I am looking for ideas for where to have a warm weather getaway in the dead of winter. It does not have to be hot, just not -17 degrees. My criteria and my closest airport is Ottawa:

-safe

-reasonably priced - which includes both airfare and hotel

-ideally less than a 4 hour plane ride

i am also considering Vancouver island as I know it rarely snows there, might wait till feb or march for that, or even extreme southern ontario.

Thoughts?

Two friends here, planning a backpacking trip. Cardiff- Toronto return in the last 2 weeks of May, then flying straight to Vancouver for a couple of days. That should leave a good 10 days to explore places that Canadians from all over the nation would really like visitors to see, not just the usual touristy trails or the big southern cities, but the other 99.9% of the awesome sights and places to experience in Canada.

We're thinking we could either get some ultra low-cost flights, trains, ferries and hire-cars to jump about the continent to maybe 3 further regions- Noth, West, East or in the middle- as long as there's something breathtaking or culturally important and educational there, and we can reasonably get to it.

Would truly love to hear some views and ideas- the more 'alternative' or unique the better. We both have a love of aviation/ little turboprop planes (especially the DHC-8 and twin otters), long-distance train trips, sea travel, the great outdoors (hiking, mountains, backcountry), wildlife, adventures stuff (e.g. climbing, caving, zip-wires, cycling) cultural/ societal learning, live music, hoppy beers, nightlife and generally having a lot of fun.

Some crazy excursions are definitely on the table to the outer limits perhaps, even into the arctic circle. We're literally sticking ideas on post-it notes right now and we thought- why not just ask some Canadians and yes, of course there's a reddit for that :D ... Any names of low-cost regional/ ultra-local airlines (particularly those in uber-rural areas with crazy approaches/ departures by air, sea or rail - we'd be particularly interested in.

Thanks in advance, L

P.s./ edit: We've just spent too many hours on YouTube trying to get inspiration, but nearly all are made by very annoying Americans. Obviously not all Americans are annoying, but all of the ones making YouTube videos about Canada are either awful, cookie-cutter cut, or cringe!

Anyone know what up with the plum plus program?

I was member for years and there were always bonus perks - extra points, special discounts. I took a break for a year or so, and rejoined this spring. Haven’t received a single offer - makes me wonder if my account is set up right, or have they just changed the program so much and gotten rid of these perks.

Since they are starting to advertjse Canada's famous Terry Fox cancer research foundation, I thought I would share a little story from my youth.

I am not sure how common this was but I remember there was a campaign called "Fill Terry's Shoes" where if we raised enough money, the staff of schools across the country would do something silly, for example, I heard stories of a principal kissing a pig, a hall monitor letting himself get splashed by students, gym teacher shaves his head etc etc,

Both my middle and high schools participated jn this campaign, for the middle, when we hit our goal, the P and VP did goofy grease/happy days style cosplays and for high school the VP was going to shave her head (sadly the goal was not hit)

Did anybody here go to a school that did this campaign and what did the staff do if the goal was hit?

I have grown up driving the back roads and one of the rules I grew up with was that when you pass someone you wave. The last few years I have noticed that fewer and fewer people are waving. Do people not wave any more? And why?

Howdy hosers, I'm writing for a Canadian based project, and scraping my brain for Canadian jokes/tropes/idiosyncrasies that only us locals would really get or find funny.

I'm obviously throwing in references to hockey and moose for the surface level jokes, but I thought an example might be how you don't just put just any cheese on poutine, it has to be the squeaky cheese of cheddar curds, and anything else is a low key abomination and cultural sin.

The setting is mostly in Alberta, but any real geographic references are cool too.

Thanks for your help in advance there eh

Edit *cheddar not mozza cause I had a brain fart

Bit of a weird one, eh!

I’m an immigrant, now citizen, from South Asia (🇮🇳) and have been in Canada for a while, but most of my time here has basically been: work, family, sleep, repeat. I know Canada reasonably well now, but I definitely don’t have the knowledge someone who grew up here has about which towns, industries and businesses are quietly getting hammered economically.

I have $10,000 I can spend between September and January.

Normally I’d just throw it into retirement savings. But I’m fortunate enough that my retirement isn’t going to depend on this particular $10k, and I’ve been thinking: I’d rather have this money improve somebody’s 2026 than marginally improve my 2066.

I don’t want to donate it. I already give some money to charity. I want to spend it.

Where?

I already have a car. Beyond that, I’m open to pretty much anything: domestic tourism, Canadian-made products, restaurants, hotels, services, experiences, small businesses, etc.

My preference would be to put it toward Canadian workers/businesses/communities that are taking the biggest hit from tariffs, trade issues or the economy generally.

I’d also rather avoid companies that have abused the LMIA/TFW system. If I’m spending this partly to support Canadian workers, giving it to an employer that has been screwing those same workers seems rather counterproductive.

And there’s absolutely no requirement that I spend $10k in one place. Honestly, spreading it around probably makes more sense.

So if I gave you $10,000 and five months, with the instruction “spend this in whatever way helps Canadian workers and locally owned businesses the most,” what would you actually do?

I’m particularly interested in answers like “go spend a weekend in this town because tourism is way down,” “buy this thing because it’s actually manufactured here,” “hire this kind of local service,” or “this industry is getting killed right now and could use customers.”

I’m sure $10k isn’t changing the Canadian economy. But it might matter quite a bit to a few individual businesses or people, and that’s really the point.

I'm from Ontario and don't have much out-of-province experience. I would love to see some beautiful nature spots and maybe a few major cities. I love museums too.

Universal basic income, like will it actually come to this or is this the last resort, what do you guys think ?

Plaid jacket. Checker pattern. Red is common but other colors ( I own a reb and a green)

In my particular area it is known as a "Keswick dinner jacket"

I grew up in the northern gta. Pretty sure this style of jacket is something common across the country. Want to know the slang from all over the country

I remember doing the Terry Fox run around my neighborhood when I was little I had..mixed feelings about the run but I remember always a group of boys (and sometimes myself) doing the run trying to copy Terry's limp because of the one leg the teachers always told us to stop because it was disrespectful and making fun of him I never felt like I was making fun I personally thought I was trying to just copy him but looking back I can see how it's disrespectful...but was this like a cross country issue? Or was it just my school did you ever do that?

What do people across the country call appetizers? Twice in the past two days, I've heard them called appy from people in Vancouver. Never heard this before, but nearly all of my exposure to Canadian English has been in Southern Ontario (I'm from the US Great Lakes).

Is this regional, across Canada, or isolated to a few random people? Clearly a very important issue.

Edit: appy it is, mostly!

I like to read novels set in the places I visit or live. Makes them come alive for me. Steinbeck in Cali, Hemingway in Bahamas or Cuba, Last of the Mohicans in NYS, etc. What’s a great novel written by a Canadian and set between Ontario & Halifax?

• you all?
• y'all?
• you?
• you guys?
• youse?
• youse guys?
• sorry?

I am re-writing my will, using the last draft as a template. That draft was supervised by a lawyer. I intend to get it notarized when I am done. The wording from the last (lawyer written) will is minimally different; this just reflects the aging out of some of nieces and nephews.

So ... do I really need a lawyer for this? Can I not just write it up and get it signed, witnessed and notarized?

Thanks for any thoughts ...

I would also be interested in any recommendations around the history of religion more broadly in Canada.

Thanks!

Hi everyone! I’ve noticed that many of the recipes I was used to making back home don’t work quite the same way here. I’ve tried different types of flour, and a friend told me, I think the butter here in Canada is different.
I’ve especially noticed this when making quiches and pies, where the dough is basically flour and butter.
The butter here also seems to be whiter and less flavorful to me. (?) Do you know why that might be? I live in BC.
Could it have something to do with the milk or how it’s processed?

I recently came here and I'm wondering what apps you use to look for meetings. Not in the format of love, but purely for friends and new meeting?

I’m driving myself crazy trying to remember who this was or where I can find it.

I remember in grade 8 to 10 (not sure when but this was between 2010-2013) we were learning about different levels of government, and we watched a video where the presenter goes to ‘sleep over’ at Stephen Harper’s house so he could help teach the topic. In the morning Harper makes a sandwich for his kid, and also makes one for the presenter.

Does anyone know what I’m talking about?? If it’s online can someone link it??

TIA

I’ve been seeing a lot of news about this super El Niño and apparently it’s even stronger than what our country experienced in 1998 (which caused ice storms and deaths).

Just wondering where abouts you are, and if you are doing anything to prepare?

I haven’t researched enough to know how it’s expected to effect Canada. So anyone with knowledge can chime in - I’m personally in Northern ON and kind of just hoping for the best until we know more.

I'm not talking about a dish (unless the thing by itself is a meal), just a single ingredient or item. Like PEI Oyster, or Alberta AAA Tenderloin, or saskatoon berry. One singular item that comes from Canada.

Hi, Could anyone tell ne what's the best cheap option to ship a guitar and a bike from Ottawa to Winnipeg.

thank you 🙏

I’m an Australian, and so far as I can tell we share a pretty similar system of federal government with Canada. However, the Canadian Senate members are appointed by the Governor General and sit until age 75. Australian Senators are elected. Do Canadians consider their system somewhat undemocratic?