Best And Worst Things About Living In Quebec
Quebec is a wonderful place to live. But you don't need much convincing from me, since you probably live here already.
We are by far the most interesting and unique province in the country. We get to be Canadian while still retaining our own traditions and culture.
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But let's face it, Quebec isn't perfect and there are a lot of crappy things you have to put up with when you live here.
I for one worry way too much about hitting a moose or a deer while driving than I should be. I'd love to be able to skip a winter every once in a while, and I'd love to be able to think in one language.
Unfortunately, these are just a few of the worst things about living in Quebec
At least it's not all bad
Best: The food is amazing
No matter where you are in Quebec you know you'll find some good food.
Poutines, maple ham, meat pies, sugar pies, and of course, steamies.
It may not always be the fanciest or the prettiest food, but it always hits the spot and leaves you happy and satisfied.
Worst: The food will kill you faster
The food may be amazing, but there is a downside.
Quebec food was largely shaped by difficult times and harsh winters.
That's why Quebec dished are usually filled with lard, fat, sugar, syrup and a whole bunch of things that will kill you faster. Hopefully, you have a cheat day coming up.
Best: Dépanneurs
It's only after you leave Quebec that you realize just how convenient it is to be able to pick up beer and cheap wine at any corner store.
Walking home today, I'll pass no less than 28 depanneurs, which means I can forget to buy beer 27 times, and still have beer when I get home.
What a world we live in!
Worst: The SAQ
Unfortunately, if you want hard liquor there's still only one option available.
The infamous SAQ.
They control the prices and you have no choice but to shut up and pay since your only other option is buying drinks at clubs or bars.
Worse, they're not open as late as dépanneurs and there are far fewer locations.
Best: Amazing outdoor activities
Quebec's outdoor activities are in a league of their own.
You can find everything here: hiking, camping, boating, golf, biking, zip-lining, wine routes, lavender farms, cheese tours, fruit picking, escape games, beaches and even enchanted forests.
And that's just in the summertime!
Worst: Crappy weather
There may be a lot to do in Quebec, unfortunately, considering the weather, there is very little time to do it.
When it's not snowing, it's raining. When it isn't raining, you're plagued by swarms of bugs. And it's hard to spend more than five hours outside without being hit with at least one thunderstorm.
Best: The culture
Quebec is unique compared to the rest of Canada. It's actually the only region in North America with a French-speaking majority.
Several factors have been instrumental in creating Quebec’s cultural and artistic distinctiveness, including its aboriginal history as well as the influences from France, Latin America, England, Ireland and Scotland.
It is often described as a crossroads between Europe and America.
Worst: Language problems
The culture may be diverse and unique but it certainly causes a few communication problems along the way.
Considering the fact that we have a language police, the difficulty for non-French speakers to find jobs, the hostility between the people who speak different languages, and of course the referendums.
Best: Cheap Electricity
One thing we all benefit from in Quebec is having the cheapest electricity in Canada.
And it's all thanks to Hydro Quebec.
As you can see from the stats below, not only do we pay less than everyone else, in some cases, we pay less than half!
We pay half of what Regina, Ottawa and Halifax pay, and just to put things in perspective, in New York you'd be paying more than four times the price you're currently used to.
Worst: High Heating Bills
Sure electricity is cheap, but the universe makes up for that by charging us more money for everything else, starting with our heating bill, but also for cellphones, cable, internet and even milk.
Quebec's winters can be rough, and I don't mean the snow. I mean it can be rough on your wallet.
Heating costs soar through the roof in the wintertime, which especially sucks because that's when you need a roof without a hole in it.
Best: Winter
Winter in Quebec can be the best thing in the world. The winter sports, the magic scenery, the Christmas-themed villages and even the festivals.
Some people may not be so fond of the cold winter months, but even those who hate it can at least admit three things:
1. It's beautiful.
2. It made your childhood a million times better.
3. It really makes you appreciate the rest of the seasons.
Worst: Winter
Sure it can be great, but most of the time, I'm sure we'd all love to kick winter's ass.
The snow, the ice, the slush, the cold, the depressing colours, the lack of life and happiness, the fact that you have to avoid the outdoors at all costs. Do I really need to tell you why winter sucks?
And all the snowboarding and ice skating in the world can't make up for it.
At least maple taffy and Christmas lights definitely help a little.