Examiner.com Canada will provide localized content – ranging from breaking news to arts & entertainment to sports – to people in Calgary, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver. It will also offer national content for residents not living in one of its five initial markets.

“Examiner.com Canada will provide Canadians with an unparalleled resource for local information, enabling them to further engage in their communities,” says Rick Blair, CEO of Examiner.com. “What’s more, Examiner.com Canada will provide a showcase for Canadian writers and experts, allowing them to build their audience and provide valuable insights to Examiner readers across the country.”

Examiner.com Canada is actively recruiting Canadians who are passionate about their interests and areas of expertise, expecting to have over 100 active writers and photographers when the expansion launches. Each contributor for Examiner.com is vetted to ensure they are qualified to provide localized content on their chosen topic and are given extensive training – free of charge – from Examiner.com. Writer training covers how to write for the Web, including the use of publishing tools, optimizing content for search engine pick-up and effective attribution among others.

“As an avid follower of Canadian music, from the Barenaked Ladies to the up-and-coming Dinosaur Bones, I appreciate having a forum to share my thoughts, ideas and news on a topic that interests me,” says Jason Chu, Canadian Music Examiner. “In just the first two months I have been an Examiner, I have seen my following rise from a dozen or so, to hundreds of readers, demonstrating that many of my fellow Canadians share in my passion.”

Examiner.com Canada is the first international foray for Examiner.com, which currently has over 20,000 Examiners writing for more than 162 cities in the United States. In 2010, Examiner.com will be launching in the United Kingdom and other countries.

Access to all editions, including Canada, is available at www.examiner.com/editions.html.