Canada and Canadian Citizenship
The Government of Canada’s official source of information for immigration and citizenship is the web site for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Have a look at their page with detailed information about how to start your life in Canada.
IRCC’s page on Canadian Citizenship outlines steps to become a Canadian citizen, including detailed information about:
How to apply for citizenship
The citizenship test and interview
The oath of citizenship and ceremony
Preparing for the Canadian Citizenship Test
Language Levels
The Canadian government uses a standard called the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) to describe English or French language skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking).
The minimum language requirement for the Canadian test is CLB Level 4. You can use an online tool like the Canadian Language Benchmarks Online Self-Assessment (CLB-OSA) to test your reading and listening skills.
You can also submit results from the Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program General test (CELPIP General) or the International English Language Testing System General test (IELTS General) as part of your immigration application to IRCC.
Explore our Language Learning page for more resources that can help you improve your English or French skills.
https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontarios-express-entry-human-capital-priorities-stream#section-3
Learn more about the Canadian Language Benchmarks.
Resources - Learn About Canada
The official study guide for the test is Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship. This guide is free and can help you learn about Canada’s history, geography, government, rights and responsibilities of citizens, and much more. You can borrow a copy from the library, access the book on the IRCC website, or order a physical copy from IRCC.
Learn all about Canada with OPL’s online resources:
This encyclopedia has features such as “Today in Canadian History”, a quiz on Canadian symbols, timelines, articles, and much more.
Includes daily summaries of current events, podcasts, and articles about politics at the provincial, federal, and international levels.
Online courses suited for newcomers to Canada and literacy students. Includes information on Canadian history, geography, government, culture and more.
A screenshot of the My Canada resource, with an introduction to the Canadian Government system.External resources
Geography: Destination Canada's official travel guide to Canada - Take a virtual tour of the many sights and sounds of Canada.
Symbols of Canada
Provincial and territorial symbols
National Anthem – O Canada
Royal Anthem – God Save the Queen
Current governmental representatives:
- Ottawa: City of Ottawa Wards and Councillors
- Ontario: Ontario Electoral Districts
- Canada: Current Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) by Riding
Government of Ontario
The Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration Home Page includes information about Ontario Ministries, agencies, programs, FAQs and publications.
Practise Tests
Practise tests are available from:
- OPL resource Learning Express Library.
- The Toronto Public Library offers a free online citizenship practice test.
- http://citizenshipcounts.ca/ includes practise tests and quizzes.
- http://citizenshipchallenge.ca/ offers a short quiz on their web page to see how well you know Canada.
Taking Leave for a Citizenship Ceremony
New Canadians can take up to four hours of unpaid leave for the purpose of attending their Canadian citizenship ceremonies.
More information
Some organizations in Ottawa hold regularly scheduled information sessions that can help you prepare for the citizenship test. The Community Information page includes a list of these agencies.
Have a look at this resource list for more suggestions, or contact the library at 613-580-2940.
Receiving Canadian Citizenship
You may wish to attend a citizenship ceremony, become more active in your community, and much more.
Can you Canoo?
If you received your Canadian citizenship less than 12 months ago and are over the age of 18, you are eligible for Canoo!
The Canoo program helps new Canadian citizens celebrate their citizenship by providing free admission to over 1400 museums, science centres, art galleries, parks, and historic sites across Canada.
The free Canoo mobile app (available on the App Store and Google Play) offers free admission for every new citizen and up to four children, every time they visit for the first year of citizenship.
If you would like to explore more of Ottawa’s museums, check out our museum passes available at the library. Please note that all passes are express items and holds are not available, they are first-come, first-served.