Congratulations on your move! This blog, Moving from Ontario to Alberta – a complete relocation checklist, will help you organize and prepare for your move. It also contains a moving timeline:

8 Weeks Before Move
  • Tour your house. Include the attic, garage, and shed. Decide which items should be discarded, sold, or donated to charity.
  • Contact professional movers to request a quote on your move. Check with the Canadian Association of Movers to confirm they are members.
  • Determine if your move from Ontario to Alberta is tax -deductible. If your new home is over 40 km closer to work or school than your old home, and you are moving for a job, attending school full-time, or opening a business, your move may be tax -deductible. For more information, go to the Government of Canada website.
  • Contact Alberta Healthcare to find out if you qualify for public healthcare coverage in Alberta. Ontario has OHIP, Alberta has AHCIP. You can also find out about the availability of a family doctor in your area.
4 Weeks Before Move
  • Begin to eat up frozen food and staples. Buy only what you will use before moving. Movers cannot load frozen food on the moving truck when you are moving long- distance.
  • Make your travel reservations for the trip, including airline, hotel, rental car, and pet transportation if your pets will be shipped by air.
  • Arrange for the transfer of records. i.e. school, veterinary, medical.
  • Appliances like washers and grandfather clocks need special servicing before and after the move. Contact a licensed service person at your current location and your new location, or ask your moving company to make the arrangements on your behalf.
  • Set up the disconnect dates for hydro, gas, water/sewer, cable, and internet.
  • Contact hydro, gas, water/sewer, cable, and internet companies in your new area to set up accounts and make arrangements for the connections. Also, be aware that some utilities may require a deposit.
1 Week Before Move
  • Prepare for the car trip or flight.  Finish packing all suitcases and the essentials. Plan to carry valuable documents, currency, jewellery, and medication with you in the car or on the plane.
  • Drain water from garden hoses and oil/fuel from lawnmowers, leaf blowers, weed trimmers, and other machinery.
  • Defrost the fridge and freezer and wipe them dry.
  • Confirm packing, loading, and unpacking dates with the mover.
  • Remove curtain rods and shelves – any items that are attached to walls that are not included in the sale or rental.
  • Dismantle large power tools such as lathes and grinders.
  • Confirm that you have important papers, keys, medications, plane tickets, and appropriate clothing for your trip.
Moving Day (Move Out)
  • Plan to be at home until the moving truck has left.
  • Tour the house with the van operator during the inventory listing.
  • After loading is complete, sign the mover’s Bill of Lading and confirm the van operator has your new address and delivery date.
  • Do a final walk-through of your home to check for overlooked items.
  • Ensure the windows and doors are locked, utilities are discontinued or turned off, and the keys are transferred.
  • Arrange to have your payment ready for your move. Professional movers like Premiere Van Lines offer a variety of payment options. You can pay using Visa, MasterCard, certified cheque, bank draft, money order, or cash.
Moving Day (Move In)
  • It is a good idea to arrive at your new home a day ahead of the moving truck to verify all utilities are connected and the floor plan is correct.
  • Do any last-minute cleaning or painting.
  • As the items are unloaded into your new home, check them off on the inventory listing provided by the mover. This way, you will know if anything is missing.
  • Confirm unpacking for the following day if you purchased packing services from the mover.
  • Unpack the essentials you need for the night and make the beds- it will be a tiring day.
After the Move
  • You must exchange your Ontario Driver’s License for an Alberta Driver’s License within 90 days of moving to the province. If you are moving temporarily or as a student, you may be able to use your Ontario Driver’s License. For more information, go to Alberta.ca

For more information on moving from Ontario to Alberta- a complete relocation checklist, and to obtain a moving quote, contact Premiere Van Lines. Premiere is a proud member of the Canadian Association of Movers and a trusted agent for Atlas Van Lines.