7 Things to Know Before Visiting Canada

Canada is the second-largest country in the world after Russia and is the land of snow and maple syrup. For as know as I can remember, I have wanted to visit Canada, specifically the cities of Vancouver and Montreal. I even went as far as enquiring from the Canadian embassy in London how to complete a Canada eTA application form. This is how serious I was about wanting to visit Canada and possibly live there for a year or two.

Over the last couple of years, my desire to visit Canada has continued to grow so much that I will be booking my flight for next year in a few short weeks. As a British citizen, I do not need a visa but I do need a Canada eTA {electronic travel authorisation} and the beautiful thing about applying for an eTA is that it can all be done online. If like me, you’re ready to visit the land of maple syrup, then here are 7 things you should know before visiting Canada.

7 Things to Know Before Visiting Canada

As a frequent traveller, I have learned over the years that it pays to be prepared, a prepared traveller is a wise traveller. There is nothing I hate more than not being prepared especially when travelling to a country I have not been before. On our recent trip to Japan, we learned valuable lessons {most ATM machines only release 10,000yen aka £75} this is not something we knew beforehand and it caused it a lot of headaches.

As a first-time visitor to Canada, I want to make sure that I plan beforehand and are well prepared for any cultural and economic differences. After days of thorough research, I have learned about every I need to know before visiting Canada and hope this list will be helpful to you too as you plan your Canadian adventures. This list includes everything from visa or eTA applications to tipping your waiter.

Visa or eTA

Depending on where you’re travelling from, you will either need a visa or an eTA. For British citizens as well as citizens from Australia, Japan, Italy, and Switzerland do not need visas but do need an eTA {$7CAD} before arrival check, Destination Canada for more details. It always pays to check before you travel, ensure you have a valid passport with at a minimum 6 months left before expiring. If you’re arriving in Canada via land or sea, you do not need to have the eTA in advance of your trip but need to carry certain documents with you.

Canada is a big country

I did not know Canada was the second-largest country in the world, but I did know that with 10 provinces and three territories, it has a big landmass covering 6 time zones. It there pays to plan your trip across Canada wisely as you might not manage to visit all the touristy cities. If you want to see more of the country, I would recommend hiring a car so that you can go further.

Tipping and Drinking Age

Tipping your waiter or barber is not really a mandatory thing in Europe but when you venture to North America, it has a life of its own. In Canada, you’re expected to tip in the range of 15% to 20% of your bill. It was a huge shock to me when I first experienced this in the US, that you’re expected to tip especially when there was nothing wrong with the service or the food. As for the drinking age, it differs in each province for most is from 18 or 19 years of age.

Two Official Languages

Canada has two official languages, English and French with 20% of the population speaking French. Quebec is one region in Canada that predominately speaks French as its first language, so it pays to know what language is commonly spoken in the regions that you intend to visit.

Travel Insurance a must–have

I never travel anywhere near or far without travel insurance, I am fortunate that my travel insurance is part of my everyday banking. Canada might have the best healthcare system in the world but that is for Canada and its residents and not tourists. You might be surprised at just how costly it can be to be injured in a foreign land.

Emergency Information

Another thing I never travel without knowing is the emergency contact numbers of the destination I intend to visit. For Canada you will need to dial 911 for the emergency services: police, fire and medical services, also check if your network provider will allow such calls when abroad.

Tim Hortons

Every Canadian and even tourist I have spoken to have mentioned Tim Hortons {named after a hockey player} being a must-visit. Canada is an expensive country and if you’re on a budget, Tim Hortons which can be found in every region is the best place for affordable coffees and cakes.

I am very excited about my visiting Canada in the near future, I am almost done planning the itinerary, and apply for my eTA in advance and will check a few pounds into Canadian dollars. There is no doubt in my mind that I will have a lovely time in Canada, but preparation is key. Canadians are polite but they do frown upon disorderly conduct, littering even skipping queues.

The biggest pieces of advice I have received so far about Canada has been, be prepared for the weather as it can really get cold in Canada, ensure you meet the visa requirements and be ready to pay additional sales tax. I am ready for the weather, I am all about layering, I know that as a British citizen I need to apply for a Canada eTA application but what I am not ready for is paying additional sales tax.

Have you ever been to Canada, if not, is it on your bucketlist?