Canada has thousands of cities and towns. Newcomers have many choices of where to live and work in Canada.

Where should I live?

Finding the right place to live and work may take time. Housing costs vary greatly across Canada and depend on location (city, town or rural area) and type of home (e.g., apartment or house). Where you choose to live will impact your occupational prospects, job opportunities and salary.

Where do newcomers settle?

Most newcomers settle in larger cities. According to Statistics Canada, the Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver census metropolitan areas (CMAs) were home to 68.9% of recent immigrants in 2006.

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation publication Settling in Canada includes profiles and comparisons of 11 medium-size Canadian cities.

How much should I spend on housing?

According to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, your monthly housing costs should not be more than 30% of your monthly gross household income.

Resources

The Working in Canada Tool can help you decide where to live and work. Use the Tool and produce a report that contains information on job descriptions, wages, skills, language training and job opportunities. By researching different occupations and different locations, you can make settlement decisions that are right for you and your family.

Visit the Housing for Newcomers section of the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation Web site to access resources to help you rent an apartment and/or buy a home.

Multi-Language Information: In addition to English and French, the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation offers information on select programs and services in several languages.

The Newcomer's Guide to Canadian Housing - Produced by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, this guide offers information on how to rent or buy a home.

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) completed a study about: The Housing Situation and Needs of Recent Immigrants in Montréal, Toronto, and Vancouver.

2006 Community Profiles– This Statistics Canada tool allows you to research 5,418 communities, 33 large and 111 smaller metropolitan areas in Canada. You can research housing prices and rental costs using this tool.

The Government of Canada’s Weather Office– The Government of Canada’s Weather Office allows you to research the weather conditions in communities across Canada.

A Newcomer's Introduction to Canada - Produced by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, this guide includes useful information on finding a place to live.

Multiple Listing Service– Use this site to research current homes for sale and prices across Canada. This site is operated by the Canadian Real Estate Association.

For more information about local communities and living in Canada, consult the Provinces and Territories as well as the Welcome to Canada sections.