Hello,
>> Will the old domain redirect to the new one?
Yes, It is possible to redirect old domain to new one.
>> What kind of redirect?
You can use 301 (permanent) redirect. You can set the redirect through control panel.
>> And will each page redirect to the same same page on the new domain (given that the relative paths don't change)?
You will have to apply apache's mod_rewrite rules with Regex notations in .htaccess for setting up this. You can open a ticket to
support@canadianwebhosting.com for further assistance.
>> If the old domain doesn't redirect automatically, what are my options to make sure it does?
You can simply setup the redirection through control panel. If it doesn't work, please open a ticket to
support@canadianwebhosting.com.
>> It appears that the site goes offline for awhile during the change. What server response code do you issue during this time? I would prefer a 503 code.
Normally, there is no downtime while setting up the redirect.
Smisha