Tag: Ontario

The 10 Provinces of Canada

On By Dani Francuz RoseLeave a comment

This month we hit another milestone! We have officially been to all 10 provinces of Canada! Of course, we haven’t even come close to visiting all the places we want to see within the 10 provinces (not to mention the territories), but still, it is pretty cool to have been able to see as much as we have! So, for this month’s post, I wanted to write a little bit about our time spent in each province so far and share a few of the things still on our list for whenever we make it back. Enjoy!

Alberta

We first went to Banff just a few months after moving to Canada, and we were absolutely blown away! I have a feeling we’ll be back to the Canadian Rockies a few times before we leave the continent because they are truly spectacular. Calgary was an easy entry point, Canmore and Banff were amazing, but the highlight was definitely the drive up to Jasper National Park on the Canadian Icefields Highway. Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Athabasca Falls, countless glaciers: it was incredible! In fact, for our next trip out that way, we’re actually thinking of doing it again just in reverse: flying into Edmonton, spending time in Jasper, and taking the Icefields Highway back down to Banff – the same gorgeous scenery in the opposite direction, and ideally, in a different season. The biggest challenge will definitely be deciding which season because I have a feeling all four are equally stunning!  

British Columbia

Okay, so technically, British Columbia was the first province Tucker and I ever visited together. In 2008, we went on an Alaskan cruise, which served as my 50th US state expedition and our high school graduation trip, but unfortunately, we were only in Vancouver for a day. Therefore, it is high time for a BC re-do! Luckily, that trip is already in the books for January 2027. We’ll be stomping around the city for about a week, snowboarding for a day or two, and hopefully hopping over to the island as well. Of course, Whistler is also an option or the Sea-to-Sky Highway or more of the Rockies… Clearly, I’m still workshopping this trip, but whatever we don’t get done this time will just be on the list for a subsequent trip! Like the majority of Canadian provinces, BC is huge, and it really requires multiple trips to see and do all the things we’d like!

Manitoba

The very last province we made it out to was Manitoba, right in the center of the country. Here, we spent the majority of our time in Winnipeg, aka The Peg. Somehow, I feel like Winnipeg gets a bit of a bad rap, but we found the city to be super fun! It’s all very spread out, but it has a plethora of beautiful parks, lots of unique activities, and a solid amount of local color. I absolutely loved Assiniboine Park; Tucker loved all the breweries, and on our mini road trip day, we had a great time checking off a ton of fun roadside attractions en route to/from Riding Mountain National Park. Of course, I’m still eager to get back out to Winnipeg in winter, so we can see if “Winterpeg” really lives up to its name! Maybe we’ll combine that with a trip up to Churchill, the Polar Bear Capital of the World, which is on Hudson Bay on the northside of Manitoba. If you know us, you know that’s exactly the sort of thing we’d do…

New Brunswick

I sometimes feel a bit bad for New Brunswick. It seems like the most underrated/left-out province of them all, but it’s honestly so nice! The Bay of Fundy was probably our favorite sight since it’s so unique, but really, there is a lot we love about visiting NB (I think after Québec and Ontario, both of which we’ve called home, NB is our most-visited province). New Brunswick is right in the middle of Québec, Nova Scotia, and Maine, and I think it has a lovely mix of all the things you associate with those three slightly more famous destinations: French, forests, coastlines, etc. Of course, the Bay of Fundy is the true draw of NB. This bay actually has the highest tidal range in the world at over 50 feet, so here, you can literally watch the tide change right in front of your eyes. You can also walk on what is essentially the ocean floor if you time your visit correctly. Anyway, I actually wrote a whole post about the Maritimes, so if they’re on your to-visit list, definitely check it out!

Newfoundland and Labrador

The Far East, okay, not as far east as China, but as far east as you can get in Canada! In fact, the time zone in NL is 30 minutes ahead of East Coast time, which was just the first of many interesting facts we learned out there. Our trip centered around Newfoundland, which is an island affectionately known as “The Rock”, and I’d say that’s a fair assessment. NL is incredibly rugged. It’s also a bit isolated, which explains why it feels vastly different from the rest of the provinces. We spent a lot of our time in Newfoundland hiking because the coastline is dotted with lighthouses, lookout points, and depending on the season, either icebergs or rare birds. Despite some challenging weather, we had an absolutely amazing time schlepping around the island, and of course, the hospitality of the locals is second to none in all of Canada, so we also spent a good amount of our time chatting and drinking with locals who were just as curious about us as we were about Newfoundland. All in all, definitely a trip I’d love to do again, perhaps this time making it up to Labrador as well!

Nova Scotia

Another heavy-hitter in Canadian tourism, Nova Scotia has a lot to see. Halifax, of course, but the infamous Cabot Trail and Peggy’s Cove are here as well. Plus, the lobster rolls, Halifax donair, Moon Mist ice cream…it sort of seems like food was a driving force during our time spent in Nova Scotia, and on that front, we were never disappointed (well, unless you count that time a seagull stole a $30 lobster roll right out of Tucker’s hand lol). Seagulls notwithstanding, Nova Scotia is absolutely beautiful and really accessible. When compared to some of the other provinces, driving across NS seems downright quick! And, like Newfoundland, the locals are incredibly welcoming and really seem to enjoy sharing their favorite local hangouts. At one point, we were even considering moving to Halifax, so you never know, we might soon be exploring even more of Canada’s Ocean Playground!

Ontario

Where do I even begin with Ontario? We called this province home for 2 years, so obviously Ottawa is my favorite city in Ontario. But we also took trips to Niagara Falls, Toronto, Kingston, and about a dozen smaller towns in southeastern Ontario. Our first Canada Days were celebrated here. Ontario was where we were introduced to Beavertails, butter tarts, ketchup chips, and Coffee Crisps. This is also where we learned to love the extreme seasons of Canada, specifically of Central Canada. And even though we’ve already made trips back to Ontario after having moved to another province, there are many more we still want to make. Top of the list would probably be Thunder Bay. Lake Superior is the only Great Lake I have yet to see in person, and Thunder Bay looks like a stunning place to do just that. The problem with Ontario is that it’s absolutely massive. If I wanted to drive from Ottawa to Thunder Bay (both of which are in southern Ontario), it would take 16 hours. Maybe we’ll just fly.

Prince Edward Island

PEI might be the tiniest province of Canada, but it definitely packs a punch! I associate the island with Anne of Green Gables, but there’s a lot more to see than the rolling green hills and red dirt paths described in the novels. Prince Edward Island has a little bit of everything: farmland, gorgeous coasts, vineyards, the longest bridge in Canada! One of the best things about it is how much you can see there in a short amount of time. It only takes 3 hours to drive from one side to the other. While we were there, we saw the most beautiful sunset on the west coast of the island, and ever since then, I’ve had the idea to go back and watch a sunrise on the east coast in the morning, spend the day crisscrossing the island, exploring all the amazing restaurants, shops, coastal drives, etc. ending up on the west coast for another spectacular sunset. Of course, these days, I’ve been talking with a lot of people who have cruised to the island, which also seems like it would be a lovely way to see PEI. We’ll just have to see!

Saskatchewan

We finally made it out to Saskatchewan on one of our most recent trips, and I’m so glad we went full-on prairies! I knew I wanted to see the prairies in all their glory, so not only did we spend several days in Saskatoon walking the Meewasin Valley Trail, we also rented a car and drove for hours around the vast nothing between Saskatoon and Regina. And if that wasn’t enough, we also took a 14-hour train ride right through the prairies so I could be absolutely sure we saw the true extent of the province’s vast supplies of wheat, canola, and potash from every possible angle. I’m not sure what we expected before spending time in Saskatoon, but we left feeling like this was another underrated city that is well-worth a visit. It’s called the Paris of the Prairies, and I’d say for good reason. The Saskatchewan River is extremely picturesque, and the city wraps around it beautifully with a collection of lovely bridges. Calgary and Winnipeg on either side have vastly different vibes; Saskatoon feels to me a bit more like Québec: a little calmer, a little more relaxed, and really just a great place to slow down and take it all in. I can easily see us going back to Saskatchewan. I mean, we didn’t even make it all the way down to the City that Rhymes with Fun (aka Regina)!

Quebec

Another one that’s hard to sum up into one short paragraph! Quebec is our home, and even before moving here, we had visited several times. There’s no denying Montreal is effortlessly cool, but clearly, I’m Team Québec City all the way! As much as it’s cliché to say, there really is a certain je ne sais quoi about Quebec. The province has glittering lakes, winding rivers, forested mountains, colorful leaves, snowy winters, and everything else you could ever want from nature. Quebec is culturally rich as well; it’s indigenous, French, English, and Canadian all at the same time! During our time here, of course, we’ve seen a lot of what Montreal and Québec have to offer, but also Charlevoix, Saguenay, Rivière-du-Loup, Mont Tremblant, and more. Our next big trip within Quebec will probably be out to Gaspé, another one of the most beautiful landscapes in all of Canada. And in case you were wondering, I do in fact pinch myself often just to make sure this really is my life and not just a dream!

So, here’s to the 10 incredibly beautiful provinces of Canada! I sincerely hope you also get the chance to visit them all one day because from coast to coast to coast, Canada really is something special!

Ottawa vs Québec

On By Dani Francuz RoseLeave a comment

This week, we celebrated the one-year anniversary of our move to Québec, and surprisingly, some of the most regular questions we still get are about the differences between living in Ontario versus Quebec. Of course, comparisons like these are always hard to make because there are so many factors, but now that we have a little more time under our belts, I think I can share some of the bigger differences, or at least the things that have stuck out the most to two random Americans who happened to spend two years in Ottawa followed by a year in Québec City. Differences like:

Taxes

Can you tell it’s tax season? There’s a reason this is at the top of my list. This is our first year doing taxes in Quebec, and it is bringing about a whole new set of challenges. In Ontario, there’s only a federal tax, but in Quebec there’s federal and provincial. Yay! More formulaires to figure out! In general, taxes (sales tax, income tax, etc.) are a bit higher in Quebec, but as far as we can tell, that seems to even out with the cost of living and services provided. Of course, my favorite part of Quebec’s tax system is that they have a high rate of escalation for income tax – essentially, they tax the rich at a higher percentage, bringing equity into the equation, which is très progressif!

Language

I can’t talk about Ottawa vs Québec without mentioning English and French. Both cites have a large number of bilinguals, but the default languages obviously differ, as does the ease of use and readiness to switch. I didn’t hear very much French in Ottawa, and I feel like walking into a Tims there and asking for un café infusé avec une roussette au miel would have been met with blank stares. However, in Québec, it’s quite common to hear both English and French used daily. This disparity is exactly why Quebec has laws to enforce French as the first language of the province, because if not, English might just take over as it has in many other places around the world. Et c’est précisément pour ça que j’apprends le français.

International Influence

Unsurprisingly, Quebec’s French connection has had a lot of influence on the city. Its historical ties to France have shaped the history, culture, and language here, but even today, there are obvious international influences that differ from the rest of Canada. For example, the largest groups of immigrants into Quebec generally come from other francophone countries, which can be seen very clearly in Québec’s restaurant scene. Ottawa has lots of Chinese, Indian, and Iranian restaurants, not to mention shawarma on just about every other street. On the other hand, in Québec, we have way more French, African, and Caribbean options.   

Names

Another difference we’ve noticed has been the names of things. There’s a pharmacy in Ontario called Shoppers, but here it’s Pharmaprix. KFC is PFK; Staples is Bureau en gros; Loblaw’s is Provigo, etc. A combination of language, branding, and company mergers has given us several “hey-I-know-this-place” surprises over the last year. Perhaps even more strangely though, our own names also changed upon moving to Quebec, well, mine did anyway. In Quebec, you don’t take the name of your spouse, so very often for provincial things (like my health card), I’m asked for my nom de naissance or “birth name”, which for me is different than my official/government name. And that’s how I ended up with yet another alias…good luck identity thieves!

Identity

Speaking of identity, we’ve also noticed that Quebecers are not as concerned with the rest of Canada as the rest of Canada is with Quebec. We heard all sorts of things about Quebec and Quebecers prior to living here, and even now when I talk to Canadians in other parts of the country, they have a lot to say about Quebec. On the other hand, I don’t hear Quebecers talk much about the other provinces and territories. I liken it to New Yorkers. Yeah, New Yorkers are technically Americans, but they’re also their own thing, and Quebecers are very similar. They are Québécois first and Canadien second.  

Services/Community

Another thing we’ve been able to take advantage of here in Québec is the huge number of amazing services and community building activities, which have all been free (thus the higher taxes). We recently went snowshoeing, attended a lecture about the history of Québec, received materials that helped us apply for all our provincial IDs, etc. There are free French and English classes, meet-up groups, game nights, and so much more that has allowed us to meet so many people who call Québec home, and we’ve only scratched the surface! There is really an incredible amount of free and/or affordable services for all sorts of needs. Another good example is daycare. Here, you can find subsidized daycares for around $10 per day. Can you imagine?

Cost of Living

This is another one that’s hard to nail down exactly because, of course, it ultimately depends on what you choose to spend your money on. There are some things that might be more expensive here and others, less, but the biggest thing for us has been rent. We rented two very similar apartments in Ottawa and Québec. Both were two bedrooms, a few blocks away from downtown, all utilities included. Our apartment in Québec is 40+ years newer and a little bigger, yet it’s more than $500 cheaper per month. That cost differential will absolutely be worth the small increase we’ll see in taxes this year.

Driving

Somehow driving always seems to be a category in my country/city comparisons, and Ottawa vs Québec is no different! We lived in Ottawa for two years and never got a ticket. Not for driving, parking, or anything. In less than six months, we got two speeding tickets in Québec. I say “we”, but I wasn’t driving either time… Anyway, the point is, there are WAY more traffic cameras in Québec, and they absolutely work. Oddly, with that said, I also feel it’s more common here to come across a person making a U-turn in the middle of the road and/or ignoring any lane markers (if they can even be seen), so maybe there’s a good reason for all the cameras. Ottawa seems to follow the rules without being watched, and Québec seems to skirt the rules, until there’s photo evidence, of course.

Winter Prep

I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned this in a previous post, but I just can’t get over how different the two cities handle winter. Ottawa LOVES salt. Everything is super well-salted; I couldn’t have slipped on a sidewalk even if I had wanted to, but Québec uses a mixture of gravel and salt, which is probably cheaper and better for our boots and car but definitely means there’s more opportunity for slippage. Case in point: Tucker and I have each fallen two times in our Canadian years, and all of them happened in Quebec. With the gravel and salt mixture also comes a lot of slush, which can get a little messy. Cue the abri tempos! Another feature of Quebec winters is the appearance of tents. Tents everywhere! Temporary garages, doorway covers, walkway covers, etc. For half the year, there are pop-ups all over the place making for another difference that is super noticeable.

Joie de Vivre

And last, but not least is the infamous joie de vivre. Literally translated to “joy of living”, joie de vivre has such a palpable presence in Quebec. Ottawa (and much of the rest of North America) has such a hustle culture that is completely missing from Québec. Here it’s still common to take a bottle of wine and have a picnic in the park on a random weekday. Or to enjoy one of the many weeks-long festivals we have here in every season. It seems time with family and friends will always win out over work, and no one ever seems to be in much of a rush. Of course, the architecture, cuisine, and language all make Quebec feel more like Europe, but I think it’s really the joie de vivre that draws people in. C’est magnifique!

And there you have it! Just a few of the many differences between life in Ottawa, Ontario and Québec, Quebec. Personally, I would be extremely happy to live in either city, and as is always the case, there are pros and cons to both. What else is there to say except vive la différence! ;)

Some of the Prettiest Views in Ottawa

On By Dani Francuz RoseLeave a comment

As I was writing about all the fun things to do in Ottawa, I realized some of my favorite places in the city wouldn’t make it on the list. They don’t have activities per se, but they’re really beautiful and perfect for just walking, sitting, thinking, and/or taking pictures. So, in no particular order, I give you:

Alexandra Bridge

Rideau Falls

Major’s Hill Park & the Chateau Laurier

Rockcliffe Lookout

The Corktown Footbridge

Stanley Park

Maman & the National Gallery of Canada

Hudson’s Bay Overpass

Parliament Hill

The Ottawa Sign

Ottawa is NOT Boring

On By Dani Francuz RoseLeave a comment

When we first started looking into Canadian cities and where we might want to live, we were a little surprised to find that Ottawa has a reputation for being boring. In fact, one of its less-flattering nicknames is The City Fun Forgot, but over the two years we’ve lived here, I can honestly say I don’t get that at all! There is SO MUCH to do in and around Ottawa, and in order to do my part in shifting this perception, this month, I’ve made a list highlighting just some of the fun you can have in Canada’s capital city.

Food & Drink-related Activities

First up has to be food, right? In a city this diverse, of course there are tons of options. In our neighborhood alone we have not one, not two, but three amazing African grills, several French bistros, at least three fantastic Chinese noodle spots, a couple of taco windows, and more shawarma restaurants than pretty much anywhere else on the continent. But of course, there are plenty of drinks to be had as well! Here are just a few of my many, many food and drink-related suggestions for Ottawa:

Charcuterie at Prohibition
  • Try several of the city’s amazing restaurants. Some of our favorites include Sammi & Soupe Dumpling, Prohibition Public House, Metropolitain Brasserie, The King Eddy, and Bistro Coqlicorne.
  • Grab a drink at a local brewery or pub. Our absolute favorites are Brigid’s (which is located in the basement a beautiful old church), Spark Pizza, Overflow Brewing Company, D’Arcy McGee’s, and Mill Street Brew Pub.
  • Meet new people while on a Thursty Pedaler or Palapa Tour.
  • See the sights and share a snack or drink on a canal cruise.
  • Feel fancy (and productive) at a cocktail-making class.

Outdoorsy Activities

Canada, in general, is known for its great outdoors. Even in the city, there are tons of outdoor adventures you can have, and if you’re willing to drive (or ride) just a little outside of the city, these options truly multiply. Here are some of the most famous (and fun) outdoor activities you can do in and around Ottawa:

  • Drive, bike, or walk around Gatineau Park.
  • Complete a ropes course or simply zip-line from Ontario to Quebec.
  • Go skiing or snowboarding at one of five resorts all within an hour of downtown Ottawa.
  • Get out on the water (i.e. go rafting, kayaking, paddle boarding, sailing, skating, swimming, something!)
  • Take a hike. In the city, we love the Rideau River Trail, the Rockcliffe Rockeries, and Hog’s Back Park. Outside the city, it’s tough to beat Eagle’s Nest in Calabogie, but there are plenty of other, even closer trails that rival it.

Cultural Activities

If adventure sports aren’t really your thing, maybe you’d prefer to do something a little more cultural. Ottawa has you covered there as well. Ottawa has the most museums of any Canadian city, and as the country’s capital, there are more festivals, exhibits, shows, and other amazing events rolling through here than anyone could ever hope to keep up with! Here’s a quick look at some of the more cultural things you can do:

Enjoying Winterlude 2024
  • Attend a festival, such as Winterlude, the Tulip Festival, Bluesfest, Capital Pride, or any of the other countless festivals that are now synonymous with Ottawa. There’s actually a whole Wikipedia page dedicated to Ottawa’s Festivals, check it out!
  • Visit a museum or gallery. Our favorites are the National Gallery of Canada, the Canadian Museum of History, and the Canadian Museum of Nature, and the best part is these and many of the other larger museums/galleries have free admission hours each week.
  • Watch a live Art Battle.
  • Do some crafts or else buy some at one of the many local markets.
  • Participate in a community event. If you find a place you like in Ottawa, follow them on social media, and I guarantee at some point they’ll share an event that interests you. This is how we found ourselves eating pierogi and making pisanki at Wedel in Westboro last Easter.

Game-like Activities

If you know me, you know I love games, and luckily, we’ve found a plethora of game-like activities in Ottawa as well. One of the many upsides to long winters is that people have to get more creative with their indoor time, and that is super obvious when it comes to indoor entertainment in Ottawa. Here are some of our favorite things to do when we want to play (or watch others play):

We ❤️ pub trivia!
  • See how much you know at pub trivia.
  • Escape from one of the many escape rooms in the city. I personally love Escape Manor because they have a super cool speakeasy-type bar and other fun games and activities like bocce ball and interactive darts.
  • Play one of the thousands of games (both tabletop and video) that they have at Level One Game Pub.
  • Watch a sports game. Extra points if you support the Ottawa Senators, Redblacks, or Titans because we do too!
  • Enjoy a round of Bingo or two.

Just-plain-fun Activities

If you’ve already had your fill of all the food/drink, outdoorsy, cultural, and game-like activities on offer, might I suggest a few more things that might not fit neatly into one of those categories, but are still so much fun to do in and around Ottawa:

  • Head to a sugar shack for an incredibly unique Canadian experience.
  • Relax at a nature spa.
  • Drive through Park Omega.
  • Interact with a movie at Bytowne Cinema. Drunken Cinema Night is so much fun, but they also have High Tea Sundays, Sing-a-longs, Sleep-overs, and other fun events every month!
  • Take a free city walking tour or a DIY city murals tour.

I hope this is enough to prove to anyone that Ottawa is absolutely NOT boring. But if you still have doubts, I invite you here to see for yourself. I promise, you won’t regret it!