These Things Canada Does Better (Even Americans Admit It)
When you think of Canada, what comes to mind? Is it a moose wearing a scarf? A bottle of maple syrup?
Or maybe a hockey player with a missing tooth? While those are fun stereotypes, Canada is a lot more than just “America’s attic.”
Living right next door to the United States—the world’s biggest superpower—means Canada is often overshadowed.
However, if you talk to people who have lived in both countries, or even just look at the data, you’ll find that there are several areas where the “Great White North” actually takes the lead.
Even many Americans, who are famously proud of their country, will admit that Canada has some things figured out.
Here is a look at the things Canada does better, explained in a way that’s easy to understand.
1. Healthcare: The “No Bill” System
The biggest difference people talk about is healthcare. In the United States, if you break your arm or get sick, you often have to worry about how much it will cost.
Even with insurance, many Americans face high “deductibles” (money you pay out of pocket).
In Canada, healthcare is publicly funded. This means when a Canadian goes to the doctor or the hospital, they don’t get a bill afterward. They pay for it through their taxes.
- Why it’s better: No one in Canada goes bankrupt because they got cancer or had an accident.
- The American perspective: While some Americans worry about longer wait times in Canada, many envy the peace of mind that comes with knowing a trip to the ER won’t cost $10,000.
2. Education and “Brain Power”
Canada consistently ranks near the top of the world when it comes to education.
According to the PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) scores, which test 15-year-olds globally, Canada usually beats the United States in reading, math, and science.
Furthermore, Canada has the most educated population in the world.
More than 56% of Canadian adults have some form of college or university degree.
Canada’s public schools are generally funded more equally across different neighborhoods, meaning a kid in a poorer area still gets a very high-quality education compared to many other places.
3. Safety and Crime Rates
While no country is perfectly safe, Canada is statistically much more peaceful than the U.S.
The crime rate, especially the rate of violent crime, is significantly lower in Canada.
One major factor is gun control.
Canada has much stricter rules about who can own a gun and what kind of guns they can have.
As a result, gun-related deaths are a fraction of what they are in the U.S. In most Canadian cities, people feel comfortable walking around downtown late at night. It’s not just a feeling; the numbers back it up.
4. Diversity and the “Mosaic”
Both the U.S. and Canada are nations of immigrants, but they handle it differently.
- The U.S. is a “Melting Pot”: The idea is that everyone comes together and “melts” into being American.
- Canada is a “Mosaic”: Canada encourages people to keep their original culture, language, and traditions while being Canadian.
Canada was the first country in the world to adopt an official Multiculturalism Policy.
This makes people from all over the world feel welcome. In cities like Toronto and Vancouver, more than half the population was born outside of Canada!
5. Maternity and Paternity Leave
In the United States, new moms are often lucky to get 12 weeks of leave from work, and many times, that leave is unpaid.
In Canada, the government ensures that parents can stay home with their new babies.
New parents can share up to 18 months of leave, and they receive money from the government (Employment Insurance) to help pay the bills while they are away from work.
This leads to healthier babies and less stressed-out parents.
6. The Quality of “Snack Food”
This one is a bit more fun, but many Americans who visit Canada become obsessed with the snacks. Canada has several unique treats that haven’t quite made it big in the U.S. yet:
- Poutine: Fries topped with fresh cheese curds and hot gravy. It’s the ultimate comfort food.
- Ketchup Chips: It sounds weird until you try them, but they are a Canadian staple.
- Coffee Crisp: A chocolate bar that Americans often smuggle back across the border.
- Real Maple Syrup: Canada produces about 75% of the world’s maple syrup. If it’s not from Canada (or maybe Vermont), is it even real?
7. Banking and Financial Stability
Have you ever heard of a “bank run” or a massive bank failure?
During the 2008 financial crisis, many American banks collapsed. In Canada, not a single bank failed.
Canadian banks are much more regulated and “boring” than American banks.
While boring might sound bad, when it involves your life savings, boring is exactly what you want. Canadian banks are consistently ranked as some of the safest in the world.
8. Politeness and “The Sorry Culture”
It’s a bit of a cliché, but it’s true: Canadians are incredibly polite.
There is a joke that if you step on a Canadian’s foot, they will apologize to you.
This “niceness” makes a big difference in daily life.
People tend to hold doors open, say “please” and “thank you” constantly, and generally try to avoid conflict.
This creates a “low-friction” society where people just get along a little more easily.
9. Air Quality and Nature
Canada is the second-largest country in the world by land mass, but it has a very small population (fewer people live in all of Canada than in the state of California!).
Because there are fewer people and a lot of trees, Canada has some of the cleanest air on the planet.
Canada also has more lake area than any other country.
If you love the outdoors, Canada’s national parks (like Banff and Jasper) are managed incredibly well and offer views that look like they belong on a postcard.
10. The Metric System
Okay, some Americans might disagree on this one, but the metric system (meters, grams, Celsius) is used by almost every country in the world.
It’s based on tens, which makes the math very simple.
Canada uses the metric system, while the U.S. still uses the imperial system (inches, pounds, Fahrenheit).
While it’s hard for Americans to switch, most scientists and doctors in the U.S. actually use the metric system because it’s more accurate and easier to calculate.
Canada just went ahead and made it the standard for everyone!
