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Geography.
Canada is the second largest country in the world. Most of Canada's 32
million people live in highly urbanized centres in the south, within 300
kilometres of the border with the United States.
Economy.
Canada is a major industrialized, trading nation, a member of the G8. It recognizes that its future prosperity depends on a highly educated
workforce. By 2004, 70% of all new jobs in the country will require some
form of postsecondary education.
Education.
Canada has one of the highest postsecondary education participation rates
in the world. More than 1.2 million Canadians are enrolled in full-time or
part-time postsecondary programs at universities and colleges.
Canada
is a confederation of ten provinces and three territories. The provinces
and territories are responsible for elementary, secondary and
postsecondary education. The federal government provides only
indirect support to postsecondary education through fiscal transfers to
the provinces and by funding university research and student assistance. As
a result, Canada has no national or federal department of education.
Although there are a great many similarities in the 13 education systems
across Canada, each reflects the diversity of its own regional history,
culture, and geography.
Canada
has two official languages — English and French. English is the primary
language for approximately three-quarters of the population. Most French
speakers (francophones) live in Quebec where they form a majority. In
2001, about 18% of the total population was born outside the country. Most
immigrants reside in Canada's three largest urban centres — Montreal,
Toronto, or Vancouver.
Public
Education. Kindergarten to Grade 12 education is publicly funded and free to all
Canadian citizens and permanent residents until the end of secondary
school — normally, age 18.
The
school year for K-12 schools is normally September to June; however, a few
school authorities begin their school year earlier or operate year-round.
International
Students. Most
international students are required to obtain a Study Permit from
Citizenship and Immigration Canada before entering Canada. Required
documentation usually includes a visa, a health certificate, a letter of
acceptance from a Canadian institution, a certificate of language
proficiency, and financial guarantees. International students must also
have a valid passport that guarantees their readmission to their own
country or some other country after their stay in Canada.
The
study permit is normally valid for the duration of the study period. It
indicates that the student must attend only a specified institution, in a
specified program. The permit may be extended or revoked, based on the
student's satisfactory academic performance and other considerations. The
permit also allows full-time international students to work part-time on
campus and to apply for renewal from within Canada if they decide to study
for a longer period. If the employment is essential to their programs of
study, these students may also be eligible for employment off-campus.
Livings.
• One
Way Bus/Street Car/Subway Fare (transferable, local) $2.50
• Local Telephone Call $0.25
• Average Restaurant Meal $10.00 - 25.00
per person
• Movie $8.50
• Letter within Canada $0.50
• International Postage (letter) $1.45
Canadian
banknotes are issued in $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100 denominations.
Canadian coinage appears in 1 ˘
(penny), 5 ˘
(nickel), 10 ˘
(dime), 25 ˘
(quarter), $1 (loonie) and $2 (toonie).
Toronto.
Toronto is the educational and financial centre of Canada. Total
population in Greater Toronto is roughly 5 million, and average earning CAD40,000/yr.
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