If the land of maple trees and men whispering “eh” into your ear entices you to date a Canadian man, it’s time to learn about dating culture in Canada. Canadian men are friendly, loyal people who value building trust with their partner.
Characteristics of Canadian Men
Canadian men are known to be kind, laidback people in all aspects of their lives, including relationships. Even if your Canadian date doesn’t see a future with you, they’ll likely let you know in a genuine, compassionate way. So, go on your date with an open mind and a willingness to be vulnerable.
Below are some other characteristics of Canadian men:
- Friendly
- Polite
- Prefer to dress casually
- Enjoy personal space
In terms of interests, you might want to brush up on your knowledge of Canadian hockey. However, despite hockey’s reputation in Canada, it’s not the only sport Canadian men enjoy—basketball and baseball are among some other favorites.
Of course, there’s a whole lot more to Canadian men than sports. They tend to be outdoorsy people, enjoying hiking and camping. Because of their sensitive side, many Canadian men also enjoy literature and fine arts.
Let’s look at some of these characteristics in more detail.
Friendly Behavior
Canadian men are agreeable. If you get into an argument as a couple, it might feel different from arguments you’ve had with previous boyfriends. There likely won’t be shouting, name-calling, or attacks on your character.
Instead, Canadian men typically meet conflict by becoming quieter and creating space between the two of you. They may suggest taking a break from the relationship to give themselves time to reflect on the situation and see if they still want to pursue a future together with you.
You can expect your Canadian boyfriend to meet your family and friends with warmth and friendliness. Politeness runs in their blood, as does the intimacy of your relationship—it’s unlike them to embarrass you in front of others or reveal private information between the two of you.
When Yes Means No
A downside to a Canadian man’s polite behavior is that they can have a hard time saying no. For example, if after a first date, you mention wanting to see them again, they’ll likely say something along the lines of, “Yes, that would be great.”
However, because Canadian men like to avoid conflict, they may not always mean it when they say yes. Their behavior isn’t intentionally malicious; it’s just that they fear letting you down.
Long story short, if your Canadian date doesn’t initiate talk about wanting to see you again, it’s probably because they don’t believe you’re a good fit for each other.
Respecting Space
Canadians tend to value their personal space and aren’t typically physically affectionate from the start. Giving hugs as a greeting is normal, but after that initial greeting, you can expect your Canadian man to avoid physical contact until the two of you get to know each other better.
If, for example, you’re from a Latin country, the lack of physical attention may make you feel like the man isn’t into you. Fear not; he probably is. It just will take some time to build up trust.
Similarly, it’s common to date Canadian men in public spaces for a while before he invites you to his home. If and when he does invite you to his home, this says a lot about how he feels about you and the trust that the two of you have.
Where to meet a Canadian Man
If you find yourself in Canada and are looking to date, here’s some good news—Canada has a dating website exclusively for its country. Try your hand at Maple Match to see if it can connect you with the man of your dreams.
You can also try meeting Canadian men through a less dating-specific approach. For example, there’s a strong MeetUp culture in Canada. MeetUp offers the opportunity to meet people with the same interests as you (sports, dining, etc.). Anyone from single people to married couples can participate in MeetUp. So for some women, it’s a less intimidating way to meet a man.
Here’s a fun fact: Maple Match’s popularity exploded after Donald Trump won the 2016 U.S. election when Americans researched how to move to Canada.
Here is the list of the most popular Canadian dating sites.
Dating Culture in Canada
A document published by Dalhousie University offers detailed information to help international students understand dating culture in Canada. The document offers valuable information for any foreigner who meets a Canadian man.
Some of the document’s key takeaways are that men and women are free to choose who they want to date. Human rights laws protect both parties in a relationship from any form of abuse or harassment.
It’s common for Canadians to begin a relationship as friends before progressing into a romantic relationship. That way, you can get a feel for the person’s character, integrity, and whether or not he’s someone you can see yourself being with.
Dining During Your Date
It may seem like an odd topic to bring up, but you might find that Canadians have some unusual eating habits depending on where you’re from. Canadians eat their meals early, especially by European standards.
For this reason, it’s common for lunch dates to be at noon—sometimes even earlier. Similarly, your Canadian date will likely arrange dinner for 5:00 pm or 6:00 pm. To make up for early meal eating, Canadians often eat small snacks throughout the day.
Your Canadian man’s eating habits might feel strange at first, but don’t be surprised if you jump on board and learn to enjoy earlier eating too!
Do Canadian Men Always Pay for Meals on Dates?
It’s common for Canadian men to offer to cover the cost of a meal or activity, especially on a first date. However, it’s perfectly acceptable for a woman to pay for the date, or at the very least, pay her portion of the date’s expenses.
In fact, if a woman doesn’t offer to pay for their meal or activity, this is often viewed as troublesome for Canadian men. Canadians want to know that their partner is with them for who they are as a person and not their wallet.
How to Live in Canada with Your Boyfriend
If you’re dating a man in Canada, the time may come when you’re not ready to get married, but you still want to be allowed to stay in the country long-term. In this case, you can become a resident by living with a Canadian citizen for at least one year.
Simply living with a Canadian isn’t enough to get residency, however. The person will need to sponsor you, and there’s plenty of paperwork involved. Also, your stay together must be continuous. It doesn’t mean that you aren’t allowed to spend the night away from your Canadian home for work or personal obligations, but those trips must be short.
The Power of An Apology
Apologizing can be hard for many people. However, Canadian men seem to have the ability to apologize hardwired into their bodies. They’re not afraid to admit when they’re wrong. Even better, their approach to apologizing is heartfelt and genuine.
In turn, they’ll expect you to apologize when you’re wrong. If you don’t, it’s unlikely the two of you will have a future together since it would throw off your relationship’s dynamics.
Tips for Keeping Your Canadian Man Around
Starting a new relationship is exciting. However, like anywhere in the world, it’s easy for things to begin to deteriorate if you stop working on building the relationship or lack an understanding of the dating norms in your partner’s country.
Let’s look at some of the most common mistakes women make when they start a new relationship with a Canadian.
Moving Too Quickly
It’s easy to get wrapped up in your happiness if you’re on date number two or three and are convinced that you’ve met your future husband. While in some cultures, it’s normal to move relationships forward quickly, this is not usually the case in Canada.
Canadian men value taking their time to get to know their partner. They also don’t like feeling forced into a deep relationship before they get to know you better. Messages saying things like, “I miss you” and sending emojis with hearts could fast-track you to losing the man you care about.
Now, once you spend more time together and build the foundation of a strong relationship, feel free to send those loving text messages. Just avoid rushing the process.
Playing Games
Trust in a relationship is paramount for Canadian men. Although Canadian men tend to have a hard time when it comes to telling a woman that they don’t want to pursue the relationship, overall, they’re good, honest communicators.
For this reason, if you try playing games with them, they’ll likely be turned off by you. Acts such as intentionally holding back from responding to their messages, doing things to try to trick them into proving whatever point you’re trying to make, and threatening to leave the relationship if they don’t do “x, y, and z” are all turn-offs for Canadian men.
Be Honest About Your Relationship Needs
Canadian men are forward-thinking. With this comes their recognition that some women may be interested in casual or opening dating instead of relationships. If you’re one of these women, you can take comfort in knowing that they likely won’t look down on you for this.
However, it would help if you established your relationship desires from the get-go. If you and your Canadian partner are on different levels with your relationship goals and you don’t make this known, he’ll be upset when he finds out that you’ve been holding this back from him.
Avoid Social Media Relationship Statuses
It’s not to say that you can’t ever announce your relationship on social media. However, Canadian men will likely feel uncomfortable if you post about him shortly after your first date. Once you decide to make your relationship “social media official,” make sure your partner is okay with it.
Before you make the jump into posting about your relationship on social media, take some time to think about your reasoning for wanting to post. There’s nothing wrong with being proud of dating a Canadian and wanting to share your new relationship status with the world.
However, if your purpose of posting about your relationship on social media is to prove to yourself—or your partner—that your relationship is stronger and happier than reality, Psychology Today indicates you’ll be on your way to a slippery relationship slope.
There’s a big exception to the point above. A study performed by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Kansas shows that couples who tag and post about their partner in positive ways on social media can help improve the couple’s relationship offline.
Canadian Men’s Views on Family
Canadian men care very much about their families. In a study conducted about Canadian families, 79% of participants indicated that maintaining a healthy marriage was among the most important priorities in their lives. Over half of the participants in the study claimed they are “very satisfied” with their family life.
These numbers indicate that if you enter a relationship with a Canadian man, there’s a high chance that the two of you will enjoy a loving, healthy relationship.
Canadian Men and Children
According to The World Bank, birth rates in Canada have sharply declined since the 1960s. In 1960, an average of 3.811 childbirths occurred per Canadian woman. As of 2018, Canadians encountered nearly the lowest birthrate they’d ever had at an average of 1.499 births per woman.
Canadian authorities are so concerned about the low birth rates in their country that they passed an Immigration Levels Plan, which is in effect from 2021 – 2023. They hope to increase immigration by over 400,000 per year to boost the country’s population during this time.
Does this data mean your Canadian man won’t want to have children? Absolutely not. However, it’s becoming increasingly common for couples to wait to have children later in life when their careers are established.
As with a relationship in any part of the world, make sure to express your desire to have—or not to have—children early on in the relationship. Your partner will appreciate your honesty and commitment to finding someone with shared desires.
Canadian Dating FAQs
We’ve covered a lot about Canadian dating practices here, but you might still have some lingering questions. In this next section, we’ll address some of the most common questions about dating a Canadian man.
What kinds of activities are common for first dates in Canada?
First dates in Canada are often casual. You might go to a café or restaurant, watch a movie at a movie theater, take a walk in the park, or study together if you’re both students.
Canadian men understand that dating a stranger can be a safety risk for women, so it’s unlikely that those with good intentions will invite you to a secluded place until you get to know each other better.
How can I impress a Canadian man?
The best way to impress a Canadian man is to be yourself. Canadian men are observant people. If they notice you’re overdoing it to get their attention, or if you’re saying things that conflict with what you said earlier, it’s unlikely you’ll get asked out on a second date.
Since Canadian men are friendly and kind, it’s easy for some women to believe that a date is going well when it really isn’t. Make sure to ask your date lots of questions to shift the focus from you to them.
How do Canadian men dress?
Canadian men value informal clothes and comfort over flashy designer outfits. Of course, they can dress up in gawk-worthy handsome ways when the situation requires it. However, for the most part, they’re most comfortable in jeans, flannel shirts, and sweaters.
As a bonus, once your relationship progresses, you’ll get to enjoy slipping into their comfy sweaters when you’re cold!
Is it legal for two gay men to date in Canada?
Dating among same-sex couples is legal in Canada. Should you wish to pursue marriage, Canadians will welcome you with open arms. In fact, Canada was the fourth country in the world to allow same-sex marriages. The Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain preceded it.
Do Canadian men get angry?
Canadian men are known for being patient and friendly, but it doesn’t mean that they’re immune from getting angry. If you hurt your partner, you can be sure they’ll get angry. How they show that anger, however, depends on the person. In many cases, they’ll make it known that they’re upset and then retreat from you to mull over the situation.
Ready to Date a Canadian Man of Your Dreams?
By now, you should have a solid grasp of the nuances of dating a Canadian man. Provided you approach the relationship with honesty and respect, you can expect the same in return. So, put yourself out there and enjoy the many wonderful qualities that a Canadian man can bring into your life.
