Guest Post – Taylor Anderson
If you live in Canada, you already know that it’s one of the best places to be! It’s also a favourite travel destination and a dream getaway for many Americans, Europeans, and others from even further away. But what exactly makes Canada such a top destination in the world for both people who live there and travellers?
Free healthcare
We don’t have to pay for healthcare, which means people aren’t afraid of visiting the emergency room when they think they might need medical attention. In other countries without universal health care, people might not go to the hospital after even serious car accidents because they’re trying to avoid exorbitant medical bills and debts. While dental coverage isn’t included and not all special services are covered, anything you might need to visit the hospital for isn’t going to put you in debt for the rest of your life.
More livable cities
The Mercer Quality of Life survey regularly calculates the best cities to live in, based on factors like high-quality education, good public safety, affordable healthcare, environmental efforts, and culture. In 2011, Vancouver tied for fifth place on the list. Another survey, the Global Liveability Report by the Economist Intelligence Unit, measures with similar metrics and Vancouver, Toronto, and Calgary placed third, fourth, and fifth on the list in 2011.
Lower crime rates
It’s hard to compare crime directly with other countries since every country has different methods of reporting and cataloguing data, but rates of violent crime, homicide, robbery, and so on tend to be lower in Canada than in other comparable countries such as England and the USA. As one example, the murder rate in the USA was triple that of Canada’s murder rate in 2000, and while 70 percent of murders are committed with firearms in the USA, this rate is only 30 percent in Canada.
Brilliant immigrants
The multicultural and welcoming environment that Canada offers is very appealing to newcomers. We are often said to take a “mosaic” or “patchwork quilt” approach to culture, allowing people to bring their own culture when they move to Canada and still share in ours. The children of immigrants perform just as well as Canadian students (which is unusual compared to other countries), nearly a third of Canada’s wealthy families are immigrants who became self-made millionaires, and Canada ranks third in the world for rights and opportunities we provide to immigrants.
Friendly social policies
It isn’t just the people who are friendly; the “live and let live” social policies of the country allow people to coexist peacefully. Equal marriage laws mean that gay couples are drawn to the country, while women’s reproductive rights make it a good country for those who support separation of religion and government. Safety nets exist for many of the poorest people in Canada, and while the human rights and native policies record in the country isn’t exactly clean, the government seems to be working to keep Canada a progressive country.
Stunning natural scenery
The second-largest nation in the world, Canada offers tremendous views from coast to coast. BC residents can enjoy rustic northern woods, warm Pacific surfing, or awe-inspiring mountains; the province of Newfoundland and Labrador on the opposite coast has a rugged, weather-beaten appeal and interesting geographic features for any geologist. It’s hard to cover all of Canada’s climates and different types of scenery in one trip or even in a lifetime of moving around the country, but you could certainly enjoy trying to do it!
Whether you’re visiting Canada or you live here, it’s hard to deny: despite our modesty about the country, Canada is a great place to live and a top destination for tourists and immigrants from all over the world.
Author Bio:
Taylor Anderson is a member of a network of bloggers who write about travel and lifestyle on behalf of companies such as credit card provider American Express, who offer a range of credit cards specifically designed to suit a variety of needs.
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