Life in
Canada

Many people find that the cost of living in Canada is much lower than that in their home country. The housing costs can be much cheaper, when compared with other countries. People who want to relocate to Canada and purchase property will find that they can get more value for their money here.

Mercer's 2011 survey of expatriate living costs shows that the city of Toronto (59) overtook Vancouver (65) to become the most expensive Canadian city, followed by Montreal (79) and Calgary (96). Ranking at 114th, Ottawa is the least expensive city to live in Canada.

For more information, you will need to compare the cost of living in your home country, with that of popular Canadian cities. You can check out our relocation guides for more information. It contains a full sample costing for all popular goods and services in cities throughout the world.

In Canada, any discrimination on religious backgrounds is strongly condemned and is against the law. As a person living in Canada, you have the right to observe the religious beliefs of your choice. However, it seizes to be your right if it infringes with other’s rights or is considered as a health or safety risk.

In effect, these religious rights are protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as stipulated in the country's constitution.

Multicultural Canada is focused on ensuring that all religions and beliefs are celebrated and represented in their communities. There many associations, Mosques, Sikhs, churches and chapels across Canada, with most of them encouraging community outreach and hosting social events.

There are many ways of finding a place to worship in your area. Many television programs and radio stations are dedicated to different religions, and provide up-to-date information on upcoming cultural events. You can find this information in your local television listings.

There are many publications that celebrate your unique culture and beliefs, so have a look at your local listings and you may find that there is information about finding a place of worship.

Meeting new people in your neighbourhood can help you in deciding where you want to worship.

The Canadian government have demonstrated a willingness to employ foreign workers, and have historically been quick to recognize that skilled immigrants are important to the growth of the Canadian economy. Which is why programs like Express Entry have been so popular with immigrants.

The majority of expats living in Canada find work through insurance, catering or production industries, and there tends to be a good availability of office jobs (administration, clerks etc) for expats.

In the past Canada has suffered from a deficit of skilled engineering candidates, and for this reason expats who work in the field of project management, process and engineering are in high demand in Canada.

The unemployment rate in Canada, as of September 2009, was 8.4%. At present the country is experiencing a shortage in positions for students, but rises are being observed in the retail and wholesale trade sectors.

Canada’s “universal” health-care system is a little less universal when it comes to immigrants.

All Canadian citizens and permanent residents are eligible for public health insurance, which covers most medical issues. Newcomers to Canada, however, may not have the same access to services.

The Canada Health Act says all insured persons are entitled to the insured benefits offered within that province. “Insured persons” are lawful residents who have lived in the province for three months and live there for at least 183 days a year. Tourists, visitors, and “transients” are excluded, and may have to have their own form of health insurance.

For newcomers, the level of coverage depends on your immigration status. Generally speaking, immigrants have limited access to free medical care, and will likely have to pay for some treatments or insurance.

The provinces and territories offer free emergency medical services, but some restrictions may apply.

The Canadian economy’s recovery from recession has had wide-ranging impact on domestic industries over the past five years. The ten fastest-growing industries over the past five years are measured by average growth in sales per year, and feature industries from a variety of sectors, including:

• Heavy manufacturing;
• Wholesaling; and
• Professional business services

While each industry showed strong revenue growth, some have experienced huge growth while others have grown due to more secular trends. For example, the Nonferrous Metal Foundry Products Manufacturing industry has merely recovered from poor performance during the economic downturn and is unlikely to reach its previous revenue levels. In contrast, up-and-coming industries, such as recycling facilities, have flourished due to longer-term shifts in consumer preferences. Similarly, industries such as fertilizer manufacturing have experienced wildly fluctuating demand, while others, such as the Beauty, Cosmetics and Fragrance Stores industry, have grown steadily over the five-year period.

However here are five industries that make Canada a global economic giant:

• Manufacturing;
• Oil;
• Tourism and hospitality;
• Gas;
• Banking and Finance

Canada strongly believes that freedom of expression is the core of human individuality and is one of the essential foundations of a safe and prosperous society.

The right of everyone to hold opinions, without interference, as well as the right to freedom of expression were enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and reaffirmed in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Outside of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Provincial TV such as TV Ontario, all broadcast and print media are not government controlled in any way.

A birth certificate is an official vital record issued by a government authority that documents the birth of a child. In Canada, birth certificates are issued by the provincial or territorial government where the birth occurred.

Birth certificate applications in Canada vary depending on a particular province as different provinces have different laws and requirements.

Foreign marriage authentication in Canada is the sole responsibility of the provincial and territorial governments. People are required to register their marriage with the Canadian authorities. However, only a court of law in Canada can pronounce the validity of a foreign marriage.

The following are some of the requirements that need to be met for foreign marriages in Canada:

• The said marriage meets the requirements of the law in the country where it was performed
• The parties are not blood relations or form the same kinship
• Both persons are mentally competent
• Both parties are free to marry, meaning they are not bound by a previous marriage.

It is also important to note that in Canada, it is against the law to be married to more than one person at a time. You cannot come to Canada with more than one spouse even if you were married to more than one person in the past. It is also a crime to marry a Canadian citizen or permanent resident only to gain entry into Canada.

According to statistics Canada and the results from the National Household Survey of the median household income in Canada in the last 6 years has grown tremendously. It shows that the median family income in Canada is $76,000 generally higher in the West than the East while the median individual income is just $27,600. That means just as many individuals earn less than $27,600 as earn more.

The richest 10 per cent of individuals are making more than $80,400. And the very rich the 272,600 individuals that make up the top one per cent are all making more than $191,100.Those people are making an average of $381,300 each, 10 times the average Canadian income of $38,700.

The large discrepancy between the median and the average suggests there is a very small percentage of the super-rich.

• Lake, Louise – Banff National Park, Alberta

  Located in Banff National Park, Lake Louise is a glacier lake of unusual and beautiful colours.

  Try hiking, white water rafting, horseback riding or skiing. Numerous festivals happen at the park all year round, including Lake Louise Pond Hockey, MEC Ice climbing Festival, or the Subaru Banff Triathlon.

• Big Muddy Badlands & the Outlaw Trail – Saskatchewan

  If the desert landscape gets you going, head north of Montana to the Big Muddy Badlands of Saskatchewan, for natures beautiful architecture of caves, buttes, and an undeniable outlaw feeling of the Wild West.

• Capilano Suspension Bridge Park – British Columbia

  Only minutes away from downtown Vancouver, Capilano Suspension Bridge lets you experience the natural splendour of British Columbia. The Bridge crosses to towering evergreens, cedar-scented rainforest air and Treetops Adventure, 7 suspended footbridges offering views 100 feet above the forest floor.

Only minutes away from downtown Vancouver, Capilano Suspension Bridge lets you experience the natural splendour of British Columbia. The Bridge crosses to towering evergreens, cedar-scented rainforest air and Treetops Adventure, 7 suspended footbridges offering views 100 feet above the forest floor.