CANADA

Toronto, Ontario, CANADA (North America) – April 2018 — I live in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It’s the biggest city in Canada and by far the most diverse. There are approximately 4 million people living in it. I’ve lived their my entire life and I can’t see myself living anywhere else. I love Toronto because it has everything I could possibly want, from great food locations to great bars and shopping centres. I love how every neighbourhood has it’s own major ethnicity, from koreatown to chinatown to little india. My only dislike with the city in the transit system is a little out of date. Since living here I have noticed more and more condos being made and the city’s rent has become increasingly high.

Markham, Ontario, CANADA (North America) — April 2018 — Markham is a fantastic city to live in. It is the most diverse city in Canada where visual minorities are the majority! It is a medium sized city with approximately 400k people. One of the best things is that you can find any type of cuisine within a 20min drive. You’ll definitely need a car to get around as public transit is still being improved. Thankfully the city planners are doing a great job considering the future of Markham. Markham is also considered the high tech capital of Canada as there are several major companies located within the city including IBM and AMD to name a few

Espanola, Ontario, CANADA (North America) – April 2018 — Espanola is a small town in Northern Ontario in Canada. It has a population of approximately 5000 people. It has one main road that goes through it which ends when you reach Manitoulin Island, approximately 50km south. Espanola is a blue collar town that’s main industry is a paper mill. The employs a big majority of the town. It has 3 small schools and a high school. The thing I enjoy most about this town is its proximity to nature. If you enjoy being outdoors this may be a good town for you. There is ample opportunity to get out and enjoy fishing, hunting and hiking. There are many lakes very nearby that are fully accessible by vehicle; or, if you prefer many that are accessible only be walking or using recreational vehicles. I also enjoy the remoteness of the community because i’m not a fan of city life.

Some of the things I don’t like about this community are its close mindedness. Many of the residents have never left. Employed at the mill since high school and never strived for anything better. The residents tend to be culturally closed minded and not open to people of different cultures. I feel it would be difficult for anyone who is not white to live here because residents would treat you as though you didnt belong. One drawback of living in a ‘mill’ town is the smell. Most people who have heard of Espanola but have not visited are aware of one fact before they get here, it smells. The mill often puts off steam that smells like sulfur, or rotten eggs…You do get used to it, but as a visitor it can be quite a shock. All in all its an ok place to grow up, the community does rally around its citizens in times of need and the town can offer most amenities you would find in a larger center. If you are not planning on working in the paper mill the options are limited and you would most likely need to relocate to find suitable employment or to attend a post secondary institution.

Edmonton, Alberta, CANADA (North America) –April 2018 — Edmonton is a city of close to 1,000,000 in Northern Alberta. I like that the river valley runs throughout the city and contains many parks. I don’t like certain areas of the city that are industrial wasteland. The main industry in the city is health care, government, Oil & Gas, Engineering & Technology. The city is home to the University of Alberta and Grant Macewan University, along with NAIT Polytechnic. Edmonton is an old hub to much of Northern and Central Alberta. It is the Capital city and contains the legislature for the government. I have lived in the city for 12+ years and in that time the city has grown extensively and downtown has begun to develop significantly. Highlights of the city include Fort Edmonton Park, West Edmonton Mall, Mill Creek Ravine, Commonwealth Stadium, and Rogers Place.

Brantford, Ontario, CANADA (North America) –April 2018 — I have lived in Brantford for just over seven (7) years. First, over in Eagle Place area, now over in the Terrace Hill area. It is full of hills and our major point of interest is The Grand River which is a Canadian Heritage River. Brantford is a small city, mostly residential but with some commercial buildings. Quiet, relaxing: more like a retirement town. Harmony Square is the heart of downtown. There are many festivals that occur within it. I have been to the Santa Claus parade a couple times here. Harmony Square also is a splash pad in the summer, and a skating rink in the winter. We also have Wayne Gretzy Sport Center for any and all sports, indoor swimming, football games, etc. It is named after the famous Wayne Gretzy, bringing a sense of fame here. Brantford is nature friendly. There are many trees and parks. More like a country setting inside a small city. One of my favorite things to do is go for walks around my area. We do have year-round trails, even ones that link to the Trans Canada Trails that link to other cities such as Cambridge and Hamilton. Most often, there are beautiful, lush gardens and flowers blooming everywhere. City workers upkeep the parks and flowers pretty immaculate and blooming! It is a joy to walk and enjoy nature in such a beautiful setting. It really feels like home! I live near the train station and several parks. It is quite the distance to walk to the river from our new residence however. My kids and I venture to Ear Haig Water Park when we need to cool down. It has a water slide, lazy river, and mini golf as well! Alexander Graham Bell also brought fame along to Brantford. Internationally, we are known as “the Telephone City” because he invented the telephone in 1874, and we became incorporated as a city in 1877. The Bell Homestead National Historic Site is where he made his first long distance call and has since been restored to appear as it did back in 1874. Six Nations is also an integral part of Brantford. In 1784, Captain Joseph Thayendanegea Brant, a Mohawk leader brought his people to settle in the basin of the Grand River, establishing the village. The Captain died here, and as such Her Majesty’s Royal Chapel of the Mohawks was named after him. It was the very first church built in Ontario. I myself, have not seen the church; however I have been to their land several times. Winding hills, stretches of untouched land, ducks and geese roam freely. In conclusion, Brantford is a beautiful picturesque city, set with the Grand River running right through it. Several amenities give it a city feel; however when it comes right down to it: most businesses are closed Sundays and Mondays, leaving you most of your time to soak in the serene nature and historical beauty of it all.

Toronto, Ontario, CANADA (North America) — April 2018 — My city Toronto,Canada is one of the best city in the World with people from different parts of the world lives in this city . So, we can see different traditions and cultures in the City . With most of the Country’s population lives in Toronto , it is one of the key resource for Country’s income. I like summer season in Toronto because of so many lakes and parks available in the City. The city has changed alot in 6 years with increase in population . when I immigrated to the city back in 2012, it is some calm and beautiful , but , things are changing slowly because of globalization . With the changes in the latest policies, teenagers and people in the Country are allowed to get marijuana legally, this change in the policy will impact the future generations, which I don’t like. The city is also near by to most of the other provinces such as Alberta and British Columbia Also, the city is more spacious with clear roads and good transit facilities. Back in the 1940’s , Canada is under British rule, so, we can see most of the British culture here as well.

Petwawa, Ontario, CANADA (North America) — April 2018 – Petawawa is town of 17,000 located an hour and twenty minutes northeast of Ottawa. It is situated on the Ottawa river, and is close to various provincial parks. This makes it an awesome town to live in if you like outdoors activities. There is lots of crown land in the area which is replete with trails for hiking, snowmobiling, camping, hunting, and skiing. I really like living here because it has all the amenities you would need. Anything you can’t find here is twenty minutes away in Pembroke. Petawawa is comprised almost entirely of military members, their families, and civilian contractors. This makes the town very safe and Petawawa has very little crime. The residents tend to be very courteous and professional. The only issues I have with Petawawa is that it lacks a good variety of restaurants and there is only one low quality bar as far as night life goes. Businesses close early, and the real-estate is more expensive than the surrounding area. Also, if you live close to the river you can expect to hear all sorts of explosions, shooting, and helicopters flying overhead – especially in the summer.

Vancouver, British Columbia, CANADA (North America) — April 2018 — Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada is known for its temperate climate, beautiful greenery, and the mountainous scenery. Vancouver is also known to be one of the most diverse cities in Canada, having people come from everywhere and from all ethnicities and types of cultural backgrounds. It has many docks and ports, and many ships (ferries and shipping boats) arrive in Vancouver. One of the many sights in Vancouver are totem poles and many types of art born and created here. Canoeing, hockey, and a variety of other winter sports are popular, such as snowboarding and skiing, as well as snowshoeing and cross country skiing, due to the fact that there are many mountains that snow during the winter.