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I was born in Quebec, I grew up there, studied, worked, lived almost all my life, except for a few years in Toronto and Ottawa for studies and work, where I never really felt at home, but like in a foreign country. I love Quebec, its history, its culture, its language, its way of life and Quebecers in general. I get used to its climate, its six months or so of winter, but still with nice, hot summers. I also put up with the high cost of living due to the multiple taxes to be paid, the highest in North America, which means that, paradoxically, it still costs less to live here than elsewhere in Canada and to the social safety net Quebecers benefit and which is the envy of many citizens elsewhere in the country. The shadow on the board: the hostility and racism of English Canada, including most Anglophones in Quebec and the allophones who join this recalcitrant community towards Quebec and Francophones in general, the ambient wokism, the complacency of the mayor of Montreal, Valérie Plante, who has transformed the city into a huge bike path, Justin Trudeau's hypocrisy regarding Quebec legislation for the protection of language and secularism, which he intends to challenge before the Supreme Court of the country . If I weren't so attached to Quebec, these would be the main reasons that would make me leave Quebec, but to go where, like the wandering Canadian of song, banished from his homeland... Where? Any informed suggestions?

I was born in the French capital, Paris. Believe it or not, we still have our birth certificates from the country. I would seriously consider going back to France, even if the argument is it's not that great (compared to who you talk to). Also, I'm an author, and living in the Toronto area can be depressing. For me, it's about the culture, the language, the food, and the lifestyle.

I guess I'll be the one to keep it real...\nWhile geographically, Canada is the most beautiful country on the planet, full stop.\nThe people are not as friendly as the stereotype would infer...housing is criminally overpriced. Taxation is laughably bad. Seriously do the math its approaching 40-45% tax. Meaning after income taxes(23-28 cents on the dollar) then you got sales taxes, excise taxes, provincial sales taxes(another 10-15 cents on the dollar, after tax income on every purchased product). The economy was not that great before trudeau, now trudeau and his bullshit have decimated our national economy and is spending Canada into generationally deep federal deficits of 100s of billions of dollars. Don't believe the hype surrounding Toronto or Calgary or Vancouver, there are catches and trade offs for every plus.\nBtw, I'm born and raised in Toronto and live in Calgary. Canada simply as not as good as the rhetoric would try and sell you

Born & raised in les Cantons de l'Est, I was pleasantly surprised that you got #1 right! Just one drive along the St Lawrence River (not on the highway please) demonstrates the cheer beauty and charm of Québec, and you'd be hard pressed to find a more world-class city than Montréal (it is also impossible to find an older & more beautiful North American city than la Ville de Québec.)\n\nLife brought me to Toronto, but my heart will always belong to Brome-Missisquoi.

Born and raised Canadian from Toronto. \nIm adding my 2 cents simply because it needs to be stated. Canada is NOT a good country to live in. \nThe last 30+ years between the constant increases in taxation. The criminally high cost of housing, high cost of commodities, i.e. food, clothing, fuel, utilities, and since we are now suffering from the ineptitude of Justin trudeau, more and more canadians are looking to leave the country, myself included, for the sake of our financial wellbeing, our peace of mind, and reprieve from the seemingly endless cycle of hurry up and wait for healthcare needs, personal matters, and dealing with multi tiered, multi layered government regulations for nearly everything. I personally have contacted consulates general of 12 different nations from the EU to the pan Asian region as well as the US, and will not be living in Canada by summers end 2022. Besides, if Canada was to do a complete 180 on its economic and political directions it will take a generation or more to correct what has been systematically dismantled over the course of the last 30 to 40 years.\n\nTo a university educated, well to do successful entrepreneur and skilled multi trades professional, such as myself, its NOT worth waiting for...

I've lived 2 years in Toronto. Plusses, it's all there, sports, theatre, music, amazing restaurants. Negatives I found the people difficult to get to know, I usually felt I wasn't breathing fast enough, and no mountains. I've lived 10 years in Calgary. Plusses, people are incredibly open and friendly, mountains, energetic without being frenetic, affordable. Minuses, very cyclic economy, everything always under construction with little sense of history or culture. I was born and raised in Victoria and returned here 34 years ago. Plusses, ocean and mountains, sense of history, laid back and friendly, amazing climate. Minuses, completely unaffordable (if I hadn't bought my house over 30 years ago I couldn't afford it today). Enjoyed them all but wouldn't voluntarily leave Victoria.

I find its a real hit or miss. The reasons you've laid out are legit points, IF you naturalize through the proper process. Unfortunately I see a ton of immigrants who make a great living here using loopholes. I was born and raised in Toronto, I still live here. My wife on the other hand is one such person who struggles to adapt, she looks for and stays only within her cultural circle who make a better living then me because of these loopholes. One such family's husband found work that on paper, pays very little but 80% of his income comes in the form of cash. So come tax season, he claims very little and gets back a nice chunk, and is able to claim more on child tax benefits vs me. I find there are a ton of immigrants that work this way, some are even able to claim welfare while I'm struggling to get by on 3 jobs.

@ Make That Change, you are missing some topics!! A person who is born and raised in Vancouver before the 1980's and where both parents were also born and raised in Canada. Since the year 2000, the cost of owning a detached home has risen 10 folds. You could buy a corner lot house in a nice area and good location for an average of $160,000. Now that home would cost 10 times that cost in the last 20 years. Why? Foreign investors and immigration based on supply and demand as this also includes the increase in rent cost. People spend on average about $1000 to 1500 for a room to rent not their own suite in Vancouver. Twenty years ago, you could rent a whole house with a yard for that price on the waistcoats of BC. \n\nAnother issue, there are Canadians who do travel to USA due to people being in desperate need of care. USA has a wider spectrum of medical options in comparison to Canada. Canadians travel to USA because the waiting list is often way too long. Canada is nota complete free medical system as people hear and rehabilitation expenses are not free unless it is inside a hospital. It was from at one time as Medicare was founded on the grounds in the 1960's by Tommy Douglas, former premier of Saskatchewan, who initiated Medicare but it was no sustainable. \n\nJust because a person gets referred to a doctor, particularly a specialist when there are very few doctors in that area of care, it does not guarantee you will receive the treatment. I waited 2.5 years for a treatment in a hospital, only to be told that I was not a candidate for that treatment even though they did not screen me as a precursor before making a rational decision. DEVESTATING! Canadians if they have money often go to USA or Mexico when in desperate need. \n\nThere is a lack of doctors as many people do not have a family medical doctor who know their case personally. Complex diseases do not receive proper care as Canada does not have an integrated medical system of care amongst other doctors for patients. It has been on the news media where people have died being on the waiting list, returning back to hospitals where the hospital emergency because the concern of the disease was undermined with the overcrowded medical system.\n\nThere is a increased gentrification in the metropolitan cities that is an issue as the richer are now richer and the poorer are more poor. As there is an INCREASED immigration there is a huge stress in cost of living as there is not enough affordable housing and increased homelessness in Vancouver and Toronto. Vancouver is the worst place in North America as it is known as the drug hub called Skid Row. You can google this information as there are article written for 2021 and previously. Expo 86 and the 2010 Winter Olympics skyrocketed tourism and immigration that many people who are born and raised here before 1986 are very angry and resentful of how drastic the decline of how the quality of life has become.

It's not just immigrants who leave Canada. My parents were born in Canada. My grandparents were born in Canada and six of my great-grandparents too. I was born in Toronto. Got my first degree from a Canadian university. Then a Master degree with a teaching assistantship at an American university. Then got a scholarship to study at a UK university. in the UK asked to conduct a graduate seminar for MSc students in quantitative analysis and computer applications at a major UK university. Then appointed senior research officer and leader of a research program in operational research. Then appointed principal scientist for a UK government agency. Eight years studying and working abroad in senior positions. Time to return to Canada. But could I get a job? I could not. \nAnd so I have a base in another Commonwealth country with a better climate, lower living costs, less tax and less government regulation. And from that base, I have worked in 20 countries all over Asia. With none of the bullshit I hear from the likes of Justin Trudeau. And none of the age discrimination common in Canada.

Canada is what you make of it. You can arrive rich and end up poor and you can arrive poor and end up rich. In between that, you can have a great life that balances your needs. I’ve seen immigrants succeed simply because they see the opportunity in front of them . They worked hard in their own counties to stay just above the poverty line ,but when they apply that same effort here it pays off ten times greater. I feel that compared to a lot of immigrants, natural born Canadians come across as spoiled and a little lazy…we are. We haven’t had to struggle the same way someone from a poorer country might have. I’ve talked to people who’ve worked ten to twelve hours a day just to stay afloat. If you did that here you could make plenty of money to live and have some left over. As far as owning a house goes,yes it’s expensive . I feel that homeownership in any country is relatively expensive. Here is a tip; use that soaring home prices to your advantage. Houses are expensive but you can make a lot of money buying and selling. I recommend putting together a buyers group and share the house for a few years, then sell at a profit, buy a bigger house or two smaller houses.try to buy the worst house in the best neighbourhood and fix it up slowly . That house could double in value in five or six years in the Toronto market. This is nothing new of course ,the people from India and China seem to do this a lot here ,it drives up prices and profits. On the downside to this ,you are now part of the problem. As the housing prices are driven up the non wealthy can no longer afford to own a house . They are at the mercy of high rents with no rewards of ownership. They are caught in a cycle of hard work and (relative)poverty. This could also be you if you can’t keep up the house payments and are forced to rent.\nHow well you speak English is important but your native language is also useful here because Canada is half immigrants . As a Canadian that speaks only english (Irish descent)I have to say to all newcomers that I’m very impressed that you have learned a new language and that you may even speak more than two! Don’t be embarrassed about your abilities . I find that in my experience , Canadians do not look down on people just because they don’t know English. In fact ,I’ve known people that have lived here for decades and still know very little English. They are comfortable in their communities and they function just fine. Learn as much English as suits your needs and be proud of any gains you make.\nOutside of Toronto are other cities that you might consider when looking at southern Ontario.From my experience,most are generally the same, just not as big . There are large immigrant communities in London Ontario, Hamilton and just outside of Toronto where housing is just a little bit less expensive but the commute to work is probably longer. This is just my opinion but in the small towns there are less people of colour , (which is what people of no colour call everyone else . I wonder if I’m called a person of no colour in some other culture ? LoL ). That might make it harder for you to feel integrated ,if that’s what you want. I’m not saying that people from other cultures can’t make it in a small town , I’m just saying that it’s definitely not Toronto . Here, people of any nationality can feel like they have a place where they can belong . It seems that no matter where you are from ,there is a community already here that’s set up restaurants and stores and clothing shops and newcomer support systems. And if your from Portugal or China or India or Africa or the Middle East, there are large groups of your kin here that have established roots for generations and you probably know this already.\nToronto means meeting place and that becomes evident quickly. I was born here and it’s one of the things I love the most about my city. I’m not going to say that there isn’t systemic racism here ,the people of no colour still kind of keep the top position , but as we become a minority in a decade or so ,I hope that will shift to a broader spectrum. It’s certainly happening already. One good thing is that the police department tries to hire people of colour so that racialism may play a smaller role. We’re getting used to seeing our politicians more and more reflect their constituents.\nI have to talk about the weather. Because I’m from here I’m used to the extremes of minus thirty and plus thirty . Eventually you get used to it (somewhat). Dressing in the right clothes is important. Summer is easy , but winter is different. It’s trying to kill you. Spend the most that you can afford on winter cloths . If you can afford a quality parka you should get one. The hood can be drawn around the face and stay out of the wind.\nIf not ,think of layers with a outer layer that blocks the wind. We have things called long Johns that are basically full length thick cotton or nylon pants that go on under your pants and a pair of extra thick socks. Buy your boots to fit your thick socks. Try to get the best boots you can afford ,it’s something that you might spend a little extra for but never regret.\nAll in all we are a fairly organized and peaceful society. Most people are friendly and will give you a chance . We have a good social safety net here and you don’t have to be homeless or starving if you don’t want to. There are people and organizations set up to help ,that truly try to get people back on their feet. It’s a good investment that pays off in ways that matter for the quality of life in a big city. I’m not putting my American neighbours down when I say they do things differently. They have their ways ,we have ours. This is just something that we do because we’re trying to learn how to help those that society has discarded or can’t find their place. Sure we have one or two areas where the homeless have pitched tents and we have some resources for them if they want. Unfortunately The mayor recently forced a small camp to move from a very visible place to more scattered locations. There were social workers involved as well as protesters trying to protect them. I didn’t like that happening and I want to see even more resources dedicated to them ,but on the other hand ,we are trying to avoid something like what happens on the streets when it’s just ignored. When I see YouTube videos of the streets of Philadelphia I’m extremely saddened. I thank the lucky stars that I was born in Toronto Canada.\nFor all it’s pollution and expense and crowds ,I think it’s a great place to do almost anything your heart desires . For every ugly building there is a beautiful park ,for every honked horn there is a birds call , for every cold and dark day there is beautiful sunny one around the corner.

Great video, I'm glad you are willing to take off the rosy glasses to talk about Canadian reality. I'm a Canadian born myself and everything that was mentioned in the video is accurate in term of the struggles immigrants face. Canada is a very quiet, safe country and crime rate as well as violence in general is low. But Canada can still be as harsh as its climate so don't be fools, Canada is not Disneyland and it's not for everybody. Cities like Vancouver and Toronto are the most expensive cities in North America (Canada + USA) even more expensive than Los Angeles and Montreal is as expensive as New York. Therefore think twice, prepare yourself and do your research before applying. Using John F. Kennedy's famous quote I might add to conclude: \nDon't ask what CANADA can do for you but what YOU can do for Canada.

Canada is over hyped, life is easy in UK, my family went to Canada 20 years ago from UK with UK pounds, it was easy then to get visa, property was very cheap not any more but now they are very successful and happy, I like Toronto city but the winter got me minus 30- And minus lots of pounds I came to UK one positive gains my son was born there hence a Canadian ????

They steal your youth and money at the early stages, unless you are wealthy. Then the weather and the people will slowly drain you. Especially in Toronto. And I was born there lol. I finally escaped to China, but sadly had to return due to COVID. Next I will return to my parents home country Ireland. Then I can finally relax and not feel as scammed by the set up here. Where do all the taxes go? The infrastructure is basic and ugly, the metro is deplorable. Where does all our money go?

I don't really understand one of experiences during my visit in Canada, I am a HongKonger and one time when I was visiting Toronto, some people with different ethnic background made a comment on my English, they said my English was good. But the fact that there are tons of Chinese/Hong Kong looking people living Toronto who speak perfect English or better than me. I really don't get this, those people who made comment are Indian, Russian, even Canadian born Chinese, they didn't even know I was just a visitor. I don't know much about the standard/definition of racism in Canada, is this incidence considered some kind of racism/stereotype? I am humbly asking for your perspectives on this.

I was born and raised in the US but I have been going to Canada for my entire life. I live here now because of college and I love the US a little more because that was home. But where I live in Toronto, is pretty diverse. Canadians are nicer but so are Americans but are more racist down south. Canada's government is led by a real leader but the States is led by an idiotic annoying orange.