The reasons for leaving

Anyone who leaves Canada has their reasons for doing so. To be honest, it's often a number of reasons - not just one.

The reasons you give, sometimes they are not even the most serious reasons for leaving. Maybe you don't even know it yourself, it is more of a feeling.

Many people simply find it difficult to explain exactly why they want to leave Canada after a few years.

Aside from homesickness or a longing for the old familiar, what are some of the most common reasons for leaving that we hear?

So little culture

It's all so monotonous

Not so very long ago, Canada was a pioneer country. That meant slogging and not much else. You don't pay much attention to civilization and culture.

For many Canadians, little has changed. It is still a struggle to survive, to stay warm and to acquire things.

It is logical that there is no interest in being culturally active.

The poverty

Poor people everywhere

Many Canadians believe that it is simply your own fault if you are poor. If you have no home, no job and no income, you have to figure it out for yourself.

You can see it on the streets. There are a lot of homeless people in Canada. The lines at the soup kitchens and food banks are huge.

It is sometimes uncomfortable to have to witness poverty yourself.

Poor infrastructure

Old, broken or just not there

It's appalling how poorly the infrastructure in Canada is maintained.

This could, of course, be done much better in such a rich country. But people would rather spend the money in another way.

There are quite a few immigrants who really object to this.

The free care

The problems are enormous

Everyone in the country will have to deal with Canadian healthcare at some point.

Although "Medicare" is free, it seems like the system is completely broken.

The waiting times often get out of hand and the availability in general is sometimes bitterly disappointing. Many facilities are old and dirty.

Some aspects of care are not free at all: dentist, medicine and spiritual care.

The distances

When everything is far away

Anyone who moves to Canada knows that it is an incredibly large country. The distances are often enormous.

At first, many people don't see this as a problem, but after a while it starts to bother some people.

Those who start to find long distances and poor accessibility objectionable, might see this as a reason to do something about it. And that is not always easy in Canada.

Chauvinism

Creepy pride in Canada

Isn't it great that Canadians are so proud of their beautiful country, but that pride could be a little more realistic.

Many find it strange that there are other nice countries on earth. And every Canadian has been taught from a young age that Canada is the best country on earth.

Many immigrants actually find such views quite irritating after a while.

Indians

You can't say that anymore

Canadians live on tense terms with the original inhabitants of the country. For centuries there has been a kind of mutual distrust and/or envy.

As a new resident in Canada, you are caught in the middle of it. You may not have done anything wrong, but you are still being held accountable for the abuses of the past.

How do you deal with that?

Greed

Is that really more the case in Canada?

Money is not dirty. Greed brings out the best in people. Competition sharpens everyone.

You knew in advance that Canada is a very capitalist country.

And yet some people are surprised that the greed system is being lived out here in a very blatant manner.

Not everyone can adapt to this. Those who do not adapt can still be badly snowed under.

Too American

In a sovereign country

Many Canadians are incredibly proud of not being American. They are, of course, much "better".

And yet, when it comes down to it, Canadians are very similar to their southern neighbors in many ways.

Many Europeans are surprised by this. That was not the intention.

The fact is that nowhere is American Imperialism more clearly felt than in Canada.

Xenophobia

Racism and intolerance

When you arrive in Canada you are a foreigner. Hopefully you will immediately adapt as best you can.

But even if you do this sincerely, you can still stumble over the attitude that many people have towards all those immigrants.

The intolerance breaks some. You see it around you. People of certain races sometimes enjoy advantages that not everyone always finds fair.

Can you handle that?

Taxes

For example, property tax and corporate income tax

Canada is a tax haven for some, but for many, certain taxes and levies can still be a burden.

The enormous OZB (Real Estate Tax / Property Tax) in large parts of the country has already claimed many victims. Others have stumbled over the various profit taxes.

And what about all those “Sales Tax” surprises?

Cars anytime, anywhere

The dictatorship of the automobile

If you like cars and you might enjoy driving, then Canada is the place for you.

Almost our entire society revolves around the car, and any other form of transportation is virtually unthinkable for most Canadians.

But that does mean that life without a car is actually impossible in Canada.

The harsh climate

There's really nothing they can do about that

The climate in Canada is quite harsh, as you probably already knew before you emigrated.

Six months of winter is a long time, however, and actually much longer than many people might imagine.

Quite a few immigrants stumble over this simple fact. You can't blame the weather on anyone and it's unlikely that it will ever really get better.

Unhealthy living

Bad food, too little exercise, pollution

It is easy to notice that there are so many overweight people in Canada. It indicates an unhealthy lifestyle.

Indeed, it is difficult and expensive to buy healthy food at the grocer's.

Exercise is often discouraged.

Especially in and around the big cities the air quality is not good. The pollution is considerable.

Friendships

People interact differently

When you move somewhere later in life, it is difficult, or at least different, how you make friends.

The obviousness quickly disappears. How do you deal with that?

Especially people who have lived somewhere for a long time, they already have a closed circle of friends. It can be quite difficult to deal with that.

Some immigrants complain of a kind of loneliness in that sense.

To act insincere

Saying what you don't mean

You have to be polite, in Canada, in the old-fashioned English way, so to speak.

They want to know how you are doing but they don't want to know at all.

They invite you to their home but that will never happen.

Everything is “lovely” even when it isn’t.

The feigned politeness can become annoying when you really don't know where you stand anymore.

Two weeks vacation

Three, if you've been there for years

Workplace relationships are really different in Canada. It starts with the amount of vacation days you get. Not much! Two weeks!

You also get "sick days" for when you can't work due to illness. Not many either, maybe five a year?

If you are still sick, you can use up your vacation days.

What kind of situations are these?

Canadian schools

Often not so great

In public schools, little is learned, the children are more socially pacified. There is not even an official compulsory education. The curriculum is actually a few years behind.

There are very few private schools and they are often very expensive.

Going to vocational school or university quickly becomes very expensive.

All kinds of reasons

There are people who moved to Canada knowing in advance that it would only be for a certain number of years. Some of that group stayed; others left more or less according to plan.

A much heard deeper reason is that people are moving again for a job or a business activity. Sometimes they want to take care of a family member. Perhaps it is for the children to be able to attend another school.

There are plenty of reasons to stay or to go. Generally, when one leaves Canada, there are several reasons that have come together.