A month in

Amazingly 31 days have passed since Air Canada delivered us to our new home, so here are 31 things we’ve discovered since then:

1.  We needn’t have worried about finding Nutella or Marmite: they’re everywhere.

2.  The US never feels far away, whether it’s the American names for food (eggplant makes aubergine less exotic, but beets is definitely cooler than beetroot), crazy sports (hockey involves a lot less grass over here), or the breathless pace of news bulletins.

3.  At the same time, Canadians are as British as you can be without developing a tea addiction: they’re ever so fond of anything royal, and always apologising.

4.  Talking of tea, if you ask for a cup here, you’re more likely to be served something fruity than English Breakfast. The idea of a builder’s brew hasn’t really made its way across the Atlantic.

5.  The political system is very similar to Westminster, with two main political parties – Liberals and Conservatives – sporting red and blue rosettes respectively.

6.  Gender-neutral language is viewed highly: Parliament recently voted to change a line in the Canadian National Anthem from ‘in all thy sons command’ to ‘in all of us command’.

7.  Canada’s provinces have their own identities and priorities. Last week there was outcry as Alberta banned all wines from neighbouring British Columbia, in protest at BC’s decision to delay an Albertan oil pipeline to the west coast.

8.  Butter tarts.

9.  Taxes aren’t included in published prices, but HST (Harmonised Sales Tax) at 13% is added when you pay.

10.  Income tax is complicated: each province has its own rate in addition to the federal rate. And all Canadians have to file their own tax return.

11.  When it comes to banking, Canada lags behind the UK. Chequing (current) accounts aren’t free: there’s a monthly fee (usually $10-15), often with additional charges for debits, transfers and cheque books. Debit cards don’t use Visa, so we need credit cards to buy anything online, but four weeks after arriving we’re still waiting for our applications to be processed (thanks, Royal Bank of Canada). And contactless payments (or Interac Flash, as they’re known here) are just beginning to take off so rarely accepted. (Similarly Presto, Toronto’s equivalent of the Oyster card, isn’t yet available on the whole subway.)

12.  Cell phones (mobiles) are also expensive. The big three networks (Bell, Rogers and Telus) have a monopoly across Canada – they even own other brands just to give the appearance of competition – so comparable contracts cost almost twice as much as in the UK. Online start-ups are attempting to challenge the big three, but they lack the infrastructure and the coverage across the country. Plus, here you’re charged for receiving calls as well as making them.

13.  The lack of choice in telecommunications also means that customer service can be lax: after we invested over four hours trying to appreciate the Super Bowl, our TV cut out for the final crucial minutes, and Bell still haven’t offered an explanation. Imagine how cross we’d be if we actually understood football.

14.  Black squirrels.

15.  Coyotes.

16.  Cats don’t go outside in Toronto. Outside cats are specified separately, but really only exist in suburban Canada.

17.  There are different types of snow. Here it’s light and falls in distinct snowflakes, which makes for beautiful blizzards but is terrible for building snowmen. In Montreal, apparently, the snow ‘settles properly’ (though from what we’ve seen it settles just fine in Toronto).

18.  The smell of marijuana (which is about to become legal here, and in plentiful supply downtown, apparently).

19.  Five cent coins are bigger than ten cents, but there aren’t any coins for one or two cents, so change is rounded to the nearest five.

20.  Letter-sized paper. (What’s wrong with A4?)

21.  Canadians are generous tippers: an 18% gratuity in restaurants is considered the bare minimum.

22.  Walking on the right.

23.  Expressions like ‘ey’ (to rhyme with ‘hay’) and ‘for sure’, so that:

“It’s bloody freezing here, isn’t it?”

“So true – I think I just saw a polar bear trying to light a fire.”

in English becomes in Canadian:

“It’s a bit cold today, ey?”

“For sure.”

24.  Hawaiian pizza was invented in Ontario and remains really popular here.

25.  Poutine is a Canadian dish (invented in Quebec) that consists of fries, gravy and cheese curd. Think of it as the social equivalent of cheesy chips or a kebab.

26.  Canadians like to shop big. Supermarkets are lined with giant cartons of milk, juice and eggs, all with staggeringly late sell-by dates. We haven’t dared ask what makes them last so long.

27.  Maple leaf biscuits (the Canadian custard cream).

28.  Tumble-dryers and washing machines are stacked on top of each other in their own cupboard. And they’re much faster than British machines.

29.  Valentine’s Day is a big deal, and not just in a romantic way. As well as lovers sharing chocolates, flowers and dinner, schoolchildren and colleagues bring in cards and treats for each other.

30.  Canada has its own version of the Great British Bake Off, the Great Canadian Baking Show. With even the same theme tune it’s almost identical in every respect except for some of the challenges (such as the donut showstopper in Canada Week), and the Canadian Paul Hollywood has a French accent.

31.  Toronto? No, it’s T’ronno.