Relocating to Canada?

Enjoy your adventure as you visit the best Canada relocation resource available today.

Before you start your journey, take a minute and review what makes Canada a great place to work and play.

What makes Canada real estate worthwhile?

Canada was first inhabited by descendants of the Mongoloid peoples of Asia who migrated to North America toward the end of the Pleistocene Ice Age (about 15,000 years ago), probably crossing the Bering Strait.

Today the provinces of Ontario and Québec are by far the country’s most populous. The majority of the Canadian population lives in one of these two provinces.

The ethnic origins of the people of the Atlantic provinces are primarily French and English, with some German, Dutch, Scottish, and Irish. In Québec, more than four-fifths of the people are of French descent and one-tenth are of British origin. Ontario’s inhabitants include not only those of British and French descent, but also sizable German, Italian, Ukrainian, Chinese, and Japanese communities. The province of British Columbia was settled primarily by British, Chinese, and Japanese groups, while the prairies—which drew settlers from many parts of Europe in the 19th century—have a diverse ethnic population. Immigration to western Canada from Asia has increased over the past few years; many people came from Hong Kong before it was transferred to Chinese rule in 1997. Native peoples live mainly in the northern territories.

Both English and French are official languages in Canada. Official business of the national government is conducted in both languages. The relative importance of the languages varies from province to province. English is the dominant language in most of the country, but French predominates in Québec, and there are sizable communities of French speakers in areas of New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia. In Québec, all public signs must be in French, although bilingual (French and English) signs are allowed inside buildings. It is likely that the law will be revised to allow bilingual signs on storefronts, and perhaps in other cases. In Québec, French and English are sometimes mixed in conversation, especially in large urban areas.

Canadian English differs somewhat from U.S. and British forms. Although most Canadian accents are closer to U.S. than to British pronunciation, Canadians use many British spellings, such as “centre” and “colour” rather than the U.S. “center” and “color.” A Canadian might also end sentences with “Eh?” in much the way other English speakers might use “You know?”

Canada has one of the 10 largest economies in the world. It boasts of a rich resource base, ranking among the top five world producers of gold, uranium, silver, and copper. It exports substantial volumes of energy—oil, natural gas, coal, and hydroelectricity. It is a major exporter of agricultural products, especially wheat, and is a world leader in the supply of wood pulp and other forestry products, the most important of which is newsprint.

Ontario is the industrial heart of the country, and Toronto, its capital, is Canada’s financial and business center. The Saint Lawrence Seaway makes Montréal Canada’s most important port, while British Columbia serves as Canada’s gateway to Pacific Rim markets. Economies in many provinces have expanded in recent years to include manufacturing, chemicals, and food processing.

About three-quarters of Canada’s exports go to the United States. The currency is the Canadian dollar. Canadians refer to it as the loonie, after the image of the waterbird (the loon) minted on the gold-colored coin.

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