You are from my hometown, so hello to a fellow Canuck and Torontonian! Great to have you with us. We believe that you’ll find the lessons here useful, and if you have any questions, you know where to find us! We wish you success in your certification journey!
Going through the CCNP topics first is a good idea. When you are 100% familiar with the CCNP topics, you have the foundation to continue studying for CCIE.