For Meina Lee, the decision to start her new life as a business entrepreneur in Ontario was made by her family. Since emigrating from Taiwan in 1988, neither the Korean-born Lee nor her family has had any regrets about the decision. Ten years after she opened her original Danger Figure Centre in downtown Toronto, Ms. Lee now operates four women's fitness centres in Ontario, two in Vancouver, and ten in Taiwan. Danger Figure Centres employ more than 70 people in Canada. In Toronto, the spas draw on a large Chinese population, but she is quick to point out that they have become successful by attracting women from all parts of the city's diverse multicultural population - Vietnamese, Caucasian. Indian, and Korean women are all listed among the spas' 20,000 Canadian customers.

"If you have the ability and determination, you can be successful in Ontario."

Before immigrating, Ms. Lee and her husband visited a number of potential locations in North America, including Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Vancouver. Prior to choosing a location, Ms. Lee evaluated economic opportunities, lifestyle, and transportation. But the main goal was finding a place where her two children could get a superior education. After evaluating the different locations, the family held a meeting in Taiwan to discuss the options. Ontario was their final choice.

"Ontario is a mixture of a classical and really modern environment all in one," Ms. Lee explains. "It's a nice environment with good transportation and, more importantly, we don't have a racial problem here. This is a multicultural environment, which is really attractive to us." She adds, "the cost of starting a new business is really much lower in Ontario. Rents and labour are much more expensive in Taiwan. Government regulations are much clearer in Ontario. The banking system is better."

Her spas have exercise and gym areas for weight training and control, steam baths, saunas, nutritional consulting, and beauty treatments, including facials and trimming and firming. She has also established a private-label manufacturing company and travels the world marketing a line of cosmetics. Her daughter, Shenyn, a University of Toronto graduate, is in charge of the Taiwan market. Son Steve, who spoke no English when the family emigrated in the 1980s, is now an economics student at the University of Toronto.

Ms. Lee says the success of the business is tied tightly to the family's involvement. "Our whole family decided to give up our old way of life, start new, and put a lot of effort into the business." She advises those thinking about setting up a business in Ontario to "do the market research and do something with which you are familiar. Don't start a completely new business just because you think you can make more money." Before emigrating, she spent 10 years as a manager in the fashion and cosmetics industry in Taiwan.

"If you have the ability and determination, you can be successful in Ontario," says Ms. Lee. Setting up a business is less complicated here, she says. "You can do whatever you want to do with your business as long as you follow government regulations."