Five uniquely Canadian quirks you'll only understand after living here for years
Being Canadian comes with unique quirks that only long-term residents will truly understand.
Canadians often have extreme opinions about the weather, Canadian geese and Tim Hortons coffee. Only those who’ve braved years of Canadian winters know the importance of wind chill when choosing what to wear.
So when one Redditor asked, “What’s something you can only truly understand after spending most of your life in Canada?” people had plenty to share.
From the automatic “sorry” when someone steps on your foot to having passionate opinions about bagged milk, here are five unique quirks that set us apart.
The way we adjust to the weather
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Fact: Canada is cold. But it’s also hot. And sometimes you can experience both extremes in just 24 hours.
As user JokersLastLaugh states, “You can use both your car’s heating and air conditioning on the same day and if you don’t, your car ride would be unbearable.”
The signs of changing seasons can differ depending on where you live.
“Born and raised in Saskatchewan, but I live in Southern Alberta now,” said LTZohar. “The first sign of spring is seeing a dead gopher on the road.”
And nothing gets in the way of a good barbecue.
As one commenter stated, you know you’ve lived most of your life in Canada when you’re “barbecuing your dinner in the yard in just a T-shirt and shorts while standing next to a six-foot snow pile.”
Only a true Canadian knows that dressing for winter is about more than just the temperature outside.
“The difference between a damp cold and a dry cold and how wind chill matters!” pointed out BlondeKicker-17.
The changing seasons sometimes make us briefly forget the downsides of both winter and summer.
“In the summer, you will forget how cold it is in the winter,” one commenter stated. “And in the winter, you will forget about mosquitoes.”
The way we live for summer
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As one Redditor points out, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in winter is real, so Canadians embrace the summer months, and pretty much everything else can wait.
One commenter stated that although businesses remain open in summer, “no business really gets done in this country in July and August.”
“At any given time, people are getting ready for vacation, on vacation, or just back from vacation,” stated Stron_Letter_7667. “Parliament doesn’t sit. Everything grinds to a halt til after Labour Day. Canadians take full advantage of summer.”
As user K19081985 writes, “We have to. It’s the only time we have good weather.”
The “sorry” reflex
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Canadians are famous for saying sorry even when they’re not at fault.
Redditor Rory-liz-bath states, “Having someone bump into you, and you’re the one to say sorry.”
Another calls it “The Canadian Waltz.”
“I was in a store, in my own world, and I accidentally bumped into a guy,” recounted Redditor Commanderfemmeshep. “We both whirled around, grasped each other’s arms, and apologized profusely at the same time. The Canadian Waltz.”
And even if we wanted to stop saying sorry for everything, one person stated that it was pretty much impossible.
“I was reading a self-help book, and one of the things it suggests is to stop saying sorry all the time,” wrote Hunley1864. “I can’t do that; I’m Canadian — it’s in my DNA!”
An appreciation for the size of the country
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One thing most non-Canadians likely won’t understand is the sheer size of the country.
Genkigarbanz01 stated, “A lot of people do not understand how geographically large this country is!”
One Redditor commented, “My German cousin thought he could do a day trip from Toronto to Winnipeg by car. I had a good laugh.”
As a result, locals are no strangers to long car rides.
“Back in the ’70s, my brother and a friend decided to drive west — it took them three days just to get out of Ontario,” said AppropriateAd2063.
Another commenter added that only someone who has lived in Canada for years will understand “that it’s not a long drive unless you have to overnight somewhere before you reach your destination.”
The way language varies by region.
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In Canada, language can vary significantly depending on where you are.
As one Redditor pointed out: “Quebec French/Newfoundland English.”
Visitors can be forgiven for being confused by the way we speak.
“Ya, no, right” is a complete sentence. As is “eh” with various interpretations,” wrote ohcanadarulessorry.
Even the way we write has its quirks.
“Canadian English spelling is a bastardized mix of UK and US English. There is not one word with a unique Canadian spelling,” stated brianmmf.
That bagged milk is as Canadian as poutine
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Milk in plastic bags might seem foreign to outsiders, but it’s a common sight for Canadians, especially those who live in Ontario and Quebec. In addition to being easy to store, it’s also an eco-friendly option.
But just because it’s a common sight in supermarkets doesn’t mean everyone is on board with the concept.
“I still don’t really understand it,” wrote Conscious_Bag463.
One user stated, “Bagged milk tastes different than milk from a carton or jug.”
One person recalled the hassle of trying to drink from small bags of milk at school.
“There was the mini individual bagged milk if you had the program in your school,” recalled asnackonthego. “Only certain students perfected the skill of jabbing the straw in without it going through both sides.”
What’s something you can only appreciate after living in Canada for years? Let us know in the comments.