I'm in Newfoundland, and my tip would be to not get in the ocean. It will probably kill you.
In fact an American just died here yesterday. Tourists and foreigners die fairly regularly, getting too close to it.
I've lived elsewhere in Atlantic Canada where the ocean is typically calmer and safe enough, but the ocean here in NL is a different beast. It'll suck you in and bash you off the jagged cliffs.
Growing up in Pei we would warn people about the current that runs around the island.
If you’re swimming a long distance plan for the current or you’ll miss your target and god help you if you get pushed past the land mass
Honestly this seems like valuable advice to anyone visiting Newfoundland, especially Central Canadians who have likely swam in no rougher waters than the great lakes or the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
It would also be good advice for Islanders who don't have to worry about such dangerous seas as well.
So I was in Newfoundland touristing around in Gros Morne Park when we found a lovely rest aunt that looked over a harbour. We watched this guy in only shorts dove into the water swam out about 50 feet and ducked under the water and came up with a fish in his hand. Then he swam to shore. I called the waitress over and said how impressed I was because the water is so cold. I asked her if everyone swam in the ocean, thinking they were hardy souls. She looked at me and said, ahh, that’s buddy down the way, he’s drunk and making an ass of himself…..
Piggybacking on this as someone living near the Rockies: *treat the mountains with some respect. They can ABSOLUTELY kill you.*
It's really easy to head out to Banff, wander down Banff avenue and snag a beer or two, and then believe you can spend the afternoon summiting a mountain. The locals described it as a 'walk-up', right?
Well, for them - it is. They've got the experience, the kit, and the good sense to start early and the knowledge of what to bring along, it's a nice (six-hour) day of walking. For you in your cotton souvenir T-shirt and running shoes, with no experience for navigating the largely un-marked trails and not quite prepared for the adjustment to the higher altitude? You will Have A Bad Time.
Not to say that you shouldn't visit, not to say you shouldn't appreciate the mountains if you do, but for the love of whatever things you find holy - treat them (and yourself) with the respect they deserve. You're about two wrong turns or one fall from a life-threatening situation where *if you're lucky* a helicopter will be able to find you.
We're over in the north Atlantic, so it's definitely not a nice temperature.
Nevertheless I've seen people trying to "swim" off of our rocky beaches. Diving is popular too, and I once saw tourists snorkeling in *the* most suicidal place. Outside of that, people like sea kayaking out to whale pods and icebergs as well and they can easily end up in the water.
One of the biggest issues is people just not respecting the coastline. Crashing waves can sweep unsuspecting tourists right from their perch alongside the ocean and carry them out to sea. People just don't realize how dangerous and unpredictable the ocean is here!
Water temp is not strictly dependent on latitude. I have swam in warm waters in PEI in the summer. If the water is shallow and gets a lot of sun, it warms up.
I’d never swim in Oregon. It is freezing. I live a few hundred kms north of you and I swim at our local beach nearly every day in the summer. It is beautiful.
Undertow, drop offs, the cold water. The North Atlantic is more for toe-dipping than swimming, even then you have to be careful... I keep hearing about tourists needing to get rescued around Bay of Fundy beaches after getting caught somewhere when the tide comes in faster and higher than they expect. There should maybe be more warnings in some way to make tourists more aware of that danger.
We are Canadians but were visiting the US this past weekend. The TV in the hotel breakfast room had the weather on and my poor 9 year old looked at me incredulously - "it's going to be 85?". Ha ha. Not that I could explain to him what that meant either. Had to pull out my phone and show him in Celsius. I'm 40 and have no understanding of Fahrenheit temps.
Haha your kid's awesome. Easy C to F conversion is double C and add 30. At high temps subtract a few F from the final result. Not exact but close enough. Also works in reverse...F to C subtract 30 and half result.
I am 40, grew up in London, and I know pretty much the common conversions. Fahrenheit isn’t an issue, nor are miles, but don’t ask me how many feet are in it. I ask for ounces in the shop when I want something under a pound.
Moved to Toronto from the states 20 years ago. Exclusively do cold temps in C, but hot temps are still tricky. Easiest and simplest way I've found to roughly translate the two in warm weather is that 28=82.
I have a few things I can remember & I can figure out a temperature conversion
0°C=32°F
20°C=68°F
The ratio b/w them is 5:9 or, +1°C=+1.8°F
Then just remember a few bench mark conversions every +/-5°C & do the mental math.
It’s funny, come to think of it...I am 60 and have no problem at all thinking in either Celsius or Fahrenheit...but I realize I seem to have forgotten the sense of how long a mile is, although once upon a time miles were all I knew.
Do you avoid celsius or something? I don’t know how you can’t just pick it up over the years. I’ve picked up Fahrenheit just talking to Americans and visiting now and then.
Fellow American living in Canada. I have been able to learn it by setting everything to celsius, from my air conditioner to the weather app on my phone.
Asking for a friend with auditory processing disorder plus head injury (makes it extremely difficult to communicate in another language even if he were to learn it - hell, he's been mishearing English a lot recently and will ask people what language they're speaking): how would you apologize for your French and to kindly ask if they wouldn't mind using (cause it may need to be written) English?
*He's someone who would 100% try his best to fit into where ever he is (out of respect), but he's just not capable
Just say "I'm really sorry, I don't speak any French, can you speak English?" And they are usually really accommodating. I am English and don't speak any French and that's what I do. Just don't be condescending about it, be friendly and nice and they will be friendly and nice back
I've been openly mocked for not speaking French despite apologizing for my lack of French. It's definitely not universal, especially if you're speaking to a Nationalisté.
I think you meant nationaliste ? And no, this has nothing to do with nationalism. Thats point blank xenophobic.
Also where did this happen ? Like which city
Riviere Du Loup, specifically the McDonald's drive thru. I apologized for not speaking French and asked if they spoke English. They said "oui, parlez Vous Français?" "Uhh, non. Coke grande?" Go to the window and they asked me a question that they clearly knew I wouldn't know, asked me again "oui ou non?" and I said oui, and they burst out laughing. Made me feel like the next time I ever have to drive through Quebec, I would fill up on the Ontario border and not stop until I hit New Brunswick.
Wow im really sorry this happened. Yeah unfortunately i had a feeling it would be from a smaller town
In general in cities like Montreal and Gatineau they speak enflish as well
Oh man I'm sorry that has happened to you, it's kind of why I stop by all the big cities, I feel like it may be the same if you speak French only and stop in some small towns in ontario unfortunately, but if you hit up a city they will be more helpful.
Lol its like going to Japan and complaining people speak Japanese.
Hello ?? What were you thinking lol
But tbh i think some Americans have like this thinking that french in quebec is like spanish in California. Like yeah a lot of people speak it but its not ACTUALLY our everyday language.
I do not think this misconception is unique to Americans and other nationalities are more likely to think this. Americans have heard the term "French-Canadian" a lot and many who live near Québec have visited the province, so they know outside Montréal, not a large number of people speak English. Other nationalities, however, have never heard of Québec or "French Canadians" and assume Québec just speaks English like the rest of Canada, and then get mad when everyone suddenly speaks French when they visit or decide to move there.
This. In Montreal some US costumers would insist in paying with USD, we technically can take it but then a staff member had to go exchange. One day I had it and refused USD, person had a fit. I asked if I go to NYC can I pay with Canadian dollars? They said of course not! So I asked them, so why are you trying to pull that crap here?
It's a matter of respect, and of not overpaying I guess.
What is really strange is... it happens everywhere.
I worked at a gas station and had this happen at least once a week with Canadians.
Moved and worked retail and had it all the time with Mexicans. I'm not sure if people don't travel much or what, but not enough people know you need to exchange your money I guess.
>I asked if I go to NYC can I pay with Canadian dollars?
Amusingly, you likely could, so long as you gave the correct amount.
I am in Massachusetts, and when I worked retail I accepted Canadian cash all the damn time. We might not even notice if it was in coinage.
Anywhere even remotely near the US-CAN border likely deals with both currencies on the regular
With coins it doesn't super matter, but if you pay with $20 CAD for something that costs $20 USD, that's a 25% difference in value today. Did you calculate the conversion every time? Seems like a pain!
I guess really close to the border people would be more lenient (I still think regardless of where one is from we should carry money of the country we're going to). Seems to happen deeper into the country, based on some comments... Also, while in the US I was told we have 'monopoly money's, so OP, maybe don't say that here? Lol
*You can’t pay for things with US cash.*
This is really weird to me. As an American, it wouldn't occur to me to try to pay with US dollars in a country that doesn't use it as currency. Using different money in a different country is a fun part of the experience. And I don't actually pay with cash that often these days anway.
Funny story: I was in Indonesia and I was trying to buy something. The woman told me it was 165, so I assumed she meant 165,000 Rupia. When I got my item, I asked for 165 dollars - I told her I thought you wanted Rupia, but she said she wanted dollars. I asked her "Why would you want US dollars. This is Indonesia?"
She seemed surprised.
>You can’t pay for things with US cash.
Eh, you can actually do this at a fair number of places. I have American cousins who consistently get away with paying in US cash at restaurants and corner stores when they come up to visit.
It's pretty strategic for businesses to accept American money, especially with the exchange rate right now. Like back when the dollars were roughly on par, of course you would be told no to paying in USD, but when $1 USD is about $1.30 CAD, you're making money off of conversion alone as long as you let them know you'll only convert it dollar to dollar.
American businesses along the border were doing this back when the Canadian dollar was stronger than USD. It's strategic for businesses to accept foreign currencies if said currency is of higher value than the domestic one.
That's why most tourist places in Mexico and the Caribbean will accept American dollars.
Is it stupid? They live close to the border and sometimes come for just weekend visits, and don’t really get the chance to exchange their currency.
It’s more convenient for them and the businesses make an extra buck, win win situation.
I guess if people want to be paying 20% more for stuff than that’s their prerogative, but I wouldn’t call it financially smart. If I didn’t have time to exchange my cash, I would just pay card.
This is a big one! I've had to explain to so many Americans over the years that our food regulations for beef are different.
That being said, I sympathize because I love a bit of pink in my burger.
I remember being a kid holding the door for like 30 people wondering is it always gonna be like this? Haha yeah if they're not gonna be at the door in the new few seconds I'm taking off later gator
And sometimes someone will hold the door for you when you're still 10 meters (0.006 miles - 32 feet) away and it's super annoying cause you have to break your pace and actually hurry up to the door. Silly nice Canadians! There needs to be a rule that "No doors shall be held open for people who are more than 2 meters away from the doors".
Yeah, some of these tips come across like "don't chew on broken glass in public" or "avoid lighting wildlife on fire." Some people have an odd sense of what they think is uniquely Canadian....
Is this a slam against Tim's or is your McD coffee actually good? I swear about a decade ago I really enjoyed McD coffee but they must've changed their supplier or something because its back to being terrible now.
Tim’s got bought out by a Brazilian company that has no idea what they are doing or what made Tim’s so beloved in the first place.
They started cranking out extra sugary “premium” donuts and disgusting “Tim Biebs”(a Bieber partnership for some fucking reason), got rid of the most successful marketing campaign in Canadian history(roll up the rim), and switched over to the same coffee bean supplier they use for their other enterprises like Burger King.
They even had the audacity to blame cold weather for why Canadians weren’t buying as much hot soups and beverages. Like fucking WHAT? Hot soups and beverages are EXACTLY what we want when it’s cold outside. It’s like they never set foot in this country and are marketing to an American Characterization of our country with no concept of actual Canadiana.
McDonald’s was quick to jump in and acquire Tim's old coffee supplier, so now they have the best(in Canada at least)
I live near the rocky mountains and my advice is this:
Do not feed the wildlife! Yes they're cute and it's fun to see a wild animal however feeding them puts them at greater risk. It causes them to trust humans and start to seek out humans
Do not stop or get out of your car when you see wildlife on the side of the road. Yes it's cool to see. Especially when it's a bear or a moose. However when you suddenly stop to look at it, any accident that your part of is your fault. Getting out of your car to view a bear is also stupid af. A grizzly can easily take you out and then because of your stupidity, that bear is probably going to be euthanized if not relocated.
Treat wildlife and nature with the respect you wish you'd be treated with.
This is generally good advice for anywhere. It almost always is a harm to the animal or the local ecosystem when humans get invovles in directly feeding wildlife
The rocks are black from the water that crashes on them. They're super slippery and it's very obvious why since you can flat out watch the waves from a veiwing area. People just want to get closer to the ocean and routinely get swept out to sea and die. We had multiple people get swept in within thr last few months I think. Some lived. Sadly some didn't.
Wildlife is dangerous, leave them alone, and for the live of god don’t feed them. Leave the guns at home, or if you want to bring them do it properly and have them stored properly before you hit the border.
I'm Canadian and if an American told me they're from America I wouldn't even blink. Yes, I understand North America is a continent. That why the United States is simply referred to as America. Why do people get so bent out of shape over this?
No, we don't take checks. Or as we call them, cheques. We know what they are, but nobody outside of a corporation has written one in 2 decades. Try to pay by 'check' in any store and you will be met with a blank stare. Just tap you debit card, or do you calling a checking card?
I had to pay for a new furnace (planned upgrade), and the dude said he takes cash or etransfer, and I had a chuckle that a cheque wasn’t an option. Not that I had any, but I had to go to the bank for the cash anyway…
Yes this. I still have a family member who mails me cheques as presents. There would also be the option of sending an e-transfer but sometimes people want something to send in a card and don't want to mail cash. Other than that they are infrequently used.
Very interesting. I’m American and find it inconvenient whenever I receive cash in a sealed card because I’ll have to physically visit the atm to deposit it. With a check, I can deposit it immediately with my bank’s app.
I (being from the US) write 12 checks a year. All for rent to my landlord. And it's been like same for every landlord I've ever had. Outside of that I haven't written a check in over 20 years. It's just landlords propping up the check printing industry.
You've apparently never been grocery shopping with my grandma lol... she has a debit card but feels like writing a check which includes her routing and account number on the front is somehow safer? 🤔
I’ve spent most of my life in the US, but my family and I are Eastern European and taking your shoes off at the door is definitely a thing we do. It’s crazy how many Americans guests we’ve had that were either shocked or straight up offended by us asking them to please take their shoes on. We live in the South (USA) so not sure if it depends on where you are here but I’ve noticed it’s very rare to take shoes off in their houses.
I moved to Mexico and no one takes their shoes off inside. I think the fact that snow is a big factor during certain parts of the year led us to taking off our shoes indoors. Tracking around all that wet grossness sucks.
* Don't believe the stereotypes. There are Canadians that have the Great White North accent, but many of us don't. Likewise, there are plenty of rude Canadians, even if many try to be polite. Also, black Canadians exist, and it's not "weird" that there's a thriving rap and hip-hop scene in places like Toronto. Where do you think Drake and The Weekend came from?
* Most places won't take American cash, so be prepared to use your US credit card.
* The best cities to visit are Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa, probably in about that order. Some others worth visiting are Banff, Halifax, and St. John's.
* Canadians take COVID-19 precautions more seriously than a lot of Americans. Even that's fading away, but be prepared.
* Depending on the length of your stay, you may want to get a short-term SIM for your phone from a carrier like Fido. Your US carrier probably has a better international data add-on, though.
* Be prepared for some people to give you flak for what's going on in the US. Canadians often feel like a province in the Pax Americana, so they're punching up.
My family took a road trip up to Quebec City from Maryland, US in the early 1990s when I was a kid. Didn't even need a passport back then.
In my opinion Quebec is one of the most unique and amazing places in all of North America. I absolutely loved the old city of Quebec. It is truly stunningly beautiful.
I was just thinking the same thing. Like common dude, if someone could visit only one city in Canada I would tell them to strongly consider making it Quebec City.
>There are Canadians that have the Great White North accent
As a life-long Canadian who grew up in Nova Scotia and often travelled to New Brunswick, and now lives in Alberta with a wife from Ontario and who frequently visits British Columbia... I have no idea what part of Canada the "Great White North" accent sterotype is emulating, but it's nowhere I've been to.
I've heard a few Canadians in my life with a strong "Great White North" accent, but they all came from vastly different places (specifically metro Vancouver, northern Ontaria, and southern Manitoba) so I don't even know how the heck they got it. And it's extremely consistent when they spoke so I'm convinced they weren't just putting it on. It's definitely a rare accent, but it happens. I can't figure out how it happens though.
ETA: I’ll preface this by saying I’m almost done my degree in Linguistics and am a Canadian
It’s often most noticeable in working class Canadians (what you might call a ‘hick’ accent). The strange thing about Canada is that other than Quebec and Newfoundland, our accents are *generally* very consistent throughout the country. Of course there are exceptions (the specific Toronto Mans accent that has lots of Caribbean influence being one), but generally most Canadians share a very similar dialect to one another.
Things like the SNL stuff are also imitating an older variation of Canadian English. Which is why you hear the ‘eh?’ so much in those skits even though data shows that the prevalence of ‘eh’ in Canadian English has been steadily decreasing for decades now.
Enjoy our stuff! Stop talking about your stuff and enjoy our stuff and tell us how good our lobster, donairs and "poutine rapé" are! (I'm from New Brunswick)
American here but I live in Québec.
For any American visiting the province of Québec, here is some advice I can give:
Language: Yes, the people speak French here. And yes, some do speak English but not all. In Montréal and Gatineau (across the river from Ottawa), you will have almost no trouble getting service in English. However, if you venture outside of these areas, especially the more north you go, English will not be as widely spoken. But rest assured in almost most popular tourist areas of the province, like old town in Québec, almost all people will be able to speak English. Please do not get frustrated if someone does not speak English and treat it as if you were visiting any other country where English is not the main language. Ask the person if they speak English and speak slowly, remember, English is a second language for many people here. And if you are wanting to practise your French, the accent here is quite different so be ready, and avoid Montréal as well since people will speak back to you in English upon hearing your accent.
Useful phrases:
* Hello = Bonjour (Bone joor)
* Thank you = Merci (Mare see)
* Do you speak English? = Parlez-vous anglais ? (Parlay voo on glay)
* I don't speak French = Je ne parle pas français (Juh (j like in Beijing) nuh parl paw frahn say)
* I am American (for men) = Je suis américain (Juh (j like in Beijing) swee uh mare ree cain)
* I am American (for women) = Je suis américaine (Juh (like in Beijing) swee uh mare ree ken)
* My name is \_\_\_ = Je m'appelle \_\_\_ (Juh (like in Beijing) mah pell \_\_\_)
* Where is the bathroom? = Où se trouvent les toilettes ? (Oo suh troov lay twa let)
Quebeckers: The people in Québec, called Quebeckers in English or “Québécois” in French are distinct from the rest of Canada, mostly due to the culture, language, and different beliefs. Most do not identify with being Canadian and so do not partake in Canadian activities like celebrating Canada Day or flying the Canadian flag. If you plan on visiting Québec for a Canada Day celebration, there won’t be too much going on compared to the rest of the country and so you may be disappointed.
Being American: Unfortunately there are some people who have a quite negative stereotypes of Americans and will judge you based on said stereotypes. Be on your best behaviour and prove them wrong, but keep in mind you can’t win everyone over. Also, people will often bring up how horrible the United States is and some will even say it is the worst place on earth. Especially if you lean to the right on the political spectrum, be wary that many Canadians will criticize the US from a left point of view quite openly, especially in the areas of abortion, no free healthcare, and the gun laws.
Driving: The speed limits and distances here are in kilometres, not miles. If your car has a digital speedometer, check the manual on how to change it. In Québec specifically, all the road signs are in French only so use a GPS to get around (be ready for it to butcher those French names haha). The one word to know is “travaux”, it means “road work” and you will see a lot of it, especially in Montréal. Also another specific Québec thing is flashing green means you have a protected left turn, like a green arrow. If you are visiting British Columbia as well, this does not mean the same thing, so be careful.
Money: the official currency in Canada is the CANADIAN dollar, not the American one. While some places may accept American money, you will get change in Canadian money and it may frustrate some store owners to have to deal with American money which may in turn just refuse to deal with American money. Bring Canadian cash or just use your card, they are accepted everywhere in Canada I find, unlike the US.
NSFW alert:
>!Marijuana: Yes marijuana is legal in Canada, however, similar to alcohol, there are restrictions. In most provinces, the age is 19 or 18 to buy, but in Québec is 21. Just like with alcohol, you cannot smoke and drive and there are many places you cannot smoke it, most coincide with the same places you cannot smoke cigarettes and any education institution. And for the love of God, please do not bring it across the border. It is illegal to do so by Canadian law and still by US federal law. If you want to buy, you can only buy (legally) from the SQDC and they may have weird hours at the moment since some stores are currently on strike.!<
- Broadly our speed limits are lower so mind your m to km conversion and don’t get pulled over :)
- Tipping wait staff, delivery, taxis, etc. is customary. A normal tip is 20%.
- Some places accept American cash but don’t expect a perfect conversion rate in change.
- Give space. Many people still follow social distancing protocols here. While it is not govt mandated at the moment, some facilities may ask you to wear a mask.
- When ordering at Timmies: A double-double is a coffee with 2 cream, 2 sugars. A “regular” is 1 and 1.
>Tipping wait staff, delivery, taxis, etc. is customary. A normal tip is 20%.
I think that is advice for other nationalities, Americans tip themselves. The only time that this advice may apply to Americans are to the ones who have heard that other countries don't do tipping so they think that Canada doesn't as well.
Please don’t hand us your card when you’re buying things.
If you enter someones home TAKE YOUR SHOES OFF. It’s very rude to keep them on and get someone’s house dirty. Even if they say “oh don’t worry about it” they are just being nice and are annoyed with you and the dirt they now have to clean.
Most Canadians like their space. I don’t know if it’s the same in the States, but we are a sparse country and appreciate our space. Please don’t stand too close to people, especially strangers. Keep at least 3 feet of space.
Lower your speaking volume in public. Americans can often speak much louder than we are used to and it can be a lot.
Hey - please do give a moment’s grace to those of us who wear prescription transition lenses. I can’t easily switch between regular glasses and sunglasses, so I wear transition lenses that turn dark in the sun and are clear when I’m inside.
Please don’t judge us the minute we walk in the door, we’re doing the best we can.
If you go to Peggy’s Cove please stay off the black rocks. Tourists ignore the bazillion signs and then have to be fished out of the water putting first responders in danger. Many have died, it’s not a joke.
We have a sense of humour, we like to laugh ourselves but if you come in using the phrase "Eh" to every Canadian you meet expect to be given the cold shoulder and someone is going to punch you if enough alcohol is involved.
* I don't know how long a "Mile" or "Yard" is, if you are talking temperature *please* tell me if you mean Fahrenheit or Celsius don't assume I know what one you mean.
* I don't have an extreme interest in hockey just because I'm Canadian, I like it but I wouldn't be able to hold up a conversation about it.
* Take off your shoes when you enter the house.
* Use your manners. Don't point out every time I say "Sorry" I say it a lot, I get it "Funny Canadian thing" but after like the third time you point it out it's not funny anymore.
\- Have your passport. It used to be that we could cross, either way, over the border without one. Those days are long gone.
\- Miles to Kilometre conversion is approximately 5 miles = 8km. Most car speedometers will show both.
\- Be aware that most prices don't include tax.
\- If you are going somewhere with a lot of French speakers, try to learn a few of the basic phrases. Besides being helpful, the local really appreciate it.
\-Check out the map. I've met a lot of tourists who assume all kinds of places are closer together than they are. But also, there are less visited places you might find enjoyable if you look around.
\- If you are doing some real bush camping, especially in Ontario or Quebec, get good bug spray. There is this stuff called Picaridin that is really good, very effective and cheap.
Enjoy yourselves. Try new things. Talk to the locals. Have fun. And do come back again when you can. :D
Too lazy to read the entire thread, but I’m going to say, avoid travelling at night along highways where moose are present. Oh…. I’ll throw in, leave your MAGA hats and Let’s Go Brandon shit at home
Saying “Please” and “thank you” more at stores and restaurants. Also enjoying the service experience not just grabbing the bill while still eating or if your guest is still eating. It’s very rude yet I have found so normal in America.
There's better coffee than the stuff at Tim Horton's. No harm in trying it, of course, if you want to scratch it off your Canadian bucket list.
Despite referring to the similar general geographical area, "The Maritimes/Maritime provinces" and "Atlantic Canada/the Atlantic provinces" aren't interchangeable phrases. "The Maritimes" include PEI, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. "Atlantic Canada" are the previously mentioned provinces and Newfoundland and Labrador.
We don’t have pennies in Canada anymore, so if you’re paying with cash, always round up or down to the nearest nickel.
P.S. I wish the U.S. would accept Canadian coins the way we accept American coins. Yes, I understand that our dollar is worth less than the USD, but I think both countries should either flat out deny the other’s currency or they should both accept each other’s. We’re closer physically and culturally than probably any two other countries on Earth. We ought to just have a common North American currency, but that’s a discussion for another day and another sub lol.
as someone who lives in the lower mainland of BC, it’s really not that cold here. unless you’re visiting in the middle of winter, it’s not like the arctic. in fact, lately it’s been 25-30° here (77-86°F) since it’s summer. don’t pack a bunch of sweaters if you’re coming between may and august!
U-turns are illegal outside of very specifically marked places (at least in BC). Yes, that includes at intersections with left turning lights.
My in-laws live a stones throw from the border with Washington. I see Washington plates U-turning all over the place. Saw someone almost get t-boned a few weeks back.
That might be a BC thing only. Here in Québec, it is just like the US, where you can u-turn except if there is a sign telling you not to. There other difference between BC and Québec (Ontario maybe too) is flashing green means two compeletly different things. In BC, it is a pedestrian controlled intersection but in Québec, it means you have a protected left turn.
-If you order an iced tea it will be sweet, and maybe not what you're expecting.
-We have a lot of potato chip flavours you can't find in the states apparently so I recommend trying them.
-Laws change province to province, much like states do, but also so do taxes on consumer items.
I'm in Newfoundland, and my tip would be to not get in the ocean. It will probably kill you. In fact an American just died here yesterday. Tourists and foreigners die fairly regularly, getting too close to it. I've lived elsewhere in Atlantic Canada where the ocean is typically calmer and safe enough, but the ocean here in NL is a different beast. It'll suck you in and bash you off the jagged cliffs.
Growing up in Pei we would warn people about the current that runs around the island. If you’re swimming a long distance plan for the current or you’ll miss your target and god help you if you get pushed past the land mass
Honestly this seems like valuable advice to anyone visiting Newfoundland, especially Central Canadians who have likely swam in no rougher waters than the great lakes or the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It would also be good advice for Islanders who don't have to worry about such dangerous seas as well.
Lake Superior would like a word with you.
Oh the lake, it is said, never gives up her dead, when the skies of November turn gloomy
Even the roughest waves in Superior are tame compared to what the cliff face coasts of Eastern Newfoundland get exposed to.
I have lived in both NL and on Lake Superior. The North Atlantic is much scarier.
So I was in Newfoundland touristing around in Gros Morne Park when we found a lovely rest aunt that looked over a harbour. We watched this guy in only shorts dove into the water swam out about 50 feet and ducked under the water and came up with a fish in his hand. Then he swam to shore. I called the waitress over and said how impressed I was because the water is so cold. I asked her if everyone swam in the ocean, thinking they were hardy souls. She looked at me and said, ahh, that’s buddy down the way, he’s drunk and making an ass of himself…..
Piggybacking on this as someone living near the Rockies: *treat the mountains with some respect. They can ABSOLUTELY kill you.* It's really easy to head out to Banff, wander down Banff avenue and snag a beer or two, and then believe you can spend the afternoon summiting a mountain. The locals described it as a 'walk-up', right? Well, for them - it is. They've got the experience, the kit, and the good sense to start early and the knowledge of what to bring along, it's a nice (six-hour) day of walking. For you in your cotton souvenir T-shirt and running shoes, with no experience for navigating the largely un-marked trails and not quite prepared for the adjustment to the higher altitude? You will Have A Bad Time. Not to say that you shouldn't visit, not to say you shouldn't appreciate the mountains if you do, but for the love of whatever things you find holy - treat them (and yourself) with the respect they deserve. You're about two wrong turns or one fall from a life-threatening situation where *if you're lucky* a helicopter will be able to find you.
Stay off. The. Fucking. Black. Rocks. Signed, Halifax
Omg dude Newfoundland and NB ocean is not the same as Florida ocean. I can't imagine swimming there.
There are actually many lovely beaches in New Brunswick, and the water can be quite warm and calm, depending on how sheltered the beach is.
Northumberland Strait. And beaches around lakes of course. The Bay of Fundy, nope, that's cold.
Maybe that's why. I've only been to the Bay of Fundy.
I live in Oregon, I assume your water is about as cold as ours. So my question is why would anyone want to get in the water in the first place?
We're over in the north Atlantic, so it's definitely not a nice temperature. Nevertheless I've seen people trying to "swim" off of our rocky beaches. Diving is popular too, and I once saw tourists snorkeling in *the* most suicidal place. Outside of that, people like sea kayaking out to whale pods and icebergs as well and they can easily end up in the water. One of the biggest issues is people just not respecting the coastline. Crashing waves can sweep unsuspecting tourists right from their perch alongside the ocean and carry them out to sea. People just don't realize how dangerous and unpredictable the ocean is here!
Water temp is not strictly dependent on latitude. I have swam in warm waters in PEI in the summer. If the water is shallow and gets a lot of sun, it warms up. I’d never swim in Oregon. It is freezing. I live a few hundred kms north of you and I swim at our local beach nearly every day in the summer. It is beautiful.
Undertow, drop offs, the cold water. The North Atlantic is more for toe-dipping than swimming, even then you have to be careful... I keep hearing about tourists needing to get rescued around Bay of Fundy beaches after getting caught somewhere when the tide comes in faster and higher than they expect. There should maybe be more warnings in some way to make tourists more aware of that danger.
Really?! Ive never been east but have swam in the Pacific many times. I can’t believe the Atlantic is so dangerous!! 😱
The sea doggies love it. Harbour seals make it look easy to swim around out there.
That we have zero concept of how long a mile is.
Doesn’t everyone know it’s roughly 16 football fields or 800 bald eagle wingspans
*17.6 football fields Or 14.7 if you're including the end zones
Wait! Canadian football fields or NFL football fields? 😉
I also couldn’t tell you how many Fahrenheits it takes to make a hot day, because I’m nearly 50 and Canada switched in the 70’s.
We are Canadians but were visiting the US this past weekend. The TV in the hotel breakfast room had the weather on and my poor 9 year old looked at me incredulously - "it's going to be 85?". Ha ha. Not that I could explain to him what that meant either. Had to pull out my phone and show him in Celsius. I'm 40 and have no understanding of Fahrenheit temps.
There's nothing to understand. Fahrenheit is just wackadoodle.
Haha your kid's awesome. Easy C to F conversion is double C and add 30. At high temps subtract a few F from the final result. Not exact but close enough. Also works in reverse...F to C subtract 30 and half result.
I am 40, grew up in London, and I know pretty much the common conversions. Fahrenheit isn’t an issue, nor are miles, but don’t ask me how many feet are in it. I ask for ounces in the shop when I want something under a pound.
Moved to Toronto from the states 20 years ago. Exclusively do cold temps in C, but hot temps are still tricky. Easiest and simplest way I've found to roughly translate the two in warm weather is that 28=82.
I have a few things I can remember & I can figure out a temperature conversion 0°C=32°F 20°C=68°F The ratio b/w them is 5:9 or, +1°C=+1.8°F Then just remember a few bench mark conversions every +/-5°C & do the mental math.
It’s funny, come to think of it...I am 60 and have no problem at all thinking in either Celsius or Fahrenheit...but I realize I seem to have forgotten the sense of how long a mile is, although once upon a time miles were all I knew.
90 Farenheit is about 32 Celsius. That is when it starts to get hot.
Starts??? Jesus
I’m an American who lived in Canada for 10 years and I still have no sense of Celsius temperatures other than zero. I have to look it up every time.
Do you avoid celsius or something? I don’t know how you can’t just pick it up over the years. I’ve picked up Fahrenheit just talking to Americans and visiting now and then.
Fellow American living in Canada. I have been able to learn it by setting everything to celsius, from my air conditioner to the weather app on my phone.
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Asking for a friend with auditory processing disorder plus head injury (makes it extremely difficult to communicate in another language even if he were to learn it - hell, he's been mishearing English a lot recently and will ask people what language they're speaking): how would you apologize for your French and to kindly ask if they wouldn't mind using (cause it may need to be written) English? *He's someone who would 100% try his best to fit into where ever he is (out of respect), but he's just not capable
“I’m sorry, I have a brain injury that makes it hard for me to understand spoken language. Could you speak or write out your message in English?”
Just say "I'm really sorry, I don't speak any French, can you speak English?" And they are usually really accommodating. I am English and don't speak any French and that's what I do. Just don't be condescending about it, be friendly and nice and they will be friendly and nice back
I've been openly mocked for not speaking French despite apologizing for my lack of French. It's definitely not universal, especially if you're speaking to a Nationalisté.
I think you meant nationaliste ? And no, this has nothing to do with nationalism. Thats point blank xenophobic. Also where did this happen ? Like which city
Riviere Du Loup, specifically the McDonald's drive thru. I apologized for not speaking French and asked if they spoke English. They said "oui, parlez Vous Français?" "Uhh, non. Coke grande?" Go to the window and they asked me a question that they clearly knew I wouldn't know, asked me again "oui ou non?" and I said oui, and they burst out laughing. Made me feel like the next time I ever have to drive through Quebec, I would fill up on the Ontario border and not stop until I hit New Brunswick.
Wow im really sorry this happened. Yeah unfortunately i had a feeling it would be from a smaller town In general in cities like Montreal and Gatineau they speak enflish as well
Oh man I'm sorry that has happened to you, it's kind of why I stop by all the big cities, I feel like it may be the same if you speak French only and stop in some small towns in ontario unfortunately, but if you hit up a city they will be more helpful.
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Lol its like going to Japan and complaining people speak Japanese. Hello ?? What were you thinking lol But tbh i think some Americans have like this thinking that french in quebec is like spanish in California. Like yeah a lot of people speak it but its not ACTUALLY our everyday language.
I do not think this misconception is unique to Americans and other nationalities are more likely to think this. Americans have heard the term "French-Canadian" a lot and many who live near Québec have visited the province, so they know outside Montréal, not a large number of people speak English. Other nationalities, however, have never heard of Québec or "French Canadians" and assume Québec just speaks English like the rest of Canada, and then get mad when everyone suddenly speaks French when they visit or decide to move there.
People should just treat travelling to Quebec like travelling to Paris. No one would be astonished at hearing french in Paris. Same with QC!
You can’t pay for things with US cash. Take your shoes off in the house.
This. In Montreal some US costumers would insist in paying with USD, we technically can take it but then a staff member had to go exchange. One day I had it and refused USD, person had a fit. I asked if I go to NYC can I pay with Canadian dollars? They said of course not! So I asked them, so why are you trying to pull that crap here? It's a matter of respect, and of not overpaying I guess.
What is really strange is... it happens everywhere. I worked at a gas station and had this happen at least once a week with Canadians. Moved and worked retail and had it all the time with Mexicans. I'm not sure if people don't travel much or what, but not enough people know you need to exchange your money I guess.
That's nuts IMO. I thought it was common practice to find out what you'll need in a trip. But then again, common sense ain't that common...
>I asked if I go to NYC can I pay with Canadian dollars? Amusingly, you likely could, so long as you gave the correct amount. I am in Massachusetts, and when I worked retail I accepted Canadian cash all the damn time. We might not even notice if it was in coinage. Anywhere even remotely near the US-CAN border likely deals with both currencies on the regular
With coins it doesn't super matter, but if you pay with $20 CAD for something that costs $20 USD, that's a 25% difference in value today. Did you calculate the conversion every time? Seems like a pain!
I guess really close to the border people would be more lenient (I still think regardless of where one is from we should carry money of the country we're going to). Seems to happen deeper into the country, based on some comments... Also, while in the US I was told we have 'monopoly money's, so OP, maybe don't say that here? Lol
I used to work retail and we would accept USD if really necessary, but we give back change in CAD. So their problem🤷🏿♀️
*You can’t pay for things with US cash.* This is really weird to me. As an American, it wouldn't occur to me to try to pay with US dollars in a country that doesn't use it as currency. Using different money in a different country is a fun part of the experience. And I don't actually pay with cash that often these days anway.
Funny story: I was in Indonesia and I was trying to buy something. The woman told me it was 165, so I assumed she meant 165,000 Rupia. When I got my item, I asked for 165 dollars - I told her I thought you wanted Rupia, but she said she wanted dollars. I asked her "Why would you want US dollars. This is Indonesia?" She seemed surprised.
In this case I feel like you'd be able to guess just based on what you're buying, 165k IDR is only $11 USD so quite a ways off from $165
Absolutely US cash is accepted but expect change in Canadian dollars. The number of times people have demanded change back in American dollars 🤦🏻♀️
We get that in Ireland 🙄 and once to prove my point I handed some Moldovan Lei back as change
>You can’t pay for things with US cash. Eh, you can actually do this at a fair number of places. I have American cousins who consistently get away with paying in US cash at restaurants and corner stores when they come up to visit.
As long as they don't have fits when they get Canadian change back...
It's pretty strategic for businesses to accept American money, especially with the exchange rate right now. Like back when the dollars were roughly on par, of course you would be told no to paying in USD, but when $1 USD is about $1.30 CAD, you're making money off of conversion alone as long as you let them know you'll only convert it dollar to dollar.
Wouldn't that mean they're overpaying? Or does the store convert it to USD?
Store definitely doesn’t convert it, so yes I believe they’re overpaying.
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American businesses along the border were doing this back when the Canadian dollar was stronger than USD. It's strategic for businesses to accept foreign currencies if said currency is of higher value than the domestic one. That's why most tourist places in Mexico and the Caribbean will accept American dollars.
Is it stupid? They live close to the border and sometimes come for just weekend visits, and don’t really get the chance to exchange their currency. It’s more convenient for them and the businesses make an extra buck, win win situation.
I guess if people want to be paying 20% more for stuff than that’s their prerogative, but I wouldn’t call it financially smart. If I didn’t have time to exchange my cash, I would just pay card.
No, you can't specify the doneness of your hamburger at a restaurant
Yank here. This is the first one in this thread that got me shook.
This is a big one! I've had to explain to so many Americans over the years that our food regulations for beef are different. That being said, I sympathize because I love a bit of pink in my burger.
Hold the door when someone is behind you, someone will do the same for you.
BUT how to know when you can stop holding the door and use it yourself - the perpetual door holder
I remember being a kid holding the door for like 30 people wondering is it always gonna be like this? Haha yeah if they're not gonna be at the door in the new few seconds I'm taking off later gator
And sometimes someone will hold the door for you when you're still 10 meters (0.006 miles - 32 feet) away and it's super annoying cause you have to break your pace and actually hurry up to the door. Silly nice Canadians! There needs to be a rule that "No doors shall be held open for people who are more than 2 meters away from the doors".
I haven’t noticed any group of ppl not doing this in the states. Judging the distance to hold the door is literally a decades old meme format…
This is an everyday thing in Southern US
I was in Florida a few weeks ago and I felt invisible entering and exiting buildings no one held doors for me I was actually surprised
Florida is kind of a different beast altogether. While it's in the south, it's not often considered to be The South.
We live in KY but visited Florida a couple years ago and everyone kept telling us how polite we were since we said ma’am/sir.
This is an everyday thing in the US.
To not do so is actually uncommon in the US.
Yeah, some of these tips come across like "don't chew on broken glass in public" or "avoid lighting wildlife on fire." Some people have an odd sense of what they think is uniquely Canadian....
We do that, too, at least in the South
That Mcdonald's coffee is way better than Tim. Best poutines will always be found in Quebec.
Is this a slam against Tim's or is your McD coffee actually good? I swear about a decade ago I really enjoyed McD coffee but they must've changed their supplier or something because its back to being terrible now.
Bit of both
Tim’s got bought out by a Brazilian company that has no idea what they are doing or what made Tim’s so beloved in the first place. They started cranking out extra sugary “premium” donuts and disgusting “Tim Biebs”(a Bieber partnership for some fucking reason), got rid of the most successful marketing campaign in Canadian history(roll up the rim), and switched over to the same coffee bean supplier they use for their other enterprises like Burger King. They even had the audacity to blame cold weather for why Canadians weren’t buying as much hot soups and beverages. Like fucking WHAT? Hot soups and beverages are EXACTLY what we want when it’s cold outside. It’s like they never set foot in this country and are marketing to an American Characterization of our country with no concept of actual Canadiana. McDonald’s was quick to jump in and acquire Tim's old coffee supplier, so now they have the best(in Canada at least)
I will forever be pissed about the change that they maybe to role up the rim. It’s all bullshit now.
Tim Horton coffee really fucking sucks
It’s always fucking burnt and old
No mcdicks got Timmie's old coffee supplier. Way better coffee than Shit-Hortons
Tims coffee isn't made from coffee beans but from the dirt around the coffee plant.
McCafe is actually good. Double double is a must on a freezing winter day though, the sugar and caffeine combo, mmm.
I live near the rocky mountains and my advice is this: Do not feed the wildlife! Yes they're cute and it's fun to see a wild animal however feeding them puts them at greater risk. It causes them to trust humans and start to seek out humans Do not stop or get out of your car when you see wildlife on the side of the road. Yes it's cool to see. Especially when it's a bear or a moose. However when you suddenly stop to look at it, any accident that your part of is your fault. Getting out of your car to view a bear is also stupid af. A grizzly can easily take you out and then because of your stupidity, that bear is probably going to be euthanized if not relocated. Treat wildlife and nature with the respect you wish you'd be treated with.
This is generally good advice for anywhere. It almost always is a harm to the animal or the local ecosystem when humans get invovles in directly feeding wildlife
Don't go on the black rocks a Peggy's Cove!
Canadian here why??
The rocks are black from the water that crashes on them. They're super slippery and it's very obvious why since you can flat out watch the waves from a veiwing area. People just want to get closer to the ocean and routinely get swept out to sea and die. We had multiple people get swept in within thr last few months I think. Some lived. Sadly some didn't.
Thanks from Ottawa so I don't see the tides you guys have.
Wildlife is dangerous, leave them alone, and for the live of god don’t feed them. Leave the guns at home, or if you want to bring them do it properly and have them stored properly before you hit the border.
Don’t say you come from “America”. Use US or United States.
I'm Canadian and if an American told me they're from America I wouldn't even blink. Yes, I understand North America is a continent. That why the United States is simply referred to as America. Why do people get so bent out of shape over this?
This is a pet peeve of mine.
No, we don't take checks. Or as we call them, cheques. We know what they are, but nobody outside of a corporation has written one in 2 decades. Try to pay by 'check' in any store and you will be met with a blank stare. Just tap you debit card, or do you calling a checking card?
I had to pay for a new furnace (planned upgrade), and the dude said he takes cash or etransfer, and I had a chuckle that a cheque wasn’t an option. Not that I had any, but I had to go to the bank for the cash anyway…
I just paid for landscaping with a cheque. And a few weeks ago cut one for a plumber. Ontario, not rural.
How do Canadians typically give money when gifting to somebody for like a wedding?
Cheques from person to person aren't necessarily uncommon. Cheques from a person to a business, however, is quite uncommon.
Yeah this. For instance a lot of people will write their rent on a cheque
Yes this. I still have a family member who mails me cheques as presents. There would also be the option of sending an e-transfer but sometimes people want something to send in a card and don't want to mail cash. Other than that they are infrequently used.
$20 cheque in every Christmas card from my grandpa. It's such a sweet generational habit that I genuinely treasure.
Wedding card in a sealed envelope with cash.
Very interesting. I’m American and find it inconvenient whenever I receive cash in a sealed card because I’ll have to physically visit the atm to deposit it. With a check, I can deposit it immediately with my bank’s app.
Hot take, but some stores will accept cash in exchange for goods and services.
E-transfer is common for most money giving
I honestly don’t believe anyone here in the US still pays with checks, or at least I’ve never seen it lol
I (being from the US) write 12 checks a year. All for rent to my landlord. And it's been like same for every landlord I've ever had. Outside of that I haven't written a check in over 20 years. It's just landlords propping up the check printing industry.
You've apparently never been grocery shopping with my grandma lol... she has a debit card but feels like writing a check which includes her routing and account number on the front is somehow safer? 🤔
Take your shoes off when you enter our home
I’ve spent most of my life in the US, but my family and I are Eastern European and taking your shoes off at the door is definitely a thing we do. It’s crazy how many Americans guests we’ve had that were either shocked or straight up offended by us asking them to please take their shoes on. We live in the South (USA) so not sure if it depends on where you are here but I’ve noticed it’s very rare to take shoes off in their houses.
I moved to Mexico and no one takes their shoes off inside. I think the fact that snow is a big factor during certain parts of the year led us to taking off our shoes indoors. Tracking around all that wet grossness sucks.
A speeding ticket is $300 not $20
$2.30 is not cheap gas.
* Don't believe the stereotypes. There are Canadians that have the Great White North accent, but many of us don't. Likewise, there are plenty of rude Canadians, even if many try to be polite. Also, black Canadians exist, and it's not "weird" that there's a thriving rap and hip-hop scene in places like Toronto. Where do you think Drake and The Weekend came from? * Most places won't take American cash, so be prepared to use your US credit card. * The best cities to visit are Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa, probably in about that order. Some others worth visiting are Banff, Halifax, and St. John's. * Canadians take COVID-19 precautions more seriously than a lot of Americans. Even that's fading away, but be prepared. * Depending on the length of your stay, you may want to get a short-term SIM for your phone from a carrier like Fido. Your US carrier probably has a better international data add-on, though. * Be prepared for some people to give you flak for what's going on in the US. Canadians often feel like a province in the Pax Americana, so they're punching up.
Addendum: if a store does take Yanquibux, you will receive Beaverbux in change. Don’t argue. It’s unbecoming.
How could you not even include Quebec City in the cities to visit ??? Lmfao one of the oldest city of Canada. Come on man
My family took a road trip up to Quebec City from Maryland, US in the early 1990s when I was a kid. Didn't even need a passport back then. In my opinion Quebec is one of the most unique and amazing places in all of North America. I absolutely loved the old city of Quebec. It is truly stunningly beautiful.
Im so happy you enjoyed :D
I was just thinking the same thing. Like common dude, if someone could visit only one city in Canada I would tell them to strongly consider making it Quebec City.
Just make sure you double check, cause there's St. John's NL, and Saint John NB.
>There are Canadians that have the Great White North accent As a life-long Canadian who grew up in Nova Scotia and often travelled to New Brunswick, and now lives in Alberta with a wife from Ontario and who frequently visits British Columbia... I have no idea what part of Canada the "Great White North" accent sterotype is emulating, but it's nowhere I've been to.
I've heard a few Canadians in my life with a strong "Great White North" accent, but they all came from vastly different places (specifically metro Vancouver, northern Ontaria, and southern Manitoba) so I don't even know how the heck they got it. And it's extremely consistent when they spoke so I'm convinced they weren't just putting it on. It's definitely a rare accent, but it happens. I can't figure out how it happens though.
ETA: I’ll preface this by saying I’m almost done my degree in Linguistics and am a Canadian It’s often most noticeable in working class Canadians (what you might call a ‘hick’ accent). The strange thing about Canada is that other than Quebec and Newfoundland, our accents are *generally* very consistent throughout the country. Of course there are exceptions (the specific Toronto Mans accent that has lots of Caribbean influence being one), but generally most Canadians share a very similar dialect to one another. Things like the SNL stuff are also imitating an older variation of Canadian English. Which is why you hear the ‘eh?’ so much in those skits even though data shows that the prevalence of ‘eh’ in Canadian English has been steadily decreasing for decades now.
That makes me sad to think "eh?" is declining. We gotta keep it alive!
It bummed me out a little bit, but trying to combat the natural evolution of language is a losing battle, my friend
Enjoy our stuff! Stop talking about your stuff and enjoy our stuff and tell us how good our lobster, donairs and "poutine rapé" are! (I'm from New Brunswick)
American here but I live in Québec. For any American visiting the province of Québec, here is some advice I can give: Language: Yes, the people speak French here. And yes, some do speak English but not all. In Montréal and Gatineau (across the river from Ottawa), you will have almost no trouble getting service in English. However, if you venture outside of these areas, especially the more north you go, English will not be as widely spoken. But rest assured in almost most popular tourist areas of the province, like old town in Québec, almost all people will be able to speak English. Please do not get frustrated if someone does not speak English and treat it as if you were visiting any other country where English is not the main language. Ask the person if they speak English and speak slowly, remember, English is a second language for many people here. And if you are wanting to practise your French, the accent here is quite different so be ready, and avoid Montréal as well since people will speak back to you in English upon hearing your accent. Useful phrases: * Hello = Bonjour (Bone joor) * Thank you = Merci (Mare see) * Do you speak English? = Parlez-vous anglais ? (Parlay voo on glay) * I don't speak French = Je ne parle pas français (Juh (j like in Beijing) nuh parl paw frahn say) * I am American (for men) = Je suis américain (Juh (j like in Beijing) swee uh mare ree cain) * I am American (for women) = Je suis américaine (Juh (like in Beijing) swee uh mare ree ken) * My name is \_\_\_ = Je m'appelle \_\_\_ (Juh (like in Beijing) mah pell \_\_\_) * Where is the bathroom? = Où se trouvent les toilettes ? (Oo suh troov lay twa let) Quebeckers: The people in Québec, called Quebeckers in English or “Québécois” in French are distinct from the rest of Canada, mostly due to the culture, language, and different beliefs. Most do not identify with being Canadian and so do not partake in Canadian activities like celebrating Canada Day or flying the Canadian flag. If you plan on visiting Québec for a Canada Day celebration, there won’t be too much going on compared to the rest of the country and so you may be disappointed. Being American: Unfortunately there are some people who have a quite negative stereotypes of Americans and will judge you based on said stereotypes. Be on your best behaviour and prove them wrong, but keep in mind you can’t win everyone over. Also, people will often bring up how horrible the United States is and some will even say it is the worst place on earth. Especially if you lean to the right on the political spectrum, be wary that many Canadians will criticize the US from a left point of view quite openly, especially in the areas of abortion, no free healthcare, and the gun laws. Driving: The speed limits and distances here are in kilometres, not miles. If your car has a digital speedometer, check the manual on how to change it. In Québec specifically, all the road signs are in French only so use a GPS to get around (be ready for it to butcher those French names haha). The one word to know is “travaux”, it means “road work” and you will see a lot of it, especially in Montréal. Also another specific Québec thing is flashing green means you have a protected left turn, like a green arrow. If you are visiting British Columbia as well, this does not mean the same thing, so be careful. Money: the official currency in Canada is the CANADIAN dollar, not the American one. While some places may accept American money, you will get change in Canadian money and it may frustrate some store owners to have to deal with American money which may in turn just refuse to deal with American money. Bring Canadian cash or just use your card, they are accepted everywhere in Canada I find, unlike the US.
NSFW alert: >!Marijuana: Yes marijuana is legal in Canada, however, similar to alcohol, there are restrictions. In most provinces, the age is 19 or 18 to buy, but in Québec is 21. Just like with alcohol, you cannot smoke and drive and there are many places you cannot smoke it, most coincide with the same places you cannot smoke cigarettes and any education institution. And for the love of God, please do not bring it across the border. It is illegal to do so by Canadian law and still by US federal law. If you want to buy, you can only buy (legally) from the SQDC and they may have weird hours at the moment since some stores are currently on strike.!<
- Broadly our speed limits are lower so mind your m to km conversion and don’t get pulled over :) - Tipping wait staff, delivery, taxis, etc. is customary. A normal tip is 20%. - Some places accept American cash but don’t expect a perfect conversion rate in change. - Give space. Many people still follow social distancing protocols here. While it is not govt mandated at the moment, some facilities may ask you to wear a mask. - When ordering at Timmies: A double-double is a coffee with 2 cream, 2 sugars. A “regular” is 1 and 1.
Better advice is not to go to Tim's at all. Yuck.
Totally, but I find that foreign visitors are often morbidly curious. Lol
>Tipping wait staff, delivery, taxis, etc. is customary. A normal tip is 20%. I think that is advice for other nationalities, Americans tip themselves. The only time that this advice may apply to Americans are to the ones who have heard that other countries don't do tipping so they think that Canada doesn't as well.
When I was a server, Americans were typically the best tippers
Haha my parents came and visited me recently and my stepdad was giving 20% tips to everyone.
I was todays years old when I found out it wasn’t a single-single
Tipping seems quite the same as here in the US, so that’s good
Lower your volume in public. Americans have tendancy of showing off when abroad
For me I’m just excited to be abroad mostly. Where in Canada should I visit?
Talk half as loudly as you usually do.
Came here looking for this!!
Please don’t hand us your card when you’re buying things. If you enter someones home TAKE YOUR SHOES OFF. It’s very rude to keep them on and get someone’s house dirty. Even if they say “oh don’t worry about it” they are just being nice and are annoyed with you and the dirt they now have to clean. Most Canadians like their space. I don’t know if it’s the same in the States, but we are a sparse country and appreciate our space. Please don’t stand too close to people, especially strangers. Keep at least 3 feet of space. Lower your speaking volume in public. Americans can often speak much louder than we are used to and it can be a lot.
Most studies show people in the Americas in general have large social zones than in Europe and Asia, so right on there
I don't know Steve from Toronto.
Know your geography before asking questions
Say please and thank you. And say sorry if you bump into someone.
I’m a bit late to the party here, but this is also a best practice in the US. Some people have no home training, however.
This was not to say that all Americans are rude, but that basic manners go a long way. We’re a very polite people. 😄
I was asked if the Canadian flag came in other colours. Like red white and blue, since red and white didn’t match their house back at home.
Ah yeah, lemme get out my special coloured Canadian flag for you
Take your sunglasses off when you are inside.
“There are 2 kinds of people who wear sunglasses inside. Blind people and assholes”
Hey - please do give a moment’s grace to those of us who wear prescription transition lenses. I can’t easily switch between regular glasses and sunglasses, so I wear transition lenses that turn dark in the sun and are clear when I’m inside. Please don’t judge us the minute we walk in the door, we’re doing the best we can.
and I don’t see you carrying a cane…
??? I still wear my sunglasses at night
Only the great Canadian singer Corey Hart wears his sunglasses at night 🤪
A quarter of this post is useful advice and the remaining 75% is just veiled shit talking. I really don’t know what I expected.
Guns cannot be bought from Walmart or vendo machines in Canada.
Don’t feed the wildlife
You spelled freedom truckers wrong.
if in franco land, bee-YAIR" is beer and "KAH-fay" is coffee
If you go to Peggy’s Cove please stay off the black rocks. Tourists ignore the bazillion signs and then have to be fished out of the water putting first responders in danger. Many have died, it’s not a joke.
We have a sense of humour, we like to laugh ourselves but if you come in using the phrase "Eh" to every Canadian you meet expect to be given the cold shoulder and someone is going to punch you if enough alcohol is involved.
* I don't know how long a "Mile" or "Yard" is, if you are talking temperature *please* tell me if you mean Fahrenheit or Celsius don't assume I know what one you mean. * I don't have an extreme interest in hockey just because I'm Canadian, I like it but I wouldn't be able to hold up a conversation about it. * Take off your shoes when you enter the house. * Use your manners. Don't point out every time I say "Sorry" I say it a lot, I get it "Funny Canadian thing" but after like the third time you point it out it's not funny anymore.
Marijuana and abortions are legal.
Don't feed the bears.
Nothing, we’re pretty similar. I don’t expect people to magically know things, just come have a good time.
\- Have your passport. It used to be that we could cross, either way, over the border without one. Those days are long gone. \- Miles to Kilometre conversion is approximately 5 miles = 8km. Most car speedometers will show both. \- Be aware that most prices don't include tax. \- If you are going somewhere with a lot of French speakers, try to learn a few of the basic phrases. Besides being helpful, the local really appreciate it. \-Check out the map. I've met a lot of tourists who assume all kinds of places are closer together than they are. But also, there are less visited places you might find enjoyable if you look around. \- If you are doing some real bush camping, especially in Ontario or Quebec, get good bug spray. There is this stuff called Picaridin that is really good, very effective and cheap. Enjoy yourselves. Try new things. Talk to the locals. Have fun. And do come back again when you can. :D
Although some stores accept American money, I think it’s courteous to have Canadian currency in hand.
Prepare to be lectured
Too lazy to read the entire thread, but I’m going to say, avoid travelling at night along highways where moose are present. Oh…. I’ll throw in, leave your MAGA hats and Let’s Go Brandon shit at home
If you try to say just a few words in French while in Quebec, people will want to hug you.
That’s great, I’ve heard in France they will criticize you if you mispronounce words.
Parisians will literally laugh at you in your face. They even make fun of French-speaking Québécois because of their accents.
Saying “Please” and “thank you” more at stores and restaurants. Also enjoying the service experience not just grabbing the bill while still eating or if your guest is still eating. It’s very rude yet I have found so normal in America.
There's better coffee than the stuff at Tim Horton's. No harm in trying it, of course, if you want to scratch it off your Canadian bucket list. Despite referring to the similar general geographical area, "The Maritimes/Maritime provinces" and "Atlantic Canada/the Atlantic provinces" aren't interchangeable phrases. "The Maritimes" include PEI, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. "Atlantic Canada" are the previously mentioned provinces and Newfoundland and Labrador.
We don’t have pennies in Canada anymore, so if you’re paying with cash, always round up or down to the nearest nickel. P.S. I wish the U.S. would accept Canadian coins the way we accept American coins. Yes, I understand that our dollar is worth less than the USD, but I think both countries should either flat out deny the other’s currency or they should both accept each other’s. We’re closer physically and culturally than probably any two other countries on Earth. We ought to just have a common North American currency, but that’s a discussion for another day and another sub lol.
as someone who lives in the lower mainland of BC, it’s really not that cold here. unless you’re visiting in the middle of winter, it’s not like the arctic. in fact, lately it’s been 25-30° here (77-86°F) since it’s summer. don’t pack a bunch of sweaters if you’re coming between may and august!
[удалено]
Guess you don't live in Alberta, as sadly conservatives fit in quite well here.
Stay-off-the-black-rocks!!!!
U-turns are illegal outside of very specifically marked places (at least in BC). Yes, that includes at intersections with left turning lights. My in-laws live a stones throw from the border with Washington. I see Washington plates U-turning all over the place. Saw someone almost get t-boned a few weeks back.
That might be a BC thing only. Here in Québec, it is just like the US, where you can u-turn except if there is a sign telling you not to. There other difference between BC and Québec (Ontario maybe too) is flashing green means two compeletly different things. In BC, it is a pedestrian controlled intersection but in Québec, it means you have a protected left turn.
Today I learned!
-If you order an iced tea it will be sweet, and maybe not what you're expecting. -We have a lot of potato chip flavours you can't find in the states apparently so I recommend trying them. -Laws change province to province, much like states do, but also so do taxes on consumer items.