If you wish to come to Canada for a temporary purpose, you may need a TRV (temporary resident visa) unless you are a citizen from a “visa exempt” country.

Do I Need a Tourist Visa to Visit Canada?
Before starting the Canada visitor visa application process, it’s important to understand whether you need one or not before entering Canada. Click here to find out if you need a Canada visitor visa before your travels!
In other cases, you may be an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to travel.