You might expect rules to work the same on either side of the U.S.-Canada border. For the most part, you’d be right, but there are some rules in Canada that many Americans simply don’t understand.
Some rules are federal. Others are provincial. Either way, they’re standards that people in the United States don’t really get.
Here are ten Canadian rules that many Americans see as unnecessary, as well as the reasons why they’re so confusing. Which of these do you think would surprise you first?
Cash purchases get rounded to the nearest five cents
Canada stopped using the penny much earlier than the United States did, and it forced stores to round up or down to the nearest five cents for cash totals. Card payments aren’t rounded at all. Yes, there are similar systems in America, but these are voluntary, rather than compulsory.
Americans find the rule irritating because it changes the total at the register while item prices themselves stay the same. They think changing the math based on your method of payment is silly.
Basic car insurance must be bought from the government insurer
The rules in British Columbia state that all drivers need to buy basic auto insurance from ICBC. You’re not allowed to shop around for core coverage. That bothers quite a few Americans, as they think people should have the freedom to compare providers for practically everything.
They see being locked into a single insurer as rather unnecessary. Americans argue that competition already exists for optional coverage & the government regulates pricing, so people should have the freedom to choose their provider.
The contest skill-testing question
You might’ve noticed that a lot of Canadian giveaways end with a quick math question before the winner is decided. That’s not a gimmick.
In fact, it’s part of how Canadian law treats contests, as the law bans games of pure chance because it sees them as illegal lotteries. But contests that involve an element of skill are allowed.
Lots of Americans see such a rule as unnecessary because they don’t have anything similar for sweepstakes. Having to solve 8 x 7 – 5 before claiming your winnings feels like an odd hurdle to them.
Canadian-content quotas on radio
Canadian radio stations follow a rule that states they must play a certain percentage of Canadian music each week. It all depends on what the CRTC decides qualifies a song as Canadian.
However, there’s no such national quota in the United States for a song to qualify as American. That’s why many Americans see it as an unnecessary rule because they think regular people should decide what counts as a national station.
Plain-style tobacco packaging rules
Any smokers in Canada will know all about the federal rules on cigarette packages. They’re not allowed any branding & must have a standard appearance that includes health warnings across the box.
That’s not to say there aren’t warnings on American tobacco products. But there’s no uniform style that cigarette companies have to follow nationwide, and many Americans think that the Canadian approach is excessively controlling.
Provinces control when and where alcohol can be sold
Canadian provinces set alcohol rules across the country, although these rules cover a lot more than age limits. They can decide which stores can sell alcohol and what hours they’re allowed to open. Even the days on which they can sell alcohol are up to each province.
For Americans, these rules are unnecessary because they understand that demand doesn’t change by schedule. They believe that fixed sales windows shouldn’t be allowed when people are able to buy responsibly.
Provinces can restrict when lawn watering is allowed
Another thing provinces can control is lawn watering. These are assigned by address number or specific days, regardless of whether the reservoirs are full & rainfall is normal. Weather conditions don’t necessarily change the rules.
Americans see these rules as pointless. They believe that restrictions should only happen during shortages, and having fixed schedules outside of strained water supplies seems a little strange to them. Really, it should be more flexible.
Municipalities regulate when snow can legally be removed
That’s not all for the weather. Some Canadian municipalities limit when people may push snow from their properties into streets or haul it away, and many Americans think these limits are bizarre. Those living in snowy regions, in particular, believe the rule is unnecessary due to one simple reason.
After all, the snow will end up being cleared either way, so they see the rule as managing procedure over making rules usable.
Consumer contracts in Québec must be provided in French first
The law in Québec states that consumer contracts must be presented in French before any other language. It doesn’t matter that both sides might want English. The French version must come first.
Many Americans see a rule like this as being paperwork without any actual practical effect because it has no effect on the agreement itself. It’s only the order and language it’s delivered in.
Provinces regulate exact wording on gift card disclosures
One of the strangest rules is the fact that gift cards aren’t allowed to expire in the majority of cases, yet provinces require specific disclosure explaining that. The rule bans expiry, but the wording has to appear in a specific format.
Americans see such a rule as being redundant. After all, the protection exists either way, so a regulation about including details about it seems a little pointless.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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