I don't think anyone can tell you how much you need - It totally depends on you. Remember though that the Euro is really strong right now.
If you're gonna work in
Italy or
France you need to get your visa in Canada - you can't get it while you're in another country. Pain in the butt, but that's how it is. You most likely need a job offer as well if you want to get a work permit, but it all depends on exactly what you wanna do.
You might wanna check out some of the sites listed in the Overseas Jobs section (on the right) and start looking for work. It's well worth it to live abroad, if only for the experience!
There are some hoops to jump through, but it'll pay off
Good luck!