
Canada Travel Handbook
Preparations before traveling to Canada:
To enter Canada, you need a passport or equivalent travel document.
Please visit the Government of Canada’s Requirements for Entry into Canada page for details on entry requirements. Please visit Canada Border Force for more information on Canada Customs regulations.
Customs and duties:
Like other countries, we have rules about what visitors can bring into or out of Canada. Don’t worry, these regulations are not complicated. For information on bringing alcohol and tobacco into Canada, visit Canada Border Force. For information on bringing pets into Canada, visit the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. For information on bringing firearms and ammunition into Canada, visit the Canada Guns Program. For information on bringing agricultural products into Canada, visit Canada Border Force.
Currency:
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The official currency is the Canadian dollar The $1 and $2 coins are called “loonie” and “toonie” respectively (no kidding).
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Canadian dollar is equivalent to 5 yuan per person.
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To check current exchange rates, visit Bank of Canada.
Time Zone:
The time zones of Canada and China are quite different. China has only one time zone and Canada has many different time zones. At 7:00 PM, you are relaxing at your home in Beijing. Your friend in Winnipeg, Canada is just waking up at 6:00 in the morning while you relax watching TV. At this time in Toronto and Montreal, it is only 7:00 in the morning, and people are getting ready to go to work. At 7:00 am Beijing time, you wake up to go to work, and at this time it is 4:00 pm in Vancouver, Canada, and your friends are about to end their day at work.
Language and Culture
Chinese and Canadians have a lot in common. But, like so many good things in life, the nuances vary.
Example: French is one of Canada’s official languages, and there are French speakers in every province, but Quebec is the province with the largest number of French speakers. Canadians speak hundreds of languages, including Spanish. But as long as you speak English, you can travel almost anywhere in Canada.
Weather
Weather varies significantly from season to season in different parts of Canada. From forests to deserts and everything in between, Canada has it all.
Summer
Vancouver’s average air temperature is 25 degrees and there are 8 beaches where you can sunbathe. With an average temperature of 26 degrees in Montreal, enjoying a cold drink on the patio of a restaurant or café is perfect. With an average temperature of 26 degrees in Toronto, diving, swimming or soaking up the sun in Lake Ontario couldn’t be more comfortable.
Winter
Pack your skis and head to Blackcomb in Whistler near Vancouver, where the average snowfall reaches 12 meters per year. Put on your skates and join the 19,000-strong crowd to experience the joy of skating along the frozen 7.7-kilometer waterway of the Ottawa Toronto Canal. Twenty months are extraordinarily cold in Quebec City, where you can take part in the world-renowned winter carnival, see ice sculptures, enjoy snow baths, and participate in nighttime parades and parties.