Indeed, Canada boasts a whopping 9,984,670 square kilometres, split into ten provinces and three territories in the cold north. Around 80 per cent of Canada’s population live in towns and cities in the milder southern areas of the country, however, while 25 cities have populations of more than 100,000, these still account for less than 1 per cent of Canada’s vast landmass.

Most immigrants settle in one of the country’s three largest cities: Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, and as a result house prices tend to be highest in these areas. The strength of the Canadian Dollar means that emigrants now have weaker purchasing power than they enjoyed in the past, although the fact that house prices are continuing to rise is a good sign that the economy is buoyant. “Immigration, population growth and demand from investors for hard assets in safe, stable countries help explain why Canada seems to be sailing through rough seas”, Michael Polzter, executive vice president of Re/Max Ontario Atlantic Canada, said in 2011.

According to the Royal Bank of Canada, the average price for a two-storey property in the province of British Columbia, which enjoys the mildest weather in Canada, was CDN$661,000 (approximately £411,750) as of November 2011.
Yet you could get much more for your money on the opposite side of the country in the Atlantic provinces, where the average price was just CDN$234,000 (approximately £145,764).

Whatever your living preferences, you really are spoilt for choice in Canada: From the forested Rocky mountains to the great lakes, or sweeping prairie plains to rugged coastal vistas, the lifestyle options are full of varied potential. Matt’s younger brother Chris dreams of moving out with his wife Becky to join him, and this diversity is providing the biggest pull. “Canada offers a great mixture of city living and countryside,” he says. “The mountain ranges and America are close by and at the weekends you can mountain bike, zip line, surf, hike… The list goes on.”

In light of recent news that the Canadian Government plans to boost the number of skilled visas in its 2012 migration intake by 8,000–10,000 to a maximum of 57,000, along with the introduction of a ‘super visa’ that will allow parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens to stay in the country for up to two years at a time, it’s a dream that could soon become a reality for many Brits looking for a better life.

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