While you might have heard a lot about the benefits of living in Canada and how Canadian cities always show up in the best places to live in North America, you should also know about things that you might not like about Canada. It’s definitely something to consider if you are planning to migrate to Canada. Here are some reasons why you should not move to Canada!
Harsh Winter Weather in Canada
Winters can be really harsh in Canada. Temperatures can drop as low as -30C depending on which city you are residing in. If you are not used to the cold weather, it might make you stay indoors and not enjoy going out for a few months every year!
Since it snows quite a lot during winters, driving can be quite challenging. It is no surprise that it is recommended to equip your car with winter tires or even snow chains in some of the regions.
If you enjoy warmer weather, that will leave you to either go for Vancouver or Victoria as your preferred destination since they experience milder winters than the rest of the country.
High Cost of Living in Canada’s Major Cities
The lack of housing supply and money laundering in major cities like Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal has caused real estate prices to go way beyond the yearly inflation rate while the same thing can’t be said about the salary that an average Canadian makes.
Not only do you have to pay a lot of money for housing in those cities, but also the quality of the unit tends to be poor. If you are planning to get housing, make sure that you inspect the unit before you submit your housing application.
Relatively Poor Wages and High Taxes in Canada
In general, wages in Canada lag way behind wages in the United States. There is a reason why a lot of Canadians decide to move south of the border and get a skilled job there as there is potential of making a lot more money in the US when you take into consideration stock options and bonuses that the American companies handout to their employees. This is despite the federal minimum wage being much higher in Canada than in the US.
Not only are the average wages lower in Canada, but also the taxes are higher, meaning after tax deductions and paying living expenses, you will have very little or no savings at all while living in major Canadian cities.
Poor Public Transit System in Canada
While you will often hear how Canadian cities like Toronto have the best public transit system in North America, it is still generations behind European/Japanese cities. In a lot of areas throughout the country, public transport is almost non-existent.
You will find that the public transit system is always overcapacity during peak hours and breakdowns happen quite often meaning your commutes are delayed and what was supposed to be a 15-minute commute becomes more than 2 hours! Not only that, but during peak hours it reeks of sweat and you will often end up having interaction with crazy people on the transit on a regular basis who can sometimes get aggressive for absolutely no reason.
It might just be quicker, cheaper and easier to just walk rather than hopping onto the streetcars in any Canadian city. I personally found that my quality of life was much better when I just completely avoided the public transit while living in Toronto.
Driving in Canadian Cities Can Be Frustrating
Unlike American cities, Canadian cities do not have a downtown loop (connecting highways) meaning if you have to enter or leave the city, you will have to stick to the narrow city roads with signals every then and now. Driving in Canadian cities can be a really tiring experience, especially during peak hours.
While the population in cities has gone up drastically in the last decade, there has been very little effort by the provincial and federal government to build the necessary transportation infrastructure that supports growth.
Noise Pollution in Canadian Cities
This one might not apply to all major Canadian cities but something I really hated about living in Toronto’s city center was that it was just too noisy. Construction would start up early in the morning and would disrupt my sleep. While you can complain to the city about the issue, they would be very unwilling to do much about it since real-estate contributes a big portion to the economy.
Another thing that might bother you while living downtown is the constant sound of vehicles. Most of the apartments and condos in the downtown area have poor sound insulation and you will hear almost everything that goes around your block even if you are living on the high level floors.
Is Canada Still a Good Place to Move To?
While you can avoid the high cost of living, and traffic issues by moving to a small city, there might not be much to do those cities and also those it’s very important to mention that those cities might be lacking on infrastructure like highways and healthcare. However, it would be hard for you to get rid of the Canadian winters 🙂
It would be good to ask yourself what kind of lifestyle do you really want?