Canada is the second largest country in the world yet its citizenry of around 30 million makes its population smaller than that of California.  It is comprised of 10 provinces and three territories.  It is bounded by three oceans (Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic) and has extraordinary natural beauty with dramatic land and seascapes and cosmopolitan cities.  It is a country that has great cultural and ethnic diversity ranging from its indigenous First Nations bands to French and British pioneers to the more recent Asian immigrants.  In fact, there are over 35 recognized ethnic groups with populations of over 100,000 each.  They are considered peaceful people with a very tolerant attitude toward others who are different from themselves.  The two official languages are English and French, although most of the French speakers also have passable English.

When considering moving or even just visiting the country, the obvious first issue one might think about is the weather.  In Southern and Central Canada, the weather is much the same as that in the Northern U.S.  This equates roughly to highs in July and August in the mid to upper 70’s with some days in the 80’s.  Winters hover around 5 degrees.  This explains why 90% of Canadians live near the U.S. border.  Further north, it has an Arctic climate with only a brief but surprisingly warm summer which provides a breeding ground for lots of insects.  Visitors should prepare for those insects when making traveling plans.  Traveling to Canada is relatively easy but it will require proof of citizenship which is either a passport or an original copy of a birth certificate (photocopies can be refused).  You can bring pets with you but they must be accompanied by proof of current rabies vaccinations.  

The federal government is a constitutional monarchy.  It is ruled by a parliamentary system with the figurative head being the monarch of Britain.  The real leader of the country is the Prime Minister who is the head of the political party with the most elected representatives in the House of Commons.  The ten provinces are largely self-governed and are presided over by elected premiers.  The balance of power between federal and provincial authorities is an ongoing contentious issue.  In fact, Senate reform or even abolition is an ongoing debate of the country.

The economy has historically been based on the land’s abundant natural resources – fish, timber, minerals, oil and gas and more recently, hydroelectricity.  Much of the land is lake and river filled forests but there are also mountains, plains and even a small desert.  Surprisingly, only 5% of the land is considered arable but yet wheat and barley account for much of their exports.  The largest part of the economy is services including a very large civil service (nearly 75% work in this field), banking, and insurance.  Education is valued and is subsequently another large component of the economy and the citizens enjoy a 99% literacy rate. Of adults 25-34, 51% have at least some post-secondary education.  Manufacturing has long been a weak component of the economy. 

In general prices for goods and services are comparable to the U.S.  Residential home price averages rose 11.7% in 2007 with the average house costing $313,645.  Car insurance is considered expensive compared to other countries.  Throughout Canada, you will be charged a federal goods and service tax on virtually everything.  In most provinces you will also be subject to additional sales taxes including on financial transactions.  Citizens are subject to federal and provincial income taxes based on income.  There are four tax brackets beginning at 15% with the upper bracket being 29% starting at $120,887.  There are many deductions and many things considered taxable income in the U.S. are not taxable income there, including lottery winnings.  The federal government collects all the income tax for most of the provinces and it collects roughly three times more personal income tax than corporate. 

Recreationally, the country is a virtual outside playground.  The official national sports are hockey and lacrosse.  Curling and football are also popular.  In the main metropolitan areas there are numerous opportunities for all sorts of multi-cultural performing arts and a diverse assortment of cuisine.

If you are considering Canada as a retirement location or even for a second home, check out the beautiful community listings on our site at www.activeadultliving.com.  As always, I enjoy hearing your questions or comments at Dee@ActiveAdultLiving.com.  Till next time . . .