Any Canadians who have had the experience of sponsoring their spouse from abroad into Canada? Need advice!?

Just wondering how we can ensure it goes well, without delay. How long does it usually take? Any other advice?Any Canadians who have had the experience of sponsoring their spouse from abroad into Canada? Need advice!?
My husband sponsored me---I got my residency card in 2003 --- so it took us over a year. Answer all the questions honestly,follow the rules and don't volunteer information(I almost got myself in trouble doing that) answer the question when it's asked ---don't add anything extra. It's not cheap to sponsor someone ---you have to pay all medical cost (up front) and there are physicals you take and there's the cost of paying for copies of your records from where you lived before (all the places if you lived in more than one place)--- then when you are done with all the paperwork you send along with the sponsorship a check (when we did it 3 years ago it was around fifteen hundred dollars ---it may cost more now ---I do not know that for a fact.) The total amount spent for me to be in Canada was a little over 10,000 dollars.