A little while ago, Reddit user u/rahu_ posed the question "What are some upsides of living in Canada?" to r/AskACanadian. The responses are honestly so aspirational that we now think everyone should visit the Great White North!
1. "As a German living in Canada, I love Canadian culture. The country is actually pretty rich in culture and has lots of regional variety — Canada feels vastly different when you're going end to end."
2. "Overall, it seems like everything here has....'standards'. There's not really such a thing as a 'bad elementary school' or a 'bad university' that would limit your future if it were attached to your name, like in America."
3. "The nature is relatively unspoiled — it's phenomenally beautiful. We get the northern lights, mountains, abundant wildlife, unobstructed starry skies, and more lakes than the rest of the world combined…it’s just a beautiful place."
4. "For a woman, there's safety in walking alone at night, traveling, or taking public transport. There's also very high gender equality in law and at work (not perfect, but the best worldwide)."
5. "Natural disasters are rare and uncommon, and hurricanes and storms regularly pitter-patter to nothingness by the time they get to us. I can't even remember the last time there was an earthquake."
6. "We have butter tarts, poutine, and maple-walnut ice cream! Also, high-quality Alberta beef, Ontario berries, and Maritime lobster!"
7. "As someone whose native tongue isn’t English, I love how basically everyone has an accent and no one gives an F."
8. "Outside of the major city areas, there are fewer people, less crowds, easier access to nature, and overall a more laid-back vibe."
9. "My wife and I agree that the amount of paid time off we received when our son was born was incredible. Between the both of us, we were able to take the first 18 months of his life off. You never get that time back, so for us it was amazing."
10. "Canada is one of the safest countries in the world. Crime rates are low even by developed-country standards; you don't have to worry about getting mugged or shot."
11. "We have good public services, clean public areas, well-maintained streets, and friendly people!"
12. "There's an overall less anxious feeling compared with living in the US."
13. "Canadian society is very open-minded, and tolerance is pivotal to most people."
14. "We have incredible hockey teams, and our passport is one of the strongest in the world."
15. "Culturally, Canada tends to be pretty laid-back. Views are a little bit more left-leaning, so it is an easy place to settle into."
16. "The outdoors really are amazing. Today I went canoeing with friends on a beautiful lake with views of glaciers, but the water was amazingly clear and warm. Yesterday I went mountain biking with buddies on new trails that no one had ridden before."
17. "We all look out for one another."
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.