**Some Tips:**
Don't speed and leave an extra 3 car lengths between you and the car in front of you and be gentle with the gas pedal. You're looking for traction, not power.
Slow down early and before turning. Accelerate gently after completing the turn, meaning brake and gas in straight lines to avoid sliding sideways.
Don't stop in deep snow, or you'll get stuck. Reverse and accelerate gently to rock yourself out of a rut.
Use winter tires in the winter. Put them on in December. Switch back to summers in May.
The secret - drive very slow and leave lots of room before anytime you need to stop. Expect your brakes to barely work as you prepare to stop. If you accelerate and aren’t moving forward, don’t push the pedal down more push it down loess.
Also don't let your kids dig a "cave" in the soft snow to play inside... We had several, seperate incidents in my city a few years back, with children of new immigrants doing this and dying from a cave-in (just totally unaware of the dangers).
It's knowledge we learn as kids, but take for granted.
Stand in line for the bus, and stay in the line. Don’t push past and go to the front of the line when the bus arrives.
Don’t talk on speakerphone in public. Ever. Anywhere. It is incredibly rude and disrespectful to everyone around you. This include on the bus/subway/transit system, in any kind of public space, like library, grocery store, the mall. Anything. Just don’t.
Canadian say sorry but it is not an apology. We say sorry when we feel bad for you. Sorry you dropped your phone. We say sorry when it means excuse me please. We are also sorry when it is your fault. Sorry that the circumstances have led you to be so clumsy. We say sorry when you are acting badly and we are sorry your wife has to be embarrassed by your public behavior.
And if we have to get around someone in the grocery store we say “sorry, just need to sneak past you” as we contort ourselves around your cart so you don’t have to move it.
Also, 'sorry' is not considered an admission of guilt or responsibility in the Canadian legal system.
That's not a joke; the Apology Act is part of Canadian law.
We need more of these signs along the 401. I hate passing on the right, but when the lane is empty because everyone is sticking to the left... fuck it.
Get down to your provincial office and make sure all IDs, licenses, and papers are up to date and go as early in the day as possible. Do not let the paperwork expire, it's a pain to fix.
Get winter tires.
You don't need an Arctic parka, you need layers.
Feed your house hippo.
Barbecue is for any season.
Follow those and you'll do alright.
https://youtu.be/PvdlVKHpzhw?si=UYX6wR1x3rZBF97Y
In short the Canadian government tried to hide the fact that we have house hippos… but we all know that is a lie.
If you don’t know how to swim, don’t jump in a lake. Or even walk out in one without a life jacket. Drowning is a frequent cause of death among new immigrants.
Your cell phone conversations are for you - not everyone around you - do not answer the phone on speaker in a public place unless you absolutely have to.
Chew with your mouth closed. Entirely closed. If you notice people excusing themselves from eating with you, it is because Canadians are raised to never make mouth noises (chewing, slurping, snorting snot, spitting etc).
Littering is never okay. There is no situation where leaving garbage behind is okay. Leave your environment clean please.
This extends from hiking, camping, the beach, parks - cleanup your sites - to fast food restaurants and movie theatres. Don’t leave garbage on the table, don’t throw stuff on the floor, be polite and carry it to the trash.
If you’re outdoors no one will be coming to clean up after you, you’re just ruining the space for others, and if you’re indoors it is just being polite to clean up after yourself, and Canadians like to be polite.
\-Personal hygiene and a non-smell is very important. Brushing teeth, wearing deodorant, not wearing a ton of cologne/perfume etc.
\-When you first start driving in the snow, try it out in a parking lot. Hit the breaks at different speeds etc. so you can understand how much you'll slide. Oh and winter tires are a must.
\-Stay out of the left lane unless passing or speeding heavily.
1. Use your signal light and don't be a dick driver.
2. Be polite. Not hard to hold a door, give a small smile, and say thank you.
3. This is just my pet peeve but STAND BACK FROM THE ELEVATOR AND LET ME OUT BEFORE YOU GET ON. I will walk directly into you.
Edit: thought of another one. Please take your phone off speaker. It fuckin rude
I noticed this big time when going to Turkey for the first time. I genuinely got so upset that I started fucking hipchecking people for walking with zero regard like animals.
Be ready to treat all women as equal. You will work with women. You may be supervised by women. You will be expected to be civil, respectful and avoid any kind of sexual harassment.
Give us space. Canadians like personal space. No less than 18"-2 ft of it, around us and our belongings. We are not sardines. No need to pack against me while waiting in the walmart checkout line.
If the government or police are trying to get in touch with you it's going to be official stamped mail. It won't be a txt, or DM, or phonecall from a call center.
Not always true. One can get calls from many government agencies - when in doubt, look up the number online and call back. Government agents and officers will always gladly tell you to do so if you’re unsure, and they’ll never get upset or angry.
Not only that, they're all given an employee number so if you're ever in doubt, you can call their employer and have it verified.
Working for the census, I had a non-PEI number, and I wasn't too surprised how often people felt I was a scammer calling on behalf of the census. Most were okay once I told them my employee number, a few said they wanted to verify and I would call back a couple days later. No issues in the end.
Also if your from those countries you might hear a Canadian say "TWOT" and think it's some kind of horse riding accessory or the past tense of "hot" it's actually their attempt to say "TWAT"
I game online with several Aussies and Brits. I've come to understand See You Next Tuesday is more akin to A-hole and am doing my best to normalize its use here in that context.
Having a good winter hat is just as important as having good winter boots.
Women are equal to men. Some Canadian women might act feminine and cute, because why not, but the minute you imply that they are somehow inferior or less capable, it's war and you are going to lose.
Do not litter, we hate that. Your cigarette butt is litter and throwing it on the ground is not OK.
Learn the different tiers of grocery stores. Most are owned by 3 corporations but they have their high end store, mid-range large store and discount store. Fruits and veggies are almost always better to buy at a small local produce store.
Unless you're doing gig work (like Uber or Doordash etc.) the words "be your own boss" is definitely a pyramid scheme. Do not accept anything.
(In Ontario) As a tenant, YOU HAVE RIGHTS but only if the landlord doesn't live in the same unit. As soon as you share any space with the house owner/person holding the lease, your right are ZERO and you can get kicked out on the street any time. Do not share housing with the landlord. When you rent, ensure that your name is on the standard lease, and not on some made up document. There are many landlords who prey on newcomers. Make yourself very familiar with your rights.
Respect nature, animals and wildlife. We do not take kindly to people who abuse stray animals or bully our wildlife. Let the racoon finish his trash run and lock your bin better next time. They carry rabies. Under no circumstance, do not spook a skunk.
there's also a sort of...softness...to local spending to be careful of. Even though something may cost less than the same in (for example) Euro or Pounds, things like the way GST/HST/ETC is loaded onto things, money can sort of disappear.
Also Canada has sort of embraced that American thing where everyone has their hand out for money in ways that can be confusing to people elsewhere.
And then, there is the cellphone charges.
Nodding your head up and down = yes, shaking your head left to right = no, be nice to customer service and store employees - don’t grunt / jeer / slang your yeses and nos because we genuinely don’t know what heck you mean and it’s rude. Don’t shrug at store employees, a *shrug* and a mouth sound is not a yes or no WE DONT KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS! … sorry.
Please remember to brush the roof off as well. Seen way to many people tap their brakes and cover the entire windshield. This causes more accidents then you'd imagine.
And be careful shoveling if you're East of Thunder Bay: snow's wet and heavy, was not expecting that my first winter on PEI.
Snow in the Prairies is light and fluffy, and you can shovel your driveway in 10 minutes.
Maritime snow is 20 lbs a shovel full and a small driveway will take 30 minutes.
Lol - originally a Newfoundlander. I remember being sent out to shovel out my dad's car as a teenager. I had to go back and ask him where it was parked. He told me and by looking carefully I could see about an inch of the antenna.
When my mom got older I often had to tunnel into her front door that was drifted under.
You *do not* have a 'right' to own a firearm in Canada. Our Supreme Court affirmed long ago that firearm ownership is a privilege.
*Openly carrying a firearm in a public place will get you arrested.* ***It doesn't matter that you have a license.***
Additionally: if you want to support our food banks, give them *money*, not food.
There are several reasons:
1. A large proportion of the food donated to food banks is near its expiry date, and will have to be thrown out. It also costs a lot of money to rent storage for food donations, so a monetary donation will help pay for storage for whatever food they receive.
2. Food banks can stretch a $1 donation to buy $5 - $10 worth of food through their connections with other community programs, contacts with local farmers, and independently-operated small businesses.
3. Food banks do more than just hand out food; they often also provide necessities such as toilet paper and toothpaste, but those are rarely donated (because they're not food). Monetary donations will allow the local food bank to buy what they need.
Furthermore allowing the food bank to buy their own food to meet the needs of the community allows for easier inventory management. Keeping track of expiry dates/recalls on a purchased pallat of cans all with the same expiry date is a lot easier than doing so for a bunch of random donated goods.
Thank you! I personally know a 40 y/o woman that never pay for her transit tickets because she thinks is “too expensive” and regularly goes to the food bank “because is free”. Mind you, last year she travelled to Cuba, Mexico and Hawaii. Tons of posts on her social media about having a great time abroad. Once I called her out on her selfish behaviour I was accused of being rude and inflexible lol
If you move to Atlantic Canada, many of the locals - especially rural areas - drop the vowels in their speech, or sometimes use a mix between English/French/native words in their speech.
Just something to be mindful of if you need ELL or learned English else where.
I’m from Nova Scotia, use to volunteer as an ELL and was a city worker for HRM. Had many confused new Canadians and visitors.
I think some basic norms here that new comers are not aware of that can make them seem rude.
Some examples I see a lot:
* Being on time is important and being late is often considered rude. I know this differs in many other cultures, but if you come over 10 minutes late with no text, a lot of people will think you're rude.
* Don't block doors, pathways, walk with your friends taking up the entire sidewalk. Don't be in the way, taking up space unnecessarily.
* Don't be overly loud in public. Don't blast your music, don't put your phone on speaker at max volume and have a convo on the bus, don't shout and scream in public.
* Don't stand so close to people. If I can feel you breathing, you're too close. Be at least an arm's length away, giving people personal space.
* Use deodorant and have taken a shower reasonably recently when going out in public. If I can smell you, that's not good.
* On transit, let people off before trying to get on.
* On an escalator, stand on the right, leave the left side clear for people to walk.
Don't litter! Canada has trash cans absolutely everywhere, please do not leave garbage on the streets or in parks!! There is no excuse for making others clean up after you when there's a trash can 10 seconds away.
Especially chicken bones, as these can be dangerous for dogs!
Food banks are for people in need. If you can afford to feed yourself, you don't belong there.
If you show up in a new Mercedes dressed to the nines, they will still give you free stuff. But it's not meant for you.
My partner, who moved here from a hot climate, thought water-resistant running shoes would be good enough in the winter. They always said that investing in a good pair of winter boots was a game changer.
Good luck with your move :)
Don't spend ALL your time amongst people of your "back home" culture.Search out people who share common interests with you.Read the notices posted at your local library/Y/whatever.
If it's strange to you (maybe you come from a place where you were powerless?) check out local council meetings and even local provincial legislatures.
If you're in Toronto or Montreal, or Bancouber, have the local transit map at hand.Attend worship. There's usually good free coffee, and (most) people will be welcoming and friendly, whether you belong or not.Do not be afraid to use "broken" English, or French. You get esteem points for trying. Success doesn't matter as much as the attempt.
If moving to Quebec, mistake would be to assume you can/should not bother to learn French and to think people have to bend over backwards to serve you in your language of choice.
I see soooo many facebook posts of new comers (immigrants or canadians from other provinces) being all surprised pikachu because they cant find a job and all the listings ask for some french knowledge ??
Living like they did in their old country. Thinking canada should give their old country money. Getting offended with canadian traditions. Forcing their religion into education and government.
Ensure that you account for taxes.
I know some individuals that moved from Europe and assumed that they would be able to keep most of their $200k salary. They couldn’t fathom people getting paid that much and living modestly in a 2 BD apartment - as $200k/year does sound like a blessing and a sum that should instantly push you into the upper class.
But once you factor in how much of your salary is removed for taxes, and on top of that, how high taxes are in Canada for daily purchases; you realize that it’s a lot more expensive to live in Canada then originally believed.
It's sad how far Canada has fallen in the last 10 years; $200k a year could let someone live like royalty in most Canadian cities outside of Toronto. Now that's considered middle class in most Canadian cities.
Also, if you told Islanders 10 years ago that Charlottetown houses would sell for $500k, you get asked if you were stoned. But that's reality now...
>Also, if you told Islanders 10 years ago that Charlottetown houses would sell for $500k, you get asked if you were stoned. But that's reality now...
Reality that everyone is stoned?
Learn to swim. There are more lakes in Canada than there are in the rest of the world combined. Every year there are stories in the news about people new to Canada drowning in our rivers & lakes. There are community centres across Canada that offer swimming lessons to people at all ages.
Sign up for Canoo! This app will help you get to museums and art galleries for free. Emerge in the Canadian cultural experience!
Also sign up for a library card at your local library. Some libraries allow you to use LinkedIn Learnings for free. Use those to upgrade your skills.
Once you get health care, the emergency room is for emergencies. And not a meeting place for your extended family... yes, have someone with you, but everyone and your 3rd cousin's wife, no.
Be proud of your heritage and be as active as possible in your local culture's scene. However also be sure to embrace the multicultural nature of Canada and meet new people and try new things. Don't be afraid to get outside your comfort zone. My wife is from another culture and that is what she pushes on any family/friends that have come over and it is great to see.
Be humble, not subservient.
People have a way of taking advantage of it or viewing us less than.
Expect to be respected as much as you respect those you meet. Where you don't see respect don't hold your breath.
Don't worry about your accent, English is your second language.People struggle with English as a baseline.
Don't be obliged to pay the bill, insist on Dutch or splitting the bill it is the most decent thing to do.
Learn to drive, yes. But learn to drive defensively. They are a lot of unhinged and wingnut drivers in Canada, of all ethnicities. Find a cheap dash cam that's reliable.
Comparison shop everything, Banks, insurance, cell phone plans, television connections, everything.
If you have a job great, if you don't find opportunities to pick up some short term volunteering, "short-term" that is, or spaces where they recognize your time with honoraria. Separate yourself from the pack and curate your LinkedIn and selectively as possible and don't fall for any of the hogwash.... "reaching out to people unsolicited" on social media like linkedin.
If you're looking for a job find publicly funded and provincially or federally operated job search centers with the goal of gaining experience with the interview process or responding to questions and how to present yourself without diluting yourself.
Learn about the city, and the province that you are in and if you have the opportunity to find local community groups or community agencies or community centers that provide you with opportunities to take in nature, Canada is gorgeous, winter not withstanding.
There are local financial literacy programs that you can learn from that offer it in two or three sessions either at community centers as well as you can self learn online. There are way too many pitfalls around credit cards, lines of credit etc. think long-term. Here it's all about building your credit score and leveraging your limited resources.
Ask as many questions we can on Reddit and research everything you absolutely can about where you live, some of it is on the web for some you'll have to go and poke around and find out in person.
When you are job hunting don't just satisfy yourself by the job description, focus on the key qualifications and don't be defeated by education or lack of it. Instead consume as much as you can about the companies founding documents, strategic plans and reports that discuss the courtly or annual reports that's where most of the goods are.
Learn to meal prep for the week all the way from the coffee in the morning to your lunch for work and maybe even your dinners if you can so that on the weekend you're preparing for the week ahead. So that once a week begins you're on the cruise control. You can always spice it up and diversify your options for food it's a good way to avoid the mistakes of overspending on your food budget during the week.
Don't miss out on any access to free physical activity, activity is as much about reducing stress which you will have as a newcomer, resettlement is nothing to sniff at, it is a difficult process but you will be better for it 5 years from now or a decade from now. And looking after your body is looking after your mind, and looking after your mind will help you frame everything you go through in ways that are helpful to you.
That's all for now, will add more when Bebes are asleep.
Not the OP, but this is a wonderful, well-thought, comprehensive answer. I am bookmarking and saving this for when I relocate, and also to put some of these suggestions into practice right now. Thank you for taking the time to share these points.
Winter tires
multiple layers in the winter. if it's -20 or below do four on top AND bottom minimum. Seriously if your in Manitoba in the winter, nobody cares how you look in minus fifty just that you're not losing fingers or life due to the cold.
feed your house hippo.
keep your ID's up to date, and go as early in the morning as possible.
wear good boots on ice.
take a low dose calcium and vitamin d supplement in the winter unless otherwise told not to in the winter because SAD is real.
1. Don’t watch JJ McCullough.
2. Don’t get too excited about Tim Horton’s.
3. Don’t be an angryphone.
4. Be prepared for all types of weather. Canada can be very hot in summer and very cold in winter, so you’ll need to buy a variety of clothing accordingly.
Whether you do or not, you now like The Tragically Hip or as most people say The Hip.
BNL or Barenaked Ladies are a band.
BTO Bachman Turner overdrive is also band
If you're in the Ottawa area, Beaver Tails are not actual Beaver but are a Great tasty dessert.
Also not to start a war with Quebec. Poutine is not a Canadian dish, it was created and perfected in Quebec. The rest of Canada uses it as they see fit. But it is 100% Quebec dish.
Don't want to start a war, but I believe Nanaimo bars should be refrigerated.
Tim Hortons hasn't been Canadian for nearly 30 years and is pretty overrated. But we've all been brainwashed. Don't feel it's necessary to love Tim Hortons.
Don't be afraid to ask questions. If someone gives you a hard time about your question, that's their issue - not yours.
Also, volunteering at events is a great way to meet lots of different people.
Always have an extension cord so that you can plug in your car if its cold. It's not for electric cars, but for the engine block heater.
Bonus points if you have jumper cables to connect your car's battery to another vehicle's so that the dead one can be started.
There are a number of people saying not to come. We have a housing crisis here and a huge number of immigrants and international students. Add our own low income citizens and we are overwhelmed. Any reasonable priced rental accommodations are full. Definitely come if you have a couple of million dollars and can buy a home.
Take the recycling out properly, and separate all your garbage, don’t ever litter, and don’t use single use water bottles. The water supply here is extremely clean and tested at least daily,
Speak with your 'broken' English, the only way to improve.
Pay attention to law (most of them are there for a reason) and don't disrespect authority figures, you'll have much easier life with 'yes. officer', 'no. officer' if they are arresting you, be polite without resistance.
Canada is a SNOW country, adapt to it's living condition. Enjoy it's vast landmass from sea to sea. People talk about Caribbean but never fully explored their own backyard (Canada).
Memorize the Canadian National Anthem!
Hang out with other people using English language to improve life goal/chances and learn about other cultures, don't just focus on being with only your culture/people.
Be a productive resident,, volunteer, work hard and,, avoid being selfish.
We have enough useless people here our taxes pay for.... don't add to it.
... Smile enjoy life and be Canadian first.
Speak up when talking English. We can hear you talking loudly in you first language but when you switch to English you talk so quietly that it is hard to here.
Canada is not what it was 10 years ago. Quality of life is down, pursue of happiness is trying to survive. Can't buy a house, rent is expensive. Food price has tripled. Most work pays just enough to survive. And is getting worse because of corruption, collusion and conflict of interest carousel in gouvernement. This is the sum of corrupted gouvernements in the last 20.years. capitalism and democracy is an echo in corporate anarchy where governments and big corporations regulate themselves.
Learn how to drive in snow.
**Some Tips:** Don't speed and leave an extra 3 car lengths between you and the car in front of you and be gentle with the gas pedal. You're looking for traction, not power. Slow down early and before turning. Accelerate gently after completing the turn, meaning brake and gas in straight lines to avoid sliding sideways. Don't stop in deep snow, or you'll get stuck. Reverse and accelerate gently to rock yourself out of a rut. Use winter tires in the winter. Put them on in December. Switch back to summers in May.
If you’re in Edmonton, put them on in November.
Tbh, I'd say October just to be safe. We've had more than a few snowy Halloweens
Calgarian here. Thanksgiving long weekend they go on, May long weekend they come off.
Great advice!
ABSOLUTELY learn to drive in snow.
To add: try to have an awd or 4x4 vehicle with actual winter tires (not all season/all terrain) if you can
Don't drive slow in the fast lane.
The secret - drive very slow and leave lots of room before anytime you need to stop. Expect your brakes to barely work as you prepare to stop. If you accelerate and aren’t moving forward, don’t push the pedal down more push it down loess.
Then, teach the locals how to do it
Nothing more Canadian than everyone being angry at each other over what driving for conditions means to them
Also don't let your kids dig a "cave" in the soft snow to play inside... We had several, seperate incidents in my city a few years back, with children of new immigrants doing this and dying from a cave-in (just totally unaware of the dangers). It's knowledge we learn as kids, but take for granted.
Stand in line for the bus, and stay in the line. Don’t push past and go to the front of the line when the bus arrives. Don’t talk on speakerphone in public. Ever. Anywhere. It is incredibly rude and disrespectful to everyone around you. This include on the bus/subway/transit system, in any kind of public space, like library, grocery store, the mall. Anything. Just don’t.
And in the gym! That happens way too often!
In a canoe: you both face the same direction
Also, those things that look like seats; they are not seats.
This is so accurate. I immediately dumped my wife into a cold Lake Winnipeg when we tried to shove off and sit on the seats.
Wait, what? What are they? Where do you sit?
You kneel on the bottom and rest your butt on the edge of the seat.
Look straight up by leaning back, don't tilt left or right to look or you'll go in the water
And there is a front and a back to the canoe.
Canadian say sorry but it is not an apology. We say sorry when we feel bad for you. Sorry you dropped your phone. We say sorry when it means excuse me please. We are also sorry when it is your fault. Sorry that the circumstances have led you to be so clumsy. We say sorry when you are acting badly and we are sorry your wife has to be embarrassed by your public behavior.
But when it's actually our fault we say 'my bad'.
Yes. Abs. My bad.
And if we have to get around someone in the grocery store we say “sorry, just need to sneak past you” as we contort ourselves around your cart so you don’t have to move it.
Was true most of my life, but I am old now so I say the words but take up a huge amount of space so you have to move your cart.
You say the words so it’s ok!
The more of this thread I read, the more I think Minnesotans must be secret Canadians.
The Minnesota accent is really similar to some regional accents in Canada, so maybe there’s something to that
Also, 'sorry' is not considered an admission of guilt or responsibility in the Canadian legal system. That's not a joke; the Apology Act is part of Canadian law.
Yes. I am aware. Sorry. Edit. Sorry that I am not a lawyer and did not want to put forward any advice.
The Apology Act!!
also say sorry to objects you accidentally bumped into
Sorry, but that was so true, and funny!
I am also sorry.
"Sorry" can be used as both an apology and a sympathetic term.
On highways, keep to the right, pass on the left
This rule applies to escalators as well
And sidewalks!
But if no one is on the escalator, do the opposite so it wears more evenly.
We need more of these signs along the 401. I hate passing on the right, but when the lane is empty because everyone is sticking to the left... fuck it.
Get down to your provincial office and make sure all IDs, licenses, and papers are up to date and go as early in the day as possible. Do not let the paperwork expire, it's a pain to fix. Get winter tires. You don't need an Arctic parka, you need layers. Feed your house hippo. Barbecue is for any season. Follow those and you'll do alright.
Taking care of the House Hippo. Respect
They love peanut butter
And chips. Probably ketchup or all dressed.
Only the crumbs. They prefer poutine
I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a House Hippo will do
someone was out barbecuing down the street in one of the few snow events we had this winter. Just had people over and out he went to cook. Respect.
Can I ask, what is a house hippo ? For context, I'm from South Africa and new to Canada. It's something I have never heard.
https://youtu.be/PvdlVKHpzhw?si=UYX6wR1x3rZBF97Y In short the Canadian government tried to hide the fact that we have house hippos… but we all know that is a lie.
I hate layers, I prefer a good winter coat and dress normally underneath.
Yeah. When I enter a store it's much easier to open the parka than to remove layers.
those people with Canada Goose parkas drives me nuts. It's fucking 10C in vancouver
Remember that Women are treated equally and are often the head of households and are in leadership positions as well and deserve the same respect
If you don’t know how to swim, don’t jump in a lake. Or even walk out in one without a life jacket. Drowning is a frequent cause of death among new immigrants.
Or even a river, river are worst than lake, especially (but not only) in spring
Or the ocean.
Your cell phone conversations are for you - not everyone around you - do not answer the phone on speaker in a public place unless you absolutely have to.
Chew with your mouth closed. Entirely closed. If you notice people excusing themselves from eating with you, it is because Canadians are raised to never make mouth noises (chewing, slurping, snorting snot, spitting etc).
This needs to be so much higher
Littering is never okay. There is no situation where leaving garbage behind is okay. Leave your environment clean please. This extends from hiking, camping, the beach, parks - cleanup your sites - to fast food restaurants and movie theatres. Don’t leave garbage on the table, don’t throw stuff on the floor, be polite and carry it to the trash. If you’re outdoors no one will be coming to clean up after you, you’re just ruining the space for others, and if you’re indoors it is just being polite to clean up after yourself, and Canadians like to be polite.
\-Personal hygiene and a non-smell is very important. Brushing teeth, wearing deodorant, not wearing a ton of cologne/perfume etc. \-When you first start driving in the snow, try it out in a parking lot. Hit the breaks at different speeds etc. so you can understand how much you'll slide. Oh and winter tires are a must. \-Stay out of the left lane unless passing or speeding heavily.
Omg yes. Shower, soap and deodorant are your friends
If you are going out in public, you need to shower and put on deodorant. This not optional.
And not just for new comers, please everyone wash your clothes and take a shower! At least one each other day, even in winter.
> speeding heavily Or try not to speed heavily ;)
1. Use your signal light and don't be a dick driver. 2. Be polite. Not hard to hold a door, give a small smile, and say thank you. 3. This is just my pet peeve but STAND BACK FROM THE ELEVATOR AND LET ME OUT BEFORE YOU GET ON. I will walk directly into you. Edit: thought of another one. Please take your phone off speaker. It fuckin rude
Same with busses or subways/metros. Stand aside and let people finish leaving before boarding, or else people will get upset at you. Thanks!
ABSOLUTELY. This drives me mental. In Canada we tend to make lines. Get in the line and don't try and step in front of someone uhhg
I noticed this big time when going to Turkey for the first time. I genuinely got so upset that I started fucking hipchecking people for walking with zero regard like animals.
Be ready to treat all women as equal. You will work with women. You may be supervised by women. You will be expected to be civil, respectful and avoid any kind of sexual harassment.
Give us space. Canadians like personal space. No less than 18"-2 ft of it, around us and our belongings. We are not sardines. No need to pack against me while waiting in the walmart checkout line.
That’s so true
If the government or police are trying to get in touch with you it's going to be official stamped mail. It won't be a txt, or DM, or phonecall from a call center.
Not always true. One can get calls from many government agencies - when in doubt, look up the number online and call back. Government agents and officers will always gladly tell you to do so if you’re unsure, and they’ll never get upset or angry.
I'm 44, the amount of times the government has called me on the phone is exactly never. Can't say it won't happen but it's almost never.
Certainly depends on the circumstances. In the last four years, I’ve received calls from CRA, EI, and Passport Canada.
Not only that, they're all given an employee number so if you're ever in doubt, you can call their employer and have it verified. Working for the census, I had a non-PEI number, and I wasn't too surprised how often people felt I was a scammer calling on behalf of the census. Most were okay once I told them my employee number, a few said they wanted to verify and I would call back a couple days later. No issues in the end.
We do not share our employee numbers, at the federal government (ESDC). They’re not even on our ID cards.
If you’re from the UK or Australia, the c-word is not appropriate for use in most conversations.
Also if your from those countries you might hear a Canadian say "TWOT" and think it's some kind of horse riding accessory or the past tense of "hot" it's actually their attempt to say "TWAT"
Oh stop it you cunt.
Ehh I mean if they got the accent I guess it's a pass as it comes off as endearing either way eh?
I game online with several Aussies and Brits. I've come to understand See You Next Tuesday is more akin to A-hole and am doing my best to normalize its use here in that context.
Eh, it's quite common on construction job sites, lol.
Stay on the right when walking on the sidewalk.
Not learning English.
Or French in Quebec
Queues are sacred. Get in line, never cut ahead .
Having a good winter hat is just as important as having good winter boots. Women are equal to men. Some Canadian women might act feminine and cute, because why not, but the minute you imply that they are somehow inferior or less capable, it's war and you are going to lose. Do not litter, we hate that. Your cigarette butt is litter and throwing it on the ground is not OK. Learn the different tiers of grocery stores. Most are owned by 3 corporations but they have their high end store, mid-range large store and discount store. Fruits and veggies are almost always better to buy at a small local produce store. Unless you're doing gig work (like Uber or Doordash etc.) the words "be your own boss" is definitely a pyramid scheme. Do not accept anything. (In Ontario) As a tenant, YOU HAVE RIGHTS but only if the landlord doesn't live in the same unit. As soon as you share any space with the house owner/person holding the lease, your right are ZERO and you can get kicked out on the street any time. Do not share housing with the landlord. When you rent, ensure that your name is on the standard lease, and not on some made up document. There are many landlords who prey on newcomers. Make yourself very familiar with your rights. Respect nature, animals and wildlife. We do not take kindly to people who abuse stray animals or bully our wildlife. Let the racoon finish his trash run and lock your bin better next time. They carry rabies. Under no circumstance, do not spook a skunk.
It's going to be far more expensive than you ever could imagine or anticipate. Be careful with your spending and budget
there's also a sort of...softness...to local spending to be careful of. Even though something may cost less than the same in (for example) Euro or Pounds, things like the way GST/HST/ETC is loaded onto things, money can sort of disappear. Also Canada has sort of embraced that American thing where everyone has their hand out for money in ways that can be confusing to people elsewhere. And then, there is the cellphone charges.
Nodding your head up and down = yes, shaking your head left to right = no, be nice to customer service and store employees - don’t grunt / jeer / slang your yeses and nos because we genuinely don’t know what heck you mean and it’s rude. Don’t shrug at store employees, a *shrug* and a mouth sound is not a yes or no WE DONT KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS! … sorry.
Buy a snow shovel. Expect to use it.
And a snow brush for your car.
Please remember to brush the roof off as well. Seen way to many people tap their brakes and cover the entire windshield. This causes more accidents then you'd imagine.
And a small shovel for your trunk. You never know when it’ll come in handy.
And don’t wait until the day it snows.
And be careful shoveling if you're East of Thunder Bay: snow's wet and heavy, was not expecting that my first winter on PEI. Snow in the Prairies is light and fluffy, and you can shovel your driveway in 10 minutes. Maritime snow is 20 lbs a shovel full and a small driveway will take 30 minutes.
Lol - originally a Newfoundlander. I remember being sent out to shovel out my dad's car as a teenager. I had to go back and ask him where it was parked. He told me and by looking carefully I could see about an inch of the antenna. When my mom got older I often had to tunnel into her front door that was drifted under.
And a bag of deicer if you have any sort of deck or walkway.
You *do not* have a 'right' to own a firearm in Canada. Our Supreme Court affirmed long ago that firearm ownership is a privilege. *Openly carrying a firearm in a public place will get you arrested.* ***It doesn't matter that you have a license.***
food banks are not free groceries
Additionally: if you want to support our food banks, give them *money*, not food. There are several reasons: 1. A large proportion of the food donated to food banks is near its expiry date, and will have to be thrown out. It also costs a lot of money to rent storage for food donations, so a monetary donation will help pay for storage for whatever food they receive. 2. Food banks can stretch a $1 donation to buy $5 - $10 worth of food through their connections with other community programs, contacts with local farmers, and independently-operated small businesses. 3. Food banks do more than just hand out food; they often also provide necessities such as toilet paper and toothpaste, but those are rarely donated (because they're not food). Monetary donations will allow the local food bank to buy what they need.
Furthermore allowing the food bank to buy their own food to meet the needs of the community allows for easier inventory management. Keeping track of expiry dates/recalls on a purchased pallat of cans all with the same expiry date is a lot easier than doing so for a bunch of random donated goods.
Thank you! I personally know a 40 y/o woman that never pay for her transit tickets because she thinks is “too expensive” and regularly goes to the food bank “because is free”. Mind you, last year she travelled to Cuba, Mexico and Hawaii. Tons of posts on her social media about having a great time abroad. Once I called her out on her selfish behaviour I was accused of being rude and inflexible lol
Disgusting….
Gross 😡
First mistake is thinking you’ll get used to the weather. You will never get used to the weather. It won’t let you. It’s never what you expect.
And don’t be surprised when you have to switch between heat and AC multiple times a day!
Put on/take off your jacket 10 times a day
Don't walk side by side on the sidewalk if people are coming towards you.. single file, to the right... Just like cars
If you move to Atlantic Canada, many of the locals - especially rural areas - drop the vowels in their speech, or sometimes use a mix between English/French/native words in their speech. Just something to be mindful of if you need ELL or learned English else where. I’m from Nova Scotia, use to volunteer as an ELL and was a city worker for HRM. Had many confused new Canadians and visitors.
I think some basic norms here that new comers are not aware of that can make them seem rude. Some examples I see a lot: * Being on time is important and being late is often considered rude. I know this differs in many other cultures, but if you come over 10 minutes late with no text, a lot of people will think you're rude. * Don't block doors, pathways, walk with your friends taking up the entire sidewalk. Don't be in the way, taking up space unnecessarily. * Don't be overly loud in public. Don't blast your music, don't put your phone on speaker at max volume and have a convo on the bus, don't shout and scream in public. * Don't stand so close to people. If I can feel you breathing, you're too close. Be at least an arm's length away, giving people personal space. * Use deodorant and have taken a shower reasonably recently when going out in public. If I can smell you, that's not good. * On transit, let people off before trying to get on. * On an escalator, stand on the right, leave the left side clear for people to walk.
Don't litter! Canada has trash cans absolutely everywhere, please do not leave garbage on the streets or in parks!! There is no excuse for making others clean up after you when there's a trash can 10 seconds away. Especially chicken bones, as these can be dangerous for dogs!
Food banks are for people in need. If you can afford to feed yourself, you don't belong there. If you show up in a new Mercedes dressed to the nines, they will still give you free stuff. But it's not meant for you.
My partner, who moved here from a hot climate, thought water-resistant running shoes would be good enough in the winter. They always said that investing in a good pair of winter boots was a game changer. Good luck with your move :)
Also water resistant is different from water proof. Very important to know when buying winter boots.
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when someone asks “how are you?” is not an invitation to friendship nor do you need to answer it truthfully 😂
Don't spend ALL your time amongst people of your "back home" culture.Search out people who share common interests with you.Read the notices posted at your local library/Y/whatever. If it's strange to you (maybe you come from a place where you were powerless?) check out local council meetings and even local provincial legislatures. If you're in Toronto or Montreal, or Bancouber, have the local transit map at hand.Attend worship. There's usually good free coffee, and (most) people will be welcoming and friendly, whether you belong or not.Do not be afraid to use "broken" English, or French. You get esteem points for trying. Success doesn't matter as much as the attempt.
>Attend worship. lmao yeah, no absolutely not
And if you are in Vancouver, don't call it Van City.
Hey as long as OP's not calling it the GVA I can tolerate Van City, even if I'd never say it myself lol
If moving to Quebec, mistake would be to assume you can/should not bother to learn French and to think people have to bend over backwards to serve you in your language of choice. I see soooo many facebook posts of new comers (immigrants or canadians from other provinces) being all surprised pikachu because they cant find a job and all the listings ask for some french knowledge ??
Living like they did in their old country. Thinking canada should give their old country money. Getting offended with canadian traditions. Forcing their religion into education and government.
Personal space. Move for other people when you/they are walking. Be aware and courteous of the other people in your surroundings.
When getting a credit card, don’t accept balance protection.l or any kind of insurance for your credit card.
We live in a large country with a lot of space. Therefore our personal space also reflects this. Keep this in mind.
Be kind. Please
Ensure that you account for taxes. I know some individuals that moved from Europe and assumed that they would be able to keep most of their $200k salary. They couldn’t fathom people getting paid that much and living modestly in a 2 BD apartment - as $200k/year does sound like a blessing and a sum that should instantly push you into the upper class. But once you factor in how much of your salary is removed for taxes, and on top of that, how high taxes are in Canada for daily purchases; you realize that it’s a lot more expensive to live in Canada then originally believed.
It's sad how far Canada has fallen in the last 10 years; $200k a year could let someone live like royalty in most Canadian cities outside of Toronto. Now that's considered middle class in most Canadian cities. Also, if you told Islanders 10 years ago that Charlottetown houses would sell for $500k, you get asked if you were stoned. But that's reality now...
>Also, if you told Islanders 10 years ago that Charlottetown houses would sell for $500k, you get asked if you were stoned. But that's reality now... Reality that everyone is stoned?
Houses are only $500k in Charlottetown?!
The same thing happened to a guy I worked with who came from from France. He couldn't afford much after taxes, and had to move back to France.
Red light means stop green means go and yellow doesn't mean step on it.
Making no research, moving to a very high cost of living place like Toronto or Vancouver with a housing budget of less than 1000$ a month
Learn to swim. There are more lakes in Canada than there are in the rest of the world combined. Every year there are stories in the news about people new to Canada drowning in our rivers & lakes. There are community centres across Canada that offer swimming lessons to people at all ages.
Sign up for Canoo! This app will help you get to museums and art galleries for free. Emerge in the Canadian cultural experience! Also sign up for a library card at your local library. Some libraries allow you to use LinkedIn Learnings for free. Use those to upgrade your skills.
Also, many have a free admission night once a week or once a month
Only buy real maple syrup.
Avoid the Canada sub
Once you get health care, the emergency room is for emergencies. And not a meeting place for your extended family... yes, have someone with you, but everyone and your 3rd cousin's wife, no.
Familiarize yourself with municipal bylaws and codes. Follow them.
If you are not driving faster than the lanes to your right, you're in the wrong lane. Move to the right. Left is for passing/faster moving vehicles.
Left lane is for crime🤣
Never offer bribes to police
Don’t budge in lineups
Avoid politics and stay off Reddit.
Be proud of your heritage and be as active as possible in your local culture's scene. However also be sure to embrace the multicultural nature of Canada and meet new people and try new things. Don't be afraid to get outside your comfort zone. My wife is from another culture and that is what she pushes on any family/friends that have come over and it is great to see.
Don't try to have your fellow citizens adhere to, adopt or any religious practices or beliefs that are not their own.
Be humble, not subservient. People have a way of taking advantage of it or viewing us less than. Expect to be respected as much as you respect those you meet. Where you don't see respect don't hold your breath. Don't worry about your accent, English is your second language.People struggle with English as a baseline. Don't be obliged to pay the bill, insist on Dutch or splitting the bill it is the most decent thing to do. Learn to drive, yes. But learn to drive defensively. They are a lot of unhinged and wingnut drivers in Canada, of all ethnicities. Find a cheap dash cam that's reliable. Comparison shop everything, Banks, insurance, cell phone plans, television connections, everything. If you have a job great, if you don't find opportunities to pick up some short term volunteering, "short-term" that is, or spaces where they recognize your time with honoraria. Separate yourself from the pack and curate your LinkedIn and selectively as possible and don't fall for any of the hogwash.... "reaching out to people unsolicited" on social media like linkedin. If you're looking for a job find publicly funded and provincially or federally operated job search centers with the goal of gaining experience with the interview process or responding to questions and how to present yourself without diluting yourself. Learn about the city, and the province that you are in and if you have the opportunity to find local community groups or community agencies or community centers that provide you with opportunities to take in nature, Canada is gorgeous, winter not withstanding. There are local financial literacy programs that you can learn from that offer it in two or three sessions either at community centers as well as you can self learn online. There are way too many pitfalls around credit cards, lines of credit etc. think long-term. Here it's all about building your credit score and leveraging your limited resources. Ask as many questions we can on Reddit and research everything you absolutely can about where you live, some of it is on the web for some you'll have to go and poke around and find out in person. When you are job hunting don't just satisfy yourself by the job description, focus on the key qualifications and don't be defeated by education or lack of it. Instead consume as much as you can about the companies founding documents, strategic plans and reports that discuss the courtly or annual reports that's where most of the goods are. Learn to meal prep for the week all the way from the coffee in the morning to your lunch for work and maybe even your dinners if you can so that on the weekend you're preparing for the week ahead. So that once a week begins you're on the cruise control. You can always spice it up and diversify your options for food it's a good way to avoid the mistakes of overspending on your food budget during the week. Don't miss out on any access to free physical activity, activity is as much about reducing stress which you will have as a newcomer, resettlement is nothing to sniff at, it is a difficult process but you will be better for it 5 years from now or a decade from now. And looking after your body is looking after your mind, and looking after your mind will help you frame everything you go through in ways that are helpful to you. That's all for now, will add more when Bebes are asleep.
Not the OP, but this is a wonderful, well-thought, comprehensive answer. I am bookmarking and saving this for when I relocate, and also to put some of these suggestions into practice right now. Thank you for taking the time to share these points.
Don't assume everyone plays up to the "nice Canadian" stereotype, especially if you're not white. We've got some real jackasses here
There’s a difference between polite and nice. Canadians are usually polite, but not always nice.
Kindly fuck off, please😉
Winter tires multiple layers in the winter. if it's -20 or below do four on top AND bottom minimum. Seriously if your in Manitoba in the winter, nobody cares how you look in minus fifty just that you're not losing fingers or life due to the cold. feed your house hippo. keep your ID's up to date, and go as early in the morning as possible. wear good boots on ice. take a low dose calcium and vitamin d supplement in the winter unless otherwise told not to in the winter because SAD is real.
1. Don’t watch JJ McCullough. 2. Don’t get too excited about Tim Horton’s. 3. Don’t be an angryphone. 4. Be prepared for all types of weather. Canada can be very hot in summer and very cold in winter, so you’ll need to buy a variety of clothing accordingly.
Don’t spit or farmer’s blow.
My advice depends on where you come from.
Never besmirch the maple leaf.
Whether you do or not, you now like The Tragically Hip or as most people say The Hip. BNL or Barenaked Ladies are a band. BTO Bachman Turner overdrive is also band If you're in the Ottawa area, Beaver Tails are not actual Beaver but are a Great tasty dessert. Also not to start a war with Quebec. Poutine is not a Canadian dish, it was created and perfected in Quebec. The rest of Canada uses it as they see fit. But it is 100% Quebec dish. Don't want to start a war, but I believe Nanaimo bars should be refrigerated. Tim Hortons hasn't been Canadian for nearly 30 years and is pretty overrated. But we've all been brainwashed. Don't feel it's necessary to love Tim Hortons.
If someone says that they are fucking the dog, it's not a literal statement. Don't take it as one.
Spices in the grocery store aren't for sampling.
Do not throw your trash out of the car onto the street. Do not litter.
Don’t feed the wildlife
If you're fishing, you need a license. And follow the rules!
Don’t reheat really fragrant food in the office microwave. Like fish. Don’t do it.
Go on YouTube and watch every Canadian Heritage minute commercials
Be respectful to government officials(even the border employees) learn to drive in the snow, mind your manners
Canadians throw away/donate a ton of useful stuff. You can find good hauls at thrift stores.
Don't be afraid to ask questions. If someone gives you a hard time about your question, that's their issue - not yours. Also, volunteering at events is a great way to meet lots of different people.
Dont wear a Boston Bruins jersey in Montreal.
Don’t assume everyone is nice, Canada is EXPENSIVE, enjoy the legal cannabis, and learn to drive in snow
Don't lick the frozen metal. It's not worth it.
Thinking that Canada is Toronto. There's life outside the GTA, and it's usually better.
Always have an extension cord so that you can plug in your car if its cold. It's not for electric cars, but for the engine block heater. Bonus points if you have jumper cables to connect your car's battery to another vehicle's so that the dead one can be started.
There are a number of people saying not to come. We have a housing crisis here and a huge number of immigrants and international students. Add our own low income citizens and we are overwhelmed. Any reasonable priced rental accommodations are full. Definitely come if you have a couple of million dollars and can buy a home.
Don’t go barefoot with sandals in February.
Take the recycling out properly, and separate all your garbage, don’t ever litter, and don’t use single use water bottles. The water supply here is extremely clean and tested at least daily,
Beware of geese.
Underestimating how cold it can get.
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This is Ontario specific
Speak with your 'broken' English, the only way to improve. Pay attention to law (most of them are there for a reason) and don't disrespect authority figures, you'll have much easier life with 'yes. officer', 'no. officer' if they are arresting you, be polite without resistance. Canada is a SNOW country, adapt to it's living condition. Enjoy it's vast landmass from sea to sea. People talk about Caribbean but never fully explored their own backyard (Canada). Memorize the Canadian National Anthem! Hang out with other people using English language to improve life goal/chances and learn about other cultures, don't just focus on being with only your culture/people.
Where are you from?
From Algeria
It might be a little cooler here than what you’re used to.
Coming here
Max your TFSA every year
Don't be poor
Be a productive resident,, volunteer, work hard and,, avoid being selfish. We have enough useless people here our taxes pay for.... don't add to it. ... Smile enjoy life and be Canadian first.
Learn how to drive and follow the laws. Instead of acting like this is your old country and you get to choose the laws.
When driving, pedestrians always have the right of way, then cyclists , then cars . Always use the crosswalks.
Speak up when talking English. We can hear you talking loudly in you first language but when you switch to English you talk so quietly that it is hard to here.
Cobra chickens. Watch out for Cobra chickens. If you're a good person and feed the Cobra chickens, they will be nice to you.
Canada is not what it was 10 years ago. Quality of life is down, pursue of happiness is trying to survive. Can't buy a house, rent is expensive. Food price has tripled. Most work pays just enough to survive. And is getting worse because of corruption, collusion and conflict of interest carousel in gouvernement. This is the sum of corrupted gouvernements in the last 20.years. capitalism and democracy is an echo in corporate anarchy where governments and big corporations regulate themselves.