Relocating to a new town, city or country is a decision that must be approached with care. If you’re thinking of living in Québec, you need to have the right knowledge about the province. Québec is a top Canadian province and residents here enjoy the cultural diversity and good standards of living.
Are you unsure of what to expect if you want to move to Québec? By the end of this guide, you should be able to decide if moving to Québec is the right or wrong decision for you. Let’s dive right in!
Pros of Living in Québec
Here’s why Québec is worth a thought:
1. Enough Entertainment and Outdoor Activities
I assure you that Québec is the place to live in if you have an outdoor personality. That’s because there are many entertainment ideas you can explore with your family. Cycling, hiking, kayaking, etc are fun sport activities to engage in during the summer. Snowshoeing, ice fishing, or dog sledding are fascinating outdoor sports to try out here.
2. Electricity is Affordable
Québec offers cheap electricity options, unlike other provinces in Canada. So, you should expect to pay lower bills for electricity if you ever move to Québec.
A 1,000 kWh of electricity monthly will only cost an average of 7.3 CAD. This is primarily because of the presence of renewable sources and hydroelectric dams. The province generates electricity from there. This is certainly an upside of living in Québec.
3. Plenty of Natural Scenes
Québec is one of the best tourist attractions in Canada. This is because of the landscapes, parks, mountains, and other picturesque scenes. Living in Québec affords you the opportunity to take it all in.
The province has up to 24 national parks like the Saguenay, Forillon, Mingan Archipelago. People visit these parks for fun activities like hiking, wildlife observation, and camping.
4. House Rents are Affordable
Houses in Québec are much cheaper than in other Canadian provinces. For instance, you can get a home in Montréal for an average price of $496,600. Yet, that isn’t the same for Vancouver where houses cost nothing less than $1,172,800.
Why is it so cheap to live in Québec? Because of lower income, lower demand for houses due to slow population growth and other environmental conditions.
If you can’t afford huge costs for house rents, then that’s more reason to consider living in Québec. Whether you prefer the suburbs or urban areas, you will find an apartment that fits your budget.
5. It’s Student-Friendly
Education in Québec is much cheaper than in other places in Canada. Students from all walks of life also tend to meet themselves in Québec.
Examples of schools you can apply to in Québec include:
- Concordia University
- Bishop’s University
- Université de Montréal
- McGill University
6. Easy Access to Local Stores
Shopping in Québec is an easy, enjoyable experience. You don’t have to walk or travel long distances before you can get groceries. There are already enough local shops that allow you to do that at a faster pace.
7. Several Transportation Options
Getting to Montréal, Ottawa, Sherbrooke, and other cities from Québec is fast and easy. It’s also affordable, depending on the mode of transport you settle for.
Québec has a good road and flight network. They allow you to easily fly and take road trips to different parts of the world.
7. Safety
According to Statista in 2020, Québec ranked 12th in Canada’s rate of violent crimes by province or territory.
Québec is relatively secure compared to other provinces with its crime severity index also being very low. This is definitely a very good advantage of living in Québec if you ask me.
8. Freedom of Worship
Over 82% of the Québec population are of the Christian religion. Most of them practice catholicism.
There’s no discrimination against other religious groups. This act further encourages the freedom of worship.
According to Québec’s Bill 21, civil servants cannot wear religious attire or symbols to their workplace.
9. Unique Restaurants
When it comes to good meals, you will find local and international delicacies of your choice. There are good traditional meals like cretons, pea soup, poutine, and pig’s trotter stew. You should try them out.
10. Cold Winters
Winter seasons in Québec aren’t the people’s favorite time in the province. It is surprising to see how a once bubbling city goes silent without a trace during the wintertime. Besides, it also snows heavily during this time. The snow poses a lot of risks as roads become more slippery and traffic, unending.
Because the winter temperature can go down to -20°C, you must get ready to cope in the winter.
Related post – Living in Texas (the complete guide)
Cons of Living in Québec
The following are downsides of living in Québec:
1. Language Barrier
More than 80% of local Québecers have French as their first language. This makes it difficult for foreigners or non-speakers of the language to adapt, especially when they immigrate newly.
Also, there’s a limited flow of information as street signs, forms, etc are mostly written in French. You may end up feeling inadequate or frustrated for not being able to share or understand simple information.
2. Cultural Shock
Individuals from other parts of the world can quickly adjust to the rich Québec culture. Still, most people from Asia and Europe may find it hard to cope in the beginning. It’s even worse if they can’t speak French.
3. Traffic
Driving on Québec’s major roads can be exhausting for car owners. This is because the roads are bad in some areas of the province, hence causing heavy traffic.
You may experience traffic issues more in Montréal. Almost everyone who has visited Québec knows about this problem. This means you may need to think your immigration through.
5. Food Insecurity
The availability or unavailability of food strongly depends on the level of one’s income in Québec. A household is bound to suffer from food insecurity if there’s a reduction in income.
Besides, food insecurity in Québec can also affect the overall health of one’s body system.
6. Difficulty In Buying Hard Liquor
Everyone can get beer anytime they want in Québec. But when it comes to buying hard liquor, one has to go through a more tedious process. To gain access to hard liquor, one will have to go through the Societe des Alcools du Québec (SAQ).
Beer is readily available in Québec stores. But getting hard liquor requires a lengthy process. To get hard liquor like wines and spirits, you must go through the Societe des Alcools du Québec (SAQ).
Should You Move to Québec ?
There are many reasons why people choose to visit or settle in a country like Québec. Aside from the beautiful scenery, anyone who puts their mind to it can get used to living here. You are also sure that your children will get a high-quality education.
