When winter comes around, Canadians hunker down and prepare themselves for the familiar weather trends. But what about new-to-Canada residents who may not know quite what to expect?
We spoke to a few newcomers about their expectations before coming to Canada and what they think of our winters thus far.
Laura Pereira, a 25-year-old student from Brazil, says this is her first Canadian winter, and it hasn’t been nearly as rough as she expected.
“To be honest, I was expecting to see more snow and less rain and wind,” says Pereira, who is currently living in Cape Breton. “I was expecting to have lots of snow and ice, but it’s not as bad as the comments made it seem before I arrived.”
Pereira says no matter what weather hits this winter, she plans to make the best of her experience.
“My tip to someone who wants to come to Canada during the winter is to mentally prepare yourself to adapt and enjoy the journey,” she adds.
For Stuart Heath, a 29-year-old from Belfast, Northern Ireland, his introduction to Canadian winters wasn’t so smooth.
“My first winter was in Ottawa and I’ve never been less ready for cold weather in my life,” he says, laughing. “My nostrils would freeze every time I went outside, it actually hurt my lungs to breathe.”
Now, after spending a winter in Ontario, several on the East Coast, and this year the West Coast, Heath is a pro at tackling Canadian winters, but the frigid memory of his first will never fade.
Alice Huong moved to New Brunswick from Beijing in September and says she did a bit of research on Canadian winters before making the move.
“Some stories claimed it would be too cold to go outside, while others shared how fun it was to play in the snow,” she explains. “So, I wasn’t exactly sure what to believe until I arrived to experience it for myself.”
Huong says as long as she layers her clothing and remembers her mittens, winter in Canada is a beautiful thing to experience. She looks forward to her first time sledding and has already tried to find her balance on ice-skates.
Whether you’re new to Canada or have been here all your life, bundle up and stay safe this winter and don’t forget to take a lesson from Pereira and make the most of it! Summer will be here again before we know it.
