Monday, March 21, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
IELTS - The International English Language Testing System
To help universities and colleges select students with sufficient English skills to succeed in their courses, The IELTS test was introduced in 1989 to assess “whether candidates are ready to train in the medium of English”. It is now used for this purpose around the globe.
Depending in the course of study that students plan to take, students must elect to sit either the Academic IELTS test or the General Training IELTS test. This choice must be made when applying to sit the test. The Academic IELTS test is necessary for students who plan to study at university (undergraduate or postgraduate courses), and will test the student’s ability both to understand and to use complex academic language. The General Training IELTS test is required by other institutions, such as colleges and high schools, for courses that require less complex language skills, and is also as a general test of English proficiency e.g. for immigration purposes in Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
The Test Format
There are four sub-tests, or modules, to the IELTS test: Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. Students must sit all four sub-tests. While all students take the same Listening and Speaking tests, they sit different Reading and Writing tests, depending on whether they have selected the Academic IELTS test or the General Training IELTS test.
On the day of the test, the four subsections will be taken in the following order:
Total Test Time
2 hours 45 minutes
The Speaking test may even take place a day or two later at some centres.
IELTS listening test lasts for about 30 minutes. It consists of four sections, played on cassette tape, in order of increasing difficulty. Each section might be a dialogue or a monologue. The test is played once only, and the questions for each section must be answered while listening, although time is given for students to check their answers.
IELTS Reading test lasts for 60 minutes. Students are given an Academic Reading test, or a General Training Reading test. Both tests consist of three sections, and in both tests the sections are in order of increasing difficulty.
IELTS Writing test also lasts for 60 minutes. Again, students take either an Academic test, or a General Training test. Students must perform two writing tasks, which require different styles of writing. There is no choice of question topics.
IELTS Speaking test consists of a one-to-one interview with a specially trained examiner. The examiner will lead the candidate through the three parts of the test:
An introduction and interview, an individual long turn where the candidate speaks for one or two minutes on a particular topic, and a two-way discussion thematically linked to the individual long turn. This interview will last for approximately 11-14 minutes.
Depending in the course of study that students plan to take, students must elect to sit either the Academic IELTS test or the General Training IELTS test. This choice must be made when applying to sit the test. The Academic IELTS test is necessary for students who plan to study at university (undergraduate or postgraduate courses), and will test the student’s ability both to understand and to use complex academic language. The General Training IELTS test is required by other institutions, such as colleges and high schools, for courses that require less complex language skills, and is also as a general test of English proficiency e.g. for immigration purposes in Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
The Test Format
There are four sub-tests, or modules, to the IELTS test: Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. Students must sit all four sub-tests. While all students take the same Listening and Speaking tests, they sit different Reading and Writing tests, depending on whether they have selected the Academic IELTS test or the General Training IELTS test.
On the day of the test, the four subsections will be taken in the following order:
Total Test Time
2 hours 45 minutes
The Speaking test may even take place a day or two later at some centres.
IELTS listening test lasts for about 30 minutes. It consists of four sections, played on cassette tape, in order of increasing difficulty. Each section might be a dialogue or a monologue. The test is played once only, and the questions for each section must be answered while listening, although time is given for students to check their answers.
IELTS Reading test lasts for 60 minutes. Students are given an Academic Reading test, or a General Training Reading test. Both tests consist of three sections, and in both tests the sections are in order of increasing difficulty.
IELTS Writing test also lasts for 60 minutes. Again, students take either an Academic test, or a General Training test. Students must perform two writing tasks, which require different styles of writing. There is no choice of question topics.
IELTS Speaking test consists of a one-to-one interview with a specially trained examiner. The examiner will lead the candidate through the three parts of the test:
An introduction and interview, an individual long turn where the candidate speaks for one or two minutes on a particular topic, and a two-way discussion thematically linked to the individual long turn. This interview will last for approximately 11-14 minutes.
ielts-exam
http://www.ielts-exam.net/
http://www.ielts.org
http://www.examenglish.com/IELTS/index.php
https://www.ielts4u.net/
http://www.ielts-blog.com/
http://www.ielts.studyau.com/
http://www.britishcouncil.org/learning-ielts.htm
http://www.ielts-worldwide.com/
http://www2.elc.polyu.edu.hk/CILL/ielts/
http://www.world-english.org/
http://elc.polyu.edu.../main.htm#li#01
http://www.writefix.com/
http://esl.about.com/?once=true&
http://www.englishdaily626.com/
http://www.esl-lab.com/
http://adw.hct.ac.ae...hsite/index.htm
http://www.examenglish.com/links.htm
http://www.dcielts.com/
http://www.ielts-test-practice.com/
http://www.ielts-test-practice.com/
http://www.ielts.org
http://www.examenglish.com/IELTS/index.php
https://www.ielts4u.net/
http://www.ielts-blog.com/
http://www.ielts.studyau.com/
http://www.britishcouncil.org/learning-ielts.htm
http://www.ielts-worldwide.com/
http://www2.elc.polyu.edu.hk/CILL/ielts/
http://www.world-english.org/
http://elc.polyu.edu.../main.htm#li#01
http://www.writefix.com/
http://esl.about.com/?once=true&
http://www.englishdaily626.com/
http://www.esl-lab.com/
http://adw.hct.ac.ae...hsite/index.htm
http://www.examenglish.com/links.htm
http://www.dcielts.com/
http://www.ielts-test-practice.com/
http://www.ielts-test-practice.com/
IMMIGRATE TO CANADA : INDEPENDENT SKILLED WORKER CLASS
How to Qualify for a Canadian Visa – Independent/Skilled Worker Class
Determining Eligibility
In order for an individual to be eligible to apply for Permanent Residence in Canada in the Independent/Skilled Worker Class, he/she must either:
have an offer of arranged employment, OR
be a skilled worker who has at least one (1) year of paid full-time experience or two (2) years of continuous paid half-time experience in one (1) or more of the following twenty-nine (29) occupations within the past ten (10) years:
0631 Restaurant and Food Service Managers
0811 Primary Production Managers (Except Agriculture) - click on link for job description
1122 Professional Occupations in Business Services to Management - (NO LONGER AVAILABLE TO PROSPECTIVE APPLICANTS-QUOTA HAS BEEN FILLED)
1233 Insurance Adjusters and Claims Examiners
2121 Biologists and Related Scientists
2151 Architects
3111 Specialist Physicians
3112 General Practitioners and Family Physicians
3113 Dentists
3131 Pharmacists (NO LONGER AVAILABLE TO PROSPECTIVE APPLICANTS-QUOTA HAS BEEN FILLED)
3142 Physiotherapists
3152 Registered Nurses (NO LONGER AVAILABLE TO PROSPECTIVE APPLICANTS-QUOTA HAS BEEN FILLED)
3215 Medical Radiation Technologists
3222 Dental Hygienists & Dental Therapists
3233 Licensed Practical Nurses
4151 Psychologists
4152 Social Workers
6241 Chefs
6242 Cooks
7215 Contractors and Supervisors, Carpentry Trades
7216 Contractors and Supervisors, Mechanic Trades
7241 Electricians (Except Industrial & Power System)
7242 Industrial Electricians
7251 Plumbers
7265 Welders & Related Machine Operators
7312 Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics
7371 Crane Operators
7372 Drillers & Blasters - Surface Mining, Quarrying & Construction
8222 Supervisors, Oil and Gas Drilling and Service
More information about the Independent/Skilled Worker Class Canadian Visas defined by Citizenship and Immigration Canada
How Can Abrams & Krochak Help Me?
Nearly 100% of our clients are granted access to Canada.
We are one of the largest full service immigration law firms in Canada
Working with a Canada immigration lawyer will significantly speed up the application process and get you to your new home sooner
What's Next?
Find out if you Qualify for Canadian Permanent Residence.
Answer a few simple questions and we will tell you if you qualify
as an Independent/Skilled Worker applicant.
Independent/Skilled Worker
Canada Immigration: Independent/Skilled Worker Class
Assuming eligibility requirements as set out, above, are met, an applicant must also have at least one (1) year of paid full-time (37.5 hours per week or more) work experience within the past ten (10) years in one of the occupations listed in either Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A or B of the National Occupational Classification (NOC). The NOC was developed by Human Resources and Social Development Canada to be a systematic cataloging of occupations in the Canadian labour market. The NOC is divided into five (5) bands:
Skill Type 0 Management Occupations;
Skill Level A which is primarily comprised of professional occupations;
Skill Level B which consists of technical, skilled trades and paraprofessional occupations;
Skill Level C which comprises occupations that mainly consist of intermediate level, clerical or supportive functions;
Skill Level D which consists of elemental sales or service and primary labourer occupations.
Only experience in Skill Type 0 or Skill Levels A and B are considered relevant for applicants in the Independent/Skilled Worker Class.
To immigrate in the Independent/Skilled Worker Class, the experience in Skill Type 0 or Skill Levels A and B must consist of actions described in the lead description and a substantial number of the duties described in the Main Duties section of the NOC, including all the essential duties.
Assuming that they meet the aforementioned prerequisites, applicants are then assessed according to various selection criteria by Citizenship and Immigration Canada officials and applicants must attain a minimum score of sixty-seven (67) points overall in order to be eligible to become permanent residents of Canada.
These selection criteria are as follows:
1. Education: Maximum 25 Points
2. Official Languages: Maximum 24 Points
3. Experience: Maximum 21 Points
4. Arranged Employment: Maximum 10 Points
5. Age: Maximum 10 Points
6. Adaptability: Maximum 10 Points
TOTAL POINTS: Maximum 100 Points
POINTS REQUIRED TO PASS: 67 Points
JOBS IN CANADA
Table of Contents
Corporate Job Sites
Government Job sites
Integration-Net
Job Recruiting Companies
Job Search Resources
Nongovernment Job Sites
You will find, below, our exclusive list of powerful employment search websites, which will give you access to thousands of potential employers in Canada as well as extremely useful tips on creating a résumé and applying for employment. Please note that you should only begin actively seeking employment after your Canada immigration visa has been issued. Many of our clients have secured job offers using these sites.
Government Job Sites
BC Government Job Postings
http://www.postings.gov.bc.ca/
Alberta Government Job Postings
http://www.gov.ab.ca/pao/jobs/
Saskatchewan Government Job Postings
http://www.careers.gov.sk.ca/
Manitoba Government Job Postings
http://www.gov.mb.ca/csc/
Ontario Government Job Postings
http://www.gojobs.gov.on.ca/
Quebec Government Job Postings
http://www.tresor.gouv.qc.ca/
resource/emplois.htm
Nova Scotia Government Job Postings
http://www.gov.ns.ca/psc/services/employ/
New Brunswick Government Job Postings
http://www.gov.nb.ca/scripts/
search/competition.idq?
TextRestriction=&FMMod=-6m
Prince Edward Island Government Job Postings
http://www.gov.pe.ca/jobs/index.php3
Newfoundland & Labrador Government Job Postings
http://www.gov.nf.ca/psc/employment.htm
Federal Government Job Postings
http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/
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Nongovernment Job Sites
+Canada Jobs
http://www.canada.plusjobs.com/
OPTION-carriere.ca
http://www.option-carriere.ca/
AboutJobs
http://aboutjobs.com/
"About.com" Job Searching
http://jobsearchtech.about.com/
careers/jobsearchtech/msub8.htm
Actijob/ActivEmploi
http://www.actijob.com/
All Canadian Jobs
http://www.allcanadianjobs.com/
Atlanticjobs.com
http://www.atlanticjobs.com/
BC WorkInfoNet
http://workinfonet.bc.ca/
British Columbia Hi Tech.
http://www.bctechnology.com/
frameset_emp.html
Calgary Career Site
http://www.allstarjobs.ca
CallCareers.com Canada
http://www.callcareers.com/
Campus WorkLink
http://www.campusworklink.com/
Canada Online Job Search Guide
http://www.canadajobsearch.com/
CanadaIT.com
http://www.canadait.com/cfm/index.cfm
Canada Job Links
http://www.job-link.ca/
Canada Work Info Net
http://www.workinfonet.ca/
Canadian Career Page
http://www.canadiancareers.com/
Canadian Jobs
http://www.canadajobs.com/
Canadian Jobs : Canada Employment Weekly
http://www.mediacorp2.com/index.html
Canadian Relocation Systems
http://www.relocatecanada.com/
nowhiring.html
Career.com
http://www.career.com/
Careerclick.com
http://www.careerclick.com
CareerExchange
http://www.careerexchange.com/
CareerMosaic Canada
http://www.headhunter.net/jobseeker/
jobs/jobfindica.asp?ch=ICA
CareerTips
http://www.careertips.com/
Careertransit.com, Atlantic Canada's Job Site
http://www.careertransit.com/
Career Edge
http://www.careeredge.on.ca/
Career Internetworking
http://www.careerkey.com/
Career Magazine
http://www.careermag.com/
Career Owl
http://www.careerowl.ca/
Career Studio
http://www.ola.bc.ca/careerstudio/
Charity Careeers
http://www.charitycareers.com/
CRS Major Canadian Companies, HR Departments
http://www.relocatecanada.com/
canjobs.html
CRS Career Channel
http://www.careermag.com/crs/
CRS Cities: HR Departments
http://www.relocatecanada.com/
cityjobs.html
Dice.com
http://www.dice.com/
Education Canada Network
http://www.educationcanada.com/
Employment Opportunities In The Space Industry
http://www.spacejobs.com/index.shtml
Environmental Jobs and Careers
http://www.ejobs.org/
Financial Job Network
http://www.financialjobnet.com/
Forestry Employment Bulletin Board
http://www.canadian-forests.com/
job.html
Futurestep
http://www.futurestep.com/
Globecareers
www.globecareers.com
Hamilton-Wentworth Employer Directory
http://www.pichamilton.net/
Hotjobs.ca
http://www.hotjobs.ca/
"Human Resources Canada" Offices in CRS Cities
http://www.relocatecanada.com/
humanresourcescanada.html
Human Resources Development Canada
http://www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/
"Job Bank" Human Resources Canada
http://jb-ge.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/
JobLink at Icdirect
http://www.icdirect.com/
cgi-bin/getHTML.exe/www/0/0/jl?
fhttpFile=/www/joblink.html
Jobs Canada
http://www.jobscanada.com/
Jobs in Canada with Jobrapido
http://www.job-rapido.ca/?q=canada
Jobs for Physicists and Engineers by PhysLINK.com
http://www.physlink.com/
Community/JobBoard.cfm
JobFindCentral
http://www.jobfindcentral.com/
Jobs.ca
www.jobs.ca
Jobshark.ca
www.jobshark.ca
Mazemaster
http://www.mazemaster.on.ca/
MedHunters.com, Healthcare Jobs
http://www.medhunters.com/
Meta-list of On-Line Job-Search Resources and Services
http://www.job-hunt.org/index.html
Misconsult
http://www.misconsult.com/
Monster.ca, Career Center
http://www.monster.ca/
MultiMediator - Canada's Multimedia Guide
http://www.multimediator.com/
National Association of Career Colleges
http://www.nacc.ca/
Nextsteps
http://www.nextsteps.org/
Positionwatch, IT Positions
http://www.positionwatch.com/
Quinte Region (ON), Job Resources
http://www.quinte.on.ca/
sites/employ.htm
Resort Jobs Database - Canada
http://www.resortjobs.com/
do/where/jobtree/Canada/
Seasonal Employment.com
http://www.seasonalemployment.com/
canada.html
Student Employment Network
http://www.studentjobs.com/
Summer Jobs – Canada
http://www.summerjobs.com/do/
where/jobtree/Canada/
Thingamajob
http://www.thingamajob.com/
Tiger Jobs
http://www.tigerjobs.com/rareas/
Toronto Computerwork.com
http://toronto.computerwork.com/
Vancouver insurance jobs
http://www.insuranceheadhunters.com/
WITI
http://www.witi.com/index-c.shtml
Worksearch
http://www.worksearch.gc.ca/
Workopolis, Mega Job Site
http://www.workopolis.com/
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Job Recruiting Companies
Accu-Staff,Windsor
http://www.accu-staff.com/
Aerotek
http://www.aerotek.com/
AES Recruitment Advertising
http://www.aescompany.com/
The Agricultural Labour Pool
http://www.agri-labourpool.com/
Ajilon Canada, IT Careers
http://www.ajilon.ca/index.jsp
Anderson Executive Recruitment
http://www.andersoncareers.com/
Angus Miles
http://www.angusmiles.com/
Anne Whitten Bilingual
http://www.annewhitten.com/
Antiphon
http://www.antiphon.co.uk/
Black Appointments
http://www.blackapp.co.uk/
Bradson Staffing Services
http://www.spherion.com/
BrainsTalent.com, Recruitment
Advertising Innovators
http://www.brainstalent.com/
Canadian Executive Recruitment
http://www.cdnexec.net/
Canadian Medical Placement Service.
http://www.cmps.ca/
Canadian Recruiters and Directory of Recruiters
http://www.directoryofrecruiters.com/
Career Edge
http://www.careeredge.org
CCT Inc.
http://www.cctinc.org/
CEO, Inc.
http://www.ceoemp.com/
ComputerWork
http://www.computerwork.com/
Conestoga Personnel Resources Inc.(CPR)
http://www.conestogapersonnel.com/
Cooljobscanada.com
http://www.cooljobscanada.com/
CRS Job Resources
http://www.relocatecanada.com/
jobs2.html
David Aplin & Associates
http://www.aplin.com/
Gauthier Professional Search Consultants
http://www.gauthier.com/
Kelly Services
http://www.kellyservices.com/
Korn/Ferry
http://www.kornferry.com/
Library/Process.asp?P=candidates
Medical Recruiting Services
http://www.medicalrecruitingservices.ca
People Bank, The
http://www.thepeoplebank.com/
Personnel Management Group, Winnipeg Manitoba
http://www.pmg.mb.ca/
Pharma
http://www.pharma-career-box.com/
Planet Recruit Canada
http://www.planetrecruit.com/
channel/int/country/Canada/
Prior Resource Group - Kitchener Jobs, Waterloo Jobs
http://www.priorresource.com/
Quantum Technology Recruiting
http://www.quantum-qtr.com/
Recruiters Online Network
http://www.recruitersonline.com/
Red Seal Recruiting Solutions Ltd
http://www.redsealrecruiting.com/
Senior Quality Personnel
http://www2.pleaseapply.to/
sqprecruiters/
Showbiz Jobs
http://www.showbizjobs.com/
TEKSystems
http://www.teksystems.com/
Titan Recruitment Solutions
http://www.titanrecruitment.com/
Total Staffing Solutions
http://www.totalstaff.ca/
TRS Contract Consulting Group
http://www.trscontract.com/
Western Canada's Careers/Recruitment Web Site
http://www.tmp.com/
Yellow Pages List of Recruitment Agencies
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Corporate Job Sites
Air Canada
http://www.aircanada.ca/
about-us/employment/
Alcatel
http://www.alcatel.com/
Aquent
http://www.aquent.com/
AT&T Canada Careers
http://www.attcanada.com/careers/
BrassRing
http://www.brassring.com/
Canadian Tire
http://www2.canadiantire.ca/
CTCwebsite/welcome.html
CIBC
http://www.cibc.com/ca/
inside-cibc/careers.html
Edward Jones
http://www.jonesopportunity.com/ca/
Ericsson
http://www.ericsson.com/careers/
FedEx
http://www.fedex.com/ca_english/
about/employment.html
Fluor Canada Ltd.
http://www.fluorcanada.ca/
career_ops/career_ops.htm
Future Shop
http://www.futureshop.ca/companyinfo/
careers/en/default.asp
Hewlett Packard
http://www.jobs.hp.com/
Home Depot
http://www.homedepot.ca/escalate/
store/DisplayVisitor?pls=hd_canada_gift&page=content/
static_Careers&loginPage=content/
static_Careers
Hummingbird
http://www.hummingbird.com/jobs/
IBM
http://www.can.ibm.com/hr/
Indigo Inc.
http://chapters.indigo.ca/
article.asp?artcode=careers
Loewen Windows
http://www.loewen.com/
Manulife
http://www.manulife.com/
corporate/corporate2.nsf/Public/
FrameSetCareersApplyNow.html
MedaGroup
http://www.medagroup.com/
Microsoft Canada
http://www.microsoft.com/
canada/employment/
Motorola
http://www.motorola.ca/asp/
english/excitingcareers/
Nortel
http://www.nortelnetworks.com/employment/
Oracle
http://www.oracle.com/
ca-en/employment/
President's Choice Financial
http://www.banking.pcfinancial.ca/
en_ca/templates/about_us/
we_are_hiring.jsp?referid=sideNav
Price Waterhouse Coopers
http://www.pricewaterhousecoopers.com/
ca/eng/careers/main/index.html
Rona
http://www.careers.rona.ca
Royal Bank
http://www.rbc.com/uniquecareers/
Sears Canada
http://www.sears.ca/
e/careers/index.htm
Staples
http://www.greatcareersatstaples.ca/
default1.asp
Sun Life
http://www.sunlife.ca/
canada/cda/level1_page_career_v2/
0,2329,1-8,00.html
TD Bank
http://www.td.com/hr/index.jsp
Tim Hortons
http://www.timhortons.com/
en/join/corporate.html
WestJet
http://c3dsp.westjet.com/
guest/jobs/index.jsp;
jsessionid=C1DDDhpk7aqpV0
VG5UHCD7g355Q1CCcavAos4xVFH0
Sc1t81Pw2M!1496531260
Yahoo! Canada
http://ca.yahoo.com/docs/info/jobs.html
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Job Search Resources
10 Tips to Bullet-Proof Your Resume
http://www.free-resume-tips.com/
Careerowlresources.ca
http://www.careerowlresources.ca/
Cost of Living Reports
http://www.relocatecanada.com/crseri.html
CRS Bookstore, Job Resources
http://www.relocatecanada.com/
bookstore/jobs.html
GraduateResumes.com
http://www.graduateresumes.com/
How - To Prepare for your Interview
http://www.careercity.com/
How-To Resource About Job Marketing
http://www.eresumes.com/
Ressourceschouettecarriere.ca
http://ressourceschouettecarriere.ca/
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Integration-Net
Helpful information to assist immigrants to settle in Canada.
http://integration-net.cic.gc.ca
JobSmart--Salary Negotiation Strategies
http://jobsmart.org/tools/
salary/negostrt.htm
Mediacorp Canada Inc.
http://www.mediacorp2.com/
Proven Resumes, Looking for Help with your Resume?
http://www.provenresumes.com/
Resume.com
http://www.resume.com/
LIVING IN CANADA : FOUNDED ON CULTURAL DIVERSITY
Canada is often refereed to as a cultural mosaic; built by a society that respects and celebrates the cultures of many countries from around the world. In 2006, Statistics Canada, the official Canadian agency that records population data, recorded that 6,186,950 foreign-born people now live in Canada. Immigration accounted for virtually one in five, or nearly 20 % of the total Canadian population, the highest proportion in 75 years.
The number of new immigrants choosing to make Canada their home is continuing to increase. Between 2001 and 2006, Canada's foreign-born population increased by 13.6%. This growth rate, in new Canadian Immigration, is four times higher than the native Canadian growth or birth rate of 3.3%. The census estimated that 1,110,000 immigrants came to Canada between January 1, 2001 and May 16, 2006.
Provinces & Territories - Immigrant Population Data 2006
Geographic Name Total Pop. Non Immigrant Pop. Immigrant Pop.
Canada 31,241,030 24,788,720 6,186,950
Newfoundland & Labrador 500,610 490,855 8,385
Prince Edward Island 134,205 129,150 4,785
Nova Scotia 903,090 854,495 45,190
New Brunswick 719,650 690,695 26,400
Quebec 7,435,900 6,535,430 851,560
Ontario 12,028,895 8,512,020 3,398,725
Manitoba 1,133,510 974,735 151,230
Saskatchewan 953,850 901,080 48,155
Alberta 3,256,355 2,702,225 527,030
British Columbia 4,074,385 2,904,240 1,119,215
Yukon Territory 30,195 26,990 3,005
Northwest Territories 41,055 37,985 2,815
Nunavut 29,325 28,820 455
* Includes immigrants who landed in Canada prior to Census Day, May 16, 2006.
According to recent Canadian immigration information, Canada has 34 ethnic groups with at least one hundred thousand members each and we remain one of the countries with the highest per capita immigration rate in the world; driven by economic, family reunification, and humanitarian reasons. Canadian Immigrants are particularly attracted to the major urban areas of Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal.
The new census data also suggested that Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver metropolitan areas were home to 68.9% of the recent new Canadian immigrants in 2006 although this trend is beginning to change as more and more recent immigrants are choosing to settle in smaller communities across Canada. Fully 16.6% of new Canadian immigrants settled in smaller communities such as Calgary, Ottawa, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Hamilton and London. In 2001, by comparison, only 14.3% of new immigrants lived in these communities.
Immigration to Canada made up the vast majority of the 1.6 million new Canadians between 2001 and 2006, giving the country the highest population growth rate among G8 countries. Canada's population now stands at 31,612,897, with a growth rate of 5.4 per cent during that five-year period. That's up from the four per cent growth rate in the previous census period between 1996 and 2001.
Government: Immigrating to a Just Society
Canada is a constitutional monarchy with the Queen of England acting as the monarchy figure head and a centralized federal government that is supported by strong and autonomous provincial and territorial democratic leadership.
Parliament Hill, Ottawa Canada's constitution governs the legal framework of the country and consists of written text and unwritten traditions and conventions.
The position of Prime Minister, Canada's head of government, belongs to the current leader of the political party that can obtain the confidence of a plurality in the House of Commons. The Prime Minister exercises vast political power, especially in the appointment of other officials within the government and civil service. Michaëlle Jean has served as Governor General since September 25, 2005, and Stephen Harper, leader of the Conservative Party, has been Prime Minister since February 6, 2006.
It may be helpful for new Immigrants to Canada to know that the federal parliament is made up of the Queen and two houses: an elected House of Commons and an appointed Senate. Canada's four major political parties are the Conservative Party of Canada, the Liberal Party of Canada, the New Democratic Party (NDP), and the Bloc Québécois. The current government is formed by the Conservative Party of Canada. While the Green Party of Canada and other smaller parties do not have current representation in Parliament, the list of historical parties with elected representation is substantial.
A satellite composite image of Canada. Boreal forests prevail throughout the country, ice is prominent in the Arctic and through the Coast Mountains and Saint Elias Mountains, and the relatively flat Prairies facilitate agriculture. The Great Lakes feed the St. Lawrence River (in the southeast) where lowlands host much of Canada's population Geography and Climate Considerations Affect Canadian Immigration Distribution
Canada occupies most of the northern portion of North America, sharing land borders with the contiguous United States to the south and with the US state of Alaska to the northwest, stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west; to the north lies the Arctic Ocean.
New Immigrants to Canada can expect wide open spaces as the population density of 3.5 people per square kilometre (9.1/mi²) is among the lowest in the world. The most densely populated part of the country is the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor, where most new immigrants to Canada settle, and along the Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence River in the southeast. To the north of this region is the broad Canadian Shield, an area of rock scoured clean by the last ice age, thinly soiled, rich in minerals, and dotted with lakes and rivers-Canada by far has more lakes than any other country in the world and has a large amount of the world's freshwater.
Canadian Immigrants can expect average winter and summer high temperatures across Canada to vary depending on their location. Coastal British Columbia is an exception and enjoys a temperate climate with a mild and rainy winter South Central Ontario and parts of southern Quebec can be temperate as well. The east coast, climate is generally temperate, with occasional heat waves in summer and coastal storms in both spring and fall.
Canadian banknotes Canadian Immigration: Helping Build our Economy
Canada is one of the world's wealthiest nations with a high per capita income, a member of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Group of Eight (G8). Immigrants to Canada will be happy to learn that Canada is a free market economy with slightly more government intervention than the United States, but much less than most European nations. For the past decade, the Canadian economy has been growing rapidly with the help of Canadian immigration, low unemployment and significant annual trade surpluses with the United States. Today Canada closely resembles the U.S. in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and high living standards. While as of October 2006, Canada's national unemployment rate of 6.3% is among its lowest in 30 years, provincial unemployment rates vary from a low of 3.6% in Alberta to a high of 14.6% in Newfoundland and Labrador.
In the past century, ever increasing numbers of immigrants to Canada coupled with the growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban. As with other first world nations, the Canadian economy is dominated by the service industry, which employs about three quarters of Canadians. However, Canada is unusual among developed countries in the importance of the primary sector, with the logging and oil industries being two of Canada's most important.
Canada is one of the few developed nations that is a net exporter of energy. Canada has vast deposits of natural gas on the east coast and large oil and gas resources centred in Alberta, and also present in neighbouring British Columbia and Saskatchewan, which can represent a significant opportunity for skilled workers wishing to immigrate to Canada.
Canada is one of the world's most important suppliers of agricultural products, with the Canadian Prairies being one of the key suppliers of wheat and other grains. Canada is the world's largest producer of zinc and uranium and a world leader in many other natural resources such as gold, nickel, aluminum, and lead; many, if not most, towns in the northern part of the country, where agriculture is difficult, exist because of a nearby mine or source of timber. Skilled workers, immigrating to Canada have also helped Canada develop a sizeable manufacturing sector, centred in southern Ontario, with the automobile industry remaining especially important. Southern Quebec, also boasts a strong manufacturing sector that includes a great number of aeronautics and space industries.
13.4% of the Canadian population are non-aboriginal visible minorities How Immigration is Helping Canada Grow
The 2006 national census recorded 31,612,897 people which was a rise of 5.4% since 2001. Population growth is largely accomplished through immigration and, to a lesser extent, natural growth. About three-quarters of Canada's population live within 160 kilometres (100 mi) of the U.S. border.
Education: A Right of Canadian Citizenship
In Canada, the provinces and territories are responsible for education; thus Canada has no national department of education. Immigrants to Canada will be happy to learn that each of the thirteen education systems are similar while reflecting their own regional history, culture and geography. The mandatory school age varies across Canada but generally ranges between the ages of 5-7 to 16-18, contributing to an adult literacy rate that is 99%. Postsecondary education is the responsibility of the provincial and territorial governments that provide most of their funding; the federal government provides additional funding through research grants. In 2002, 43% of Canadians aged between 25 and 64 had post-secondary education; for those aged 25 to 34 the postsecondary attainment reaches 51%.
Canada's International Rankings
Organization Survey Ranking
A.T. Kearney/Foreign Policy Magazine Globalization Index 2005 6 of 111
IMD International World Competitiveness Yearbook 2005 5 of 60
The Economist The World in 2005 - Worldwide quality-of-life index, 2005 14 of 111
Yale University/Columbia University Environmental Sustainability Index, 2005 6 of 146
Reporters Without Borders World-wide Press Freedom Index 2006 16 of 168
Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index 2005 14 of 159
Heritage Foundation/The Wall Street Journal Index of Economic Freedom, 2007 10 of 161
Canada was ranked number one country by the United Nations' Human Development Index 10 times out of 16 between 1980 and 2004.
LIVING IN CANADA : YUKON
Large map of the Yukon Yukon, also known as The Yukon Territory, is one of Canada's three territories, in the country's far northwest. It has a population of about 31,500, and its capital is Whitehorse, with a population of 23,272. People from the Yukon are known as Yukoners.
The territory is named after the Yukon River, which means "great river" in Gwich'in.
Of Canada's 13 provinces and territories, the Yukon is the only one which is not further subdivided into census divisions such as counties - instead, the whole territory constitutes a single census division.
The territory's historical major industry is mining, including lead, zinc, silver, gold, asbestos and copper. Indeed, the territory owes its existence to the famous Klondike Gold Rush of the 1890s. Having acquired the land from the Hudson's Bay Company in 1870, the Canadian government divided the territory off of the Northwest Territories in 1898 to fill the need for local government created by the influx of prospectors during the Klondike Gold Rush.
Thousands of these prospectors, led by the chance at gold, flooded the area, creating a colourful period recorded by authors such as Robert W. Service and Jack London. (See also Royal Canadian Mounted Police.)
Ethnic origins
Ethnic origin Percent
English 27.1%
First Nations 22.3%
Scottish 21.9%
Irish 19.1%
German 14.3%
French 13.4%
Immigration Profile
Yukon residents have been working in the resource industry for over a century. From forestry to mining exploration, generations of families have handed down their knowledge from generation to generation, helping to preserve a tradition of quality workmanship and Yukon residents have the ability to adapt to a changing world.
The Yukon is home to many cultures whose unique customs and traditions give the North the cultural diversity which is part of its charm. First Nations people account for a full quarter of the population, which also has a dynamic French-speaking population.
The territories are home to approximately 6,300 Canadian immigrants, according to the Canada 2006 Census. Canadian immigrants in the territories represented only 0.1% of the total foreign-born population in the country and 6.2% of the population in the North.
The largest proportion of people that immigrate to Canada and settle in the territories came from the United Kingdom (15.7%), the United States of America (13.9%) and the Philippines (12.1%). 1,000 new Canadian immigrants chose to settle in the territories between 2001 and 2006. The Philippines was the leading source country, accounting for 24.5% of these recent arrivals.
Economy
The memory of this period, as well as the territory's scenic wonders and outdoor recreation opportunities, makes tourism the second most important industry.
Manufacturing, including furniture, clothing, and handicrafts, follows in importance, along with hydroelectricity. The traditional industries of trapping and fishing have declined.
Today, the government sector is by far the biggest employer in the territory, directly employing approximately 5,000 out of a labour force of 12,500.
Transportation
In the past, the major transportation artery was the Yukon River system, both before the Gold Rush and after. As well, the coastal Tlingit people traded with the Athabascan people using passes through the coastal mountains. See also Chilkoot Pass, Dalton Trail.
From the Gold Rush until the 1950s, riverboats plied the Yukon River, most between Whitehorse at the head of navigation and Dawson City, but some going further into Alaska and down to the Bering Sea, and others along tributaries of Yukon River such as the Stewart River.
Most of the riverboats were owned by the British-Yukon Navigation co, an arm of the White Pass and Yukon Route, which also operated a narrow-gauge railway from Skagway, Alaska to Whitehorse. The railway ceased operation in the 1980s with the first closure of the Faro mine. It is now operated as a summer time tourist train, with operations running as far north as Carcross.
Today, major land transportation routes include the Alaska Highway, which passes through Whitehorse; the Klondike Highway going from tidewater in Skagway, Alaska through Whitehorse to Dawson City; the Haines Highway from Haines, Alaska to Haines Junction, Yukon, and the Dempster Highway from the Klondike Highway to Inuvik, Northwest Territories. All these highways, except for the Dempster, are paved. Other highways with less traffic include the Campbell Highway which goes from Carmacks on the Klondike Highway, through Faro and Ross River, and veers south to join the Alaska Highway in Watson Lake, and the Silver Trail which forks off the Klondike Highway at the Stewart River bridge to connect the old silver mining communities of Mayo, Elsa and Keno City. All Yukon communities except one are accessible by mostly paved roads, but air travel is the only way to reach one remote community in the Far North (Old Crow).
Whitehorse International Airport serves as the air transport infrastructure hub, with direct flights to Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Fairbanks, Juneau and Frankfurt (summer months). Every community is served by an airport, and an air charter industry exists primarily to serve the tourism and mining exploration industries.
Chief Isaac of the Han, Yukon Territory, ca. 1898 Government
The Yukon Act, passed on April 1, 2003, formalised the powers of the Yukon government and devolved a number of additional powers to the territorial government (e.g., control over land and natural resources).
At the federal level, the territory is presently represented in the Parliament of Canada by a single Member of Parliament and one senator. In contrast to United States territories, Canadian territories' members of Parliament are full and equal voting representatives and residents of the territory enjoy the same rights as other Canadian citizens. One Yukon Member of Parliament - Erik Nielsen - was the Deputy Prime Minister under the Mulroney government, while another - Audrey McLaughlin - was the leader of the federal New Democratic Party.
Yukon was one of nine jurisdictions in Canada to offer same-sex marriage before the passage of Canada's Civil Marriage Act, along with Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador, and New Brunswick. See same-sex marriage in Yukon.
First Nations governments
Much of the population of the territory is First Nations. An umbrella land claim agreement representing 7,000 members of fourteen different First Nations was signed with the federal government in 1992. Each of the individual First Nations then has to negotiate a specific land claim and a self-government agreement. As of December 2005, eleven of the 14 First Nations had a signed agreement.
LIVING IN CANADA : SASKATCHEWAN
Paper birch, Saskatchewan's provincial tree Saskatchewan has long been known as the "Bread Basket" of the World" . Its waving golden Wheatfield's, endless sky and diverse natural resources have made it a land of wide open spaces. For immigrants wishing to live in Canada, Saskatchewan, is an ideal location.
It is the middle province of Canada's three prairie provinces. It has an area of 651,900 km² (251,700 mi²) and a population of 985,386 (Saskatchewanians) as of July 1, 2006. Most of its population lives in the southern half of the province. The largest city is Saskatoon with a population of 235,800 (July 1, 2005), followed by the province's capital, Regina (population: 199,000, July 1, 2005). Other major cities (in order of size) include Prince Albert, Moose Jaw, Yorkton, Swift Current, and North Battleford. Historically, from 1872 to 1930 immigrants were attracted to Saskatchewan by the Homestead Act which granted a quarter section or 160 acres to homesteaders if they could 'prove' the land in three years. The immigration pattern resulted in ethnic bloc settlements which include: British, French , German, Dutch, Scadinavian and Ukranian.
Ten largest municipalities by population
Municipality 1996 2001 2006
Saskatoon 193,653 196,861 202,340
Regina 180,404 178,225 179,246
Prince Albert 34,777 34,291 34,138
Moose Jaw 32,973 32,131 32,132
Yorkton 15,154 15,107 15,038
Swift Current 14,890 14,821 14,946
North Battleford 14,051 13,692 13,190
Estevan 10,752 10,242 10,084
Weyburn 9,723 9,534 9,433
Corman Park 7,142 8,043 8,349
Geography & Immigration
Northern Saskatchewan is mostly covered by boreal forest except for The Lake Athabasca Sand Dunes, the largest active sand dunes in the world north of 58°, adjacent to the southern shore of Lake Athabasca. Southern Saskatchewan contains another area with sand dunes known as the "Great Sand Hills" covering over 300 square kilometers. The Cypress Hills, located in the southwestern corner of Saskatchewan and Killdeer Badlands (Grasslands National Park) are areas of the province that remained unglaciated during the last glaciation period. The province's highest point, 1,468 metres (4,816') is located in the Cypress Hills. The lowest point, 213 metres (700') is the shore of Lake Athabasca in the far north. The province has nine distinct drainage basins made up of various rivers and watersheds draining into the Arctic Ocean, Hudson Bay, and Gulf of Mexico.
Note that the list does not include Lloydminster, which has a total population of 24,028 but straddles the Alberta-Saskatchewan border. As of 2001, only 8,118 people lived on the Saskatchewan side, which would make it Saskatchewan's 11th largest municipality. All of the listed communities are considered cities by the province, with the exception of Corman Park, which is a rural municipality. Municipalities in the province with a population of 5000 or more receive official city status.
Ethnic origins
Ethnic origin Percent
German 28.6%
English 24.5%
Scottish 17.9%
Irish 14.5%
Ukrainian 12.6%
French 11.4%
First Nations 10.6%
Norwegian 6.3%
Polish 5.3%
Métis 4.2%
Dutch 3.3%
Swedish 3.1%
Immigration Profile
Saskatchewan's booming economy is creating opportunities for employment and investment in all sectors of the province. But our province's most enticing feature is the rich quality of life Saskatchewan residents enjoy.
We have low housing costs and utility rates, which are complemented by the third lowest personal income tax rate in the country. People who move to Saskatchewan claim it is more than just a great place to work - it is an ideal place to call home. Through our provincial nominee program, we can help you through the immigration process so that you can build your future in Saskatchewan.
The Saskatchewan, Community Partnerships and Settlement Unit works with immigrants, refugees, employers, service providers, and communities to ensure a positive immigration experience for all parties. It designs and delivers programs and services such as language training, literacy training, employment services, and orientation services that assist newcomers in making a transition to work and to life in our communities.
The unit also supports efforts by communities, businesses, and employers to help newcomers make Saskatchewan their home through the development of settlement plans. This project is the latest enhancement to the province's immigration program, which will approve approximately 5,000 new immigrants a year by 2008-09.
Saskatchewan Industry
Percent Sector
17.1 finance, insurance, real estate, leasing
13.0 mining, petroleum
11.9 education, health, social services
11.7 wholesale and retail trade
9.1 transportation, communications, utilities
7.7 manufacturing
6.8 agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting
6.5 business services
5.8 government services
5.0 construction
5.3 other
Economy & Immigration
Saskatchewan's economy is associated with agriculture; however, increasing diversification has meant that now agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting together make up only 6.8% of the province's GDP. Saskatchewan grows 45% of Canada's grain. Wheat is the most familiar crop, and perhaps the one stereotypically associated with the province, but other grains like canola, flax, rye, oats, peas, lentils, canary seed, and barley are also produced. Beef cattle production in the province is only exceeded by Alberta. Mining is also a major industry in the province, with Saskatchewan being the world leader in potash exports. In the northern part of the province, forestry is significant.
The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) is desined to help business find skilled workers through immigration to Canada, which operates under an agreement with the federal government. It can provide an alternate and quicker means of entry into Canada.
This program allows Saskatchewan to nominate applicants, who qualify under criteria established by the province, to the federal government for landed immigrant status.
The SINP offers:
The ability to select applicants whose skills and abilities best fit the province's needs
Consideration of applications that may not qualify under federal immigration criteria
Application processing times that are faster than other federal immigration classes.
SINP eligibility criteria reflect the specific needs of Saskatchewan's labour market and economy. The SINP currently has seven categories for nomination: Skilled Workers, Family Members, Long Haul Truck Drivers, Health Professions, Entrepreneurs, Foreign Students, and Farmers.
Oil and Natural Gas production is also a very important part of Saskatchewan's economy. Oil and natural gas production is only exceeded by Alberta. Heavy crude is extracted in the Lloydminster-Kerrobert-Kindersley areas. Light crude is found in the Kindersley-Swift Current areas as well as the Weyburn-Estevan fields. Natural gas is found almost entirely in the western part of Saskatchewan, from the Primrose Lake area through Lloydminster, Unity, Kindersley, Leader, and around Maple Creek areas.
Saskatchewan is also the world's most important supplier of uranium, and supplies much of the western world's supplies. The uranium industry is closely regulated by the provincial government which allows the government of Saskatchewan great latitude in setting world uranium prices.
The chart above shows the breakdown of Saskatchewan's economic sectors.
Government
Saskatchewan has the same form of government as the other Canadian provinces with a Lieutenant-Governor (who is the representative of the Crown in Right of Saskatchewan), premier, and a unicameral legislature.
The current premier of Saskatchewan is New Democrat Lorne Calvert, whose government was re-elected in the 2003 election with a slim majority -- the NDP won 30 seats in the 58-seat Legislative Assembly, while the Saskatchewan Party won the remaining 28 seats. Most NDP MLAs represent cities and towns while most SP MLAs represent rural ridings. Partly because of this the NDP's three long stretches as the provincial government have not translated into recent federal success. While both Saskatoon and Regina(Saskatchewan's largest cities) are roughly twice the population of an urban riding in Canada, both are split into multiple ridings that blend them with rural communities.
Education & Immigration
Thorvaldson building University of Saskatchewan Those considering immigration to Saskatchewan can take advantage of their world class post seconday education institutions. Postsecondary education in Saskatchewan is delivered through two publicly funded universities and their federated and affiliated colleges; the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST), with institutes in four locations; eight regional colleges that broker programs offered by the universities and SIAST to communities throughout the province; the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies; the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (SATCC); and approximately 50 private vocational schools.
The University of Saskatchewan has one federated college - St. Thomas More College - and seven affiliates - St. Andrew's College, the Lutheran Theological Seminary, Central Pentecostal College, St. Peter's College, the College of Emmanuel and St. Chad, Briercrest College, and the Gabriel Dumont Institute of Native Studies and Applied Research.
The University of Regina has three federated colleges -- Campion College, Luther College, and First Nations University of Canada (formerly known as the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College) and two affiliates -- the Canadian Theological Seminary/Canadian Bible College and the Gabriel Dumont Institute of Native Studies and Applied Research.
Arts and culture
Museums and galleries
Mendel Art Gallery
Museums Association of Saskatchewan
Shurniak Art Gallery
MacKenzie Art Gallery
Royal Saskatchewan Museum
RCMP Academy, Depot Division which includes the RCMP Centennial Museum
Duck Lake Regional Interpretive Center
Artist-Run centres
AKA Gallery
PAVED Arts
The Gallery on Sherbrooke, Wolseley
Artists
Dr William Hobbs Prairie and Railways Painter.
Glen Scrimshaw
Joe Fafard
LIVING IN CANADA : QUEBEC
Montreal, North America's Francophone metropolis For those considering immigrating to Quebec, it is important to note that its culture and arts are more representative of European sensibility. More than any other province in Canada, Quebec has a greater affinity to European culture, in part , due to the significant ties to France and its French speaking culture.
Quebec is affectionately known as la belle province ("the beautiful province"), Quebec is bordered to the west by the province of Ontario, James Bay and Hudson Bay. To the north are the Hudson Strait and Ungava Bay, to the east the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, the provinces of New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador, and to the south the States. Quebec is Canada's largest province by area and its second-largest administrative division; only the territory of Nunavut is larger.
Quebec boasts a vibrant immigration community and in recent years has seen an sigificant increase in immigration, especailly to the more urban centres. It is the second most populated province, and most of its inhabitants live along or close to the banks of the Saint Lawrence River. The central and north portion of the province is sparsely populated and inhabited by the aboriginal peoples of Canada. The official language of Quebec is French; it is the sole Canadian province whose population is mainly French Canadian, and where English is not an official language at the provincial level.
While the province's substantial natural resources have long been the mainstay of its economy, Quebec has renewed itself to function effectively in the knowledge economy: information and communication technologies, aerospace, biotechnology, and health industries and has sough to strengthen its skilled workforce through immigration to Canada.
Geography
As a result of the boundary expansions, the province currently occupies a vast territory (nearly three times the size of France), most of which is very sparsely populated. More than 90 percent of Quebec's area lies within the Canadian Shield and includes the greater part of the Labrador Peninsula. The most populated region is the St. Lawrence River valley in the south, where the capital, Quebec City, and the largest city, Montreal, are situated. North of Montreal are the Laurentians, a mountain range, and to the east are the Appalachian Mountains which extend into the Eastern Townships and Gaspésie regions. Quebec's highest mountain is Mont D'Iberville, which is located on the border with Newfoundland and Labrador in the northeastern part of the province. The Gaspé Peninsula juts into the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the east.
The northern region a major hydro-electric project is found on the La Grande and Eastmain rivers in the James Bay region (the La Grande Complex) and on the Manicouagan River, north of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Climate
Quebec has three main climate regions. Southern and western Quebec, including most of the major population centres, have a humid continental climate (Koppen climate classification Dfb) with warm, humid summers and cooler winters and the climate will be familiar to those immigrants considering immigration from Europe to Canada. The main climatic influences are from western and northern Canada which move eastward and from the southern and central United States that move northward. Due to the influence of both storm systems from the core of North America and the Atlantic Ocean, precipitation is abundant throughout the year, with most areas receiving more than 1,000 mm (40 inches) of precipitation, including over 300 cm (120 inches) of snow in many areas. Severe summer weather (such as tornadoes and severe thunderstorms) are far less common than in southern Ontario, although they occasionally occur.
Most of central Quebec Winters are longer while summers are warm but very short due to the higher latitude and the greater influence of Arctic air masses. Precipitation is also somewhat less than farther south, except at some of the higher elevations.
The far northern regions of Quebec have an arctic climate (Koppen ET), with very cold winters and short, much cooler summers. The primary influences here are the Arctic Ocean currents (such as the Labrador Current) and continental air masses from the High Arctic.
Ethnic origins
Ethnic origin Population Percent
Canadian 4,897,475 68.73%
French 2,111,570 29.67%
Irish 291,545 5.09%
Italian 249,205 3.70%
English 218,415 3.07%
Scottish 156,140 2.19%
North American Indian 130,165 1.83%
German 88,700 1.24%
Jewish 82,450 1.16%
Haitian 74,465 1.05%
Immigration Profile
Canada and Quebec have had immigration agreements since 1971, Quebec played a major role with regard to independent immigrants, that is, those selected on the basis of economic and social factors intended to assess their ability to adapt and to contribute to the province. For this purpose, Quebec enacted its own point system, which, while it has many of the same features as the federal system, nevertheless differs in some significant respects.
New Canada immigrants chose to settle in Quebec at a faster pace than in any other province during the past five years, according to data from the Canada 2006 Census. People born outside of Canada accounted for 11.5% of Quebec's total population in 2006, the highest proportion ever in the province's history.
The Canada 2006 Census enumerated a total of 851,600 foreign-born residents in Quebec, an increase of 144,600 individuals, or 20.5%, from 2001. This was higher than the 13.6% growth rate in the foreign-born population for the entire country during this period.
Quebec was the province with the second-highest share, of new Canadian immigrants who had arrived in Canada during the previous five years, the first being Ontario. This was due to increased immigration to the province since 2001. Of the estimated 1,110,000 new immigrants, 17.5% lived in Quebec.
Interestingly, the number of international adoptions in Quebec is the highest of all provinces of Canada. In 2001, 42% of international adoptions in Canada were carried out in Quebec.
Government
The head of government is the Premier (called premier ministre in French) who leads the largest party in the unicameral National Assembly or Assemblée Nationale, from which the Council of Ministers is appointed. The current Premier of Quebec is Jean Charest.
Until 1968, the Quebec legislature was bicameral, consisting of the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly. In that year the Legislative Council was abolished, and the Legislative Assembly was renamed the National Assembly. Quebec was the last province to abolish its legislative council.
The government of Quebec awards an order of merit called the National Order of Quebec. It is inspired in part by the French Legion of Honour. It is conferred upon men and women born or living in Quebec (but non-Quebecers can be inducted as well) for outstanding achievements.
Population Centres
Census metropolitan areas by population
Census metropolitan area 2006 pop. 2001 pop.¹ Region² Image
Montreal 3,635,571 3,451,027 Montreal
Quebec City
(provincial capital) 715,515 686,569 Capitale-Nationale
Gatineau³ 283,959 261,704 Outaouais
Sherbrooke 186,952 175,950 Estrie
Saguenay 151,643 154,938 Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean
Trois-Rivières 141,529 137,507 Mauricie
¹These figures are adjusted to reflect boundary changes for the 2006 census.
²Where a metropolitan area straddles more than one administrative region, the region of the central municipality is given.
³These figures pertain to the part of the Ottawa-Gatineau census metropolitan area that is in Quebec. The total figures for the CMA, including the part in Ontario, are 1,130,761 (2006), 1,067,800 (2001).
Economy & Immigration
The St. Lawrence River Valley is a fertile agricultural region, producing dairy products, fruit, vegetables, foie gras, maple syrup (Quebec is the world's largest producer), and livestock. Immigrants from Europe will be familiar with the mix of rural agriculture and manufacturing that are primary drivers of the economy.
North of the St. Lawrence River Valley, the territory of Quebec is extremely rich in resources in its coniferous forests, lakes, and rivers-pulp and paper, lumber, and hydroelectricity are still some of the province's most important industries.
High-tech industries are very important around Montreal and, as such, reguire a skilled workforce that is often supplemented by its influx skilled, newly immigrated workerforce. It includes the aerospace companies like aircraft manufacturer Bombardier, the jet engine company Pratt & Whitney, the flight simulator builder CAE and defence contractor Lockheed Martin, Canada. Those companies and other major subcontractors make Quebec the fourth biggest player worldwide in the aviation industry.
Château Frontenac, the world's most photographed hotel, is iconic to the province of Quebec. Culture
Quebecers comprise the largest French-speaking society in the Americas. Most French Canadians live in Quebec, though there are other concentrations of French-speakers throughout Canada with varying degrees of ties to Quebec. Montreal is the cosmopolitan cultural heart of Quebec.
English-speaking Quebecers constitute an official language minority whose number, according to the 2001 census and depending on the method of reckoning, ranges from 557,040 (mother tongue, single response) to 918,955 ("first official language spoken" English plus half of those with both English and French as first official language spoken), constituting 7.8% to 12.9% of the population. Quebec is also home to 11 aboriginal nations. The total Aboriginal identity population of Quebec was 79,400 in 2001.
The information regarding ethnicities at the left is from the 2001 Canadian Census. The percentages add to more than 100% because of dual responses (e.g., "French-Canadian" generates an entry in both the category "French" and the category "Canadian".) Groups with greater than 70,000 responses are included.
Language
Quebec is the only Canadian province where French is the only official language. In 2001 the population was:
French speakers: 82.0%
English speakers: 7.9%
Others: 10.1% (Italian 5.2%, Spanish 2.3%, Arabic 2.9%, and others)
LIVING IN CANADA : PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
SMALL AND BEAUTIFUL
The coast of Prince Edward Island around Cavendish Those immigrating to Canada may want to consider PEI at a primary destination for quality of life. Its pastoral scenes of rural Canada along with its access to the ocean and close proximity to the New England region of the US make it particularly attractive.
Prince Edward Island, often referred to as PEI is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name. One of the Maritimes, the Atlantic Province is the nation's smallest province in land area and population.
Prince Edward Island has 135,851 residents collectively referred to as Islanders. It is 104th largest island in the world, and Canada's 23rd largest island. It is important to note that a modern bridge connecting PEI to maritime Canada has opened this province up to the rest of the world.
Geography
This province is located in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence west of Cape Breton Island, north of the Nova Scotia peninsula, and east of New Brunswick. Its southern shore forms the Northumberland Strait.
The island has two urban areas. The largest surrounds Charlottetown Harbour, situated centrally on the island's southern shore, and consists of the capital city Charlottetown, as well as suburban towns Cornwall and Stratford and a developing urban fringe. A much smaller urban area surrounds Summerside Harbour, situated on the southern shore 40 kilometres west of Charlottetown Harbour, and consists primarily of the city of Summerside. As with all natural harbours on the island, Charlottetown and Summerside harbours are created by rias.
The island's landscape is pastoral: rolling hills, pristine forests, reddish white sand beaches, ocean coves and the famous red soil have given Prince Edward Island a reputation as a province of outstanding natural beauty. The provincial government has enacted a number of laws that attempt to preserve the landscape through regulation, although the lack of consistent enforcement and absence of province-wide zoning and land-use planning has resulted in some aesthetically displeasing development in recent years.
The island's lush landscape has had a strong bearing not only on its economy but also its culture. Author Lucy Maud Montgomery drew inspiration from the land during the late Victorian Era for the setting of her classic novel Anne of Green Gables. Today, many of the same qualities that Montgomery and others found in the Island are enjoyed by tourists who visit during all seasons. They enjoy a variety of leisure activities, including beaches, various golf courses, eco-tourism adventures, and simply touring the countryside and enjoying cultural events in local communities around the island.
Ten largest municipalities by population
Municipality 2001 2006
Charlottetown 32,245a 32,531
Summerside 14,654b 15,525
Stratford 6,314 5,869
Cornwall 4,412 4,291
Lot 34 2,344 2,180
Montague 1,945 1,995
Lot 1c 1,900 1,936
Lot 65 1,829 1,595
Lot 19 1,775 1,759
Lot 2d 1,720 1,766
a Agglomerated population: 58,358.
b Agglomerated population: 16,200.
c Tignish and surrounding area.
d St. Louis/Elmsdale area.
The smaller rural communities as well as the towns and villages throughout the province proudly retain a slower-paced, old world flavour, something that factors heavily into Prince Edward Island's popularity as a destination for relaxation. Most rural communities on Prince Edward Island are based on small-scale agriculture, given that the size of farm properties is quite small when compared with other areas in Canada. There is an increasing amount of industrial farming as older farm properties are consolidated and modernized.
The coastline of the island consists of a combination of long beaches, dunes, red sandstone cliffs, salt water marshes and numerous bays and harbours. The beaches, dunes and sandstone cliffs consist of sedimentary rock and other material with a high iron concentration which oxidizes upon exposure to the air. The geological properties of a white silica sand found at Basin Head are unique in the province; the sand grains cause a scrubbing noise as they rub against each other when walked on. Large dune fields on the north shore can be found on barrier islands at the entrances to various bays and harbours. The magnificent sand dunes at Greenwich are of particular significance. The shifting, parabolic dune system is home to a variety of birds and rare plants and is also a site of significant archeological interest.
Climate
Canada's Garden of the Gulf is surrounded by sea, lying between the Northumberland Strait on the south and west and the Gulf of St. Lawrence on the north and east. With the oceanic influence, the onset of the seasons is delayed several weeks. Winters are rambunctious but, on the whole, milder than in most parts of Canada. Spring is late and cool. Summer is modest and breezy. As for fall, well, Islanders will tell you they favour this season most of all, except when it involves the occasional brush with a dying Atlantic hurricane.
Ethnic origins
Ethnic origin Percent
Scottish 38.0%
English 28.7%
Irish 27.9%
French 21.3%
German 4.0%
Dutch 3.1%
Immigration Profile
The foremost labour market issue facing Prince Edward Island is skill shortages or gaps. The pace of economic growth coupled with demographic and other trends are exerting pressure on the provincial labour market.
The Canada 2006 Census counted an estimated 84,800 foreign-born people in the four Atlantic provinces combined. This was an increase of 8,800 immigrants from 2001, and a growth rate of 11.6%. During this period, an estimated 13,500 recent Canadian immigrants settled in the Atlantic region, or 1.2% of the 1.1 million new Canadian immigrants. Prince Edward Island attracted 4,800 of the new Canadian immigrants. The United States was the top source country of newcomers to Prince Edward Island.
PEI has implemented a program in partnership with the federal government entitled Co-operation on Immigration. This is a 5-year, agreement that expedites the immigration to Canada of individuals and their families who meet provincial criteria for initiatives to support: increased business and economic development, the supply of skilled workers, increased population; and achievement of provincial demographic, social and cultural objectives.
Economy
The provincial economy is dominated by the seasonal industries of agriculture, tourism, and the fishery. The province is limited in terms of heavy industry and manufacturing. Although commercial deposits of minerals have not been found, exploration for natural gas beneath the eastern end of the province has resulted in the discovery of an as yet undisclosed quantity of gas.
Agriculture remains the dominant industry in the provincial economy, as it has since colonial times. During the twentieth century, potatoes have replaced mixed farming as the leading cash crop, accounting for one-third of provincial farm income. The province currently accounts for a third of Canada's total potato production, producing approximately 1300 million kg annually. Comparatively, the state of Idaho produces approximately 6200 million kg annually. PEI is a major producer of seed potatoes, exporting to more than twenty countries around the world.
Many of the province's coastal communities rely upon shellfish harvesting, particularly lobster fishing as well as oyster fishing and mussel farming.
Transportation
Prince Edward Island's transportation network has traditionally revolved around its seaports - Charlottetown, Summerside, Borden, Georgetown, and Souris - all linked to its railway system, and airports (Charlottetown and Summerside) for communication with mainland North America. The railway system was abandoned by CN in 1989 in favour of an agreement with the federal government to improve major highways. Until 1997, the province was linked by two passenger-vehicle ferry services to the mainland: one, provided by Marine Atlantic, operated year-round between Borden and Cape Tormentine, New Brunswick; the other, provided by Northumberland Ferries Limited, operates seasonally between Wood Islands and Caribou, Nova Scotia. A third ferry service provided by CTMA operates seasonally between Souris and Cap-aux-Meules, Quebec and connects with Quebec's Magdalen Islands.
On June 1, 1997, the Confederation Bridge opened, connecting Borden-Carleton to Cape Jourimain and replacing the Marine Atlantic ferry service. Since then, the Confederation Bridge's assured transportation link to the mainland has altered the province's tourism and agricultural and fisheries export economies.
Education
Prince Edward Island is home to one provincial university, the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI), located in Charlottetown. The university was formed from the merger of Prince of Wales College and St. Dunstan's University. UPEI is home to the Atlantic Veterinary College, which offers the region's only veterinary medicine program.
Holland College is the provincial community college, with campuses across the province, including specialized facilities such as the Atlantic Police Academy, Marine Training Centre, and the Culinary Institute of Canada.
The Maritime Christian College, also located in Charlottetown, is a small private evangelical Christian college with a university degree-granting charter.
The College of Piping and Celtic Performing Arts of Canada, located in Summerside, specializes in the instruction of bagpipe and other traditional Scottish and Irish performance art such as highland dance.
LIVING IN CANADA : ONTARIO
Ontario is the primary destination for immigration in Canada. Toronto, located in Ontario; due to its size, prosperity and vibrant multicultural communities has benefited through its economy the entreprenurial nature of its large immigration communities.
Toronto: Ontario's capital city and Canada's largest metropolis Ontario is located in the east-central part of the Canada, the largest by population and second largest (after Quebec) in total area. Ontario is bordered by the provinces of Manitoba to the west, Quebec to the east, and the United States to the south. Ontario is also the only Canadian Province that borders the Great Lakes.
The capital of Ontario is Toronto, the largest city in Canada. Ottawa, the capital of Canada, is located in Ontario as well. The 2006 Census counted 12,160,282 residents in Ontario, which accounted for 38.5% of the national population.
Immigration will be a key driver of population and labour force growth in the coming years. Owing to Canada's ageing population and low birth rates, immigrantion to Canada is expected to account for all net labour force growth within 10 years, and for all net population growth within 20 years.
Bruce peninsula Geography & Immigration
The province consists of three relatively temperate, main geographical regions which may offer familiarity to those immigrating to Ontario, given their similarities to many regions in the world. The regions include: the thinly populated Canadian Shield in the northwestern and central portions which covers over half the land area in the province and is rich in minerals and studded with lakes and rivers; sub-regions are Northwestern Ontario and Northeastern Ontario. The second region can be described as virtually unpopulated Hudson Bay Lowlands in the extreme north and northeast, mainly swampy and sparsely forested; and the temperate, and therefore most populous region, fertile Great Lakes-Saint Lawrence Valley in the south where agriculture and industry are concentrated. Southern Ontario is further sub-divided into four regions; Southwestern Ontario (parts of which formerly referred to as Western Ontario), Golden Horseshoe, Central Ontario (although not actually the province's geographic centre) and Eastern Ontario.
Despite the absence of any mountainous terrain in the province, there are large areas of uplands, particularly within the Canadian Shield which traverses the province from northwest to southeast and also above the Niagara Escarpment which crosses the south. The highest point is Ishpatina Ridge at 693m above sea level located in Northeastern Ontario.
The Carolinian forest zone covers most of the southwestern section, its northern extent is part of the Greater Toronto Area, which the bulk of Canadian immigrants calls home, at the western end of Lake Ontario. The most well-known geographic feature is Niagara Falls, part of the much more extensive Niagara Escarpment. The Saint Lawrence Seaway allows navigation to and from the Atlantic Ocean as far inland as Thunder Bay in Northwestern Ontario. Northern Ontario occupies roughly 85% of the surface area of the province; conversely Southern Ontario contains 94% of the population (see article Geography of Canada).
Point Pelee National Park is a peninsula in southwestern Ontario (near Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan) that extends into Lake Erie and is the southernmost extent of Canada's mainland. Pelee Island in Lake Erie extends slightly further. Both are south of 42°N - slightly further south than the northern border of California.
Ethnic groups
Ethnic origin Population Percent
Canadian 3,350,275 29.70%
English 2,711,485 24.04%
Scottish 1,843,110 16.33%
Irish 1,761,280 15.61%
French 1,235,765 10.95%
German 965,510 8.56%
Italian 781,345 6.92%
South Asian 597,553 5.24%
Chinese 518,550 4.59%
Black 442,713 3.92%
Dutch (Netherlands) 436,035 3.86%
Polish 386,050 3.42%
Ukrainian 290,925 2.58%
North American First Nations 248,940 2.21%
Portuguese 248,265 2.20%
Immigration Profile
Ontario continued to be the province of choice for more than half (52.3%) of the 1.1 million new Canadian immigrants. This was down slightly from the 55.9% of new Canadian immigrants who settled in Ontario between 1996 and 2001. The Canada 2006 Census enumerated 3,398,700 Canadian immigrants in Ontario. They represented 28.3% of the province's population, the highest proportion of all 10 provinces and the highest in Ontario's history. Most Canadian immigrants that settled in Ontarian live in the census metropolitan area of Toronto (68.3%). The other Ontario metropolitan areas that were home to at least 2% of the province's foreign-born population were the Ontario part of Ottawa - Gatineau (5.3%), Hamilton (4.9%), Kitchener (3%), London (2.6%) and Windsor (2.2%).
Immigration is a huge population growth force in Ontario as it has been over the last two centuries, in relation to natural increase or inter-provincial migration. More recent sources of immigrants with already large or growing communities in Ontario include Caribbeans (a majority of whom are Jamaicans), South Asians (for example, Pakistanis, Indians, Bangladeshis and Sri Lankans), East Asians (mostly Chinese and Filipinos), Central/South Americans, Eastern Europeans such as Russians and Bosnians, and groups from Iran, Somalia and Western Africa.
The chart above outlines ethnic groups in Ontario, based on a recent census. The percentages add to more than 100% because of dual responses (e.g. "French-Canadian" generates an entry in both the category "French" and the category "Canadian"). Groups with greater than 200,000 responses are included. The majority of Ontarians are of British (English, Scottish, Welsh) and Irish ancestry.
Ten largest municipalities by population
Municipality 2006 2001 1996
Toronto (provincial capital) 2,503,281 2,481,494 2,385,421
Ottawa (national capital) 812,129 774,072 721,136
Mississauga 668,549 612,925 544,382
Hamilton 504,559 490,268 467,799
Brampton 433,806 325,428 268,251
London 352,395 336,539 325,669
Markham 261,573 208,615 173,383
Vaughan 238,866 182,022 132,549
Windsor 216,473 209,218 197,694
Kitchener 204,668 190,399 178,420
Largest Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) by population
Statistics Canada's measure of a "metro area", the Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) roughly bundles together population figures from the core municipality with those from "commuter" municipalities.
*Parts of Quebec (including Gatineau) are included in the Ottawa CMA. The entire population of the Ottawa CMA, in both provinces, is shown. Clarence-Rockland and Russell Township are not the second and third largest municipalities in the entire CMA, they are the largest municipalities in the Ontario section of the CMA.
Enjoying summer at Sandbanks Provincial Park on Lake Ontario Climate & Immigration
Ontario has three main climatic regions, each of which is relatively temperate and appealing to those considering immigration to Canada and in particular Ontario. Southwestern and south-central Ontario, including the southern half of the Golden Horseshoe, has a moderate humid continental climate (Koppen climate classification Dfa), similar to that of the inland Mid-Atlantic States and the lower Great Lakes portion of the U.S. Midwest. The region has hot, humid summers and cold winters. It is considered a temperate climate when compared with most of Canada. In the summer, the air masses often come out of the southern United States, as the stronger the Bermuda High Pressure ridges into the North American continent, the more warm, humid air is drawn northward from the Gulf of Mexico. Throughout the year, but especially in the fall and winter, temperatures are moderated somewhat by the lower Great Lakes, making it considerably milder than the rest of the provinces and allowing for a longer growing season than areas at similar latitudes in the continent's interior. Both spring and fall are generally pleasantly mild, with cool nights. Annual precipitation ranges from 750 mm (30 inches) to 1000 mm (40 inches) and is well distributed throughout the year with a summer peak. Most of this region lies in the lee of the Great Lakes and receive less snow than any other part of Ontario.
Most of Central and Eastern Ontario, plus the southern part of Northern Ontario, have a more severe humid continental climate (Koppen Dfb). This region has warm to hot summers (although somewhat shorter than in Southwestern Ontario) with cold and somewhat longer winters and a shorter growing season. The southern parts of this region lie at the windward side of the lakes, primarily Lake Huron. The Great Lakes also have a moderating effect for shoreline areas. However, the open lakes frequently result in lake effect snow squalls on the eastern and southern shores of the lakes, that affect much of the Georgian Bay shoreline including Killarney, Parry Sound, Muskoka and Simcoe County; the Lake Huron shore from east of Sarnia northward to the Bruce Peninsula, sometimes reaching London. Wind-whipped snow squalls or lake effect snow can affect areas as far as 100 kilometres (62 miles) or greater from the shore, but the heaviest snows usually occur within 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the shoreline. Some snowbelt areas receive an annual average of well over 300 cm (120 inches) of snow annually.
For those considering immigration to the more northern parts of Ontario, it is important to note that it has a subarctic climate (Koppen Dfc) with colder winters and shorter, warm summers. This climate has begun to moderate as global warning has had a signifant imnpact, with moderating infuences. With increasing frequency, hot weather occasionally reaches even the northernmost parts of Ontario, although humidity is generally lower than in the south. With no major mountain ranges blocking Arctic air masses, winters are generally very cold, especially in the far north and northwest where temperatures below -40°C (-40°F) are not uncommon. The snow stays on the ground much longer in the region as opposed to any other regions of Ontario; it is not uncommon to see snow on the ground from October to May here.
One London Place, London, Ontario Economy & Immigration
Ontario's rivers, including its share of the Niagara River, make it rich in hydroelectric energy. Since the privatization of Ontario Hydro which began in 1999, Ontario Power Generation runs 85% of electricity generated in the province, of which 41% is nuclear, 30% is hydroelectric and 29% is fossil fuel derived. OPG is not however responsible for the transmission of power, which is under the control of Hydro One. Despite its diverse range of power options, problems related to increasing consumption, lack of energy efficiency and aging nuclear reactors, Ontario has been forced in recent years to purchase power from its neighbours, Quebec and Michigan to supplement its power needs during peak consumption periods.
An abundance of natural resources, excellent transportation links to the American heartland and the inland Great Lakes making ocean access possible via ship containers, have all contributed to making manufacturing the principal industry, found mainly in the Golden Horseshoe region which is the largest industrialized area in Canada. Important products include motor vehicles, iron, steel, food, electrical appliances, machinery, chemicals, and paper. Many immigrants to Ontario have retained jobs in automotive industry. Ontario surpassed Michigan in car production; assembling 2.696 million vehicles in 2004 (see Canada-United States Automotive Agreement).
The automotive manufacturing sector plays a vital role in the Ontario economy and while North American auto sales have slumped recently, this has been off-set to some degree by an increase in production GM's Oakville plant and its re-introduction of the Camaro which will be produced in Oshawa. Toyota also announced plans to build a new plant in Woodstock by 2008, and Honda also has plans to add an engine plant at its facility in Alliston.
The CN Tower in Toronto is the world's tallest freestanding structure on land Toronto, the capital of Ontario, is the centre of Canada's financial services and banking industry. Suburban cities in the Greater Toronto Area like Brampton, Mississauga and Vaughan are large product distribution centres and home to large immigration populations, in addition to having manufacturing industries. The information technology sector is also important, particularly in Markham, Waterloo and Ottawa. Hamilton is the largest steel manufacturing city in Canada and Sarnia is a centre for petrochemical production. Construction employs at least 7% of the work force, but due to undocumented workers, the figure is likely over 10%. This sector has thrived over the last ten years due to steadily increasing new house and condominium construction combined with low mortgage rates and climbing prices, particularly in the Greater Toronto area. Mining and the forest products industry, notably pulp and paper, are vital to the economy of Northern Ontario. More than any other region, tourism contributes heavily to the economy of Central Ontario, peaking during the summer months owing to the abundance of fresh water recreation and wilderness found there in reasonable proximity to the major urban centres. At other times of the year, hunting, skiing and snowmobiling are among the out of high-season draws. This region has some of the most vibrant fall colour displays anywhere on the continent and tours directed at overseas visitors are organized to see them. Tourism also plays a key role in border cities with large casinos, among them Windsor and Niagara Falls which attract many US visitors.
Ontario has the largest economy in Canada. Nominal Gross Domestic Product in 2003 was an estimated C$494.229 billion (40.6% of the Canadian total), larger than the GDP of Austria, Belgium or Sweden. Broken down by sector, the primary sector is 1.8% of total GDP, secondary sector 28.5%, and service sector 69.7%. Also, its economic growth is expected to outpace France, Germany, and Japan in 2006.
Transportation
Historically, the province has used two major east-west routes, both starting from Montreal in the neighbouring province of Quebec. The northerly route, which was pioneered by early French-speaking fur traders, travels northwest from Montreal along the Ottawa River, then continues westward towards Manitoba. Major cities on or near the route include Ottawa, North Bay, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, and Thunder Bay. The much more heavily travelled southerly route, which was popularized by later English-speaking United Empire Loyalists and later other European immigrants, travels southwest from Montreal along the St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario, and Lake Erie before entering the United States in Michigan.
Water
The St. Lawrence Seaway, which extends across most of the southern portion of the province has been a conduit for Canadian immigration and connects to the Atlantic Ocean, is the primary water transportation route for cargo, particularly iron ore and grain. In the past, the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River were also a major passenger transportation route, but over the past half century they have been nearly totally supplanted by vehicle, rail, and air travel. There was previously a ferry connecting Toronto with Rochester, New York.
Rail
Via Rail operates the inter-regional passenger train service on the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. In addition Amtrak rail connects Ontario with key New York cities including Buffalo, Albany, and New York. Ontario Northland provides rail service to destinations as far north as Moosonee near James Bay, connecting them with the south. Freight rail is dominated by the founding cross-country CN and CP rail companies, which during the 1990s sold many short rail lines from their vast network to private companies operating mostly in the south. Regional Commuter rail is limited to the provincially owned GO Transit, which serves a train/bus network spanning the Golden Horseshoe region, its hub in Toronto. The TTC in Toronto operates the province's only subway and streetcar system, one of the busiest in North America. Outside of Toronto, the O-Train LRT line operates in Ottawa with ongoing expansion of the current line and proposals for additional lines.
Air
Lester B. Pearson International Airport is the nation's busiest and the world's 29th busiest, serving as a major Canadian immigratiuon hub, handling over 30 million passengers per year. Other important airports include Ottawa International Airport and John C. Munro International Airport in Hamilton, which is an important courier and freight aviation centre. Toronto/Pearson and Ottawa/Macdonald-Cartier form two of the three points in Air Canada's Rapidair triangle, Canada's busiest set of air routes (the third point is Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport). WestJet also operates many flights in the triangle. A third and new airline, Porter Airlines will be joining in the triangle making Toronto City Centre Airport their hub beginning late 2006 to early 2007.
Most Ontario cities have regional airports, many of which have scheduled commuter flights from Air Canada Jazz or smaller airlines and charter companies - flights from the larger cities such as Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, North Bay, Timmins, Windsor, London, and Kingston feed directly into Toronto Pearson. Bearskin Airlines also runs flights along the northerly east-west route, connecting Ottawa, North Bay, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, and Thunder Bay directly without requiring connections at Toronto Pearson.
Isolated towns and settlements in the northern areas of the province rely partly or entirely on air service for travel, goods, and even ambulance services, since much of the far northern area of the province cannot be reached by road or rail.
The Ontario Legislature Building at Queen's Park Government
Ontario is governbed by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario that includes 103 seats representing ridings elected in a first-past-the-post system across the province. The legislative buildings at Queen's Park in Toronto are the seat of government. Ontario has traditionally operated under a three-party system. In the last few decades the liberal Ontario Liberal Party, conservative Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, and social-democratic Ontario New Democratic Party have all ruled the province at different times.
Currently Ontario is under a Liberal government headed by Premier Dalton McGuinty.
Federally, Ontario is known as being the province that offers the strongest support for the Liberal Party of Canada. The majority of the party's present 106 seats in the Canadian House of Commons represent Ontario ridings. As the province has the most seats of any province in Canada, earning support from Ontario voters is considered a crucial matter for any party hoping to win a Canadian federal election.
LIVING IN CANADA : NUNAVUT
Nunavut Map Nunavut is the largest and newest of the territories of Canada; it was separated officially from the vast Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999 via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries were established in 1993. The creation of Nunavut resulted in the first major change to Canada's map since the incorporation of the new province of Newfoundland (including Labrador) in 1949.
The capital, Iqaluit (formerly "Frobisher Bay") on Baffin Island, in the east, was chosen by the 1995 capital plebiscite. Other major communities include the regional centres of Rankin Inlet and Cambridge Bay. Nunavut also includes Ellesmere Island to the north, as well as the eastern and southern portions of Victoria Island in the west. Nunavut is both the least populated and the largest of the provinces and territorities of Canada. It has a population of only 29,474 spread over an area the size of Western Europe. If Nunavut were a sovereign nation, it would be the least densely populated in the world: Nearby Greenland, for example, has almost the same area and twice the population.
Nunavut means 'our land' in Inuktitut, the language of the Inuit. Its inhabitants are called Nunavummiut, singular Nunavummiuq. Along with Inuktitut, Inuinnaqtun, English, and French are also official languages.
Geography
The territory covers about 1.9 million square kilometres of land and water in Northern Canada including part of the mainland, most of the Arctic Archipelago, and all of the islands in Hudson Bay, James Bay, and Ungava Bay (including the Belcher Islands) which belonged to the Northwest Territories. This makes it the fifth largest subnational entity (statoid) in the world. If Nunavut were a country, it would rank 13th in area, after the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Nunavut has land borders with the Northwest Territories on several islands as well as the mainland, a border with Manitoba to the south of the Nunavut mainland, and a tiny land border with Newfoundland and Labrador on Killiniq Island. It also shares an aquatic border with the provinces of Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba.
The creation of Nunavut created Canada's only "four corners", at the intersection of the boundaries of Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, at 60°00' north, 102°00' west, on the southern shore of Kasba Lake. This is not the tourist spot it might be, as it is extremely remote and inaccessible. Nevertheless there is a marker (albeit an out-of-date one) at the point, and some have made the trek.
Physical geography
The highest point in Nunavut is Barbeau Peak on Ellesmere Island at a height of 2616 metres (8583 ft).
Geologically, Nunavut lies on the Canadian Shield, with very thin soil lying on top of the bedrock, and many bare outcrops. This arrangement was caused by severe glaciation during the last ice age, which covered the Shield and scraped the rock clean. The extreme age of the base rock (Precambrian Era, over 540 million years old) is one of the main factors for the rich veins of ores and minerals that have been found in the territory. The multitude of rivers and lakes in the region is caused by the watersheds of the area being so young (dating from the end of the last ice age), with the added effect of post-glacial rebound. Virtually all of Nunavut's rivers drain into Hudson Bay or the Arctic waters.
Arctic tundra (Köppen climate classification ET) covers virtually all of Nunavut. The exceptions are a tiny area in the extreme southwest, where a marginal taiga forest exists; and small zones of permanent ice caps (class EF), found on some of the larger Arctic Islands at sites having a relatively high elevation. Nunavut's vegetation is partially composed of berries, lichens, Arctic Willows, moss and tough grass.
Ten largest communites
Municipality 2006 2001
Iqaluit 6,184 5,236
Rankin Inlet 2,358 2,177
Arviat 2,060 1,899
Baker Lake 1,728 1,507
Igloolik 1,538 1,286
Cambridge Bay 1,477 1,309
Pangnirtung 1,325 1,276
Pond Inlet 1,315 1,220
Kugluktuk 1,302 1,212
Cape Dorset 1,236 1,148
Ethnic origins
Ethnic origin Popluation
Inuit 22,560
First Nations 95
Métis 50
Non-aboriginal 3,945
Immigration Profile
The territories are home to approximately 6,300 Canadian immigrants, according to the Canada 2006 Census. Canadian immigrants in the territories represented only 0.1% of the total foreign-born population in the country and 6.2% of the population in the North.
The largest proportion of people that immigrate to Canada and settle in the territories came from the United Kingdom (15.7%), the United States of America (13.9%) and the Philippines (12.1%). 1,000 new Canadian immigrants chose to settle in the territories between 2001 and 2006. The Philippines was the leading source country, accounting for 24.5% of these recent arrivals.
Economy
Lupin Mine - 1982-present (though currently in the process of being shut down) - gold (located near the Northwest Territories boundary near Contwoyto Lake)
Polaris Mine - 1982-2002 - lead and zinc (located on Little Cornwallis Island, not far from Resolute)
Nanisivik Mine at Nanisivik - 1976-2002 - lead and zinc (near Arctic Bay)
Rankin Inlet Mine - 1957-1962 - nickel and copper
Jericho Diamond Mine - 2006-present - diamonds (located 400 kilometres (250 mi) northeast of Yellowknife)
Several mining projects are in the works; as of January 2006 Miramar Mining Corporation's Doris gold project and Cumberland Resources's Meadowbank gold project were in the process of review for approval.
Government
Nunavut's head of state is a Commissioner appointed by the federal Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. As in the other territories, the commissioner's role is symbolic and is analogous to that of a lieutenant governor. While the Commissioner is not formally a representative of the Queen of Canada, a role roughly analogous to representing the Crown has accrued to the position.
The members of the unicameral legislative assembly are elected individually; there are no parties and the legislature is consensus-based. The head of government, the premier of Nunavut, is elected by, and from the members of the legislative assembly.
The territory's first legislature was dissolved on January 16, 2004, with an election shortly thereafter. Faced by criticism of his policies, Premier Paul Okalik set up an advisory council of eleven elders, whose function it is to help incorporate "Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit" (Inuit culture and traditional knowledge, often referred to in English as "IQ") into the territory's political and governmental decisions.
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