Shopping Basics

Thinking of making your way to the Great White North?

It's no coincidence that many foreign nationals find Canada appealing since it is extremely welcoming to immigrants. With abundant job opportunities, free universal healthcare, quality standard of living and a solid educational system, you can maintain a long-term sustainable future for yourself and your family.

However, if you want to settle in Canada, you may want to know more about shopping in Canada and how you can get the most value for money when making trips to the grocery stores.

Let's take a closer look at the shopping basics before you officially decide to live in Canada and how this can influence your expenses.

What are the Best Grocery Stores in Canada?

If you go shopping in Canada, you need to know about some of the best grocery stores. Below we've listed some of the major grocery stores around Canada. These are as follows:

Loblaws:

This store is a leader in health and wellness, beauty and food. With about 1,000 operations across the country, according to Reference for Business, the store is valued for being Canada's largest retail and wholesale food retailer.

The Real Canadian Superstore:

As a chain of supermarkets, the store is owned by the leading retailing food giant Loblaw Companies. The store is budget friendly and offers a range of goods, such as groceries, with a dedicated section for electronics, household items, and clothing.

No Frills:

This store is the place to go if you are looking for fresh produce. As the name suggests, the store has no frills, and its ability to operate a business more simply enables it to offer its customers lower prices.

Walmart Supercentre:

Not keen on making too many trips to different stores? Then Walmart is the ideal store to find everything in one place. According to the Walmart site, the store boasts approximately 10,500 stores in operation and stocks various goods such as groceries, fresh produce, bakery, deli and dairy products. In addition, and luckily for you, the store is also a wide stocklist of electronics, apparel, toys and home furnishings.

Metro:

Based in the provinces of Quebec and Ontario, the stores operate as a retailer, franchisor, distributor, and manufacturer. Metro is a leading importer of fresh produce and stocks food combined with pharmaceutical goods.

Foodland:

Stockists of produce, meats, dairy products, frozen food, dry goods, baked goods and deli products; the store is driven by customer convenience and friendly services.

How Expensive is Shopping in Canada?

There is an abundance of grocery stores in Canada that offer their customers various products, goods and services. Depending on what you're looking for, we have given you a basic breakdown of the costs of goods when shopping in Canada.

The data below is derived from Numbeo, and the table represents the cost of living in Canada:

Factors that influence the costs of living, such as area, the current economic state and many other social and political factors, play an influential role in the fluctuation of living costs. And while costs needed to maintain a certain standard of living can vary, as you can see, goods are priced differently but at a reasonable level - which means Canadian residents can live an improved quality of life while having readily available resources.

Furthermore, feel free to explore our resources on the cost of living and median household income in Canada here. Additionally, if you'd like guidance on selecting the ideal city or province to immigrate to while keeping living costs minimal, contact our immigration experts today.

What are the Biggest Malls in Canada?

Seeking a more full-on shopping experience? We break down some of the largest malls in Canada that offer almost everything under one roof. According to Inspiring Canadians, they are listed as follows:

West Edmonton Mall

Located in Edmonton, Alberta, with approximately 3,800,000 square feet, the mall is ideal for leisure, recreational, and shopping activities. With over 800 shops and stores offering ample parking space for your vehicle, you can enjoy shopping in Canada. At the same time, you explore its most popular attractions, such as the Mayfield Toyota Ice Palace, the World Waterpark, Hudson Bay, T&T supermarket, Simons, Bed, Bath, and Beyond, NewCap Radio, and Urban Outfitters.

Square One

Well-renowned as the largest shopping centre in Ontario and the second largest shopping centre in Canada, you can find this mall in Ontario in Mississauga.

With approximately 2,200,000 square feet, the mall has more than 360 stores and shops. You can enjoy a full-on shopping experience with leading retail companies, such as Holt Renfrew, Hudson's Bay, and Walmart Supercenter.

Metropolis at Metrotown

With a space of 1,795,590 square feet, this mall is deemed the third-largest in Canada, situated in Burnaby, British Columbia. The mall boasts over 360 shops, such as T&T Supermarket, Hudson's Bay, Toys "R" Us, Sears, Sports Check, and Forever 21.

Eaton Centre

Located in Toronto, the mall is 1,722,000 square feet, with four floors and two public transit systems. Enjoy shopping in Canada at businesses such as Saks Fifth Avenue, H&M, Nordstrom, and Hudson's Bay.

Yorkdale Shopping Centre

Located in Toronto, Ontario, this mall is ideal for you if you are looking for tantalizing cuisines and mouth-watering desserts. With over 270 shops and services and highly accommodating parking, you can find extravagant designer brands, tech stores and homeware decorations.

The above malls in Canada are aimed at those looking for a more interactive experience while discovering a multitude of malls and grocery stores in Canada. But what if you are looking for a more laid-back shopping experience? This brings us to our next point: online shopping!

Where do People Shop Online in Canada?

While you can immerse yourself into the full-blown Canadian culture and meet new people while shopping in Canada, you can also become acquainted with the most popular E-Commerce Sites in Canada. So let's take a look at where you can do your online shopping in Canada based on what you're looking for:

Amazon Canada

Being one of the largest online shopping platforms in the world, you can explore a wealth of categories such as electronics, clothing, shoes, jewelry, home, beauty, books, pet supplies and much more.

Kijiji Canada

If you are leaning towards business, then Kijiji Canada maybe your online platform. This site enables users to buy, sell, or trade almost anything. For instance, you can buy or sell used items such as furniture, cars, real estate, and many more.

Walmart Canada

You can enjoy a wealth of goods and services with categories such as electronics, baby items, video games, fashion, pharmacy, home and garden, and auto parts.

eBay Canada

Like Kijiji Canada, eBay Canada is a leader in the Canadian e-commerce market; you can buy and sell electronics, cars, fashion apparel, sporting goods, coupons and much more.

How can I Immigrate to Canada?

Before settling in Canada, you must research the province's conditions or speak to a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC), who can advise on a suitable program based on your needs and circumstances. Below, we break down one of the most popular permanent residence pathways.

The Express Entry System

The Express Entry is an online points-driven system that is designed to yield quick immigration results since it is one of the fastest systems. The Express Entry system comprises three flexible immigration programs.

These are as follows:

1. Canadian Experience Class
2. Federal Skilled Worker Program
3. Federal Skilled Trades Program

You can learn more about how to go from temporary residence to permanent residence.

The Application Process

While the steps may vary from program to program, the steps below are standard for most points-driven programs. They are as follows:

• Step 1: Ensure that you are eligible and meet the requirements of your job offer.
• Step 2: Secure a valid job offer, which increases your chances of being successful for permanent residence - explore our resource on how to create an Express Entry profile.
• Step 3: Check your Comprehensive Ranking Score (CRS) under Express Entry or other points-driven programs.
• Step 4: Gather the necessary supporting documents in advance.
• Step 5: Apply to the program of your choice, pay your application fee and submit your application.

Once you've submitted your application, you can find out more about the processing times and what to expect once you submit your application.

Note: We advise students to remain honest when providing information on their applications. Additionally, provide the correct supporting documents that validate the information on your application - failure to do so will result in your application being rejected or returned to you, which will cause a delay in processing times.

We have provided you with the basic shopping expenses and the cost of living in Canada to give you an idea of your living expenses, coupled with additional resources we thought would be helpful. Immigrating to another country can be daunting, which is why we recommend you talk to our immigration experts for the necessary support and guidance throughout the process.

FAQs

What is the Best Thing about Shopping in Canada?

Depending on what you're looking for, whether for yourself or as a gift, don't board the plane if you haven't bought Canada's maple syrup, Canadian Smoked Salmon, Aboriginal art or Canadian sports gear, just to name a few relevant Canadian buys.

Are Things Cheap in Canada?

Depending on the province or city you reside in, things can be cheap or expensive, like in any other country. However, for guidance to keep your budget at minimal costs, speak to our immigration expert, who can guide you on the cost of living.

What are Things Free in Canada?

Museums, recreational parks, forest hikes, star gazing, swimming, and more.