{"id":409250,"date":"2023-03-15T08:00:24","date_gmt":"2023-03-15T07:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pvtistes.net\/en\/?p=409250"},"modified":"2025-09-26T13:56:29","modified_gmt":"2025-09-26T11:56:29","slug":"10-surprising-aspects-canada","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pvtistes.net\/en\/10-surprising-aspects-canada\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Surprising Aspects of Life in Canada for Newcomers"},"content":{"rendered":"

No matter how much pre-trip info you gather before travelling, you will experience a bit of a culture shock\u2014and most of the time, it makes for funny anecdotes and memories.<\/p>\n

Here are 10\u00a0things that may come as a surprise when you\u2019re new to Canada!<\/p>\n

1. Sticker price not being the actual price<\/h4>\n

Your first purchase in Canada may feel like a scam because chances are, you will end up paying more than the advertised price for goods and services. In fact, this is normal\u2014prices are always \u201cplus tax,\u201d and it\u2019s only added at the cash register.<\/p>\n

Taxes vary across the country. Generally speaking, you can expect to pay an extra 5-15% on top of the price displayed. For instance, a $100 pair of shoes is actually $115 in Quebec and $113 in Ontario. For more info, read Canadian Sales Tax 101 (GST, PST, HST)<\/a>. This handy calculator<\/a> will also help you find out the amount of tax that applies to sales.<\/p>\n

Eating out or going for drinks? Don\u2019t forget to tip, it\u2019s culturally mandatory. Canadians are less generous than Americans, but an acceptable tip is still supposed to be 15-20% of your bill. So your $10 poutine in Quebec will cost you $10.15 after tax, plus a 15% tip ($1.5)\u2026 so $11.65 (or more if you\u2019re feeling more generous!).<\/p>\n

The cost of living<\/a> is pretty high in Canada, especially in big cities like Vancouver or Toronto. Make sure to leave home with enough money in your checking account.<\/p>\n

Generally speaking, money matters and personal finances may be a bit of a culture shock, from the credit card and credit rating systems<\/a> to the fact that talking about money is much less taboo in North America than in other parts of the world.<\/p>\n

\"canada<\/p>\n

2. The biweekly pay system<\/h4>\n

Okay, taxes and tips are not a good surprise. However, you may be happy to learn that your employer will probably pay you every other week.<\/p>\n

You could get paid twice a month (for instance on the 1st and the 15 of the month) or every two weeks (26 pay cheques a year), which is basically the same thing except that you will get three pay cheques two months a year.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Getting paid every two weeks can be a good thing for you because you will typically spend quite a bit of money when you first arrive (rent, furniture, car, winter clothing, etc.).<\/p>\n

Note that other bills (rent, utilities, cellphone, etc.) are monthly.<\/p>\n

3. The super flexible job market<\/h4>\n

In Canada, the job market is very flexible\u2014you can get hired on the spot, and you can also get fired the same day. Forget about paperwork and lengthy contracts full of legalese, decisions are usually made quickly and employment terms give both workers and employers a lot of freedom.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Note that when you quit a job, the professional courtesy is to give a two-week notice. However, it\u2019s often a one-way \u201cfavour\u201d, employers can (and will) escort you out if you\u2019re no longer needed.<\/p>\n

You may be surprised by the number of \u201chelp wanted\u201d signs, especially in big cities. They aren\u2019t just for show, many industries\u2014tourism, services, retail, IT, etc.\u2014are desperate for workers. This is great news if you\u2019re looking for a job<\/a>!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t Check out our job board<\/a> to find the right job anywhere in Canada and add your resume to our database<\/a> so that employers can review your profile! \n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n

\"canada<\/p>\n

4. The sheer size of the country<\/h4>\n

Canada is huge. Like, really. The UK could fit into Canada over 40 times\u2014we\u2019re talking about 9.9\u00a0million square kilometres here.<\/p>\n

In a way, this is super exciting because the possibilities are endless. You can enjoy the Atlantic and the Pacific Coast, plus mountains, prairies, lakes and more.<\/p>\n

On the downside, getting from point A to point B will likely take hours, even days depending on how you choose to get around. And travelling in Canada isn\u2019t cheap\u2014plane tickets, gas, rentals, etc., add up very fast.<\/p>\n

You won\u2019t run out of places to go in Canada but if you\u2019re planning to cover ground, budget accordingly.<\/p>\n

5. Unique (and often extreme) weather<\/h4>\n

You must have heard that Canada epitomizes winter but experiencing it will be a bit of a shock no matter what! Your first snowstorm, ice storm, freezing rain warning, polar vortex and other unique weather phenomena are sure to surprise you.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But there are other seasons in Canada, including fall with gorgeous colours in Eastern Canada, as well as summer with very hot temperatures in parts of the country.<\/p>\n

Do yourself a favour, and download a weather app\u2014it will come in handy, as the weather changes daily and dramatically!<\/p>\n

\"canada<\/p>\n

6. Cute city critters and fascinating wildlife<\/h4>\n

You will soon meet squirrels, beavers, raccoons and skunks\u2014possibly on your first day in any Canadian city!<\/p>\n

And if you explore national parks or the backcountry, you may spot moose, wolves, bears and more. Don\u2019t forget to learn how to deal with wildlife because Canada is, well, rather wild outside cities.<\/p>\n

Marine and northern wildlife also abound in some regions of the country.<\/p>\n

For more info, read 10+ Common and Rare Animals to Meet in Canada<\/a>.<\/p>\n

7. The number of parks and lakes<\/h4>\n

Not that we counted them, but there are over 3\u00a0million lakes in Canada, the country home to 60% of the world\u2019s lakes. They cover 9% of the Canadian territory. Amazing, isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n

There are also 42 national parks covering a total territory of 224,466\u00a0km2.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And by the way, several hundred amazing lakes are located in these national parks.<\/p>\n

Basically, breathtaking landscapes are waiting for you all over the country!<\/p>\n

\"canada<\/p>\n

8. Restrictions on tobacco and alcohol use\u00a0<\/h4>\n

Smoking tobacco is culturally frowned upon (even though part of the population does smoke!). You are not supposed to smoke close to doors and windows, and lighting up on patios isn\u2019t an option either.<\/p>\n

Buying and consuming alcohol isn\u2019t as straightforward as in many countries either (even though, again, Canadians do drink!). The legal drinking age isn\u2019t just a suggestion, it\u2019s enforced and you will be IDed. Possession of an open container of alcohol is generally against the law\u2014basically, you can\u2019t enjoy a beer in a park, for instance.<\/p>\n

9. Legal cannabis<\/h4>\n

Tobacco and alcohol are best consumed in private, but in recent years, cannabis has become a completely acceptable option. You can buy cannabis in specialized stores all over Canada\u2014hell, you can even buy it online or grow your own!<\/p>\n

You will get used to the noticeable smell in some public places\u2026 Note that the Cannabis Act<\/a> is still a work in progress, so make sure you\u2019re aware of the latest prohibitions and obligations.<\/p>\n

\"canada<\/p>\n

10. The way Canadians socialize and date<\/h4>\n

Canadians are known to be polite, friendly and often apologetic (sorry, eh!). You will soon master the art of small talk and be on a first-name basis with pretty much everyone at work, including your manager.<\/p>\n

However, many immigrants report that making real friends is harder than it seems. Canadians are friendly but it can take years (!) to meet outside work for instance, get invited to someone\u2019s place, meet partners and kids, etc., and some friendships may feel like a networking exercise.<\/p>\n

Dating is also a cultural minefield. Both parties decide to establish exclusivity, while in some cultures, kissing or more is de facto the first step towards an exclusive relationship.<\/p>\n

Jade is a Quebec woman on a Working Holiday in France. This is how she explains it:\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIn Canada, every stage matters. First, you\u2019re dating, then you\u2019re talking about becoming exclusive, then you\u2019re talking some more about officially becoming a couple. And it can take days, weeks or months at every stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2026 and this is just an introduction to your Canadian culture shock! You could also add milk bags in Ontario, Quebec\u2019s unique flavour of French, Ottawa\u2019s \u201chello\/bonjour\u201d greeting, the entire concepts of small talk or networking, the reference system and more, but that\u2019s for you to discover!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

No matter how much pre-trip info you gather before travelling, you will experience a bit of a culture shock\u2014and most of the time, it makes for funny anecdotes and memories. Here are 10\u00a0things that may come as a surprise when you\u2019re new to Canada! 1. Sticker price not being the actual price Your first purchase […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":371984,"featured_media":406657,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[201,906,899],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-409250","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-actualite","category-prepare-your-trip","category-cultureactivities","pays-canada-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n10 Surprising Aspects of Life in Canada for Newcomers - pvtistes.net<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The prices, jobs, landscapes, food, climate, wildlife and much more may surprise you when you arrive in Canada.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/pvtistes.net\/choses-surprendre-canada\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"10 Surprising Aspects of Life in Canada for Newcomers\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The prices, jobs, landscapes, food, climate, wildlife and much more may surprise you when you arrive in Canada.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/pvtistes.net\/choses-surprendre-canada\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"pvtistes.net\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-03-15T07:00:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-09-26T11:56:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/pvtistes.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/canada-surprendre-6.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1333\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"MarieL92\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"MarieL92\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/pvtistes.net\\\/choses-surprendre-canada\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/pvtistes.net\\\/choses-surprendre-canada\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"MarieL92\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/pvtistes.net\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/8faaca4615172f3a51c516b93c771aa3\"},\"headline\":\"10 Surprising Aspects of Life in Canada for Newcomers\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-03-15T07:00:24+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-09-26T11:56:29+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/pvtistes.net\\\/choses-surprendre-canada\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1343,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/pvtistes.net\\\/choses-surprendre-canada\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/pvtistes.net\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/10\\\/canada-surprendre-6.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Actualit\u00e9s et \u00e9v\u00e9nements\",\"Departure preparation\",\"Local culture and everyday life\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/pvtistes.net\\\/choses-surprendre-canada\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/pvtistes.net\\\/choses-surprendre-canada\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/pvtistes.net\\\/choses-surprendre-canada\\\/\",\"name\":\"10 Surprising Aspects of Life in Canada for Newcomers - 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