How long is a non-Canadian citizen allowed to stay in Canada when they...
a) have no job?
b) have a job?

I'm guessing that the answer to b varies depending on the job type, but if you could just assume that the job would be a fairly unskilled one - working on a tourist resort, in a bar, or something.

In addition, I have heard that the cost of living is low in Canada when compared with the (average) wages you're paid. Confirm/deny?

Thanks in advance.
:)

You can actually stay indefinitely in Canada with no job. As long as you have a Canadian citizen who "hosts" you, you'll be alright.

If you have a job, then you can theoretically stay forever. It's very rare that people get deported unless they really fuck up. Stay off the police radar and you should be okay.

The cost of living varies in place to place. According to my research, living in British Columbia is less expensive then California and Arizona, but more expensive then Seattle. This is from what limited research I did when I helped people move/checked out where I want to move.

Good to know come November.

If I could make a suggestion:

If you're a Christian and like guns, move to Alberta.

If you're not, move to Nova Scotia.

Just my suggestions.

But isn't there an obscene tax rate because of the socialized healthcare system?

If you live on a ranch, have twenty-six guns, kill and lynch black people, and have a website containing more than 200,000 words on why the government is out to get you and rape your mother, then yes you would probably find our taxes obscene.

The tax rates varies from province to province. For example, in BC, you pay 7 cents on the dollar for income tax, and 14 cents for goods and services. There are excemptions on that. Factor in property tax but that depends on the area and whatnot.

It's higher in Alberta. 16 cents income tax and 28 cents goods and services, if I remember.

The best thing to do is when working, syphon off 10% directly to the government. At the end of the year (if you live outside Alberta) calculate your earnings for the year, and you're set. You'll get a cheque back, with interest, for the overpay.

Edit:

I lynch myself a lot of black people and yeehaw, I love my low tax rate.

Sounds like your tax system ends up with less taxes than what I pay. I have to factor out about a quarter of my income for federal income tax. While I manage to pay far less than that (I paid less than ten percent last year) I have the potential of paying a quarter or more.

People who make a rediculous amount of money pay 22 percent here, and 40 in Alberta.

What would be a rediculious amount of money?