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Living and Teaching English in Canada - Habits, Customs & Curiosities

Boasting a vast expanse of breathtaking scenery that is the equal of anywhere else in the world, Canada is surely one of the best places to be for lovers of the outdoors.

It is also no secret that the high standard of living in Canada makes the country a great place to live and work.

If you think it might be the right destination for you, take a look at the following guides which should provide some useful information before you get on the plane.

They cover topics on moving to Canada, the best places to visit and the local cuisine.

As Canada welcomes a large number of immigrants to its shores every year, it is a popular destination for foreign teachers looking to teach English abroad. If Canada catches your eye as a potential location, take a look at this brief list of travel tips to get you started.

Across the country’s huge expanse that stretches for around 5,000 km from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, you will find plenty of jobs on offer in schools and language centers. You will find a few basic words and phrases that you might not be familiar with, as well as a list of local foods to try and some simple etiquette rules that should help you settle in.

As it is the second largest country in the world, it is no surprise to find that Canada can boast several supersized facts. Other amazing facts that make this list are that 247 road accidents every year involve moose, and that you will find more doughnut shops per capita in Canada than in any other country.

Not only does it have the longest coastline in the world, it also has more lakes than the rest of the world combined and around 20% of the world’s fresh water reserves. As for the local language, Americans should take note that Canada follows the British spelling system rather than what they are used to south of the border.

If you are considering Canada as your destination for teaching English as a foreign language, take a look at this infographic as it offers a wide range of useful information regarding all aspects of moving to the country. It also looks at more specific subjects including banking, visa options, healthcare and housing, as well as the average wages paid by the various employment sectors.

It covers basic facts such as Canada's six different time zones from Newfoundland in the east to the Pacific Coast in the west, and the wide range of climate conditions that can be found across its huge expanse.

One of the many perks of teaching English in Canada is the opportunity to spend your free time enjoying some of the most spectacular and unspoiled natural environments in the world. The popular resort town of Whistler in British Columbia is probably the most famous in Canada as it offers great snow, breathtaking scenery, first-class facilities, and a variety of accommodation to suit everyone.

During the winter months this means heading to the mountains to enjoy some of the best skiing and snowboarding to be found anywhere in North America. Whether you are a first-time skier or a veteran of the slopes, you should not miss the chance of visiting Whistler during your stay in Canada.

If you choose to live and work in Canada you will find plenty of world-class attractions to explore during your time away from the classroom. The country’s most visited natural attraction is the majestic Niagara Falls which attracts over 12 million visitors per year. If you prefer urban pursuits there are also plenty of great places to visit, including Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre, Vancouver’s Grantville Island, and Wonderland Canada which is the largest theme park in the country.

If you love the outdoors you will be completely spoiled for choice as Canada is home to some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. Another popular spot is the Banff National Park in the Rocky Mountains which offers stunning scenery and a range of outdoor pursuits, such as camping, hiking, climbing, and skiing.

As Montreal is the second-most populous city in Canada, it has a wide range of bars, cafés, restaurants, and boutique shops to explore in your free time. To experience the atmosphere of a traditional Quebec pub you should head to the Brasserie Capri, while the city’s oldest drive-in, the Gibeau Orange Julep, is the place to go for iconic North American favorites such as hotdogs and hamburgers.

This top ten list of places to visit should give you a few good ideas of what to do when you arrive in the city. The best way to travel between destinations is by bicycle, and luckily, Bixi Bikes provides affordable bike hire that includes drop-off points at all the main areas across the city.

Many people suggest that the best way to really experience the environment, culture and spirit of Canada is to take a road trip through some of the ten provinces and three territories that make up the country. Some highlights that you will probably want to visit on your road trip, include the Canadian Rockies, Niagara Falls and the wide open spaces of Canada’s prairies.

This guide to the Great Canadian Road Trip provides a range of tips to help you keep your costs down on the road, as well as a variety of attractions to look out for along the way.

Consistently named as one of the world’s most livable cities, Vancouver is a great destination for a weekend visit or for a longer stay if you plan to live and work there. Subjects covered include, where to find the best coffee, the best beer, and the best brunch.

However long you plan to stay, this list of popular spots as voted for by local experts should provide a good place to start when looking for the essentials. The top five destinations in each of these categories are named, as well as the top five places to spend a sunny day in the city when you are not hard at work in the classroom.

As it is the most populous city in the country, Toronto is a very popular choice for people looking to work as an English language teacher in Canada. It lists the top five spots, as voted for by local people, for various things, such as the best coffee, the best beer and the best burger.

If you find yourself in Toronto, this infographic might help you to locate the very best that the city has to offer. You will also find the top five places to enjoy a sunny day when you are not due to teach in the classroom.

Since the first organized indoor game of ice hockey took place in Montreal in 1875, the sport has become entrenched in Canadian culture and it now boasts almost 500,000 registered players throughout the country. Take a look at this infographic which covers some of the sport’s history, plus various facts and figures relating to the game in Canada.

As it is widely seen as Canada’s national pastime, it is a good idea to have at least a basic understanding of the sport before you arrive in the country. If you learn nothing else, just ensure that you are familiar with Wayne Gretzky who is widely considered to be the greatest hockey player of all time and is seen as a sporting hero across Canada.

If you are thinking about heading to Canada to teach English as a foreign language, the biggest question you probably have is which area should I move to? This infographic ranks the top ten Canadian cities based on criteria such as average salary, cost of living, unemployment rate, and crime rate in an attempt to find the country’s most booming places to live.

Although you might find a few jobs available in rural areas, the vast majority of teaching positions are located in the country’s major cities. The top three spots in this list are taken by Edmonton, Regina and Ottawa, but which do you like the look of most?

The country’s fertile soil, and the bountiful waters that surround it, ensure that Canada is able to produce a diverse range of foods that vary considerably from one province to the next. Seafood lovers will enjoy visiting the Atlantic Provinces as their fisherman are well known for landing the very best lobster, crab and shrimp.

The wide open prairie of Saskatchewan is known as Canada’s Breadbasket as it produces vast quantities of wheat and other grains, while the neighboring province of Alberta is famous for its high-quality beef. Although it might not be widely known outside of the country, Canada also produces a significant amount of wine, 85% of which comes from the province of Ontario.