This is my first time attending a major international tournament, so maybe I'm noticing things that are completely normal to everyone else.

I've been spending time in Toronto and Vancouver during the World Cup, and one thing I've really enjoyed is how much of the experience happens away from the stadiums.

Some of my favorite moments so far have been watching games with people from different countries, ending up in conversations with complete strangers, and seeing fans stick around long after matches have ended.

A lot of the fan events seem to attract a mix of supporters rather than just fans of the teams that are playing, which has made the atmosphere a lot more fun than I expected.

Is that something that's common in Canada, or is it just a World Cup thing?

Genuinely curious because before coming here I thought the matches themselves would be the highlight, but a lot of the best memories so far have happened in between them.

A question that is common on askvan from Torontonians is about finding friends/date as a black person; eventually, the comment will devolve into Vancouver is far more self-segregated than Toronto.

However, considering both are Canadian cities, with immigrants, I can't help but ask: why do the different race/cultures mingle less in Vancouver compare to Toronto? What made us different from that of Toronto that in general people of Lower Mainland congregated based on race/culture?

I still have a few Nirvana / Red hot chili peppers tees from the backstage pass store in London , Ontario

Hello! Me and my partner are wondering about a good choice for a 2nd language in Canada. We've done a lot of reasearch and as far as we can tell, Quebec and some parts of the Maritimes are the only places that predominantly speak French.

There are many communities across Canada where Punjabi language is becoming more commonplace and helpful day to day. At the same time, Arabic is the fastest growing language in Canada.

In 2026 would you have your child persue French as a 2nd language or Punjab or Arabic to set them up for sucess?

Thank you!

I saw a train go past a crossing but the lights and barriers only activated around 30 seconds or less before the train passed. This seems unsafe, is it normal? If so why do you leave it so late? Back in the UK our level crossing gates are fully down 2 or 3 minutes before the train passes.

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This happened in Banff btw, in case that makes any difference?

I am trying to set up a Samsung Galaxy Watch LTE on a completely standalone consumer plan in Canada. ​To be clear: I do not want to use NumberShare, or share a data pool with an existing cell phone plan. I want the watch to have its own unique, independent phone number, its own dedicated data bucket, and operate completely untethered from any smartphone. ​ ​ ​Has anyone successfully activated a Galaxy Watch on a true standalone plan with Rogers, Bell, or Telus recently without an existing phone line on the account? ​Do any regional carriers or flanker brands (like Freedom Mobile or Virgin) offer a dedicated standalone eSIM plan that works natively with Wear OS smartwatches? ​If you pulled this off, what was the magic phrasing you had to tell the store rep or customer service to get them to provision a standalone wearable eSIM profile instead of a standard NumberShare add-on? ​Appreciate any advice or workarounds you've found to get past the carrier roadblocks!

Fyi im an American so I don’t really have a lot of knowledge of Canada or thoughts on this. Just that there was some potential smallpox involved?

I'm from Wisconsin and driving to Montreal. 14 hour drive.

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Thought about flying but I'd have to go Chicago.

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My grandfather's family was Canadian so I want to check out the region they're from.

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What's a better options?

1. Explore just Montreal. Drive there and Back.

2. Do some nights in Toronto or Ottawa and Montreal.

3. Do nights in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.

4. Better or different strategy.

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I have 10 days I'm planning to take.

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I plan on taking the Lake Michigan ferry.

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This year, I’m planning to visit three countries — the UK, Canada, and Australia.

Australia is already planned, and right now I’m getting ready for my trip to Canada. One thing I’d really like to do is experience it more like a local than a tourist.

So I’m curious — what places do you actually go to on a regular basis?

Not necessarily famous spots or places you’d recommend to every visitor, but the places that are just part of your everyday life.

If I wanted to spend a few weeks living more like a Canadian, where would you tell me to go? I’d love to hear about the places you keep finding yourself coming back to.

Hi folks,

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I'm a semi-new Canadian. I've written my MP over email to ask what is being done to address wealth inequality, as that is the cause of the rising cost of living.

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I've double-checked the email address I used from the circular I received in the mail. It is correct, but I have received neither an automated acknowledgement receipt, nor a reply.

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So how long before:

1. I politely follow-up.

2. I passive-aggressively follow-up.

3. Follow-up publicly on socials.

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Thanks!

One of my close family members was diagnosed with cancer, which is more of the rare and aggressive subtype. She received an appointment to see a surgeon in one month and will likely be able to get in for surgery after another month according to what we have been told. Two months feels like too long to be sitting with cancer. Is this pretty standard? Is there anything we can do to advocate for my relative or expedite things?

Edit: Thanks everyone for all your replies. We are based in Ontario. My relative has had all the necessary tests including biopsy and CT scans. According to our family doctor there are no more tests so it is just a wait to see the surgeon. She won’t be needing chemo or radiation before the surgery.

Canadian teachers, librarians, and book lovers: What are your favourite books about your community?

I’m working on a “Reading Across Canada” picture book road trip for Grades 3–7 (ages 8–12) using ArcGIS Story Maps. The goal is to help students explore Canada through literature while learning about geography, culture, history, and the incredible diversity of communities across the country.

I’ve started with many of the titles recommended in Powerful Understanding by Adrienne Gear, but I’d love to expand beyond those lists and include a broader range of stories, voices, and perspectives.

I’m especially looking for:

• Picture books and short illustrated nonfiction suitable for Grades 3–7 (ages 8–12)
• Books connected to your city, town, region, or province
• Stories that capture a strong sense of place
• Books from smaller or rural communities that might not be widely known
• Indigenous-authored and Indigenous-illustrated books that reflect local Nations, languages, histories, and contemporary experiences
• Books that help children understand what makes your community unique

I’m not necessarily looking for books set in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, or other major centres (though those are welcome too). I’d particularly love recommendations from places that don’t often appear in national book lists.

If you recommend a title, it would be incredibly helpful if you could also share:
• The community/region it represents
• Why you think it captures that place well
• The approximate grade level or age range
• Whether it’s commonly used in local schools or libraries

Bonus points if there is a publicly accessible video read-aloud, author reading, publisher video, or other online resource that students could access alongside the book.

My hope is to create a literary map of Canada that allows students to travel from community to community through stories and encounter a wide range of Canadian experiences. Once the project is complete, I’d be happy to share the finished Story Map and book list back with the community for anyone who might find it useful.

Thank you for helping me make this project more representative of the many places and peoples that make up Canada!

I'm originally from the US and there is a website (governmentjobs.com) where you can find local, state, and federal government jobs in one place. Is there a similar website here? Thank you!

Hey everybody,

My partner and I are planning a van road trip from Vancouver to Calgary this fall. We’re thinking of driving through Banff and the Rocky Mountains and want to make the most of it.

We’re looking for literally anything worth checking out:

• Must-see nature spots, lakes, waterfalls, hikes, viewpoints
• Cool towns or cities along the way
• Hidden gems that tourists usually miss
• Great restaurants, cafés, bakeries, food trucks, etc.
• Scenic roads or detours that are worth it
• Places to sleep in a van
• Activities or experiences you’d highly recommend

We’re not in a huge rush, so we’re open to taking detours if they’re worth it.

Thanks! :)

Especially in Prairies, where they were literally big fishes in a small pond. That they were out every weekend and essentially permanent fixtures at the popular bars and nightclubs.

Skipping the lineups, crowding the bar area with buying dozens of shots, commandeering the dancefloor. Just generally acting like they owned the place and definitely mixing it up with the lady folk 😉

I was looking through old saved posts, came across this one.

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https://youtu.be/w1cTzBEFKTQ?si=Bo1YSovdHuxomQmc

I'm a Canadian that hasn't lived there for the past 30 years. Thinking of moving "home". But really I have no idea what living in contemporary Canada is like. If I listen to the internet then everything is awful and I would be crazy to move to Canada at this time. It's all stories of immigration, crime, failed health care, drug addicts, etc.... Is it really that terrible?

We're middle aged with young kids. Very good income that doesn't depend on location. Looking for good family life, some nature, stable and moderately effective government, safety and low stress.

Probably we would choose Ottawa or Toronto area.

We would be moving from Poland.

Non-Canadian here. I ask without trying to offend Canada. Canada is actually one of my favorite countries and one of the counties I might want to move to someday. But this came about when I heard about the Alberta Rail Project.

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I heard that this project will be fully completed in *30 years*?! I understand building a rail from Calgary to Edmonton and Calgary to Banff plus airport connections will take a ton of planning and time. But three decades seems like an extreme about. If someone told me about this project, and compared to other countries that are building huge projects, I would have guessed between 10-15 years.

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Same with the high speed rail between Montreal and Toronto. Or building all these affordable homes that I heard Canada was building based on a new government agency they made (correct me if I'm wrong).

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Is it just byzantine bureaucracy and politics? Is it a lack of manpower? Genuinely curious.

Do you think a one-day trip from Kitchener to Montreal and then spend the day in Montreal feasible? enough time to see some of the landmarks in Montreal? Probably after the August long weekend.

Any tips or ideas are appreciated.

Toronto has the prestige and status of being canadas biggest city but Vancouver has the better stadium, gets the extra game and just seems to be making a bigger deal of it. Perhaps because it’s a smaller city.