To make Icewine, grapes are left to freeze on the vine until temperatures fall below -8C (17.6 F). Hard as marbles, the grapes are crushed to drip out a concentrated juice containing 35-45% sugar. With the frozen water removed, it takes five to 10 times more grapes to make a bottle of Icewine than table wine: each grape produces roughly a drop of Icewine, the reason it costs about $50 for a 375 ml bottle.

Icewine is produced in several wine-growing regions across the country; here are three places to celebrate this winter ambrosia at Icewine festivals:

Nova Scotia

Who knew Nova Scotia was producing award-winning Icewine and celebrating with the annual Nova Scotia Winter Icewine Festival from Feb. 2 to 12, 2012? In Halifax and surrounding wine-growing valleys there are 40 events including Icewine tastings and pairings with local cuisine – everything from appetizers to gelat. Sample Icewine with cheese at Domaine de Grand Pré winery and with chocolate at the Gaspereau Vineyard then finish up the evening with an Icewine martini.

Ontario

The 17^th Niagara Icewine Festival is a 10-day salute to Ontario Icewines – which make up 75% of Canada’s production – from Jan. 13-29, 2012. There are Masquerade Gala evening toasts, chestnut roasts, Icewine dinners and ornate ice bars, not to mention winery tours, carriage rides and late-night Icewine grape picking. Thirty Ontario wineries including Pillitteri, Inniskillin and Reif Estate will present more than 100 award-winning Icewines.

British Columbia

From Jan.14-22, 2012, the Winter Okanagan Wine Festival showcases the province’s award-winning Icewines made by the likes of Jackson Triggs, Mission Hill and Hainle – the vineyard that started it all back in 1978. The event includes an Icewine seminar as well as tastings where guests wander through the snowy alpine village stopping in at restaurants and hotel lobbies where more than 20 wineries have set up. Then everyone heads outside to stroll and sip while listening to live music.

Article courtesy of the Canadian Tourism Commission Media Centre

Writers Bio: Award-winning, Montréal, QC-based freelance writer and photographer Margo Pfeiff’s work has appeared in Lonely Planet guidebooks, Reader’s Digest, GEO,enRoute, explore, Canadian Geographic, Outpost, The Walrus, up here, LosAngeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, National Post and The Globe and Mail.She is working on a book about contemporary life in Nunavut.

All that and much more is on the menu when you check into your suite-with-a-lake-view at the Hotel Quintessence in the Laurentian Mountains at the foot of Mont Tremblant, Québec’s premier ski resort. Getting there is a 90-minute drive north of Montréal  – or a direct flight from New York City or Toronto.

Just minutes from the bustling ski lifts of Tremblant’s European-styled pedestrian-friendly ski village, Quintessence is a luxury boutique twice named Condé Nast Johansens’ Most Excellent Small Hotel in North America, most recently in March 2011. It’s all about decadence as you pass through the wood paneled lobby with its grand stone fireplace and curving staircase to one of 30 luxury suites catered to by a private concierge. But, being Québec, there is a casual ambience.

The resort delivers a huge range of “quintessential” winter activities: downhill skiing and snowboarding atop Mont Tremblant; snowshoeing; or cross-country skiing on the 150-km network of trails through woods, alongside rivers and lakes and over tiny bridges.

If all that sounds like too much work, slip into a sled and let the dogs do the panting, hop a helicopter ride over the winter landscape or zoom a snowmobile through a winter playground on a guided excursion.

In the dining room and wine bar, chef Jean-François Lalandec transforms local Québec products into gourmet meals like rack of lamb stuffed with chanterelles. But he also creates deluxe après-ski comfort food like macaroni and aged cheddar with bacon, cassoulet. There’s certain to be something amid the 5,000 bottles in the wine cellar tasting room to complement whatever you’re noshing.

For relaxation and re-charging there is the hotel’s Sans Sabot spa offering massages and treatments. Nearby is the Scandinave Spa, the genuine Finnish hot-cold/indoor-outdoor experience that can include tiptoeing through snow for a refreshing dunk in the icy du Diable River. Or simply curl up in your room in front of a blazing wood-burning fireplace lit by your very own Wood Concierge.

Article courtesy of the Canadian Tourism Commission Media Centre

Writers Bio: Award-winning, Montréal, QC-based freelance writer and photographer Margo Pfeiff’s work has appeared in Lonely Planet guidebooks, Reader’s Digest, GEO,enRoute, explore, Canadian Geographic, Outpost, The Walrus, up here, LosAngeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, National Post and The Globe and Mail. She is working on a book about contemporary life in Nunavut.

The results tell a contrary story to one occasionally found in news headlines that suggest Canadians might be increasingly fed up with accommodating newcomers.

There were actually two prominent news stories Monday in Quebec related to disputes over minority accommodations.

Talk TV was exercised over a report on a Montreal-area municipality’s decision to remove Christmas and Hanukkah decorations at city hall. A community group had requested to have Islamic symbols erected as well, and the Town of Mount Royal responded by taking down symbols from all religions, save for a Christmas tree.

There was also a report on the city of Gatineau’s immigrant guide book, asking newcomers not to take part in honour killings or cook smelly foods.

But the research director for IRPP’s diversity, immigration and integration program said while disputes make flashy headlines, they overshadow the many positive stories of integration that are never told.

“We think sometimes these debates are kind of tough in Canada and things are getting worse — but we’re in a lot better shape, in all kinds of ways, than a lot of other countries,” Leslie Seidle said recently in Montreal.

“Contrary to many other countries, particularly in western Europe, we have a strong majority who think that the level of immigration we have right now is about right.”

The IRPP study cited a 2010 survey that found close to 60 per cent of people in the United Kingdom thought there were too many immigrants in their country. By comparison, less than 20 per cent of Canadians felt the same way.

In the poll taken by the German Marshall Fund of the United States, Canadians were also found to be more tolerant of immigrants than people in Italy, Spain, the U.S., France, Netherlands and Germany.

But Canadians’ views toward immigrants haven’t always been as welcoming.

The study by IRPP, a non-partisan, Montreal-based public policy think-tank, suggests there was a shift in public opinion about a decade ago.

From the late 1970s until the early 1990s, the majority of Canadians held negative attitudes about the country’s immigration levels.

Following a shift in the 1990s, Canadians’ view of immigration has been more positive than negative since the latter part of that decade.

The country opened its doors to 280,000 immigrants last year and has accepted more than 200,000 newcomers annually since 2000, according to Citizenship and Immigration Department statistics cited in the study. In the mid 1980s, fewer than 100,000 immigrants per year came to Canada.

The report argued that Canadians who support immigration believe that multiculturalism is a source of national pride and creates economic benefits.

The research also found that attitudes about immigration varied by region, though each area had majority support for existing levels.

The Prairies (62.8 per cent), Atlantic Canada (62.5 per cent) and Quebec (61.8 per cent) scored higher than the Canadian average. The other regions, included British Columbia (57.4 per cent), Alberta (54.4 per cent) and Ontario (53.5 per cent).

Seidle was asked whether he was surprised the study found one of the most pro-immigration areas in Quebec, a province that has been at the centre of heated debate over minority accommodations.

He blamed Quebec media for putting too much emphasis on disputes, such as a request a few years ago by a Montreal Jewish community group that a local YMCA frost its windows.

The group no longer wanted its youth to be able to see people wearing revealing clothes as they exercised inside.

“These stories have been blown up,” said Seidle, who, for example, added that little adjustments to accommodate diet, dress and days of religious observance are made in schools throughout Montreal every day.

“But maybe we end up paying too much attention to this kind of stuff because it’s got conflict underneath it.”

The agency says the 2009 study produced results similar to those of the last survey done in 2004, before the Conservatives took power and began their tough-on-crime campaign. Crime rates overall have been falling for a decade.

Youth crime is one of the few areas that has risen, yet the study says slightly more younger Canadians were satisfied with their personal safety from crime than older Canadians — 94 per cent of those ages 15-24 compared to 90 per cent aged 65 years and older.

About 83 per cent of respondents said they were not at all worried when home alone in the evening, while 90 per cent who walked alone in their neighbourhoods at night said they felt safe doing so.

The Conservative government of Stephen Harper has made controversial anti-crime legislation a central tenet of its mandate, claiming Canadians want Ottawa to get tough on crime. Critics complain the Tory legislation boosting sentences for some crimes, imposing mandatory minimums and stripping two-for-one credit for time served is based more on ideology than evidence.

Opposition MPs and some provinces — which stand to bear the brunt of costs to keep more people in jail and for longer periods — have complained the Conservatives ignored the advice of experts and did not provide cost estimates for their sweeping changes.

The study indicates those living in Eastern Canada, where crime rates are generally lower, were more satisfied with their personal safety than Westerners, who form the base of Tory support. But not by much.

Residents of Prince Edward Island were among those with the highest levels of satisfaction, at 97 per cent, while residents in British Columbia were among those with the lowest, at 89 per cent. Among cities, levels of satisfaction with personal safety were highest in Moncton, N.B. and Kingston, Guelph and Oshawa, Ont. They were lowest in Vancouver, Winnipeg and Edmonton.

The government earmarked $583 million for settlement services across Canada for 2011-12, down from $622 million the year before. That amount will drop another $6 million for 2012-13 to a total of $577 million across Canada.

For the current year, Citizenship and Immigration Canada budgeted $346.5 million for Ontario, a decrease from $390 million the previous year. For 2012-13, it’ll drop again to $314.9 million. A loss of $31.5 million. The federal government argues it’s adjusting its funding to fit changing migration patterns.

Senior government sources say they’re simply adapting the funding to the fact that fewer immigrants are going to Ontario as a proportion of the national total. Immigration experts argue that the Ontario government is partly to blame, because it hasn’t worked hard enough to bring in newcomers. The experts are quoted as saying:

“Ontario has failed to select the number of immigrants provincially, relative to the size of the population of the province. How is it that smaller provinces than Ontario can select more immigrants provincially than Ontario?”

Many immigrants going west

British Columbia is getting $109.8 million, a slight increase over $105.6 million for 2011-12.

Thomas Tam, head of a B.C. organization that helps immigrants integrate, says the federal government is making the right move by boosting funding to B.C. and other western provinces. Tam says migration patterns are changing dramatically.

“That’s a very important additional resources for us. In the last couple of years, we’ve been seeing more and more immigrants into the province, particularly from Asia. There’s a great demand for language training and labour market integration programs.”

In fact, not only are immigrants increasingly going west, they’re also going to smaller towns and cities. For example, Tam’s organization is now expanding its services to the northern B.C. town of Fort St. John. The funding is justified, as immigrants head to smaller communities in the west and the east, where settlement services are sparse.

“It’s very good news for the recipients of settlement funding in Canada’s hinterland, in western Canada, and of course the Maritimes, to include the idea of retaining immigration. The more settlement funding you can toss into the Maritimes the better chance you have of retaining immigrants in that region,” he said.

Highlights:

• Sales activity rose in October, marking the highest level since January.
• Actual (not seasonally adjusted) national sales activity in October stayed in line with the 10-year average for the month, as it has most months this year.
• Year-to-date sales are also even with the 10-year average.
• The number of newly listed homes remained little changed from levels in the previous three months.
• While the combination of stronger sales and stable new listings resulted in a slightly tighter balance of supply and demand, the national housing market remains firmly rooted in balanced territory.
• The national average price posted a 5.5 per cent year-over-year gain in October, the smallest increase since January.

Homes sold through MLS® Systems of real estate Boards and Associations in Canada rose 1.2 per cent in October 2011 from the previous month. While national sales activity levels are still best described as average, the monthly rise in October sales built on the 2.5 per cent gain in September, and lifted activity to the highest level since January.

Just over half of all local markets posted monthly sales increases, led by gains in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver.

“There was no shortage of headline news in October about global financial market volatility and economic uncertainty, but it doesn’t appear to have dampened homebuyers’ spirits,” said Gary Morse, CREA’s President. “Interest rates are at low levels and are likely to stay that way for some time to come. Homebuyers clearly see the opportunities that the current interest rate environment presents. That said, all real estate is local, so buyers and sellers should consult their local REALTOR® for an understanding of opportunities in their housing market.”

As has been the case in most months this year, actual (not seasonally adjusted) national home sales in October stayed in line with the 10-year average for the month. Although up 8.5 per cent from levels one year ago, the gain in large part reflects last year’s nascent pick-up in activity following a mid-year lull.

A total of 397,561 homes have traded hands via Canadian MLS® Systems so far this year. This represents an increase of 1.8 per cent from levels in the first 10 months of 2010, but is directly in line with the 10-year average for the year-to-date figure.

The number of newly listed homes remained little changed in October compared with levels recorded in each of the previous three months.

“The prevailing economic outlook for Canada is one of slower but still positive economic growth, with heightened caution about investment and hiring decisions,” said Gregory Klump, CREA’s Chief Economist. “Consumer confidence and the housing sector are being supported by low interest rates and high employment levels, but their prospects depend on how Canada’s economic outlook evolves in response to global economic risks and outcomes in the months ahead.

Home sales activity over the past couple of months suggests buyers are confident that the Canadian economy will remain relatively unscathed by global economic risks, since every home purchase is a homebuyer’s vote of confidence in the future. That confidence is no doubt rooted in the success of coordinated fiscal and monetary policy responses that helped quickly pull Canada out of the last recession, and a stated willingness and ability to carry out further policy actions if need be.”

While the combination of stable new listings and stronger sales made for a slightly tighter balance between supply and demand in October, the national housing market remains firmly rooted in balanced territory. The national sales-to-new listings ratio, a measure of market balance, stood at 53.4 per cent in October, up from 52.8 per cent in September.

Based on a sales-to-new listings ratio from 40 to 60 percent, about 60 per cent of local markets in Canada were in balanced market territory in October. Of the remaining markets, there was a handful more seller’s markets than buyers’ markets.

The number of months of inventory stood at six months at the end of October on a national basis, little changed from the end of September (6.1 months). It has remained stable at about six months since April. The number of months of inventory represents the number of months it would take to sell current inventories at the current rate of sales activity, and is another measure of the balance between housing supply and demand.

The actual (not seasonally adjusted) national average price for homes sold in October 2011 stood at $362,899. This is up 5.5 per cent from October 2010, making it the smallest increase since January.

Established in 1941 as the site of Defence Industries Ltd. munitions plant, and named after the warship HMS Ajax, the Town quickly grew on the values of progress, accountability, community and the environment. Now home to more than 100,000 people, Ajax is quickly becoming recognized in Canada and North America for its diverse population and business growth.

Ajax is one of the most progressive communities in the Greater Toronto Area, specifically recognized for key site selection criterions including cost effectiveness, infrastructure and economic growth potential.

With two existing interchanges along the Highway 401 corridor, and two future links to Highway 407, Ajax provides accessibility for products and people. These entry points provide direct access to existing zoned business areas, and 700 acres of cost effective “shovel-ready” industrial land. Lot sizes that range from one acre to 80 acres are serviced and ready to go – all backed by PriorityPath™, a unique, customized municipal process specifically designed to streamline your project.

Cost effectiveness in Ajax starts with affordable land prices. But as North America’s first fully ISO certified municipality, Ajax understands that time is money, too. Ajax has the  infrastructure, zoning, processes, and people in place, to ensure your project moves quickly.

Along the 401-Highway of Heroes corridor, Ajax history is repeating itself as a result of continued dedication to progress, accountability, community and the environment. It is a place where you can get more for your dollar and do more for your business and customers.

www.firstforbusiness.ca

Provincially, the resource-based economies of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador outpaced the gains in the rest of the country. Those three resource-based economies have increased relative to the rest of the country over the last decade.

In 2000, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador combined accounted for 18 per cent of domestic incomes, while Ontario and Quebec combined accounted for 62 per cent. By 2010, the resource-based economies of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador had increased their share to 22 per cent, while Ontario and Quebec’s combined share had fallen to 57 per cent.

Output rose by 6.1 per cent in Newfoundland and Labrador, the best showing of any province. That strong showing came on the heels of a nine per cent loss the previous year. Among the territories, Nunavut led the way with an 11 per cent gain. Exports there increased sharply, as a result of a new mine that began production in 2010. Investment increased in all three of the fixed capital categories that the agency tracks: residential structures, non-residential structures as well as machinery and equipment.

Corporate profits rose 21 per cent as commodity prices and overall demand increased.

Currently, more than 165,000 parents and grandparents who have applied to become permanent residents of Canada are still waiting for a final decision. Each year, Citizenship and Immigration Canada receives applications for sponsorship of nearly 38,000 parents and grandparents, a number that will only continue to expand if no action is taken.

“Wait times for Family Class sponsorship applications for parents and grandparents now exceed seven years, and without taking action, those times will continue to grow, and that is unacceptable,” said Minister Kenney. “Action must be taken to cut the backlog, reduce the wait times, and ensure that the parents and grandparents program is sustainable over the long run.”

To deal with the large backlog and lengthy wait times, Citizenship and Immigration Canada is announcing Phase I of the Action Plan for Faster Family Reunification.

First – The Government of Canada will increase by over 60 percent the number of sponsored parents and grandparents Canada will admit next year, from nearly 15,500 in 2010 to 25,000 in 2012 – the highest level in nearly two decades.

Second – The government is introducing the new “Parent and Grandparent Super Visa,” which will be valid for up to 10 years. The multiple-entry visa will allow an applicant to remain in Canada for up to 24 months at a time without the need for renewal of their status. The Parent and Grandparent Super Visa will come into effect on December 1, 2011, and CIC will be able to issue the visas, on average, within eight weeks of the application. This means that instead of waiting for eight years, a parent or a grandparent can come to Canada within eight weeks. Parent and Grandparent Super Visa applicants will be required to obtain private Canadian health-care insurance for their stay in Canada.

Third – The government will consult Canadians on how to redesign the parents and grandparents program to ensure that it is sustainable in the future. The redesigned program must avoid future large backlogs and be sensitive to fiscal constraints.

Fourth – To prevent the build-up of an unmanageable number of new applications during these consultations and to further reduce the 165,000-strong backlog of parent and grandparent applicants, CIC is putting in place a temporary pause of up to 24 months on the acceptance of new sponsorship applications for parents and grandparents. The pause comes into effect on November 5, 2011.

“The Government of Canada is fully committed to helping families reunite,”said Minister Kenney. “We recognize that what parents and grandparents want most is to be able to spend time with their families.”

“If we do not take real action now, the large and growing backlog in the parents and grandparents program will lead to completely unmanageable wait times. Through this balanced series of measures, we will be able to dramatically reduce the backlog and wait times, while the new Parent and Grandparent Super Visa will allow more family members to pay extended visits to their loved ones,”added the Minister. “We anticipate that in about two years, following our consultations, Phase II of our Action Plan for Faster Family Reunification will come into effect, ensuring that future applicants are processed quickly and that the program can operate on an efficient and sustainable basis.”

For additional information on Phase I of  CIC Action Plan for Faster Family Reunification, see the background info below.

Background:

• Phase I of Action Plan for Faster Family Reunification
• Frequently asked questions: Sponsoring your family – Faster Family Reunification

1. Snuggle up to polar bears, Wapusk National Park, Manitoba

Moose, wolves and caribou are all found in Wapusk National Park, but the polar bears get most of the ooh and ahhs. Book a tour, climb aboard a fat-tired tundra vehicle and go nose to snout with a mother bear wrestling her cubs. TIP: Best time to see polar bears is mid-October to mid-December.

www.tundrabuggy.com

www.watchee.com

2. Become an Ice Road Trekker   

Wood Buffalo National Park, Northwest Territories

If you’ve seen TVs Ice Road Truckers haul cargo from Yellowknife to the diamond mines of the Northwest Territories, you’re probably itching to get behind the wheel. No problem. Just drive from Fort McMurray through Wood Buffalo National Park to Fort Smith, on an epic ice road journey crossing rivers, muskeg and portages.

TIP: Stop at Fort Chipewyan to experience one of Alberta’s oldest Aboriginal settlements.

3. Strap on your skis, and fly

Kite skiing on Astotin Lake, Elk Island National Park, Alberta

Grab the reins for kite skiing on Astotin Lake in Elk Island National Park. It has all the rush of downhill skiing, only you control the speed. Go from double diamond to the bunny hill in an instant. Plus, no waits for the ski lift. You can even tow the kids behind you on a toboggan.

TIP: Elk Island is a Dark Sky Preserve making it a great place to stargaze and see the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights).

4. Dream under the dome.

Yurt stay, Forillion National Park, Québec

I love cross-country skiing except for the climbing back into my cold car part. Now you don’t have to. Book a yurt and watch the sunset from your comfy tent cottage, surrounded by sea at the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula. Imagine a cozy wood stove, hardwood floor and comfy beds. Rustic, this ain’t.

TIP: In addition to more than 40 km (25 miles) of cross-country trails, the park offers dogsledding and snowshoeing.

5. Dance on frozen water

Maligne Canyon Ice Walk, Jasper National Park, Alberta

Nature puts on her ice show at the bottom of narrow Maligne Canyon every winter. Descend 50 metres where you’ll explore natural sculptures, waves, swirls, secret ice caves and waterfalls stretching like frozen claws over the canyon walls. Book a tour, strap on your steel grippers, and you’re off!

TIP: Strap-on a headlamp and try the romantic moonlight tour.

Maligne Canyon

Jasper Adventure Centre

SunDog tours

Overlander Trekking and Tours

Walk and Talks Jasper

Article courtesy of the Canadian Tourism Commission Media Centre
Writers Bio: British Columbia-based freelance writer and photographer Lori McNultyjourneys the globe to connect life and landscape. Her award-winning travel and arts essays uncover striking landscapes and soulful adventure.

The Canadian economy generated 17,000 new jobs a month on average during the third quarter of 2011, down from 29,000 new jobs a month in the second quarter and 33,000 in the first quarter. The CIBC Employment Quality Index (EQI) fell by 0.5 per cent in the third quarter and is down by 1.5 per cent over the past seven months.

“The decline in our quality index over the past seven months is not so obvious when one glances at the headline statistics,” says Benjamin Tal, deputy chief economist and author of CIBC’s Employment Quality Index. “During this period, paid employment rose faster than self-employment and full-time job creation outpaced growth in part-time jobs. The reason for the index’s decline, despite these positive indicators, is the fact that all the fulltime jobs created during this period were in low-paying sectors.

“Looking ahead, the likelihood is that employment quality in the coming year or so will soften. Key here will be softer public sector hiring in general, and public sector construction activity in particular — a factor that will limit growth in high quality construction jobs in the coming twelve months.”

The recent decline in the EQI followed a strong rebound in job quality that began in early 2010. At its current reading, the index is roughly where it was at the eve of the recession.

However, job quality is not uniform across the country. While Ontario, British Columbia and Atlantic Canada weighed down the national number with declines in overall employment quality, Alberta, Québec and Manitoba/Saskatchewan saw improvements over the last seven months.

Full-Time vs. Part-Time Jobs: Full-time employment rose by 1.2 per cent during the past seven months accounting for all of the increase in employment during the period. This factor acted as a positive for the index.

Self-Employment vs. Paid Employment: Paid employment rose by 1.2 per cent vs. only a 0.1 per cent increase in the number of self-employed. This was also a positive contributor to the index over the past seven months.

Compensation: During the past seven months, the number of full-time jobs in high-paying industries fell by 0.1 per cent while the number of jobs in low-paying industries rose by 2.3 per cent. This diverging performance is the sole reason for the recent decline in CIBC’s EQI index. The most notable weakness was in high job quality sectors such as the federal government, heavy and civil engineering construction, telecommunications and computer and related manufacturing. Strong job growth in sectors such as machinery manufacturing and professional scientific and technical services helped to limit the damage.

Percentage Change in EQI by Province 
Q1-2011 vs. Q3-2011

The CIBC Canadian Employment Quality Index (EQI), combines information on:

• the distribution of part-time vs. full-time jobs;
• self-employment vs. paid employment;
• and the compensation ranking of full-time paid employment jobs in more than 100 industry groups

The complete CIBC World Markets report is available at: http://research.cibcwm.com/economic_public/download/eqi-cda-20111102.pdf.

Search for jobs across Canada

“Alberta is blessed with so many real and memorable experiences in one of the most spectacular backdrops in the world and we are confident that we will raise awareness of Alberta with travellers around the world with the message ‘remember to breathe’ when you visit here,” said Bruce Okabe, Chief Executive Officer of Travel Alberta.  “This message will differentiate Alberta from competing vacation destinations both in Canada and internationally and underpin our strategy to grow tourism spending in the province $1 billion by 2016.”

Tourism currently attracts more than 22 million visitors annually to Alberta who spend more than $5 billion in the province. The industry generates more than $2 billion in annual tax revenue for federal, provincial and municipal governments and employs more than 90,000 people.

“Travel Alberta has worked with our tourism industry to embrace a new approach to marketing our province – one that aligns with the Alberta brand launched two years ago,” said Jack Hayden, Minister of Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation.  “I am confident that tourism operators across the province will rally behind this new brand, helping us make a stronger impact in a crowded global marketplace.”

“Research by Travel Alberta confirms that ‘remember to breathe’ is a powerful expression of what makes this province so attractive to the travellers who are the target of our marketing programs,” Royce Chwin, Travel Alberta’s Managing Director, Global Marketing and Brand Strategy. “Travel experiences in every community throughout the province reflect that sentiment which millions of visitors enjoy every year,” he said. “The brand promise speaks to the emotional connection that surprises a first time visitor and the feelings that keep travellers coming back to their favourite places in Alberta. We know that it is an extremely attractive message for youthfully-spirited travellers.”

Alberta’s new tourism brand is the result of an 18-month process which included consultation with industry stakeholders representing all regions of the province as well as opinion research with frequent travellers in Alberta’s target tourism markets in Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia/Pacific.

The first phase of the new brand will launch with Travel Alberta’s winter consumer campaigns in the United States and Canada beginning next month.  The multi-media campaigns include television commercials, print advertising, social media and a new website www.remembertobreathe.com.

“I am honoured to announce the participation of Parks Canada in the Institute for Canadian Citizenship’s Cultural Access Pass Program. This pass for new Canadian citizens will now open the doors to places that bring together the geography and history defining their new country,” said Minister Kent. “Our national parks, national historic sites, and national marine conservation areas are an encyclopedia of our national identity, waiting to be discovered and experienced.”

Through the Cultural Access Pass, new Canadian citizens and up to four of their children under 18 years of age will receive free admission to more than 100 of Park Canada’s treasured places. The pass will be valid for one year after the new citizens have been sworn in. Several Parks Canada locations will also serve as pick-up locations for the passes.

“Community citizenship ceremonies at treasured Parks Canada places already offer a unique transformative and memorable experience,” said Minister Kenney. “The Cultural Access Pass will offer many more opportunities for new Canadian citizens to experience Canada’s natural and cultural heritage firsthand. This initiative will benefit new Canadian citizens by enabling them to become more informed about Canada and more committed to the communities in which they live,” added Minister Kenney.

The Institute for Canadian Citizenship is a national non-profit organization that engages new Canadians citizens through innovative programs, campaigns and partnerships. Their initiatives are designed to ensure that new citizens are welcomed and included as equals and are aimed at creating meaningful connections among all Canadians, fostering a culture of active, engaged citizens and celebrating our shared identity as Canadians.

“Together with Parks Canada, we are creating opportunities for new citizens to access the essence of what so many define as a uniquely and truly Canadian experience,” said Gillian Hewitt Smith, Executive Director and CEO, Institute for Canadian Citizenship. “By opening the gates to our national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas, tens of thousands of new Canadian citizens who have been able to curate their cultural experiences at museums, galleries, and other attractions, can now step outside and discover the beauty of this country’s natural heritage and historical sites.”

Parks Canada works to ensure Canada’s historic and natural heritage is protected and, through a network of 42 national parks, 167 national historic sites, and four national marine conservation areas, invites Canadians and people around the world to engage in personal moments of inspiring discovery at our treasured natural and historic places.

For additional information or to register for a Cultural Access Pass see www.parkscanada.gc.ca or http://www.icc-icc.ca/

National sales activity rose 2.7 per cent in September when compared to August, and follows three months of stable activity. September’s increase reflects strengthened activity in a number of major markets, led by Toronto. The monthly increase pushed national sales to its highest level since recently tightened mortgage regulations dampened sales earlier this year.

Highlights:

• Sales activity rose 2.7 per cent in September from the previous month.
• Holding in line with the ten-year average, activity during the first nine months of this year pulled ahead of sales over the same period last year.
• The number of newly listed homes held steady when compared to the previous month.
• The national housing market tightened in September from the month before, but remains firmly entrenched in balanced territory.
• The national average price posted the smallest year-over-year increase since January.

Painting Canada: Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven is a special exhibit of their work at London’s Dulwich Picture Gallery, running from Oct. 19 to Jan. 8, 2012.

These early 20^th-century artists travelled by train, canoe and on foot into the wilderness, taking their sketchbooks with them. They were, perhaps, our first tourists. The places they painted are still inspiring visitors today.

Algonquin Provincial Park – Tom Thomson spent summers fishing, canoeing and sketching in Ontario’s first provincial park. Wild rivers, placid lakes, wind-ravaged pine trees all captured his eye. After his tragic death in 1917 – his body was found in Canoe Lake – his friends built a memorial cairn at one of his favourite camping spots, then went on to form the Group of Seven.

A.Y. Jackson, Winter, Québec / courtesy National Gallery

Charlevoix, Quebec – A.Y. Jackson was considered the driving force behind the group and loved to venture into the winter landscapes on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River. Locals called him ‘Pere Raquette’ or Father Snowshoes for his habit of exploring on snowshoes. His paintingRoad to Baie-St. Paul captures a tiny village swathed in drifts of snow – a perfect ode to a Canadian winter.

Agawa Canyon and Ontario’s Algoma Country  on the north shore of Lake Superior were a big draw for the artists, especially in autumn when maple leaves turn brilliant orange and red. You can still journey by train into the canyon, through the granite rock of the Canadian Shield and past roaring rivers, unspoiled lakes and tumbling waterfalls.

Killarney Wilderness Park and La Cloche Mountains – Artist Franklin Carmichael built a cottage here in Ontario, while A.Y. Jackson was so enchanted with the white quartzite hills and crystal clear lakes that he campaigned for the area’s protection. Today, the park offers unbeatable canoeing and hiking.

Lake O’Hara in Yoho National Park Among outdoor enthusiasts, this wilderness park in British Columbia tops their ‘to do’ lists. Again and again. Turquoise, glacier-fed lakes and soaring mountain peaks inspired Group of Seven artist J.E.H. MacDonald to write, “I got to the beautiful Lake O’Hara lying in a rainbow sleep, under the steeps of Mount Lefroy and the waterfalls of Oesa. And there I realized some of the blessedness of mortals.”

Article courtesy of the Canadian Tourism Commission Media Centre

Writers Bio: Suzanne Morphet is passionate about exploring Canada and writing about it. She knows she’d need many lifetimes to do it justice…. So with just one, she’s working hard to see and share as much as she can. Her travel stories have appeared in The Globe and Mail, up! magazine (West Jet’s in-flight magazine), Homemakers and numerous other publications. Morphet recently co-authored The Vancouver Island Book of Everything. She is based in Victoria, BC.

But the very grand finale is an arboreal fireworks of brilliant colours that light up the forests of Ontario, Québec and the Maritime provinces. Hot on their trail from early September through October are legions of “leaf peepers”, enthusiasts who log in to autumn colour alerts to pinpoint peak times around which to plan their autumn vacations.

In Ontario, Algonquin Park is an iconic location to experience Mother Nature’s showy display, on a forest hike or a canoe journey across peaceful lakes blood-red with leafy reflections. Check out when the colours will peak, then hop the Algoma Central Railroad to travel by rail – as the Group of Seven painters did – to be inspired by the colours of the Agawa Canyon near Sault Ste. Marie.

Québec’s sugar maple trees make the province synonymous with fall colours. North of Montréal, European-styled Tremblant ski village celebrates fall with the Symphony of Colours arts and music festival from Sept. 10 to Oct. 10, set among the lakes and brilliant yellow birch and American beech forests of the Laurentian Mountains. South of Montréal, drift along on a calm, crisp autumn morning in a hot air balloon over giant pumpkin patches in the Montérégie region. In the New England-esque Eastern Townships, colours often continue until late October. Enjoy them amid the forest setting of chic Balnea Spa in Bromont or on a gourmet brunch, lunch or happy hour cruise aboard a deluxe new ship plying the forest-lined shores of Lake Memphremagog.

Fall foliage coincides with harvest time and both are celebrated on Prince Edward Island with oysters, mussels, clams, lobster, chowder and more during the Fall Flavours Festival from Sept. 2-25. The warm surrounding Gulf of St. Lawrence waters bless PEI with one of the longest fall foliage seasons in the Northeast.

In New Brunswick, take a road-trip on the Fundy Coastal Drive for vivacious reds and deep orange forests alongside some of the highest tides in the world on the Bay of Fundy. Watch for whales – it’s the season. And time your visit with a turkey dinner during Canada’s Thanksgiving Weekend on the second Monday in October.

Via Rail rolls along the rails at a leisurely pace through Eastern Canada’s fall spectacle from Toronto to Montréal en route to Halifax. From there, head out on your own by car on Nova Scotia’s Cabot Trail, one of the world’s most scenic drives, as it winds and twists along Cape Breton’s northern shore. Overnight on the Trail at the seaside, Scottish-themed Keltic Lodge overlooking maple, birch, oak and mountain ash blanketing the Highlands in red and gold. And while you’re there, take in the province’s Celtic Colours International Festival from Oct. 7 to 15 – is there a better way to celebrate fall than with fiery fiddling and foliage?

Article courtesy of the Canadian Tourism Commission Media Centre

Writers Bio: Award-winning, Montréal, QC-based freelance writer and photographer Margo Pfeiff’s work has appeared in Lonely Planet guidebooks, Reader’s Digest, GEO,enRoute, explore, Canadian Geographic, Outpost, The Walrus, up here, LosAngeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, National Post and The Globe and Mail.She is working on a book about contemporary life in Nunavut.margo.pfeiff@gmail.com

Our national weather office crunched the numbers for our 100 largest cities and came up with Canada’s Weather Winners. Herewith, a guide to finding the perfect weather for your particular personality, sunny or otherwise.

You like a challenge

Whatever the season, Newfoundland and Labrador offers the toughest combination of weather you’ll find. St. John’s is our foggiest and windiest city, and Gander and St. John’s lead the country as the top two locations with more days of freezing rain. Sunny days are few and far between. Of course, this explains why the people are some of the friendliest and fun-loving in the country – you gotta be special to endure weather like this.

You’re a softie

Victoria and Nanaimo – both on Vancouver Island in British Columbia tie for the most comfortable weather in Canada. Not too hot in summer, not too cold in winter. They’re also a lot dryer and sunnier than most people think. Victoria gets less snow than anywhere in the country while Nanaimo boasts the clearest summer skies. No wonder people spend so much time outside here.

You like sizzling heat

Kamloops, BC boasts the highest summer temperatures with the mercury consistently climbing into the high 20sC (80sF) in July and August. One day it reached 40.6C (105F)! Locals grab a tube and float down the Thompson River on those lazy hot days. The tourism folks have a motto: ‘Playtime. Redefined’.

You don’t mind freezing your butt off!

Head north to Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories for the lowest average temperatures year-round. Yellowknifers can also boast about having the most extreme wind chill and the longest snow-cover – up to 190 days every year. On the plus side, Yellowknife has the sunniest summers in the country.

You like dancing in the rain

Prince Rupert on BC’s northwest coast is your kind of place. Once known as ‘the halibut capital of the world’, Prince Rupert is the wettest city in Canada, getting almost 2.5 metres (eight feet) of rain a year. When you’ve had enough rain, explore the rich history of the northwest coast at the world-class Museum of Northern BC.

You like to be awed

Southern Ontario is famous for hot, sticky summers; the perfect ingredients for creating thunder and lightning storms. So it’s no coincidence that Windsor, our most humid city and one of our hottest (just a 3.5-hour drive from Toronto), also has the most days of thunderstorm activity. Daggers of lightning and thunderous claps will keep you entertained on many a summer evening.

You want a taste of everything

Montreal is the quintessential Canadian city for weather. It gets an average amount of just about everything: rain, snow, heat, cold, sun and wind. But just because the weather is average doesn’t mean the city is. Montreal is one of our most exciting, most romantic and arguably our most cosmopolitan city. The mix of weather is a bonus.

Article courtesy of the Canadian Tourism Commission Media Centre

Writers Bio: Suzanne Morphet is passionate about exploring Canada and writing about it. She knows she’d need many lifetimes to do it justice…. So with just one, she’s working hard to see and share as much as she can. Her travel stories have appeared in The Globe and Mail, up! magazine (West Jet’s in-flight magazine), Homemakers and numerous other publications. Morphet recently co-authored The Vancouver Island Book of Everything. She is based in Victoria, BC.

“The strength in Canada’s national housing market conceals signs of predictable softening in some regions,” said Phil Soper, president and chief executive of Royal LePage Real Estate Services. “The third quarter saw a return to a normal seasonal business cycle as price appreciation slowed in many areas – with some average values even falling slightly – after the busy spring trading season. A broader slowdown is expected in the months ahead but fears of a US-style correction are completely unfounded.”

In the third quarter of 2011, the national average price of a detached bungalow rose 7.8 per cent year-over-year to $349,974, while standard two-storey homes rose 7.7 per cent to $388,218 and standard condominiums rose 5.7 per cent to$239,300.

“To best provide Canadians with an accurate look at the housing market, Royal LePage uses year-over-year comparisons as the housing market follows a seasonal pattern. It is important to note that our 2011 third quarter results benefit greatly by going head-to-head with what was by far the previous year’s weakest period,” continued Soper.

Sustained demand from foreign buyers helped drive prices up in the country’s largest markets as Vancouver’s standard two-storey homes rose 16.9 per cent year-over-year to $1,142,500 while detached bungalows in Toronto climbed 9.4 per cent to $518,433.

Conversely, while the volume of homes trading hands has increased in Alberta, house prices in the province remained soft with detached bungalows in Calgaryfalling 1.0 per cent in the third quarter. Similarly, detached bungalows and standard two-storey homes in Victoria fell 2.0 and 1.1 per cent respectively.

“Canadian home owners have turned a deaf ear to the negative economic situation shaking housing markets in Europe and the United States,” added Soper. “A resilient domestic economy coupled with the stimulative effect of ultra low interest rates has extended the post-recession bounce in house prices, but there is evidence of over-shooting in some markets. Although some commentators are predicting that the sky will fall on the Canadian housing market in a US-style implosion, we lack the structural conditions that precipitated the housing crash in the United States six years ago.”

Regional Market Summaries

In Atlantic Canada, while other major markets remained relatively flat year-over-year, Halifax posted healthy gains in all three housing types surveyed with standard condominiums increasing 10.4 per cent. Similarly, standard condominiums in Saint John also witnessed an increase of 10.4 per cent. This is attributable to sales of higher-end waterfront listings.

Continued confidence in Montreal‘s residential real estate market remained strong as year-over-year prices for standard two-storey homes rose 4.4 per cent to $367,500 while standard condominiums rose 7.6 per cent to $236,333.

Healthy price appreciation was witnessed in all three housing types surveyed inOttawa, as standard two-storey homes rose on average 8.4 per cent. Standard condominiums and detached bungalows increased 7.9 per cent and 7.0 per cent respectively.

Toronto witnessed impressive price gains across all three housing types surveyed due to a lack of supply. Standard two-storey homes increased 7.6 per cent year-over-year and detached bungalows 9.4 per cent over the same period. Standard condominiums increased a healthy but more modest 6.0 per cent as demand was more easily met with a higher level of inventory.

Population growth is fueling Winnipeg‘s healthy price appreciation as standard condominiums increased 6.4 per cent, detached bungalows increased 5.1 per cent and standard two-storey homes increased 4.4 per cent.

Both Calgary and Edmonton remained relatively flat year-over-year except for standard condominiums, which increased 3.2 per cent and 3.9 per cent respectively. Two storey-homes in Edmonton also posted a gain of 3.8 per cent.

Vancouver‘s traditional housing types performed exceptionally well as detached bungalows rose 17.0 per cent year-over-year and standard two-storey homes rose 16.9 per cent. Condominiums in the city increased a more modest, but healthy, 5.1 per cent due to higher inventory.

Royal LePage’s quarterly House Price Survey shows the annual change of prices for key housing segments in select national markets.

A range of consumer goods, including passenger vehicles, electricity, jewelry, telephone services and homeowners’ home and mortgage insurance all saw significant price increases largely accounting for the 4-point rise compared to the rate a year earlier. Among the most aggressive climbers, energy prices rose 13.4 per cent in the year leading up to August and gasoline prices went up 22.8 per cent. Food prices were up 4.4 per cent in August. The core inflation rate was at 1.9 per cent, just under the Bank of Canada’s target of 2 per cent.

The unexpectedly strong increases in consumer goods run contrary to a recent trend that saw inflation moderating — falling from 3.7 per cent in May to 2.7 per cent in July.

Core or underlying inflation, which excludes volatile items such as energy and some foods, increased to 1.9 from 1.6 per cent, pushing close to the central bank’s 2 per cent target.

On Tuesday, Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney said he was not concerned about inflation and would not raise interest rates to deal with the issue. The bank’s mandate is to keep consumer prices within a range of one and three per cent, and as close to two as possible.

Here’s what happened to the inflation rate in each of the provinces and territories. (Previous month in brackets):

• Newfoundland and Labrador 3.6 (3.4)
• Prince Edward Island 3.5 (3.2)
• Nova Scotia 3.8 (3.5)
• New Brunswick 4.1 (3.8)
• Quebec 3.4 (3.3)
• Ontario 3.1 (3.0)
• Manitoba 3.0 (3.1)
• Saskatchewan 2.8 (2.8)
• Alberta 2.9 (1.9)
• British Columbia 2.1 (1.7)
• Whitehorse, Yukon 3.0 (3.1)
• Yellowknife, N.W.T., 3.4 (3.4)
• Iqaluit, Nunavut 1.2 (1.1)

The agency also released rates for major cities, but cautioned that figures may fluctuate widely because they are based on small statistical samples (Previous month in brackets):

• St. John’s, N.L., 3.4 (3.2)
• Charlottetown-Summerside, 3.2 (2.8)
• Halifax, 3.5 (3.2)
• Saint John, N.B., 4.0 (3.8)
• Quebec, 3.4 (3.2)
• Montreal, 3.2 (3.1)
• Ottawa, 2.9 (2.7)
• Toronto, 2.9 (2.8)
• Thunder Bay, Ont., 3.1 (2.9)
• Winnipeg, 3.0 (3.0)
• Regina, 2.9 (2.9)
• Saskatoon, 2.4 (2.4)
• Edmonton, 3.0 (1.9)
• Calgary, 2.6 (1.8)
• Vancouver, 1.7 (1.6)
• Victoria, 1.9 (1.6)

In its 15^th  year, the 10-day event, Oct. 7-15, is a showcase of all things Gaelic, the cultural heritage introduced hundreds of years ago by refugees from Scotland. There’s been a recent renaissance of Gaelic culture in the region, and now even road signs appear in Gaelic and English.

The festival is unique in that it takes place in 33 communities across Cape Breton, along country roads including the scenic coastal Cabot Trail. Music and dance performances, storytelling, as well as workshops and presentations on Gaelic language and culture take place in venues from a state-of-the-art performance hall to a reconstructed 18^th-century French chapel and local community centres: impromptu ceilidhs – lively kitchen parties – are on the menu as are homemade suppers served up in local fire halls.

This year’s festival features a jam-packed calendar with almost 350 artists from Cape Breton, the United States, Ireland and Scotland performing 45 shows. One of the themes is exploring Celtic roots in Cajun and Appalachian music with the festival’s artists in residence, local Acadian songwriter Ron Bourgeois and old-time Appalachian fiddler and singer Bruce Molsky from the U.S.

Stars in this year’s line-up include local bad-boy Ashley MacIsaac, famed for his kilt-clad fiery fiddling of traditional Cape Breton and rock ‘n’ roll tunes: the Barra MacNeils, a group of six siblings who are Canada’s Celtic ambassadors: and the Louisiana-based Grammy winners BeauSoleil Quartet with Michael Doucet who mix up Cajun with Zydeco and add a dash of jazz and blues.

From Ireland, the Black Family as well as the Alan Kelly Quartet will hit the stage. From Scotland there’s Gaelic singer Kathleen MacInnes. Dancers on the roster include Nic Gariess and, from Manitoba, the Ashram Stompers, a high-energy jig and square dance troupe offering up a dash of Métis.

Bring your own guitar and join in workshops. Or sign up for outdoor events like hiking through fall colors, particularly spectacular on the Cabot Trail. Afterwards, finish off the day with hot apple cider and oatcakes at a ceilidh in the community hall.

The schedule is so packed it’s impossible to see and hear every bit of Gaelic magic. Celtic Colours may be big, but it’s also refreshingly non-commercial, a down-home celebration deeply rooted in Cape Breton’s local culture.

Celtic Colours International Festival: www.celtic-colours.com

Official Cape Breton Website: http://cbisland.com/home.html

Article courtesy of the Canadian Tourism Commission Media Centre
Writers Bio: Award-winning, Montréal, QC-based freelance writer and photographer Margo Pfeiff’s work has appeared in Lonely Planet guidebooks, Reader’s Digest, GEO,enRoute, explore, Canadian Geographic, Outpost, The Walrus, up here, LosAngeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, National Post and The Globe and Mail.She is working on a book about contemporary life in Nunavut.margo.pfeiff@gmail.com

Pick up or print out a copy of the Wine Trails brochure and head off on a self-guided prowl. All are leisurely afternoon or day trips by car or bike except the Heritage Trail, an historical walking tour in downtown Kelowna where you can drop in at the BC Wine Museum and Shop and taste at BC’s original winery, Calona.

TheEast Kelowna Wine Trail is perfect for those who like to drop in on lesser-known boutique/farm-gate style wineries owned and run by families. The Westside Wine Trail takes in some of the Okanagan’s big boys and it’s hard to go hungry with two great winery restaurants en route: Mission Hill’s Terrace Restaurant, which Travel + Leisure magazine declared one of the world’s top five winery restaurants, and Quails’ Gate estate’s fresh local take on cuisine at its Old Vines Restaurant.

Dining among the vines is really taking off with two new winery restaurants opening their doors this spring in the southern Okanagan near the town of Oliver. On April 1, Tinhorn Creek Vineyards in partnership with Manuel Ferreira, owner of Le Gavroche, a long-time French restaurant in Vancouver, launched Miradoro, a chic eatery perched on a hillside serving modern Mediterranean-influenced market cuisine like grilled octopus with locally made chorizo, wine pairing-perfect tapas and Neapolitan-style pizzas baked in the restaurant’s open-hearth stone oven.

In June, nearby Hester Creek Estate Winery opened its Tuscan-inspired restaurant, Terrafina, meaning “from the earth.” Italian comfort food with style, the menu includes a grand antipasto platter and mains like wild boar and veal spaghetti and meatballs. Kick back with a glass of their wine amid the cozy Italian villa atmosphere – all brick and wood – or on the patio overlooking the valley and vines.

Article courtesy of the Canadian Tourism Commission Media Centre

Writers Bio: Award-winning, Montréal, QC-based freelance writer and photographer Margo Pfeiff’s work has appeared in Lonely Planet guidebooks, Reader’s Digest, GEO,enRoute, explore, Canadian Geographic, Outpost, The Walrus, up here, LosAngeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, National Post and The Globe and Mail.She is working on a book about contemporary life in Nunavut.

“We spend a lot of time and money getting to and from work each day – not to mention the environmental strain and stress that comes with commuting,” saidKelly Dixon, President of Workopolis.  “Today, working from home is a viable option for many. We need to continue to promote the benefits of telecommuting and encourage more flexible working arrangements for Canadian workers.”

Just Getting to Work Can be Hard Work
Part of getting back into the daily routine of commuting can mean expecting public transit delays, busier stations and, of course, more traffic jams – all contributors of stress to the Canadian worker.

More common modes of commuting include:

• Two-thirds (69%) of workers commute by car on their own;
• One-in-five (19%) take public transit;
• One-in-ten (10%) carpool;
• 12% walk ; and
• 4% ride a bicycle

Commuting: By the Numbers
The latest Statistics Canada Census from 2006 reveals there are over 18 million people (over the age of 15) who are currently employed in Canada. More than two-thirds (69 per cent) of Canadians polled said they commute by car on their own. That would equate to a savings of nearly $120 million for Canadian workers and more than 60 Kg of CO₂ emissions if these workers were given the option to work from home for just one day a year.

Not surprising, the longest average commuters reside in provinces with Canada’s most urban cities. Those in British Columbia and Ontario lead the way with an average commute time of 48 minutes each, while Atlantic Canadians and Quebecers spend the least amount of time commuting (31 and 34 minutes respectively).

Today, only four in ten (38 per cent) of Canadian workers work from home a few days per month even though many companies have the capability through emerging and secure technologies and practices to offer this as an option to their employees. Offering the option of working from home can also help to position a company as an employer of choice.  In fact, seven in ten (68 per cent) of respondents indicated they have turned down a job prospect just to avoid a long commute.

“Grappling with gridlock is a terrible way to begin or wrap up any work day,” said Dixon.  “Offering Canadian workers the option to work from their own homes, even if it’s just one day a year, would do wonders for our collective rush hour mentality.”

“Found” Time
By working from home, Canadians are able to spend the time they would normally be commuting on doing the things they want such as spending time with family and friends.

The top five ways Canadians would prefer to spend their extra time are:

• Completing chores or housework – 83% (even higher for women at 86%)
• Spending time with family or friends – 79%
• Engaging in other recreational, hobby or leisure activities – 76%
• Preparing more nutritious meals – 74%
• Get more sleep – 71%

Interestingly, six in ten (58 per cent) said they would spend the extra time working more hours.  This number is even higher for those Canadians who are already working from home some of the time (73 per cent).

The announcement was made by Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney and British Columbia Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation Pat Bell.

“Since I became Minister, I have heard from workers, employers, labour advocates and others who have asked me to make Canada more welcoming for working families coming to Canada as temporary residents,” said Minister Kenney. “With this pilot project, we will examine the benefits of allowing family members of temporary foreign workers to work while they are here with a principal applicant who has been hired because of his or her skills.”

In general, temporary foreign workers come to Canada to meet the needs of a specific employer who has been unable to find citizens or permanent residents for the available jobs. An open work permit, however, allows the holder to accept any job with any employer.

Previously, only spouses and common-law partners of temporary foreign workers employed in a managerial, professional or skilled trades job have been eligible to obtain an open work permit in British Columbia. Starting August 15,spouses, common-law partners and working-age dependants of most temporary foreign workers will be eligible, including many workers in occupations that require lower levels of formal training.

“More than a million jobs will open up in B.C. by 2020, and we will need foreign workers to help meet the skills shortages our businesses are already beginning to face,” said Minister Bell. “Giving more spouses and working-aged children of temporary foreign workers the chance to take jobs will support local businesses, while contributing to local, regional and provincial economic growth.”

Up to 1,800 open work permits will be available under the pilot project, which will end on February 15, 2013.

“Nearly 32,000 temporary foreign workers made the transition to permanent status in 2010, and of those, almost 2,300 chose to immigrate permanently to BC,” Minister Kenney noted. “We understand the important role that foreign workers have in every region of the country and we will continue to look at ways to attract workers who have the skills we need now and into the future.”

British Columbia’s shared role in immigration was cemented in April 2010 with the signing of the Canada-British Columbia Immigration Agreement.

Connect with the Province of B.C. at www.gov.bc.ca/connect.

Originally occupied by First Nations communities, the Bay saw its first explorers, missionaries and traders arrive around the 1600s. French explorer Samuel de Champlain charted the area, with his maps lasting as reference to westbound explorers for nearly two centuries. The next two centuries saw such newcomers as military personnel, fishermen, loggers and homesteaders inhabiting the land. Slowly the area became spotted with villages, many growing to town or city status.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FULL SIZED MAP (PDF)

Each group had its own trials and tribulations: battling the land, waters, weather, or each other. Land roads were inadequate or non-existent, and water routes were often blocked by ice in the winter. The waters were often rough, with the only saving grace being the existence of abundant natural harbours.

Today, many denizens proclaim that the Georgian Bay area sparkles with the best recreational pursuits: skiing, golfing, cruising, heritage sites, events and festivals. Roam the rim of the Georgian Bay and see what brought many to its shores, and what lures the thousands of vacationers who flock to the territory during all four of its distinct seasons.

Sights and places to discover

The stopovers are countless in the Georgian Bay area. Here’s a quick overview starting south of the Bay.

Owen Sound

The first to footprint the sandy shores of Owen Sound, a southern Georgian Bay location, was the Petun Indians, members of the Huron association. The Iroquois engaged them in warfare for decades. Rather than face genocide, the Hurons eventually retreated from the area. Later, the Ojibway tribes of Lake Superior in turn ousted the Iroquois.

After Champlain mapped the area in the 1600s, settlers began to arrive. It is highly likely that they took moments from their toil to enjoy the scenery of what is now known as the Niagara Escarpment. The Niagara Escarpment is an eco-system that supports hundreds of plant and wildlife species, and has been deemed a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve (which entails the preservation of crucial ecological features even if the area is developed).

One lad who later became enthralled by the distinctive vegetation and turquoise waters was Tom Thomson. Thomson influenced, and was influenced by, the famous Group of Seven. The Group of Seven were an early 1920s Toronto-based group whose paintings expressed a true love for the Canadian wilderness. His works, as well as several of his contemporaries and modern painters, remain in the Tom Thomson Art Gallery.

Scottish, Irish and English first populated Owen Sound in the 1840s. A taste of their culture lives on through the Owen Sound Celtic Festival, held for three days each September. Dancing, food and historical re-enactments are all part of the revelry.

Generation upon generation thrived in Owen Sound. Amongst the population rose a young man who later became a Canadian hero. William Avery ‘Billy’ Bishop, went on to be a World War I and II fighting ace, and tangled with the dreaded Red Baron. A stop at the Billy Bishop Museum will educate visitors of his life and other highlights of Canadian aviation history.

Today, Owen Sound is the largest town in the area, with a population of 21,000 permanent residents. Because of the close proximity to Lake Huron and the Georgian Bay, the communities around the Bay usually experience cooler temperatures in the summer and milder winter temperatures. In Owen Sound the daily maximum temperature in the height of summer is 22 C (72 F) and winter lows of no less than -12 C (10 F). However, as is the case with most of Ontario’s areas, be prepared for atypical weather conditions.

Collingwood

Proceeding east for 64 kms (40 miles), one will come to the Town of Collingwood, with a population of over 16,000 people.

Outside of town is evidence of glacial ice, dating back millions of years. Explorers of the Scenic Caves Nature Preserve can tread through the various limestone splits and caverns, and even squeeze through the 14-inch-wide passage known as ‘Fat Man’s Misery’. Between 1400 and 1600, the Huron Indian Village of Ekarenniondi stood at this site. Visitors may still touch the worshipping rock of this tribe.

While the Hurons lived in long houses constructed of poles and elm bark, spending much of their time engrossed in hunting, fishing and growing corn for their meals, the same cannot be said for today’s travellers and residents. Many people are drawn to the area for its luxurious resorts and recreational activities. Blue Mountain Resort is at the back door of Ontario’s highest mountain, Blue Mountain, and is populated by alpine ski enthusiasts in the winter. Golfing at Cranberry Golf Resort is prime, especially due to the resort’s dedication to protecting and enhancing wildlife in the area (Canada’s only fully certified Audubon Sanctuary, promoting ecology).

French explorer Samual de Champlain surveyed Collingwood in the 1600s. These days, another man of infamy strolls the town one weekend each July, and can be seen everywhere! The Collingwood Elvis Festival brings both amateur and professional impersonators of ‘The King’ to the area for competitions, concerts and general hound-dogging.

In the early 1800s, many black Americans slipped the shackles of slavery and escaped to such places as Collingwood and its neighboring community of Owen Sound via the ‘Underground Railroad’. The railroad was a network of former slaves and sympathizers who assisted the fugitives to gain freedom. The bittersweet stories of these early settlers can be learned at the Sheffield Park Black History and Cultural Museum.

Collingwood became a noteworthy port and railhead, as it was the receiving point for grain from Thunder Bay and the Prairies, as well as the departure point for Western settlers and goods. Shipbuilding became quite industrious. Today, boaters hear the call of the cool, enchanting waters and contentedly anchor at one of the Georgian Bay’s numerous marinas.

Wasaga Beach

What made the Wasaga Beach area displeasing to early settlers – sandy land that was unsuitable for farming – is today’s biggest lure. The longest fresh water beach in the world (a remarkable14 kms/9mils) entices many. Wasaga Beach’s population hovers slightly above 12,000 people, with a visitor count of approximately two million each year. The end of the most popular season is appropriately marked with the Memories of Summer Fireworks during the Labour Day weekend.

The beach of this central town is also historically significant, as it was the fly off location for the first plane to make an overseas flight from Canada: the length of the beach made it the perfect runway.

Rather than trying to tame the terrain of Wasaga Beach as the early settlers did, visitors today embrace its ruggedness, which provides many recreational pursuits. The trails in Wasaga Beach Provincial Park are ideal for hiking, cross-country skiing and cycling. A stop at the Blueberry Nordic Centre can serve as a warm-up or as an information point. And the Nottawasaga River is perfect for fishing and canoeing.

While in the park, stop at Nancy Island, where the Americans sank the Schooner Nancy, the last British ship on the Great Lakes, during a battle in 1814. The sunken hull formed an obstruction in the river, which eventually formed the island. A museum on the island contains other remnants of the Nancy as well as battle artifacts. Far from the cries of combat, visitors to the island can now hear the alluring sounds of live Big Band, Swing and Jazz bands. Jazz in the Park is a series of 10 free concerts on scheduled evenings in July.

Penetanguishene

Continuing north up the Bay’s shore is the small town of Penetanguishene (population 5,000). Penetanguishene holds the title of the oldest town in Ontario, when as early as 800 AD Aboriginals built semi-permanent villages in the area. In 1793, the Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada John Graves Simcoe recognized the military potential of the area, and began promoting development. It was in the early 1800s that the British naval and military base Discovery Harbour was built.

For a marine experience, visitors may board the M.S. Georgian Queen. A live commentator cites stories of the past while pointing out the magnificent scenery of the day. Sailors of both private and rented vessels will admire the Pentanguishene’s lovely and protected harbours.

Midland

Approximately five km (three miles) from Pentangushene is the town of Midland, with a population of over 14,000 people. Samuel de Champlain brought the first Jesuit missionaries to the Midland area in the 1600s, intent on saving Huron souls. The mission Sainte-Marie among the Hurons became Ontario’s first European community, experiencing settlement, war, disease, and finally abandonment. The site continues to attract tourists, as costumed interpreters give live history lessons about the Sainte-Marie.

In the 1800s, the area boomed with industry and railroad expansion. Those who were gifted tracts of land for their government or military services also increased the number of inhabitants. The town was dubbed the ‘Chicago of the North’, as it was thought to be the place a fortune could be made. Millions weren’t accumulated but nonetheless, the area began to attract a wealth of artists and naturalists. The town is home to over 30 outdoor murals, including North America’s largest outdoor historic mural, situated over Midland Harbour. Close to Midland is the Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre, whose residents include a myriad of bird and wildlife species, including trumpeter swans.

Honey Harbour

From Honey Harbour, many cottagers navigate by boat to their properties in the 30,000 Islands. The area also has an abundance of rental cottages, resorts and marinas to serve as home base for exploring the waters. A water taxi service provides transportation to Canada’s only island park, the Georgian Bay Islands National Park. Fishing and boating are popular summer activities, while those who are more adventurous often snowshoe or cross-country ski over the frozen water in winter.

Parry Sound

Progressing up to the northern region of Ontario is Parry Sound. This community has seen much toil and action in its colourful past. Today it is a recreational hot spot. A myriad of water activities, cultural sites and events and impressive parks beckons many to the area. Read WorldWeb Travel Guide’s article Parry Sound Town & City Review.

Killarney

Hundreds of years ago, Canada’s voyageurs set up a fur trading post to ease their canoe journeys. Water travel was the only method of transportation to Killarney, as there was no road access until 1962 to this northern post, located almost five hours away from Toronto. Both passengers and freight entered the “Shibaonaning’, the Ojibway name for ‘canoe channel’ by steamships.

Today, sailboats and power yachts float the pristine waters, but for pleasure rather than necessity. The small village of Killarney triples in size during the summer, as it boasts the ‘crown jewel’ of Ontario’s parks – Killarney Provincial Park. Sapphire lakes, ridges filled with jack pines, the snow capped white quartzite La Cloche Mountains and pink granite shorelines have captivated artists, adventure seekers and nature appreciators.

30,000 Islands, including Manitoulin Island

One of the most mentioned highlights in the Georgian Bay is the 30,000 Islands, which includes Manitoulin Island, the world’s largest island contained within a freshwater lake. Boaters find the area a paradise, as the picturesque islands with their numerous secluded bays, inlets and coves, as well as the countless towns, marinas and resorts, provide the back drop and services required to make it in the ranks of top sailing waters. After crossing the swing bridge of Little Current which links Manitoulin Island to the mainland, travel to Bridal Veil Falls. The hiking and cascading waterfall is well worth the trip.

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Long-distance job hunts bring with them a special set of requirements that can seem daunting at first, but aren’t all that much worse than a regular job search. With a little planning, you can conduct a long-distance job search that will land you a job in any city you want.

Choose locations

Hunting for a job in a single city is difficult. Hunting for one in all the provinces is virtually impossible. Rather than approach your job search as a nationwide Easter egg hunt, decide what cities you want to focus on. Although you might be open to any location that will offer you a job, you should make a list of five or 10 cities where you can see yourself working.

Know the job market

When you’re looking at potential locations for your job search, do some research on the local economy. Not all cities offer the same opportunities. Although you know that local unemployment rates differ from city to city, remember that industry vitality is just as diverse. One city might have a low unemployment rate, but your industry isn’t necessarily enjoying the same boom. Look at data from Stats Can and peruse online newspapers for localized information.

Use your network

The glory of social media is that networks aren’t confined by geography anymore. Look at your Facebook friends and you probably know people other provinces. Use your contacts from all of your social media profiles to publicize your job search and ask for any information that could guide you toward the right opportunity. When it comes to job hunting, you can’t ever have too many people looking for jobs on your behalf.

Brush up on your phone skills

Phone interviews typically come before any in-person interview, but the likelihood of them increases greatly when you’re searching long distance. In most cases, employers won’t expect you to fly out for a first-round interview, so a phone interview is most common, and you shouldn’t take it lightly. Practice speaking at a calm pace, be certain your phone signal is strong and do a few dry runs with a friend.

Perhaps most importantly, job seekers are often afraid to appear impolite when interviewers call and say, “Sure, I can talk right now.” If you are caught off guard or if you are in the middle of feeding your children and doing laundry, you can be honest. Even if you ask for 15 minutes to go to a quieter room, you want to create the best setting for your interview.

Decide if you’ll travel for an interview

Sometimes you’ll get to a second or third round of interviews when the employer wants to meet you in person. Sometimes the company pays for travel, but other times they don’t. Set a few ground rules for yourself in order to determine what opportunities you consider worth your time and money. Also, if asked to travel, find out as much information as possible about so that you can make the arrangements that work best for you. See what dates are available (so you can book the most affordable flight) and how long the process takes (so you know if you can fly home that day and save hotel fare). You want to know as much as possible beforehand so you can make the most informed decision possible.

Travel

Relocating for a job is a big move that can pay off for your career, but it can also require sacrifices. Leaving behind your friends, paying for the move, and spending the time on the move itself all require a lot of energy. You want to be certain the city you’re moving to is worth it, so if you haven’t visited in a while or ever, find a way to visit before you move. Not only will you find out if the culture is right for you, but you will also get a better idea of the layout. You could realize that you should extend your job search to nearby suburbs or towns, which can open up a new set of possibilities.

Know your own relocation plan

The most important part of your long-distance job search is having a flexible game plan. Without a job offer, you might not have a definitive move date, but you should have an idea of what is possible in case you get an offer. Employers know you’re not a local candidate, so they will want to know how soon you can start and when you plan to be in the city.

If you get an offer and then say you need time to put your house on the market, find a good school for your children, and decide where you want to live, you’ll probably lose out on the opportunity. Most employers understand the complexity of a long-distance job search, but they don’t have six months to wait for you, either. A flexible plan allows you and the employer to negotiate a mutually agreeable start date while also showing that you’re serious about relocating.

Writers Bio: Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

Click here to view the latest jobs across Canada

“Not exactly what the doctor ordered, but not bad,” BMO Capital Markets deputy chief economist Doug Porter wrote in a note to investors.

“The Canadian jobs report sets a reasonably good table. The headline jobs tally was a touch light, but the details of the report are unambiguously healthier — the strong gain in full-time jobs, the pop in private sector employment, and the fact that the overall number was skewed lower by yet another July drop in education employment.”

While the number of net jobs created was lower than predicted, the unemployment rate came it pretty much as economists had forecast.

“Markets had been expecting an unchanged position,” Peter Buchanan, senior economist at CIBC World Markets, wrote in an investors’ note.

“A fairly mixed report overall, with the details somewhat better than the headline.”

Increases in the private sector were offset by losses in the public sector and fewer people who were self employed.

The gains were led by the construction sector, which saw an increase of 31,000 jobs. Employment in the transportation and warehousing sector was up 28,000 jobs, and there were also 28,000 more people working in retail and wholesale trade in July. There were 39,000 fewer jobs in health-care and social assistance, 30,000 fewer jobs in elementary and secondary schools, 14,000 fewer jobs in business, building and other support services, 11,000 fewer jobs in natural resources and 9,000 fewer jobs in agriculture.

Alberta and Newfoundland and Labrador posted job gains in July, while Ontario saw losses.

Employment was down 22,400 jobs in Ontario following a slight increase in June. Despite the drop, employment growth over the last year stands at 1.6 per cent, which is similar to the national growth rate.

The rest of the provinces were largely unchanged. Quebec’s jobless rate fell slightly, mostly because of fewer people entering the workforce.

Search for Canadian Jobs

“We are a people who believe that our origins matter less than our destinations.  And that where you come from is not as important as where you are going.” Daryl Bennett—Mayor of Peterborough

Here’s some advice from Newcomers who have already relocated to Peterborough:

Dean Pappas, City Councillor and Business Owner (family originally from Greece).

• Embrace your new country. Getting settled can be hard, so it is important to get to know your community and get support when you need it.
• It can be tough for mothers who stay home to look after the children while fathers are out working. While fathers get to meet new people, mothers bear a great deal of the stress and isolation that come with being a newcomer.
• Get out there- go to the library or the New Canadians Centre.
• Remember, there is a lot of support for families in this city. Use them!
• Canada’s school system is one of its strengths. It does a great job in integrating newcomers. If your kids are in school, take advantage of all the community has to offer and get involved.
• The city offers many services, and a team of friendly staff who are happy to help. Take advantage of the free library, free museum, art gallery and various programs for kids and adults.

Ali Imran and Mostafa Rahman, Business Owners (originally from Bangladesh)

• Make sure you know the business you’re going into.
• Either get some schooling at Trent or Fleming, or work for someone who knows the business well.
• Talk to others who are doing something similar.
• Peterborough is a smaller city, which means word of mouth travels fast. So if you are good at what you do, people find out relatively quickly.
• Believe in yourself, and know that starting your own business is the best thing you can do. If you are serious and willing to work hard, anyone can succeed in this country.

Farah Zafarzadeh, Business Owner (originally from Afghanistan)

• Good customer service and a high-quality product are the keys to maintaining a successful business.
• Don’t be a follower. Be a leader. Over time, others will accept your decisions, even if they are against it at first. Never fear others.
• We are not getting any younger, only older. We shouldn’t cover ourselves with a shell. We should use right now, today, not wait for tomorrow.
• Encourage yourself. Encourage, encourage, encourage. Don’t worry about how long it takes. Keep pushing and saying to yourself “Yes, I can”.

Fadhil Al-Sarraj, Business Owner (originally from Iraq) 

• Have a vision, and pursue your dreams for a better life with determination. Always look forward.
• Appreciate the achievements of others, regardless of how big or small they may be. Expand your own experiences by learning from their successes and failures.
• Be sincere in your relationships. Love for others what you love for yourself.
• Only try to work in a field that you are good at (and you enjoy!). Money will come after.
• If you are going into a business partnership, make sure you have a lawyer involved. This country runs on written statements, not on verbal agreements.
• Remember: lucky people are those who work hard and do a good job.

But some doctors say the colleges who are responsible for approving licences aren’t respecting the provincial agreement. “This is something that was agreed amongst the politicians but it was not agreed amongst the physicians,” said Dr. Rubens Barbosa, a Brazilian-trained anaesthesiologist working in Edmundston, N.B., who recently had an application to transfer his licence to Ontario rejected.

The responsibility for who does and doesn’t become licensed is left up to bodies that are run by physicians in each province.

The problem is that these colleges “are reluctant to accept a law that was proposed by the politicians and they’re doing whatever they can to prevent this from happening,” said Barbosa.

Provincial governments were hoping the changes would help fill in holes in the skilled workforce. Many provinces — including Ontario, Saskatchewan and Manitoba — are currently facing a shortage of doctors as many residents are unable to find a family physician.

About four million Canadians, or about four per cent of the population, don’t have a family doctor, a 2009 poll conducted for the College of Family Physicians of Canada suggested.

A spokeswoman for the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons, the organization that rejected Barbosa’s application, denied the charge that it doesn’t respect the mobility law.

“The CPSO respects labour mobility,” Kathryn Clarke wrote in an email.

But the body that represents colleges across the country said they are aware that those working to transfer special licences across provincial boundaries are still facing challenges.

Differing standards

The issue is that restrictions on special licences, which can include requiring the holders to be supervised by more experienced physicians and only allowing them to operate if the province has a shortage of the physicians’ specialty, are not equivalent across provinces.

“We are working on how we could facilitate for them a mobility from one jurisdiction to another taking into account the fact that they don’t have a full licensure,” said Dr. Yves Robert, the president of the Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada.

Robert said he expected a new agreement that would bring in a common set of standards for specially licensed physicians between provinces would be approved within a year.

The majority of physicians who practise with special licences in Canada are internationally trained, said Dr. William Lowe, a past president of the MRAC.

They usually use these as a stepping stone to becoming fully accredited and eventually helping to address the country’s doctor shortages.

Barbosa said he has consulted with the Canadian Medical Protective Association, an organization that provides doctors with legal advice, and it is currently looking into the issue on his behalf.

Luce Lavoie, the director of communications for CMPA, did not confirm or deny that was the case. She also declined to comment on the overall issue of labour mobility for doctors because the organization has yet to issue a policy position on it.

Few approvals despite law

Numbers maintained by the colleges suggest the changes to the Agreement on Internal Trade, which was updated in April 2009 with the new labour mobility provisions, have done little to change the number of physicians moving from one province to another.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia has granted licences to about 250 applicants since April 2009, six of those under the labour mobility provisions.

“The numbers have not changed dramatically at all,” said Bruce Thorne, manager of policy and communications for the college, referring to the approvals they’ve given since the new provisions were introduced.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta has approved five applicants under the new labour mobility provisions out of a total of about a thousand approved in 2009 and 2010, said spokeswoman Kelly Eby.

They have another 22 who are currently in the application process.

The Ontario college rejected 26 applicants who had applied under the labour mobility provisions between January 2010 and April 2011, said Clarke. Most of these people had restricted licences.

Many other licensing bodies don’t maintain numbers showing how many applicants who applied under the labour mobility provisions have been approved or rejected.

Barbosa had applied under the inter-provincial mobility rules the provinces had promised would bring an end to the restrictions for physicians.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario rejected his application in December 2010.

Colleges are only required to accept an application under the labour mobility provisions if they have a similar category in their licensing process.

The Ontario college did not grant Barbosa a licence because they said there was no equivalent category in Ontario, a copy of the decision reached by the province’s Health Professionals Appeals and Review Board reads.

But Barbosa disputed that claim, saying he already had a full licence he has been operating under for five years.

Andrew Calvert, an earth sciences professor at Simon Fraser University, says he may be able to help solve a little piece of that puzzle, following the publication of a recent article in the journal Nature Geoscience.

Calvert and a team of researchers concluded a section of a fault line in the Pacific Northwest — the area where two of the earth’s tectonic plates meet — is seven kilometres deeper than previously thought.

The study found the section in question is actually 27 to 42 kilometres deep, not 25 to 35 kilometres, and is under Washington state.

Calvert said that’s important. While the new information won’t help determine when or where the Big One will come — nothing yet can do that — it will help scientists refine their calculations on any ground shaking that will take place during an earthquake.

“Essentially, what we saw in Japan is what will happen in the Pacific Northwest sooner or later,” said Calvert, noting a major earthquake hits B.C. every 500 years. The last quake was in 1700.

“We’re building up to a greater likelihood of a very large earthquake that will have minutes of ground shaking and a large tsunami coming in along the coast line.”

Calvert said an earthquake in the Pacific Northwest could occur along the fault line and cover an area 100 to 150 kilometres east to west and an area of 500 to 800 kilometres north to south.

Calvert said he’s prepared to speculate that the earthquake could even strike south of Vancouver Island, deep underneath Washington state’s Olympic Peninsula.

He said the shaking in Vancouver should be less than the shaking in Victoria, but to get an idea of the resulting damage, people need only look at what happened in Japan on March 11.

The magnitude-9.0 earthquake and resulting tsunami hammered the country’s northeastern coast. More than 26,000 people were killed or reported missing. The government was forced to pass a $48-billion recovery budget.

Calvert said his team used data that focused on a 200-kilometre-long stretch of fault line between Victoria and southern Washington state.

According to Natural Resources Canada, more than 1,000 earthquakes occur in Western Canada annually.

During the past 70 years, more than 100 magnitude-5 earthquakes have occurred off Vancouver Island. Earthquakes of that magnitude are large enough to cause damage if they are close to land.

Located on the southern tip of New Brunswick, the seaside village of St. Andrews has been a healthy retreat in summer for more than a century. People come to stop and smell the flowers at Kingsbrae Garden and walk Water Street, where two- and three-storey clapboard buildings from the 19th century are now home to shops, restaurants and bars. Most of all, visitors venture to St. Andrews to experience the 16-m (52-ft) tidal shift on the Bay of Fundy, the highest tide in the world. By all means, get out on the water via guided boat tour or sea kayak to discover the bevy of sea life, from the arched back of the minke whale to the equine snout of the gray seal to the harbor porpoises jumping in tandem to the eagles flying overhead.

Back on terra firma, spend the night at the Kingsbrae Arms, a Relais & Chateaux property that was once the country home of the very family that created the neighboring Kingsbrae Garden. Chef Guillaume Delaune has no regular menu. His select group of fishermen and farmers meet him daily to deliver locally caught halibut, lobster, scallops, wild mushrooms, organically grown greens and blueberries. One bite of the tender pan-roasted halibut and you’ll realize that St. Andrews is now a luxurious retreat, one that continues to stimulate all five senses.

Getting here

Kingsbrae Garden, 220 King St., 1-866-566-8687, kingsbraegarden.com

Whale Watching Cruise, Quoddy Link Marine, 6 King St., 1-877-688-2600,quoddylinkmarine.com

Kingsbrae Arms, 219 King St., 506-529-1897, kingsbrae.com

Tourism New Brunswick, 1-800-561-0123, www.tourismnewbrunswick.ca Steve Jermanok’s frustration at gardening has only taught him to appreciate even more the splendor of a well-manicured garden. He blogs daily at ActiveTravels.com.

Article courtesy of the Canadian Tourism Commission Media Centre by Steve Jermanok

Police reported nearly 2.1 million Criminal Code incidents last year, down about 77,000 from 2009. There were declines in a variety of crimes, including homicide, attempted murder, serious assaults and robbery and other property crimes. But there were increases in some areas, including sexual assault, firearms crimes, criminal harassment, child pornography and drug offences.

The Crime Severity Index reached its lowest point (82.7) since 1998, the first year for which Index data are available. The decline in crime severity in 2010 was seen virtually across the country. The only exceptions were increases in Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Violent crime

Police reported just over 437,000 violent incidents in 2010, about 7,200 fewer than in the previous year. Violent crimes accounted for just over 1 in 5 offences.

The violent Crime Severity Index declined 6% in 2010 to 88.9, the fourth consecutive annual decrease. Decreases were reported in every province except Newfoundland and Labrador, where police reported a 13% increase.

There were 554 homicides, 56 fewer than in 2009. The national rate of 1.62 homicides per 100,000 population in 2010 was the lowest since 1966. The 10% decline in the homicide rate from 2009 to 2010 followed a decade of relative stability.

The national decline in the homicide rate was driven primarily by a large decrease in British Columbia, where the rate (1.83) was at an all-time low. However, the rate in this province was still slightly higher than the national average.

The number of attempted murders also declined, from 801 in 2009 to 693 in 2010. This resulted in the lowest rate for this offence in over 30 years.

Police reported more than 22,000 sexual assaults in 2010. This represented an increase of 5% in the rate since 2009, the first increase in sexual assault since 2005.

Non-violent crime

Similar to previous years, most crimes (79%) reported by police in 2010 were non-violent. Theft under $5,000, mischief and break-ins accounted for close to two-thirds of the almost 1.7 million non-violent offences.

The non-violent Crime Severity Index fell 6% in 2010 to 80.3, the seventh consecutive decline.

Police reported nearly 200,000 break-ins last year. The rate of break-ins fell 6% in 2010, continuing a steady decline since peaking in the early 1990s.

Nearly 93,000 motor vehicles were reported stolen in 2010. This represented a 15% drop in the rate since 2009 and a continuation of the downward trend seen since the mid-1990s.

Saskatchewan reported the highest rate of motor vehicle theft in 2010. This is a change from a decade-long trend which saw Manitoba reporting the highest rate among the provinces.

The national rate of impaired driving fell 6% from 2009, following three consecutive years of increase. However, the rate of impaired driving has generally been declining since peaking in 1981.

In 2010, police reported over 108,000 drug offences, about half of which were for possession of cannabis. The rate of drug offences increased 10% from 2009, continuing a general upward trend that began in the early 1990s.

Provinces and territories

Among the provinces, Alberta and British Columbia reported the largest declines in crime in 2010. The crime rate fell by 6% in both provinces, while the Crime Severity Index decreased by 8% in Alberta and 7% in British Columbia.

As in previous years, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories continued to report the highest Crime Severity Index values. Among the provinces, Saskatchewan reported the highest Crime Severity Index, followed by Manitoba and British Columbia. The lowest Crime Severity Index values were seen in Ontario, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick.

Metropolitan areas

The volume and severity of crime fell or remained stable across virtually all census metropolitan areas (CMAs) in 2010, including Canada’s 10 largest cities.

In 2010, three CMAs reported an increase in crime severity. St. John’s had the largest increase, up 12%, followed by Greater Sudbury (+4%) and Peterborough (+3%).

As has been the case since 1998, Regina reported the highest Crime Severity Index, followed by Saskatoon and Winnipeg. Calgary was the only western CMA to have a Crime Severity Index below the national average.

Guelph reported the lowest Crime Severity Index for the fourth year in a row, followed by Québec, Toronto and Ottawa.

Youth crime

Police reported that nearly 153,000 youth aged 12 to 17 were accused of a crime in 2010, almost 15,000 fewer than the previous year. The youth crime rate, which measures the overall volume of crime committed by youth, declined by 7%.

Youth crime rates declined for most offences in 2010, including homicide, serious assaults, motor vehicle thefts and break-ins. However, robbery was one of the few offences to show an increase for youth in 2010, up 2%.

The youth Crime Severity Index has also declined over the past 10 years, including a 6% drop in 2010. However, the severity of violent crime committed by youth has not seen the same decrease. Despite a 4% drop between 2009 and 2010, the youth violent Crime Severity Index was 5% higher than in 2000.

Photo: Genevieve Parise

The “Park Dreams Contest” asks people to share in 50 words or less a dream experience they’ve already had or wish for in any one of Canada’s 42 national parks. The topic is wide, and CPAWS is looking for dreams ranging from the wildest excursion to the most stunning view. There will be a two-week voting period after the closing date to help determine which 100 dreams will make it onto Canada’s first national parks bucket list.

The top-voted dream will win the grand prize trip for two to the Nahanni and the two runners up will receive great prize packages including a Mountain Equipment Co-Op shopping spree, Parks Canada Family Discovery Passes, great gear by CPAWS and a year’s subscription to Explore Magazine. All participants will also be eligible for great weekly prizes! Watch out for the 24 hours “takeover”-24 additional prizes to win!

“This is an opportunity for Canadians to share their dream experiences in our national parks.  We encourage everyone who has ever been to a national park, or dreams of getting to one, to share their ideas. We have amazing natural treasures in our parks and this is a year to celebrate them,” says CPAWS National Executive Director, Éric Hébert-Daly.

Watch out for the 24hours Takeover July 22^nd! Win a customized overnight getaway with six of your friends in your favorite national park! Enter your park dream on July 22nd and qualify for the 24Hours Takeover prize pack (valued at over $1000)! Experience your park like never before with custom activities, a tour by Parks Canada staff and much more!

“Travellers spent $1 trillion on tourism globally in 2010 — that’s $3 billion dollars a day or $2 million a minute. We want more than our fair share of that revenue,” says Michele McKenzie, the president and CEO of the Canadian Tourism Commission.

McKenzie recently announced the launch of “Signature Experiences Collection” at a tourism conference in Banff, Alta. It’s a compilation of 48 Canadian tourism enterprises from coast to coast to coast. It will be marketed in 11 countries and initially be rolled out in the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Australia.

“Tourism is one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the world and it’s become a very high stakes game and one in which countries are competing to win and Canada is competing to win,” McKenzie says.

“Winning countries are those that offer exotic experiences, a strong tourism brand, great infrastructure and effective collaboration between government and tourism partners.”

Canada’s Rocky Mountains, skiing and history aren’t enough to attract the international visitors flush with cash, although some tried and true events such as the Calgary Stampede, ice wine tours, Niagara Falls in Ontario and winery tours in British Columbia still make the grade.

Also on the list are the Grand Festival of Winter and the Ice Hotel in Quebec; iceberg viewing in Newfoundland and Labrador; the Plain of the Six Glaciers Tea House Ride in Alberta; dogsled adventures in the Northwest Territories, and a cowboy adventure in Saskatchewan.

“Simply having a positive image as a country does not translate into a compelling reason to visit,” says McKenzie.

“Our challenge was to inspire our customers with a Canada that offered more than spectacular scenery but to offer tourism experiences that rival those of even our most exotic competitors.”

The recession has taken a toll on the travel sector, says Kevin Stanton, owner and operator of Brewster Adventures in Banff. He says the program is needed to win international markets. The concept appears to be working.

“We sent some guests out on an overnight trip and halfway through their trip, a wild horse colt decided to join the people. That horse went all the way to their overnight camp and came back,” he said.

“Those international people will never forget that. It was an experience of a lifetime for them.”

The initiative should encourage the rest of the world to visit Canada, said Maxime Bernier, minister of state for small business and tourism. Bernier admits to having visited only one of the 48 experiences in the campaign — the Ice Hotel in Quebec City.

Canada has benefited from the publicity surrounding the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and more recently the visit by Prince William and Kate, he said.

“It’s something very special and also it was free all across the world in different markets like in the United Kingdom,” said Bernier.

“Experiences like that can also bring other international travellers here.”

An official with the Calgary Stampede estimates that international visitors have dropped off 5 to 10 per cent the past couple of years, but senses that things are beginning to turn around.

Lindsay Galloway said the publicity that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge gave to the Stampede, which celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2012, is priceless.

Prince William and his bride, Kate, wore western garb, including the famous white cowboy hats, while riding a stagecoach. They also took part in the Stampede parade.

“The coverage we’re receiving around the world is unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable. It’s great for the Stampede, it’s great for Alberta and the country,” he said.

“Them wearing cowboy hats is a lasting image around the world that will just serve our city so well.”

Average house prices in Canada continued to rise in the second quarter across housing types surveyed. The national average price of a detached bungalow rose 7.5 per cent year-over-year to $356,625; the price of a standard two-storey home rose 6.1 per cent to $390,163; and the price of a standard condominium rose 3.5 per cent to $238,064.

While prices continued their recent climb, signs of moderation are appearing, and vary from region to region. In the Atlantic provinces, markets that had recently enjoyed unusually high price appreciation such as Halifax and St. John’s are still seeing gains, although smaller than those in recent quarters. In Montreal, additional inventory coming on the market has provided home buyers with more choice and opportunities for negotiation. Home prices in Calgary declined modestly as the market continues to adjust after the Alberta housing boom experienced in the middle of the previous decade. The Vancouver market continues its rally, with the average price of detached bungalows and standard two-storey homes both over $1 million and seeing double digit year-over-year gains, though the average price for a standard condominium saw a very modest increase of 2.5 per cent.

“In many of Canada’s regional markets, we saw house prices appreciate at a significantly faster rate than wages and salaries, and this trend cannot continue indefinitely,” observed Phil Soper, president and chief executive, Royal LePage Real Estate Services. “We expect price gains to moderate considerably in the latter half of 2011, which should reduce the stress associated with purchasing a new home,” Soper said. “Vancouver, and specifically certain neighbourhoods in the lower mainland of British Columbia, remains an anomaly, as investment from outside of the country continues to support higher price levels.”

While price appreciation and housing activity are expected to slow during the second half of 2011, the strong start will support a 2011 national average house price forecast at end of year 7.7 per cent higher than the close of 2010. Sales volume is forecast to decrease marginally by 2.0 per cent over the same period. Year-over-year prices should appreciate modestly in 2011’s third quarter as most Canadian housing markets cooled during the same period in 2010. Similarly, this year’s final quarter should display a flat year-over-year price performance when compared to an unusually strong fourth quarter of 2010.

“While the global economy struggles to find its footing, here in Canada we are seeing indicators of a return to long-term norms,” noted Soper. “There is an expectation of continuing improvement in employment levels across the country and accompanying strength in wages and salaries, which should provide support for the housing market. Looking ahead to 2012, signs are pointing to stability for Canadian home owners and new buyers. We believe we are past the period of peak house price appreciation.”

Regional Market Summaries

The residential real estate in market in Halifax saw healthy year-over-year price gains across all three housing types surveyed. Strong local economy coupled with low interest rates has driven demand in the region. At the end of 2011, average house prices in Halifax are forecast to be 3.3 per cent higher than 2010.

Detached bungalows and two-storey houses in Montreal posted strong year-over-year gains – higher than 7 per cent in the second quarter, while standard condominiums rose modestly by 1.9 per cent. At the end of 2011, average house prices in Montreal are forecast to be 7.0 per cent higher than 2010.

Ottawa’s housing market posted healthy year-over-year price appreciation across all housing types surveyed. An average standard two-storey home rose 5.2 per cent year-over-year to $371,500. Despite modestly rising inventory, at the end of 2011, average house prices in Ottawa are forecast to be 5.0 per cent higher than 2010.

Toronto’s seller’s market witnessed strong year-over-year price appreciation. Price gains ranged from 4.7 per cent to 6.1 for the housing types surveyed. Low inventory coupled with low interest rates continue to drive real estate prices. Lack of inventory was cited as the main reason for reduced market activity.

Confidence in the local economy has brought optimism to the Winnipeg market and is reflected in the real estate market’s performance. Detached bungalows rose 7.5 per cent to $281,125, while condominiums rose 6.6 per cent. At the end of 2011, average house prices in Winnipeg are forecast to be 6.0 per cent higher than 2010.

The largest year-over-year gain was seen in Regina, where standard two-storey homes jumped 15.6 per cent. Detached bungalows also posted a strong 11 per cent gain. Regina’s limited inventory has not been able to keep up with the demand created by the booming local job market. At the end of 2011, average house prices in Regina are forecast to be 12.4 per cent higher than 2010.

Calgary witnessed moderate year-over-year price declines as it continues to adjust from the boom experienced in the middle of the previous decade. Edmonton, posted modest gains for standard two-storey homes and standard condominiums, while detached bungalows posted a moderate year-over-year decrease. At the end of 2011, average house prices in Calgary are forecast to increase 3.8 per cent while Edmonton house prices are expected to decrease moderately by 1.2 per cent compared to 2010.

Vancouver experienced some of Canada’s largest year-over-year price increases with detached bungalows rising 14.1 per cent and standard two-storey homes rising 12.0 per cent. Average prices for standard condominiums stabilized rising 2.5 per cent. At the end of 2011, average house prices in Vancouver are forecast to be 15.4 per cent higher than 2010. Unit sales in Vancouver, during 2011, are expected to be 6.0 per cent higher than 2010 indicating strong market activity.

Royal LePage’s quarterly House Price Survey shows the annual change of prices for key housing segments in select national markets. Click here to view the chart

The “Park Dreams Contest” simply asks people to share in 50 words or less a dream experience they’ve already had or wish for in any one of Canada’s 42 national parks. The topic is wide, and CPAWS is looking for dreams ranging from the wildest excursion to the most stunning view, wildlife sighting, paddling haven or hiking thrill. There will be a two-week voting period after the closing date to help determine which 100 dreams will make it onto Canada’s first national parks bucket list.

The top-voted dream will win the grand prize trip for two to the Nahanni and the two runners up will receive great prize packages including a Mountain Equipment Co-Op shopping spree, Parks Canada Family Discovery Passes, great gear by CPAWS and a year’s subscription to Explore Magazine. All participants will also be eligible for great weekly prize giveaways! Watch out for the 24 hours “takeover”-24 additional prizes to win!

“This is an opportunity for Canadians to share their dream experiences in our national parks.  We encourage everyone who has ever been to a national park, or dreams of getting to one, to share their ideas. We have amazing natural treasures in our parks and this is a year to celebrate them,” says CPAWS National Executive Director, Éric Hébert-Daly.

Click here for more information and to enter the competition.

That’s the lowest jobless rate for Canada’s economy since January 2009, a few months after the recession started. The unemployment rate for young workers, which Statistics Canada considers to be people between 15 and 24, fell to 13.9 per cent, down from 14.3. Even behind the positive headline number, analysts found reason for optimism in the details of the report.

Full-time jobs were up 32,900 and private-sector employment added 37,100. Both are indications of higher-quality employment.

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty has urged Canadian corporations to start hiring to pick up the slack for the end of government stimulus spending.

A consensus of economists polled by Reuters had been expecting 20,000 new jobs to be made, a drop from April’s 58,000 increase. While most of the jobs gains were full-time, they came in the less desirable self-employment category, which could indicate that many Canadians turned to creating their own employment because they were unable to find more traditional work.

The number of employees in Canada actually dropped by 7,500 in May, and the goods-producing sector of the economy saw a pull-back in employment, with manufacturing taking the biggest hit with 22,500 fewer jobs. The month also showed the public sector is starting to tighten, shedding 44,300 jobs as governments begin dealing with large deficits.

The hard-hit manufacturing sector shed 23,000 jobs. Despite the decline, employment in the key industry has risen by 25,000 or 1.4 per cent since a low point in May 2010. Canada’s economy is doing far better than its southern neighbour and biggest trading partner. In the past year, Canada has created 273,000 new jobs, most full-time and in the private sector, while the U.S. has struggled to post solid gains.

Regionally, employment increased in Quebec, Alberta and Saskatchewan, while Newfoundland and Labrador saw a decline. Other provinces had little significant change.

Search for Canadian Jobs with CareerBuilder

Highlights of the makeover include a playful Rubik’s Cube entrance (think Toronto’s ROM Crystal for kids) and 12 new galleries based on the theme of building blocks. Each play zone offers learn-while-you-play opportunities such as a table that simulates an earthquake, complete with tumbling blocks. Many also offer Prairie-inspired experiences such as stepping inside a giant Milk Machine cow to learn about modern dairy farming or chilling out in a reading cocoon within a peaceful faux marsh. The ultramodern Arts & Exhibition Centre will host the latest in travelling exhibits, performers and theatre productions.

Although the museum promotes a love of learning, there will be plenty of opportunities to get silly. A much-anticipated play zone is Lasagna Lookout, a pasta-themed structure where visitors can dodge meatballs and crawl through a fettuccine tunnel.

Outdoors, kids can go wild at the nearby Variety Heritage Adventure Park, opening this summer. Situated on lands once occupied by Fort Gibraltar, a North West Company trading post, this new Parks Canada site offers birch bark canoes, splash pads, York boats and other interactive play structures designed to bring Manitoba’s heritage to life.

All these renovations won’t disrupt the museum’s winning formula of imagination and make-believe. The beloved CN diesel locomotive No. 9161 and vintage passenger coach will continue to be the heart of the museum, letting visitors journey to wherever their imagination wants to go.

www.travelmanitoba.com

Article courtesy of the Canadian Tourism Commission Media Centre

Writers Bio: Michele Peterson – I am a columnist for Fifty-five Plus magazine, Ontario’s leading publication for older active adults and author the Daytripper as well as Travel Bug columns (news on Canadian, Ontario and international destinations)with readers in Ottawa, Kingston and Toronto. I am also a frequent contributor to Buffalo area publications such as the Buffalo News, Buffalo Spree as well as the Toronto Star, Via, Dreamscapes, Air Canada onAir, the Globe and Mail, Spa Life and 2: Couples Magazine and others as well as the Manitoba section of the Travel Industry Guide to Canada. My focus is eco-destinations, culinary, outdoor adventure such as canoeing, hiking and cycling, as well as spas.

Most of the people who have heard of the Stampede will immediately think of cowboys riding crazy horses round an arena until they get thrown off. Well, yes this is part of the stampede, but there is also so much more.

The Calgary Stampede dates back to 1912 when the first rodeo took place with a prize of $20,000 at stake. This, at the time made it the richest rodeo competition in North America and over 100,000 people came to watch. A few years later in 1923 the rodeo was combined for the first time with the Calgary Exhibition and has done so ever since. The event takes place over ten days and attendance is over one million.

The Stampede takes place at the 137 acre Stampede Park, just east of downtown Calgary. The opening ceremony consists of a parade led by the Calgary Stampede Showband who march 4.5 km through downtown Calgary. The parade usually attracts around 400,000 people alone. In addition, the television audience is around two million.

So, what can you expect if you decide to attend the Stampede?

Music: There are many music related shows on during the Stampede. The three main music venues are the Coca Cola Stage, Nashville North and Saddledome. Every day each stage hosts a number of different acts, so make sure you know who your favorites are and where they will be so you don’t miss anything.

Rides & games: The Midway is the location of the many rides available at the Stampede. Last year there were over 35 major rides and 22 kids rides as well as lots of smaller rides to keep everyone entertained. There are also lots of games to play such as beer smashing, duck pond and ring toss.

You can pay per ride or purchase money saving Midway Magic Pass Credits. Each ride requires a different number of credits to ride. You can also purchase day passes, so you pay a one- off price and can ride all day.

Entertainment: You can also find lots of other entertainment available throughout the Stampede duration. Past events have included BMX riding, skateboarding shows, exhibits, dog shows, auctions and many more.

Rodeo: Of course there is the rodeo and this consists of six major events:

Bareback: Physically very demanding as the cowboy holds onto a handhold and is disqualified for touching the animal or equipment with the other hand. The ride lasts eight seconds, if they haven’t been bucked off before then.

Bull Riding: This is the most dangerous event and the rider is strapped to the bull by a special handhold. Like the bareback the rides lasts eight seconds and riders are disqualified for touching the bull with the free hand.

Ladies Barrel Racing: This is the only event for ladies at the Stampede. Riders circle three barrels in a cloverleaf pattern and the ride is timed. Barrels can be touched but a five second penalty is incurred if a barrel is knocked over.

Saddle Bronc: The rider moves his feet from the horse’s neck in a full arc toward the back of the saddle in time with the bronc’s action. The rider needs to hold on for eight seconds and cannot touch the animal or equipment with his free hand.

Steer Wrestling: The steer wrestler starts behind a barrier and gives the steer a head start of ten seconds, otherwise penalties are incurred. There are many rules relating to this event which are too numerous to list here.

Tie-Down Roping: This is the most technical event and like the steer wrestling a ten second head start for the animal is required. After roping the tie-down animal, the cowboy must run down his rope and ay the animal down by hand. If the tie- down animal is down when he reaches it, he must allow the tie-down animal to get up then lay it down. Again there are many rules, too numerous to list relating to this event.

Other events which taking place include:

Novice Bareback: The same rules apply as per the bareback event but this is for riders under 20 years of age.

Novice Saddle Bronc: The same rules apply as per the saddle bronc event but this is for riders under 20 years of age.

Junior Steer Riding: This event is for kids aged between 10 and 14 years. One half of the score is awarded for the contestant’s ability to ride and the other half is for the stock’s ability to buck. The cowboys are allowed to ride with one hand or two. If they elect to ride with only one – they must abide by the rules for bull riding – whereby they will be disqualified for slapping the animal, themselves or double grabbing with both hands during the eight seconds.

Wild Pony Racing: Teams of three youngsters ages 8 to 12 try to tame a wild pony long enough to get a rider aboard for a two jump ride. The team with the fastest time wins.

Chuckwagon: The chuckwagon races are very exciting and adrenalin pumping. A team of four horses are hitched to a chuckwagon and race round a series of barrels at breakneck speed. Four wagons take part in each race, so that means 36 horses and 144 hooves all taking place in less than a minute.

Fireworks: The fireworks show is a spectacular event involving some of the world’s best pyrotechnic display teams. The show can be seen not only from the Stampede arena itself but from most of downtown Calgary.

Food & Drink

Like all good events there are lots of places to get food and drink. You can enjoy anything from full service menus at Mavericks Dining Room and Lounge to hot dogs from the stand.

There are food and drink locations throughout the Stampede in every area so you will never be too far from a quick snack or full meal. Choose from buffets, full service lounges, concession stands and of course beer gardens amongst others.

Tickets

Tickets can be purchased at the gate, but it is advisable to purchase tickets well before the event.

Grab your tickets by clicking on this link

The 2011 show takes place July 8 -17 details can be found here

An average home goes for $373,000 nationwide, while in Vancouver the average price is $815,000. But BMO senior economist Sal Guatieri says a correction in Vancouver will likely be less severe than previous ones.

“Four corrections in the past three decades saw declines averaging 21 per cent. However, if interest rates stay low and wealthy immigrants continue to pour into the city, prices could stabilize sooner than in past downturns,” he said in a statement.

Vancouver’s house prices have nearly tripled in the last decade. The BMO report says demand from China has been strong, because of fewer travel restrictions and stricter purchase rules and high prices there.

Vancouver’s prices, after only being a tad higher than those in Toronto in the early 2000s, are now 71 per cent higher than those in Canada’s largest city.

The BMO report says average housing prices across the country have doubled in the past decade, to a new high hit in April.

“Prices are 5.1 times median family income and housing costs an extra two years of gross income compared to 2001, when the boom began and valuations were closer to historic norms,” Guatieri said.

The report says historically low interest rates have yet to make housing affordability a major issue yet, but that could change if there’s even a moderate rise in interest rates.

The report compared Vancouver’s market to those in Toronto and Calgary. Toronto’s prices should be stable in a low interest-rate climate, the report says, but could soften if rates increase in the next few years. Calgary’s housing prices have doubled within the last four years, but have yet to hit the highs set before the recession.

“Barring a sharp pullback in energy prices, Calgary’s house prices stand a reasonable chance of growing alongside incomes in coming years,” Guatieri said.

Average home prices in April 2011: (10-year change in brackets)

• Nationwide: $373,000 (122 per cent)
• Nationwide (without Vancouver): $337,000 (111 per cent)
• Vancouver: $815,000 (188 per cent)
• Calgary: $412,000 (127 per cent)
• Toronto: $477,000 (91 per cent)

With an eclectic mix of restaurants, pubs, and cafes, there is something for every taste bud. Community and city-wide festivals and events fill the streets nearly every week of the year, offering exhilarating options from world class music, theatre, comedy, gaming and sport. Whether it’s a hotel, an enchanting inn or cozy Bed & Breakfast, Charlottetown is your home away from home.

As could be expected for the capital of Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.), Canada’s smallest province in size and population, Charlottetown is a tiny, scenic city. Yet, as if a microcosm of the Island, Charlottetown is as vibrant and diverse as P.E.I. itself. A major player in Canadian history, Charlottetown has many historical monuments and museums. The city also possesses a thriving arts community, and a variety of shops and restaurants that can cater to any taste. Centrally situated on the south coast of the Island, Charlottetown has a sheltered harbour, a view of the Northumberland Strait, many green spaces, and beautiful architecture, much of it from the 19th century. Cliffs protect the city’s seaside entrance, while the Hillsborough watershed has resulted in surrounding plains and marshlands.

History

Charlottetown was originally founded when its protected position at the junction of two rivers close to the Hillsborough Bay was considered an ideal area for settlement by a British crown surveyor in 1764. Named after England’s Queen Charlotte, the area was quickly designated as the capital of what is now Prince Edward Island. As the centre of government on P.E.I., Charlottetown soon became the dominant town and voice of the province. Even today, the city is still the cultural and political heart of the island.

Charlottetown’s influence has not just extended to provincial affairs, however. Known as the birthplace of Confederation, Charlottetown played host to a meeting of prominent politicians in 1864. The Charlottetown Conference, which discussed the unification of several provinces, was a success, and in 1867, the Dominion of Canada was founded. In 1992, all eyes in Canada turned to Charlottetown again when the Charlottetown Accord, which would have granted Canada’s provinces more autonomy and given Quebec special status, was drafted here by the federal government. The highly unpopular accord was defeated in a countrywide referendum and lead to an election that saw the reigning party defeated.

Getting there and traveling around

Although known in myth for receiving large amounts of snow, Prince Edward Island in fact boasts some of the gentlest temperatures in Canada. Never too hot in the summer, never too cold in winter, Charlottetown’s temperature is moderated by its oceanside location. Temperatures range from -3°C to -11°C (26°F to 11°F) in winter, and average in the 20s and occasionally the low 30s (70s to 90s) during the summer. While July and August are the driest months, rain is frequent in the Atlantic provinces, so packing an umbrella is often useful.

There is very little public transportation on Prince Edward Island and Charlottetown is no exception, as its transit service only runs from approximately 9:30am to 2:30pm, Monday through Friday. No great skill is required when driving in Charlottetown as the streets are rarely crowded and parking is plentiful and cheap. Do keep in mind, however, that the city has several areas that are car-free; it’s far easier to just walk, especially since most places of interest are located within close distance of each other and the city is safe even at night.

To get to Charlottetown from outside of P.E.I., there are several different options available. The Confederation Bridge joining P.E.I. to New Brunswick provides a dramatic route for motor vehicles, and is approximately 56 km (35 mi) away from Charlottetown. From Nova Scotia, take the Northumberland Car Ferry to Wood Islands, P.E.I. or fly in from Halifax. There are also regular flights through Air Canada from Toronto, Ontario, and there are several discount providers that also offer flights from cities including Toronto, Montreal,Quebec and Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A., during the summer months. The Charlottetown Airport is located approximately 8 km (5 mi) from the city.

Accommodation

Accommodations in Charlottetown vary extensively, and many are only open during the incredibly busy summer. As such, it’s useful to book a room before arriving. From massive four-star chain hotels to tiny, shared-bathroom bed and breakfasts, Charlottetown has every type of accommodation, and many have harbour view rooms or are located in the city’s original buildings. Rates in Charlottetown are relatively inexpensive, and there is something to fit every budget and taste, although prices fluctuate wildly between seasons and even within the same category of lodging. Accommodations are located throughout the city, including residential areas, with the majority clustered around downtown Charlottetown and the TransCanada Highway.

Events & festivals

During its lifetime, Charlottetown has raised the ability to celebrate to an art form. This is a city of celebrations, and it seems that only a few weeks can go by before another ceilidh (dance or party) or festival occurs to the delight of locals and visitors. There is always anevent of some type occurring, especially during the summer months.

At the end of summer, the Festival of the Fathers occurs, which celebrates the Charlottetown Conference with re-enactments, interactive historical events, an historic gala ball and a pub crawl. The Festival of Lights meanwhile, is a three-day, four-night celebration of Canada Day, which includes top musicians from Canada and throughout the world, a massive fireworks display, a midway and a children’s village. There is also the P.E.I International Shellfish Festival, which is not to be missed by those who love seafood. The three day event, which includes local music, chowder competitions and oyster-shucking championships, is considered the largest kitchen party on the Island. Recently, the Jack Frost Children’s WinterFest has joined the Charlottetown lineup of festivals. This event features a massive ice castle, ice sculpting competitions, children’s stage and music shows.

The most famous of all these festivals, parties and celebrations is the Charlottetown Festival, a two-month long celebration of the performing arts. Located in and around theConfederation Centre of the Arts, the festival is best known for its yearly run of Anne of Green Gables: The Musical. This play tells the heartwarming story of P.E.I.’s most famous resident, red-haired Anne Shirley, and attracts thousands of visitors to the Island each summer.

Historical Attractions

As a capital city, Charlottetown has plenty of attractions. Exploring the city’s past at its many historical sites could take days; Founder’s Hall, Province House, Fanningbank,Beaconsfield House and many other buildings in the area each represent aspects of P.E.I.’s history. Province House, where the Charlottetown Conference was held and the current legislature sits is especially interesting. Guided tours and re-enactments of the conference occur throughout the summer. Founder’s Hall is a new attraction that is situated in a 1906 railway depot and is home to an interactive, multi-media self-guided tour of Canadian history since confederation, with special emphasis on P.E.I.’s role.

For those who like their architecture, there are many historical examples, from Victorian, lemon-yellow Beaconsfield House, to gothic St. Dustan’s Basilica, to the mid 19th-century grandeur of Province House. There are also several squares (Hillsborough, Kings, Rochford and Connaught) that were part of the original city where many fine mansions (some of them now bed and breakfasts) can be found.

Exploring on Foot

The city is laid out easily for walking. Between the original city’s boundaries of Euston and Water Streets are major thoroughfares where most of Charlottetown’s attractions and entertainment can be found. A large proportion of these streets lead to the harbour, where a boardwalk runs through several parks and past many of Charlottetown’s best and favourite shops and restaurants, including those of the popular Peake’s Wharf. Walking tours of the city are also available through Founder’s Hall, which provides a costumed guide to show visitors the sights and impart knowledge (and gossip) about Charlottetown’s early days.

Shopping

Although not to be compared with New York City, Paris, London or even Toronto, Charlottetown has the market covered when it comes to one-of-a-kind cottage-industry styleshops. From organic, P.E.I.-ingredient-made soaps and P.E.I. Dirt Shirts to stained glass windows and handmade furniture, Charlottetown’s shops can sate the crafter within while providing a wealth of souvenirs and gifts to take home. A large proportion of these smaller stores can be found around the harbour and on Queens Street and Victoria Row, while more traditional shops and chains are well represented at Charlottetown’s malls,Confederation Court Mall, and the Charlottetown Mall. P.E.I.’s ten percent Provincial Sales Tax (PST) applies to all non-essential goods (clothing, food and shoes are exempt), and is applied at the till along with the Canada-wide seven percent Government Sales Tax (GST).

The Arts

Charlottetown’s arts community, although not large, is well represented at many venues in town. Galleries specializing in the art of P.E.I. abound, and local paintings, crafts and prints are to be found throughout the city, including at the P.E.I. Gallery in the Guild, an artist-owned print gallery which offers visitors introductory lessons and access to the workrooms.

There are always plays occurring in Charlottetown; while most of these can be found throughout the year at the Confederation Centre of the Arts, two dinner theatres, a comedy sketch troupe and an outdoor Shakespearian theatre also operate during the summer. Several movie theatres reside in Charlottetown, including one that specializes in local, independent and art films, and live music and local bands can always be found in one of the city’s many bars and clubs.

P.E.I. writers are also well represented in Charlottetown. Several bookstores specialize in local authors and hold readings, discussion groups and signings around these authors’ works.

Outdoor Activities

Charlottetown has an abundance of natural attractions both within and just outside the city that provide plenty of recreational opportunities. There are many parks and green spaceswhere trails as well as tennis, basketball and volleyball courts can be found. Water sports are very popular in Charlottetown, and it is easy to experience sea kayaking, scuba diving or sailing in the area due to the large number of shops offering instruction and equipment. Several golf courses are located just outside of Charlottetown as is Confederation Trail, which provides ample opportunities for walking, birdwatching, bicycling or snowmobiling as it winds past the city. There are also several outdoors tour organizations operating out of Charlottetown, and fishing and hunting trips and tours of the area by boat, airplane andbicycle are all available. Seal watching is also a popular activity, and many boat tours out of the harbour offer visitors a chance to see seals at play in their natural habitat.

Dining

There is a wide range of dining options available in Charlottetown that cater to a variety of tastes. From mom and pop diners to seafood bars, fine dining rooms to a cornucopia of ethnic eateries, Charlottetown offers every type of dining experience. Food can also be found at many bars, and also at a number of the city’s independent coffee shops. The majority of restaurants are found in Old Charlottetown, with a large proportion either located on University Avenue or down by the harbour.

Nightlife

Charlottetown has a decent nightlife, and as benefits the home of the University of Prince Edward Island, Holland College and several commercial colleges, there are a slew of barsand restaurants that stay open until all hours of the morning. Favourite bars for locals are the Olde Dublin Pub, where live Irish music, sing-alongs and plenty of Guinness may be found, and Peake’ s Quay, a restaurant and bar that transforms into a club complete with drink specials and the occasional live act during summer. Two other highly popular locales are Myron’s and Breakers, the first a dance club that sees a number of top musical acts, and the latter a billiards and drinks place where university students can be found. A weekly entertainment during the summer is the Friday Night Ceilidhs at Irish Hall, where locals and visitors gather to listen and dance to traditional Gaelic music.

For more information visit the main city website

For tourism information click here

The survey of more than 1,000 Canadians, conducted by Vision Critical, revealed that a surprising number of Canadians have had first-hand experience with homelessness and related issues – nearly one-quarter of Canadians have received or are currently receiving assistance from a food bank or charitable group while seven percent reported that they have had to sleep on the street or in a shelter due to lack of housing at some point in their lives

“The people of Canada have spoken and revealed much about their attitudes and perceptions about the nation’s homeless,” said Commissioner William Francis, leader of The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda. “We hope that through this report and the Dignity Project, we can continue to educate and inspire the public and work towards a Canada without homelessness.”

“I am saddened to see that a significant minority of Canadians believe a number of myths about the homeless; like they choose to be homeless, that most are mentally ill and that homeless people are scary,” said Vision Critical’s Chief Research Officer Andrew Grenville. “That’s simply not true, as the Salvation Army’s report makes clear. There is a lot Canadians can do to help provide the homeless with the ability to get off the street and into housing.  And that’s where the Salvation Army’s Dignity Project comes in.”

The previous report “Debunking the myths about poverty in Canada” can be accessed here.

The new report “Canada Speaks” can be accessed here.

Beekeeping has been a sweet passion with Eliese, a history postgraduate. So much so that she has now started a social entrepreneurial venture, ABC (Apiaries and Bees for Communities) in Calgary that focuses on the development of educational opportunities for community members in regards to pollinators and healthy urban habitat development.

When Eliese moved from Crossfield, Alberta, to Calgary, Alberta, in 2005, she was overcome by a sense of being city-bound, and began to miss her country roots. She wanted to do something to make Calgary a greener and more diversified habitat. Bees, for some reason, fascinated her since childhood and she started focusing on urban beekeeping projects.

“In 2008, I was hearing about urban beekeeping projects happening all over the world, primarily in France, and decided that I would keep bees in Calgary. I began to do some research on beekeeping, and became attached to the Top-Bar Hive method of beekeeping, a method that has its origin in Kenya. Gradually beekeeping became a full time avocation,” she narrates.

Today, Eliese, through ABC, is committed to develop sustainable communities of urban beekeepers through the support of conventional and Top-Bar Hive management practices.

“Did you know that Alberta is the largest honey producer in Canada, and the fifth largest producer of honey in the world?” she informs with an air of expert.

“Beekeeping is a huge part of the Alberta agribusiness as it plays a significant role in canola pollination. There is currently an incredible increase of demand over supply, forcing beekeepers to look for ‘stock’ (GM bees, resistant varieties) from New Zealand and Australia,” she says.

Eliese is deeply involved in bringing small-scale and controlled apiaries to community and residential gardens. Through educational programming, mentorship and workshops, her venture seeks to support the urban beekeeping hobbyist by increasing the health and quantity of honeybee populations.

Telling a bit about her social venture, Eliese says her organization is focused on the development of educational opportunities for community members in regards to pollinators and healthy urban habitat development. “This is done through educational programming, hands-on opportunities, free or discounted workshops for the public, and collaboration with other sustainable initiatives within the community,” she says.

She is currently involved in providing educational courses and day-long hands-on workshops to those interested in apiaries. She is also involved with many communities, including some in Red Deer, in dissemination of beekeeping information, besides being an active member in biodiversity organizations.

“I strongly believe that by engaging the public in the development of skills, which support self-sufficiency and independence, may lead to a more resilient and vibrant community, “she declares.

Article by Peeyush Agnihotri

Writers Bio: Peeyush Agnihotri is a writer with 14 years of international journalistic experience, mostly reporting on social and sustainable development issues. A National Foundation of India fellowship holder, he is currently based in Calgary

Often associated with the establishment and development of ethnocultural communities, Boulevard Saint-Laurent has been the gateway to Québec for thousands of immigrants searching for a better future. In 1996, the government of Canada designated this grand boulevard as a national historic site, thereby commemorating it as a sign of hope and an essential passage for newcomers.

Eleven kilometres long, the Main crosses practically every important street, avenue and boulevard in Québec’s largest city. Running north-south and dividing the city into East and West, Montréal’s principal thoroughfare draws droves of people in search of its intense cultural life, hip restaurants, and friendly urban lifestyle. Also treasured by the artistic community, it has inspired such major writers as Mordecai Richler and Michel Tremblay, in The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz and Sainte-Carmen de la Main, respectively.

Warm and welcoming, it is home both to essential services and to entertainment venues. In bygone days, it boasted a large concentration of places for a good time. From loose women to impossible love stories, the Main has always had a libertine reputation. As a part of town known for vice, where erotic shows, houses of debauchery, clandestine gaming houses and places to smoke all sorts of illegal products were established, it earned Montréal the nickname of “Sin City”.

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The majority, 92% rated Canada, as the best for its diverse environment, natural beauty and resources, while 94% said its peaceful nature was a real draw. Expats from around the world now account for more than 70% of the whole Canadian labour force growth.

Canada leads the G7 in terms of the safest place to live and conduct business with the most fairly administered judicial system. It was the leading performer among the hard-hit G7 developed economies during the global recession, helped by its sound banking system and the fact it avoided the property crash seen in the United States and much of Europe.

READ THE REASONS PEOPLE GAVE FOR MOVING TO CANADA

In second place is New Zealand, followed by Australia, France and South Africa. Making up the rest of the top ten is Portugal, Spain, the United States, the United Arab Emirates and Singapore.

As well as the country’s natural beauty and peaceful reputation, Canada’s healthcare system is also well regarded by expats living there and was rated high by 90%. Furthermore high standards of education are enjoyed by expats in Canadian Schools and Universities. Canada has the highest percentage of individuals achieving at least college or university education among the top 50 countries surveyed by the World Competitiveness Yearbook, 2009.

‘This is the second year Canada has topped the tables of the NatWest IPB Quality of Life Index. Its excellent working conditions, financial security and peaceful reputation have pushed Canada into this year’s pole position. It seems the pull of the beautiful Rockies, the Mounties and the marvellous taste of maple syrup is a real sticking point for expats,’ said Dave Isley, head of NatWest International Personal Banking.

’As a member of the Commonwealth, Canada offers Brits common values and goals shared with the UK, helping British expats settle into the country and feel at home,’ he added.

The booming economy in Canada also makes the country more attractive. Canada‘s recent expatriate intake has been double those of the United States, with priority given to highly skilled workers.

Financial assets in Canada are up 6% from last year’s levels. Household finances improved in the fourth quarter of 2010, and net worth is rising to record levels. Household net worth per capita increased to $181,700, representing the highest level on record.

Canadian household net worth grew by 2.2% in the fourth quarter of 2010 to $6.2 trillion. The gain pushed Canadians’ net worth to a new record high, 4.1% above the pre-recession peak seen in the second quarter of 2008 and 14.6% above the recessionary trough seen in the first quarter of 2009.

‘UK expats say they are living a more fulfilled lifestyle abroad, whilst also benefiting financially. This is particularly true for UK expats in Canada who not only say they benefit from financial security, improved cost of living and a happier working environment but a better work life balance and equal opportunities,’ explained Isley.

For the wider expat community, living and working abroad enables them to earn and save more despite the current economic downturn. More than half of those living and working abroad earn between £50,000 and £100,000. Expats based in Hong Kong have the highest salaries with close to half earning more than £100,000 a year.

The factors that influence individuals’ decisions on where they pursue their careers are many, but a key factor is the powerful link between earning capacity and the ability to build a nest egg. Some 74% of respondents claim to have increased disposable income since becoming expats.

Top 12 Expat Destinations:

1.  Canada
2.  New Zealand
3.  Australia
4.  France
5.  South Africa
6.  Portugal
7.  Spain
8.  U.S.
9.  United Arab Emirates
10. Singapore
11. Hong Kong
12. China

Low interest rates and a recovering economy continued to fuel activity in Canada’s housing markets over the past year, which has led to country-wide increases in average home prices. In the first quarter of 2011, the national average price of a detached bungalow rose 4.3 per cent year-over-year to $341,355, while standard two-storey homes rose 3.5 per cent to $379,388 and standard condominiums rose 4 per cent to $237,919.

“The rate at which Canadian homes are appreciating may well have peaked for the next year or so,” said Phil Soper, president and chief executive of Royal LePage Real Estate Services. “We expect house prices will continue to creep up, but most of the excess demand created by the initial drop in interest rates has been satisfied, and affordability continues to erode slowly, allowing the listings supply to catch up. In most markets, lower single digit percentage increases are more likely for the balance of the year.”

In the first quarter of 2011, certain markets such as Vancouver, Montreal and Halifax continued to experience significant price gains compared to the same period a year earlier, largely due to favourable regional demographic shifts and healthy local economies.

“Canada’s real estate market has maintained momentum coming out of 2010, indicating that the post-recession recovery is continuing,” Soper added. “While low interest rates continue to drive demand, the tepid pace at which employment levels are improving is tempering the rate of home price appreciation in many Canadian cities. The exception to this trend can be seen in markets like Vancouver, where foreign buyers, particularly from China, are driving demand in select mid-to-high priced markets, and driving up the regional average reported home prices at a surprising pace. In Montreal and Halifax, demand from first-time buyers and purchasers of luxury homes are creating significant year-over-year gains in home values.”

Among the best performing markets in the first quarter of 2011, Vancouver’s standard two-storey homes increased 9.7 per cent year-over-year to $1,083,750. Detached bungalows in Montreal rose 7.6 per cent year-over-year to $276,343 and standard condominiums in Halifax rose 13.1% year-over-year to $191,500.

Meanwhile, year-over-year price appreciation softened in St. John’s where the market is cooling down after an extended period of double digit price increases. In Saint John, detached bungalows dropped 6.3 per cent year-over-year to $178,000. While the medium-term prospects for the housing market in Alberta’s major cities remains very positive, the city of Calgary in particular is still adjusting to the rapid pace at which home prices appreciated in the middle of the past decade. The average price of a standard two-storey Calgary home was down 2.1 per cent year-over-year to $423,122.

Regional Market Summaries

Halifax witnessed the largest year-over-year price gains in Atlantic Canada, and some of the highest gains nationally, including the largest increase in standard condominiums rising 13.1 per cent.

Montreal continued to post strong gains as standard condominiums posted a year-over-year increase of 8.7 per cent, while detached bungalows rose 7.6 per cent.

Ottawa’s first-time buyers continue to drive the housing market as the region saw year-over-year price appreciation ranging between 5.2 to 5.9 per cent across all housing types surveyed this quarter.

Toronto’s detached bungalows and standard condominiums made healthy gains increasing 4.5 per cent and 3.7 per cent respectively. Demand for detached bungalows was driven by first-time buyers concerned with potentially rising interest rates and developers who are rebuilding or renovating the homes into larger units.

Winnipeg’s standard two-storey homes posted strong year-over-year gains rising 7.1 per cent to an average price of $297,125, second only to Vancouver in growth and tied with Halifax for this housing type.

While Saskatoon’s housing market posted modest changes, the three housing types surveyed in Regina made healthy year-over-year gains ranging from 3.2 per cent to 5.4 per cent.

Edmonton’s housing market stabilized with year-over-year price changes ranging from minus 1.8 per cent to increases of 2.3 per cent.

Calgary’s house prices saw modest year-over-year depreciation across all three housing types surveyed as a result of an increase in inventory. This coupled with low interest rates has presented attractive opportunities for potential buyers.

Driven by low interest rates, single family homes in Vancouver again dominated house price gains as two-storey houses rose year-over-year by 9.7 per cent. Although inventory is down slightly from last year, listings are keeping pace with demand.

Royal LePage’s quarterly House Price Survey shows the annual change of prices for key housing segments in select national markets.

Click here to view the chart

Housing values in the Royal LePage House Price Survey are Royal LePage opinions of fair market value in each location, based on local data and market knowledge provided by Royal LePage residential real estate experts.

Royal LePage Q1 2011 House Price Survey – Data Chart

This heritage is well reflected in the wide variety of events and entertainment, museums , and the excellent cuisine, which combines different ethnic and cultural roots with the easy availability of tremendous seafood and fresh produce. New Brunswick has an incredible selection of bird life and the high tides that the area is known for have created a variety of natural phenomena. New Brunswick has three major cities. Fredericton the capital, has an interesting historic character, Saint John is a truly novel seaport, and Moncton is mainly a service centre, but with many unique features of interest to tourists. The pace of life is definitely more relaxed here, and the friendliness of the people is legendary.

Brief History

The first inhabitants of what is now New Brunswick were groups of Algonquin speaking First Nations people – the Mi’kmaqin in the north and the southern Malecites and Passamaquoddy tribes. Jacques Cartier, during his exploration of eastern North America, first recorded the area’s existence in 1534. Settlement did not begin until 1604 when Samuel de Champlain established a settlement at the mouth of the St. Croix River. Though this was unsuccessful, French settlement began in earnest and by the end of the 17th century the area was well settled. The French introduced a method of farming near the Bay of Fundy utilizing dikes. The area of French settlement in what is today eastern Canada became known as Acadia, and included modern-day New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

Rivalry between the British and the French for this territory ensued, and this culminated in the Treaty of Utrecht of 1713. At this time, Acadia became British territory. However tension between the two countries were manifested in struggles in this part of North America. The British were unable to secure the boundaries of the territory that had been ceded to them. In 1755, full-scale war broke out. At this time the British forced French Acadians to commit themselves to the British crown, or else face exile. Many of the Acadians who fled ended up in Louisiana, where their descendents still reside. The term ‘Cajun’ (as the Louisiana-French culture and people are known as) is derived from ‘Acadian.’ Others settled in the more remote regions of what is now northern New Brunswick. Acadian culture and language has developed separately from that of the rest of French Canada, and today the Acadian community and its culture thrives alongside the English-speaking community. Despite past injustices, New Brunswick serves as an excellent example of a harmonious society.

After the Treaty of Paris in 1763 many people loyal to the British Crown emigrated from the soon to be United States, to eastern Canada. After the revolutionary war thousands of refugees from the 13 former colonies, preferring to remain British subjects, moved to Nova Scotia. Up until that time Nova Scotia encompassed what is now New Brunswick. With the big increase in population Nova Scotia was split, and the province of New Brunswick was founded. Throughout the early 1800s, largely due to the great supply of timber, New Brunswick grew and prospered. The ships that carried New Brunswick’s square-hewn timber to the world returned with immigrants. In those days ships were constructed of wood, and with New Brunswick’s major timber supply, shipbuilding was also a major industry.

On July 1st, 1867 New Brunswick was one of the founding provinces of Canada. As with so many regions of Canada the arrival of the railway in 1876 greatly influenced the growth and economy of New Brunswick. However it did not bring the prosperity that it usually did. Instead, the railway and economic policies allowed Québec and Ontario to compete with New Brunswick. These provinces could provide the same products in much greater volumes, and so New Brunswick lost many of its advantages. At the same time, ships began to be constructed of iron and steel, and so New Brunswick’s shipbuilding industry went into decline – perhaps a blessing in disguise, as the province’s forests were becoming depleted. Although lumber, fishing and mining industries slowly expanded, by the end of the 1800s the province’s prosperity was rapidly diminishing.

From this time until well after World War II, New Brunswick was unable to regain much of the economic success of the 19th century. Although the province had a moderately successful pulp and paper industry, there was considerable disparity between the Maritime Provinces and the rest of Canada, which was enjoying considerable growth and relative affluence. The Federal Government of Canada intervened to try and redress the balance. However this took a long time to show any effects, leaving New Brunswick dependent on federal expenditures and projects for a considerable length of time. Later the provincial government addressed the internal disparities between people of Acadian descent, who had a high poverty rate, and other residents of New Brunswick.

The Areas Economy

In 1969 New Brunswick became Canada’s first, and so far only, officially bilingual province. This has certainly aided the economy, as New Brunswick’s large, truly bilingual population, in combination with government incentives, has brought many service-oriented businesses to the province. In 1970 the city of Saint John became North America’s first deep-water oil tanker port. Oil refining here became a major economic player, and the city has very much gained economically from this and a reviving shipbuilding industry brought about largely from orders for the Canadian Navy. Significant deposits of potash and precious metals have recently been discovered, as well as the already established mining of copper, lead and zinc. Lumber, pulp and paper still play a major role, as does fishing, in particular for lobster, crab and sardines. Potatoes grow well here, and New Brunswick’s seed potatoes are exported worldwide. It can certainly be said that today, New Brunswick is well on the road to a stable and diverse economy.

The New Brunswick Climate

Summers in New Brunswick are rarely very hot, but the weather is comfortably warm. The province’s proximity to the ocean keeps coastal areas slightly cooler in the summer than further inland. New Brunswick has incredible beaches, and the ocean temperature is remarkably warm. Rain is fairly frequent, especially in the south. August tends to be the driest summer month. With New Brunswick’s abundance of forest and woodland, fall is spectacular, and rivals better known areas in New England for its autumn colours. Winters are cold, especially in the northwest of the province, where temperatures can slip down to -30ºC (-22ºF). In the south and coastal regions, once again the ocean acts as a moderator, and temperatures are warmer. There is a lot of snow, which always brings a lot of recreational opportunities. Cross country skiing on the province’s many trails is world class.

Getting Around

New Brunswick is well positioned to be a transportation hub. The Trans-Canada Highway passes through New Brunswick, making the province an important link between Québec, Ontario and Nova Scotia. There is also ferry transportation to Newfoundland and Labrador. The remarkable Confederation Bridge (the longest in the Western Hemisphere) links Cape Jourimain, New Brunswick to Borden, Prince Edward Island. There is a good network of inter-provincial buses, as well as links to the North American network of Greyhound. VIA Rail Canada serves several points in New Brunswick from Québec and Nova Scotia, with good connections in Montréal to Toronto and VIA’s transcontinental train service to Western Canada. There are several airports in New Brunswick, linked to Halifax where connections to the rest of the world can be made. Fredericton, Saint John and Moncton are also linked to Montréal and Toronto, and from Moncton there are flights to Hamilton and Winnipeg by low-cost carrier.

Attractions Not To Be Missed

Covered bridges, which are found in many places throughout northeastern North America, are particularly prevalent in New Brunswick. The province has no less than 74 of them, located mostly on secondary roads. The reasons for building covered bridges were that by covering the bridges, the timbers used in the construction of a wooden bridge and the floor of the bridge are protected from the elements and thus prevented from rotting. A wooden bridge that is covered will last about 80 years, whereas one that isn’t will last about ten. Also to an animal, the bridges appear like a barn, which makes crossing them far less stressful than crossing a bridge with a rushing river visible underneath. A third, but less functional use was that, covered bridges were a great place for courting couples. The world’s longest covered bridge is located at Hartland northwest of Fredericton. The Hartland Covered Bridge is 391 m (427 yd) long.

The high tides of New Brunswick certainly provide a good selection of natural phenomena for the visitor. The shores of Fundy National Park have the highest tides in the world. Erosion from these tides has caused some very interesting cliff formations. The cliffs have been likened to giant plant pots rising up from the beach. There are many excellent trails to enable visitors to see the cliffs; at low tide, the beaches are particularly wide, and are perfect for great hikes along the shore. Another phenomenon that the high tides of the region cause, are tidal bores. This is when the incoming tide suddenly causes the water in a river to switch from flowing downstream, to rapidly flowing upstream. The changes in the depth and width of the river are often dramatic and occur remarkably quickly. Occasionally the upstream flow resembles reverse waterfalls or rapids. The two most well known bores are the Reversing Falls in Saint John on the Saint John River, and the Tidal Bore at Moncton on the Petitcodiac River. It is best to ask locally to find out the times of the tides, and the best locations to view this unique sight from.

Shediac is a coastal summer resort just 22 km (14 mi) northeast of Moncton. It has a definite Acadian flavour, and is very popular and extremely hospitable. The beaches are wonderful, and benefit from the sandbars and shallow water, which make them, and other beaches on the Northumberland Strait, the warmest beaches north of North Carolina. Shediac is a great place to sample lobster, and a whole industry has been established here to enable visitors to enjoy this delectable crustacean at its finest. You can take a trip out to sea with lobster fishermen and learn everything you ever wanted to about lobster. Prices often include a good sampling of the local seafood. If you can make it here in early July, the annual Shediac Lobster Festival takes place. Shediac has some excellent establishments to enjoy the local specialty, among these is Fisherman’s Paradise which offers a full lobster feast.

Attractions that tell the Acadian story and that showcase the Acadian culture should be part of any visit to New Brunswick. A place of great merit in this regard is the Acadian Historic Village located 14 km (9 mi) west of Caraquet. It is of a similar concept to many of the excellent historical villages found throughout Canada. The interesting feature of the Acadian Village is that it very authentically portrays the harsh conditions which Acadians were forced to live in after the British expulsion policy, and so accurately enables visitors to witness one of history’s injustices. Because of this the Acadian Historic Village is a very valuable learning tool as well as being entertaining. The village recreates the years from 1780 to 1880. One just has to compare it with the recreation of a Loyalist settlement at King’s Landing Historic Village, to see the contrast in life in the two societies during the same time period. This is not to say that the village is not an enjoyable experience. You can observe costumed guides undertaking a typical day in the life of an Acadian, sample Acadian cuisine in one of the three restaurants or visit the 26 reconstructed buildings in the style of the period represented. There are special childrens’ programs where participants get to dress in Acadian costume, and take part in a seven-hour historical experience. This is an outstanding learning experience for children.

King’s Landing Historic Village is situated between Fredericton and Woodstock. This village typifies 19th century New Brunswick pioneer life for those of British descent. There are around 100 costumed guides here and 11 houses, plus farms, a grist mill and saw mill, a school, a store and a theatre. The village has a good selection of special events held throughout the year. For children, there is a similar program to the Acadian Historic Village. You can eat in the King’s Head Inn and savour typical pioneer food and beverages.

One of the most beautiful features in New Brunswick is the Saint John River Valley which winds its way for over 700 km (435 mi) diagonally across much of the province, from the north-western corner by the Québec border to the Bay of Fundy by Saint John. It has been compared to the Rhine in Germany, but fortunately without the industrialization that has marred much of the landscape of that great river. The scenery along its whole route is very pleasant and starts with rolling hills near the Bay of Fundy. North of Saint John through Fredericton to Woodstock, the scenery is particularly picturesque. The banks are tree-lined and lush green farm meadows are on either side. North of Woodstock the river passes through some of the great forests of the province. The whole valley is a very popular route for visitors, so it is important to book accommodation in advance. Two highways pass along the river. The faster and busier Trans-Canada Highway is mostly on the river’s west bank. The quieter Highway 105 passes directly through some of the small villages, and is largely on the east bank of the river. The scenery is of equal quality along either route.

For more information about New Brunswick visit the official tourism website

On board one of those massive vessels, standing out on the ship’s deck, watching those tranquil islands drift on by, one can’t help but feel a sense of adventure well up inside. Maybe it’s the fresh ocean air and the feeling of the Pacific waves below. Maybe it’s how appealing the Gulf Islands become on a warm sunny day. Maybe it’s the unknown beckoning to some deep-seeded instinct to explore. Whatever the cause may be, there is a simple solution, just go island hopping.

An activity enjoyed most in the warm months from May to September, island hopping is as simple as it sounds; board one boat after the next as they travel from island to island. The benefits to this seemingly humble endeavor are numerous. For starters, it affords an opportunity to fully experience the natural beauty, diverse culture and peaceful atmosphere found on each of these unique islands. Also, travel is inexpensive and relatively easy. But perhaps most importantly, island hopping is done at one’s own pace. It awards those exploring the islands with the freedom to spend as much time as they like in any one place.

The Islands

Seven major islands pierce the Strait of Georgia in the south. Each is surrounded by numerous lesser islands and each mutually enjoys a laid-back lifestyle, slower pace of life and a pleasant West Coast Canadian climate. However, due to their independent nature, the island communities found here can differ considerably. One might rely heavily on tourism, while the other may want nothing to do with it. Some have a very developed infrastructure, others still rely on dirt roads. Yet with all of their differences, this group of seven are all attractive in their own rights and each deserves at least a day or two of exploring.

Destination: Salt Spring

Salt Spring Island is the most populated and by far the largest of the Southern Gulf Islands. Home to musicians, farmers, entrepreneurs and a large arts community, the relaxed atmosphere and the natural lifestyle that these islanders enjoy attracts more visitors each year than any of the other six.

Billing itself as the Organic Gardening Capital of Canada, Salt Spring has made farming its primary resource. Much of the island is covered with picturesque pastures and pristine farmland and many shops and vendors fleck the streets, dispensing the bounty of these businesses. The remaining pockets are filled by artist’s galleries, studios and craft shops as they showcase the community’s creative spirit.

The rugged southern end of the island is dominated by Mount Tuam and Mount Bruce and is home to Ruckle Provincial Park, the biggest provincial campground in the Gulf Islands.

Compared to many of the Gulf Islands, Salt Spring features an impressive selection of shops, spas, restaurants and tourist accommodations.

New in 2008, a modest public transit system now makes island hopping that much easier as it connects Vesuvius in the northwest, Fulford Harbour in the northeast and Long Harbour in the south. Otherwise, ferry travelling foot passengers can rent a car, scooter or bicycle and tour the island’s many scenic byways.

Destination: Galiano

Dubbed the Gem of the Gulf Islands, Galiano is the second largest island in the chain. Though it is the first stop for the Tsawwassen ferry and a popular tourist destination, Galiano has managed to retain its undeveloped, secluded character while enjoying a reputation as the most welcoming to visitors.

On this long, narrow island there are plenty of options for the outdoor enthusiast. It has the most parkland of all the Southern Gulf Islands, is home to over 130 species of birds and harbours a number of rare and protected plants. As a result, Galiano is frequented by naturalists, beachcombers and bird watchers in the spring and summer seasons.

Visitors will be happy to know that there are a variety of services and lodgings situated on Galiano. The list includes resorts, inns, cottages, bed and breakfasts and a Provincial Park campsite. Amenities include restaurants, grocery stores, a pub, a gas station and, as is common in these parts, a handful of galleries.

Destination: Mayne

A small, tranquil island, Mayne is ripe with rolling orchards, pastoral farmlands and warm rocky beaches. Though it’s ideal for naturalists and anyone seeking a peaceful getaway, plenty of activity can be found on Mayne. There is a lively community here, and a history closely linked to the Cariboo Gold Rush of 1858. Miners Bay, the island’s commercial centre, and nearby Active Pass bustle with marine traffic and the narrow, hilly roads always add some excitement to any journey.

Those seeking accommodation on Mayne will find many bed and breakfasts, as well as a privately operated campground.

Destination: Pender

The populous Pender Islands are separated north and south by a canal and united by a bridge. Thusly, while most people refer to Pender Island in the singular, there are in fact two islands and aside from a large subdivision on North Pender, these islands remain green and rural.

Though friendly to visitors, the population is primarily residential and as a result there are very few restaurants, lodgings or shops to be found. Truthfully, there is not even a village or town centre on either of the islands. North Pender’s Driftwood Centre, however, is considered the closest thing as it houses a post office, pharmacy, laundromat, gas station, bank, grocery store and a couple of other services.

Popular for family vacations, romantic escapes, seminars and retreats, the Pender Islands are mostly known for their unspoiled countryside, hidden bays, old frame houses and incredible beaches. In fact, these islands are a beachcomber’s paradise with more than 20 ocean-access points leading to spanning, quiet beaches and picturesque coves.

Destination: Saturna

Saturna Island is the most remote and sparsely populated of the South Gulf Islands and as a result, it’s also the least spoiled. The permanent population on Saturna has remained small, preserving the charm and rural character of the island while the island’s bounty of wildlife and varied terrain support a variety of outdoor activities. After visiting, it’s easy to see why nearly half of the newly created Gulf Islands National Park incorporates the undeveloped wilderness land on Saturna Island.

Visitors to Saturna should always plan ahead as accommodations are limited to only a few cottages, lodges and bed and breakfasts. There are however plenty of interesting galleries to check out, as well as a general store, pub, cafe and a vineyard.

Destination: Thetis

Up in the north end of the chain, the relaxed, rural and peaceful Thetis Island sits off the coast of Vancouver Island. Especially popular in the summer months, this friendly little island is home to less than 400 permanent residents, only slightly higher than the neighbouring Kuper Island. Even with such a small population, Thetis Island has become almost entirely privately owned, with the exception of 14 km (9 mi) of public roads and 19 km (12 mi) of shoreline.
Local facilities include a community centre, a pub and restaurant, a post office, a small store, two marinas and a volunteer fire department.

Destination: Kuper

Kuper Island is owned by the Penelakut First Nations Tribe and as such falls under the governance of Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Valley. The smallest of the Gulf Islands chain, this 860 ha (2,125 acres) island has a population of about 185 members of the Penelakut Band. As a native reservation, property is not for sale and no commercial services have been established.

Thetis Island and Kuper Island were originally joined by mud flats until a passage was dredged in 1905. Today, mariners and paddlers can sail through that shallow, narrow passage and into Telegraph Harbour, one of the most popular anchorages in the Southern Gulf Islands.

Set course

All of the Gulf Islands are accessible from Vancouver Island via one of BC Ferries’ regular routes. Alternatively, boat tours, float planes and private charters are often available from many of the centres along Vancouver Island’s east coast.

A number of Victoria-based tour companies offer all-inclusive day trips and overnight excursion tours that can be ideal for those who just can’t decide where to start. Otherwise, visitors will want to plan well in advance, especially in the peak summer season. Firstly, choose which islands to include in the tour, then consult a BC Ferries schedule to manage connections. From there, plan when and where to seek overnight accommodations. Most communities offer hotels, resorts and a great selection of bed and breakfasts but they will fill up quickly in the peak season.

The alternative is to travel off peak season in the fall and winter. During these downtimes, ferry service to many islands is restricted to one or two sailings per day, prompting an early start and late returns. The trade-off is that there are far fewer visitors to share the roads, waterways, parks and hotels with.

From Swartz Bay

Sitting on the tip of the Saanich Peninsula in a little town called Sidney, the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal is the primary starting point for excursions to five of the Southern Gulf Islands. From here, travellers can hop on board a direct-route to Fulford Harbour on Salt Spring, Otter Bay on North Pender, Sturdies Bay on Galiano, Village Bay on Mayne and Lyall Harbour on Saturna.

When there is time to spare, the Gulf Islands Day Trip from Swartz Bay is recommended. This meandering circle route makes several stops as it winds through the channels. The whole trip can take the better part of a day but stops and sailing times will vary depending on the date and time of sailing.

From Crofton and Chemainus

The friendly community of Crofton in the Cowichan region is another departure point for hops between Vancouver Island and Salt Spring Island. Routes from the seaside town of Chemainus connect with Thetis Island and Kuper Island.
From the Islands

On Salt Spring Island, BC Ferries operates out of three terminals: Fulford Harbour ferries sail to Swartz Bay; Long Harbour serves ferries to and from Tsawwassen Terminal; and Vesuvius Bay ferries sail to Crofton. Otherwise, a network of ferry routes connect the islands of Pender, Mayne, Saturna, Salt Spring and Galiano. This sometimes confusing schedule is surprisingly effective and can get one from any island to any other island in a matter of an hour or less.

Now, let the island hopping begin, but remember, always plan to be punctual. The ferries will fill up very quickly on a busy day and even with a reservation, they will not wait for dawdlers.

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Alberta is richly blessed with an abundance and variety of wild plants and animals. It is the only place in North America where the prairie, boreal forest and mountain ecosystems meet. As a result, over 300 bird, 90 mammal, 18 reptile and amphibian, 50 fish and 1,700 flowering plant species occur during at least part of the year.

In southwestern Alberta, you’ll find coulees, praire, foothills, mountain slopes; a remarkable variety of landforms and climatic conditions which produce an exceptional diversity of sites for viewing wildlife. Coulees, such as those found in Lethbridge, are steeply eroded draws and valleys which harbour sufficient moisture to create distinctive oases of trees and shrubbery in the midst of the southern prairie. These locations sustain an abundance of flora, birds and mammals which are otherwise uncommon in the prairie region. In the Crowsnest Pass, you may visit open stands of limber pines, bent and weathered by the wind, fast flowing trout streams and mountain meadows. The greatest diversity of wildlife species in the province occurs in Alberta’s southwest corner, where prairie and mountain meet in Waterton Lakes National Park. The two species in the Canadian Rockies that hold the most interest are bear and elk. The former because of their power and amazing character, and the latter because they are so prolific within the area.

Bears

Bear attacks are among the rarest and most publicized dangers in the wilderness. Bears, particularly grizzlies are an indication of true wilderness. At one time the grizzly ranged as far east as Hudson’s Bay and south into Mexico. As European settlement expanded, the grizzly’s habitat decreased to the few pockets of remaining wilderness large enough to survive in. Remember this is the bear’s home, you are the visitor and owe your host due courtesy. Always treat bears with the greatest care and respect. Most confrontations are avoidable. Given the opportunity bears will usually leave the area if they are given adequate warning and do not feel threatened.

Hiking in Bear Country

It is best to avoid an encounter by avoiding the bear. Common sense and careful observation will greatly reduce the risk of a bear attack.

• Be observant of any signs indicating the presence of bears, such as footprints, droppings, and diggings.
• If you see a bear give it a large detour (several hundred metres). Never approach a bear. Retreat if it is not possible to totally avoid the bear.
• Never approach a carcass, it may have already been marked and claimed by a bear.
• In areas of poor visibility make noise to alert the bear of your presence.
• Travelling in larger groups reduces the risk of an attack, with six or more appearing to be the magic number to discourage a charge.

Camping in Bear Country

It is very important to keep a clean camp. Improperly stored food and abandoned garbage may attract bears. If a bear becomes used to finding food and feeding in a camp, and it becomes habitual behaviour, the chance of attack is much greater. Too many bears have been killed by the parks service because campers were careless.

• Cook one hundred metres down wind from the tent.
• Store food and any scented materials (soap, tooth paste, cosmetics, etc.) at least one hundred metres downwind of camp. Hang the food at least four metres off the ground. If you are above treeline store food in plastic abs cylinders, or air tight bags at least one hundred metres from camp. Many backcountry campsites in the Canadian Rockies have bear poles to hang food. Often these are very close to camp, and not always down wind. Use them at your own discretion.
• Keep the camp clean. Store all garbage in air tight bags and hang it with the food. If the camp is littered when you arrive, clean the area and pack out the litter.
• Plan a possible escape route. Find a suitable tree near by to climb, or camp in the open to avoid surprising a bear.
• Leave the pack outside and away from the tent.

Bear Encounters

With these precautions, the chance of startling a bear or being attacked are extremely remote. If you ever should encounter a bear:

• Stay calm and do not run.
• Talk softly, avoid direct eye contact, and watch for signs of aggressive behavior. Snapping its jaws, making a woofing sound, a lowered head, and laying its ears back are all aggressive gestures.
• Look for an escape route. Are there any trees nearby suitable for climbing, can you slowly back away and give the animal more room?

If the bear attacks there are no sure methods to prevent, deter, or reduce the mauling. Each situation is as unique as every bear. The following are only recommendations that have shown to be effective more often than not.

• Don’t run.
• If you can climb up a tree before the bear reaches you it may be a good defense. Drop your pack and climb up as high as you can.
• Divert the bears attention by dropping or tossing an article ( hat, camera, this book, etc. ) off to the side. Keep your pack on.
• Play dead. Put your hands behind your neck, and curl up with your knees pressed against the chest. Keep your pack on to protect the back.
• While some have claimed to have successfully fought off bears, in reality this may only intensify the attack. In general do not fight a grizzly, unless all else fails and there is nothing else to lose.

Bear behavior is very complex, and it is impossible to predict how an individual will react. Bears are fascinating animals and the more you learn about them, the easier it is to travel in bear country with confidence. There are many sensational and inaccurate stories concerning bears, but there are also quite a few reputable books that can help you understand the animal.

Elk and Moose

While seemingly benign on occasion these animals have the potential to be dangerous. Elk in particular have been known to attack hikers with little warning. The aggressive behaviour is usually associated with protecting their offspring or their reproductive cycle. In the late spring and through the summer hinds (female) Elk are giving birth or raising a young calf. If they feel threatened they may charge. From late August to the end of November, the stags (males) are in the rut, and at this time they are very aggressive. Never approach these animals or come between a mother and its young, they will fight. Elk are responsible for more attacks on people than any other animal in the mountains, yet almost all of these are provoked by careless people. Moose can display similar aggresive characteristics for the same reason.

The Early History

The Northwest coastal region along the Bay of Fundy was first inhabited by the Maliseet Nation, a nation that thrived on pollack fishing. A branch of the Algonquian tribe, the Maliseet had been thriving in the Saint John area for more than 2000 years. Europeans landed in the area in 1604, when Samuel de Champlain led a reconnaissance of the Bay of Fundy. Conflict between the Europeans and the Maliseet led to the nation being eventually driven from the area, and to French domination in the region. The day that Champlain landed at the mouth of the river was Saint John the Baptist’s Day, which resulted in the name of the township and the river itself. The story of the Maliseet can be explored through art and other exhibits at the New Brunswick Museum.

The city of Saint John played a role in the French and Indian wars, the American Revolution, and the War of 1812. It eventually passed to British rule, though French language and culture is still prominent in the city today. The bustling port and winding city streets hold a distinct Acadian feel unique to Saint John. The Centre Scolaire-Communautaire Samuel-de-Champlain celebrates Acadian heritage and puts on two annual events, the Festival de la Baie Francaise in June and the Festival Acadien in August. These festivals are a great way to spend a day out in Saint John and delve into the culture and history of the Francophone community.

Saint John grew quickly in size during the Irish Potato Famine of 1845-49, when there was an immigration influx from Ireland by those seeking a better life in the New World. The diverse history of the city is reflected in its authentic and multicultural society and tradition. Visitors can explore the historic streets and sites, which include the Carleton Martello Tower that played a key role in both the War of 1812 and World War II, and the Loyalist House, Saint John’s oldest building.

Climate

Due to its location aside the Bay of Fundy, Saint John has a humid, temperate climate. Though temperatures regularly drop below freezing in winter, the season is much more mild in Saint John than in other New Brunswick cities. Summer weather ranges from cool to moderately warm, with temperatures rarely exceeding 30°C (86°F). The humidity, however, often makes the summer feel hotter and the winter cooler. It effects the level of snowfall as well, which is less than the rest of the province. Saint John averages 65 cm (26 in) of snow each month from November through February. Rain is a much more common climate condition, so visitors are advised to be equipped with a good rain jacket. A pair of rubber boots or duck boots are also recommended for those spending time outdoors or camping.

Transport Links

Vacationers flying into the city will arrive at Saint John Airport, located approximately 15 km (9 mi) east of the city centre. Those travelling by bus will find the Greyhound Bus services with convenient schedules in and out of New Brunswick’s capital, and VIA Rail provides train transport for those looking for a more scenic journey. Once in Saint John, all visitors must experience some sort of transportation on water. The Saint John Marina, located on the banks of the Saint John River, is the largest full service marina in the area. Boating enthusiasts can launch from the marina, and there is an array of tours and tour operators who also call the marina home. The Royal Kennebeccasis Yacht Club offers moorings, berths, as well as several sailing schools, racing events and other marine services.

Those seeking a vehicle will find the best prices at Rent a Wreck, Saint John’s only used car rental facility. Not only do they offer reliable cars and trucks, they also rent tocustomers aged 21 and older, meaning that students and younger visitors are able to get around town more easily.

Old Number 2 Engine House

Top Attractions

The streets of downtown Saint John all have their own history and stories to tell. King Street is Canada’s steepest street, and rises 24 m (80 ft) in just two city blocks. Prince William Street resides in the district of the city that was destroyed in the 1877 Saint John Fire. What began as a fire in a small warehouse quickly engulfed the surrounding blocks, destroying the centre of downtown. Visitors can learn more about the fire itself at the Old Number 2 Engine House Museum.

Many of the streets were restored to their original glory and today visitors tour the area along the Prince William Street Walk. This walking tour explores Prince William and Germain Streets, which remain Saint John’s main commercial avenues today, as they were centuries ago. The elaborate grandeur of the buildings and their detailing dates back to the fierce competition among property owners and craftsmen to out-do one another. Visitors can browse through shops on Princess Street, as well as visit two of the city’s beautiful historic churches, St. Andrew’s and St. David’s.

These two churches were built after the fire of 1877, and today exist as one united church. Those who constructed the building utilized brick that remained from the burnt ruins surrounding the church site, and what resulted was a church with sides and a back of brick, while the front is local limestone. The church is also home to a three-manual pipe organ, manufactured by Cassavant Frères of St. Hyacinthe, which was installed in 1927. This grand organ is considered to be one of the finest instruments of its kind in the Maritimes. The history of Presbyterianism in the area can be felt within the walls of this historic structure, and must not be missed by visitors to Saint John.

Those with a taste for the arts can browse through the numerous galleries scattered around downtown. Trinity Galleries on Germain Street is home to a wonderful display of several artworks by the Maritimes’ foremost fine artists. With two full levels of showing space, this gallery is a welcoming sight for visitors. The renowned Peter Buckland Gallery is also located nearby, featuring a wide range of work from the traditional to the contemporary. As well, this gallery plays host to several musical performances, readings, and other presentations throughout the year. Visitors hoping to experience live theatre in Saint John can attend a performance at the impressive Imperial Theatre, located in King’s Square. Built in 1912, the theatre still boasts the original décor that has been restored to ensure the beauty and grandeur do not fade.

Judaism has a rich and interesting history in New Brunswick, particularly in the years of World War II and those that immediately followed. The year 1858 is marked as the official year for the birth of the Jewish society of Saint John, with the immigration of the Soloman and Hart families from England, and so 2008 marks the celebration of the community’s 150th birthday. Visitors can explore the Jewish Historical Museum of Saint John, which tells the Jewish story and features not only numerous exhibits, but also research archives and a library.

Shopping And Eating Out

Those looking for something rare and authentic will have much to explore in the antique shops of uptown Saint John. The area is home to a plethora of dealers in antiques and collectibles, including Brass’n'Things and Tim Isaac Art and Antiques on Prince William Street. Both of these vendors house an impressive array of artefacts dating back to the years of exploration, and there are always new items arriving. Shoppers will find even more to delve into at King’s Square in the centre of downtown. The square is laid out in the shape of the Union Jack, and plays host to a variety of performers and festivities throughout the year.

New Brunswick is known for delectable food, and Saint John is a hub for restaurants of all varieties. It comes as no surprise that the city is home to several historic restaurants and bars, from English pubs to upscale Acadian cuisine. Opera Bistro on Prince William Street is one of the city’s premier dining locations. It is housed in a historic building, giving it a unique appeal that, when coupled with the extensive menu, promises an unforgettable meal. Nougatine et Chocolat is also in the heart of downtown, and their innovative, internationally inspired menu offers everything from sandwiches to pastries. Visitors seeking something tasty, interesting, and memorable will be impressed by the wide variety of restaurants in Saint John.

The reviewed locations and features of New Brunswick’s capital city are but a sample of all that exists to explore and enjoy within Saint John. For over 200 years visitors from around the globe have arrived at the city’s port and been charmed by the character and culture that is unique to Saint John. The sites, shops, and streets speak for themselves as to what can be enjoyed in this historic city.

For more detailed information visit the official website

Calgary started off as Fort Calgary with the railway industry playing a major role in the economy and at attracting settlers to the area. The city received its name from Colonel James Macleod. Calgary is a Scottish name originating from Calgary Bay on the Isle of Mull, Scotland. Officially proclaimed a city in 1884 with a population of 4,000, Calgary started out like most western towns. The city featured a series of wood frame houses, wooden church steeples and a city hall clock tower.

The great fire of 1886 changed the look of Calgary from wood to the more fireproof sandstone. The Sandstone City became Calgary’s new nickname and set it apart from other cities. Calgary has a rich history with landmarks and districts that tell of its continuous evolution. The city however, hasn’t done much to preserve it’s history. Many historical landmarks and buildings have been torn down to make room for new ones. Calgary’s image is more new and modern rather than nostalgic. All is not lost though, there are certain districts that have worked hard at preserving history with hopes of passing it on to future generations

Fort Calgary

Fort Calgary was established in 1875 by the F Troop of the North West Mounted Police. The fort was built at the forks of the Bow and Elbow Rivers and under the instruction of Inspector Ephrem Brisebois, the Mounted Police were to suppress whiskey traffic along the Bow River. The fort was constructed out of pine logs and the pole roofs were covered with earth, while the walls were mudded with clay. It took approximately six weeks to build and the living conditions in the fort were far from comfortable.

In 1882, the fort was torn down and new buildings were built and the site became known as Calgary Barracks. A few years later these buildings were destroyed by fire and were replaced by a remarkable two-storey building that could house 100 men. In 1914, the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway purchased the land and demolished all fort buildings except for Superintendent Deane’s house. In 1975, the city of Calgary celebrated its Centennial and reclaimed the land. Archaeologists working in the area over the years have uncovered remains of the original fort and several other buildings. Due to these findings, the location is now designated as a National and Provincial Historic Site. Today visitors to the area can view a replica of the 1875 fort site and can walk through an interpretive centre with exhibits that illustrate Calgary from 1875 to the 1940s.

Inglewood

The first community formed in Calgary was Inglewood. The area features over 200 pre-1914 buildings, including homes, office buildings and retail shops. Inglewood is located on 9th Avenue South East, across the Elbow River from Fort Calgary. The district was occupied as early as 1871 by American traders and became a permanent settlement with the 1875 construction of Fort Calgary. It was originally thought that the Canadian Pacific Railway would build its main station in Inglewood but instead chose to construct it on the other side of the river.

Inglewood was home to some of the city’s major industries such as the Burns meat packing plant and the Calgary Brewery. During the community’s economic boom in 1910, many multi-storey brick buildings and houses emerged. With the start of the Great War in 1914, the housing boom came to an end and by 1960 Inglewood was rezoned as an industrial area. As years went on the community became plagued by social problems but has managed to overcome these difficulties and is now an attractive and fashionable business district with restaurants, pubs, various retail shops and office spaces.

Victoria Park

The Victoria Park area is home to the world famous Calgary Exhibition and Stampede. It is located southeast of downtown and lies between 10th and 18th Avenues and is bounded by the Elbow River and Second Street Southwest. The land was purchased in 1889 by Colonel James Walker and members of the Calgary Agriculture Society who later became founders of the Stampede. For many years this outdoor show attracted huge crowds to the Victoria Park community but as the Stampede expanded it eventually led to the downfall of the area. Many residents have had their homes put in jeopardy in order to accommodate the Stampede’s expansion. However, the area was not always plagued by such problems. Victoria Park was once populated with working class families, business people and small factories. Due to social issues, caution should be used when visiting this area. The area has gone through a revitalization process which has resulted in several new condo developments as well as the renovation of a number of older buildings. Several older buildings have been transformed into high-end condo lofts.

Connaught Beltine

The Connaught-Beltine area of Calgary is located in the city’s southeast between 8th and 14th Street and was home to some well-known people. The location was once bare prairie land and James Loughheed, Alberta’s first Senator, built his large home in the area in 1891. In 1901, the community was home to a beautiful sandstone mansion that belonged to Calgary’s first millionaire, Patrick Burns. Unfortunately, it was demolished in 1956 for the expanding Colonel Belcher Hospital. During the housing boom between 1905 and 1914, the area was home to some sophisticated homes that featured adaptations of the Queen Anne style and tall decorative chimneys. Apartment buildings such as the Devenish, are still around today and is now home to businesses such as fashion boutiques, salons, an art gallery and jewellery shop. In 1911, Philanthropist Andrew Carnegie financed the first public library in Alberta, located in the Connaught-Beltline. Famous author, activist, and teacher Nellie McClung lived in the Connaught-Beltline community from 1923 to 1932.

Bowness

Bowness is located in northwest Calgary and is well known for its park that is often used for skating in the winter and swimming in the summer. Originally, the area was not a part of the City of Calgary but was a separate piece of land located in the Bow River valley. An Englishman by the name of John Hextall came to Alberta in 1908 and was enchanted by the natural beauty of Bowness and decided to develop the land into an exclusive residential community. At his own expense, Hextall subdivided the land into large treed lots and built a bridge connecting Bowness to Calgary. As a means to attracting wealthy investors, he also had a park and golf club constructed. In 1911, Hextal signed an agreement with the City of Calgary in which he agreed to give up the islands of Bowness Park in exchange for a municipal streetcar. This was done to ease future expansion plans but by 1914, the year Hextall died, only five of the impressive homes he foresaw had been built. With the arrival of the First World War, financial investment for the area dried up and the growth of Bowness slowed down. By 1951, the community officially became a town and in 1964, it was officially annexed by the City of Calgary.

Mount Royal

Situated in Calgary’s southwest and bounded by 17th Avenue and 14th Street, Mount Royal has become known as one of the city’s most distinguished residential districts. It features large lots with plenty of trees, an abundant amount of open spaces for parks and gracefully curved streets. The elegance of the area is due to a plan that was put in place in 1905 by the City of Calgary and the Canadian Pacific Railway that owned the land, both of whom wanted to attract wealthy prospective settlers to the area. The plan was successful and the district experienced a building boom with many grand estate homes being built. Soon after, the area was officially named Mount Royal after the community in Montreal which was home to Canadian Pacific Railway President William Van Horne.

Stephen Avenue Mall

Located along Eighth Avenue Southwest in downtown Calgary, this outdoor pedestrian mall was named after the Canadian Pacific Railway’s first president, Lord George Mount Stephen. In 1886, a fire nearly destroyed the buildings lining Stephen Avenue. As a way to prevent another such tragedy, the city put a fireproof plan into action. Locally quarried sandstone was used in the construction for the commercial buildings that lined the avenue and Calgary quickly became known as the Sandstone City. During this time a person could come down to the avenue and purchase all their necessities, from food to postage stamps. By 1914, the use of sandstone slowed down and the cheaper alternative of bricks became the new supply of choice in construction. Across the street from Calgary’s Old City Hall, located at the east end of the avenue, is the Olympic Plaza. Built in 1987, the plaza was used for medal ceremonies during the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. Over the years many buildings along Stephen Avenue have been torn down to accommodate newer buildings such as the Glenbow Museum and shopping malls.

Today the area has been declared a National Historic District by the federal government and many structures have been restored to their original conditions. Visitors to Stephen Avenue Mall can now walk through a beautiful historic setting and enjoy a variety of fine dining, do a little shopping, stop in at a coffee bar or spend some time in a selection of art galleries.

The City of Calgary has several noteworthy landmarks that have stood the test of time. Through restoration processes and constant maintenance, there are a few landmarks worth visiting such as the Centre Street Bridge, St. Mary’s Cathedral and the Calgary Tower.

Centre Street Bridge

In 1906, the original Centre Street Bridge was built by A.J. McArther. He owned some land that he wanted to sell on the other side of the bridge, the area that is now known as Crescent Heights. The City of Calgary purchased the bridge in 1912 but in 1915 the Bow River flooded and wiped out the bridge. A new Centre Street Bridge was built and opened in 1916. It is this bridge that has survived the test of time and is now used daily by thousands of Calgarians. The majestic lions seen today, however, are replicas of the originals.

The most prominent features of the Centre Street Bridge are the four stone lions that guard the entrances. City worker James Thompson, who was once a Scottish mason, created the majestic lions. These impressive creatures were modeled after the lions found at the base of Admiral Nelson’s monument at Trafalgar Square in London. The main difference between the two is that the English lions are made of brass whereas the ones in Calgary are made of concrete. Each lion features an image of the English rose, an Irish shamrock, the Scottish thistle and the Canadian Maple leaf. In 1993, the bridge was named a Historic Resource, partly due to the regal presence of the lions.

St. Mary’s Cathedral

The original St. Mary’s Cathedral came to be after a meeting in 1887 with Father Lacombe and Calgary parishioners. It was decided that due to the growing congregation, a new stone church should be built. Located on 18 Avenue Southwest, the church opened its doors in 1889 and in 1912, the Calgary Diocese was formed and Pope Pius X declared St. Mary’s a Cathedral. No changes had been made to the structure until 1913 when Bishop McNally rearranged the sanctuary and sacristy. In 1955, the Cathedral was demolished and construction of the present day St. Mary’s began. The new Cathedral opened its doors in 1957 and was consecrated by Reverend Francis P. Carroll, Bishop of Calgary. St. Mary’s contains an amazing 5 m (16 ft) statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, cast in stone and mounted over the main doors. Over the years, St. Mary’s has gone through extensive renovations and the original interior that was designed by Calgary architect, Maxwell Bates, has been greatly altered.

Calgary Tower

The Calgary Tower is located in the city’s downtown on 9th Avenue Southwest. Once known as the Husky Tower, it was built in 1966 on the site of the demolished Canadian Pacific Railway station. The Tower was opened in 1968 by Premier Ernest Manning, and in 1971 it became officially known as the Calgary Tower. At the time, the tower was the tallest free-standing structure in the city. However, the year 1983 saw the Tower lose this status with the completion of the Petro-Canada building. A special feature of the Tower is the torch at the very top that is lit on special occasions such as the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympic Games. The tower stands 190 m (626 ft) tall and it takes 62 seconds to get from ground level to the observation deck.

The City of Calgary is a founding member of the World Federation of Great Towers. Other world famous structures that are part of the federation include the CN Tower and the Eiffel Tower.

For more information about Calgary click here to visit the official tourism website

“According to Ministry of Immigration and Cultural Communities forecasts, by 2018 the Québec labour market will need over 1.3 million people to fill the gap left by retirement, or just to fill new positions created by economic growth,” explains Danielle Laramée, Partner and Leader of Human Capital for Ernst & Young in Montréal. “With Québec’s considerable demographic challenges, an increasing number of businesses will have no choice but to turn to immigration to meet their needs.”

At a roundtable held by Ernst & Young and attended by Immigration and Cultural Communities Minister Kathleen Weil, representatives of a number of large companies agreed that to ensure Québec’s continued growth and success, immigration policies must not only facilitate access to a pool of talent, but must also support efforts to retain immigrants and foreign workers. In spite of the unanimous recognition of the importance of professional integration, temporary workers currently employed in organizations are often required to leave due to work permit expiry.

“The government’s role is crucial, not only in facilitating the integration of immigrants, but particularly in allowing foreign workers and students to remain in the province and work,” says Philippe Rousseau, a lawyer with Egan LLP, a business immigration law firm allied with Ernst & Young. Programs rolled out by the Ministry should provide the business community with assurance that their needs have been understood, that initiatives will better match immigrant selection to Québec’s specific needs, and that programs are in place to retain talent already in the province.”

International labour mobility has reached significant proportions in recent years, and will continue to mount. According to the International Organization for Migration, 240 million people — approximately 3% of the world’s population — currently work outside their native country.

Click here for more Quebec immigration information

“The Great Lakes are the largest system of fresh surface water on earth and a crucial resource to Canadians,” said Minister Kent. “With this investment, the Government of Canada is working in partnership with communities and other levels of government to protect and restore water quality in the Great Lakes.”

“The Great Lakes Sustainability Fund is a concrete example of the real action taking place to support initiatives and projects that will ensure that our natural environment is healthy, protected and safe. The clean-up of Hamilton Harbour is a milestone that once achieved, brings us closer to a healthier ecosystem, not just locally, but for the benefit of all Canadians,” said the Member of Parliament for Burlington, Mike Wallace.

“Hamilton Harbour is a cornerstone for the local community, and a significant contributor to the Great Lakes ecosystem. With this funding, we are able to partner closely with the Government of Canada and other partners towards achievements and outcomes essential for determining progress towards Hamilton Harbour’s delisting targets,” said Tÿs Theÿsmeÿer, Head of Natural Lands with the Royal Botanical Gardens.

The Royal Botanical Gardens’ (RBG) Grindstone Creek and Cootes Paradise Rehabilitation Project is one of the six projects to receive funding for remediation and clean-up of the Hamilton Harbour Area of Concern. Through this project, essential fish and wildlife habitat and water quality in RBG sanctuaries will continue to improve as a result of activities such as the elimination of damaging effects of carp, the reconnection of isolated habitats and improvement of inflowing water. Among many achievements, RBG hopes to plant approximately 6500 native plants in project areas; monitor water quality at 14 sites throughout the field season; and coordinate public workshops.

This year, funding has been provided for work in 11 of the remaining 14 Areas of Concern, including Hamilton Harbour. The Hamilton Harbour Area of Concern is a 2150 hectare embayment located at the western tip of Lake Ontario and includes several urban centres such as Burlington and Hamilton. It was identified as a “degraded geographic area” because of water quality resulting in undesirable algae and beach closings, sediment contamination, impairments to fish and wildlife populations and their habitat and restrictions on fish and wildlife consumption.

The Great Lakes Sustainability Fund (GLSF), which is administered by Environment Canada, works in partnership with other agencies and local community stakeholders to advance Remedial Action Plans that have been developed for each of Canada’s remaining Areas of Concern within the Great Lakes Basin. Funding is provided to initiatives that meet specific criteria and that serve to restore the environment. Such projects include fish and wildlife habitat restoration, contaminated sediment remediation, landowner stewardship, and control of pollution from municipal wastewaters and rural runoff.

More information about the Great Lakes Sustainability Fund is available at http://www.ec.gc.ca/raps-pas/

While times have now changed for the credit-card statement (a $100 Canadian ticket will now cost $100 US or about £65), a ticket to Toronto theatre still provides exceptional value, as the performances and production quality of Toronto’s mega-shows are on par with New York’s Broadway and London’s West End.

Meantime, if you’re a true theatre fan like me, you know that much of the world’s finest theatre happens “off” Broadway and “off” West End. In Toronto, there’s no equivalent term but there isan equivalent experience—and this is where visitors to Canada are reminded they’re not in New York or London.

The lesser-known performance spaces of Canadian Stage Company, Buddies in Bad Times, VideoCabaret, Acting Upstage and many others deliver theatre experiences that send audience members away with powerful—often uniquely Canadian memories. And that’s true value.

VideoCabaret is not your everyday term, even in the theatre world. But as I discovered in Toronto, it’s code for some of the most powerful and most marvellously creative theatre I have ever seen. In a nutshell, it works like this: book the back room of a nightclub, build a tiny black shadowbox (about 15 sq ft) as your stage, install pinpoint-perfect lighting, clothe and paint a mega-talented cast of about seven actors in hyperbolic style, and let them tell great Canadian tales through satirical language, facial expression and quick juxtaposition. On my recent Toronto theatre trip, VideoCabaret took me through Canada’s involvement in World War I in a jarring, emotional, funny and poignant play—that included characters from Sir Wilfred Laurier to German POWs to the Duchess of Cornwall—all told within the confines of the shadowbox stage. It is uniquely Toronto, and whatever tale these actors are telling, you need to experience it.

World’s Biggest Gay Theatre! Across town in the area known as Church Wellesley Village, theatregoers find the remarkable Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. In a country where gay “issues” have mostly ceased to exist (Canadian gays have been allowed serve in the military since the early 90s, and could legally marry and adopt children since the early 2000s), it may seem like the gay stories have all been told. Well, Buddies in Bad Times has been telling gay stories since 1979, and today still finds plenty of GLBTQ material to perform on its stage—the largest facility-based queer theatre company in the world. The company’s 2011 season, says Artistic Director Brendan Healy, “tackles experiences of citizenship, racialization, religiosity, marginalization and social repression…encompassing the full complexities of contemporary queer existence with humour, intelligence and ferocity.” Most recently was the remounting of “The Silicone Diaries,” which dramatizes a character’s male-to-female transition. Fascinating stuff.

Keeping it current. Perhaps best known of Toronto’s play producers is Canadian Stage, which has its own two gorgeous performance venues in the city centre, and mounts around 10-14 productions each year focusing on contemporary theatre. Some of it, such as the upcoming productions of “Saint Carmen of the Main”and “Project: Humanity’s The Middle Place,” are decidedly Canadian with stories that take place in Canadian settings, while others take audience members to story settings around the planet and even into space. On my recent theatre trip I was lucky enough to see “The Anderson Project,” a magical one-man show by legendary Canadian actor Robert Lepage.

Double Feature. There’s one piece of theatre that rarely gets mentioned in theatre stories, and that is the décor and history of the theatre venues themselves. While Toronto has many world-class facilities, one stands out for its sheer historic significance—not to mention its pure visual interest regardless what’s playing on the stages: The Elgin & Winter Garden Theatres, which opened in 1913 (Irving Berlin performed) and 1914 respectively. The fact that I said stages in the plural is not necessarily remarkable for a theatre venue; many modern performing arts centres have multiple stages in one complex. What is unique about these two theatres is that they are stacked, literally, on top of each other. The Winter Garden sits seven storeys above the Elgin. They are the only surviving “double-decker” theatres still operating in the world. Tours are offered that take theatre and architecture lovers through the elegant, gilded Elgin before venturing way upstairs to the magical Winter Garden, a theatre like none I’ve everseen. Its walls are covered in delicate garden murals and the support columns are disguised as trees; the ceilings are covered in leaves and paper lanterns. While these theatres don’t have a resident company, they are in frequent use by professional and community theatres. Those lucky patrons who saw Donny Osmond in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” saw him at the Elgin. You can catch Christopher Plummer as “Barrymore”there from the end of January to the beginning of March this year.

While once upon a time Toronto’s theatre scene was about dollar value, today it’s definitely a scene in its own right. Whether watching mega-productions such as the recent pre-Broadway run of “Priscilla Queen of the Desert” and the upcoming “The Secret Garden”(Feb. 8-March 19)or tiny-but-powerful shows mounted inside a black shadowbox stage, theatregoers will find that Toronto’s live performance scene is an exceptionally valuableexperience, with memories that live happily ever after.

Selected Toronto Theatres and/or Companies:

Acting Up Stage Company: mostly musicals, some new works
Angelwalk Theatre: mostly musicals
BirdLand Theatre: plays and musicals
Buddies in Bad Times Theatre: world’s largest facility-based queer theatre company
Canadian Stage: mostly contemporary theatre
Crow’s Theatre: mostly plays questioning accepted truths about history
Dancap Productions: large-scale musicals
Factory Theatre Company: new Canadian plays
Hart House Theatre (University of Toronto): variety of productions
Little Red Theatre: children’s theatre
Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People: youth theatre
Mirvish Productions: large-scale musicals
Nightwood Theatre: mostly women’s theatre
Stage Centre Productions: classic theatre
Studio 180: mostly “socially relevant” theatre
Tarragon Theatre: new plays
VideoCabaret: satirical historic drama in blackbox stage
Article courtesy of the Canadian Tourism Commission Media Centre

Writers Bio: Writer Randall Shirley lives in Vancouver, BC, a place he thinks is paradise. Nevertheless, the travel bug causes him to leave often, penning works for The Boston Globe, The Calgary Herald, The South China Morning Post, and more. Shirley edits the Canadian gay and lesbian travel magazine Out In Canada and frequently appears as “resident globetrotter” on Vancouver’s Shaw TV Studio 4.
Rare accomplishment: He’s one of a rare group: those who have visited all 13 Canadian provinces and territories. Reach him via www.RandallShirley.com.

Swelteringly Hot

The highest temperature recorded in Canada was 45℃ in Saskatchewan. It was actually recorded in two locations: Yellow Grass and Midale, both southeast of Regina on July 5 1937. The average temperature for these locations at that time of year is 26℃. The highest recorded humidex was in Carman, Manitoba at 53℃.

In British Columbia the record is held in Lillooet and Lytton where temperatures reached 44.4℃ on July 16 and 17 1941. The same temperature was recorded in July of 1936 in four locations in Manitoba: St Albans, Emerson, Brandon and Morden. Alberta’s high was 43.3℃ on July 18 1941 in Fort Macleod.

If we look at the more eastern provinces their temperatures are slightly less impressive. Atikokan in Ontario reached 42.2℃ in July 1936 whist Temiscamingue in Quebec got to 40.0℃ in June 1921.

As for the Atlantic provinces 41.7℃ was reached in July 1936 in Labrador. August 18 and 19 were particularly hot days in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia where temperatures were recorded at between 36.7 and 39.4℃.

Bitterly Cold

Canada’s coldest temperature was recorded on February 3 1947 in Snag, Yukon. It was a bone-chilling -63℃, yes I did say minus 63℃. You definitely need mittens in that weather! By comparison the coldest temperature recorded in Prince Edward Island was a barmy -37.2℃ in January 1884.

The lowest temperature recorded in British Columbia was in Fort Nelson on January 30 1947 at -51.7℃. Fort McMurray holds Alberta’s record at -50.6℃ on Feb 1 1947. Manitoba has managed to get down to -52.8℃ in January of 1899 whilst Saskatchewan’s Prince Albert recorded -56.7℃ in February 1893. Ontario got pretty chilly in January of 1935 when temperatures fell to -58.3℃ in Iroquois Falls.

Decidedly Soggy

Wet weather can be recorded in many ways, leading to several significant facts. Overall British Columbia is known as Canada’s wettest province. Hartley Bay sees an average of 4,549 mm every year and Prince Rupert sees 3,111 mm annually. In 1997 a fish hatchery in Henderson Lake received 9,082 mm of precipitation.

Other locations in Canada pale into insignificance with Nova Scotia’s Wreck Cove Brook getting 1,945 mm per year and Stratford, Ontario just 1,064 mm.

Records for rainfall in a single day are also worth mentioning. Once again we have to go to BC for these. On January 14 1961 Seymour Falls had 314 mm of rain and on November 10 1990 it again saw 300 mm in a single day. Outside of BC, Halifax Nova Scotia had 218 mm of rain on August 15 1971.

Snowman Time

Of course Canada is known for its snow and Mount Fidelity in British Columbia has the most snowfall days annually of anywhere else with 144 days. The most snowfall in one season fell in Mount Copeland, also in BC during the winter of 1971-72. In total 2,446.5 cm fell.

Canadian weather stations also record the depth of snow and the deepest ever recorded was at Grouse Mountain in, yes you’ve guessed it BC where 968 cm was measured on April 8 1999.

The record for the most snow to fall in a single day is held by another BC location, Tahtsa Lake where 125 cm fell on February 11 1999.

Let it Shine

Although Canada is known for its snow, it is also known as being a sunny place and nowhere is more sunny than the prairie provinces. In fact Calgary holds the record for the most sunshine days annually with 333. On average the city has 2,405 hours of sun a year.

Close behind are other prairies cities such as Regina, Winnipeg and Saskatoon, all of which see over 2,300 hours of sun annually. Compare that to Toronto, Ontario with 2,038 hours and St John’s, Newfoundland with just 1,512 per year. However cloudy Stewart in BC only gets 982 hours of sunshine, so at least you would save a fortune on sunblock.

Hail to the Weather

One of the worst hailstorms occurred in Calgary, Alberta on September 7 1991. It only lasted half an hour but caused $342 million of damage. The city was again pounded with hail on July 12 2010 this time causing $400 million of damage.

The largest hailstone recorded fell on August 27 1973 in Cedoux, Saskatchewan. It weighed 290 g.

Northern delights:

It’s an experience in itself to arrive at Yukon’s Tagish Wilderness Lodge – the final stretch across a vast frozen lake can only be completed by snowmobile, dogsled or ski plane. The Yukon Winter Sampler is a five-day action-filled package, available throughout March, with cozy log-cabin accommodation for when it’s time to zonk out. After a mushing lesson on day two, you’ll race confidently through the forest, pulled by your own effervescent huskies. You’ll also learn to get about like a local on a powerful Ski-Doo. The reward for making it to a nearby mountaintop? A campfire cookout – think smoky homemade beans and lightly charred organic steaks. And when you feel like slowing down, you can pad around so quietly, in snowshoes you made yourself, that you won’t even startle the snowshoe hares. Or maybe you’d rather ice-fish through a sawed-out hole in the frozen lake? At the end of the day, there’s nothing more relaxing than hitting the hot tub to bask in the alien-green glow of the northern lights.

Highbrow holidays:

Aesthetes can plan smart by booking the OPUS Design Package between March 17 and 27, when the International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA) is running in Montréal. The OPUS Montréal boutique hotel is as striking for its 1914 main building – the first poured-concrete residential structure in North America – as for its recent slick black addition, designed by Dan Hanganu. The Design Package includes a self-guided walking tour of the city’s architectural highlights, tickets to the Canadian Centre for Architecture and Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, as well as martinis in the chandeliered Grand Salon of Koko bar, where you’ll get a kick out of the larger-than-life Moooi horse sculpture and electric-green runway. And at FIFA, you can chow down on popcorn at one of nine cinema and museum venues and catch movies and discussions on a fascinating array of topics from the world of art.

County fare in Prince Edward County:

From March 23 to April 16, you can take a break in Ontario’s Prince Edward County and work your way around the select restaurants participating in Countylicious – a celebration of the local bounty with three-course, prix-fixe dinners for a friendly $30 or $35 rate. Claramount Inn and Spa offers an all-inclusive package of room, breakfast and a meal from their Countylicious menu showcasing the county’s tasty heirloom and organic veggies, as well as local cheeses and wines – be sure to sample more than one of the crisp, steely Rieslings, which have helped to forge the local wine industry’s reputation. A walk around Claramount’s sprawling grounds by Picton Bay will help you work off dessert before you retire to one of 10 uniquely styled rooms. Tip: Between dinners, follow the “Taste Trail” and stock up on gourmet souvenirs like Sandbanks Estate Winery’s award-winning Baco Noir Reserve or Fifth Town Artisan Cheese Company’s strangely delicious Goat Cheese Chocolate Truffles.

Getting there:

Tagish Wilderness Lodge, Box 17, Tagish, YT, 867-332-2113, tagishwildernesslodge.com
Opus Montréal Hotel, 10 Sherbrooke St. W., Montréal, QC, 1-866-744-6346, opushotel.com
Claramount Inn and Spa, 97 Bridge St., Picton, ON, 1-800-679-7756, claramountinn.com
Yukon Tourism, 1-800-661-0494, www.travelyukon.com
Ontario Tourism, 1-800-ONTARIO (1-800-668-2746), www.ontariotravel.net
Tourisme Québec, 1-877-BONJOUR (1-877-266-5687), www.bonjourquebec.com

Article courtesy of the Canadian Tourism Commission Media Centre

Writers Bio: Valerie Howes as the senior editor of Pure Canada, I’m on the lookout for stories about new and interesting lodgings, restaurants, spas, events, packages and experiences. Pure Canada is the Canadian Tourism Commission’s unique travel-lifestyle magazine. It is published by Spafax Canada Inc., publisher of enRoute, Air Canada’s award-winning inflight magazine. We represent Canada and it is our mission to take our readers on a sensory journey. Pure Canada is an invitation to the reader to discover Canada and experience it in a whole new way – it is an invitation to explorers.

Not surprisingly, most of the top ten theme parks have at least one  up to 15 roller coasters to entice the bravest of souls. There is of course more than roller coasters, skyscreamers, boomerangs, top spinners and mindbenders to enthuse the park lover; sea creature shows, amazing water parks and even go-karting and mini-golf have satisfied many visitors. For the not so courageous park goer, bring some comfortable shoes and for those bold enough to try anything, pack some lozenges for the throat because screaming on those hairpin turns and inverted ascents and descents is likely.

Canada’s Wonderland

It’s not hard to see why Canada’s Wonderland is the largest and perhaps the most popular theme park in Canada. Commonly called Wonderland, this park has lured millions of visitors annually since 1981. The park boasts over 200 rides and a 133 ha (330 acre) water park. Roller coaster fanatics can get a thrill from one of the 15 different roller coasters at the park, almost a record number of coasters in any theme park. Coaster enthusiasts will love a few rides, including Time Warp, Canada’s only “flying” roller coaster where passengers ride lying face-down and are lifted up like the passenger is flying. New to the park as of 2008, Canada’s biggest, fastest and tallest roller coaster, the Behemoth, is not for the faint of heart reaching a height of 70 m (230 ft) and dropping down at an angle of 85 degrees.

Movie-themed rides started a trend in 1994 when Paramount Pictures bought Canada’s Wonderland, which became Paramount Canada Wonderland for 12 years before reverting back to its original name. Some of the popular rides inspired by movies are: Flight Deck, Canada’s only inverted roller coaster and named after the Top Gun movie and Back Lot Stunt Coaster, created from a car scene in the 2003 movie The Italian Job.

Roller coasters are definitely a main pull at this park but for the weak-stomached rider and younger kids, the Splash Works water park offers plenty of exciting rides that will entertain and delight. Splash Works is a 8 ha (20 acre) water playground that features 16 water slides and over two-million gallons of heated water. Situated adjacent to the theme park, the water park is home to high-speed slides such as the Plunge, the Blackhole and the Super Soaker, a fast ride through a tunnel that spirals down into an open-air flume. For the less adventurous, try heading down the Lazy River, a more relaxing ride which takes one down a one-quarter mile river in individual rafts. The Riptide Racer and the Baracuda Blaster are two other exciting water rides to try. Also stop in at Canada’s largest wave pool.

La Ronde

The largest amusement park in Quebec and the second largest in Canada, La Ronde was originally built for Expo 67. Located on Saint-Helen’s Island in Parc Jean Drapeau, this park is also home to the annual fireworks competition that attracts thousands of locals and tourists every summer.

One of the most popular rides at La Ronde is the Monster, a wooden roller coaster that invokes a fear of the unknown as the structure of this beast rattles on the first ascent. Other exciting rides at this tourist attraction include the Boomerang and the Tornade, the largest suspended roller coaster in Canada. At 32 m (105 ft) high and reaching up to a speed of 80.5 kmh (50 mph), if the visitor has to choose to ride only one of the nine roller coasters that this park offers, the Tornade is the one.

Since 2002, La Ronde was deemed an official world-class theme park with over 40 rides to choose from. The water rides are a perfect choice for hot and humid days that are typical during the summer. Try the Splash, a 20-passenger boat that plunges down a 15 m (50 ft) waterfall creating 5 m (17 ft) waves. Staying dry is not an option for this ride. Tour de Ville is a custom-designed Old Montreal theme ride that takes up to 48 brave souls on a carousel ride to the sky. In 2001, Six Flags bought La Ronde from the City of Montreal.

Galaxyland Amusement Park

Located in the popular West Edmonton Mall and in operation since 1981, this amusement park has 26 indoor rides that will entertain and thrill the entire family. Kids’ rides are plentiful at this indoor playground. The Space Bump allows kids to drive carts around bumping into others or wee ones can try the ever-popular Carousel. The Galaxyland Raceway is a good ride for the would-be little speed racer, featuring Go-Karts that drive through an “Indy” style racetrack. For something a little slower, the kids will enjoy the Balloon Race, a ferris wheel with balloon-shaped cars. The whole family will enjoy the Cosmic Spinner, an intermediate space ride which features individual spinning UFOs.

The older crowd seeking a thrill to remember will be drawn to the Mindbender, the world’s largest indoor high-speed triple loop roller coaster. If being launched 37 m (120 ft) skyward and then thrust back to the starting position with 11 other screaming people sounds exhilarating, try the Space Shot. The Sonic Storm is an advanced ride which takes the passenger back and forth in a circular bouncing motion while the Galaxy Orbiter is a stomach-churning spinning roller coaster. Find out more here

Playland Amusement Park

The Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) site is home to one of the oldest amusement parks in Canada, Playland Amusement Park. Since 1910, this amusement park, once named “Happy Land,” is sure to make guests smile when they take on the park’s marquee attraction, the wooden roller coaster from 1958. At least that’s what half a million thrill-seekers do each year. Ideally located in Vancouver B.C.’s Hastings Park, Playland has various thrill rides, a bonanza shooting gallery, and an 11 m (35 ft) climbing wall. If the wooden coaster doesn’t scare the guest enough, maybe the Demon of the Dark haunted house will do it. For jolts and spins, try the Crazy Beach Party, also called the Frisbee, a ride which spins on a huge disc and swings back and forth like a pendulum reaching a 90 degree angle. Other exciting rides include the Hellevator, the Wave Swinger and the Scrambler.

Those with a faint heart may want to try their hand at the mini-golf course, the glass house or the pirate adventure ship geared towards kids. The popular Midway games are also a pleasing sight to those with a fear of heights. Great rides for the kids include the Dune Buggies, Flying Elephants, or the Paddle Wheeler, a fun ride for water lovers who don’t want to get wet as they ride down a river in safari-themed paddle boats.

Marineland

The main attractions and unique features of Marineland, located one mile from Horseshoe Falls in Niagra Falls, Ontario, is the marine mammal shows, feedings, mammal touchings and animal exhibitions. But what really sets this place apart from some of the other theme parks is its open green spaces, picnic areas and the low-tech feeling of the whole park. In addition to spotting sea creatures, this park offers 16 amusement rides and plenty of fun activities to keep the kids busy. Be sure to catch the dolphin and walrus moves at the park’s main daily show, The King Waldorf Stadium Show, or stop by the Arctic Cove to spot or touch the beautiful beluga whales. Killer whales can be found at the Friendship Cove for a show that will always be remembered. For a thrill or two, escape to the adult roller coaster, Dragon Mountain, or test vocal cords at the Skyscreamer, the world’s highest triple tower ride at 137 m (450 ft) that launches the rider up and down at speeds of 96 kmh (60 mph). Other rides include a spinning ferris wheel called the Tivoli Wheel and the Topple Tower ride. Kids will enjoy the Lady Bug Coaster, the Bumble Bee ride and the Orca Screamer, a kid’s version of the Skyscreamer. As well as interactive animal displays, catch a glimpse of the black bears, deer and elk.

Ontario Place

Since 1971, this parkland located in downtown Toronto has grown from a pavilion complex with one restaurant and an IMAX Theatre into a recognized leisure and entertainment centre that encompasses a huge water slide, a children’s village, the Molson Amphitheatre and regionally-themed restaurants, stores and rides. Situated on three man-made islands on Lake Ontario, Ontario Place’s Soak City water park features heated water slides, including the Pink Twister and Purple Pipeline. Located on Adventure Island, the visitors will discover the world’s largest animated flume ride and the Wilderness Adventure, which takes the passenger down a 12 m (40 ft) splashdown. On a hot and humid day, the Hydrofuge ride is the perfect recipe for cooling off. At speeds of 80.5 kmh (50 mph), zoom down a tube on a thin sheet of water through a gigantic bowl of water, then a dip into the 20 m (6 ft) of deep water at the bottom. Other fun water activities include Go-Karting on water (Aquajet Racers) and Waterplay, a water park designed just for kids. For a short break from the rides, drop off the little ones at Microkids, an activity centre for pre-schoolers, and spend a few hours at the five-pod pavilion complex to browse the technology and communication displays. Kids can also try their driving skills at the O.P. Driving School, where kids drive around a realistic course on electric cars or just zoom around in the mini-bumper boats. For adult fun, try the simulator ride MARS, or check out the concert schedule at the Molson Amphitheatre.

Upper Clements Park

Situated in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia, Upper Clements Park offers a mix of rides, music and wildlife suited for every age group. Kids have plenty of rides to keep them busy, including bumper boats, bumper cars and the Red Baron Airplanes, where kids can act like pilots controlling their own elevation. The ever-popular carousel, kiddie bumper boats and mini trucks are also a treat for the young park enthusiast. One of the most hair-raising rides at this park is definitely the Tree Topper Roller Coaster, a wooden roller coaster that soars above the trees. Spin and roll into the air on the Rock N’ Roll Planes, another thrill ride that will bring the rider back for more.

Entertainment in the evening also attracts visitors with the park’s annual “Park After Dark” concert and fireworks display which takes place every Saturday in July and August. Other annual events include Christmas in the Park and Halloween, which both take place during the last two weekends in August.

After experiencing the rides and adventures at the theme park, walk through the underground tunnel to get to the adjacent wildlife park where views of snowy owls, black bears, deer, wild cats, emus and rheas are common. Participate in the Adopt-an-Animal program and then take a wildlife tour at the park in just under an hour. Be one of the thousands of visitors each year that experiences the thrill rides, musical entertainment or the cast of characters that roam the park grounds: Sparkles the Clown, Captain Kid Ryerson or story-telling Clementine are on site to entertain and expand the imagination.

Sandspit Cavendish Beach

The largest amusement park on Prince Edward Island comes alive for nearly three months of the year, offering more than 18 attractions and rides to entertain the whole family. Thrill rides, Go-Karts, bumper boats and country fair rides attract visitors from all over the country. The Cyclone roller coaster is bound to rattle some nerves; the largest coaster in Atlantic Canada goes through three big drops and two corkscrews before the rider decides whether they want to do it all over again. The country fair rides include the Tilt-A-Whirl, the Scrambler, Rock N’ Roll and the Paratrooper. Not afraid of heights? Head over to the 21 m (70 ft) ferris wheel. If being closer to earth is more the style, try the fast and fun double rider Go-Karts, the bumper boat pool or the mini-golf course. Children of all ages will enjoy the softball playground, the mini-helicopters, pony carts and the miniature train.

For more information click here.

Magic Mountain Water Park

Based in Moncton, New Brunswick, Magic Mountain Atlantic Canada’s largest water park has been refreshing guests since 1987. This park offers everything from body slides, tubing and matting to slides for kids. Slide down more than 30.5 m (100 ft) at speeds of more than 60 kmh (37 mph) on the Kamikaze slide, close to a vertical drop. Twist & Shout takes the rider through a fully-enclosed slide in the dark, dropping 11 m (35 ft). If medium speed is preferred, the Loop de Loop may be more pleasing as the rider can choose from three slides with more gentle turns and drops. The Sidewinder is another easy but equally fun alternative for the body slides. For an even more relaxing experience, stroll over to the Lazy River, a relaxing ride on a 19th-century replica steam ship. Water-logged guests or those waiting for family members enjoying a splash can enjoy a relaxing day at one of two 18-hole golf courses.

Valcartier Vacation Village

This family theme park opened in 1963 and is currently a major playground in both the summer and winter. A 20 minute drive north from Quebec City, this summer water park turns into a major winter playground paradise during the colder months. Bundle up for some fun in the snow – snow rafting and inner tube slides with daunting names such as Everest and Himalaya will give the adventurous rider a run for their money. Jump into the Tornado and swirl down a hill with seven other brave riders for some breathtaking fun. Kids’ eyes will open wide at the sight of the giant Ice Castle, where mazes and slides seem endless. An outdoor skating path is also available for the tamer winter adventure.

As summer brings hotter weather, this park is an ideal place to bring eager kids. The water park can entertain the whole family with close to a dozen water rides and attractions. The Pirates’ Hideout features a pirate ship and a watercourse that takes the adventurer over a wooden walkway, through water slides and hundreds of interactive water games. For a fast rush, head to the Supersonic Falls, two massive water slides 20 m (65 ft) high or slide down a 12 m (40 ft) tower called the Corkscrew. For kids aged one to six years old, visit the Cookadoodle Farm complete with mini-slides and waterjets. Other rides that stir the imagination are the Amazon and Dungeon City rides. For activities on dry land, watch the acrobatic diving shows or try karting or the 18-hole mini-golf course, Maxigolf. A modern 700-site campground located next to the waterpark is available for tents or RVs.

More information here.

In the annual survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit, the Canadian west coast city and 2010 Winter Olympics host scored 98 percent on a combination of stability, health care, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure – a score unchanged from last year.

Vancouver has topped the list since 2007. Other Canadian cities included in the top 10 were Toronto coming in at 4th place followed by Calgary (5th)

Top 10 and bottom 10 cities shown below:

Chateau Frontenac

An architectural marvel constructed in 1893, this luxurious resort hotel defines Quebec City’s European-styled urban design. Steeped in history, Chateau Frontenac was designed to evoke renaissance-era castles and cathedrals. As such, the resort is defined by its several towers, thick foliage and brick facades. Visitors exploring the grounds cannot help but be amazed to know they are walking within the same confines that have housed celebrated guests such as King George VI, Queen Elizabeth II, Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt.

The hotel is also home to Le Champlain, a premiere fine-dining establishment. Dinner guests of this restaurant can enjoy a menu composed by executive chef Jean Soulard, which features traditional and contemporary French-Canadian cuisine.

More information:

Rogers Centre

At an estimated cost of $570 million, this sports and entertainment venue located in Toronto is noteworthy for its fan-friendly experience and innovative design. Opened in 1989, the Rogers Centre was originally known as the Skydome, and designed by Rod Robbie and Michael Allen to be the home of Toronto sport franchises the Toronto Blue Jays and Toronto Argonauts. The stadium is noteworthy for being the first complex in professional sports to have a fully-functional retractable roof, a necessity in dealing with Toronto’s inclement weather.

Tourists visiting the Rogers Centre can stay in the dome’s adjoining hotel, the Renaissance Toronto Hotel. A four-star hotel, guests of this establishment have the opportunity to stay in a room with a view of the Rogers Centre field. The Renaissance also provides modern amenities such as babysitting, wet-bar and wireless Internet access.

More information:

CN Tower

One of Ontario’s premiere tourist destinations, this freestanding structure has been a landmark of Toronto’s skyline since its erection in 1976. The architectural wonder stands 553 m (1814 ft) tall, making it the largest tower in Canada – by comparison the Calgary Tower measures in at 191 m (627 ft) – Originally constructed by the Canadian National Railway, the CN Tower was sold to the Canada Lands Company in 1995, but to this day it still maintains its primary function as a communication tower for several national broadcasters such as the CBC and Rogers Communications.

Travellers may be interested in making reservations to dine in the CN Tower’s fine-dining restaurant, the 360. An upscale dining experience, the restaurant is housed 351 m (1152 ft) up the tower and slowly revolves, giving guests a magnificent 360-degree view of Toronto and beyond.

More information:

Calgary’s Plus 15 Walkways

An architectural wonder based on its functionality and the sheer area it covers, the Plus 15 system is a series of 57 suspended walkways that connect almost every building in Calgary’s metropolitan centre. Constructed to alleviate traffic congestion and provide pedestrians with shelter from Calgary’s extreme winters, the Plus 15 spans over 16 km (10 mi), and connects buildings as varied as the Calgary Tower and the Sheraton Suites. This substantive system has become ingrained in Calgary’s popular culture, inspiring the major motion picture, Waydowntown, by local filmmaker Gary Burns and starring Tony-award winner Don Mckellar.

View the walkway map (PDF)

Centre Block

The focal point for political discourse in Canada, this complex’s current rendition was constructed in 1927. Modeled around modern gothic design, this wonder can be found on Parliament Hill and spans an area of approximately 10,000 sq m (32,000 sq ft). Inside Centre Block is the House of Commons, the Senate, and the offices of several high ranking government officials, not the least of which include the Prime Minister of Canada.

Attached to the Centre Block is the Peace Tower, which was commissioned in 1919 to commemorate the end of World War I. Designed to mesh the rest of Parliament Hill, the tower is notable for containing the Books of Remembrance; a large document containing the names of all Canadian soldiers who gave their lives to military causes.

Halifax Citadel

28 years in the making, this historic military complex is a reminder of Halifax’s storied naval past. Completed in 1856, the Citadel is a classically-designed fortification that was originally commissioned to provide long-range defense against assaults from land and sea. Designated a national historic site by the government of Canada, the fort is now open to casual visitors, who will find military remnants such as ramparts, trenches, towers and shooting ranges.

Potential visitors to the Citadel should consider planning their trip around one of the Halifax Citadel Regimental Association’s living history re-enactments. Active year-round, this group enacts historically accurate activities such as gun firing, infantry maneuvers and military music performances.

Montreal’s Olympic Stadium

Known as much for its colourful history as it is for its design, Montreal’s Olympic Stadium is nonetheless an architectural wonder of Canada. Originally built for the 1976 Summer Olympics, due to a series of labour strikes and construction problems, the stadium was not officially completed until 1988. Barring its ample problems, the innovative design employed by French architect Roger Taillibert cannot be denied. In fact, the inclined tower attached to the stadium is still considered the tallest in the world.

While it no longer hosts Major League Baseball games, Olympic Stadium still books large sporting events and trade shows. In 2008, the stadium will host the Canadian Football League’s championship game, the Grey Cup.

More information:

Habitat 67

Designed by celebrated Canadian architect Moshe Safdie, Habitat 67 is an innovative residential condominium complex found in Montreal. Originally commissioned to demonstrate modern urban living for Montreal’s Expo 67, all 148 units were sold as private residences at the conclusion of the world fair. The design has been commended for its use of cubic structures – 354 in all – and its effort to include green space into each unit. To this day, Moshe Safdie regularly advises the Habitat 67 board on renovation and upkeep planning.

More information:

The Confederation Bridge

Completed in 1997, this bridge spans 12.9 km (8 mi), and connects the provinces of Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. Confederation Bridge is a wonder because of the social and economic impact it has had on the two provinces; its construction has been directly linked to an increase in tourism and trade.

Besides its value to PEI and New Brunswick’s economic well being, for tourists Confederation Bridge is a great way to travel from the island to the mainland. While driving along the bridge, travellers are presented with breathtaking views of the ocean, and the various sailboats and ships inhabiting it.

More information:

Canadian Museum of Civilization

One of Canada’s most popular museums, the Canadian Museum of Civilization building is a modern marvel designed by Douglas Cardinal. Completed in 1989, the museum covers over 100,000 sq m (328,000 sq ft), and has been heralded for its imaginative use of curved walls and abstract structures representing Canada’s diverse environments. Open year-round, visitors to the museum will find themselves immersed in permanent exhibits such as the Grand Hall which features an expansive collection of aboriginal artifacts, while the Canadian Personalities Hall, showcases rare photographs and memorabilia of some of Canada’s most influential residents.

More information:

So if you are feeling a little adventurous then here are some suggestions to wet your taste buds.

Famous People Players, Toronto, ON

If you want to experience something a little different for the whole family to enjoy then this dinner theatre show could be for you. You will enjoy a fabulous three-course dinner followed by a spectacular black light theatre show combining music, dance and amazing special effect. Round off the event with dessert and coffee. Famous People Players has a special Achievement Program and employs staff with disabilities encouraging them to fulfill their dreams and integrate into society.

O’Noir, Toronto, ON & Montreal, QC

This is a gourmet restaurant with a difference, a big difference. You eat in complete darkness, yes really. The idea behind this is that diners get to know what it is like to be blind and rely on other senses. It is also worth knowing that all the wait staff are blind. If you have no sight then food tastes better as your other senses are heightened. It is not unusual for guests to lose cutlery or to spill food, but it is all part of the charm of this restaurant. Five percent of O’Noir’s profits are donated to local associations that serve the blind and visually impaired community.

Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions, Stettler, AB

Why not combine the experience of a real steam or diesel train with your meal? You will find different adventures throughout the year such as murder mystery, teddy bear specials, dinner theatre etc. You may also be part of a hold up if the outlaw “Reynolds Raiders” decides to raid the train, bringing it to a sudden stop. If he does, be prepared for a gun battle. All experiences include a full curse buffet meal as well as stunning scenery and of course entertainment.

Medieval Times, Toronto, ON

Now famous all over North America this experience is not just a dinner but a complete show. You will be transported back to the 11th century to enjoy King Philippe’s massive four-course feast followed by fabulous displays by Andalusian stallions. You can then experience the excitement of the Knights of the Realm completing in games on horseback and of course jousting and general rivalry ensues.

Oxford Express, Sherbrooke, QC

This tourist train can offer you a unique dining experience whist taking in the sights of the area. You can choose to have  a simple meal on board – perhaps brunch or dinner. Or you can go for the whole experience and include an overnight stay at a hotel in one of the stop-over locations.

Buzzards Restaurant & Bar, Calgary, AB

Although for most of the year this restaurant is a great casual dining steak house, for 10 days every year a little something different is on the menu. During the Calgary Stampede it is home to the Testicle Festival, yes you did read that right! During this time you can delight in Prairie Oysters (calve’s testicles) maybe with a little pasta or perhaps you prefer fries? Or you might want to try the Great Balls O’Fire instead. If you do manage to digest one of these delicacies you will get a certificate to prove it.

Flying Saucer Restaurant, Niagara Falls, ON

For out-of-this-world food why not try this unusual eatery? Specializing in all-day breakfasts you cannot miss this establishment as it looks like exactly what you would expect. At night it lights up and resembles something out of Close Encounters. If breakfast isn’t your thing then you can also enjoy steak, seafood, pasta etc.

The Great Viking Feast, Leifsburdir, NL

Why not partake in a Viking lunch or dinner or go for the full monty: The Great Viking Feast Dinner Theatre. You will get an insight into Viking life with lots of fun and frolics along with great food. It is also worth noting that this is the only sod covered restaurant in North America.

Ric’s Grill Watertower Restaurant Lethbridge, AB

This old water tower has been converted into a high quality steakhouse restaurant. Eat your meal whilst enjoying great views over the city. Certainly something a little different eh?

But home prices are also on the rise to the point where even moderate-income families — with household earnings of between $44,500 and $70,000 — are being squeezed out of the housing market.

“The cost of housing has risen dramatically and we now have levels that are approaching, or have exceeded at times, the city of Edmonton. And Alberta’s average family incomes are much, much higher than they are in Saskatchewan,” said Alan Wallace, Saskatoon’s neighbourhood planning manager.

“Prices rose so quickly that even somebody who was … able to save a down payment on a $190,000 home, now has to save much more for a $300,000 home. Even some of the entry-level product in Saskatoon starts at $270,000, so it’s a much more difficult thing to do.”

The city has decided to help with the down payment in a move it says is the first of its kind in Canada.

Council recently voted unanimously in favour of an equity building program — a five-year plan to provide low-interest loans to help people switch from rental accommodations to home ownership. The plan will allow eligible households to get about $12,000 for a down payment on a home ranging in value from $220,000 to $280,000. The aim is to help some 250 households over the life of the program.

Wallace said there are provincial programs, such as subsidized housing, to help lower income people. But there was nothing to help people in the middle.

“So a picture starts to form that people are struggling. And if they struggle long enough with inadequate, insufficient, unaffordable housing, a number of things happen which are negative,” said Wallace.

“They’ll maybe move away from the community or they will live in substandard housing — housing that is inadequate for their needs. It could be a large family that is in a two-bedroom apartment.

“The negative consequences are that people just don’t succeed in life. They don’t succeed educationally. They don’t succeed in a healthy way.”

It’s also hoped the program will free up units for lower-income renters.

Wallace said the program won’t cost the city any money if all goes according to plan. Cash for the down payments is coming from the city’s investment portfolio, not from operating revenue, and the loans will have to be repaid over five years.

“It’s not a handout. It’s not a subsidy program whatsoever.” The program will be done in partnership with the Affinity Credit Union.

Credit Union vice-president Serese Selanders said interest has “far exceeded” expectations. There were more than 150 calls in the first few days after the announcement.

“It’s kind of bittersweet,” said Selanders.

“On the one hand, we’re very excited because … this confirms that we’ve done the right thing, that we’re going to be able to meet people’s needs. On the other hand, it is somewhat sobering in that there is a huge need out there.”

The Association of Saskatchewan Realtors calls the initiative a step in the right direction for Saskatoon.

“It’s always good to be able to assist some folks in moving from rental to purchase because of the long-term benefits of home ownership, increases in net worth and those types of things,” said Bill Madder, the association’s executive vice-president. “I think it’s been shown very clearly that home ownership, if it’s attainable, is a very good step in long-term financial health for people.”

Economists and others, however, are skeptical. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation says there’s a risk that the public could be on the hook for the money.

“Our concern would be if the people don’t pay the loans back,” said Colin Craig, the federation’s Prairies director. “There have been many instances in government history where the governments have generously loaned individuals and companies money but haven’t seen it all paid back.

“The city should stick to focusing on pipes, pavement and policing.”

Eric Howe, an economics professor at the University of Saskatchewan, suggests making more homes affordable in a tight housing market will increase demand and, in the end, the program will have “no consequence whatsoever.”

“There’s a certain supply of housing in Saskatoon, a certain supply of housing you can buy, and all it will do is drive up the price of that until the mortgage program doesn’t make any difference at all,” said Howe.

“I understand that politicians want desperately to look like they’re doing good things, but I wish they wouldn’t do this sort of thing. It’s just going to somewhat distort the market.”

Howe also said it’s probable that a fraction of the loans won’t be paid back.

“If you couldn’t afford to save the down payment in five years, then why would anybody suppose you could afford to pay the down payment back in five years?

“If you can afford to save the down payment in five years, then just get your house five years from now.”