What's Canada Like?

Question

I'm from California and concidering living in Canada next year. do you think it's worth leaving everything behind? For instence my job, family, friends? If you've ever lived in both places which one is better? And would you leave California for Canada?

Almost forgot I live in Pasadena, CA and would consider to live in Vancouver!

Answer 1

The Mayor offered some pretty succinct insights..
And like he said, it depends on where in Cali you are coming from, and what exactly you will be leaving behind.. I love the Bay area - pretty hard to beat - but personally think the LA area is a hole..

Of course there is MUCH more to Canada that just Toronto and Vancouver.. it really does depend on what you are looking for, our cities and provinces are all quite different - and there are lots of wonderful smaller communities ..

In a nutshell though, some real stand out differnces between the countries:

- USA's a great place to make money, or if you are rich.. lousy place to be poor though..

- USA has a larger economy, and therefore more opportunities

- Cdn's pay more taxes, but as a result we have a larger social safety net : less poverty, accessible healthcare, welfare

- Cdn's tend to be more tolerant of diversity : more welcoming of immigrants, homosexuals

- unlike California, we've got lots of water and energy

- Cdns are generally more liberal

- Canada is much safer as a whole

- Canada's a better place to raise a family - the common joke is that LA is Canada's 4th largest city (on account of just how many Canucks live there) - ancedotally, it would seem lots of my countrymen go down there to find their fortune, but come right back when it comes time to raise a family..


You should come up and visit BC, cheap flight from SF or LA.. be sure to visit some of the small communities outside of Vancouver though, like the Gulf Islands, Vancouver Island or farther east Nelson..

word of warning though, a lot of Cdns don't take kindly to the "flag waving" Americans, don't like Bush, and think Iraq was a mistake from the git-go .. of course, last I checked a lot of Americans felt the same way ..

If I were you I'd try it out for a while.. get a 6mos work visa.. experience a summer AND a winter.. at the end of the day - its not like your moving to Australia if you stick to the coast - its a short plane ride back to friends and family in Cali..


good luck!

Answer 2

How can you love a place that you have never been to yet? It's like seeing previews of a movie and you get so excited and love it, then you get there and it's a major disappointment because it was not as great as you expected it to be. I'm not saying Canada is a bad place. In fact, I live her and I love the natural beauty, the friendly people, and our culture has such a great sense of humour in general. But I think that someone should visit parts of Canada first and see what areas they like. Big difference when you are living in Vancouver vs. Winnipeg, especially when January rolls around! Likewise, big cultural differences living in Calgary vs Montreal. It's like putting someone from New York City into the middle of Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin...there will be a slight culture shock.

Answer 3

I have lived in both places.

First, I have to say both California and Canada are big places. Which part of Canada are you planning to move to, and which part of California do you currently live?

I lived in the Bay Area just north of San Jose for 8 years, and I lived in Toronto for two years and Vancouver for a few months.

I have to say first off I have traveled and lived through most of the US and traveled all over the world, Asia, South America, Central America, and Europe. And California is the best place on earth. Nothing else even comes close.

That said, Toronto is a very nice, clean cosmopolitan city, if you are from LA or even San Francisco you will find it very different. Torontonians like to consider it the New York of Canada, but I would say it is more like Chicago than New York. Now, before I get a thousand thumbs down from angry Canadians, I must say Toronto is a lot of fun there are tons of things to do and see there, as well as, great food and a vibrant nightlife. Plus, if you are getting paid in US dollars, everything is 20%-30% cheaper for you (since the US dollar has slid so much I think it is note quite as good as that anymore, but still not bad).

The summers are great the sun sets later that far north and nature is everywhere just north of the city. The winters are not so great, it is very cold especially compared to California and it does snow quite a bit. Not as much as upstate New York, but still quite a bit.

Vancouver is a much smaller city than Toronto, it is very similar to Seattle or Portland, which makes sense since they are all in the Pacific Northwest. Vancouver (Richmond) has hands down the best Chinese food in the world, not even San Francisco's Chinatown comes close. It does rain a lot there, but not as much as Seattle; and, of course, there is great skiing a couple of hours away. There is a decent nightlife there, but it is a little more subdue than Toronto.

Living in Canada is a great experience, but if you are considering a permanent move I would say stay in California, you don't know how good you have it until you leave it!!!

Answer 4

Depends on where you will be moving too. Big city/small town, East Coast/West Coast? Canada is cleaner, , safer and I think more beautiful, people are great very multicultural/inclusive, education system(private and public) is better, health care although not as efficient as US is free, taxes may be higher but standard of living is good enough to get by as there are no ghettos per say, we have poor areas(Jane/Finch wannabe hoodlum) but no Compton like areas or situations. Obviously the big difference between Canada and California is the temp, we do get winter /snow and ice so that may take some getting used to, but you'll adapt, the fall is great in the East the leaves on the trees change into golds, red, and oranges that would take your breath away.

Answer 5

According to Michael Moore's film; "Bowling For Columbine",... there are more guns in Canada per person than there are in the United States. The interesting thing is,.. there is a much much lower incidence of people shooting people in Canada percentage wise, in comparison with the U.S.. ... Unfortunately,. it has been awhile since I saw that film and I cannot recall the reason sited for this difference,.. but I do seem to recall that it was a cultural difference. ... American's are simply a more violent people in general. ............ If you ask me, ...that alone would make Canada a better place to live.

I spent over twenty years each summer working in the wilderness areas of northern Ontario and Quebec. .. I always found Canada to be an excellent country. The Canadians are very nice people and always willing to help a person out who is in need of it.

Another thing that stood out to me over the years was that the Police in Canada (the "Mounties"),.. felt more like someone who was there to help you if you needed it. ... This is very different from the way the police feel in the states,.. which is more like someone who is just waiting for you to screw up so they can nail you.

Of course the best thing about Canada (if you are into pure nature),.. is it's tremendous expanses of wilderness. ... American's think they know what pure wilderness is,.. with the likes of some of our national parks and national forests,... but you have not experienced truly pure wilderness until you venture into the wild lands of northern Canada. .... It is incredible country.

The only thing I am not crazy about with Canada is the fact that it is very cold in the winter. That can be hard if you are not used to it.

Answer 6

Someone who said like Maine only bigger..didnt elaborate on that.. Canada is bigger than United States in land mass. Canada is 4 million square miles..while United States of America is 3.6 million square miles. Its a wonderful place to live. Friendly People, less crime, lots to do.

Answer 7

Canada is much better then USA. But where to live in Canada is the real question. It is very diverse.

We have nicer people.
No guns, except in Scarborough.
Great scenery. Mountains rivers lakes.

Our national animal is the Beaver ; }. (What a nice Beaver. Thanks, I just had it stuffed.)
Our money is colourful. Our coins are Loonies.
How can you not love a country with such a great sense of humour.

Answer 8

not as much pollution
u don't always have to get on a highway
to get somewhere
I love Vancouver, B.C
not too hot and not too cold
California is a bit too hot for me

Answer 9

Like America with fewer guns and more Moose.

Answer 10

Like Maine only bigger.....