempt countries, go to www.canadainternational.gc.ca.

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Currency

The Canadian dollar is the currency used in Newfoundland and Labrador. Many operators and retailers will accept American dollars, but exchange rates will vary. Businesses do not accept other foreign currencies, and there is no currency exchange house in the province. Banks do not normally exchange foreign currencies, so we recommend that you convert your national currency into Canadian dollars before you leave. The Euro is the official currency in St. Pierre & Miquelon.

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Size

Total land area of 405,720 km2 (156,649 square miles) with 29,000 km (18,000 miles) of coastline.

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Bank Machine

Cirrus and Plus networks

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Time Zone

The island of Newfoundland occupies its own time zone, know as Newfoundland Time. It is half an hour later than Atlantic Time, and a full hour and a half later than Eastern Standard Time. Most of Labrador occupies the Atlantic Time Zone; however Southern Labrador (L’Anse-au-Claire to Black Tickle) operates on Newfoundland Time. Saint Pierre and Miquelon operates on Atlantic Time.

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Store Closing Holidays
 

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Health

All visitors to Canada are strongly urged to obtain health insurance before leaving their home country. Canadian hospital and medical services are excellent, but a hospital stay can cost in excess of $500 a day, and the cost of an extended stay can be prohibitive. Be sure you are covered. If you are a resident of Canada, you should carry your Provincial Health Card just in case you need medical attention. If you are taking medicine prescribed by your doctor, it is a good idea to make a list of what you are taking in case of emergency, and bring along a copy of your prescription in the event that you need to have it renewed by a doctor in Newfoundland and Labrador.

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Sales Tax, Deposits, Credit Cards and Refunds

HST stands for Harmonized Sales Tax. This 13% tax is charged on goods and services purchased in Newfoundland and Labrador. When you make a reservation, it's always a good idea to ask the operator about the cancellation of deposits, what credit cards are accepted, and the establishment's policies on refunds and late arrivals. Some seasonal operators may have a minimum stay policy in effect, while others do not accept credit cards. If you are asked to pay in advance, it's always a good idea to ask to see the room first.

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Taxes, Services and Tip

The Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) is a 13% tax is charged on goods and services purchased in Newfoundland and Labrador. In restaurants, bars, taxis and at the hair salon it is recommended to leave a tip, which is not included on the bill, for about 10-15% of the bill amount (before taxes). Tips for bell persons or baggage porters are at the discretion of the customer (in general, $1 per bag carried).

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