Canadians share the wildest (and funniest) things people believe about Canada
We can’t expect non-Canadians to know everything about Canada, but some misconceptions can be pretty out there.
Recently, a Redditor asked, “What’s something people from outside the country always get hilariously wrong about Canada?”
Canadians were quick to jump in to share some of the most bizarre comments they’ve received from family, friends, coworkers, and strangers. Based on the comments, you’d think we all drink Tim Hortons while riding our personal polar bears to our igloos. Many appear unable to grasp the size of the country, thinking that you can simply pop to Vancouver for lunch… from Toronto.
Here are just some of the things that people get so wrong about Canada.
The geography
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Toronto is definitely a popular spot, but many appear shocked that it’s not actually our capital city.
“The capital of Canada is not Toronto?” joked Tufftaco88.
With a total area of 9,984,670 km2, Canada is the second-largest country in the world — a fact that many people do not realize.
When it comes to what people get wrong about Canada, Mattimvs stated, “It’s size — ‘I’m coming to Canada for a week, and I want to see Vancouver and Toronto.'”
MarmosetRevolution recounted an experience where they had to break the news to a tourist.
“I recall being at the Ontario Science Centre, and this American woman with her kids asked me how to get to Montreal,” they wrote. “I said, ‘Head up this street (Don Mills) about 15 minutes to the 401. Get on the 401 East and take it about five hours to Montreal.’ She looked at me, shook her head and said, ‘Kids, We’re not going to Montreal.’ Obviously, thinking it was a 15-minute jaunt between cities.”
While not impossible, lunch plans can be a bit complicated when you’re planning to meet in another province.
“Friends from England once came to Toronto and asked if we could meet them for lunch,” recalled 0h118999881999119725. “We had to decline on the basis that we are in Vancouver and didn’t think it was reasonable to fly four to five hours each way for lunch.”
The weather
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There’s no denying that parts of Canada do get cold, but it appears that most outsiders believe that winter here never ends.
“The weather extremes. I’m Canadian and lived in England for 13 years. When I told friends I was going home, they asked if I really wanted to be cold year-round,” stated Suspicious_Big2454. “I had to explain to them that most of Canada gets hotter than England every summer. I had to explain that highs of 40 and lows of -40 weren’t uncommon.”
ivanvector stated, “I grew up in southern Ontario before you could look things up on the internet. It wasn’t that rare to see cars with US plates rolling down the highway with skis on the roof in the middle of summer.”
laurenainslee, a Redditor from Ontario wrote, “Currently in Scotland. Had someone ask me if I wasn’t looking forward to going back home to the snow. I let them know it’s warmer at home than it is here.”
DeX_Mod added, “Conversely, I have a new boss; he’s from Egypt. He’s constantly complaining that it’s too hot in Saskatchewan.”
The wildlife
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One would think that Canada was overrun with bears based on some misconceptions.
“The guy I dated was posted in Virginia for a while,” recalled SuperSpictyBanana. “He was in uniform in an elevator, and a couple got in with him. They asked him if he had ever ridden a polar bear before. They weren’t joking.”
The way we speak
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Canadians often get teased about the way they speak, but one Redditor was left confused after an interaction with a non-Canadian.
“I met grown-up people asking me if I can speak Canadian,” stated mamihlapinatapai_me.
“They think we all speak French,” added CantB2Big.
“I’m Anglo in Quebec, and it’s always, ‘Wow, your English is so good,'” wrote zeeduc
Redditor beanjo22 commented, “It’s ‘aboat’ not ‘about!’ At least tease us accurately.”
“We don’t say abooot. And eh’s are only strategically used, not at the end of every sentence,” stated hockeynoticehockey.
The way we live
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While visitors might be forgiven for not really getting a sense of our country’s geography, far too many people genuinely believe that Canadians live in igloos.
As kittykat501 stated, “When I was a kid, and I lived in the Yukon, it was amazing how many people from the States thought that we lived in igloos up in the Yukon.”
DaSpicyGinge added, “I once had someone in Florida ask me if we have microwaves and later if we actually live in igloos.”
Total-Championship80 recounted a similar experience.
“[It was] 1983, and I was working in Colorado for a few weeks,” they wrote. “The attendant at the laundromat told me I lived in an igloo and then asked what it was like. [I said], “I don’t know what it’s like. It rarely snows where I live.” I could see his brain get stuck.”
It appears that many were curious about the internet situation for Canadians who live in igloos.
“Years ago, I was on a forum and started talking to a person who lived in Michigan. She thought Canadians lived in igloos and asked how I was able to get internet,” wrote jlynec.
MoonHunting108 added, “I have an online friend from Texas. When we first met nine years ago, she asked if we had microwaves. She didn’t know where we would plug them in in our igloos. Needless to say, she has learned many new things about Canadians.”
What are some bizarre comments you’ve heard about Canada? Let us know in the comments.