What are some benefits and downsides of living in Canada in comparision to the states?

Question

Ive lived in Detroit my entire life. After going to Toronto a few months ago I was blown away by the overall quality of living in Canada. Since then ive been considering moving out there once I get done with school (im getting into firefighting), but I still dont know as much as I would like before making such a big move. I know about the free health care, overall nicer society, and more liberal way of life in Canada. I also know that taxes are much higher (thats about the only downside ive heard so far). Can anyone give me some concrete pros and cons about joining my neighbors to the north, as well as some good cities to consider?

Answer 1

The health care is much better here. Yeah, we pay for it in our taxes...but there is more equality. I totally agree with the person that pointed out that those that complain about their health care like to omit pertinent details like accidents occuring while they wait. No system is perfect, but I much prefer what we have here.

Our political system is a lot more easy going. Watching the nasty attack ads on TV recently for the election down there had me shocked. Its rare to see something like that up here. There was as much publicity recently over a Member of Parliament allegedly calling his exgirlfriend (also an MP) a dog as there is the USA over a President getting cozy with an intern. (ok, I'm exaggerating...but you get the idea)

Religion isnt quite as strong up here. There are the areas we could call a bible belt, but no where near what I saw in the USA.

I also found there the disparity between rich and poor isnt as much. It is still a problem, but it didnt seem as glaring as the places I have visted.

Good cities? It depends what you like; we're pretty diverse. Winnipeg Manitoba is middle of the road. Easy going, houses arent as expensive as Kelowna BC and you will likely see the same people in a week. Calgary is more "Western" but urban as well. Alberta and BC in general have a higher housing market. Toronto likes to think they are the centre of the universe (as the rest of the country calls them) The Maritimes...poorer in cash, bigger in heart. The Prairie Provinces (Manitoba & Saskatchewan esp) are friendlier...but not as many jobs. If you are going into firefighting I would see what the pay is in different cities as well. You may get paid more in Alberta, but the cost of living is higher there too.

Good luck to you...we're a diverse country and I welcome you to it. :) Make sure you explore wherever you move to.

Answer 2

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RE:
What are some benefits and downsides of living in Canada in comparision to the states?
Ive lived in Detroit my entire life. After going to Toronto a few months ago I was blown away by the overall quality of living in Canada. Since then ive been considering moving out there once I get done with school (im getting into firefighting), but I still dont know as much as I would like before...

Answer 3

Benefits Of Living In Canada

Answer 4

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Canada. Hands down. But it depends on your priorities. If you're looking to have countless opportunites and become rich at the sacrifice of some freedoms and with less governmental support, the US is a better place. If you're looking to live comfortably (not as rich) but still get the benefits of a safe place and free basic health care (of course you're paying higher taxes for these benefits), then it's Canada. Canada is more liberal and free-thinking in a lot of things than the US but Canada relies on the US to protect them if attacked...but really, who's going to attack Canada? Other than that, both countries are comparable and full of really great people.

Answer 5

I've lived in both, and... The bias should be obvious.

First, I heartily concur with "If you're really, really sick (eg. on death's doorstep) there is no real waiting list. People like to complain that they had to wait 3 hours for a doctor at a hospital. They omit that there was a car crash with 5 victims and that their ailment was a bad cold." That's about it. And it's not as though the hospitals are shabby or anything like that.

Plus, the HMO system blew me away when I was in the States. It's _junk_. I suspect the people here who'd like the option to go private would shush if they found out how useful for-profit insurance schemes are.

Higher taxes blah blah blah, but it's not as though they're grafting it off the poor, and what you get for it is, as you saw, noticeable. There aren't really serious slums in Canada, which is quite different from the US, where I saw some really weird concentrated poverty -- parts of DC that looked like they did in the Depression, parts of CA and NM with some third-worldish rural poverty, etc. The infrastructure's sound, the schools are good, and so on.

There's some downside in being near but not in the US. America is a relentless influence, and sometimes very irritatingly so. "Offer valid only in US" is a pretty common frustration in Canada.

Even Toronto can seem a little small after big US cities, too. Sometimes, Americans just seem to have a lot more to _do_.

But if your biggest complaints run to stuff like "There is no equal to that quirky little nightclub I found in NYC here, and the grocery store won't take my coupons," life is pretty good. People _are_ politer, and cities _are_ safer.

And, I find the average Canadian to be better-educated than the average American. I was _shocked_ at what US high school graduates didn't know while living in the States.

There's substantially less right-wing/fundamentalist nonsense; I haven't heard a peep about anybody wanting to teach "creation science" here, for example. Having that BS out of the way makes for better government.

Possibly useful:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_identity

Answer 6

It is true, as others have said, Canada is more liberal and it isn't gun happy like the USA - therefore less murders. Also, in the USA the Tea Party and Conservatives are on a roll which will set the middle class back even further. The USA is great for the very Rich.

Answer 7

Cons:

1. Higher taxes (as you noted)

Pros:

1. Health care geared to need, not income.
2. Generally cleaner cities.
3. Not having to worry about getting shot in the street (outside of Toronto, that is).
4. Far superior public schools.

And the most important one:

5. Real beer (not the yellow swill made from corn syrup that Americans have to drink).

Answer 8

The only other thing i can add to everything else u have mentioned is that Toronto does have a colder climate in the winter months of Jan and Feb. the temp. does drop with very high wind chill factor. So get ready to put on quite a few layers of clothing.
Toronto has become a very sophistacted city!! High quality living and good jobs with good pay for those with a higher education.

you will be happy here in our city of Toronto!!

Answer 9

Try sudbury,ontario. The taxes are bad in town but you can get cheap waterfront properties at 5 minutes out of town and the taxes drop off. pros:3hrs from Toronto, not as expensive as toronto, over 300 lakes within city limits, medical school and university, 2 colleges, good hunting/fishing, lots to do in the summer and winter.cons:high taxes, people are really bad drivers, bears(attracted by all the blueberries), houses in town are a bit pricy

Answer 10

The grass is always greener... (and in this case, legal in small quantities). Part of your high taxes on income include an obligatory health care system that I, personally, have never heard anything good about--and I will freely admit that is anecdotal evidence; however, all of it (about 10 in-depth conversations about life in Canada as European expats) compared their socialized health insurance to what they had in Europe, and said it couldn't hold a candle, that Canada had much more bureacracy, diminished levels of service, and they felt, inferior care. GST adds 6-14% depending on Province.