Lifestyle and daily life

One of the most challenging aspects of transitioning to a new location can be acclimating to changes in lifestyle and daily living.

Transportation

Though Cold Lake is not a major city, there are many options for getting around. Some of these options include:

Public Transit: There is public transportation in Cold Lake with bus services throughout the city. Check out Cold Lake Transit’s webpage to see full schedule and map of bus routes.
Taxi Services: There is also Taxis servicing the city.
Airport Access: There is a small municipal airport that services private aircrafts with leasing options. There are not commercial flights leaving Cold Lake. Lloydminster, AB and Edmonton, AB have airports with commercial flights.
Shuttle Bus from 4 Wing to Edmonton: 4 Wing offers a shuttle bus to CFB Edmonton and Edmonton Airport for members and families.

Income & Cost of Living

Cold Lake is a fairly affordable city compared to the average cost of living within Canada. Some key facts about income and cost of living in Cold Lake include:

Cold Lake, AB received an A+ rating from Areavibes with the cost of living around 13% below the national average across Canada.
Despite overall lower costs of living, some cost of goods and services are rated a bit higher than the national average by approximately 5%.
The median total income as of 2015 for individuals is $54,144 (2016 Census)
The median household income as of 2015 is $110,575 (2016 Census)

Housing

Whether you are looking to rent or own a home, one advantage of a smaller community like Cold Lake is affordable living.

The average sale of a 3-bedroom home is $331,000. This represents a rate that is 100% lower than the Alberta average.
According to Areavibes.com, the average rental for 1-bedroom is $993.00 which is on par with the average rental rate in the rest of Alberta.

Child Care

In Alberta, home-based childcare is regulated by the Early Learning and Child Care Act and regulations. Unregulated childcare providers can offer babysitting services of up to six children under the age of 13, not including their own children at any given time.

Post Living Differential (PLD)

The PLD (Post Living Differential) is support designed to reduce the adverse financial impact on military members and their families when posted to a Post Living Differential Area (PLDA). Please confirm your eligibility and most current rate with the local Orderly Room.

Tax Information

To learn more about Cold Lake tax rates visit the following links to make sure you keep up to date with all the current rates and can plan your finances accordingly.

Provincial Taxes

Federal Taxes

Federal Income Tax Rates for 2021.

2SLGBTQ+

Cold Lake, as a community, is committed to providing a discrimination and harassment free environment, especially for marginalized communities. Cold Lake provides many supports for the 2SLGBTQ+ community including 2SLGBTQ+ affirming mental health practitioners. The City of Cold Lake even offers programs to spread awareness and education.

Employment

Cold Lake has many employment opportunities, with the primary key industry sectors including oil and gas, retail services, education, health services, social services, public administration, and more. Cold Lake’s Unemployment Rate is 25% lower than the national average with 29% more than the national average in the labour force.

Provincial Services

Updating vehicle registrations, drivers’ licenses, and health cards can be a real chore. Fortunately, Cold Lake makes this process (relatively) straightforward. Information on these various Provincial services include:

Provincial Documents. Tri-City Register is where you get your provincial documents such as Drivers Licences, Marriage Licences, Birth Certificates, and more.
Vehicle Registration. Out of Province Vehicles - If you have purchased a vehicle in another province and are going to register it in Alberta it will require an inspection prior to registration. You will need to visit our office with your ownership documents (Bill of Sale or your current registration from the other province). Learn more.
Health Care: To apply for the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP) or make changes to your information:
1. Download and complete the appropriate form.
2. Send the completed form to the AHCIP office or bring it to an authorized registry agent (Tri-Town Registries is an authorized agent).