7 Culture Shocks in Canada That Still Shock Us 

Born in Canada, lived here my entire 59 years and still don't understand why winter tires are not mandatory. My car has studded snow tires, on it. I won't drive in winter without them.

I will never understand how being a newcomer you are told a thousand times a day "you are not prepared for winter here, pal" whenever you mention it is cold... but the locals go from their warm bed to their warm car to their warm offices and they never face winter like a newcomer has to. They never face winter and judge the new folks that have to walk in the cold, work in the cold or even lower temperatures at home to save a buck. So rude :P

I don't understand drive through line ups either, get out, stretch your legs, see things, way better. Regarding building homes, wood is the best material for energy efficiency. A six inch wood and insulation wall has R20, a one foot brick wall has R2. For brick to be energy efficient, you need to build an interior wall. A wood house can last centuries, my brother lives in a 1905 wood house, nothing wrong with the house. Regarding wood vs brick, North America is full of trees, Europe not so much. And remember, North America was populated by immigrants, many with no funds, wood houses were cheaper then and cheaper now. Hail the wood industry.

You are forgetting bagged milk…east of Manitoba anyway. Seriously, I went out recently for a (well-priced) burger. My bill was $12.60. I paid with a $20 bill. The server asked if I wanted change. Are you effing kidding me?

Born in Canada but was curious about the video. Some of the comments regarding opening hours for shops is valid but the shops have bad hours due to covid recovery. Things used to be open more regularly and longer.

Car insurance over here crazy sometimes we pay in a year more than the value of the car. (Talking about old ones). But why. Additionally mobile data is also costly as compared to the world.

About the 1st point. The number of times I've stopped at a drive through, walked in because it would be faster, only to see 20 cars go through the drive through before the staff served me (the only customer inside). In many cases it is MUCH faster to line up in the drive through.

Thank you for taking your time to reply to us. I really felt at home for your feedback.

I still can't get used to everything closing early. That drives me nuts!

well thought-through, an excellent eye on details, great job, girls. Kak vsegda, super!!!

The house thing I really noticed about a week ago while out running some errands. I was just observing the house and each was built out of wood, no bricks in sight.

You girls have some great points. I am with you.

Oh gosh, winter tires! Yes, That bugs me since we came. Like, you are right, why, just why it's only optinal to use them?

I've never had luck getting out of my car and not using drive through. It has always taken longer as they seem to prioritize drive thru over people inside. (I don't go to Tim Hortons though).

I’m born and raised in Canada and I still don’t understand waiting in drive-through line ups. Park the damn car and walk inside to order from a live person, not a microphone and speaker. In Canada, not that long ago, ALL banks closed at 3:00 sharp. Being open after 3 was a revolutionary thing when it first started, around the 1980’s. The LCBO store near me used to close at 6 o’clock sharp, just in time for preventing any civilized person from buying a bottle of wine for their dinner. The manager stands at the door with his hand on the lock while staring at his wristwatch on his other hand, waiting for the EXACT time he can lock that door, and not a single second later, as if he was a robot. This is what I hate about Ontario; the overly officious mentality. These are the same kind of people who’d execute innocent people in a firing squad and then claim they were just doing their job. These are truly dangerous people and should be avoided at all costs.

In a country with so much water, why are my water bills so much? Why does a country that is low in GHG emissions have a carbon tax?

wooden / carton construction is better for energy efficiency ... and it is cheaper to build, better for renovations

Most insurance companies will require you to have winter tires if you have collision included.

What about high cellphone plans due to lack of competitive market. And recently I noticed my delivery charges for my utilities are higher than my usage 🤪. Should move to off the grid houses.

The account opening tax is literally a forced contribution to the service so you're less likely to want to switch. After all, you have already invested your money in this particular one. This should be banned in my opinion. Almost scam

Well put together video 👍 perfectly relatable too. I wanna know...why there's no option to just watch the video on my RU-vid app or from my account.. since it showed up on Google...news.. I guess..in the Google app in fact.

That was funny about the thing about construction.! What Builders do as they just placed a ton of insulation to prevent the home from cooling too much. You will typically find a 10° difference from the outside to the inside. But it would be nice to have a brick home the problem with the brick home is that it absorbs too much heat and doesn't give it off inside the home

That psrt sbout medication not treatments is serious. Canada needs to do better with that.

Services in Canada… I have found recently that many banks in Vancouver BC that the ATMs / ABMs in the branches, are ONLY OPEN WHEN THE BRANCH IS WORKING !!! Completely useless !!

Well, in my opinion, seeing a specialist enables you to buy the prescription medicines, that’s the only difference it makes most of the time. If she’s going to direct me to take Tylenol what’s the use of the visit in the first place?:)

If you are not happy about how everything built in Canada you just never lived in Turkey ))) Also in Turkey all season tires is winter tires. I tried to get a real studded ones in a rent companies but they always give me a car with all season tires, saying that this is it and that they put a snow chains in a trunk if I plan to go to really snowy place. And this is when I say that I'm going to northern mountain regions in winter 🙈 And thank you for the video, good to know, what to expect )))

We certainly do not experience winter conditions for 9 months of the year. It’s 4 at best

Drive thru line ups happen because it's -40 outside. Or it's really hot outside and I have my dogs with me and I don't want someone to break my windows. It's also not easy to get babies, toddlers, or kids in and out of car seats just to grab a coffee.

The requirements for new tenants. The Tax at checkouts. But its a beautiful country!

i wonder about the new account set up fee as well!!!!!!!

It was time that someone say the true about the life in Canadá, thanks girs and my regards from 🇺🇸 usa

I visited Montreal last year at the end of April, I was so tired when I got to my airbnb that I fell asleep on my first day, when I woke up it was 9pm, me thinking I would just go out and find some restaurant for dinner only to find that almost everything was closed, I was so confused, one would think that big city = 24 hour life, not in Canada, and there where some late dinner options available, but most where cheap fast food joints, let's just say that Uber eats saved me that night ✨

You guys caught almost every thing I was talking about...

Everything closes early. Most of that can be blamed directly on COVID. My pharmacy now closes at 7 PM and the No Frills supermarket at 8 PM so we are not too badly off. Although back before covid, there was one supermarket chain that was open 24/7. Now its only open for 16 hours - which means the chain now only has to pay for 2 shifts instead of 3.

So true! I don't know anybody who isn't aware of these problems (except for Winter tires in rest of Canada which sounds like madness to me and yet here we still are...

I don't know. Most of the things you mentioned in this video are same as in few countries I've been into and probably many countries I haven't yet been to. Well, with the exception of winter tires not being mandatory. That's pure stupidity I agree 🤣

OMG , Canadian boy here and I also can't get why the drive through line ups ! Lazy is the only explanation .

In Québec, it is a common thing to invite guests over to your house and the guests are expected to bring their food... smth called potluck? I don't get this concept. Lol

Maybe the strange working hours can be a sign that most workers in that clinic also work in another places

Foreign transaction fees. That's something most Canadian banks have, but unheard of in the rest of the world.

What I don't get about canada: Car centric design and no shops on the ground level of residential buildings. In my home country the ground floor was always reserved for stores and shops so you could just take the stairs, buy your missing egg or sugar pack, and go back home, but here no, you have to go to Walmart for everything. Don't tell me there are convenience stores in some buildings, they charge outrageous prices so they don't count.

All thr stores are open all day in Alberta and BC.

Reason so many businesses closed on stat holidays is called "double time & a half". Sometimes it's not with the extra payroll costs. Also nobody wants to work stats anyway. It's called life balance which is a good thing. And the whole conversation of temporary foreign workers is another thing ... If your business plans includes TFW's!!!! You don't have a business or a good plan.

Hey been a critic but nice video

funny coat check. Canada seems to be very business savvy

everything you mentioned in this video can be summed up easily, we canadians are generally lazy, and as such have to compensate with some fees that shouldn't exist

Very true, the US has Doctors, Canada has Pharmaceutical Promoters (don't forget the massive appointment wait times too - 6 to 24 months)

Been here a while and i still dont get why taxes are not included in product prices. Maybe its a stategy to get us to practice Math evertime we buy somthing.

What i don't get is the soooooo many taxes. And they get sent out if the country most of the time. Tampons in mens bathrooms in military... Yup our taxes at work. 😢😢

House insurance 5x price, car also compared to uk. Pedestrian laws kill people, change them, half uk population, same number of deaths. Great bunch of people though 👍🏼

I fell in love with your Russian English😁

A lot of whiny people on your comment section who don’t like to hear the truth about their country. I’m 73 and live in Peterborough Ontario. Everything you mentioned is true but clearly because the country is so geographically diverse people want to nitpick about something that doesn’t necessarily apply to their little part of heaven😂. You’re 100% correct about medical doctors as opposed to naturopaths. Example. A doctor who I no longer see prescribed anti acid medication and the verbal exchange was exactly like the one on your video.🤣. Just keep taking it for life he said, even though when I researched it myself it states it shouldn’t be taken for more than three months. The naturopath I consulted treated my underlying issue immediately. Problem solved without any medications. That’s just one of many examples. Keep up the good work ladies. Canadians are a bit too sensitive about being correctly criticized. Especially when those critics are Russians. 😂😂 We tend to think we’re so perfect. 🤣

Medical not treatment. If you go to an ER and are seeing any medical person who is not your doctor, they CANNOT treat you under the law precisely because they are not your doctor. They can only manage the symptoms, but you have to go to your own doctors to get any actual treatment. THIS IS common sense and I'm pretty sure that it is also the law. And yes I know how hard it is to find a doctor. My son and I ended up having to wait 5 years for a new Family doctor business to open up in our neighbourhood. Finally after 5 years of going to walk in clinics.

Yes, I'm concerned about the houses made out of wood. Also, hoping for the hyperinflation to go down in BC in the next couple of years

I disagree 100% about the doctors only treat symptoms. This really depends on the doctor you see. You will be correct, if most of the doctors you see at a walk in clinic only provides treatment for symptoms or know your medical background. The doctor or doctors I have been seeing, my old family doctor and present one were more on focus on the cause of the symptom. For example one of my doctors I see, is a licensed Acupuncturist, herbalist, and a licensed GP. He focuses on just not on the symptom of the illness but the root cause. He would say if you dont quite doing the illegal drugs, and start going to the gym to exercise, you dont need to see me, look for the undertaker, dont waste my time. He has been a doctor for 40+ years.

If this is all you don't understand about Canada you aren't paying attention.

Good one.😅😅

What I don’t get is why aren’t we married yet Anna

canada is best country for ppl from the developing (third world) nations. most of those ppl want the pr just cuz that canadian passport gives them more mobility and credibility. most would and try to go to US cuz building a life in canada is not really worth it. (u cant build wealth cuz of cost of living and high taxes)

I’m only 11 and I want to move can you help me please I want to be there for 21 I’m greater depth (one of the smartest) could you help.❤

Do you want thumbnail designer?

What part of Canada are you in we hardly get any snow in the Vancouver area - account activation fees are half that in BC so you must be looking at one province & assuming it is the same everywhere . You came here from Russia ?

"Universal Health Care" in Canada is a joke

How can some European newcomer miss 24 hour stores, when they don’t have them there themselves.

Every immigrant has to get their education credentials evaluated before coming to Canada but for unknown reasons they aren’t good enough to get a job. Also, for immigrants who’ve never lived in Canada, why ask if they’ve ever had Canadian experience?

I’m 50 years old as a child I had a Doctor Who KNEW HIS 💩 He was the kind of Doctor that took care of His patients He’d have a patient try a medication 💊 to clear up a stomach pain if that didn’t work He’d try another Medication if one didn’t work then He’d send the patient to specialist and He listened to the patient These days You walk into a Medi clinic see a Doctor You start explaining what’s wrong and before Your finished the Doctor says lay down stand up or bend over 😂 (I know what some are thinking this has nothing to do with the mind in the gutter comment😂) the Doctor shoves His/Her fingers where the sun don’t shine 😱🤬😭and now the patient is embarrassed 😳

The government makes the businesses close early or on certain days with taxes and fees.

You forget to mention everywhere when you call you will be on answer machine if you are lucky you can have someone to talk to you as soon as possible if not you will wait too much. Also Canadian will ask you where are you from? Answer is I born here my parent came from somewhere else. Is like we have 2 citizens class member: canadian who born here (even if this person didn't live here) and canadian who exported from somewhere else....

Most of these things are the same in Jamaica 🇯🇲, they just call them different names so it’s not such a shocker.

Supermarket bakeries! never seen such low quality low grade baked goods in my life! even countries in Africa have better stuff!

I'm an immigrant and I am not shocked.

Use a Credit Union! They aren’t rip-off artists like the big chartered banks. RBC is the worst.

Dear mam, Sorry to ask you a different question than the topic of video. I am krunal from India, me and my wife received Canada COPR in sep 2023. Then in oct 2023 we blessed with a baby boy. So I have made his passport and birth certificate to raise a webform in dec 2023. Since then I am raising the webforms once a month. IRCC replied that they add baby name in file and send the file to the responsible office. Till date I have not received any mail asking the generic form, family form etc. Now my COPR is going to expire on 14 april 2024. What should I do? Should I wait to add my baby in PR app.? Or I should fly alone before COPR expired?

Commenting on the winter tire situation.You seem to forget that there are more immigrants now.And they are the ones doing the jobs and they don't have the experience.That's why nothing runs good anymore. It's called - d e i

Where are you ladies from?

it's almost like you don't understand reality. going through a drive-thru means you can continue doing whatever you want in your vehicle. it isn't about saving time.

What happened to Sobeys? Im not Canada no more, so not up to date...but when I was still there 10 years ago, thats the store I go to for late night. They go 24 hrs open.Some Shoppers Drug mart go 24 hrs as well.

Coat fee 😅 big city stuff lol 😅 just wear your coat in lol 😅 i didn't even know that was a thing

Taxes!? 👀

♥

Drive through lineups are embarassing to our country.

Why would we work any harder than we already are? We are taxed so much there's no point working more.

Canada uses Newcomers to pay pensions of old Europeans through tax

As a natural born Canadian of 54 years, its true that this country has fallen apart. Its a fact that our immigrant physicians only care about writing prescription (most likely for the financial kick back), have the highest cell phone and internet charges, and get absolutely gouged on taxes. I am planning to move from Canada because I've had enough. (I'm sure there will be a few immature comments stating "don't let the door hit you on the way out". Don't worry, ill be moving much faster than that)

1. There are drive through lineups because people are too lazy to get out of their cars. Okay, maybe some have small kids and would rather stay with them in a confined area rather than have them running around in the shop, but it's mostly lazy people. 2. Account activation fees are a ripoff. Plain and simple. 3. You may think the service level is low, but I think quite the opposite. Why? Because I understand these people have lives and families too. You want people to be staffing businesses all night for your convenience, I'd much rather they have they try and have normal life, not work shift work that is proven to decrease lifespans of workers. Yes, service is better in US, where they treat and pay their workers like garbage. I'm fine with the opposite, in fact I won't shop late at night or on holidays because I don't believe stores should be open at all at those times. However, when it comes to essential services like doctors it would be nice if they were open longer. Banks close early because they want you to do all your banking online rather than pay their workers. 4. My experience with doctors ordering tests has been better than yours. It is true that they will try several remedies before sending you to a specialist, but I can see how specialist scarcity would demand such a thing. My biggest problem with Canada is that we try way too hard to be more like the US. Other countries look at changes like the shortening the 40 hour work week and see positive results, but you never even hear about Canada considering such a thing. Why? Because we're fixated with the US, where 40 hours (or more) is considered a good thing and where working yourself to death is at the expense of family and friends is considered the norm.

The account setup fee is just a legal theft. Everything closes early and yet we see #dumdums driving around all hours at night. I do not get these either. Winter tires on a rental in an area like AB, MB, SK.. .good luck. The people running business in Canada spend so much time trying to find ways to charge fees (they spend more money trying to find ways to charge more money that they actually get), I got lucky on the doctor issue (no complaints there). 1/2 assing everything is really big here. I have missed your channel. I have been here 13 years myself. ;)

For activation fees, complain and get it reversed.

In that case Europe is much better

Because you must have moved here from Europe later in your life, you have no idea how terrible the education system is. Where in Europe are you from?

Wow..coat check..hidden fees..oh no😢

omg, canada sounds like it's living in the dark ages.

I don't understand the wokeness and self-hating mentality.

We don't need anymore mandates. Get winter tires if you want. You'll also get a discount on your insurance

Ive been in Canada for 27 years. Canada is a nightmare State right now

There is a big difference between Canadians and people who just live in Canada.

Drs these days .. idk what to think they like teachers now... Very suspect.

Time for you to move to another country 😮

Both of u guys each and every video is very useful and informative ❤❤❤❤❤ ,,,, i just want to ask u a question if possible for you guys to reply me, is that possible to get a job opportunity if someone is outside of Canada and if he apply for job opportunities through LinkedIn, Indeed, JobBank or any other job fairs website , so is it possible if he could get a job????Thanks

Sounds like you'll be leaving Canada soon,it's so bad here .

Thank god I live in America