Best Cities in Canada for Quality Life

For decades, Canada has remained one of the top choices for immigration, probably even the number one for those in search of a better life, more savings and greater prospects. It has also been consistently ranked among the top countries for quality of life. Some of the reasons why it has been so immensely popular are its laidback rules and regulations concerning immigrants, its strong economy, the plethora of opportunities for employment as well as personal growth, and various social programs with numerous benefits. Canada has a high degree of freedom as well, combined with strong social and liberal values, in addition to economic freedom, government transparency, environment quality, civil liberties, housing, health and education. In the last three years, it has appeared in the list of the world’s top 20 countries based on GDP per capita, and as of 2017, it ranked at number ten on the list of Human Development Index.

1. Ottawa

Ottawa is the capital, and it ranks number one among other Canadian cities in terms of quality of life and safety index. It also has the lowest employment rate across the country, and offers plenty of jobs and opportunities in industries, government, and other sectors. Ottawa is home to several world-class research centers and academic institutions. Located along the south bank of the Ottawa River, the city is home to a number of historic landmarks, museums, galleries, and several other cultural attractions as well. It is a popular cosmopolitan shopping destination, and also renowned for its outdoor activities and various restaurants.

2. Montreal

Named after Mount Royal, Montreal is the second most populous city in Canada. It is a popular destination among international students, businesses and tourists. Being one of the oldest cities in North America, it is a unique blend of ancient and modern architecture, with a taste of European flavor. It also serves as a prime hub for aerospace, pharmaceuticals, technology, arts, recreation and shopping. Montreal is known for its multiculturalism that is promoted and celebrated by its diverse population. Located along the St. Lawrence valley, it has four distinct seasons, each offering a range of unique cultural, sporting, and entertainment activities.

3. Toronto

In terms of population, Toronto ranks at number one across Canada, and a large percentage of it is made up of immigrants. It is renowned for being one of the most multicultural cities in the world, and the city takes pride in its diverse range of cultures, art, languages and food. Toronto boasts several world-class restaurants, one of the liveliest nightlife scenes in the world, and tons of cultural attractions. Recognized as Canada’s commercial capital, the city leads in a number of sectors, including education, technology, finance and life sciences. Toronto has also often been described as one of the most economically powerful cities, and it attracts a lot of foreign investment due to the size of its economy, cost of living and quality of life. The average median income in Toronto has been increasing over the past decade, whereas the unemployment rate has been on the decline.

4. Vancouver

Vancouver is a coastal city in the west coast of Canada, and it is a wonderful combination of stunning natural beauty and modern cosmopolitan marvel. The city has an incredibly diverse population, with themajority being from South Asia and China. Vancouver is the best choice is Canada when it comes to outdoor living, and the city is known for its sparkling beaches, spectacular mountains, and stunning foliage. It is also popular among tourists for shopping, entertainment and cultural activities. Vancouver has a reputation for being one of the best dining destinations in Canada owing to its diverse cuisine influenced by its multicultural population. The economy is highly diversified among sectors like technology, trade, international commerce, natural resources and film. With one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, it is also a popular choice for start-ups. Vancouver has been consistently listed as one of the most livable cities in the world.

5. Calgary

Calgary is one the cleanest cities in the world, and one of the wealthiest and safest cities in Canada.Calgary sits over a vast prairie far above sea level, and the weather is semi-arid. The population mainly comprises of immigrants from South Asia, and it is the third most populous city in Canada. Financial services, transportation,energy, aerospace and technology sectors are the major drivers of the economy, and it is one among the top choices for engineers, mechanics and miners.However, declining oil prices have hit the economy hard, with unemployment rates being amount the highest in the country in recent years.

 Next Five Cities (6-10)

Understanding Manitoba PNP Program

What is Manitoba?

Manitoba is a province within Canada and with Alberta and Saskatchewan makes up the Prairie Provinces. The Prairie Provinces combined make up the fifth most populated province in the whole of Canada with a population of around 1.3 million people. The area of Manitoba is 250,900 square miles and has a variety of landscapes. The economy is mainly natural resources with the average income being C$25,100 making it the fifth highest paying province with a low unemployment rate. Due to the nature of the natural resource economy it is an extremely popular place with many wanting to join the Manitoba PNP, also known as the provincial nominee program. Manitoba takes up 12% of Canada’s farming industry with the most popular being cattle farming, but there also opportunities for people that want to work in grain farming, oilseed and associated production.

As well as farming opportunities there are also medical services including hospitals as well as well-known universities which combined open up many opportunities for those wanting to speed up the process for Canadian immigration prospective applicants looking to reside in Canada on a permanent basis.

What is Manitoba PNP?

Many people view Manitoba as their gateway to Canada due to the opportunities for employment. Those applying for the provincial nominee program who have the necessary skills to be an asset to the province are more likely to be accepted than anywhere else in the Country. If through the Manitoba PNP applicants receive a nomination certificate the process of applying for permanent Canada immigration rights is a lot shorter than other methods.

The provincial nominee program is a method whereby applicants register their interest on becoming a permanent resident and potential employers look through the applications to find people with the necessary skills to be an asset to their company or business.  The database is looked through frequently and when selected a potential employer will show their interest which allows Manitoba PNP applicants to begin the process of applying to live in Canada on a permanent basis.   There are different streams that people are able to apply under depending on the type of skills and experience they can provide.

What are different categories under this program?

The different categories (streams) for the Manitoba PNP are as follows:

1. Skilled worker immigration stream
2. Business investor immigration stream

Toronto Public Library - One of the World's Largest Public Library System

The Toronto Public Library is the biggest and busiest urban public library of Canada. Are you a book worm living in Toronto? Or have you just migrated? Are you a student studying on an exchange or are you just someone who loves books? If you are one of any of these categories, visiting the public library of Toronto is a must! And actually, a visit to this marvelous system of libraries is needed even if you aren’t a student or a geek, cause this article will tell you all the reasons why!

What is Toronto Public Library?

The Toronto Public Library, established in 2008, and having around 100 branches, has millions of users and thus also gets the title of the biggest neighborhood library system in the whole world. It has had the highest circulation of visits in North America and other regions when compared to other urban libraries so it is undoubtedly one of the best and the biggest.

How big is the Library and what is so special about it?

 It has over 12 million items in its collection and has had over 18 million visits to all of its branches in total. Its collection is based upon numerous CDs, DVDs and e-books. Around 10.6 million library materials are estimated and circulation of digital content surpassed 5 million times. More than 962, 000 participants attended 40,000 library programs and over 1,50,000 people have registered library cards accounting to the numerous visits. Yep! That is how enormous the library and its systems are.

How to get library card? How long is it valid for?

If you want to register for a library card, you will need to go to a nearby branch with submission of current name and address identification. To be eligible for a card you need to be:

•          A resident of Toronto
•          Work, own a property or be studying in one of the city’s school or institutions.

The card is valid for a year and will expire afterwards. You will need to visit a nearby branch to get it renewed. However, if you are living in a hostel or have a temporary address, you will be issued a 3-month library card that permits the borrowing of up to 5 items and provides access to computers. Identification is necessary in this case.

Help for international student for their assignments and projects:

There are countless items in the library that are in 40 different languages. This fact greatly impacts the life of students especially the ones studying on exchange or are from another country. Books in Canada are a big expense and purchase of all course books and reference books proves to be difficult for the student studying there. The best option is the borrowing of books from the Toronto Public Library or studying by visiting the library. This will not only improve the studying patterns but will also save students from unnecessary expenditure of money on books that can be easily taken up from the library. The library also has numerous other services like library programs that will help international students to adapt better by learning from the library materials as well. It also provides a great atmosphere to study and focus while keeping distractions to a minimum.

Five Biggest Food Chains in Canada

With a flourishing and increasing amount of population in Canada, there’s no doubt that food businesses can be really successful there, and turns out, it’s even better than successful! Because of the expansive nature of Canada, almost all famous Food chains like McDonalds, KFC and Starbucks have opened over hundreds of branches in the country. And truth be told, it’ll be impossible to not be successful in a country with 10 provinces and 36 million people. So, below are 5 of the biggest and most famous Food Chains in Canada. Keep on reading!

1.       Tim Hortons:

Without a doubt, you all knew this massive food chain would’ve been on top of the list. Founded in 1964 by a hockey player Tim Horton, this fast food restaurant took Canada in a storm because of its trademark donuts and coffee. As noted in 2016, with a revenue of $3.00 billion, the multinational Food Chain has successfully opened a grand total of 4,613 restaurants spread across 9 countries, and with the deal with Burger King in 2014, it doesn’t look like that growth will slow down any time soon!

2.       A&W Fast Food:

Although Tim Hortons spread its wings across to other countries of the world, A&W decided to stay Canadian by heart. Founded in 1956, it was originally part of a US fast food chain, but decided to cut its ties in an effort to make its operation successful without any corporate help. Well, it blew up and as of December 2013, it is the second largest burger chain in Canada after McDonalds, sitting at 850 outlets and $99.4 million CAD revenue.

3.       Pizza Pizza:

This private pizza restaurant isn’t really well known in other places of the world, but in Canada, it is considered the best franchised pizza restaurant to date. Spanning its business to over 500 different locations, the exact revenue of the food chain isn’t known, but judging by the significant expansion in the 2000’s and that the restaurant is now head-to-head with competitors like Pizza Hut and Domino’s Pizza, we believe that it has the potential to become a major franchise!

4.       Country Style:

Situated primarily in Ontario, Country Style is ranked on second place in the entire coffee chain list of Canada! This casual coffee chain serves a variety of different things like soups, sandwiches, oatmeal, salads and coffee. Ever since the business started growing exponentially in 2006, this coffee chain grew from 120 outlets to over 1000 outlets across the entire country. Keep an eye out for a nearby outlet, because they aren’t going to stop growing anytime soon!

5.       Pita Pit:

        This quick-service franchise specialized in serving pita sandwiches, and surprisingly, they’re really good at it! Started in 1995, the first shop was bought to existence by founders John Sotiriadis and Nelson Lang in Ortanio, and just like that, it started growing bigger. Bigger to a point that it now has over 500 restaurants, not only in Canada, but in 11 different countries, from the US and UK to India and Singapore.