Currency

The currency is the Canadian dollar, divided into 100 cents. There are notes of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 dollars; and coins of one, five, 10, 25 and 50 cents as well as one and two dollar coins.

Electrical Current

All of North America uses 110 volts for most residential and commercial purposes.

Standard Time

Canada has six time zones. From the last weekend of October to the first weekend of April standard time applies as below. The rest of the year Daylight Saving Time applies (except in Saskatchewan).

Hours behind GMT

Newfoundland (island) 3,5 Other Maritime Provinces 4 Eastern zone 5 Central zone 6

Mountain zone 7 Pacific zone 8

Working Hours

Banks - Generally, banks are open Monday to Friday from 8 or 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Some banks (or branches) have extended hours during the week and are open part of the day on Saturdays.

Public Offices - Office hours for all levels of government tend to be 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Shops - Shopping hours vary widely from province to province and within municipalities. Generally, food stores have the longest hours (e.g., 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.) and are open daily; large cities will have some 24hr supermarkets and convenience stores.

Vacations and Holidays

Vacations: Governed by provincial labor laws and union contracts. Many employees receive only two weeks annual vacation but those with longer service may receive four or five weeks.

Holidays: January 1st, Easter Friday and Monday, Victoria Day (May), July 1st (Canada Day), first Monday in September, second Monday in October, November 11th, December 25th and 26th. Additional holidays apply in specific provinces, notably June 24th in Quebec and the first Monday in August in most provinces.

Entrance Requirements

Visitors arriving from abroad require a valid passport. Visitors from many countries will also need a Temporary Resident’s Visa (TRV) to enter or transit Canada. It is best to check with the nearest Canadian embassy or consulate, or check the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website.

Health Care System

Canada has a national health care system for citizens and permanent residents. The system benefits business in two ways: it helps maintain a healthy work force, and it drastically reduces employee benefit costs. In 2006, KPMG studied the comparative cost of statutory benefits plus other employer-sponsored plans. This critical combination of costs was lower in Canada than in any other G8 country.

Health Precautions for Visitors: None

Connections from Canada

By Air

Most major international carriers have direct or connecting flights to Canada. The majority of visitors arriving on overseas flights will enter via Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver airports.

By Land

There are 12 major road border crossings with the United States and a host of smaller ones. Many CBSA customs offices offer service 24 hours a day.

Over all, investing in Canada could not be a better choice for those that want to see their financial assets SAFE. Not only will they be safe, but also over the next 10 years – and maybe more – the Canadian dollar is likely to be one of the strongest and safest currencies in the western World. Why?

• As Chinas demand for natural resources continues and Canada being placed as the safest producer of those resources it is almost a guarantee

• Canada is a young and under populated Country that is truly multicultural and has an immigration policy that welcomes talent from all over the world. The continued demand for people will insure the job and the housing market is strong across the board.