Country info for backpacking in Canada

Canada is a land of vast distances and rich natural beauty. Economically and technologically, it resembles its neighbor to the South, the United States, and shares with it the longest undefended border in the world. Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 by an act of the British parliament, and is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Though a medium sized country by its population, Canada has earned respect on the international stage for its strong diplomatic skills. Domestically, the country has displayed success in negotiating compromises amongst a culturally and linguistically varied population, a difficult task considering that language, culture, cuisine and even history vary significantly over the country. In contrast to the United States' image as a melting pot, Canada prefers to consider itself a mosaic of cultures and people. The information below will get you started, but be sure to check the specifics for given regions and cities. It has socialized medicine, too.

Time zones

The Canadian Sir Sandford Fleming first proposed time zones for the entire world in 1876, and Canada is covered coast to coast with multiple zones.

• Yukon and most of British Columbia are within Pacific Time (UTC-7 during Daylight Saving Time, UTC-8 during Standard Time)
• Northwest Territories, Alberta, parts of eastern British Columbia and part of western Nunavut are within Mountain Time (UTC-6 during Daylight Saving Time, UTC-7 during Standard Time)
• Saskatchewan, unlike the rest of Canada, does not participate in Daylight Savings Time and remains on Central Standard Time year-round (UTC-6)
• Manitoba and Ontario west of Thunder Bay, as well as central Nunavut are within Central Time (UTC-5 during Daylight Saving Time, UTC-6 during Standard Time)
• Ontario from east of Thunder Bay to most of Quebec and eastern Nunavut are within Eastern Time (UTC-4 during Daylight Saving Time, UTC-5 during Standard Time)
• Most of Labrador, north-eastern Quebec and all of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia are within Atlantic Standard Time (UTC-3 during Daylight Saving Time, UTC-4 during Standard Time)
• The island of Newfoundland has its own time zone, Newfoundland Standard Time (UTC-3:30), which is a half hour ahead of Atlantic Standard Time. The south-eastern corner of Labrador is also within this time zone.

See also Time zones

Climate

Trying to distill the climate of Canada into an easy to understand statement is impossible, given the vast area that this country occupies. The southernmost point of mainland southern Ontario, Point Pelee, and the nearby islands in Lake Erie are at a very similar latitude to northern California, and has a climate similar to the eastern US. Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut, is just south of the Arctic Circle and remains very cold for most of the year. However, as most of the Canadian population resides within a few hundred kilometers of Canada's border with the United States, visitors to most cities will probably not have to endure the weather that accompanies a trip to the northern territories. In fact, summers can be hot in parts of Canada. Summer temperatures over 28°C (82.4°F) are not unusual in extreme Southern Ontario and the southern Interior of British Columbia. Toronto's climate is only slightly cooler than many cities in the northeastern United States, and summers in the southern parts of Ontario and Quebec are often hot and humid. In the BC Interior, Alberta and Saskatchewan, the humidity is often low during the summer, even during hot weather. In the winter, Southern Ontario is only slightly cooler than the northeastern United States, but temperatures under -10°C (14°F) are not uncommon in Southern Ontario. The climate in Canada also depends in large part on how close to the coast you travel. Many inland cities, especially those in the Prairies, experience extreme changes in weather. Winnipeg, Manitoba (also colloquially known as 'Winterpeg') has hot summers easily exceed 35°C (95°F), yet experiences very cold winters where -40°C (-40°F) is not uncommon. The hottest temperatures in Canadian recorded history was in southern Saskatchewan, at 45°C (113°F). Conversely, coastal cities in British Columbia is generally milder year-round and gets little snow. The Atlantic Provinces are usually not as mild as the Prairies and the Territories although they constantly experience temperatures below zero in the winter. The Atlantic Provinces are also well known to experience many blizzards during the winter season. In British Columbia, Vancouver and Victoria are temperate and get very little snow, and seldom experience temperatures below 0°C or above 27°C (32-80°F). Apart from having usually milder temperatures year-round than the interior areas of Canada, coastal areas can have very high rainfall. Areas such as coastal British Columbia get some of the highest rainfall in Canada, but it can be very dry in the southern BC Interior due to the Coastal Mountains acting as a rain shadow. The wind can be a big factor on the Canadian Prairies because there are wide open areas not unlike those in the Midwest states of the US, and makes for unpleasant windchills during cold weather in the winter. The average temperature is typically colder in Canada than in the US and Western Europe as a whole, so bring your jacket if visiting between October and May, and early and later than this if visiting areas further north. The rest of the year, in most of the country, daytime highs are generally above 15°C (60°F).

Safety in Canada is not usually a problem, and some basic common sense will go a long way. Even in the largest cities, violent crime is not a serious problem, and very few people are ever armed. Firearm-related violence is on the rise in southern Ontario, however, but this needn't worry the average traveller, as it is generally confined to particular neighbourhoods and is rarely a random crime. Even though major urban areas are experiencing higher than average rates it should be noted that these rates still remain extremely low compared to similiar sized urban areas in the United States and the rest of the world. If you are unfortunate enough to get your purse or wallet snatched, the local police will do whatever they can to help. Often, important identification is retrieved after thefts of this sort. Visitors to large cities should be aware that parked cars are sometimes targeted for opportunistic smash-and-grab thefts, so try to avoid leaving any possessions in open view. Due to the high incidence of such crimes, motorists in Montreal and some other jurisdictions can be fined for leaving their car doors unlocked or for leaving valuables in view. Auto theft in Montreal, including theft of motor homes and recreational vehicles, may occur in patrolled and overtly secure parking lots and decks. Bike theft can be a common nuisance in metropolitan areas.

Firearms

Possession, purchase, and use of any firearms requires proper licenses for the weapons and the user, and is subject to federal laws. Firearms are classed (mainly based on barrel length) as non-restricted (subject to the least amount of training and licensing), restricted (more licensing and training required) and prohibited (not legally available). Most rifles and shotguns are non-restricted, as they are used extensively for hunting, on farms, or for protection in remote areas. Handguns or pistols are restricted weapons, but may be obtained and used legally with the proper licenses. Generally the only people who carry handguns are Federal, Provincial, and Municipal Police, Wildlife Officers in most provinces, private security guards and people who work in remote "wilderness" areas who are properly licensed. It is possible to import non-prohibited firearms such as most types of rifle and shotgun for sporting purposes like target shooting and hunting, and non-prohibited handguns for target shooting may also be imported with the correct paperwork. Prohibited firearms will be seized at customs and destroyed. Travellers should check with the Canada Firearms Centre and the Canada Border Services Agency before importing firearms of any type before arrival.

Illicit Drug Use

Marijuana use is common in the western province of British Columbia where the attitude towards it is very relaxed. Outside of B.C. use is less obvious as there is more social stigma attached to its use, particularly with older generations. Because of its popularity, easy availability and allowances for "medical purposes", many visitors (and even some Canadians) believe that its use is legal. While it is illegal under the Criminal Code of Canada, Ontario courts has declared possession of up to 30g legal back in 2003 (British Columbia, PEI, and Nova Scotia have also struck down the laws against possession of up to this amount). In other parts of the country any possession are still illegal, though enforcement varies (in Montreal, you probably will only get a warning and have your weed confiscated, while even possessing a joint in Alberta and Saskatchewan will lead to arrest). Several cases in 2007 in Ontario have upheld this ruling. However, cocaine, heroin, and other hard drugs WILL lead to prosecution.

Drunk Driving

Canadians take drunk driving very seriously, and driving while under the influence of alcohol is not a mere traffic violation in Canada. It is punishable under the Criminal Code of Canada and can involve jail time, particularly for repeat offenses. If you "blow over" the legal limit of blood alcohol content (BAC) on a roadside breathalyzer machine test, you will be arrested and spend at least a few hours in jail. Being convicted for driving under the influence (DUI) will almost certainly mean the end of your trip to Canada, a criminal record and you being barred from re-entering Canada for at least 5 years. 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood (0.08%) is the legal limit for a criminal conviction. Many jurisdictions call for fines, license suspension and vehicle impoundment at 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, or if the officer reasonably believes you are too intoxicated to drive. Note this difference; while having a BAC of 0.07% when tested at a police checkpoint ('Checkstop', which is designed to catch drunk drivers) will not result in arrest, having the same BAC after being pulled over for driving erratically may result in being charged with DUI.

Hate Speech

Hate speech - communication that may incite violence toward an identifiable group - is illegal in Canada and can lead to prosecution, jail time and deportation.

You are unlikely to face health problems here that you wouldn't face in any other western industrialized country. Furthermore, the health care system is very effective and widely accessible. In the past two summers, Canadians in some provinces (Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta) have faced a few cases of West Nile virus, an occasionally fatal infection transmitted by mosquitoes. Also, in spring 2003, an outbreak of SARS scared some visitors into changing their plans, but since only visitors to hospitals in Toronto were ever at serious risk, the fear was greatly overblown. Be aware that most Canadian provinces have banned all indoor smoking in public places and near entrances. Some bans include areas such as bus shelters and outdoor patios. See Smoking.