Canada currently has 3 cities voted in the world’s top 10 most liveable cities. That’s an impressive achievement.

8 things I loved about living in Canada

Canada is the world’s second largest country and has some of the most amazing scenery and wildlife of anywhere I have experienced on earth.

Pristine forests, turquoise lakes and rivers, snow-capped mountains, and animals like bears, deer, elk and moose to keep you forever looking into the forest with awe.

I lived in Canada for nearly 2 years mostly in British Columbia and briefly in Alberta.

Everyone I have met who has gone to Canada for traveling or a working holiday has come back with positive reviews and an encouraging feeling towards Canada.

The people (open minded, adventurous, relaxed, polite)

Canadians are well known for their friendliness and politeness and it is the perfect way to start this list by mentioning; they are standout people. If I could summarise the 4 standard qualitied of Canadians it would be their open-mindedness, their adventurousness, their relaxed attitude and their polite demeanour. The service sector in Canada is first-rate (although tipping is customary) and my Canadian friends are all hard-working and motivated. As a foreigner I found Canada to be extremely welcoming and never once was I made to feel uncomfortable. I was given every opportunity to get employment and rent a house or room as everyone else. Canadians are world leaders in their manner and approach to life and they deserve a spot on this list!

The work life balance

Canadians work hard and play hard. They truly know how to live a well-balanced lifestyle and I found Canadians to be experts at juggling a successful career while maintaining contact with an outdoors lifestyle. Most people I knew would ski in the winters on weekends or go canoeing or hiking in the summer. There was a a great culture of still enjoying life for example meeting up with friends mid-week for dinner or a couple drinks but not getting carried away. In the western provinces of Canada particularly British Columbia, Yukon and Alberta there is a wide variety of seasonal jobs which allow people to live a flexible lifestyle that changes with the season.

The scenery

Driving in Western Canada you will pass vast mountain ranges of jagged peaks and deep green thickly-wooden forests.

Just driving in the West can be an experience.

The volume and variety of natural landscapes and outstanding land features makes it a very fulfilling experience to be surrounded by such raw nature. It is good for the soul. In the west there is no short supply of places to stop and pull over, pitch a tent, go fishing, or go for a hike.

The hiking and camping

All trails has registered over 24,000 hiking trails and 4000 camp sites in Canada. That is immense

The hiking and camping in Canada is world class, arguably the world’s best. The scenery in areas like the Rockies, the Coastal mountains or the Yukon are so beautiful and wild in their visual aspect that both day hikes and overnighters are a deeply rewarding experience.

Water is in abundance in the multitude of lakes and rivers in Canada, which also ads an amazing appeal to hikes as you can replenish your water or go for a swim. Similarly, fire-wood and the ability to have campfires is a great freedom that can be enjoyed in Canada that is not as easy in most other countries.

The culture around hiking and camping in Canada is well developed and there is a strong emphasis on ‘leave no trace’ and ‘pack it out’ which means hiking trails are clean and still pristine.

The wildlife

Bears, Mountain Lions, Deer, Elk, Moose, Caribou, Beavers, Robbins, Wood peckers, Blue Jays not to mention flowers goats beard or salmon berry. This is accompanied by old-growth forests of Spruce, Pine and Fir.

As a foreigner this vast array of large Fauna and exciting Flora means that Canada has a naturally exciting appeal.

In the spring when wildlife becomes more active, it was always such a treat to see a deer walk across the road or a bear pop its head out of the woods. Those occasions never ceased to make me feel amazed and grateful.

The change of seasons

The change of seasons in Canada is noticeable and wonderful to watch. As an Australian, we have slightly defined seasons; but in Canada the landscape is blanketed in a world of white in winter and is a carpet of oranges and reds in the autumn (fall). When the seasons change there is a tangible

The skiing

The skiing in Canada is world class especially in British Columbia, the Yukon and the Rockies through Alberta. Whistler mountain for example has 14 ski lifts, 4700 acres of terrain and an average of 10m of snowfall annually.

This kind of access to good quality powder snow and vast swatches of terrain make Canada a mecca for skiers and snow-boarders all over the world. There is also arguably unparalleled heli-skiing in the Caribou regions in towns such as Revelstoke.

The summers

Canadian summers far exceed everyone’s expectations. There is a running joke that many people “come for the winter and stay for the summers” because the summers are simply that good. The days don’t get dark until 10pm and most people become very active in the summer; going off on camping trips, hitting the lake, hiking, canoeing, rock-climbing, fishing, kayaking and more. Now couple this with the ability to go to wineries, music gigs, outings and day-trips and you begin to get an idea of just how incredible a Canadian summer can be.

There is something for everyone. If you like nature and the outdoors, you will be in no short of supply of activities. However if you like the more metropolis and suburban lifestyle cities like Toronto and Montreal are some of the worlds ‘most liveable’ cities.

Want to go check out Vancouver Island off the West Coast of BC? Explore Vancouver Island:

https://www.explorevanisland.com/

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8 things I loved about living in Canada

8 things I loved about living in Canada

The people (open minded, adventurous, relaxed, polite)

The work life balance

The scenery

The hiking and camping

The wildlife

The change of seasons

The skiing

The summers

There is something for everyone. If you like nature and the outdoors, you will be in no short of supply of activities. However if you like the more metropolis and suburban lifestyle cities like Toronto and Montreal are some of the worlds ‘most liveable’ cities.

If you want to get accomodation in Canada check out booking:

If you want to get flights to Canada check out sky-scanner:

If you want to rent a Van in Canada check out Turo:

Want to go skiing? Check out Whistler Ski resort pass:

Want to go check out Vancouver Island off the West Coast of BC? Explore Vancouver Island:

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