We can’t expect non-Canadians to know everything about Canada, but some misconceptions can be pretty out there.
Recently, a Redditor asked, “What’s something people from outside the country always get hilariously wrong about Canada?”
Canadians were quick to jump in to share some of the most bizarre comments they’ve received from family, friends, coworkers, and strangers. Based on the comments, you’d think we all drink Tim Hortons while riding our personal polar bears to our igloos. Many appear unable to grasp the size of the country, thinking that you can simply pop to Vancouver for lunch… from Toronto.
Here are just some of the things that people get so wrong about Canada.
The geography
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Toronto is definitely a popular spot, but many appear shocked that it’s not actually our capital city.
“The capital of Canada is not Toronto?” joked Tufftaco88.
With a total area of 9,984,670 km2, Canada is the second-largest country in the world — a fact that many people do not realize.
When it comes to what people get wrong about Canada, Mattimvs stated, “It’s size — ‘I’m coming to Canada for a week, and I want to see Vancouver and Toronto.’”
While not impossible, lunch plans can be a bit complicated when you’re planning to meet in another province.
“Friends from England once came to Toronto and asked if we could meet them for lunch,” recalled 0h118999881999119725. “We had to decline on the basis that we are in Vancouver and didn’t think it was reasonable to fly four to five hours each way for lunch.”
The weather
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There’s no denying that parts of Canada do get cold, but it appears that most outsiders believe that winter here never ends.
“The weather extremes. I’m Canadian and lived in England for 13 years. When I told friends I was going home, they asked if I really wanted to be cold year-round,” stated Suspicious_Big2454. “I had to explain to them that most of Canada gets hotter than England every summer. I had to explain that highs of 40 and lows of -40 weren’t uncommon.”
ivanvector stated, “I grew up in southern Ontario before you could look things up on the internet. It wasn’t that rare to see cars with US plates rolling down the highway with skis on the roof in the middle of summer.”
laurenainslee, a Redditor from Ontario wrote, “Currently in Scotland. Had someone ask me if I wasn’t looking forward to going back home to the snow. I let them know it’s warmer at home than it is here.”
DeX_Mod added, “Conversely, I have a new boss; he’s from Egypt. He’s constantly complaining that it’s too hot in Saskatchewan.”
The wildlife
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