The vast majority of Canada has four distinct seasons. Spring is the rainy season in most of Canada, with rising temperatures. Plants in southern Canada mostly begin to sprout in March and bloom in April and May. However, on the west coast, Vancouver and Victoria spring arrives about two months earlier, and is the region with the shortest and mildest winter in Canada. Officially, summer begins on June 21, but for most Canadians, July and August are considered summer. Temperatures in southern Canada are usually above 20 degrees Celsius, sometimes exceeding 30 degrees Celsius. Autumn is also known as (fall). The appearance of the first frosty night is set as the beginning of fall. It is usually mid-September. Trees begin to lose their leaves in late September and October. Fall is also sometimes rainy. Snow usually begins to fall in November in most areas except the southwestern coast. Vancouver and Victoria only have a few days a year in December and January when temperatures are below freezing; the rest of the country is generally covered in snow from December to mid-March.
Finding a home in Canada
Homes for rent are often advertised in newspapers. There are generally two types of ads: furnished and unfurnished. A furnished house should have at least a bed, table, chair, lamp, curtains, and basic kitchen equipment. They are more expensive than unfurnished ones. There are many types of rooms for rent, such as single room (single room, kitchen and toilet shared with others), single room with kitchen (bachelor apartment), one bedroom, two bedrooms, and so on. Rooms vary in size, but generally have the following amenities: a lockable door for entry and exit, a bathroom with a toilet, sink, and bathing facilities, a closet for clothes, and a kitchen with a sink, cupboards, countertops, stove, and refrigerator. The following equipment is necessary for all rentals: potable water, sewage drain, electricity, heating equipment, telephone installation. You may want to install cable television to watch more channels, but you will need to pay a monthly fee to the cable company. The method of payment varies with the landlord. Generally, a deposit equal to one month's rent is required. The deposit can be used as the last month's rent.
Health insurance and regular medical care
Canada has one of the best health insurance systems in the world. Most communities have excellent hospitals, clinics or physicians' offices. All Canadian residents (citizens and permanent residents), who are enrolled in Canada's National Health Insurance Program, receive services that are usually free. Medicare is paid directly to hospitals and doctors by the state from taxes.
The National Health Insurance Program of Canada, sometimes called medicare, pays most of the cost of medical care. You must apply for an official health insurance card from the province where you live. Application forms can be obtained from your doctor's office, hospital, pharmacy, and from the appropriate government department. The health insurance card can be used throughout Canada. Health insurance coverage varies slightly from province to province, and some provinces may require a small fee to apply for a health insurance card.
First aid
For a serious injury or sudden illness, go to the emergency room of any hospital. If it is life-threatening, you can call an ambulance. In many towns and cities in Canada, an ambulance can be called by calling 911, and in other parts of Canada you can call 0 to ask for help from the telephone information desk to call an ambulance. If the doctor finally confirms that an ambulance is not necessary, you will have to pay for it. Some provinces require the patient to pay part of the cost of all ambulance calls. Interpreters are available at hospitals in larger cities, but in an emergency situation, it is important that you or someone with you at the hospital understands enough English.