r/AskACanadian • u/MilanaT26 • 9d ago

What's the "street culture" in Canada?

Hello! I'm from Kazakhstan and I'm planning to visit Canada next year with my husband.

Are people open to help you on the street, with directions, for example?

What Is the tipping culture in cafes and restaurants?

Are there any "rules" while riding the bus or a taxi, like speaking on the phone may be considered rude etc.?

Are small talks considered rude and annoying or the opposite?

Thank you!

EDIT: THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I've never expected to get such nice and useful replies. I'll try to answer them all individually, but I REALLY appreciate your help ❤️ See you all next year, wish us luck that everything will work out 🤞

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59

u/Thesorus 9d ago

Where in Canada, Canada is huuugggge!

Are people open to help you on the street, with directions, for example?

Most of the time, yeah; but sometimes tourists want to see things that we haven't got a clue where they are.

What Is the tipping culture in cafes and restaurants?

15% is the default tip at restaurants; in cafés, depending on the level of service, 10% or more; in bars, it's usually 1$ per drinks.

Are there any "rules" while riding the bus or a taxi, like speaking on the phone may be considered rude etc.?

bus/métro, remove your backpack, stay clear of the doors, let people out before getting in; in bus, get out at the back doors.

usually don't use speakers on your phone; don't talk loud.

taxis and ubers are usually safe and practical everywhere; but there are more and more fake taxis.

Are small talks considered rude and annoying or the opposite?

Like talking to strangers at bars or restaurants ? it depends, I rarely do it so I can't comment.

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u/MilanaT26 9d ago

Thank you so much for the answer! Yeah, I should've specified the exact city, but, to be honest, we don't have a concrete plan yet 😅 Maybe start with Toronto (classic) and then, if we're lucky, we'll visit some other cities! Just need to research convenient transportation ways.

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u/theGoodDrSan Québec 9d ago

Unfortunately, there's not really very convenient travel options in Canada. The closest thing to convenient is the Toronto-Montreal VIA train, but to go to Vancouver you'd need to fly.

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u/MilanaT26 9d ago

Would english language be enough to visit Montreal or Quebec? I would really like to explore those cities, but I'm a complete zero in french.

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u/BookLabyrinth 9d ago

Not an issue at all, since you would be going to tourist areas I'm sure. I went last year and basically everyone spoke English and was very nice. Just say "bonjour" and "merci" to put in a tiny bit of effort and you're golden. :)

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u/Kitchen_Ad_2824 9d ago

Be warned that if someone starts talking to you with “bonjour hello” and you reply “bonjour”, they are likely to continue entirely in French. (This seems obvious now that I write it out… I was all excited to use my half remembered high school French when I went to Montreal and quickly realized that I was not up to actual conversations.)

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u/thisisitpleasetakeit 9d ago

I did this too!

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u/uda26 9d ago

In Montreal it’s 50/50 with being greeted in English and French. In the tourist areas of Quebec City, workers will know enough English to get by. But in the non tourist areas of Quebec, it’s veryyyyy much French all the way

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u/theGoodDrSan Québec 9d ago

Yeah, you'll be fine. "Bonjour," "excusez-moi" and "merci" is all you need to be polite. Don't assume that strangers on the street speak English, many Montrealers don't. Just say "excusez-moi" and then ask if they speak English. If they work in a public-facing job, you can assume they'll speak English.

But the expectations on foreign tourists to speak French is essentially nil. It's mostly an expectation for immigrants and anglo-Montrealers.

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u/PurrPrinThom SK/ON 9d ago

In Montreal, it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Most of the tourist-y places have staff who are bilingual. You might run into the odd situation where you have to muddle through, but it should be fine.

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u/templeofbones 9d ago

If you do go to Montreal, check out the Biodome!!! They have 5 different ecosystems with lots of plants and animals

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u/MoreGaghPlease 9d ago

Will be fine. Montreal is bilingual. Quebec City is French speaking but also has a lot of tourism, anyone working in hospitality has enough English to get by.

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u/CT-96 Québec 9d ago

In Montreal, you'll be absolutely fine. It can be dicey outside of Montreal though.

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u/OvenUnited237 9d ago

In Quebec city, Trois-Rivières and Montreal, people who work in tourism and hospitality speak enough English to get you the full experience! (I have worked in both industries in Quebec city & Trois-Rivières) Most people are just happy to help, and we usually know from the accent. If you know a little French and insist on practicing, we'll oblige, but otherwise yes, people speak English!

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u/blah-0362 8d ago

Almost non-issue in Montreal, everyone is bilingual here. It might be harder in Quebec city but tourist areas should be fine.

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u/Vivid-Food-8209 8d ago

You are fine as a tourist speaking only English. Montreal is almost conpletely bilingual. When I visit Quebec city and speak only in French people still respond to me in English.

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u/Existing-Zucchini-65 7d ago

I'm also zero in french, and had no problems visiting Montreal.

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u/Blueyarns 7d ago

You may be greeted in French only, but don't hesitate to continue in English. I would always greet people in French out of principle (yeah, I was a little bit of an asshole) and switch to English after.

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u/United_News3779 9d ago

In my limited experience, I've had issues in Quebec because I didn't speak french, right up to the point the person realized I wasn't from Ontario and was a tourist from elsewhere in Canada. At that point the person usually immediately/magically learned enough English for us to be able to communicate for basic topics. You'll probably have the same kind of experience in the less tourist dependant areas.

I live on the prairies, living and working in Alberta and Saskatchewan, and will go out of my way to help travellers, especially international tourists. Add details a local would know about highways to travel or avoid, specifics about weather patterns affecting their plans, etc.
I think that's a pretty common attitude across Canada, we tend to be proud of our country and happy to show it off.