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Between its beautiful landscapes, diverse culture, great hockey, and progressive values, Canadians have always known that Canada is a special place to live and work. But not every Canuck knows that the Canadian marketplace is one of the best places in the world to be a self-employed freelancer. Here’s why Freelance Canada is the where it’s at:

Canada has embraced the modern workplace

As the economy increasingly erodes the traditional 9-5 job slots, and givees way to a more flexible 24-hour workday, more and more companies seek specialized contract workers.

Publicly funded healthcare

Canada’s publicly funded healthcare system is one of the reasons that small-business owners and freelancers have the ability to start strong.

For workers in countries with a privatized healthcare system, leaving a large company with insurance benefits to begin a freelance career can mean giving up access to adequate coverage. This does not serve as a roadblock for Canadian workers, who continue to have access to free healthcare, regardless of whether they are receiving benefits from their employers.

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The small town thrives in Canada

Growing a client base is one of the most crucial elements of building a successful freelance operation. In fact, 65 to 85 percent of all jobs are found through networking. Canadians in particular are known to be well connected; the smaller size of the Canadian population inspires strong networks and close-knit communities. In fact, Canadian Business reported that the top 50 most powerful Canadian business people are incredibly well connected to each other – from having common alma maters, to being part of the same families, the commonalities are endlessly layered.

Lots of support for freelancers

Both the federal and provincial governments in Canada provide micro-loans, subsidies, and start-up funds to freelancers and small-business owners. Additionally, many organizations, such as Futurpreneur Canada work in tandem with the federal government to make financial support and other resources available to aspiring business owners. Check out “How to Set up a Freelance Business in Canada“ by Helen Racanelli, for more tips!

Want to strengthen your network? Connect with freelancers everywhere in our Hives discussion groups!

Linda Singer is the co-founder of Canadian-based website, Workhoppers.com, which helps freelancers find work in their area, completely free of charge. Workhoppers allows local companies to connect directly and immediately with local experts based on skills, education level, and more.