While the idea of crossing the border, setting up home on the lake and starting a new life sounds glamorous Canada isn’t without its downsides. Yes, you’ll be able to go skiing any time you like over winter, but you’ll also have to get used to wearing four sweaters just to go out to the grocery store!
Try Before You Buy
We can’t deny that Canada has some of the prettiest towns, breathtaking views and the deepest, purest snow on the planet. Education, health and transport are all top government priorities, and gender equality, including pay, is better here than in many other countries. However, while the idea of living in what’s basically an outdoor playground sounds incredibly tempting you never really know what somewhere is like until you visit it yourself. Before rushing into buying a lakeside condo, a house in the hills or an apartment downtown go there first! Even if it’s just for a two-week vacation remember that all visitors will need a Canada ETA to enter. Once here, you’ll immediately be able to assess the quality of life you’d have, as well as weed out any less desirable attributes such as having to pay a small fortune for, well, everything.
It’s A Bug’s Life
Despite the fact the country’s rather on the cold side for a good half of the year, Canada still gets mosquitos and lots of them. Canada’s bug population, especially midges, simply cryogenically freeze themselves during cold weather and then as soon as spring arrives lakes, rivers, even town centres are filled with both biting and non-biting insects. There’s also new breeds of super mosquito that have adapted to both the cruel temperatures and hostile climate. Canadians are used to applying bug spray, schools even hold classes on it, fumigating their houses and buying cream to relieve mosquito bites all year round.
Winter Is Coming
It may sound incredibly obvious, but Canada is cold. How cold? Temperatures in the winter months regularly fall below freezing; we’re talking – 40 degrees here with an exceedingly bitter wind chill. While being able to stay snug and warm if you don’t fancy getting up is fine on vacation, or happily wrapping yourself in thermal layers and snow boots to go shopping. But if you did it all the time would you feel the same way? Canadians go to work, school and college in absolute mind-blowingly cold temperatures often choosing to ski at lunchtime instead of staying indoors. Heating costs skyrocket during winter and there’s no way of escaping the chill, so you’d better be fond of making snowmen, a pro at clearing ice from your windows and adept at fixing large snow chains to all your cars.
A Little Thing Called Taxes
Visitors to Canada may be taken aback by the small surcharges and fees that are, at times, sneakily added onto purchases. Petrol or gas is extremely expensive while there’s also import taxes, on beer, wine and spirits as well as being only able to buy alcohol in certain areas. House prices are not low either; you’ll need to have saved $550,000 before being able to afford something in Toronto worth having.
