Moving between Canada and the United States seems relatively easy at first. After all, people in both countries speak the same language, and a lot of the systems in each country are similar to each other. But it’s the everyday stuff that really gets you.
The simplest of things in daily life across the border can be rather different, and it’s enough to make you question whether the move was worth it in the first place. A lot of people only notice these differences after living on either side for a while.
Let’s look at some of the real lifestyle trade-offs between living in Canada and the U.S. Which of these do you think would be the hardest to give up?
Immigration experience
One important aspect to consider is the immigrant experience in each country. Canadians have the Express Entry program, which assigns immigrants points via the Comprehensive Ranking System. It gives applicants a clear score framework to understand.
Yet the rules are different in America because immigrants rely on specific visa categories set by USCIS. These include work and family, among others, and the timeline of your visa can vary quite a bit.
Creative scale
Population size is another important aspect to consider, especially for creative industries. World Bank data estimates the Canadian population to be around 41 million, while the U.S. population is far larger. That has a huge effect on culture.
A large population means greater media output, at least, according to the Motion Picture Association. Canada’s smaller population means the domestic box office share available to local creators is a lot smaller, too, which is why many creators head south when they want a bigger audience.
Identity and national narrative
Many researchers are interested in looking at the cultural values of each country. Geert Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory puts both Canada and the U.S. high in terms of individualism. However, America ranks slightly higher, which is something supported by data from the Pew Research Center.
Canadians tend to frame their identity more in terms of moderation and multiculturalism than Americans do. Down south, the focus is on building your own path and defining success on a personal level instead.
Healthcare cost vs. speed
What you value more in healthcare, in terms of time or cost, also matters quite a bit. CIHI data shows that Canadians tend to wait longer for non-urgent procedures like joint replacements, but our out-of-pocket bills are generally lower than in America.
Americans spend far more per person on healthcare overall, and specialist access tends to move a little faster for insured patients. But the administrative side of things is far more complicated as a result.
Business vs. stability
A quick look at startup data is all it takes to see the contrast between how business works in each country. The U.S. Census Bureau reports millions of business applications each year, with OECD research also placing America near the top in terms of venture capital activity relative to GDP.
That’s not to say that Canadians don’t have an entrepreneurship mindset. However, the overall scale and volume of new ventures is quite a bit smaller over here than in America, which is partly due to our preference for stability. American culture is focused more on ambition.
Social connections vs. deep relationships
Let’s not forget how different social habits can be in each country, too. According to World Values Survey comparisons and Canadian social network studies, Canadians rate things like politeness and trust quite highly. It’s quite different in America.
In fact, surveys like the General Social Survey have tracked people’s feelings for years, and they’ve found somewhat of a pattern. Friendships can take time in Canada because social circles are slower to penetrate. Small talk is easier in the United States, yet relationships are sometimes more transactional as a result, with a specific goal in mind.
Everyday costs vs. long term security
Everyday bills in each country work differently from how most people expect, as data from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada shows that Canadians pay more for their mobile and internet bills. The Competition Bureau has also found that domestic flight prices are higher.
Americans generally have cheaper consumer goods overall. However, they spend a lot more on average for their medical care than in Canada, according to OECD health data, meaning that while Canadians have higher everyday costs, Americans have to worry about unpredictable, large expenses more.
Climate psychology
Most people fail to realize how much geography affects daily routines. Here in Canada, the majority of the population lives in colder regions with longer winters than in the United States, meaning that a lot of our social life takes place indoors. This encourages us to build tighter circles that’ll see us through the season.
Our southern neighbors experience a wider variety of climate zones, and that means they’re able to do outdoor activities year-round in many states. This includes spending more time on the beach and less time close to others.
Urban density vs. Suburban spread
Have a think about how many major cities you’re realistically able to move to. In the United States, there are hundreds of metropolitan areas stretching from coast to coast, so people have more options to relocate without leaving the country.
Sadly, that’s not the case in Canada. CMHC reports show that Canada is facing intense housing pressure, and the country tends to rely on a few big cities like Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver for the population.
Work culture vs. PTO reality
You probably won’t be surprised to learn that vacation time works differently on a structural level as well. Canadian federal labour standards detail minimum paid vacation time that employees are entitled to, creating a predictable baseline among many jobs.
There’s no guaranteed paid time off nationally in the United States. Most of the time, employers decide how many vacation days workers can get, rather than there being a legal minimum that workers must receive.
Upward mobility visibility
Spend a little time in large American metros, and you’ll find that it’s quite hard to miss the signs of extreme wealth. The Census Bureau has found that America has dozens of massive urban regions, allowing for more visible examples of luxury retail and high-income industries. They tend to concentrate in these areas.
But Canada has fewer mega-scale metros. The direct result of this is that wealth isn’t as obvious in public spaces or daily city life, so economic success may not be as clear in Canada as it is in America.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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