What's Living in Canada Like

Canada is a culturally and ethnically diverse country, especially in the major cities like Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. Despite, or perhaps because of this diversity, Canadians share many of the same important values. These values include:

"Fairness, tolerance and respect. Canadians want fairness and justice for themselves, their children and their families. And most are fair and just to others, no matter who they are or where they come from.

 

Diversity and cooperation. Canadians understand the value of cooperation. In a country as large and diverse as Canada, people must be able to learn to resolve or ignore small conflicts in order to live happily and peacefully.

 

Equal opportunity. Canadians believe in equality. Each person is equal before the law and is treated equally by the law. Women and men have the same opportunity for success. Canadians let people live as they wish, as long as they do not limit how others live.

 

Civil responsibility. Canadians appreciate their rights and freedoms, which are the same without regard to gender, race, or ethnicity. Most also want to contribute to our society. As a newcomer, you should be aware of your rights and responsibilities. The right to participate in Canadian society implies an obligation to help it succeed. Canadian citizenship is about caring enough to want to get involved and make Canada even better.

 

Environmental responsibility. Canadians are especially conscious of their natural environment and the need to both respect and protect it for the future. Canadians believe that economic growth should not come at the expense of a healthy environment and social well-being. There are some simple things we all can do to work towards sustainable development, such as: participating in recycling programs that help convert garbage into usable materials; keeping parks and streets clean by putting garbage into garbage cans and cleaning up after their pets; not smoking in public places where it is banned; using public transportation, riding a bicycle or walking rather than using a car; and volunteering with community groups."1

1 - Taken from the Citizenship and Immigration Canada Web page (www.cic.gc.ca/english/newcomer/welcome/wel-03e.html)

Cost of Living

Here are some typical costs for living in Canada (please note that these prices can vary significantly from region to region and from season to season:

• 4 liter jug of milk: $4.50
• loaf of bread: $3.50
• 1 pound of apples: $1.00
• 1 liter of gas: $0.95
• Car insurance (can vary widely depending on car, driving experience and record): $1000-$10000 per year
• New Car: $15,000 - sky's the limit
• Bus Fare: $2.50
• lunch in a restaurant: $8.00. dinner in a restaurant: $15.00-$30.00
• Rent: 2 Bedroom Apartment: $700-$1000. 4 Bedroom House: $1200-$2200

Employment

The unemployment rate in Canada is about 7.3% but also varies from region to region and season to season and of course from industry to industry. Skilled trades workers are in especially great demand at the moment.

The following websites are useful for job hunting:

Monster.ca

Workopolis.ca

CIC Employment page.

Housing

Should you rent or should you own? That completely depends on your own situation - do you have enough down payment for a house, do you plan to move around a lot, can you handle the commitment of a mortgage. Regardless of whether you rent or own, here are some web pages to help you find what you want.

Buying a House

MLS.ca: House listings across Canada on the Multiple Listing Service.

Canadian Morgage and Housing Corporation: The Government of Canada's national housing agency.

Renting

There are many renting options available. You can share an accommodation with others, rent an apartment, a basement suite, or a whole house. It just depends on your needs, and your means. Some rental places include furniture, heat, electricity and/or other utilities. Others do not.

Listings of available apartments and homes are published in local newspapers, on community bulletin boards or on the web (just do a search for rentals in the region you wish to live).

Most landlords require a damage deposit and rent paid monthly. Often 6 month or year long rental agreements or leases are made. Tenants have certain rights such as receiving notice before a landlord enters the premise. If you want to know your rights or feel they have been violated contact a provincial residential tenancy office. (e.g. Residential Tenancy Office for B.C.)