What is Canada like?

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Joe from WI

The cost of living depends on a lot of things; your lifestyle, your consumer habits, your shopping skills (deal finding), and so on.
In agricultural communities you can get a steak dinner for one-third of what someone in a fancy Toronto restaurant would pay.
Canada has beautiful cities that are unique to each other. St. John's, Newfoundland is very nice. I fell in love with the place after a few days. The east coast of Canada is wonderful, very peaceful. I dream of living there. There's nothing like having a drink in a St. John's pub.
Vancouver is a dream come true. It has the most nearby activities of any big city in North America. Vancouver people are very down to earth and friendly. In Vancouver you can find 5-star everything. Golf courses, downhill skiing, hiking trails, horseback riding, you name it.
Montreal is beautiful. If you go there, go on a bus tour of the whole city. You will love it.
Quebec City is very old. It's Gothic looking and peaceful.
Kitchener is a nice town. I was impressed.
Thunder Bay is a vibrant small city on Lake Superior. You won't forget you went there. Interesting rock formations and lots of unspoiled nature. Thunder Bay barbecue is in the same league with Memphis and Kansas City.
Calgary is a town full of tough, but loveable, people. The weather in Calgary is the same as Moscow. Very cold. But there's lots to like about Calgary. Calgary barbecue is also very good. The pork shanks will make you cry.
Edmonton is a nice town. I enjoyed it. Nice views.
Saskatoon is under rated. Saskatoon people seem to enjoy that they have such a fine city with a small population. Saskatoon people are some of the happiest Canadians.
Yellowknife is rarely seen. It's a shame. If you want a real outdoors holiday in the north, this is a nice spot. World class fishing and some rustic log cabins. If you like Inuit art, you'll find lots of it here.
The Yukon makes my soul sing. So much unspoiled nature! In the summer it's just as warm as Denver. Most of the time. Once in a while it will get in the 30s (F) at night. But I've seen that happen in Wisconsin. Whitehorse is a beautiful rustic town. Yukon cookouts are legendary. If you can go camping in the Yukon, do it! You won't ever forget the experience.
A trainride through the Canadian rockies is epic. It's one of the finest things you can see in North America. imo
Sorry to type a novel! I got inspired about Canada.

SteveN

That all depends on where you go and what you will be doing.

Canada tends to be more relaxed and people enjoy the quiet and peaceful areas of the country. Even the city folk have a tendency to want to get away from it all on weekends, and many families buy or rent summer cottages so they can escape the hustle/bustle.

If you live in a city like Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, or Montreal, you will be paying a lot more for housing, but everything you need is around you (corner store, public transit, doctors/dentists, schools, etc).

If you live out in the suburbs, you will generally have a quieter life with less crime present (yes, we do have criminals), pay less, but then have long commutes into the city.

Ideally if you had a job that can let you stay at home or works outside the city, you can make a pretty good salary and a nice life.

Keep in mind that taxes are much higher here than in USA, so you will defintely notice a sizable chunk of your salary going for income taxes, sales tax, municipal taxes, etc.

If you become a Canadian citizen, you will qualify for the Medicare system, which is not "free" healthcare, but it is one of the reasons why you pay high taxes so may as well benefit from it.

Is it all worth it? I think so. If some of the worst stereotypes of Canadians is that we have a weird accent, say "eh" a lot, and are polite and nice, it can't be that bad!

Dodgegirl62

Well i don't know about glamorous but we have some very beautiful provinces....i live in the north where this winter has had record snowfalls and is right now very cold...but i live by a ski resort many beautiful paths and trails,a tour train that takes you to see the sights especially in the fall ...a great night life as well...very good health care system and yes great rent control and mortgages....to me there are mamy good reasons to live here and i've lived in a few cities and there is just too much to talk about....you'd have to read a book...lol aside from bitching about the cold it's a wonderful place to live and if you come you will find many welcoming people....you'll have a ball

ps2rich3

yep it is realy big

.:::Niko:::.

Canada is a huge country.Living expenses may vary greatly depending on the city,province that you reside.For example in Toronto,ON, the approximate annual living expenses are about $20,000 which includes one bedroom apt rent as well as other daily expenses. However, the expenses are different for different people depending on the lifestyles $4000 per month is a good estimation in Toronto. On the other hand most people can survive with $1000 a month.The key here is to share apartments/houses so that you save on the utilities, fixed charge portion of phone and to some extent on groceries.

â™¥*hijabi â™¦â™¦princess!*â™¥

well for a start it is big

Stephanie

you want the truth? or the rosy deceptive image.

8. Discriminatory and Dishonest Immigration System.
Immigration to Canada is based on a point system, obtained with your education, qualifications and job experience. Points are good enough for immigration, but in Canada, they are not good enough to get a job in your field. Amazing, how the credentials that qualify you to come to Canada are the same credentials that don't qualify you for your profession in Canada. The reason is, Canada only wants immigrants to do the labor jobs - pizza delivery, driving taxis, factory work etc.

7. Out Of Control Cost Of Living.
From rent, to utility bills, to shopping, to phone, internet and cable bills, to gas, to car insurance, to eating out, to basically anything you have to pay for or buy, the cost of living in Canada has become astronomical. Recent immigrants are astonished as to how expensive everything is. It is estimated that compared to most countries around the world, the cost of living in Canada is on average five times greater.

6. Health Care Crisis.
Practicing physicians in Canada are in a shortage, 1 in 4 Canadians cannot get a family doctor. Canadian doctors are leaving to move permanently to the United States. Statistics Canada and the Canadian Medical Association both have identified that for every 1 American doctor that moves to Canada, 19 (nineteen) Canadian doctors move to the United States! Doctors in Canada are overworked and underpaid, and there is a cap on their salaries.

5. Very High Taxes.
Yes, you have the GST, the PST, totaling 15%, on practically everything you purchase and many other taxes taken out of our weekly paycheck. You have to pay a whopping amount to the government, out of your hard earned salary, so that the government can turn around and give it to beer drinking, hockey watching welfare bums. Fair? It does not matter, it's Canada.

4. Money Hungry Government.
Canadian Embassies around the world lie to foreigners, painting this picture that Canada is Utopia, because they want them to come to Canada. Why? Because foreigners bring money! So after being deceived, these foreigners come. They must bring with them at least $10,000. Canada has an immigration quota of 250,000 per year. So please do the math, 250,000 multiplied by $10,000 each equals a whopping 2.5 Billion dollars that Canada gains from immigrants every year.

3. No Culture.
Unlike almost every other country in the world, Canada has no culture. Actually American culture is what dominates Canada. When was the last time you had some 'Canadian' food? There are no Canadian traditions and there is no national identity. What does it even mean to call yourself a 'Canadian'. . .nothing really. People living in Canada, still identify themselves with the country they 'originally' came from.

2. Worst Weather.
Yes, Canada has the worst weather conditions of any country in the world. Freezing cold temperatures, snow, ice, hail, winds, storms etc. From the Prairie provinces to the Maritimes, from the Territories to southern Ontario, the weather is so horrific and disgusting that many Canadians leave Canada simply because of this reason alone.

1. No Jobs.
Yes, coast to coast, there are no jobs. Immigrants are highly qualified (MD's, PhD's, Lawyers, Engineers etc.) but they are driving taxi cabs, delivering pizza's or working in factories. Even people with bachelors degrees from Canadian Universities cannot find jobs after graduation. This is the tragedy associated with immigration to Canada. I feel sorry for those immigrants who are stuck in Canada for the rest of their lives. It is indeed a very sad and hopeless future.

bitter.blue

ANd it`s cold cold COLD!!!!!!

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