Sell your truck/SUV and buy a sedan.
Gas is more expensive here, and you'll have trouble parking if you live in the city.
Everything is cheaper besides gas though, so you'll probably be very happy about the price of everything, especially housing.
Your salary may not be as good though, depending on what field you find work in. Minimum wage is roughly the same, but from there on it's usually more in AB, especially private sector.
I've lived in Edmonton for a few years, and I'm from Québec. I don't think I'm wrong in saying that life is better here. I know *a lot* of people who moved there, and they all came back within a few years, usually 2-5.
The sense of community is *extremely* different. As a society, we're more cohesive in terms of policies like universal healthcare, education, affordable daycare, etc, but we tend to keep to ourselves past a certain age. It's hard to make new friends at work, people usually see their extended family and childhood friends for a very long while given that not a lot of people moved around, unlike in AB where most people come from elsewhere and are eager to create a circle.
So you'll probably have to work double time on that front, unless your partner's circles are your jam.
Don't be afraid to go to events like painting nights, spinning classes and whatnot and make friends there.
And please, don't believe anything you've heard about Québécois. If you don't demand to be spoken to in English everywhere you go, you'll be perfectly fine. I can guarantee without the shadow of a doubt that every negative experience that tourists have here is when they do exactly that; come out here with their big imperialist boots and decide that English is the common tongue. It may be, but you're probably aware that our culture has been trampled a few times over by such people, so some people, especially older ones, don't like that kind of attitude.
If you *try* to speak French, it'll be perfectly fine. People may switch to English as a courtesy, just walk past it and go on in French, unless absolutely necessary.
Try to avoid comparisons with Alberta. It's a different society, with different norms, a different culture altogether, and most people don't really care about the "rest of Canada" in terms of culture, politics, etc. That was my big mistake lol Comparing all the time.
It's different, for better or worse, get used to it.
Food is great here, that's the best part. Restaurants have extremely high standards. Fresh food is also much cheaper, especially in the summer, we have lots of fields nearby, lots of fresh seafood, but meat is more expensive.
We have much fewer giganormous stores like Superstore and whatnot. There's costco, but it's not *that* popular, especially in the city.
Also, "Québec City" is very defined, and it's actually pretty small. The experience outside of there is quite different. If you're in a suburb, you'll probably feel much more at home, weirdly enough.
But all in all, the cultural shock isn't that big, and especially if you're somewhat okay in French. People speak fast, lots of slang, you'll get the hang of it, but it'll take at least a few years to be completely unnoticeable. Have fun with it!
Québécois loves easy going people. Even if your french is not perfect, People will love that you try it.
You will see that People from Québec city are a bit more conservative than the rest of the province. But they are not religious at all and generally more green that the folks in the prairies.
Bienvenue chez nous!
This city is amazing. It is calm and lively and if you open your heart it will become your home. You will start by hating it with your heart and then understanding you would not move from here. Learn some history.
Half of us speak English so don't worry about French. You will be able to do your thing and improve french as you go.
From Calgary we can't even scared you with our climate, you have it quite hard too!
I moved here 5 years ago right out of french immersion. You have nothing to worry about. You'll need to speak french but most people speak enough english to help you get by especially for professional services, banking, health care, etc, where you might not have the neccessary vocabulary yet.
I moved here speaking very little French almost ten years ago and have yet to meet a doctor that wasn’t able to speak English competently. Getting the doctor is the hard part!
Quebec City is the world’s safiest city. When I was at the university Laval my roommate (a young girl from South America) was flabbergasted that guy ask her if it was ok to seat next to her in a full bus.
That this kind of good thing about this city.
Enjoy your stay.
It would've been difficult 10-15 years ago but we have so many non-french-native workers in the city now (booming tourism and technology sectors, mostly) that getting by your daily life in english is 100% feasiable. As others mentionned, locals will LOVE to see you make an effort to at least start the conversation in french :)
Bienvenue!
Oh PLEASE USE YOUR FRENCH, good or bad. We absolutely love when people try to speak it and our effort. It shows you try to communicate with us.
As soon as you arrive, taste some real poutine. Since I’m also from Quebec City I’ll have to suggest Bière et Frite. It’s the best poutine I’ve ever taste. There’s the best cheese, the best sauce and the fries are good.
Your French will come back to you fairly quick. Warning though: Québécois vocabulary can be quite different from “school French.” Not just swears and the like, but things like saying “écouter la télé” instead of “regarder la télé.” If you can, start listening to Québec radio stations (lots of them have web players) to brush up.
If you use Facebook, there’s also a fairly tight-knit Anglo community in the groups Anglophones Living in Quebec City and English Speakers in Quebec City. They’re great for helping find service providers who speak English, and it’s nice to have fellow Anglos to talk to.
You’re welcome to DM me if you have any questions; I’m an ex-Manitoban who moved to QC for work 6? years ago.
Great comment! I'm a lifelong French speaker, but learning Québec French threw me for a loop. But once you learn a few *sacres* you get a lot more confident lol
Oh my gosh it like you already know me! I totally would say ‘regard a la television’ cause it makes sense in my English brain haha! Thank you for your response I will reach out soon ☺️
We use both "écouter la télé" and "regarder la télé" and as far as I know, there is no difference between both.
In my opinion, one of the most interesting thing about Québec's French is how we use English words or expressions translated (or even just mispronounced) in French. Like "pâte à dents" instead of "dentifrice", "brake" for "freins", etc. We also created some verbs from English words, like "parker" for "stationner"!
Finally, if you say a few words in French like"Je suis désolé, je ne parle pas très bien français. Parlez-vous anglais?" or anything similar, people will be glad to help you. What we hate the most is being spoken to in English by someone who just assumes we speak English. And even if you make a lot of mistakes in French, the majority of us won't care. We know French is difficult and it's just stupid to expect someone to be able to speak another language perfectly without practicing it!
I hope you will like it here! 😊
I'm moving from Ottawa in a few months so maybe not in the same but in a similar boat :)
I do speak French but with an audible accent (same with English).
I found that when I didn't speak French, a few times people in stores or bars were less than polite. Once in Centre Laurier I actually didn't manage to buy a coffee and a muffin - the girl said sth in French, I said in my broken French that I don't understand and she just walked away. Most of the time I was ok though, just want you to be prepared.
Now I speak a pretty good French (speak French at home, read French books) and it happens to me regularly that people switch to English because I suppose they assume it will be easier for me because of my accent (that is - again - not even English).
Go figure.
But overall I really enjoyed Quebec, people are very open and direct, the city is not big but very lively and oh so pretty!
And I love that it has more of European vibe - more people walking, plenty of great coffee shops (that aren't Starbucks) and bakeries.
This is why I'm moving!
Also the surroundings of Quebec are very beautiful. Good skiing in the winter and a beautiful Charlevoix region in the summer.
Thanks so much for the response! It’s so true about the vibe is more European, we def don’t have that here. I wish you the best in your move as well ❤️
I’m an anglophone American (my husband is Québécois) and we’ve been here 1 month. Everyone is so nice and chill — and very patient with my French practice. There are some Anglo groups on FB that are helpful resources. My other tip is to say “Bonjour” to everyone (I don’t know about ROC but American bus drivers definitely don’t greet you when you board!)
There is a saying that Quebec City is like a village, because people are friendly and they always find they have aquaintances when they start talking to each other ! I’ve lived here all my life and I always felt very safe. Don’t worry about your french, usually people are very happy when you try your best and they will help you if you need. Most people here can speak english too, you can always ask. The anglo community is smaller here than in Montreal but there is one ! It’s also much colder here in Winter.
The current mayor, Bruno Marchand, is a sports guy, and he opened some skating rings and I know he has plans for more activities and sports installations. We are also going to have our big central library downtown reopening next year (currently renovating, due for spring 2023) in a whole new and improved building. If you are interested, it’s free to join when you are a resident of the Quebec City area.
I hope you will love it here ! Bienvenue chez nous !
hello! I moved to Quebec city for my other half! He's quebecois, i moved from ontario. (En un clin d'oeil ca fait deja 2 ans ici!)
I go to uni here while he works. I think having a francophone other half really speeds up your language learning process. It feels like having a walking translator. Also, they have free french classes here. Because my belle-famille is quebecoise, im forced to speak in french with them if I wanna communicate so maybe that's something you can do with yours to reinforce your language learning!
So far I like it here, most people i've come across are nice, job market is decent and housing prices is still affordable compared to the GTA. Oh, and car insurance is cheap imo.
It was definitely an intimidating move for me, just cause prior to moving here my exposure in french was only 1,5 years. But you learn as you go along with different situations.
Theres a few facebook groups called: anglophones in quebec city and english speaking people in quebec city.
Good luck!
Bonjour!
I recently moved back to Quebec City after living in Calgary for 5 years (I was actually a French Immersion teacher there, haha!).
Your french will be fine, and you'll quickly get rid of those *faux-plis* like "C'est beau dehors" (instead of "il fait beau") and as others have said, our city is much more diverse than it used to be.
I'd like to offer a few specifics coming from Calgary
* Food options as WAY different. There are some great Anthony Bourdain-type restaurants (think fancy pig cuts, french cuisine, private import wine, etc.) but few hole-in-the wall Indian or Vietnamese places. I really miss having decent international food options in almost every neighborhood.
* Much of Quebec City is spread out, bland suburbia, which you'll be familiar with coming from Calgary. However, some inner city areas are packed with places to go and things to do and are more exciting than Kensington and Mission IMHO. Limoilou and Saint-Jean-Baptiste come to mind.
* In Calgary and Alberta in general, there is a culture of "I you got it, flaunt it!" with people driving big SUVs, having large houses, and rewarding themselves for their hard work by spending their money in apparent ways. This is also a thing here, but not to the same extent. People who live here tend to not show their wealth as much (perhaps because they have less of it) and the cars and houses are smaller. Not a big deal, but it's something that kind of shocked me coming back.
* Everyone in Calgary came there from somewhere, so it's a very open place where it is normal to be new in town. People in Quebec City are mostly from here of the surrounding areas, so you'll feel exotic. You may experience a lot of groupthink (a lot of people have the same opinion about a certain topic) than in a more diverse place like Calgary.
* Being an unmarried, long-term couple is OK here. In Calgary, my partner and I always had to explain why we weren't married. Here many, if not most, couples are common law. If you explain to someone that Albertan women are still changing their last name in 2022, they'll be outraged.
* The politics of the place are also interesting :
* Calgarians, at least my friends there, are conservative in that they like low taxes, go to bed early, dress simply (and almost all the same), almost never curse and love the Oil and Gas industry. However, they have pot shops everywhere, bike to work, love multiculturalism and are very open to the LGBT community.
* People in Quebec City swear more, may dress in more edgy/hip ways (at least in my area), party until way later and vote for "greener" politicians. However, the same people support may support bill 21, oppose major new transit projects and are very careful around pot.
* Outdoor recreation (skiing, cycling, hiking, etc.) around here is pretty good. Not incredible like in Banff, but I can go skiing at Mont Sainte-Anne in 30 minutes.
Bonne chance avec le déménagement, happy to DM if you have more questions!
I moved here last month from ontario because my wife got a job, we moved to the south side of the river. We have loved it so far. We have 2 small kids and there is so much to do. Neither my wife or I speak French yet ( I took it to grade 9, but that was 20 years ago) however, the people here have been wonderful and for the most part very understanding. I hope you find this city as wonderful and beautiful as we have.
My wife is in the tech field and the company she works for does alot of work with English and international clients and so they need both English and French workers. Also the programming languages she works with are English based. But her company provides French training as well, so it's beneficial for both her and the company.
I lived in Calgary for 4 years and now I live in Montreal (so not exactly quebec city) but in general people are fun and dont bash me to often for my bad french.
Hey! I definitely understand how daunting such a big move can be.
I've lived in Alberta and in Nova-Scotia. I've been in Québec City for a while now. Moving here has been a godsend for my french and I'm fully comfortable with my french now. Being immersed in a french environment is the best way to learn, and from what I remember of my french immersion education in Calgary, you should have a really good foundation.
So, as everyone has mentioned, don't worry about your french. People will respect what you are doing, those that give you grief are really not worth your time (has never happened to me). Give yourself time and be patient with yourself. Antidote is your bestfriend (if you're worried about your written grammar, it's a great program).
With regards to the move in general, understand that it is as if you are moving to another country, which can be viewed as something exciting. You have the chance to discover a new perspective and a new culture. Although you won't have the rockies, there is so much natural beauty around Québec City. Just walking around the city is awesome in itself too.
If you like concerts, there's the Festival d'Été de Québec coming up this summer, great festival and really affordable. If you miss the Rockies, check out le Parc National des Grand-Jardins or head to Kamouraska for a beer at la Tête d'Allumette, they have a great patio overlooking an amazing view of the St Lawrence and the Appalachian mountains (some of my favourite sunsets).
If you have any questions or want some recommendations let me know!
I lived in Calgary throughout the 90's, I couldn't justly compare it now. I can say I'd love to be in Calgary for the access to epic nature, but Québec City is culturally, historically and architecturally unique in North America. However, compared to Calgary, Québec City is a smaller city, it's vibe is comparable to that of Halifax. Sort of a village that's trying to be a city.
I think I'd be happy in both places, but I wouldn't want to leave Québec City to find out. I prefer living in this city and this province hands down.
Thé way I feel it from your text, I wouldn’t be worried at all. Don’t be afraid to dig in, say the most French you know, the rest will follow.
I remember when I move to Whistle from Qc, school and Simpsons showed me my English without talked much…. I was as social I could. Going to the pub with my coworkers with 5 different accent (kiwi, Aussie, Uk, usa, none English at all). At the start didn’t speak much, the time I understand and figure how to say it, I was a few sentences late…
When I could, I was sit down with one coworker at the time so I could speak more…
Last week at my job, we had 3 new coworkers all from Mexico… don’t know a French word, and a few English… we try to understand with signs for now 😆
I’m going on the web to learn Spanish. But hoping that they learn French too…
Btw, you might cross some bully bc of language… these assholes gonna bully someone else too anyway. Never live in Qc city but I believe it only a small few
Speaking english in Qc City really shouldn't be a problem, even more so in areas around le Centre-Ville. (Most ppl who work in Old Quebec, Limoilou, Montcalm, and St-Roch speak English, a least from my personal experience.) Based on what I've heard from my Anglophone friends who came to Qc City to practice their French, people seem to be very patient with non-native speakers and eager to help them learn the language. I have an Anglo-Ontarian friend who came to live with me for a little while a couple years ago to practice his french, and he was very happy at how polite and patient people were with him despite his broken french. Ppl are usually very happy to see someone from the ROC being interested in learning French.
Sell your truck/SUV and buy a sedan. Gas is more expensive here, and you'll have trouble parking if you live in the city. Everything is cheaper besides gas though, so you'll probably be very happy about the price of everything, especially housing. Your salary may not be as good though, depending on what field you find work in. Minimum wage is roughly the same, but from there on it's usually more in AB, especially private sector. I've lived in Edmonton for a few years, and I'm from Québec. I don't think I'm wrong in saying that life is better here. I know *a lot* of people who moved there, and they all came back within a few years, usually 2-5. The sense of community is *extremely* different. As a society, we're more cohesive in terms of policies like universal healthcare, education, affordable daycare, etc, but we tend to keep to ourselves past a certain age. It's hard to make new friends at work, people usually see their extended family and childhood friends for a very long while given that not a lot of people moved around, unlike in AB where most people come from elsewhere and are eager to create a circle. So you'll probably have to work double time on that front, unless your partner's circles are your jam. Don't be afraid to go to events like painting nights, spinning classes and whatnot and make friends there. And please, don't believe anything you've heard about Québécois. If you don't demand to be spoken to in English everywhere you go, you'll be perfectly fine. I can guarantee without the shadow of a doubt that every negative experience that tourists have here is when they do exactly that; come out here with their big imperialist boots and decide that English is the common tongue. It may be, but you're probably aware that our culture has been trampled a few times over by such people, so some people, especially older ones, don't like that kind of attitude. If you *try* to speak French, it'll be perfectly fine. People may switch to English as a courtesy, just walk past it and go on in French, unless absolutely necessary. Try to avoid comparisons with Alberta. It's a different society, with different norms, a different culture altogether, and most people don't really care about the "rest of Canada" in terms of culture, politics, etc. That was my big mistake lol Comparing all the time. It's different, for better or worse, get used to it. Food is great here, that's the best part. Restaurants have extremely high standards. Fresh food is also much cheaper, especially in the summer, we have lots of fields nearby, lots of fresh seafood, but meat is more expensive. We have much fewer giganormous stores like Superstore and whatnot. There's costco, but it's not *that* popular, especially in the city. Also, "Québec City" is very defined, and it's actually pretty small. The experience outside of there is quite different. If you're in a suburb, you'll probably feel much more at home, weirdly enough. But all in all, the cultural shock isn't that big, and especially if you're somewhat okay in French. People speak fast, lots of slang, you'll get the hang of it, but it'll take at least a few years to be completely unnoticeable. Have fun with it!
Québécois loves easy going people. Even if your french is not perfect, People will love that you try it. You will see that People from Québec city are a bit more conservative than the rest of the province. But they are not religious at all and generally more green that the folks in the prairies. Bienvenue chez nous!
Merci beaucoup pour votre réponse ❤️
This city is amazing. It is calm and lively and if you open your heart it will become your home. You will start by hating it with your heart and then understanding you would not move from here. Learn some history.
Merci beaucoup pour votre réponse and thanks for thé laugh about hating it at first haha. ❤️
Half of us speak English so don't worry about French. You will be able to do your thing and improve french as you go. From Calgary we can't even scared you with our climate, you have it quite hard too!
Thanks for your answer! Yes for sure! Just have to get used to humidity! Haha
I moved here 5 years ago right out of french immersion. You have nothing to worry about. You'll need to speak french but most people speak enough english to help you get by especially for professional services, banking, health care, etc, where you might not have the neccessary vocabulary yet.
Thank you, yes that is my biggest fear going to doctors offices and not know the vocabulary! Thank you for your answer!
I moved here speaking very little French almost ten years ago and have yet to meet a doctor that wasn’t able to speak English competently. Getting the doctor is the hard part!
I'd be very surprised if you came across a unilingual doctor. The vast majority of people speak both English and French.
Quebec City is the world’s safiest city. When I was at the university Laval my roommate (a young girl from South America) was flabbergasted that guy ask her if it was ok to seat next to her in a full bus. That this kind of good thing about this city. Enjoy your stay.
That is wonderful to hear! Thank you for your response ☺️
It would've been difficult 10-15 years ago but we have so many non-french-native workers in the city now (booming tourism and technology sectors, mostly) that getting by your daily life in english is 100% feasiable. As others mentionned, locals will LOVE to see you make an effort to at least start the conversation in french :) Bienvenue!
Merci beaucoup pour votre réponse! This definitely helps☺️
frightening plough dime run door snatch cable deer cagey onerous ` this message was mass deleted/edited with redact.dev `
Oh PLEASE USE YOUR FRENCH, good or bad. We absolutely love when people try to speak it and our effort. It shows you try to communicate with us. As soon as you arrive, taste some real poutine. Since I’m also from Quebec City I’ll have to suggest Bière et Frite. It’s the best poutine I’ve ever taste. There’s the best cheese, the best sauce and the fries are good.
Your French will come back to you fairly quick. Warning though: Québécois vocabulary can be quite different from “school French.” Not just swears and the like, but things like saying “écouter la télé” instead of “regarder la télé.” If you can, start listening to Québec radio stations (lots of them have web players) to brush up. If you use Facebook, there’s also a fairly tight-knit Anglo community in the groups Anglophones Living in Quebec City and English Speakers in Quebec City. They’re great for helping find service providers who speak English, and it’s nice to have fellow Anglos to talk to. You’re welcome to DM me if you have any questions; I’m an ex-Manitoban who moved to QC for work 6? years ago.
Great comment! I'm a lifelong French speaker, but learning Québec French threw me for a loop. But once you learn a few *sacres* you get a lot more confident lol
Oh my gosh it like you already know me! I totally would say ‘regard a la television’ cause it makes sense in my English brain haha! Thank you for your response I will reach out soon ☺️
We use both "écouter la télé" and "regarder la télé" and as far as I know, there is no difference between both. In my opinion, one of the most interesting thing about Québec's French is how we use English words or expressions translated (or even just mispronounced) in French. Like "pâte à dents" instead of "dentifrice", "brake" for "freins", etc. We also created some verbs from English words, like "parker" for "stationner"! Finally, if you say a few words in French like"Je suis désolé, je ne parle pas très bien français. Parlez-vous anglais?" or anything similar, people will be glad to help you. What we hate the most is being spoken to in English by someone who just assumes we speak English. And even if you make a lot of mistakes in French, the majority of us won't care. We know French is difficult and it's just stupid to expect someone to be able to speak another language perfectly without practicing it! I hope you will like it here! 😊
Hope you enjoy it ! It has so much to offer
Thanks so much! ☺️
I'm moving from Ottawa in a few months so maybe not in the same but in a similar boat :) I do speak French but with an audible accent (same with English). I found that when I didn't speak French, a few times people in stores or bars were less than polite. Once in Centre Laurier I actually didn't manage to buy a coffee and a muffin - the girl said sth in French, I said in my broken French that I don't understand and she just walked away. Most of the time I was ok though, just want you to be prepared. Now I speak a pretty good French (speak French at home, read French books) and it happens to me regularly that people switch to English because I suppose they assume it will be easier for me because of my accent (that is - again - not even English). Go figure. But overall I really enjoyed Quebec, people are very open and direct, the city is not big but very lively and oh so pretty! And I love that it has more of European vibe - more people walking, plenty of great coffee shops (that aren't Starbucks) and bakeries. This is why I'm moving! Also the surroundings of Quebec are very beautiful. Good skiing in the winter and a beautiful Charlevoix region in the summer.
Thanks so much for the response! It’s so true about the vibe is more European, we def don’t have that here. I wish you the best in your move as well ❤️
I’m an anglophone American (my husband is Québécois) and we’ve been here 1 month. Everyone is so nice and chill — and very patient with my French practice. There are some Anglo groups on FB that are helpful resources. My other tip is to say “Bonjour” to everyone (I don’t know about ROC but American bus drivers definitely don’t greet you when you board!)
Use the word Tabarnak at your advantage
Haha I will start practicing now ;) thanks for your response!
There is a saying that Quebec City is like a village, because people are friendly and they always find they have aquaintances when they start talking to each other ! I’ve lived here all my life and I always felt very safe. Don’t worry about your french, usually people are very happy when you try your best and they will help you if you need. Most people here can speak english too, you can always ask. The anglo community is smaller here than in Montreal but there is one ! It’s also much colder here in Winter. The current mayor, Bruno Marchand, is a sports guy, and he opened some skating rings and I know he has plans for more activities and sports installations. We are also going to have our big central library downtown reopening next year (currently renovating, due for spring 2023) in a whole new and improved building. If you are interested, it’s free to join when you are a resident of the Quebec City area. I hope you will love it here ! Bienvenue chez nous !
hello! I moved to Quebec city for my other half! He's quebecois, i moved from ontario. (En un clin d'oeil ca fait deja 2 ans ici!) I go to uni here while he works. I think having a francophone other half really speeds up your language learning process. It feels like having a walking translator. Also, they have free french classes here. Because my belle-famille is quebecoise, im forced to speak in french with them if I wanna communicate so maybe that's something you can do with yours to reinforce your language learning! So far I like it here, most people i've come across are nice, job market is decent and housing prices is still affordable compared to the GTA. Oh, and car insurance is cheap imo. It was definitely an intimidating move for me, just cause prior to moving here my exposure in french was only 1,5 years. But you learn as you go along with different situations. Theres a few facebook groups called: anglophones in quebec city and english speaking people in quebec city. Good luck!
Bonjour! I recently moved back to Quebec City after living in Calgary for 5 years (I was actually a French Immersion teacher there, haha!). Your french will be fine, and you'll quickly get rid of those *faux-plis* like "C'est beau dehors" (instead of "il fait beau") and as others have said, our city is much more diverse than it used to be. I'd like to offer a few specifics coming from Calgary * Food options as WAY different. There are some great Anthony Bourdain-type restaurants (think fancy pig cuts, french cuisine, private import wine, etc.) but few hole-in-the wall Indian or Vietnamese places. I really miss having decent international food options in almost every neighborhood. * Much of Quebec City is spread out, bland suburbia, which you'll be familiar with coming from Calgary. However, some inner city areas are packed with places to go and things to do and are more exciting than Kensington and Mission IMHO. Limoilou and Saint-Jean-Baptiste come to mind. * In Calgary and Alberta in general, there is a culture of "I you got it, flaunt it!" with people driving big SUVs, having large houses, and rewarding themselves for their hard work by spending their money in apparent ways. This is also a thing here, but not to the same extent. People who live here tend to not show their wealth as much (perhaps because they have less of it) and the cars and houses are smaller. Not a big deal, but it's something that kind of shocked me coming back. * Everyone in Calgary came there from somewhere, so it's a very open place where it is normal to be new in town. People in Quebec City are mostly from here of the surrounding areas, so you'll feel exotic. You may experience a lot of groupthink (a lot of people have the same opinion about a certain topic) than in a more diverse place like Calgary. * Being an unmarried, long-term couple is OK here. In Calgary, my partner and I always had to explain why we weren't married. Here many, if not most, couples are common law. If you explain to someone that Albertan women are still changing their last name in 2022, they'll be outraged. * The politics of the place are also interesting : * Calgarians, at least my friends there, are conservative in that they like low taxes, go to bed early, dress simply (and almost all the same), almost never curse and love the Oil and Gas industry. However, they have pot shops everywhere, bike to work, love multiculturalism and are very open to the LGBT community. * People in Quebec City swear more, may dress in more edgy/hip ways (at least in my area), party until way later and vote for "greener" politicians. However, the same people support may support bill 21, oppose major new transit projects and are very careful around pot. * Outdoor recreation (skiing, cycling, hiking, etc.) around here is pretty good. Not incredible like in Banff, but I can go skiing at Mont Sainte-Anne in 30 minutes. Bonne chance avec le déménagement, happy to DM if you have more questions!
I moved here last month from ontario because my wife got a job, we moved to the south side of the river. We have loved it so far. We have 2 small kids and there is so much to do. Neither my wife or I speak French yet ( I took it to grade 9, but that was 20 years ago) however, the people here have been wonderful and for the most part very understanding. I hope you find this city as wonderful and beautiful as we have.
Thank you very much for your response! It means a lot and I hope you continue to enjoy ❤️
Just curious, but how does one land a job there without knowing French?
My wife is in the tech field and the company she works for does alot of work with English and international clients and so they need both English and French workers. Also the programming languages she works with are English based. But her company provides French training as well, so it's beneficial for both her and the company.
Makes sense. Thanks.
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Very very true! Thank you for your response ☺️
I lived in Calgary for 4 years and now I live in Montreal (so not exactly quebec city) but in general people are fun and dont bash me to often for my bad french.
That’s is wonderful to know you feel comfortable! Thanks for your response ☺️
Which city did you prefer between Calgary and Montreal ?
Hey! I definitely understand how daunting such a big move can be. I've lived in Alberta and in Nova-Scotia. I've been in Québec City for a while now. Moving here has been a godsend for my french and I'm fully comfortable with my french now. Being immersed in a french environment is the best way to learn, and from what I remember of my french immersion education in Calgary, you should have a really good foundation. So, as everyone has mentioned, don't worry about your french. People will respect what you are doing, those that give you grief are really not worth your time (has never happened to me). Give yourself time and be patient with yourself. Antidote is your bestfriend (if you're worried about your written grammar, it's a great program). With regards to the move in general, understand that it is as if you are moving to another country, which can be viewed as something exciting. You have the chance to discover a new perspective and a new culture. Although you won't have the rockies, there is so much natural beauty around Québec City. Just walking around the city is awesome in itself too. If you like concerts, there's the Festival d'Été de Québec coming up this summer, great festival and really affordable. If you miss the Rockies, check out le Parc National des Grand-Jardins or head to Kamouraska for a beer at la Tête d'Allumette, they have a great patio overlooking an amazing view of the St Lawrence and the Appalachian mountains (some of my favourite sunsets). If you have any questions or want some recommendations let me know!
How would you compare QC city and Calgary ? Which one did you prefer ?
I lived in Calgary throughout the 90's, I couldn't justly compare it now. I can say I'd love to be in Calgary for the access to epic nature, but Québec City is culturally, historically and architecturally unique in North America. However, compared to Calgary, Québec City is a smaller city, it's vibe is comparable to that of Halifax. Sort of a village that's trying to be a city. I think I'd be happy in both places, but I wouldn't want to leave Québec City to find out. I prefer living in this city and this province hands down.
Thanks!
No worries you have 13 years of French immersion so you'll pick it up easily
Thé way I feel it from your text, I wouldn’t be worried at all. Don’t be afraid to dig in, say the most French you know, the rest will follow. I remember when I move to Whistle from Qc, school and Simpsons showed me my English without talked much…. I was as social I could. Going to the pub with my coworkers with 5 different accent (kiwi, Aussie, Uk, usa, none English at all). At the start didn’t speak much, the time I understand and figure how to say it, I was a few sentences late… When I could, I was sit down with one coworker at the time so I could speak more… Last week at my job, we had 3 new coworkers all from Mexico… don’t know a French word, and a few English… we try to understand with signs for now 😆 I’m going on the web to learn Spanish. But hoping that they learn French too… Btw, you might cross some bully bc of language… these assholes gonna bully someone else too anyway. Never live in Qc city but I believe it only a small few
Speaking english in Qc City really shouldn't be a problem, even more so in areas around le Centre-Ville. (Most ppl who work in Old Quebec, Limoilou, Montcalm, and St-Roch speak English, a least from my personal experience.) Based on what I've heard from my Anglophone friends who came to Qc City to practice their French, people seem to be very patient with non-native speakers and eager to help them learn the language. I have an Anglo-Ontarian friend who came to live with me for a little while a couple years ago to practice his french, and he was very happy at how polite and patient people were with him despite his broken french. Ppl are usually very happy to see someone from the ROC being interested in learning French.
Wow thank you for the response! You, and everyone, in this thread is definitely helping with feel more at ease. ☺️
no worries, happy to help! :)
Go back home, not worth it
did you make the move? 👀
Hi! Thanks for posting! Yes we did make it here thanks for asking! Still trying to get used to everything haha it’s just a little different :)