Languages: English, French, and 53 other languages
Religion: Mainly Catholic and Protestant
Form of Government: Constitutional Monarchy
Prime Minister: Jean Chrétien
Administrative Information
Visa. The citizens of most western countries do not need a visa to enter the country. By contrast, the citizens of countries like Portugal, Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan, some countries in eastern Europe, southern Africa, and most developing countries, require a visa. Visas for a stay of less than 6 months are free.
Cost of Living
Cheap restaurants: 5 to 10 USD
Medium range restaurant : 10 to 25 USD
Expensive restaurant: from 25 USD
Cheap hotel: from 12 to 25 USD
Normal hotel: from 25 to 40 USD
High class hotel: from 40 USD
The accommodation will no doubt constitute the bulk of your expenses. By contrast, restaurants prices are lower than in the other western countries. If you decide to stay in cheaper hotels and eat in cafes, the daily budget will be approximately U.S. $ 40, without taking into account transportation.
Travel Checks and Currencies
If you need to change money, we advise going to agencies or offices specializing in international transactions, such as Thomas Cook. If you can't find any of these offices, we recommend you make the change at a bank. Canadian or American dollars, and American Express or Thomas Cook travelers checks are the most recommended. Credit cards are valid in most establishments, including Visa, MasterCard and American Express.
In Canada, the rate of products and services (GST) is applied to virtually all goods - products, services, transactions, in hotel rooms, newspapers... Aside from this fee, in most provinces there is a "provincial rate" which could increase the price by up to 15%. Always keep this percentage in consideration.
Travel Tips
Tipping is mandatory in Canada, so don't forget to add an extra 10-15 % to the total price. Usually tips are given to waiters, taxi drivers, hairdressers, hotel staff....
