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bullet National Overview
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  bullet Canadian Business Environment
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bullet Ontario
  bullet An Introduction to Ontario
  bullet Ontario Workforce
  bullet Education in Ontario
  bullet Ontario Transportation and Infrastructure
  bullet A Note on Utilities in Ontario
  bullet Ontario Trades Internationally
  bullet Quality of Life in Ontario
bullet Business Climate in Ontario
  bullet Economic Indicators
  bullet State of Real Investment in Ontario
  bullet Taxation and Employer Costs in Ontario
  bullet Financial Systems
  bullet Government Support and Political Structure
  bullet Research & Development
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Index To Information

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National Overview
bullet Introduction to Canada
 
The World Invests in Canada
Bar Chart  Total Foreign Direct Investment in Canada
Pie Chart  Accumulated Foreign Direct Investment: Geographical Distribution
Pie Chart  Accumulated Foreign Direct Investment: Distribution by Industry
Canada Leads G-7 in Economic Growth
Bar Chart  Economic Growth - Real GDP: G-7 Countries
    
 
Canada Is A Trading Nation
Table listing  Canada's Major Trading Partners
Affluent Domestic Market
Bar Chart  GDP Per Capita Converted At Purchasing Power Parity
Price Levels of Major Cities
Bar Chart  Cost of Living Index in Major Cities - International Comparison
Canada's Rank in UN Index
Table listing  Index of Living Conditions
Top of the page
bulletNotes on the North American Market
 
The North American Market
•  The NAFTA Market
USA's Major Trading Partner
Bar Chart  % of Total Merchandise Imports
    
Top of the page
bulletThe Canadian Workforce
 
Moderate Wages & Competitive Labour Costs
Bar Chart  Hourly Compensation Costs - Production Workers
Low Manufacturing Unit Labour Cost Growth
Bar Chart  Average annual percent change in hourly compensation costs
    
 
A Leader in Higher Education
Table listing  Percentage of Total Graduates
Bar Chart  Percentage of Tertiary Enrollment
Table listing  Education of workers in Canada
Support for Job Training
Bar Chart  Labour Market Programmes as a % of GDP
Modest Wage Increases
Bar Chart  Modest Wage Increases: Average Annual % Increase in Base Rates
Top of the page
bulletCanada - Connected to the World
 
Population By Mother Tongue in Major Canadian Cities
Table listing  Population - By Mother Tongue: % of Total Population
Immigrant Population by Province
Bar Chart  Immigrants by Province
   
 
Canadian Direct Investment Abroad
Bar Chart  Growth of Canadian Direct Investment Abroad
Pie Chart  Accumulated Canadian Direct Investment Abroad - Geographical Distribution
Pie Chart  Accumulated Canadian Direct Investment Abroad - Distribution by Industry
Growth of Canadian Merchandise Trade
Bar Chart  Growth of Canadian Merchandise Trade
Top of the page
bulletCanadian Business Environment
 
Excellent Business Environment
Bar Chart  Average Cost of Housing - Selected North American Cities
Bar Chart  Overall Business Costs by Country
Bar Chart  Canadian Cities Are Very Cost Competitive
Bar Chart  Business Start-up Times and Procedures
Table listing  Business Rankings between the U.S. and Canada
    
 
Low Office Operating Costs
Bar Chart  Highly Competitive Cost for Office Space
Competitive International Phone Rates
Bar Chart  Basket of Business Telephone Charges
World Class Research & Development Community
Bar Chart  Total R&D; Researchers
Top of the page
bulletCanadian Government Support
 
Low Inflation Rate
Bar Chart  Consumer Price Inflation Rates
Table listing  Deficit Reduction - Fiscal Balance as % of GDP
    
 
 
Top of the page
Ontario
bulletAn Introduction to Ontario
 
Market Proximity
•  Great Lakes
•  135 Million Consumers within an 800 km Radius of Greater Toronto
•  Access to 400 Million North American Consumers
•  The Global Perspective
•  Map with Air Routes
•  Map with Border Crossings
Market Demographics
•  Population
 
Bar Chart  Total Population by Province
Bar Chart  Population of Selected Cities
Table listing  Ontario Selected Demographic Characteristics
    
 
 
Bar Chart  Total Ontario Households
Table listing  Ontario Population by Home Language Spoken
•  Business
 
Bar Chart  Distribution of Businesses in Canada by Province
Bar Chart  Ontario's concentration of firms by employment size
Bar Chart  Ontario, distribution of business by size
 
*  Ontario Firms by Employment Size - All Industries
*  Ontario Firms by Employment Size - Goods-Producing Sector
*  Ontario Firms by Employment Size - Manufacturing
*  Ontario Firms by Employment Size - Services-Producing Sector
Bar Chart  Ontario Companies Control 43% of Canada's Corporate Profits
Top of the page
bulletOntario Workforce
 
Labour Force Characteristics
Bar Chart  Ontario Labour Force
Bar Chart  Ontario Participation Rate
Bar Chart  Employment
 
*  Employment
*  Employment Rate
*  Unemployment
*  Yearly Gains or Losses in Employment
With the Unemployment Rate
*  Not in Labour Force
Table listing  Ontario Employment by Industry
Table listing  Ontario Employment by Occupation
Table listing  Wages by Industry
Table listing  Wages by Occupation
Bar Chart  Ontario Unemployment Rate by Age Cohort
Bar Chart  Provincial Unemployment Rate
Bar Chart  Labour Force by Educational Attainment
 
*  Labour Force by Educational Attainment (15+)
*  Labour Force by Educational Attainment,
1995-2000 Age Group: 15+ (Annual Average)
 
-  High School Graduate
-  Some Post-Secondary
-  Post-Secondary Certificate or Diploma
-  University Degree
-  Total
    
 
Bar Chart  Unionization Rates in Manufacturing
Bar Chart  Unionization Rates in Services
Productivity
•  Worker Turnover Rates
Bar Chart  Ontario boasts high rates of ISO 9000 and 14001 registrations
Bar Chart  Person Days Lost as Percentage of Estimated Working Time due to Work Stoppages, Ontario
Costs
Bar Chart  Average Ontario Weekly Earnings by Industry
Bar Chart  Average Ontario Weekly Earnings by Occupation
Bar Chart  Unemployment Insurance Employer Tax Rates
Table listing  International Salary Comparisons by Selected City (Department Managers)
Table listing  Increases Negotiated in Major Collective Agreements in Ontario
Top of the page
bulletEducation in Ontario
 
Population
•  Ontario has a Highly Educated Population
 
Bar Chart  Post-Secondary Attainment of Population Aged 18 and Over
Bar Chart  Ontario's share of Canada's university and non-university stock
Table listing  Population stock by university discipline
Table listing  Population stock by non-university discipline
Enrolment
Table listing  Educational institutions and expenditures - Canada and Ontario
Table listing  University Enrolments
 
*  University Enrolments by Program Level
*  University Enrolment of International Students
*  Undergraduate Enrolment by Major Program of Study
*  Graduate Enrolment by Major Program of Study
*  University Student - Faculty Ratio
Table listing  College Enrolment
 
*  Ontario Full Time College Enrolment
*  International Student Enrolment
Table listing  Apprenticeship Training
 
*  New registrations in major apprenticeship programs
*  Apprenticeship training enrolment by sector
Graduates
Bar Chart  Secondary and vocational school graduates
Bar Chart  College graduates by discipline
 
*  College Graduates by Programs
*  Technology
*  Health
*  Business and Office
*  Applied Arts
Table listing  University graduates by discipline
 
*  Bachelor's Degrees Granted by Ontario Universities in Selected Fields
*  Master's Degrees Granted by Ontario Universities in Selected Fields
*  PhD Degrees Granted by Ontario Universities in Selected Fields
Table listing  University 'Degrees' Granted by Program Level
Bar Chart  Ontario employers are satisfied with the province's college graduates
    
 
Excellent & Accessible Post-Secondary Education
Table listing  Maclean's and Canadian Business Magazines
 
*  Maclean's Medical Doctoral Rankings rate Ontario Universities among the best in Canada
*  Maclean's Comprehensive University Rankings rate Ontario Universities among the best in Canada
•  Highlights of Some Distinguished Ontario Universities
 
*  University of Toronto
*  University of Waterloo
*  Queen's University
*  McMaster University
*  University of Western Ontario
*  York University
*  University of Ottawa
*  Wilfrid Laurier University
Table listing  Top Marks for Ontario's Business Education Programs
 
*  Wall Street Journal/Harris Interactive Top International Business Schools
*  Forbes Non-USA MBA Ranking
*  Business Week Non-USA MBA Ranking
*  Top Quality Education in Ontario at Affordable Rates
Table listing  Reasonable tuition costs at Ontario universities and colleges
 
*  Tuition Costs in Ontario
*  University Tuition by Discipline in Ontario
Customized Training
•  CON*NECT
Top of the page
bulletOntario Transportation & Infrastructure
 
Highways
•  Highway Network
•  Major Markets Within One Day's Drive of the Greater Toronto Area
•  Major Markets More Than One Day's Driving Distance from Greater Toronto
•  Major National Highways - U.S. Connections
Table listing  Ontario Trade with Some U.S. Regions
Table listing  Major Truck Crossings into the U.S.
Air
•  Selected Ontario Airports
Pie Chart  Toronto - Home to Canada's #1 Airport
•  Non-stop Flights From Toronto
•  Connections to every corner of the world
Table listing  Major Ontario Airports Cargo Enplaned/Deplaned
    
 
Rail
•  Major Railways
•  International Border Crossings by Rail
•  Major Freight Centres and Intermodal Facilities
Table listing  Rail Freight Volume Crossing the U.S./Ontario Border
Table listing  Top Commodities Shipped by Rail
Water
•  Waterways and Ports
•  Major Ports
•  Relationship to Seaports
Top of the page
bulletA Note on Utilities in Ontario
 
Communication
•  World Class Telecommunications
•  Bell Canada Profile
•  Existing and Planned Fibre Optics Networks
•  Bell Mobility Cellular Service Area
Electricity
•  Electricity Market Deregulation
Table listing  The Ontario Electricity Market
•  Hydro Generation and Transmission Map
Bar Chart  Electricity Monthly Billings (Large Power Users)
Bar Chart  Electricity Monthly Billings (Medium Power Users)
•  Average Electricity Unit Prices (Large Power Users)
Bar Chart  Average Electricity Rates: G-7 Countries
Pie Chart  Electricity Generation by a Diverse Fuel Mix
Nuclear Power
•  Our Nuclear Stations at Work
 
º  Darlington Nuclear Generating Station
º  Pickering Nuclear Power Generating Stations
º  Bruce Nuclear Power Generating Stations
    
 
Natural Gas
Pie Chart  Source of Ontario's Natural Gas
•  Ontario Natural Gas Rates
 
Table listing  Union Gas Limited rates - Commercial/Industrial Customers
Table listing  Enbridge Gas Distribution rates
Bar Chart  Natural Gas Cost Comparisons
Oil and Gas
Bar Chart  Canada's Gasoline and Automotive Diesel Prices are among the lowest
 
*  International Gasoline End-User Prices
*  International Automotive Diesel End-User Prices
Water
Bar Chart  International Water Tax Rates
Waste Management
Table listing  Ontario Hazardous Waste Facilities
Top of the page
bulletOntario Trades Internationally
 
Trade Statistics
•  Ontario Exports
 
Bar Chart  Exports As A Share of GDP
Bar Chart  Total Ontario Exports
Table listing  Exports by Major Region
Bar Chart  Top Five Exports by Product
Bar Chart  Ontario Trade by Country
•  Ontario Imports
 
Bar Chart  Total Ontario Imports
Bar Chart  Top Five Imports by Commodity
Bar Chart  Ontario Trade by Country
•  Trade Fact Sheets
 
º  Ontario Trade Fact Sheets
Tariffs/Trade Policy
•  What NAFTA Means for Traders and Investors in Canada
    
 
•  Features of NAFTA
 
º  Dispute Settlement Mechanisms
º  Government Procurement
º  Facilitation of Business Travel
º  Intellectual Property Protection
º  Access to Mexico
•  Sector Specific Provisions of NAFTA
 
º  The Auto Sector
º  Financial Services
º  Other Service Sectors
º  Textiles and Apparel
º  Energy and Petrochemicals
º  Agriculture
º  Telecommunications
º  Transportation
•  NAFTA Rules on Investment, Tariff Schedules and Content
 
º  Rules on Investment
º  Formulae for Determining North American Content Levels
Top of the page
bulletQuality of Life in Ontario
 
•  Quality of Life Profile
•  Recreation
 
Bar Chart  Recreation Rankings
*  Spas
*  Casinos/Horse racing
*  Eating out
*  Professional sports
*  Wineries
*  Gardens
*  Shopping
•  Culture
 
*  Performing Arts
*  Museums/Galleries
*  Festivals
•  Family Entertainment
 
*  Amusement/Theme parks
*  Heritage Sites
*  Attractions
•  Outdoor Activities
 
•  Summer
 
*  Cycling
*  Golfing
*  Hiking
*  Fishing
*  Canoeing and Kayaking
º  Diving
*  Camping
*  Bird watching
*  Sailing/Boating
    
 
 
•  Winter
 
*  Skiing/Snowboarding
*  Ice Fishing
*  Snowmobiling
Health Care
•  Overview
•  Health Care Comparison - Ontario & the U.S.
•  Hospital Information
Cost of Living
Bar Chart  Consumer Price Index - Ontario
Table listing  Best Cities to Live in for Expatriate Workers
Climate
Table listing  Profile
 
*  Seasonal Weather Conditions by Region
Bar Chart  Rain
Bar Chart  Temperature
•  Earthquake Zones
Public Safety
Bar Chart  Crime Rates - Toronto vs. Selected North American Cities
Top of the page
Business Climate in Ontario
bulletEconomic Indicators
 
Gross Domestic Product
Pie Chart  Ontario GDP vs. Selected Provinces
Bar Chart  Ontario GDP by Industry
Bar Chart  Ontario GDP by Selected Manufacturing Sectors
Bar Chart  Ontario Real GDP Growth
Bar Chart  Forecast GDP Growth: Ontario vs. G-7
Population, Employment and Inflation
•  Population & Employment
 
Bar Chart  Ontario's Population vs. Selected Jurisdictions
Bar Chart  Ontario Employment Growth vs. G-7
    
 
•  Inflation
 
Bar Chart  Ontario Inflation (CPI) Forecast vs. G-7
Other Economic Indicators
•  Business Confidence
 
Bar Chart  Canadian Business Confidence Index
•  Corporate Profits
 
Bar Chart  Ontario Pre-Tax Corporate Profits
•  Machinery & Equipment Investment
 
Bar Chart  Strong Confidence in the Economy
Bar Chart  Machinery and Equipment Investment
Top of the page
bulletState of Real Investment in Ontario
 
Investment Policy
•  Remittance of Funds
Investment Canada Act
•  Investment Canada Act
•  When to file a Notification?
•  When will an investment be reviewable?
•  Information
New Investment Announcements
Table listing  New Investments in Ontario
 
*  Investment Type
*  Function
*  Source Country of Investment
*  Investment Amount
*  Location of Investment
*  Phase of Project
*  Date
    
 
Foreign Investment
Bar Chart  Foreign Direct Investment in Canada
Pie Chart  Foreign Direct Investment by Region, 2005
Bar Chart  Foreign Direct Investment by Region, 1996-2005
Bar Chart  Foreign Direct Investment from the U.S.
Bar Chart  Foreign Direct Investment by Country
Pie Chart  Foreign Direct Investment by Industry
Bar Chart  Canadian Direct Investment Abroad
 
*  Canadian Direct Investment Abroad
*  Canadian Direct Investment Abroad by Geographic Distribution
*  Canadian Direct Investment Abroad by Industry
Top of the page
bulletTaxation and Employer Costs in Ontario
 
Corporate
Table listing  Ontario Corporate Income Tax Rates
Bar Chart  Corporate Tax Rates for Manufacturing
Other Business Taxes
•  GST/PST Rates, Refundable or Non-refundable
    
 
Bar Chart  Unemployment Insurance Employer Tax Rates
Personal Taxes
Table listing  Ontario and Federal Tax Rates
Employer Costs
Table listing  A Guide to Employer Benefit Costs
Top of the page
bulletFinancial Systems
 
Financial Markets
•  Toronto - Canada's Key Financial Centre
•  Financial Services for Exporters
Market Statistics
Bar Chart  Toronto Stock Exchange - Market Capitalization at Year End
Bar Chart  Short Term Interest Rates at Quarter End
Bar Chart  Exchange Rates at Quarter End
Bar Chart  10 Year Government Bond Rates at Quarter End
Venture Capital
Pie Chart  Investment Activity by Province
    
 
Pie Chart  Investment Activity by Industry Sector
Pie Chart  Investment Activity by Stage of Development
Table listing  Top 10 (Disclosed) Venture Capital Deals
Mergers and Acquisitions
Bar Chart  Mergers and Acquisitions Activity in Canada
Table listing  Largest Mergers and Acquisitions Transactions announced in Canada
Table listing  Top 10 Mergers and Acquisitions Transactions
Bar Chart  Ontario Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisitions Activity
Table listing  Ontario Mergers and Acquisitions Activity by Industry
Top of the page
bulletGovernment Support & Political Structure
 
Political Structure
•  Federal political structure
•  Prime Minister, party, when elected
•  Provincial political structure
•  Premier of Ontario
•  The Ontario Parliament
Ontario's Fiscal Management
Pie Chart  Budget of the Ontario Government - Fiscal Year 2006
 
*  Composition of Revenue
*  Composition of Expense
Bar Chart Debt-To-GDP Ratio, Borrowing and Eliminating Deficit
 
*  Projected Debt-to-GDP Ratio
*  Borrowing and Debt Management
*  Eliminating the Deficit
Business Regulations
•  Overview
 
º  Ontario Government Actively Encourages International Investors
º  Federal/Provincial Regulatory Agencies provide information to facilitate international investment
•  Employment Regulations
 
º  Employment
 
*  Minimum Wage
*  Hours of Work and Overtime
*  Vacation Time and Vacation Pay
*  Public Holidays
*  Termination and Severance
*  Pay Equity
º  Benefits
 
*  Ontario Health Insurance Plan
*  Workers’ Compensation
*  Employment Insurance
*  Pregnancy, Parental and Family Medical Leave
*  Canada Pension Plan
*  Private Pension Provisions
*  Benefits Plans
º  Foreign Workers in Canada
    
 
•  Land Use Regulations
 
º  Planning Approvals
 
*  Process
*  What it is
*  What is Required?
*  Land Division
*  Where to Start
*  Pre-Application Consultation
*  An Application for Rezoning
Environmental Regulations
•  Environmental Regulations in Ontario
•  When are Approvals Required?
•  Pollutant Spills and Pesticides
•  Process for Obtaining Approvals
 
*  Step 1
*  Step 2
*  Step 3
*  Step 4
*  When Is A Hearing Required?
•  Provisions for Public Consultation
Business Immigration
Business Assistance Programs
•  Business Assistance Program
Top of the page
bulletResearch & Development
 
Profile
•  Ontario Has the Largest Concentration of Industry and Public R&D; Expenditure in Canada
 
Bar Chart  R&D; Spending by Province
Table listing  CIHR issues Grants for the Health Sciences
º  NSERC funds Research
Table listing  Ontario received 35.34% of NSERC Grants and Scholarships
Table listing  Research and Development Investment
Table listing  Automotive Research and Development
•  A Highly Developed Public Research Infrastructure
 
º  Biomedical Engineering
º  Industrial Engineering
º  Information Systems and Technology
º  Electrical and Electronic Engineering
º  Aerospace
º  Robotics
º  Materials
º  Earth Science
º  Automotive and Transportation
º  Machinery and Automation
º  Agriculture and Primary Food Production
•  The Largest Concentration of R&D; Personnel in Canada
 
Table listing  Many workers with degrees, certificates and diplomas in engineering and scientific specialties
Table listing  Large number of persons with non-university certificates or degrees
Table listing  Largest number of R&D; personnel in Canada
   
 
•  Generous R&D; Tax Incentives
 
º  International comparison of R&D;
 
Table listing  After tax cost of R&D; for small and medium-sized non-manufacturers
Table listing  After tax cost of R&D; for large manufacturers
Table listing  Range of expenses qualifying for R&D; tax incentives is more comprehensive than in the U.S.
º  Broad definition of what qualifies as R&D;
º  Flexibility for foreign companies in structuring investments
•  Cooperation between Business and Government Supports R&D;
 
Table listing  Canada offers strong protection of intellectual property
Table listing  Ontario accounts for close to 40 per cent of all patents registered in Canada
Table listing  Ontario accounts for most registered trademarks in Canada
Table listing  40% of all Canadian copyright applications registered originate in Ontario
Table listing  Ontario leads the provinces in industrial designs registered
º  Ease of access to major U.S. centres
º  Ontario Centres of Excellence put science to work
º  Networks of Centres of Excellence of Canada
•  Government Fosters R&D;, Innovation and Technology
 
º  Ontario Business Research Institute Tax Credit
º  Ontario New Technology Tax Incentive
º  Improvement of Retail Sales Tax Exemption
Pie Chart  CIHR at a Glance
 
*  Expenditures by Output Area
Top of the page
Supplier Linkages
Table listing  Search for Suppliers from Ontario
    
Table listing  Search for Business Opportunities in Ontario
Top of the page

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