Words (Core Vocabulary)
- Provinces: BC, AB, SK, MB, ON, QC, NB, NS, PE (PEI), NL
- Territories: YT (Yukon), NT (Northwest Territories), NU (Nunavut)
- Major cities: Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Halifax, Victoria, St. John’s, Whitehorse, Yellowknife, Iqaluit
- Regions: Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, Okanagan, Kootenays, Prairies, GTA (Greater Toronto Area), Laurentians, Maritimes, Atlantic Canada, the North
- Regional words: washroom (restroom), hydro (electricity bill, esp. ON/QC), parkade (parking garage, West), garburator (garbage disposal), toque/tuque (knit hat), chesterfield (old word for sofa), pop (soda), lineup (line), serviette (napkin), pencil crayons (coloured pencils)
Phrases (Natural ways to talk about place)
- I’m based in the Lower Mainland, near Surrey.
- I grew up on Vancouver Island and moved to Calgary last year.
- We’re visiting the Maritimes—any must-see spots in Nova Scotia?
- Our hydro bill was high this month—any tips to reduce usage?
Contextual Examples (Everyday)
- Small talk: I’m from the GTA, but I studied in Montreal.
- Directions: I live in Burnaby, just east of Vancouver.
- Regional term: Is there a parkade nearby, or street parking only?
Collocations & Phrases (bold the key words)
- move to a new province
- travel across the Prairies
- live on Vancouver Island
- pay the hydro bill
- find a parkade
- stand in a lineup
- wear a toque in winter
Canadian Cultural Context
- Canada’s regions have distinct accents and words; people are friendly if you ask what a term means.
- Washroom is the default polite term in public places.
- Hydro commonly means electric utility (many are hydroelectric).
Extra Mini-Patterns (plug-and-play)
- Intro: “I’m new to BC—living in Victoria for work.”
- Ask regionally: “In Ontario, do you say ‘pop’ or ‘soda’?”
- Clarify term: “When you say hydro, do you mean the electric bill?”