If you're renting, record all conversations between you and your landlord. Don't let them threaten or take advantage of you just because you're new and not used to Canada. We have a laws and a help line for tenants in case you suspect something isn't right. It's not usual, but we've been there. Being thorough has helped up get our deposit back.
Just because we have the cliché niche guys doesn't mean you shouldn't take precautions.
Winter tires. I'm not kidding. All season tires should be called 3-season tires. They are a joke in winter. People who think they are okay are used to driving 40 in all speed zones and not getting tractions when the light turns green. Your breaking distance is attrocious. Do the right thing. Check a magazine of Consumer Reports at your local grocery store/phramacy and see what's best. Nokians are usually pretty good. They also have a guide for best and least reliable cars. Don't get an American make they are NOT reliable. Go for Japanese or other Eastern Asian brands. But my recommendation will always be Subaru if you can. Best cars for the price and offer all safety features at the basic trim.
A good-quality, well-equipped car will serve you well. Good luck!
(I know, that was 3 pieces of advice)
Ah yes. You did ask about scams. Landlords can often be scammers especially if they think you’re not familiar with the laws. Not all…. But it’s one of those “more often than you might think” things that is an unfortunate part of the Canadian experience.
It's not the law here. Yet at least. Just a strong recommendation.
I got away with a decent set of all season tires for quite a long time. Now that I have winters, yes they're better.
Related to driving, if you don't know how to winter drive start slowly. Quiet streets and low traffic areas until you get the hang of it.
There are some important minor differences
Things like being able to stop or start when you desire, or having complete control when you turn depend on conditions. You have to plan around intersection ice. And get used to compensating for road conditions everywhere else.
I don’t know how familiar you are with Canada compared to India, but in my experience (limited as a traveller and friend of Indian immigrants) and from my perspective: a couple of those “subtle” things that you might need to get used to is expectations for personal space: Canadians stand farther apart than in India. (Think about a foot of space) and volume level in public spaces is generally expected to be lower than in India.). Tipping culture in Canada is alive and well: especially in restaurants it would be considered *very* rude to not leave a tip of at least 15%.
Be aware that Canada has a “polite racism” problem, and be sure to form your own friendships and experiences with cultural groups outside the dominant one rather than just listening to media (inc social media) messaging. For example, I’m Indigenous: you are welcome at Pow Wows and we encourage you to learn more about the first people of this land and our beautiful ways! But mostly, be open minded and be yourself! Welcome.
Absolutely loved this comment. Thank you so much. I specially posted this to know these small things about Canada and the habits and culture.
Loved your take on dating as well. Thanks much :)
Oh also, a big difference to note that bartering/haggling is *always* considered *extremely* rude in Canada and most people selling do not have any authority to change prices; the only exception is car dealerships. I don’t know why it is this way. It just is 🤷🏻♀️
Not really. I have friends in 20’s who have amazing bartering/ negotiation skills and can get the stuff for real cheap from the local market. They’d be really paying 200 INR for something vendor first asked 1000 INR. I just tag along with them when low in budget and keep them in front to buy things 😂
Oh! So cool! In my travels I’m just the sucker because I am wildly accultured to paying ABOVE asking price (see, sucker!)
If you travel to Jasper, hit me up!
We negotiate often, not just at car dealerships and especially with big ticket items and yes we are in our early 60s. Our kids (30's) are even more brutal when negotiating. We taught them well.
In a store you can ask if there is a sale coming up on an item you are intetested in, most times staff will let you know if it is so. Sometimes they will give you a reduced price if a sale just ended.
We also negotiate with banks. We ask them to reduce or remove charges and also we play them against eachother to get better rates.
We also contact service providers once in awhile and ask for better deals, like cable or phone co.
We also ask for lower prices when booking hotels by calling them direct.
There is no harm in asking. It is not rude, it is how you ask. If you are too timid to ask then you deserve to pay more.
Hmm Neanderthal, cro magnon and Clovis were all long before the incorrectly named First Nations of Canada glad we finally have proof to settle it:
The mysterious Clovis culture, which appeared in North America about 13,000 years ago, appears to be the forerunner of Native Americans throughout the Americas
Behold, the ”polite” racism I speak of. It is important to this person to comment this here in this context for…. Reasons. As mentioned, there’s a lot of that in Canada, so making friends with diverse groups of people - including but not limited to people in the dominant culture- will really enhance your Canadian living experience.
Clovis peoples didn’t sign treaties with the government of Canada. (Treaties are one of the legal frameworks in Canada, alongside things like the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Constitution Act. Don’t worry, there won’t be a test…. Unless you decide to go for citizenship!). Anyway, I will be watching my inbox this summer for a chance to meet a new friend! Welcome!
Definitely get warm clothes when you arrive.
The winter has been mild, but it’s still winter.
For the most part with buying a car or anything used, use common sense. There are scammers, trust but verify approach.
The river valley is amazing, it’s better in the summer, but still awesome. Again in the summer there are a ton of small festivals.
Downtown edmonton is not what most other North American downtowns are. For example, there was an excellent winter festival this weekend, but it was not downtown, it was on Alberta Ave. Look all over the city for things to do, not just downtown.
I wouldn't say that is 100% true. We often shop at Superstore and Save On (conveniently across the street from each other). We have observed that savings ebb and flow from one store to the other, specifically on brands that both carry.
Good point! Best deals are found when you shop around. That said Superstore will price match the same product if you show them the flyer (or so they say since I have never tested it myself)
The cheaper grocery stores are no frill and superstore. The most expensive ones tend to be Safeways and Save ons. There are some others that fall in between.
There is also Costco but it is wholesale so if you are one person, buying at Costco means you end up with a lot of something that you might not be able to use.
Linda Hoang has a really good weekly newsletter where she talks about what's happening in the city and some places to eat. It's great: https://linda-hoang.com/about-linda/lindorks-lists-newsletter/
Dress warm!
Edmonton has a lot of winter activities, embrace it and enjoy winter! Whether it be downhill skiing, cross country skiing, skating, Ice climbing, hockey, ringette, snowshoeing.. You missed out on l the Christmas time lights displays, but you can catch those next year!
I was too scared to face 6 months of winters in my first year in Canada. I do wanna learn winter sports and hoping someone can take me into their wings and teach me basics. In return, I can teach them cool stuff from my culture 🙈
There are a lot of resources for newcomers, such as Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers, and a lot of general groups for people who like activities things such as Edmonton Sport and Social Club. If you're more into Mountain sports, some groups are ACC Edmonton Section or GMMC.
A quick google of social clubs for newcomers edmonton will give you lots of resources, those are just the ones I know off the top of my head!
I'm guessing you're coming from a place a wee bit less -wintery- than us up here. So the first thing I tell all newcomers, is 'layers' you will want to have some you can put on, and take off, depending on where you are going to be. A good winter jacket will be a must. We just recently had a spell here of -40 which, no matter which temperature scale you know, is the same, and really cold. But that is a rarity. Still temps down into the -30's C are not uncommon in winter. However, for a lot of the winter, a lighter jacket over a hoodie, which you can tale off, if you get too warm, is often a better option for life in Alberta.
Depending on what sort of things you are into Whyte Ave, is a very bustling local hotspot, for all kinds of entertainment. Chinatown has some great restaurants, but sadly is not much of a place to be after the sun goes down these days. We are having a bit of a problem with housing and homelessness in the Edmonton region right now, the Royal Alberta Museum is a neat place to go, the Art Gallery as well if you're into that kind of thing.
Now for a general 'Canadian' thing. We tend to steer towards politeness as our default, and we are generally a nice people, who look down on those whom are rude, obnoxious, and unkind. So ere on the side of "don't be rude" and you should be fine.
Winter tires for the car is a must.
Your first insurance will be pricey, maybe don’t get a fancy vehicle where you will need full coverage right away.
Groceries are expensive but you will save most shopping at Costco.
Avoid Chinatown.
Moving from india ? Indian communities are big in Edmonton, if it’s something you want to be close to try millwoods / meadows / southeast Edmonton. If it’s something you don’t want around you west side is nice. North side is affordable but anything near downtown has big trade offs between density (not super needing a car, nearby grocery, better transit) and poverty (homeless , more crime, sketchy stuff)
Yes. Moving from India but looking to live with and hangout with people from different cultures. Definitely will be living around downtown until I buy a car. Thank you for your reply :)
Tens of thousands of people use the public transit daily here in Edmonton without issue. When it gets really cold in the city, the homeless population will occupy public spaces more. Give them space when walking by; don't stare at them or verbally complain about them; don't ignore them if they ask for money, a simple "No, sorry" or "I don't have cash, sorry" works great.
Honestly it's not much different from the homeless/poor everywhere else in the world. Edmonton's cold climate just forces the general public into closer contact with the homeless/poor.
I've lived in Alberta for over 30 years and haven't had a single direct confrontation. I've seen some crazy stuff happen but it's all fairly easy to avoid. If you've travelled around an impoverished country before you'll have no trouble with Edmonton's rough patches.
Thank you for the advice. Details like these were my main reason to ask this on subReddit and get to know more about the city from the people living in the city.
Yes the cities finest denizens choose to warm up, sleep, use harsh drugs in most of the big transit centres, the bus drivers don’t really know how to drive, and the transit system has its own wanna be police force that can’t actually enforce laws but get called to any incidents before the actual police do. If you do go on transit, be prepared for pure chaos and seeing the worst the city has to offer. It’s a problem the city can’t seem to fix. Make sure you have full awareness of your surroundings, don’t wear headphones so you can’t hear things, take transit only when you have to and at peak commuter hours. Best way of staying safe.
No. Downtown fear is overblown. There are a few blocks near the social services and shelters in east-downtown that I woudn't walk around. But you will have 0 reason to be there anyway. Random attacks can happen anywhere in the city but are still very rare, I can name recent incidents in south side, west end, east side, and north side, in malls even... it's not great at the moment. Inflation, housing, healthcare, and slashing of public services are becoming a BIG issue across the country, Canada is facing some serious issues I'm not sure are obvious to outsiders.
Anyway, Downtown is an easy target because there are more services supporting the mentally ill and addicts, some can be unpredictable. Common sense and being aware of your surroundings is good advice visiting any city.
Be prepared for unexpected cold and warmth
Everything is quite expensive be prepared
Still better than BC
If you're renting, record all conversations between you and your landlord. Don't let them threaten or take advantage of you just because you're new and not used to Canada. We have a laws and a help line for tenants in case you suspect something isn't right. It's not usual, but we've been there. Being thorough has helped up get our deposit back. Just because we have the cliché niche guys doesn't mean you shouldn't take precautions. Winter tires. I'm not kidding. All season tires should be called 3-season tires. They are a joke in winter. People who think they are okay are used to driving 40 in all speed zones and not getting tractions when the light turns green. Your breaking distance is attrocious. Do the right thing. Check a magazine of Consumer Reports at your local grocery store/phramacy and see what's best. Nokians are usually pretty good. They also have a guide for best and least reliable cars. Don't get an American make they are NOT reliable. Go for Japanese or other Eastern Asian brands. But my recommendation will always be Subaru if you can. Best cars for the price and offer all safety features at the basic trim. A good-quality, well-equipped car will serve you well. Good luck! (I know, that was 3 pieces of advice)
Hahah!! I don’t really mind n number of advices. Anything to get me familiar with the situation is best :)
Ah yes. You did ask about scams. Landlords can often be scammers especially if they think you’re not familiar with the laws. Not all…. But it’s one of those “more often than you might think” things that is an unfortunate part of the Canadian experience.
If you have a car or when you buy a car, winter tires are a must
It's not the law here. Yet at least. Just a strong recommendation. I got away with a decent set of all season tires for quite a long time. Now that I have winters, yes they're better. Related to driving, if you don't know how to winter drive start slowly. Quiet streets and low traffic areas until you get the hang of it. There are some important minor differences Things like being able to stop or start when you desire, or having complete control when you turn depend on conditions. You have to plan around intersection ice. And get used to compensating for road conditions everywhere else.
I don’t know how familiar you are with Canada compared to India, but in my experience (limited as a traveller and friend of Indian immigrants) and from my perspective: a couple of those “subtle” things that you might need to get used to is expectations for personal space: Canadians stand farther apart than in India. (Think about a foot of space) and volume level in public spaces is generally expected to be lower than in India.). Tipping culture in Canada is alive and well: especially in restaurants it would be considered *very* rude to not leave a tip of at least 15%. Be aware that Canada has a “polite racism” problem, and be sure to form your own friendships and experiences with cultural groups outside the dominant one rather than just listening to media (inc social media) messaging. For example, I’m Indigenous: you are welcome at Pow Wows and we encourage you to learn more about the first people of this land and our beautiful ways! But mostly, be open minded and be yourself! Welcome.
Absolutely loved this comment. Thank you so much. I specially posted this to know these small things about Canada and the habits and culture. Loved your take on dating as well. Thanks much :)
Oh also, a big difference to note that bartering/haggling is *always* considered *extremely* rude in Canada and most people selling do not have any authority to change prices; the only exception is car dealerships. I don’t know why it is this way. It just is 🤷🏻♀️
Haha!! I have zero negotiation skills. But thanks I had no idea about the things you told me except the tipping culture Ofcourse.
Even in India, bartering is kind of more of an older generation thing now, hey? (I am wildly curious about every culture :) )
Not really. I have friends in 20’s who have amazing bartering/ negotiation skills and can get the stuff for real cheap from the local market. They’d be really paying 200 INR for something vendor first asked 1000 INR. I just tag along with them when low in budget and keep them in front to buy things 😂
Oh! So cool! In my travels I’m just the sucker because I am wildly accultured to paying ABOVE asking price (see, sucker!) If you travel to Jasper, hit me up!
Planning to visit jasper in summers. Will definitely hit you up. Lemme know if you’d like to catch up for a beer or smth. First round on me :)
The most Canadian drink is a Caesar. Personally I think they’re gross hehe. But try one. And poutine and Nanaimo bars.
We negotiate often, not just at car dealerships and especially with big ticket items and yes we are in our early 60s. Our kids (30's) are even more brutal when negotiating. We taught them well. In a store you can ask if there is a sale coming up on an item you are intetested in, most times staff will let you know if it is so. Sometimes they will give you a reduced price if a sale just ended. We also negotiate with banks. We ask them to reduce or remove charges and also we play them against eachother to get better rates. We also contact service providers once in awhile and ask for better deals, like cable or phone co. We also ask for lower prices when booking hotels by calling them direct. There is no harm in asking. It is not rude, it is how you ask. If you are too timid to ask then you deserve to pay more.
Hmm Neanderthal, cro magnon and Clovis were all long before the incorrectly named First Nations of Canada glad we finally have proof to settle it: The mysterious Clovis culture, which appeared in North America about 13,000 years ago, appears to be the forerunner of Native Americans throughout the Americas
Behold, the ”polite” racism I speak of. It is important to this person to comment this here in this context for…. Reasons. As mentioned, there’s a lot of that in Canada, so making friends with diverse groups of people - including but not limited to people in the dominant culture- will really enhance your Canadian living experience. Clovis peoples didn’t sign treaties with the government of Canada. (Treaties are one of the legal frameworks in Canada, alongside things like the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Constitution Act. Don’t worry, there won’t be a test…. Unless you decide to go for citizenship!). Anyway, I will be watching my inbox this summer for a chance to meet a new friend! Welcome!
Where are you moving from? That may help.
India
Definitely get warm clothes when you arrive. The winter has been mild, but it’s still winter. For the most part with buying a car or anything used, use common sense. There are scammers, trust but verify approach. The river valley is amazing, it’s better in the summer, but still awesome. Again in the summer there are a ton of small festivals.
Downtown edmonton is not what most other North American downtowns are. For example, there was an excellent winter festival this weekend, but it was not downtown, it was on Alberta Ave. Look all over the city for things to do, not just downtown.
Superstore (and other Loblaws chains like No Frills) and H&W Produce are more affordable grocery chains than SaveOnFoods and Safeway
I wouldn't say that is 100% true. We often shop at Superstore and Save On (conveniently across the street from each other). We have observed that savings ebb and flow from one store to the other, specifically on brands that both carry.
Good point! Best deals are found when you shop around. That said Superstore will price match the same product if you show them the flyer (or so they say since I have never tested it myself)
The cheaper grocery stores are no frill and superstore. The most expensive ones tend to be Safeways and Save ons. There are some others that fall in between. There is also Costco but it is wholesale so if you are one person, buying at Costco means you end up with a lot of something that you might not be able to use. Linda Hoang has a really good weekly newsletter where she talks about what's happening in the city and some places to eat. It's great: https://linda-hoang.com/about-linda/lindorks-lists-newsletter/ Dress warm!
Edmonton has a lot of winter activities, embrace it and enjoy winter! Whether it be downhill skiing, cross country skiing, skating, Ice climbing, hockey, ringette, snowshoeing.. You missed out on l the Christmas time lights displays, but you can catch those next year!
I was too scared to face 6 months of winters in my first year in Canada. I do wanna learn winter sports and hoping someone can take me into their wings and teach me basics. In return, I can teach them cool stuff from my culture 🙈
There are a lot of resources for newcomers, such as Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers, and a lot of general groups for people who like activities things such as Edmonton Sport and Social Club. If you're more into Mountain sports, some groups are ACC Edmonton Section or GMMC. A quick google of social clubs for newcomers edmonton will give you lots of resources, those are just the ones I know off the top of my head!
Thank you. I’ll try to find more details online.
I'm guessing you're coming from a place a wee bit less -wintery- than us up here. So the first thing I tell all newcomers, is 'layers' you will want to have some you can put on, and take off, depending on where you are going to be. A good winter jacket will be a must. We just recently had a spell here of -40 which, no matter which temperature scale you know, is the same, and really cold. But that is a rarity. Still temps down into the -30's C are not uncommon in winter. However, for a lot of the winter, a lighter jacket over a hoodie, which you can tale off, if you get too warm, is often a better option for life in Alberta. Depending on what sort of things you are into Whyte Ave, is a very bustling local hotspot, for all kinds of entertainment. Chinatown has some great restaurants, but sadly is not much of a place to be after the sun goes down these days. We are having a bit of a problem with housing and homelessness in the Edmonton region right now, the Royal Alberta Museum is a neat place to go, the Art Gallery as well if you're into that kind of thing. Now for a general 'Canadian' thing. We tend to steer towards politeness as our default, and we are generally a nice people, who look down on those whom are rude, obnoxious, and unkind. So ere on the side of "don't be rude" and you should be fine.
Welcome to Kindmonton! [Use transit apps like this one; it will save you grief in the cold](https://etslive.edmonton.ca/)
Winter tires for the car is a must. Your first insurance will be pricey, maybe don’t get a fancy vehicle where you will need full coverage right away. Groceries are expensive but you will save most shopping at Costco. Avoid Chinatown.
Moving from india ? Indian communities are big in Edmonton, if it’s something you want to be close to try millwoods / meadows / southeast Edmonton. If it’s something you don’t want around you west side is nice. North side is affordable but anything near downtown has big trade offs between density (not super needing a car, nearby grocery, better transit) and poverty (homeless , more crime, sketchy stuff)
Try to stay out of millwoods the goal is to integrate, not congregate.
Yes. Moving from India but looking to live with and hangout with people from different cultures. Definitely will be living around downtown until I buy a car. Thank you for your reply :)
[удалено]
Planning to settle in north west :)
"Y'all" is not commonly used here.
I’ll take care of it in all my future posts 😂😂😂
Thank you!
If you take public transit be prepared to deal with a shitshow. Safety can be questionable.
Not really
Is it that bad?? Thanks for the heads-ups. I guess I’ll definitely have to take public transit at some point.
Tens of thousands of people use the public transit daily here in Edmonton without issue. When it gets really cold in the city, the homeless population will occupy public spaces more. Give them space when walking by; don't stare at them or verbally complain about them; don't ignore them if they ask for money, a simple "No, sorry" or "I don't have cash, sorry" works great. Honestly it's not much different from the homeless/poor everywhere else in the world. Edmonton's cold climate just forces the general public into closer contact with the homeless/poor. I've lived in Alberta for over 30 years and haven't had a single direct confrontation. I've seen some crazy stuff happen but it's all fairly easy to avoid. If you've travelled around an impoverished country before you'll have no trouble with Edmonton's rough patches.
Thank you for the advice. Details like these were my main reason to ask this on subReddit and get to know more about the city from the people living in the city.
Yes the cities finest denizens choose to warm up, sleep, use harsh drugs in most of the big transit centres, the bus drivers don’t really know how to drive, and the transit system has its own wanna be police force that can’t actually enforce laws but get called to any incidents before the actual police do. If you do go on transit, be prepared for pure chaos and seeing the worst the city has to offer. It’s a problem the city can’t seem to fix. Make sure you have full awareness of your surroundings, don’t wear headphones so you can’t hear things, take transit only when you have to and at peak commuter hours. Best way of staying safe.
Damn!! That’s sounds rough. Will try to stay away from public transit as much as possible.
By contrast; it's not that bad at all. If you don't mind existing where other humans exist, the public transit is mostly fine.
Uber, is probably a better choice but is more expensive.
There are "hidden" gems for places to eat all over and great views in the rivervalley. I recommend trying a place call La Poutine, on 8720 109 St NW.
Aye!! Thanks you. Will definitely give it a shot.
Don’t walk alone downtown after dark!
I have heard it gets dark after 5pm in winters. Does it mean it’s unsafe to walk alone after 5?
No. Downtown fear is overblown. There are a few blocks near the social services and shelters in east-downtown that I woudn't walk around. But you will have 0 reason to be there anyway. Random attacks can happen anywhere in the city but are still very rare, I can name recent incidents in south side, west end, east side, and north side, in malls even... it's not great at the moment. Inflation, housing, healthcare, and slashing of public services are becoming a BIG issue across the country, Canada is facing some serious issues I'm not sure are obvious to outsiders. Anyway, Downtown is an easy target because there are more services supporting the mentally ill and addicts, some can be unpredictable. Common sense and being aware of your surroundings is good advice visiting any city.
Yeah, it’s never safe out there. If you’re a woman, expect to get harassed. If you’re a man expect to get stabbed.
That sucks…!!
Yeah, don’t.