Canada

Background

A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across an unfortified border. Its paramount political problem continues to be the relationship of the province of Quebec, with its French-speaking residents and unique culture, to the remainder of the country.

As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada today closely resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and high living standards. Since World War II, the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which includes Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic integration with the US. As a result of the close cross-border relationship, the economic downturn in the United States in 2001 had a negative impact on the Canadian economy. Real growth averaged nearly 3% during 1993-2000, but declined in 2001. Unemployment is up, with contraction in the manufacturing and natural resource sectors. Nevertheless, with its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant Canada enjoys solid economic prospects. Two shadows loom, the first being the continuing constitutional impasse between English- and French-speaking areas, which has been raising the possibility of a split in the federation. Another long-term concern is the flow south to the US of professionals lured by higher pay, lower taxes, and the immense high-tech infrastructure.

Holidays

Jan 1 - New Year's Day
Jan 2 - New Year's Day (forwarded to Monday)
Mar 25* - Good Friday
Mar 28* - Easter Monday
May 23* - Victoria Day
Jul 1 - Canada Day
Aug 1* - Civic Holiday (excluding Quabec)
Sep 6* - Labour Day
Oct 10 - Thanksgiving
Nov 11 - Remembrance Day
Dec 25 - Christmas Day (forwarded to Monday)
Dec 26 - Boxing Day (forwarded to Tuesday)

Ps: These festivals' date(*) given above are approximations which are subject to change every new year.

Phone Codes

Country Code: 1
Outgoing International Code: 011
Area Codes:
Alberta:
Calgary - 403
Edmonton - 780
British Columbia:
Victoria - 250
Vancouver - 604
Manitoba:
Province Wide - 204
New Brunswick:
Province Wide - 506
Newfoundland:
Province Wide - 709
Northwest Territories:
Province Wide - 867
Nova Scotia:
Province Wide - 902
Nunavut:
Province Wide - 867
Ontario:
Effective 02/19/05 (519) - 226
Overlay Area Code 905 - 289
Toronto - 416
London - 519
Ottawa - 613
Overlay Area Code 416 - 647
North Bay - 705
Thunder Bay - 807
Hamilton - 905
Prince Edward Island:
Province Wide - 902
Quebec:
Quebec City - 418
Effective 09/24/05 (514) - 438
Laval - 450
Montreal - 514
Sherbrooke - 819
Saskatchewan:
Province Wide - 306
Yukon Territory:
Province Wide - 867 

Resources

Ports of Call

Association of Canadian Port Authorities
There is available to get ports' contact information in Canada.

Market Research

Canada Business Service Center
There is a gateway for business opportunities that provides a wide range of information on government services, programs and regulations and answers to questions about starting a new business or improving an existing one.

Canada's Business & Consumer Site
This website is sponsored by Industry Ministry of Canada, a department of the Federal government that contains more than 20,000 links to related business sites and 2 million electronic documents such as company directory, trade and investment, business information, economic analysis and statistics.

Business Gateway
This is a fast track to all the government services and information needed to start, run and grow a business in Canada such as business start-up, tax, regulations, government bidding opportunities, company directories, business tools and exporting/importing.

Canadian Intellectual Property Office
There is available a database for over 75 years of patent descriptions and images; more than 1,500,000 patent documents can be searched, retrieved and studied with the search engine.

Investment Canada Act
This is a regulation for non-Canadians who acquire control of an existing Canadian business or who wish to establish a new unrelated Canadian business; this site contains everything concerning the Investment Canada Act.

Electronic Commerce of Canada
This website supplies the service of virtual focal point for information on Canada's Electronic Commerce Strategy, outlining the various initiatives for the business of electronic commerce; provide information in related news, government policy, research and statistics, success stories and international activities.

The Globe and Mail
It is news website with breaking news in business, national and international affairs, technology, sports, entertainment and televisions.

Canada.Com
It is a full service portal for personalized information and services including news, travel, autos, finance, shopping, sports and business and people directories related to Canada.

BellZinc
It is Canada's leading Web destination for businesses designed to serve the needs of small and medium-sized businesses; services including trade directory, online shopping, name domain registration, business services center and information & tools.

CIA - The World Factbook - Canada
This website indicates a wide range of detail information about Canada by introducing under 8 different fields as its geography,people, government, economy, communications, transportation, military, transnational issues.

About Canada
There is available to find Canadian general outlook on the issues of its social and business profile, passport/visa, money, accommodation, government, duty free, health and so forth.

U.S. Department of State - Bureau of Consular Affairs - For Canada
U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs creates a wide range of research named as Consular Information Sheet about Canada in terms of analyzing its social, political, cultural & economic environments.

UK Trade & Investment - Canada
UK Trade & Investment is the Government organisation that supports both UK companies trading internationally and overseas enterprises seeking to locate in the UK.

US- Canada Trade Relations
It represents US-Canadian trade relations including the statistical data and analysis.

Tradenet Canada
Tradenet.com aims to indicate trade & investment opportunities in Canada within comprehensive database on Economic Analysis and Statistics, Canadian Industry Statistics, TradeBytes - U.S. Importers, Trade in Services, Trade and Investment and so forth.

Canada Yellow Pages
It is available to make research on companies in Canada specifically in terms of their names including companies' telephone numbers and postal addresses.

Trade Information

Canada China Business Council
The Canada China Business Council (CCBC) mainly aims to facilitate and promote trade and investment between Canada and the People's Republic of China by providing practical and focused assistance to business, solid market information, business and logistical support and services, and potential project leads.

Malaysia Canada Business Council(MCBC)
The MCBC provides a forum for networking, promotion and information sharing and represents the interests of its members, serving as a catalyst for further trade and investment between Canada and Malaysia.

Canada-India Business Council
This council devotes to promote trade and investment between Canada and India by fostering direct contacts between Canadian and Indian business people by providing information and advice to companies of both countries with respect to trade and investment matters in either country.

Canadian American Business Council
The main goal of this council is to come up with high-level briefings on issues of current concern, assistance with practical trade and policy challenges, and providing significant networking opportunities and informative seminars.

Canada Arab Buisness Council(CABC)
The mission of the Canada-Arab Business Council is to support member companies in doing two-way business with their counterparts in the Middle East and North Africa.

Canadian Chamber of Commerce
It is the official website of Canadian Chamber of Commerce that's mission is to foster a strong, competitive, and profitable economic environment in Canada.

British Canadian Chamber of Commerce
British Canadian Chamber of Commerce serves for the interests of British and Canadian investors by aiming to expand the commercial relations between 2 states.

The List of Chambers of Commerce in Canada
There are listed the chambers of commerce in Canada available to access to their websites.

Brazil Canada Chamber of Commerce
Brazil-Canada Chamber of Commerce's primary objective is to foster stronger commercial relations between Canada and Brazil by providing network and bi-lateral business opportunities among two states.

Canadian German Chamber of Industry and Commerce
The Canadian German Chamber of Industry and Commerce fosters trade and investment relations between Canada and Germany by offering business services for initiating new commercial transactions among states.

Australian-Canadian Chamber of Commerce (ACCC)
This Chamber serves the business & economic benefits of Australians and Canadians in terms of promote business, cultural and social relations between them.

Canada-UK Chamber of Commerce.
The mission of this chamber is to provide a networking forum for companies and individuals engaged in trade and commerce involving Canada and the UK and, consistent with the interests of our members, to disseminate information on aspects of trade and commerce involving these countries.

Canadian Turkish Business Council
The Canadian Turkish Business Council dedicates to promote bilateral trade and investment between Turkey and Canada and provide members with critical information on business opportunities and strategies for success in the Turkish market.

Canada Government Online
It is the official website of Canadian government that displays the structure of Equatorial Guinea's government by looking at its political units, branches, ministries and so forth in details.

The Department of Foreign Affairs & International Trade
The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade has been divided into two separate departments as Foreign Affairs Canada (FAC) and International Trade Canada (ITCan) by aiming to provide good and efficient services for both Canadian & foreign businesses.

Embassy Listings For Canada
There are listed the embassies of Canada including the embassies' contact information.