A guide to understanding local customs and life in Canada.
A guide to understanding local customs and life in Canada.
Knowing how to fit-in in a new culture is one of the hardest hurdles to overcome.
Every country has its own set of unspoken rules and customs. It can take newcomers years to figure out the right formula of behaviours that will be accepted by locals. If you want to find out more about life and local etiquette culture in Canada, read on!
Don’t worry… in general, Canadians don’t offend easily. We’re pretty easy-going and known for being polite, respectful and unpretentious.
We also value empathy, open-mindedness, sensitivity and humility in our interactions with others and try to respect people’s individuality and need for privacy.
There are exceptions to every rule, but in general these are the values Canadians aspire to.
Here are our top tips on Canadian etiquette to keep in mind while you’re living in Canada.
Be polite and respectful
Demonstrating good manners will always win you the praise and respect of Canadians. While it’s certainly a stereotype (and exaggeration) that all Canadians are polite and accommodating, there is some truth to the generalization.
Here are some basics to keep in mind:
Canadians also generally try to behave with humility. Bragging about accomplishments or flaunting wealth and power are considered very distasteful. Your new pair of Nikes or Rolex watch really won’t impress Canadians.
Always tip your servers
Tipping wait staff, baristas and bartenders is an absolute must in Canada!
It’s customary and expected to tip your wait staff between 15 and 20% on the total of the bill, every single time. Hairdressers, taxi drivers, bell boys and other service staff usually receive 10 to 15%. Part of this is because a large portion of your servers pay comes from your tips!
If you’re wondering why you’re not getting great service at a bar, it’s probably because you didn’t tip the first time around. Servers will remember! Always tip your servers!
Be on time
Canadians are very punctual. We value our time and expect others to do so also.
What does that mean?
Don’t be late for appointments. Don’t be late for class. Never be late for work. If you’re meeting a friend for coffee, try to be there as close to the agreed time as possible. Canadians find it very disrespectful when people are late.
Conversely, it’s considered somewhat rude to show up early at a friend’s house or if you’re invited somewhere for dinner. It’s okay to arrive 15 minutes into a party, or get together at someone’s house. ‘Fashionably late’ is okay!
Treat everyone as your equal
Regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, social status, colour, nationality or language – we believe all humans should be treated equally. It’s a fundamental belief that has shaped the very foundation of our identity as a nation and a right that most Canadians will openly fight for on behalf of others.
That’s not to say that racism and sexism don’t exist here, but they certainly aren’t given much tolerance to cultivate. If you plan to fit in here, leave your intolerances at the door!
As a fairly egalitarian society that encourages individualism, lines of social hierarchy can sometimes be blurry. In other words, Canadians will not change their behaviour much to please others. This even includes bosses and people in places of authority.
If you’re not sure how to behave, just be polite as possible and you’ll be fine!
Shake hands and make eye contact
Just like Americans, Canadians always introduce themselves and shake hands when they first meet someone. This is true in both professional and social situations. A firm handshake when departing is also customary.
If you find yourself in Quebec, you may be greeted by a kiss on the cheek when meeting a friend of a friend. This is a very common way to greet friends and family in Quebec, but generally it isn’t done in the rest of Canada.
Making eye contact is also very important when talking to a friend or colleague. Canadians are sometimes offended if the person they’re speaking with doesn’t make eye contact. They might think you’re distracted or not listening.
Anything else to know?
Here are few quick (and somewhat cheeky) Canadian traditions to remember:
If all this information on etiquette and life in Canada has you more confused than ever, just remember one simple rule: BE POLITE. You can never go wrong with kindness and respect, no matter the country or culture.
Latest articles
Tags
Global Village Victoria Social Media
It`s Graduation day at Global Village!🎉
We have two whole weeks worth of graduates; so lets get into it!
From GV 6 Anais Ribaux was one our grads. She made amazing progress during her time here (23 weeks!). We hope the skills she learned will be useful to her as she goes back to Switzerland.
Maria Del Pueblito Cardenas Mata studied with us for 12 weeks. She will be returning to Mexico and hopefully be back in Canada again in the not too distant future.
Ki-Jung Chang made a great impression here with his positive attitude and infectious smile. I’m sure he will be missed
Francine Fioravanso Tramotina from Brazil left her GV5 class today and will be joining her husband for some travelling before returning to her home country. She was always doing her best to join in here at GV and helped others do the same. She will be missed.
Also from GV5 we have to say goodbye to Seounghyeon Kim from Korea. His teacher said that though he was quiet, he always brought a positive energy to the class and you could tell when he wasn’t there. We all wish him the best!
Brayan Felipe Nieto Alarcon left this week for Seattle where he will be spending a well-deserved break before returning to Colombia. Felipe was here for 24 weeks and graduated at the GV7 level – not easy! But Felipe is a smart guy and I’m sure he will continue to get even better in the future.
#GVGraduation #GlobalVillageEnglish #ProudMoments #NewBeginnings #LanguageLearningJourney
Feb 4
❗GLOBAL VILLAGE VICTORIA WILL BE OPEN TODAY DESPITE THE WEATHER ❗
If road and weather conditions become hazardous, or you feel that it may be unsafe for you to head to school; stay home.
We would like all of our students to stay safe and warm during these periods of snow and inclement weather.
Feb 4
🌟Global Village is thrilled to launch four transformative summer programs for young learners! Each program combines immersive English learning with unique Canadian experiences.
🏙English & Toronto Discovery - Teen Summer Camp in association with English Outdoors
🌲GV Summer Camp at St. Margaret`s School in Victoria
🏫High School Preparation in Calgary and Victoria & The High School Preparation Camp in Victoria
🗺 The Teen Activity Program - TAP
If you would like to learn more information about any of these awesome new programs check out the link in our story or visit our website www.gvenglish.com
Jan 24
✨ We think Global Village is pretty awesome, but don`t take our word for it!
🤩 Our recent graduate Takako shares why she thinks you would love it here in Calgary!✈️
------------------------------------------------
#globalvillage #GVProud #GVCalgary #EnglishLanguageSchool #CareerJourney #HigherEducation #PersonalGrowth #GlobalCitizen #DreamBig #TravelTheWorld #LanguageLearning #FutureGoals #studyenglish #Englishschool #English #Success #Happy #Smile #Fun #Goals #Amazing #Canada #calgary #Graduation #Motivation #eslclass #SuccessStories #StudyAbroad #languagelearning
Jan 23
It`s Graduation day at Global Village!🎉
As the cold January weather blows outside, we had lots of warm vibes here at GV Victoria. A few of our friends and family are leaving this week and their friends and teachers wished them warm wishes for their future.
Dongmei Jiang is leaving her GV6 class for a break but will likely return to Victoria to pursue a new career in Early Childhood Education. We wish her the best and look forward to welcoming her back to GV Victoria.
Manny Ignacio Daza Galarza has been here for 24 weeks and made lots of friends. He will be returning to Colombia to pursue his dream of studying design. He made lots of friends and we all wish him well.
Jenny Valentina Penuela Gonzalez is also going on to further study – this time at Royal Roads University here in Victoria where she’ll be getting a Master’s degree in Global Management. She was a fantastic student and friend here at GV but we hope that she will drop by once in a while to say hi and catch up with all of us left behind.
#GVGraduation #GlobalVillageEnglish #ProudMoments #NewBeginnings #LanguageLearningJourney
Jan 22
🎓 It`s Graduation day at Global Village!🎉
Thankfully not too many goodbyes this week!
From GV 5 we had to say goodbye to Laura Caldas Sant’ Anna e Silva. Her teachers said she was like a ray of sunshine in the class – bringing positive energy and quickly becoming everyone’s friend.
From GV 6 we said goodbye to Brenda Pinheiro de Barros – also from Brazil – who – likewise, had a very positive effect on the classroom atmosphere – always smiling and trying her best in class and making the most of her time here.
From GV7 we had to say goodbye to Kotoha Kawataki – here for an amazing 54 weeks! She has returned to Japan to prepare for an English test and, hopefully, college in September! Best of luck!
We hope you enjoy the new format for our grad photos!
#GVGraduation #GlobalVillageEnglish #ProudMoments #NewBeginnings #LanguageLearningJourney
Jan 13
Global Village Victoria, Designated Learning Institution (DLI) #O19319050762. Global Village Calgary, Designated Learning Institution (DLI) #O278527539112.
This website and the Global Village Victoria and Global Village Calgary webpages have been translated for your convenience using translation software powered by Google Translate.
If any questions arise related to the accuracy of the information contained in the translated website, refer to the English version of the website which is the official version.
Global Village English Centre Victoria Ltd. © | Copyright 2025