If you go the maverick route, try to get some hard data on what type of budget you'll need as both Toronto and Vancouver are expensive cities, especially for rent. Just because the government will let you in with CAD$14k doesn't mean it's not risky if that's all the funds you have. Hopefully you'd be able to find employment quickly but the economy does appear headed in a bad direction and you could find yourself competing against those who have recently been laid off and have much better connections than you at the companies that are hiring.