Administrative map of the ten provinces and three regions of Canada
First of all, let me state that the series of articles I wrote are not to comprehensively sort out the exam knowledge, nor to do marketing and solicit business. I am just a tax consultant who works for foreigners to make money. It has nothing to do with the business of studying abroad, immigration, or traveling. I just like to write something when I have nothing to do.
I remember that not long after I came to Canada, I was chatting with a Chinese who was engaged in immigration business and asked him why he didn’t tell us the two real aspects of Canada. His answer woke me up: If I tell you the other side, will you still come?
Therefore, my original intention of writing these articles is to tell you a real Canada, give you two sides of a coin, and try to sort out the main information that may affect your decisions and choices, so that you can have an overall understanding of Canada. impressions and accurate judgment to help you make the choice that's best for you.
Canada has a territory of 9.98 million square kilometers, making it the second largest country in the world in terms of area (Russia is first, with 17.1 million, and China is third, with 9.6 million). Canada is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Arctic Ocean to the east, west, and north respectively, and borders the United States to the south. Therefore, the vast land and sparsely populated areas, beautiful mountains and rivers, and loneliness are the first feelings and comments of Chinese people living in Canada. Once you leave first-tier cities like Toronto and Vancouver, you will have the feeling of walking in the countryside and wilderness.
Canada and the United States basically divide their borders along the 49° north latitude line. The two countries have the world's longest undefended land border, which is 8,891 kilometers long. About 90% of Canada's population lives in a long strip of land 200 kilometers from the US-Canada border. Therefore, Canadians have a idiom that calls the United States "South of the border."
Canada is a federal country with ten provinces and three districts. From west to east, there are ten provinces. The Chinese are used to calling them: BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and the four maritime provinces. (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland). There are three major regions in the north, namely Yukon, Northwest and Nunavut. Most of these provinces are very distinctive in urban layout, a tale of two cities, with only two decent and big cities. For example, Vancouver is the economic center of BC and its capital is Victoria; the economic center of Alberta is Calgary and its capital is Edmonton; the capital of Saskatchewan is Regina and its economic center is Saskatoon; Manitoba is special. , there is only one big city in the city, Winnipeg; Ontario has two national cities, Ottawa is the national capital, and Toronto is the national economic center city; Quebec, the capital is Quebec City, and the economic center is Montreal. Not to mention the four oceanic provinces and the three northern districts. Either the provinces have few villains, or the districts have even fewer adults. They are all independent cities.
Among Canada's thirteen provinces and regions, eight provinces and one region border the United States. There are as many as 119 entry and exit points distributed along the border. Some are open 24 hours a day, and some are open regularly according to schedules. People here come and go from the United States, which is the most convenient way for daily commuting, shopping, and traveling. The passports of the United States and Canada are mutually exempt from visas. Chinese holders of Maple Leaf Cards can also enter and exit the United States easily. They can just apply for a ten-year multiple-entry visa to the United States. I have been to the United States many times. The time to enter the country can be as fast as a few minutes or as slow as half an hour. Returning to Canada is even easier. You don’t have to get out of the car. You just roll down the window, hand over your documents, and it’s done within a minute. The open and undefended border also creates conditions for refugees to enter illegally. A large number of refugees bypass the United States and enter Canada on foot with their wives and children in large and small bags. According to statistics, from 2017 to 2019, approximately 20,000 refugees entered Canada illegally from the United States each year, bypassing regular entry and exit ports. The illegal entry of refugees costs Canada a huge amount of money, manpower and material resources, and is a chronic disease that cannot be cured in Canada. It’s not that it can’t be cured, it’s that the ruling party chose to turn a blind eye and public opinion became strongly opposed, so it introduced a few policies and made a few gestures to get it done.
The overall landscape of Canada is mountainous in the west, plains in the central and western parts, and lakes and hills in the central and eastern parts.The west includes BC and part of Alberta. It has numerous mountains, peaks, harbors and beautiful and tranquil lakes and mountains. It is a tourist resort and ski resort. Banff National Park, which is familiar to Chinese people, is located in this area and is also visited by Chinese tourists. Most places. The west is also Canada's main fruit and wine producing area, as well as Canada's main oil producing area. Affected by the warm ocean currents of the Pacific Ocean, the western coastal area has the mildest climate in Canada. Vancouver's warm climate is one of the main reasons why Chinese people like to settle here. Winter temperatures here are mostly above freezing, but there are more rainy days.
The Midwest includes part of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. It is a vast and fertile plain. It is Canada's bread basket and meat supplier, and it is also the world's breadbasket. This area is vast and flat, and you can see the horizon where the sky and the earth meet, and feel the feeling of "the sky is like a dome, covering the surrounding fields". This terrain is particularly conducive to air movement, and windy weather is a characteristic of this region. The cold air from the Arctic Ocean can drive in without any obstruction, making the winter here cold and long. Snow usually starts in early October, and the snow does not melt until April or even early May of the following year. Cars here usually have two sets of tires, and they have to be replaced with snow tires in winter. In Saskatchewan, where I am located, an old man who has lived here for more than seventy years told me that the only month he had experienced without snow was July. The summer is hot, and you need to turn on the air conditioner at home for one to two weeks, but the nights are cool, so you need to cover yourself with a thin quilt. The blue sky, white clouds and green fields of rapeseed flowers in summer are so beautiful that you can take a photo and use it as a screen saver, but you have to always be on guard against mosquito attacks and tick bites. The spring and autumn seasons here are very short, so short that it feels like there are only two seasons in a year, winter and summer. Here, throughout the year, you may experience extreme cold temperatures below minus 40°C in winter and high temperatures of above zero 35°C in summer. Therefore, Chinese people who come here for the first time, unless they are from Northeast China, have to adapt to this cold, long and lonely winter.
The central and eastern parts include Ontario, Quebec and the four maritime provinces, with many lakes, hills and plains. Among them, Ontario and Quebec are the main hosting areas for Canada's political, economic, cultural, technological, educational, industrial, financial and other industries. They are home to more than 50% of the country's population and produce 70% of the country's GDP. Canada's Most of the famous schools are concentrated here. The four maritime provinces are small in size, have mountainous terrain, and are rich in potatoes. They are also the production areas of lobster, a favorite delicacy of Chinese people. The climate of the four oceanic provinces has a great contrast between winter and summer. Summers are mild and the scenery is beautiful, making it suitable for vacation and travel. However, the weather in winter is relatively bad. Snowstorms that close the door often occur, and floods often occur when the snow melts in spring. What’s shocking is that the thickness of the blizzards here sometimes doesn’t matter millimeters or centimeters, but can be measured in meters, and you have to dig a snow cave to get out of the house. This is not a made-up story, it is a fact reported in the local news.
Regarding the choice of regions for Chinese immigrants, in general, Toronto and its surrounding areas are the first choice for skilled immigrants and international students, while Vancouver is a favorite city for wealthy Chinese and Hong Kong immigrants. In terms of ease of immigration, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are the favorite regions for investment immigrants. What needs to be told is that Canada does not have a household registration system. The first step of immigrating to a city does not mean that you have to live here. No one can interfere with your freedom of movement. For example, when filing personal income tax in Canada, you must indicate which province you live in. The standard for determination is very simple. Just ask one question: Where do you live on December 31?
Waiting for the next article, population and immigration.
Canadian topographic map
Canadian average daily temperature in June/July/August
Canadian average daily temperature in December/January/February
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