While the UK and Canada share language and heritage, everyday life differs more than many expect. From communication styles to community values and workplace culture, understanding these differences can help British expats integrate smoothly and enjoy their new Canadian life.
At first glance, life in Canada might look comfortably familiar for people from the UK. After all, English is widely spoken, the laws and institutions share British roots, it’s part of the Commonwealth and the cultural values of politeness, fairness and tolerance seem aligned.
Yet once you begin to settle, the differences in communication, expectations, and daily routines become clearer.
These nuances rarely cause major difficulties, but they do affect how easily you integrate, make friends and understand how things are done.
Recognising these distinctions before you move can help smooth your adjustment and prevent the “culture shock” many expats report after moving abroad.
British workplaces often maintain a sense of hierarchy and indirectness: colleagues may soften requests with humour or understatement and feedback tends to be given tactfully.
In Canada, workplaces generally favour open, collaborative communication and value clarity over subtlety.
Meetings can feel more democratic, with less emphasis on seniority and more focus on individual contribution. Canadians are also more comfortable with positive reinforcement, praise is used freely, whereas British professionals may consider excessive enthusiasm slightly insincere.
Work-life balance is also handled differently. While Canadians work hard, there’s a stronger expectation of taking holidays, spending time outdoors and switching off after hours.
Employers tend to value personal well-being as part of productivity, a contrast to the UK’s sometimes “grind-culture” mindset, especially in London.
British people are often perceived as polite but reserved, taking time to form deeper friendships. Canadians, by contrast, are known for open friendliness and community spirit.
It’s common for neighbours to introduce themselves, offer practical help or invite you to community events within days of arrival.
This warmth doesn’t always equate to instant intimacy. Canadians are friendly but private, socialising tends to feel easier, especially in smaller towns and suburban communities.
Volunteerism and civic participation are also more embedded in Canadian culture. Whether through parent-teacher associations, neighbourhood clean-ups or local sports clubs, contributing to the community is part of the social fabric.
British humour thrives on irony, understatement, and self-deprecation. Canadians share some of that wit, but humour is usually lighter and less biting. Sarcasm is used carefully; jokes that rely on cynicism or class references may fall flat or be misinterpreted.
In conversation, Canadians value politeness and positive framing. Criticism is delivered carefully and overt negativity is avoided. That said, they’re generally more straightforward than the British with less “reading between the lines” and more direct requests.
Adapting to this balance, warm, polite, but honest, helps new arrivals build rapport both professionally and socially.
Canada’s size is impossible to ignore. Distances between cities are vast and the climate shapes daily habits. Long winters encourage skiing, skating and social gatherings indoors, while summers are short, bright and filled with outdoor festivals, barbecues, and travel.
Compared to the UK’s dense cities and quick commutes, Canadian life can feel both liberating and isolating. You’ll need to plan journeys, own a car outside major cities and adjust to seasonal rhythms that affect everything from social plans to housing costs.
That said, Canadians’ connection with nature and the outdoors is one of the country’s greatest appeals. The culture of spending weekends hiking around lakes can be a transformative lifestyle shift for British professionals used to urban weekends.
Customer service in Canada leans more toward the American model: friendly, proactive and sometimes what can feel over-polite to British expats, which can be slightly uncomfortable at first, but this quickly becomes familiar. After all, who doesn’t want a friendlier more proactive customer service experience?
Whether at restaurants or government offices, interactions tend to be courteous and upbeat and staff often go out of their way to help.
In contrast, the British approach can feel more formal or subdued. Adjusting your tone, for example adding more warmth and appreciation, helps interactions go more smoothly.
Public systems such as healthcare and education are familiar in structure but differ in delivery. You’ll need to register with local healthcare providers, understand provincial differences, and expect a slightly more bureaucratic process when dealing with government paperwork.
Even with a smooth move, British expats often report a period of mild disorientation. The friendliness can feel superficial at first, the winters long and the humour slightly “off-beat.” You may miss the shared cultural shorthand, the unspoken understanding of weather jokes, pub etiquette or British TV references.
This adjustment phase is normal. It passes more quickly if you engage with local communities, explore outdoor activities, and avoid comparing everything to the UK. Over time, many expats find Canada’s openness, optimism and space deeply refreshing and culture shock quickly disappears.
