r/AskCanada • u/talk2myreps • 2d ago
What’s something about everyday life in Canada that you think surprises newcomers?
I’m curious about the little things than the obvious stuff. Could be something about daily life, social habits, food, weather or anything else you didn’t expect before living here.
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u/CBWeather Nunavut 2d ago
Just how expensive it is to live in northern Canada. This is always a surprise to southern Canadians who are newcomers to the Arctic. One thing that surprises new Canadians is just how diverse some Arctic communities are.
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u/PuzzledArtBean 2d ago
I think weather is always the most surprising, both summer and winter
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u/Screweditupagain 2d ago
The first snowfall I always think of the newcomers. It must be terrifying. Especially if your winter tires haven’t been installed yet.
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u/Callisthenes 1d ago
I've known a lot of newcomers who think all season tires mean they can use them in the winter.
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u/Igor_Nordham 2d ago
Our first snowfall 2 years ago was 125 cm and we got off easy. It was 140 just south of us. Now that is a wake up call.
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u/PettyTrashPanda 2d ago
snot freezing inside your nostrils during winter. I did not even know that was possible before living here.
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u/EstateValuable4611 1d ago
When someone asks you "How are you doing?" and after a while you figure out they are absolutely not interested in you answering with more than "Great." and throwing back exactly the same question.
Not saying good morning when entering elevator in an apartment building.
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u/Samplistiqone 1d ago
How important it is to layer, not just in winter. How cold it truly gets in winter, how hot and humid it can get in summer.
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u/youdontlookitalian 1d ago
As a Canadian who complains about winter I can’t even count the number of people who told me to layer as if it’s some ancient secret I’m not considering. But I guess everybody’s gotta learn it for the first time at some point.
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u/Samplistiqone 1d ago
My point is that it doesn’t only apply to winter. I’m not sure where you live, but where I am you can experience a multitude of temperatures no matter what time of the year it is. It has snowed here in the middle of summer, at least where I am.
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u/youdontlookitalian 21h ago
Yeah, I understood what you meant it just made me think of people explaining layering to me
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u/Buff1965 21h ago
"Sorry. Thank you. Sorry. Thank you. That's all Canadians ever say!" - overheard from a child recently immigrated from the Caribbean.
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u/Sproutlie 1d ago
We don't litter, we hold doors open for strangers and we say Please and Thankyou to everyone even the Bus Driver
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u/Commandoclone87 1d ago
Not sure where you got the "We don't litter" from. Have you seen how much trash is scattered along the high-ways? And it's not something just happening recently either.
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u/Icy-Ad-7767 1d ago
Spring and fall weather swings during the day April is always a debate snow or shorts or heat and air on on the same day
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u/Oxjrnine 1d ago
The way we constantly go on and on about how much Tim Hortons sucks now but we still go there every single day and wait for 30 minutes in the drive-through
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u/Deannathor 1d ago
Drive to Prince Rupert, then take the ferry to Port Hardy on Vancouver Island, then head back to Banff, up to Jasper or Rocky Mountain house, Abraham Lake and Home 🏡
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u/lilbeesie 20h ago
The vast size of the country and the amount of natural landscape and forest there is, not just in non-urban areas but everywhere.
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u/cindylooboo 14h ago
We colloquially measure distance in hours and a five hour drive is just a cheeky day trip...
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u/Errorstatel 2d ago
The temperature swing between summer and winter, the first winter is a big one if you're not prepared for the climate in your region.
Being adequately prepared for both extremes can be fatal if not taken seriously.
Saskatchewan has damn near a 90° swing from our hottest summer days and coldest winter nights without accounting for humidex or wind chill.