If you're planning to apply for Canada Visa to live and work in Canada and is considering Ontario as your destination, this entry is for you. This is the fifth in the series of entries featuring provinces and territories in Canada, aiming to help you decide where to settle in Canada.
Ontario is the 2nd largest province in Canada in total area. The Capital of Ontario is Toronto, the largest city in Canada. Ottawa, the capital of Canada is also part of Ontario.
There are many famous artists originating from Ontario like film director Neil Young, musician Avril Lavigne, singer Alanis Morissette and actor Jim Carrey to name a few.
Ontario is a study in contrasts.
The varied landscape includes the vast, rocky and mineral-rich Canadian Shield, which separates the fertile farmland in the south and the grassy lowlands of the north. There are over 250,000 lakes in Ontario -- they make up about one-third of the world's fresh water. In summer, temperatures can soar above 30°C (86°F), while in winter they can drop to below -40°C (-40°F). Ontario's industries range from cultivating crops, to mining minerals, to manufacturing automobiles, to designing software and leading-edge technology. Cultures from around the world thrive and are celebrated in Ontario with festivals such as Caribana (West Indian) and Oktoberfest (German). Travellers can enjoy the many experiences Ontario has to offer, from a wilderness expedition in the north, to a "shop till you drop into your theatre seat" city excursion.
Ontario’s Pilot Provincial Nominee Program
Ontario's PNP Pilot Program is employer driven. This means that you can only apply if your employer is pre-screened, the position is approved, and your employer provides you with a nominee application package from the Pilot PNP. The Pilot PNP has two Categories: an Employer Category and a Multinational Investor Category.
For Employer Category application process, click here. For Multinational Investor Process, click here.
Quality of Life
The government of Ontario is indeed comitted to improving the quality of life of Ontarians. On its 2008 budget, it proposed the following measures and strategy:
The government is proposing to invest $135 million over three years to provide dental services to low-income Ontarians, with investments starting in 2008-09. In July 2008, the Ontario Child Benefit (OCB) will be delivered through the personal income tax system and will assist over 600,000 low-income families with children under 18. For 2008, the maximum OCB payment will be $600 annually per child. The government is raising the minimum wage to $10.25 by 2010, with consecutive annual increases of 75 cents on March 31, 2008 and onwards. After a nine-year period during which the minimum wage was frozen, the government has increased it five times from $6.85 per hour in 2003 to $8.75 at March 31, 2008. The government is providing an additional investment of $2 million in the 2008-09 school year to establish 34 more Parenting and Family Literacy Centres in the province. These centres help prepare children for successful school entry.[source]
For more information about cost living in Ontario, click here and here
Need driving direction? Here's MapQuest Canada: Driving Direction and Map of Canada.
Settlement.Org
The Settlement.Org website provides newcomers with information and resources to settle in Ontario, Canada. A very useful website, I would say. The development of this website was in fact funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada and Government of Ontario. It contains almost all the information you need if you're planning to settle in Canada - from finding a job, rent informatin, education, getting your health card, etc. It also has a forum where you may interact with other Ontarains who are providing helpful tips.
