I've done this (Score 1)

Adding data on top of the verizon plan is probably your best shot -- that'll give you unlimited calling to and from anywhere in Canada and the US for $60 (plan) + $30 (data) + $35 (global email) = $125. Their website says that the global email plan is only available for gsm + cdma phones, but it's also available for any of the CDMA smartphones, just not listed. Look into getting a cell phone that supports skype mobile, and for not too much you can have a Skype canadian number forwarded if anyone in Canada wants to call you. AT&T has new calling plans that support Canada, but you can't get unlimited (or even 5/6 gig) data for a decent price. Assuming you're sticking with the verizon plan anyways, the cheapest smartphone contract you can find in Canada will be about ~$75 once you add taxes and the system access fee, and you don't want to know their fees for data in the US.

If skype forwarding doesn't work or you'd like Canadians to be able to text message you, you might want to look into a cheap pay as you go phone. Canadian cell phones still charge you extra for long distance, so you'll probably find yourself calling most people on your US phone anyways.

Also, I'm not sure how long you'll be in school, but be aware that Rogers, at least, tries heavily to lock you in to a 3-year contract for most smartphones, and it's $500 to quit early that you're not going to be able to get out of even if you graduate beforehand.