Travelling to Canada

Before making important travel arrangements with your travel agent or online:

• Confirm your travel dates. You may want to purchase a flexible ticket that allows you to change your return flight. If you are booking tickets in advance, make sure you are aware of the charges applicable for rescheduling/cancelling.
• Purchase travel insurance. Your student medical insurance may only cover you during your study period and not while traveling before and after your studies.
• Confirm your airport arrival time. For international flights, check-in at least 3 hours prior to yours scheduled departure time.
• Obtain a current passport that is valid at least 6 months after your return date.
• Find out where you will stay when you arrive in Canada and how will you get there from the airport.
• Ensure you have local currency for transit destinations. Some countries require you to pay airline taxes in transit, which have not already been included in your ticket cost. You may also find local currency useful to purchase a snack or magazine along the way.
• Ensure you have Canadian currency--cash or traveller’s cheques. You can also carry US dollar as it is universally accepted. Do not carry too much cash. Carry around $500 and the rest in the form of travellers cheques. It would be great if you can carry some credit cards with you for emergency situations.
• Find out your airline’s baggage limitations. Check how much baggage you are allowed to take with you and be mindful of weight restrictions. Most airlines allow two pieces of check-in baggage (23kgs each) and one piece of cabin baggage (7-8kgs). Also check for the dimensions mentioned in the airlines' website.
• Never agree to carry somebody else’s bags or pack somebody else’s items in your baggage. It may contain something that is illegal which you will be accountable for.
• Find out which items are restricted or prohibited for travel to Canada. There are restrictions on alcohol, tobacco, firearms, food, animals plant products, drugs and prescription drugs that are not approved in Canada. People found in contravention of regulations face stiff penalties. At some stage in your flight you will be given an incoming passenger card to fill in where you will need to declare what you have brought with you to Canada. 
• When packing your carry-on baggage, remember to prepare for any flight delays by packing basic toiletries and a change of clothes.
• Clearly tag all of your baggage, noting your name and the complete address of your destination in Canada. Also, pack a card inside your luggage with your Canadian contact details.
• When checking in for your flights, ask whether your baggage will be checked through to your final destination in Canada, or whether you must claim and transfer your baggage at any stage during your travel itinerary. Also check if you can be pre-issued with boarding passes for all of your connecting flights or whether you will need to check-in at each airport en route.
• Remember to keep all important documents, medications and high value items such as cameras, jewellery, laptops, phones, credit cards and cash with you – do not pack these items in your checked baggage.

Important documents

Depending on your personal situation, you should bring the following important documents with you to Canada:

• Birth certificates or baptismal certificates; marriage certificates

• School records, diplomas or degrees for each family member travelling with you

• Trade or professional certificates and licences

• Letters of reference from former employers

• A list of your educational and professional qualifications and job experience (this is also called a résumé)

• Immunization, vaccination, dental and other health records

• Driver's licence, including an International Driver's Permit, and a reference from your insurance company

• Photocopies of all essential and important documents, in case the originals get lost (be sure to keep the photocopies in a separate Place from the originals

Make photocopies of important documents and pack these away in your baggage and leave copies at home with someone you trust. Also if you have a high end phone, make sure you have scanned copies of all the following documents in your mobile:

• Passport & VISA
• Airline tickets
• Travel insurance certificate
• Letter of Acceptance from your Canadian institution
• Key addresses and phone numbers
• A bank statement showing proof of funds
• Letter of Introduction from Canadian immigration (if relevant)
• Prescriptions or a letter from your doctor for any medication you are carrying
• Medical and immunization records, which may be useful if you need medical care while abroad
• Traveller’s cheques
• Academic history and university transcripts, which may be needed to obtain credit transfers, as evidence of pre-requisites for exchange students, or to obtain work

The following items cannot be brought into Canada:

• unauthorized firearms, explosives, fireworks and ammunition;
• narcotics, other than prescription drugs;
• meat, dairy products, fresh fruits and vegetables;
• plants, flowers and soil;
• endangered species of animals or products made from animal parts, such as the skin, feathers, fur, bones and ivory;
• cultural property, including antique and cultural objects considered to have historical significance in their country of origin (you may, however, bring family heirlooms);
• more than 200 cigarettes (you must pay tax on the excess amount) per person over 18 years of age if you are immigrating to Quebec, Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba, or per person over 19 if you are immigrating to Ontario or any of the other provinces; and
• more than 1.5 litres of wine or 1.14 litres of commercial alcohol (you must pay tax on the excess amount) per person over 19 years of age.

The Canadian climate: What to expect and what clothes to bring

Most of Canada has four distinct seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. The temperatures and weather in each season can be different from one part of the country to another. Here is what you can expect:

Spring: Spring is a rainy season in most parts of Canada. Daytime temperatures rise steadily, but the nights remain cool. Average daytime temperatures are about 12°C in March, April and early May.

Summer: Summer officially begins on June 21, but July and August are summer for most Canadians. In summer, the weather is very warm in most parts of the country. In southern Canada, daytime temperatures are normally above 20°C and can sometimes rise above 30°C.

Autumn: The autumn season, or fall, as it's often called, begins in September. The weather cools and the leaves on many trees change colour and fall to the ground. It can also be very rainy at this time of year. In some parts of Canada, especially northern or mountain regions, snow may begin to fall by late October. Average daytime temperatures are about 10°C to 12°C in most of the country. The autumn months are September, October and November.

Winter: During the winter months (December, January and February), the temperature in most of the country usually stays below 0°C, day and night. Temperatures in some parts of the country periodically drop below -25°C, while along the West Coast, the temperature rarely drops below 0°C. In most of Canada, snow will be on the ground from mid-December to the middle of March. The higher in elevation and the farther north you go, the longer and colder winter becomes.

( I would come up with a page with the list of clothing items you should carry)