STUDYING THE GEOGRAPHY

Canada is a vast country, and there are enormous differences of climate, opportunity and lifestyle between the various areas. You may not be able to choose the location of your new job - you may already have an offer lined up, you may be being transferred by your firm or you may simply have already decided on the area that suits you best.

If not, it is worth taking time to look at what is available across the country. There are obvious factors to consider - if you are an avid skier you will not want to be knee-deep in grain fields in the heart of the Prairie Provinces! On the other hand, if you are an electronic engineer aiming to keep at the forefront of your technology, you need to head for an area of fairly intense industry such as Ontario.

The best way to get an overview of locale is to look at each of the ten provinces and two territories separately. The list that follows heads from east to west, and then up a bit to the Northwest Territories and the Yukon.

Newfoundland and Labrador

• 405,720 square km
• population: 517,000
• capital: St John’s
• other major population centres: Grand Falls and Windsor
• major industries: include fishing, mining, production of newsprint, oil and gas, hydroelectricity and tourism.

A maritime province consisting of two distinct geographical entities: Newfoundland and Labrador. The climate in Newfoundland is moderate and maritime, with winters that are surprisingly mild by Canadian standards. Labrador has cold winters and brief summers.

New Brunswick

• 73,500 square km
• population: 751,000
• capital: Fredericton
• other major population centres: Moncton and Saint John
• major industries include: food and beverage manufacture, pulp and paper, sawmills, manufacture of furniture and other wood-based industries, metal processing, transportation equipment, processing of non-metallic ores and primary metals, tourism, fishing and agriculture.

A maritime province with a moderate and maritime climate.

Nova Scotia

• 55,491 square km
• population: 937,000
• capital: Halifax
• other major population centres: Sydney and Yarmouth
• major industries include: fishing and related industries, various manufactured goods, forestry, mining, offshore oil and gas production, tourism, agriculture.

A maritime province with a continental climate (defined as having vivid seasonal contrasts in which long, cold winters are balanced by mild to hot summers) somewhat moderated by the ocean.

Prince Edward Island

• 5,660 square km
• population: 138,000
• capital: Charlottetown, which is the only urban centre (62 per cent of the population live in rural districts)
• major industries: include agriculture, tourism and fishing.

A maritime province with a temperate climate.

Quebec

• 1, 450,680 square km
• population: 7, 543,000
• capital: Quebec City
• largest city: Montreal
• boasts a highly industrialised and diversified economy with well-developed agriculture, manufacturing and service sectors. Montreal in particular is strong in space and aeronautics, telecommunications, energy and transportation.

An inland province almost entirely surrounded by water (Hudson Strait to the North, the St Lawrence River and Gulf to the south, James Bay and Hudson Bay to the west). Rather varied climate tending to very warm summers in the south and cold winters in both south and north.

Ontario

• 1, 068,580 square km
• population: 12, 393,000
• capital: Toronto
• other major population centres include: Ottawa (federal capital), Thunder Bay, Kitchener, Hamilton, London, Sudbury
• major industries: a long list including automobile manufacture, diverse manufacturing, mining, forestry, finance.

It is worth noting that almost 80 per cent of Ontarians live in the southern half of the province, with most of the population in towns and cities near the US border. Ontario is Canada’s most productive province, generating approximately 40 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product.

Toronto is vying with Vancouver for the title ‘Hollywood of the North’, as many movies (such as Chicago) and television shows are filmed there. In fact, it is reported that the film and television production industry directly contributed $1.16 billion to Toronto’s economy in 2002.

An inland province bordering Hudson Bay in the north, with the Great Lakes and St Lawrence River in the south. An extremely varied climate, relatively temperate in the south and more severe east of the Great Lakes.

Manitoba

• 650,000 square km
• population: 1,170,000
• capital: Winnipeg, where 60 per cent of the population live
• second largest city: Brandon
• major industries: initially based on agriculture, but manufacturing and transportation have increased greatly in importance in recent years; mining.

The first of the three prairie provinces as you travel west, Manitoba is one of the sunniest provinces in Canada. It has a continental climate with great temperature extremes (in Winnipeg, for example, the mean January temperature is -20°C, whilst the July average is about 19°C).

Saskatchewan

• 651,900 square km
• population: 996,000
• capital: Regina
• other main city: Saskatoon; together they are home to about one-third of the population
• main industry: agriculture; Saskatchewan supplies 28 per cent of Canada’s grain production
• other industries: include forestry and mining; research and development is a growing business with an emphasis on agriculture, space technology and biotechnology.

A prairie province, surrounded by land on all sides. Although winters can be harsh the whole province enjoys a hot, dry summer.

Alberta

• 661,185 square km
• population: 3, 202,000
• capital: Edmonton
• other main city: Calgary; more than half of Albertans live in these two cities
• major industries: one of the world’s most productive agricultural economies, producing approximately 20 per cent of Canada’s annual output; livestock production, mining, oil, gas production, forestry, food and beverage processing, production of petrochemicals and plastics, forest products, metals and machinery. The service sector is vital to Alberta’s economy, accounting for over 50 per cent of the province’s gross domestic product.

Two-thirds of all people in Alberta are under the age of 40, giving the province one of the youngest populations in the industrialised world.

The most westerly of the prairie provinces, with a continental climate. Seasonal contrasts are vivid and extreme resulting in long, cold winters and mild to hot summers.

British Columbia

• 947,800 square km
• population 4, 196,000
• capital: Victoria
• largest city: Vancouver; 60 per cent of the province’s population live in these two cities
• major industries: BC’s economy is based on the province’s abundant natural resources; forestry plays a major role. Next most important economic sector: tourism, followed by mining of metals, minerals, coal, petroleum and natural gas. Agriculture and fishing are important areas. Manufacturing is still largely resource-based but is diversifying into telecommunications and the aerospace and sub-sea industries.

As mentioned earlier, Vancouver vies with Toronto for the title of ‘Hollywood of the North’. There are many who would claim she is winning the race, with over 50 movies (The Fantastic Four, X-Men II and Blade Trinity to name a few) and 20 television series (for example, The X-Files and Smallville) shot in and around the city since 1998. Vancouver has become the third largest film production centre in the world.

Canada’s west coast province. The climate is extremely varied, as is its topography. The coastal region is temperate with lots of rain and some snow; the interior has a continental climate. Other parts of the province could almost be described as desert-like, with extremely hot summers and equally cold winters.

The Northwest Territories

• 3, 426, 320 square km
• population: 43,000
• capital: Yellowknife, with the largest population at 15,000
• major industry: mining (valued at over $800 million)
• other industries: oil and gas exploration and development, tourism (the variety of landscapes offer superb fishing, wildlife observation and other outdoor activities).

Canada’s most northerly territory, the Northwest Territories stretches from the 60th Parallel all the way to the North Pole. There are two major climate zones: sub-Arctic and Arctic. Whereas the NWT enjoys between 20 and 24 hours of daylight in June it experiences up to 24 hours of darkness in December.

Yukon

• 483, 450 square km
• population: 31,000
• capital: Whitehorse, where almost 60 per cent of the population live, the rest spread out in small communities throughout the territory
• major industries: a small fishing industry in Dawson City; mining (more than 30 per cent of the economy); tourism plays a fairly large part; about 3 per cent of the population, mainly Aboriginal (who comprise 23 per cent of the population), rely on the fur trade; agriculture is a small but growing industry.

The Yukon occupies Canada’s northern west coast and has a sub-Arctic climate. Much of the territory is at high altitude and consequently enjoys relatively warm summers. Winter temperatures average between 4 and – 50°C in the south and colder still further north.

Nunavut

Since this book was first written, a new territory, called Nunavut, has been added to Canada’s ten provinces and two territories. Spanning 1.9 million square kilometres across Canada’s central and eastern Arctic, it is a unique land. Although the territory is large, its population is not, with only approximately 29,000 inhabitants.

Nunavut means ‘our land’ in Inuktitut, which is the language of the native Inuits who comprise 85% of the population. Theirs is a harsh way of life in the cold, dry Arctic climate. Many still live off the land by hunting or fishing, as did their ancestors for more than 4,000 years.

The creation of the territory Nunavut in April 1999 was a significant achievement - the result of more than two decades of work to produce the most comprehensive land settlement between a state and an aboriginal group anywhere in the world.

It is highly unlikely that anyone from Europe would wish to immigrate to this fascinating but frozen land. Although mining does provide 500 jobs in Nunavut (85% of those employed in mining are non-residents), it is not a way of life many but the hardy and resourceful Inuits themselves could survive.

Getting an overview

To complete your overview of the various provinces and territories, the chart in Figure 10 will give you a good idea of the temperature and precipitation variations across the country.

LOOKING AT DIFFERENT LIFESTYLES

Although bare facts about climate, population and industry can give you a good idea of what the different areas are like, it is often the lifestyle you are really looking at. Let’s look at the different regions again, but this time divide them into the seven generally accepted geographical regions, again working westward and then up to the north.

The Atlantic Provinces: Appalachian Region

Referred to as The Maritime Provinces, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland are the smallest Canadian provinces and are all located on the east coast. Here the lifestyle is unhurried and uncluttered, the scenery magnificent and house prices low.

That said, the opportunities are limited for anyone in a high-tech profession. The fishing industry which once thrived is under serious threat from dwindling fish supplies.

The Great Lakes: St Lawrence Lowlands

The major area to head for if your interests are industry and high-tech. Canada’s capital, Ottawa, is located here, so it is the place for anyone wishing to work in government. Also in this region is Canada’s largest city, Toronto, which is the home of the world’s fourth largest capital market; Toronto’s stock exchange is the second largest in North America by volume and third largest by value traded.

The lifestyle in the large cities is intense and bustling, although there is ample opportunity for leisure pursuits, with excellent sporting facilities and fine centres for arts. Housing in Toronto is difficult to find and expensive.

This area contains the majority of Canada’s Francophone population and it would be foolish to attempt to settle in Quebec without an excellent command of French.

The Canadian Shield

This area wraps around Hudson Bay and stretches east to Labrador, south to Kingston and northwest as far as the Arctic Ocean. Apart from the region of Kingston in the south, this is a low-tech area with a harsh climate and difficult conditions. The Shield has only a thin layer of soil and is definitely not the place for anyone keen on agriculture.

The Prairies

‘The grain bin of the world.’ This is an apt description as the Prairies mainly comprise endless fields of wheat and canola. But not only wheat is produced in the Prairies: Alberta is Canada’s leading producer of petroleum, and much of the region contains deposits of oil, natural gas and potash. Technology and telecommunications are becoming increasingly important in the large cities. The winters can be bitter and the area is very far inland. Not for you if you have visions of sailing and surfing.

The Cordillera

Where you will find the magnificent Rocky Mountains. Tourism is a major industry in these areas which include the world-famous ski resort, Banff. Not for you if you can’t take the cold.

The Pacific Coast

Sometimes known as Lotus Land, this is the destination of more immigrants to Canada than any other area. The temperature is the most moderate of all Canada’s regions. People flock from all over the world to enjoy the many activities available on the west coast, from sailing on the Pacific to skiing in the Coast Mountains. The attitude to life here is pretty laid back - it is also called by some the California of the North.

Employment opportunities in Vancouver are quite good, although technology and industry are not as close to the forefront as in Toronto. A lot of employment opportunities will be opening up in response to the successful bid for the 2010 Olympics. Vancouver is a favourite destination for Chinese and Asian immigrants and the exodus from Hong Kong has vastly increased Vancouver’s Asian population. Here you will find the famous Chinatown, second in size only to that of San Francisco. Due to the large influx of immigrants and the desirability of the area house prices are very high, particularly in Vancouver.

CASE STUDY

Samantha does some research

Sam’s mum is still concerned about her daughter taking off to Vancouver.

‘Will you be able to find work there? Do they have a hospital?’

Having visited Vancouver already, Samantha is convinced it is the place for her and is amused by her mother’s attitude, as she knows Vancouver is a large cosmopolitan city with several hospitals, nursing homes and clinics.

‘Mum, look at this information from the BC Tourist Board. See what a big place Vancouver is and how many hospitals and clinics there are just in the metropolitan area? There are several teaching hospitals, too. I’d like to work in one of them.’

Sam did some further investigation into the area she plans to move to, mainly to set her mother’s mind at rest, but in so doing found out more about it for herself.

The Arctic

This area is still largely populated by the Inuit (formerly known as Eskimos) and anyone thinking to move here would have to be made of similarly strong stuff. Although stunningly beautiful, the land is harsh with long, dark and bitterly cold winters. Tourism is a growth industry in this area.

INVESTIGATING OPTIONS

Maybe you have already visited a part of Canada and decided that is where you would like to settle. It’s a good idea to make sure that you will be able to get the sort of job you want there.

The various provincial tourist boards have a wealth of information about climate, geography and leisure activities and all are happy to send you a bumper pack of glossy brochures on request. Some have UK bases (see address section). As well as leisure-time information, many packs also contain valuable data about the industries in their areas.

Additionally, there is a wealth of material available on the Internet. The Canadian government’s information website at http://atlas.gc.ca has information about things you probably didn’t even know you needed to know, as well as useful links. Two other excellent websites showing different lifestyles in different parts of Canada are www.etourist.ca and www.movingto.com, which offers consumer guides for various locations in Canada.

Looking at work opportunities

As Canada’s climate and lifestyle varies from area to area, so do the employment opportunities. With a national unemployment rate at one of the lowest points for almost 30 years, there is a good deal of opportunity. Figure 12 shows the average hourly wage in each province. From this you will see the growth pattern from 2004-2005.

It’s worth taking a look at how the various professions are faring. The following table gives an idea of trends:

Job losses/gains by profession
Business and personal services	+61,000
Agriculture	+13,000
Trade	− 32,000
Health and social services	− 22,000
Finance, insurance and real estate	− 21,000

Of course, as everywhere, the employment situation is constantly changing. Keep your eye on current trends by reading publications such as Canada News. The Internet is a good source of up-to-date figures. More and more information is being added daily. Each provincial government now has a website providing comprehensive details about their respective areas. See the website section of Useful Addresses.

Finding work through newspapers

There are two national newspapers in Canada. They are The National Post (www.nationalpost.com) and The Globe and Mail (www.theglobeandmail.com). Both have on-line versions and include job advertisements.Additionally, each of the major cities produces one or more papers which cater for that city and the surrounding area. Most will send you a recent copy on request (send an International Reply Coupon to cover postage), or you can check out their on-line versions to get a good idea of what the job situation is like in the area. See Useful Addresses for details of the daily newspapers published in the major cities.

Looking at wages and employment rates

Average wages vary from province to province. The following shows the statutory hourly minimum wages. Bear in mind that these figures do fluctuate but this will give you an idea of provincial differences.

Province/Territory	Minimum wage (hourly C$)
British Columbia	8.00
Alberta	5.90
Saskatchewan	6.65
Manitoba	7.25
Ontario	7.45
Quebec	7.60
New Brunswick	6.30
Nova Scotia	6.50
Prince Edward Island	6.80
Newfoundland	6.25
Yukon	7.20
Northwest Territories	8.25
Nunavut	6.50

ESTABLISHING PRIORITIES

People make the decision to move to Canada for many different reasons. For some it is a question of lifestyle: others seek career opportunities; some are attracted by the wide open spaces. Unless you have already made your choice, or there are overwhelming reasons why only one area is suitable, it might be useful to use the following evaluation list to help you select an area, or a choice of areas one of the appealing things about Canada is that there is a great deal to choose from.

Ask yourself

• 1.What is my most important consideration - lifestyle or career?
• 2.What areas offer the work opportunities I need?
• 3.What areas offer the leisure activities I want?
• 4.Am I willing to make any trade-offs between the two?
• 5.Will the area I have chosen allow me to move forward in my career?
• 6.Do I mind being limited to one or two main industries or is a variety of opportunity important?
• 7.Am I looking for a metropolitan lifestyle or does something more isolated and rugged appeal to me?

CONSIDERING THE FAMILY

The above list only looks at your personal preferences and considerations, which is fine if you are setting off on your own. However, if the family is coming along too there are a few other questions to ask.

• 1.Will there be opportunities for my partner to find satisfying employment, should they so desire?
• 2.If my partner is not planning to work in Canada are there enough leisure pursuits available? Will it be easy to meet and make new friends?
• 3.If children are accompanying you, would they be able to adapt to travelling fairly long distances to school or do you need to concentrate on an urban area with schools nearby?
• 4.Is anybody in the family sensitive to extreme cold? Or extreme heat? Both are facts of life in some areas.

CASE STUDY

George makes a plan

George and his wife realise that they need to know a great deal more about the different areas of Canada before coming to any decision about where to aim for.

‘I wouldn’t want the girls growing up somewhere where they have no access to culture, ‘his wife insists.

‘But we do want some snow!’ the children chime in.

‘I think our major priority has to be the work situation, ‘George says.

George writes to the provincial tourist boards and receives packs of information. He realises that, as an electronic engineer, he will stand the best chance of finding employment in one of the major cities.

‘Looks like Vancouver, Montreal or Toronto would be the best places for us to start looking, ‘he decides.

‘Not Montreal,’ his wife points out. ‘I don’t think any of us have good enough French to be happy there, and you’d probably have a problem getting a job.’

The family is learning more about the country and beginning to identify the ideal area(s) for all of them.

CHECKLIST

• Canada has many distinctly different areas with enormous variations in climate, geography and lifestyle.
• Seventy-six per cent of Canada’s population of 32 million live in the major towns and cities.
• In parts of Canada you will need fluent spoken and written French to stand any chance of getting a job.
• The bilingual factor also applies if you wish to work for the federal government.
• Many areas, such as Vancouver, are temperate all year round. Others, like Ottawa and Toronto, experience cold winters and very hot summers. Be aware of these variations.
• Tourist boards are an excellent source of information about the different provinces and territories.
• There are two national newspapers. All the major cities are served by one or more local daily paper.
• Each province has an information website on the Internet.
• The needs and wants of all accompanying family members are important when considering your intended location.
• Trade-offs between desired lifestyle and career opportunities may be needed.