Living in Canada
Climate
Spring
Spring is a rainy season in most parts of Canada. Daytime temperatures rise steadily, but the nights remain cool. Average daytime temperatures are about 12°C in March, April and early May. So you should carry a sufficient supply of cotton clothes, including your raincoats, waterproof-boots, and mittens.
Summer
Summer officially begins on June 21, but July and August are summer for most Canadians. In summer, the weather is very warm in most parts of the country. In southern Canada, daytime temperatures are normally above 20°C and can sometimes rise above 30°C. Hence it is advisable to carry a sufficient number of cotton clothes.
Autumn
The autumn season, or fall, as it’s often called, begins in September. The weather cools down, and the leaves on many trees change colour and fall to the ground. It can also be very rainy at this time of year. In some parts of Canada, especially northern or mountain regions, snow may begin to fall by late October. Average daytime temperatures are about 10°C to 12°C in most of the country. The autumn months are September, October and November.
Winter
During the winter months (December, January and February), the temperature in most of the country usually stays below 0°C, day and night. Temperatures in some parts of the country periodically drop below -25°C, while along the West Coast; the temperature rarely drops below 0°C. Snow is generally on the ground from mid-December to the middle of March. The winters get more severe with an increase in elevation.
Tips for buying a car
A car is possibly the largest or second largest investment, you'll ever make. It usually refers to borrowing from a bank, credit union or some other financial institution, for most of us. Thus shopping around for the best interest rates, prior to purchasing, is a good idea. You should always stick to your decision concerning how much you want to pay for the car. You should also include the built-in expenses, in your total cost calculations. Some funds must be set apart for a mechanical inspection, in addition to sales tax, registration and insurance costs. An extended warranty can also serve as a good investment. You can always keep a little "nest egg" ($500 to $1000) for possible repairs, if required.
If all is well you can purchase the car. A dealer "Conditional Sale Agreement" is a legal and binding document and should state clearly all the conditions of the sale, including
Health Insurance
You should apply for a health insurance card, as soon as you get into Canada. All members of your family, including the newborn babies, are required to have their own card. The office of the provincial ministry of health, doctor’s office, a hospital or a pharmacy, can provide the application form. The immigrant-serving organization in your area can assist you in filling out the form. Application for a health card requires your birth certificate or Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292) and passport or the permanent resident card. In most provinces, coverage is received soon after the application.
Employment
In recent years, Canada's agricultural and mineral exports have performed well in world markets. Economic conditions are good for most of the country. Although the economy is healthy, you would be advised not to come to Canada to get rich. Canadians enjoy a very high quality of life but, compared with some of the salaries available in the USA, UK and Northern Europe, Canadians are not highly paid. A major advantage of living in Canada is that, in most locations, it's possible to buy a comfortable, large, detached house on a normal income. Jobs tend to be most plentiful in Toronto / Southern Ontario, Vancouver and Calgary.
Multicultural Canada
Canadians are very hospitable, welcoming people - particularly in provincial and rural Canada. The majority of Canadians is very tolerant and follows a live and let live philosophy. There is often a stronger sense of community and duty in Canadian towns than can be found in other countries. Visitors to Canada may find it difficult to tell the difference between its English speaking provinces and the USA. There is no danger of mistaking French-speaking Quebec for the USA. A degree of hostility to Canadian English speakers can be encountered at times in Quebec. Getting a job or running a business in Quebec requires fluency in French.
Housing
Canada has some of the cheapest housing in the developed world. The country has huge forests and timber is readily available as a building material. Houses in Canada are typically timber-framed and, because of climate extremes, the housing stock is usually high quality and well insulated.
Telephones
There is an excellent service provided by the modern technology. There are 21 million main lines in use and 18.74 million mobile cellular lines in use. The domestic satellite system has about 300 earth stations. The international country code is 1. The telephones in the cellular telephone system are the radio transceivers. Each instrument has its own private frequency and sufficient radiated power required to reach the booster station in its area.
Cost of living
Most people from the UK and Europe find the cost of living in Canada to be significantly lower than their home country. Canadian housing is particularly cheap compared with other developed nations - the average house price in Canada is around seven times the average annual wage. Prices are highest in Ontario and Alberta (seven to eight times average wage) and Vancouver (eleven times average wage). People moving to Canada with the proceeds of house sales from countries with more expensive housing can often buy a house in Canada with a considerably reduced mortgage. This leaves more of their income for other activities and lowers their cost of living in Canada significantly.
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