University of Victoria students sitting on the hill to see the view of the city

Life in Canada

Known around the world for its high standard of living, safety and top-ranked universities, Canada is among the top three most popular destinations for international students.

“I visited Victoria for the first time 10 years ago as a tourist, and I fell in love with the city. The location is beautiful, and also has a good proximity to Vancouver, which is a booming market.”
Chehak from India,
earning an MSc in Computer Science

Canada Locations

Learn more about studying abroad in Canada.

Victoria, British Columbia
An arts and culture hotspot, Victoria is consistently ranked among the top small cities in the world.
Edmonton, Alberta
Known as Canada’s “festival city”, Edmonton is the capital of Alberta and a vibrant urban centre.

Food, sport and culture

Canada has a thriving sports culture and very diverse restaurant and art scenes.

Must-try foods in Canada

Poutine

Originally introduced in the 1950s, poutine has gained such enormous popularity across Canada that it is now considered the country’s national dish! It consists of hot, crispy chips smothered in a savoury, salty brown gravy and is topped off with chunks of fresh cheese curds.

Bannock

A traditional Indigenous bread once made from lichen, moss, and other plants, bannock is now typically made from wheat flour, fat, baking powder, and water. It can be sweetened with sugar or fruits, like Saskatoon berries, or enjoyed with savoury toppings.

Nanaimo bars

This multi-layered treat comes from the city of Nanaimo in British Columbia. The perfect distribution of wafer crumbs, nuts, coconut, custard, and chocolate is what makes this one of Canada’s favourite desserts.

A closer look at Canada’s most popular music festivals

Spring

Metro Metro Festival (Montreal, QC)
Canada’s largest urban music festival features hip-hop, R&B and Latin music, and music lovers can attend performances by the world’s top artists.
Canadian Music Week (Toronto, ON)
The largest music festival in Canada, Canadian Music Week hosts 900 bands in over 60 venues for five nights of music.

Summer

Shambhala Music Festival (Salmo, BC)
In the heart of the British Columbia backcountry, this five-day camping festival is consistently chosen as fans’ favourite of the summer.
Boots and Hearts (Oro-Medonte, ON)
Taking place at the Burl’s Creek Event Grounds, there’s plenty of room to camp and enjoy the incredible line-up of world-class country artists.

Fall

Pop Montreal (Montreal, QC)
Fall is the best time to visit Montreal and take advantage of its unique appeal. Pop Montreal’s music venues range from large clubs and parks to cathedrals and even vintage clothing stores.
Scream Edmonton (Edmonton, AB)
Look into an immersive experience like Scream Edmonton. This event has more than 20 live performances, three stages and a haunted labyrinth that enhances the spooky atmosphere of this Halloween dance event.

Top 5 sporting events in Canada

Ice Hockey (October to April)
As Canada’s national and most popular sport, you won’t have to travel far to catch a game. From university teams to the National Hockey League, you won’t want to miss attending a home game.
The Canadian Open (June)
A much-anticipated annual sporting event, gather with friends to watch the best golfers in the world compete in Ontario.
Canadian Football (June–November)
While you’re in Canada, you can watch the fastest-growing sport in the country in Toronto, Edmonton and many other cities. Canadian football is similar to American football.
The Tim Hortons Brier (March)
The men’s curling championship is the most-watched curling event in Canada. This takes place annually.
The Canadian Grand Prix – Formula 1 (June)
If you’re in Canada during the summer, visit the Gilles Villeneuve Circuit in Montreal to catch the nation’s most famous motor race.