| A continually expanding economy, lots of recreational | | | | lies far to the west on the Pacific Ocean. Most other |
| space, some of the cleanest cities in the world, and | | | | cities are well under 1 million people, and the farther |
| low crime rates make Canada one of the best places | | | | north you go, the more empty space you can |
| in the world to live. Here are some things to consider | | | | expect to find between population centres. |
| if you are moving Canada for business or personal | | | | Social programs and Big Taxes |
| reasons. | | | | If you ask a Canadian what the country's most |
| Citizenship | | | | important institutions are, nine out of ten will point to |
| Those planning to stay in Canada for the long term | | | | Universal Health Care and the Public Education |
| should immediately begin seeking out guidance on | | | | System. These systems guarantee that all Canadian |
| achieving citizenship. Canada has many benefits to | | | | citizens have access to good health care and every |
| offer its citizens, but government programs such as | | | | child can attend school up until grade 12 without |
| Universal Health Care are only available to permanent | | | | having to pay for it. Both systems are within the |
| residents. Becoming a Canadian citizen requires an | | | | jurisdiction of the provinces, as the Catholic |
| application, and certain official documents, and you | | | | background of Quebec was a major contributor to |
| may have to pass a test. | | | | the development of both its hospitals and its schools; |
| Don't Believe the Weather Rumours | | | | therefore, it is necessary to purchase health |
| It is likely that if you have never spent a lot of time | | | | insurance even when traveling out of the province |
| in Canada, you have heard stories about the country | | | | you reside in. |
| being the land of ice and snow, with freezing | | | | Hand in hand with comprehensive social programs |
| conditions in the winter and bleak summers. While | | | | come high taxes in order to fund these programs. |
| most of the country does get cold in the winter | | | | Canada has taxes on almost everything that you |
| (although coastal areas such as British Columbia's | | | | could imagine, from various federal and provincial |
| Lower Mainland rarely get below 0 C and see little | | | | gasoline taxes to taxes on alcohol, cigarettes, hotel |
| snow) the summers in many areas can be quite hot. | | | | rooms, and cross border goods. In addition, the |
| This ranges from the dry and scorching heat of the | | | | federal government applies a 6% tax to all goods |
| B.C. interior (where temperatures climb to the | | | | and services, and every province but Alberta has |
| mid-40s for several weeks in July or August) to the | | | | some form of provincial sales tax. Income taxes for |
| more humid heat of locations along the St. Lawrence | | | | Canadians are also quite high, with a greater share |
| River (Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa). | | | | deducted the more you earn. |
| Get Used to Distance | | | | Like any country, Canada has points in its favour and |
| Eighty percent of Canada's population is located in the | | | | against. As most Canadian citizens will point out, the |
| strip of land that runs from Quebec City to Windsor | | | | price of taxes is fairly minor when measured up |
| at the American border. The three biggest cities in | | | | against the many benefits Canadians enjoy, not the |
| the nation are located at opposite ends of the | | | | least of which is being one of the cleanest and |
| country: Montreal and Toronto in the east are within | | | | safest countries in the world. |
| an easy day's drive of each other, while Vancouver | | | | |