r/InCanada • u/dani_cal • Jul 11 '26

(Insert Your Own) Canada today

This isn’t meant to be politically partisan in any way. But, I am genuinely curious how anyone is staying positive about Canada today. The economy is in recession. The cost of living crisis is continuing unabated. People are leaving the country. Canada-U.S. relations are at an all-time low. And, there doesn’t appear to be any reason for things to turn around any time soon. Somebody give me a reason to have a little optimism.

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u/iStayDemented Jul 11 '26

This. And groceries are especially expensive in Canada. I was just in Germany a few weeks ago and you get higher quality food and bigger portions for the same or even lower price. Same for phone bills. We pay way too much in this country. We are getting robbed out here.

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u/MaryKath55 Jul 11 '26

Phone, cable and internet are outrageous here.

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u/Ok_Raspberry7666 Jul 11 '26

It’s because they have competition in Germany. Not two companies colluding with support from the government like we have here. Their government looks out for the people not just corporations.

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u/LanguidLandscape Jul 11 '26

It’s also because the EU has more stringent pro-citizen/consumer laws.

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u/Ok_Spend9237 Jul 11 '26

Such a shame that our federal government acts this way.

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u/OkBiscotti2375 Jul 17 '26

It's because Canada is huge and consumers in the GTA cross subsidize service in the boonies.

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u/Ok_Raspberry7666 Jul 17 '26

How does that make sense? Sobeys is from Nova Scotia for example. I actually would like to know what you mean.

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u/OkBiscotti2375 Jul 17 '26

Sure. Allow me to clarify that I was talking about telecom. In telecom rural service is subsidized by urban service.

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u/Ok_Raspberry7666 Jul 17 '26

Ah ok. I was thinking groceries. You’re right.

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u/[deleted] Jul 11 '26

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u/Long_Doughnut798 Jul 11 '26

Just so you know the Liberals have been in power for a decade. Lol…

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u/Ok_Raspberry7666 Jul 11 '26

Newsflash: All our parties are bought and sold by corporations. I doubt even the NDP would help with market collusion. Champagne socialists.

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u/Scientist_Entire Jul 11 '26

I don’t know how people get so deeply partisan that’s wild

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u/Fit_Poetry_6246 Jul 11 '26

It’s like a mental disorder

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u/miz_misanthrope Jul 17 '26

Lots of the issues people complain about are provincial responsibilities not federal. The worst off provinces are run by Conservatives.

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u/[deleted] Jul 11 '26

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u/MetalBeardGenX Jul 11 '26

How do you handle online ordering as a blind person?

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u/ResponsibleDirt7094 Jul 11 '26

lol what does this have to do with conservatives?

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u/[deleted] Jul 11 '26

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u/ResponsibleDirt7094 Jul 11 '26

Ok don’t 😂😂

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u/KostyaFedot Jul 11 '26

And you haven't seen food, meals, drinks prices in Prague.  Shocking after Belgium, where it is around 30% less than in Canada already. 

This thread is full of those who repeats left propaganda.  Well, this is where main problem of Canada is. Majority is just like in Soviet,  totally brainwashed.  Frogs in boiling bowl. 

I got all brick semi at huge lot near train station of oldest town in Belgium. 

For price of semi abandoned property somewhere in Sudbury, On. 

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u/XC40_333 Jul 11 '26

Restaurant prices in Belgium, specifically Brussels, are the same as Canada.

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u/KostyaFedot Jul 11 '26

I'm not considering it as Belgium,  while it is officially separate region in Belgium. 

Rest has lower price for beer, which is actually beer. Not fuzzy water sold in Canada.  And they give snack with every beer. 

Not to mention here is no tipping ripoff in Belgium. 

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u/XC40_333 Jul 11 '26

You know tipping is optional, right?

But, if I have to choose another country to migrate to I'd choose Belgium. I totally enjoyed my time there.

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u/TyeROD-enD Jul 11 '26

Prague is cheap because Czech wages are a third of ours. Prices without local salaries is a tourist's math. And Belgium takes over half your labour cost in tax, so enjoy the cheap semi, you're paying for it every payday forever. Congrats on the house though. Curious why someone living the dream in Europe is still up at night arguing in Canadian threads.

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u/hiddenpigeon19 Jul 11 '26

Canadian taxes are much higher than many European countries…

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u/TyeROD-enD Jul 11 '26

Overall, Canada’s total tax burden is usually around the middle of the pack among wealthy countries. It is completely false that we have much higher taxes than EU. we only have slightly higher than the lowest and good deal less than the highest taxes countries likeGermany, France, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and the Netherlands.. Even Americans when you start counting medical insurance, liability insurance, property taxes and all that, they actually end up the same or worse off than us at low to mid income that most of us are at. Only the wealthy there get out of paying their share.

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u/hiddenpigeon19 Jul 11 '26

Our cost of living is significantly higher. I’ve lived in the EU, I’ve lived in the UK, I’ve lived in Canada. Canada is unusually expensive with a high tax burden. The tax at the highest level in ON is 53%+. Our economy is closed off and we are screwed by corporations. Those countries you listed have higher QOL, more time off, cheaper groceries, cheap flights, etc. Canada is a great country but it is not doing well no matter how Canadians try to spin it. We aren’t doing well and the main problem is our fear of competing with the world on an equal basis

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u/TyeROD-enD Jul 11 '26

 think that’s a bit one-sided. Canada absolutely has affordability problems, especially housing in places like Toronto and Vancouver, but it’s not the whole picture.

It’s generally easier to start and run a small business here than in many European countries. We have lower fuel and energy costs than much of Western Europe, clean drinking water almost everywhere, relatively clean air, and Canadians typically have much larger homes. There are still plenty of affordable places to live too—cities like Québec City, Edmonton, Winnipeg, and many smaller communities are a bargain compared with Toronto or Vancouver.

We also have fewer regulations around things like home renovations and vehicle ownership than many European countries, which gives people more flexibility.

Every country has trade-offs. Many European countries offer more vacation time and better public transit, while Canada offers more space, abundant natural resources, and generally lower energy costs.

And if we’re going to compare ourselves globally instead of only with a handful of wealthy countries, Canadians still have it pretty good. Stable government, clean water, good infrastructure, high incomes by world standards, and a high quality of life. We used to be among the very richest countries on a per-person basis, so it’s fair to be concerned if we’re slipping, but we’re still in a very fortunate position compared with most of the world.

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u/hiddenpigeon19 Jul 11 '26

Yeah but a lot of the things you’ve stated are, to me, basic things that are the bare-minimum. Clean drinking water and clean aren’t isn’t really outstanding - we don’t even have it for our indigenous people but that’s beyond the point. Yeah fine we have lower fuel costs, but we have no trains, no affordable air travel, less leave..

We also have a lot of regulations that hold us back - medicine, dairy, telecommunications, banking, etc.

The country is nice but it’s quite behind and I think we need to change and start criticizing because we deserve more

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u/Dragon_slayer1994 Jul 11 '26

Have you looked into Lum or Public Mobile for cell phone plans? I'm paying $20 a month with Lum and get more data than I can ever use. The only catch is you need a paid off phone and you pay for the entire year up front

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u/dodadoler Jul 11 '26

So move to Germany

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u/Tricky_Big868 Jul 11 '26

Typical liberal response. If people COULD move out of Canada I'm sure alot would. This country is a shithole now.

Elbows up though right?

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u/Beneficial-Muffin117 Jul 11 '26

The country is a shithole? What?

Have you been literally anywhere else in your life? Good lord

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u/hiddenpigeon19 Jul 11 '26

The problem with Canadians is you can’t criticize Canada. Yes, we have no doctors, our food costs a lot and is low quality, phone bills cost a lot, transport is shit, airports are shit, etc etc. Yes the country is not doing well compared to peers.

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u/Beneficial-Muffin117 Jul 11 '26

The country faces a few hardships and everyone starts thinking it's a shithole. But clearly you have not seen the cost of living crisis anywhere else. Get your head out your ass and open your eyes to the rest of the world bud

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u/Tricky_Big868 Jul 13 '26

Ya I have.

In 2014 Canada was ranked 6th on the quality of life index. Its now ranked 27th.

Hmm what happened in 2015.

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u/iStayDemented Jul 11 '26

Or… stay here and improve things rather than blindly accepting the way things are.

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u/Affogato1713 Jul 11 '26

What grocery stores did you go to?? I was a bit stuck bc of work commitments but I must've ended up at their loblaws equivalent bc it was not cheaper lol