Entry requirements

Passport and visa requirements

Health precautions

No requirements.

Once in the country

Time and time difference

It is 01:27 AM in Quebec, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa (GMT -5 in winter, GMT-4 in summer)

Summer time period

Summer time from March to November.

Map of the time zone

Type of climate

The summer period begins with spring weather in April or May, when the snow melts. The hottest months are from the end of June to the beginning of September. As for the autumn, it is the most beautiful season in Quebec, when natural beauty is magnificent for walking in the mountains.
The months of April and November are the 2 least interesting months for visiting Canada. April because spring has not completely come, the snow has sometimes not totally melted, road cleaning and repairs are not finished. November because the trees have lost all their leaves, the weather is grey, it often rains and sometimes it snows already.

Average annual temperatures and rainfall

Getting around

By road

Urban areas in Canada are very far apart. In some fairly uninhabited parts, it is not unusual to drive for 100 km without finding a service station, a store or a motel. The roads are generally very good but when you venture into remote rural areas, you often find roads which are not asphalted. The average speed drops then from 90 to 50 km/h. The highway code and people's driving habits are somewhat particular and it is in your interest to have them explained to you before you start driving.

By rail

By air

Daily flights are numerous and usually punctual, except when weather conditions are bad. In Quebec, several companies ensure domestic connections between the most important cities.

Find an itinerary

Eating

Culinary specialties

Inspired by French, British, American or Native American cooking, typical Canadian cuisine adapts to the seasons. Each region has its unique recipes, made with local products: from the tourtière (meat pie) to the pain banique (Native American bread), from maple syrup to the poutine (see further on). Places like le Saguenay, and Lac St-Jean in Quebec are known for their tourtières called "cipâte or cipaille", made of game or beef and pork, covered in pastry. One of the traditional dishes is the pâté chinois (sheppard pie), made of cooked, seasoned ground beef, with sweetcorn and mashed potatoes. For about 30 years the Quebec dish par excellence has been the "poutine", made of fried potatoes, gravy and cheese curds. In the Maritime Provinces as well as Quebec, fish and seafood are very popular. From May to July, people enjoy the lobster from the Magdalen Islands and New Brunswick. Alberta and the Great Plains Provinces are well-known for the quality of their beef, served grilled or braised. There is a great variety of dishes in addition to all this, thanks to the arrival of the many immigrants who brought their culinary traditions with them and learned to adapt them to the country's tastes.

Dietary taboos

There are no dietary taboos in the country.

Paying

Domestic currency

There are bureaux de change in all airports and in town centers. Credit card companies automatically take a percentage of exchange transactions. ATMs are being used more and more instead of travelers cheques.

To obtain domestic currency

To find out the locations of ATMs in Canada, click on the link to your credit card: Visa, Mastercard or American Express.

Speaking

Official language

There are 2 official languages, English and French.

Other languages spoken

Chinese is the third most widely spoken language in Canada. More than 100 different languages were declared when an inventory was made of mother tongues. The list includes: German, Italian, Ukrainian, Dutch, Polish, Asian and Middle Eastern languages.

Business language

English is used most. All government departments must be bilingual in English and French.

Getting some knowledge

Please consult the following website for French-speaking Quebec expressions.

Free translation tools

Voila - Translator of phrases, words and websites
La toile du Québec - Free on-line translator of texts and Internet pages (to French from English, German and vice versa)
Foreignword - Portal for languages
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Visiting

Highlights

There are more than 154 historical sites listed in Canada.
Parks : 34 national and 82 historical national parks.
Montreal : the old quarter; the Cathedral-Basilica of Mary Queen of the World which is a copy of St Peter's in Rome; the Olympic park.

Tourism organizations