Because of your criminal record at first you are considered to be inadmissible to Canada on the basis of criminality.

But, once 5 years has passed since your sentence as been completed it is sometimes possible to be deemed to have been rehabilitated when you reach the border. However, there's no guarantee as it's up to the discretion of the immigration office.

If you don't want to take a chance at the border the most prudent thing to do is to apply for individual rehabilitation. If this application is successful you will no longer have to be concerned about being turned away at the border.

But, it takes over a year to get this processed.

So, as you want to come up before then it's sometimes possible to get what is called a Temporary Resident Permit (TRP). This is sometimes granted before the 5 years has passed but usually much closer to the 5 year mark. I am not that optimistic that you can get this so early on.

Here is the link to the webpage that explains how rehabilitation works:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/ENGLISH/visit/conviction.asp

It means the day your got released from probation.

The link usually works.

Here is another one:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/5312ETOC.asp

You can apply through the closest Canada visa office.

Or you can apply at the border.

But this is not a temporary resident visa which I believe is what you are looking at.

It's for a permit not a visa which is a very different thing.

I don't believe the forms for this are available online anymore.