Why Canadian Culture Feels Like Home - Even When It’s Freezing
There’s something oddly comforting about Canadian culture. Like a hot cup of Tim Hortons coffee after digging your car out of a snowbank. It’s polite, diverse, a little quirky, and somehow always warm… even when the temperature isn’t.
For me, and many others who’ve chosen to live here, it’s the landscape, the official languages, and the everyday moments that tie it all together. It’s the little things: the way people say “sorry” when you bump into them, the community potlucks that somehow always include butter tarts, and the way we all pretend -10°C isn’t that cold.
Multiculturalism: The Heart of Canadian Identity
Canada is a true cultural mosaic, as home to people from more than 450 ethnic backgrounds.
Here, speaking a second (or third) language isn’t a barrier, it’s a bridge. Walking through Toronto’s Kensington Market, it wouldn’t be unusual to hear 5 or 6 different languages spoken by other passersby within just a few minutes. This is how Canada embraces multiple languages in everyday life. Instead of asking you to leave your identity behind, Canada invites you to share it.
As Canadian media theorist Marshall McLuhan once said, "Canada is the only country in the world that knows how to live without an identity." That power lies in how we all show up as ourselves, together.
Indigenous Cultures: Canada’s Deepest Roots
At the core of Canadian culture are the traditions of the Indigenous People: First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and other Indigenous communities are foundational to our country.
Today, more than 1.8 million people in Canada identify as Indigenous, representing about 5% of the total population. Teachings about respect, balance, and connection to the land continue to shape daily life in Canada, often in ways people might not even realize. Across the country, Indigenous culture is embraced with growing appreciation and pride, reflected in everything from Indigenous-led school curricula to over 630 First Nations communities working to preserve and revitalize their languages and traditions.
While Canada continues its journey toward reconciliation, the visibility and celebration of Indigenous cultures show us what it means to truly belong to a place and to honour the voices that were here first.
French, English… and Everything Else
Canada’s two official languages, English and French, form a strong cultural backbone. According to the 2021 Census, about 75% of Canadians speak English as their first official language, while around 22% speak French. Nearly one in five Canadians can hold a conversation in both. There’s a good chance the barista in Montreal could take your coffee order in either language, or both at once!
But the country’s linguistic spirit goes way beyond polite “bonjour/hello”. In fact, more than 1.8% of the population speak a language other than English or French at home.
From Punjabi in Brampton to Tagalog in Winnipeg, Arabic in Ottawa and Mandarin in Vancouver, Canada’s national soundtrack is a mix of tones, accents, and inside jokes.
What Everyday Life Feels Like
So what does Canadian culture actually feel like once you're here? In a word: familiar.
Even if you’ve never experienced -20°C before, someone will offer to help you boost your car in it, and probably apologize for the weather, too.
It’s in the little things:
People lining up at the bus stop in perfect single file, even when it’s snowing sideways.
Apologizing when someone else bumps into you.
Saying “sorry” and meaning it, even if no one’s sure what went wrong.
Nodding in solidarity at “Cold enough for ya?” Because yes, yes it is.
It’s backyard barbecues in February and community cleanups in spring. It’s the fact that over 12 million Canadians volunteer every year, not for recognition, just because that’s what people do. A Nigerian friend of mine put it best: “Everyone helps here. Like it’s built in.”
Canadian culture isn’t loud or even obvious. It shows up in everyday things, like small acts of kindness, familiar habits, and a general sense that newcomers are welcome.
Holidays and Celebrations: One Calendar, Many Stories
Canadian holidays and multicultural celebrations are a joyful blend of cultures. Yes, there’s Thanksgiving (in October), Victoria Day, and Canada Day, but the real magic happens in the way we celebrate everything else alongside them.
You’ll find:
Diwali lights glowing in Brampton
Caribbean Carnival dancers bringing colour and joy to Toronto
Lunar New Year feasts filling homes and community halls
And Québécois celebrations lighting up la Fête nationale
Greek Festival of Toronto serving up lively dances and delicious souvlaki
These Canadian holidays stand out because everyone joins in with genuine joy, not out of obligation or novelty, but because celebrating together just feels natural. Swapping recipes, learning a few dance steps, or showing up to a cultural festival isn’t treated as something unusual, it’s simply what good neighbours do.
Canadian Food: Where Butter Tarts Meet Biryani
Food is culture on a plate, and in Canada, that plate starts with a few flavours you won’t find anywhere else.
Ketchup chips, for one: crunchy, thinly sliced fried potatoes dusted with a tangy mix of tomato, garlic, onion, and spices. A snack-time staple since the 1970s, they’ve sparked generations of finger-staining cravings from coast to coast.
Then there’s the Nanaimo bar, a rich, no-bake dessert layered with chocolate, custard, and coconut, born on Vancouver Island and beloved nationwide.
And, of course, there’s maple syrup, tapped from trees each spring and simmered down into sticky, amber sweetness. It’s drizzled over pancakes, vegetables, and even meats, and enjoyed in sugar shacks that dot the countryside during maple season. You can even experience maple season firsthand in sugar shacks across the country.
Poutine (gravy-soaked fries topped with cheese curds) is practically a food group in Quebec.
Bannock, once a survival staple, is now fried into golden discs served at powwows and diners alike.
Butter tarts have been causing dental crises since the 1900s.
And don’t forget tourtière, a meat pie so beloved in French Canada it’s basically Christmas dinner canon.
💡 Fun Fact: Canadians eat over 1.7 million boxes of Kraft Dinner a week, more per capita than any other country. If that isn’t patriotism, what is?
Canada’s cuisine reflects the multicultural landscape of its inhabitants, too.
Thanks to waves of immigration, you’ll find dim sum in Vancouver, shawarma joints in Ottawa, and Montreal bagels with a cult-like following. Toronto alone is home to over 9,000 restaurants, serving everything from Ethiopian injera to Trinidadian doubles. Sushi pizza? Invented in Ontario. Butter chicken poutine? It exists, and yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like. Canada doesn’t just adopt international dishes, it remixes them. If a dish can be deep-fried, drizzled with maple syrup, or eaten in a hockey arena, it probably already has been.
Our Sense of Humour: Polite, Playful, and Proud
Canadian humour and polite culture have a quiet brilliance. It’s clever, self-deprecating, and often tinged with a wink at how unassuming we are on the world stage. Shows like Schitt’s Creek, Baroness von Sketch Show, and Letterkenny capture our ability to laugh at ourselves - and invite the world to laugh with us.
We joke about our weather obsessions, our love of orderly lineups, and how “sorry” can mean anything from “excuse me” to “I’m emotionally invested in your wellbeing.” It’s all part of the charm - and it makes even the coldest days feel lighter.
The Role of Nature: Part of the Family
In Canada, nature isn’t a weekend hobby, it’s part of the job description. With over 347 million hectares of forest (about 9% of the world’s total), plus more lakes than the rest of the world combined, there’s no escaping the outdoors, even if you wanted to. Nearly 70% of Canadians choose to spend time in nature weekly, whether skating on frozen ponds, dodging mosquitoes at the cottage, or shoveling the driveway... again. From national parks to urban green spaces, nature shapes Canadian routines and values.
Canada has 48 national parks and national park reserves covering over 340,000 square kilometers, an area bigger than Italy. Outdoor activities like hiking, canoeing, fishing, and skiing aren’t weekend hobbies, they’re practically a national identity. Even in cities, green spaces are everywhere: Toronto alone has more than 1,500 parks. City slicker or backcountry camper, nature is a constant in daily Canadian life. It even sneaks into conversations, you’ll often hear “Nice day, eh?” as a weather-based greeting ritual. Nature and Canadians are basically inseparable.
Sports and Spirit: More Than Just Hockey
Sure, hockey is Canada’s national obsession, over 360,000 kids play organized hockey, but Canadians don’t stop there. Curling attracts about 1.4 million participants each year, with bonspiels turning rinks into social hubs. Soccer is booming too: over 850,000 registered players and counting. Cricket? Yep, especially in multicultural cities like Toronto and Vancouver, with leagues growing every summer.
Sports aren’t just about winning, they’re community glue. From pond hockey games where the ice is never perfect to backyard soccer matches that end with a barbecue, Canadians use sports to connect. Even if your skills are more “goalie on skates” than “pro scorer,” the point is to show up, cheer loud, and maybe grab a Timbit or two afterward.
How New Roots Relocation Helps You Feel at Home in Canada
At New Roots Relocation, we know moving to Canada is more than just a change of address, it’s a life-changing decision. Whether you’re arriving from overseas or relocating within the country, our job is to make the transition smooth, stress-free, and tailored to your unique needs. We handle the details so you can focus on settling in, exploring your new community, and maybe trying your first poutine without the stress.
We are a team of relocation experts who have lived through the experience ourselves. Our founder, Susan Hodges, spent 16 years living in different countries with her family. She understands what it is like to feel lost in a new place and how important it is to have someone there who can help.
We know the small things matter just as much as the big ones. If you have questions about neighbourhoods, culture, or just everyday life, we’re here to help. Starting fresh should come with support, and that’s exactly what we offer. From local tips to navigating paperwork, we’ve got your back every step of the way.
Ready to make the move? Let us take care of the logistics so you can focus on what matters: discovering your new life in Canada.
So… Why Does It Feel Like Home?
Because Canada doesn’t ask you to fit a mold. It hands you a mug of something warm, offers you a seat at the table, and says, “Tell us your story.”
Here, you don’t have to let go of where you came from to feel like you belong. You get to hold onto it, and add it to something bigger. Canadian culture wraps around you like a favourite winter coat: familiar, comfortable, and stitched together with pieces of everyone who’s ever worn it.
Maybe that’s why, even when it’s freezing, it still feels like home.