When it comes to Canada, Quebec is a very familiar name. This province has a lot to offer residents, and unsurprisingly, many look forward to living there. But no place is truly a utopia, and as much as it has good qualities, some factors might come off as unfavourable. So, what are the pros and cons of living in Trois-Rivières, Quebec?
Trois-Rivières is a city with almost 400 years of history. Living here allows you to experience its cultural richness, economic dynamism, low cost and high standard of living, and beautiful outdoor. However, you also have to deal with linguistic challenges, extremely cold winters, and higher taxes.
However, you need more than some snippets about Trois-Rivières, Quebec, to decide whether or not you should live there. Hence, in this article, we examine the pros and cons of living in Trois-Rivières, Quebec.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Living in Trois-Rivières, Quebec?
If you’re considering whether to live in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, here are the things you can look forward to.
Pros
1. Lower Cost of Living
The cost of living in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, makes it one of the best places in Canada. Its housing costs are one of the cheapest in the country at about 75% lower than the national average. The overall cost of living here is also 29% below the national average.
Beyond all these, Trois-Rivières, Quebec boasts high-quality educational institutions with 28 elementary schools, seven high schools, two professional development centres, two colleges, and a university. There are also job opportunities in various sectors, and the standard of living here is quite excellent.
2. Cultural Richness and a Vibrant Downtown
Trois-Rivières, Quebec, has been in existence since 1634 and considered to be the third oldest city in Canada. You can feel and experience this cultural heritage and artistic reputation when you live in the city that won the Cultural Capital of Canada in 2009 for cities of at least 125,000 residents.
Choosing to live here means you get to enjoy the vibrant downtown district with its amazing bars and restaurant. The city is also host to several cultural events such as music festivals, art exhibitions, large-scale productions, cultural workshops, etc. The Maison de la culture de Trois-Rivières and J.-Antonio-Thompson Hall host these awesome events.
3. Beautiful Outdoor Environment
If you’re a lover of nature and the outdoor, living in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, will be an excellent experience for you. It offers nature to its residents on a platter of gold as it has St Lawrence and St-Maurice Rivers on its borders. Within the city, there are many gardens and close by is the La Mauricie, National Park.
4. All-Year Sporting and Leisure Activities
Still speaking of the outdoor, there’s no boring time for you if you enjoy outdoor activities. Living in Trois-Rivières, Quebec means you can enjoy fun and adventurous activities. It has more than thirty tennis courts and outdoor rinks with over 100km combined distance of bicycle paths, so residents who want to stay fit are in for a thrill.
There are golf courses minutes away from downtown, and you can spend some great time at the beach in Île Saint-Quentin. Also, Trois-Rivières hosts the car racing event, Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières, every August.
5. Proximity to Two of Canada’s Biggest and Most Commercial Cities
Trois-Rivières stands halfway between Quebec City and Montreal, which gives residents access to the two cities. So, if you ever become bored, you can always drive to either of the two cities, which are less than two hours away. Also, if you plan to invest or start a business in Canada and need a strategic location that offers global access, Trois-Rivières is a good place to start.
Cons
1. Linguistic Challenges
If you’re thinking of living in Trois-Rivières, you must consider the language. Like every other city in the Quebec province, French is the dominant language, and most official and day-to-day interactions are in French. This means an inability to communicate in French will be a major challenge.
But you’ll find English-speaking schools, places, and people too. Regardless, this is also a great place to learn French by immersion. So, if you want to learn French and don’t mind the difficulties of the first few months when you can’t communicate fluently, this is a great place to start.
2. Harsh Winters
Quebec is notorious for its harsh winters, and this is something you have to expect when living in Trois-Rivières. For some people, winter is a good time, but it could be very uncomfortable for those with certain conditions. The cold temperature is not the only problem that comes with winter; there could also be storms that make transportation difficult and hazardous during this period.
3. High Heating Bills
The freezing temperature of the winter means you’ll have to spend considerably more to keep your home warm during that season. Of course, the electricity costs are pretty affordable and a better option than natural gas, but when you consider how long you have to keep the heating on during the cold period, you can start racking up many dollars to stay warm.
4. Outrageous Residential Taxes
Trois-Rivières, Quebec might be a great place to live, but the Quebec province records high residential taxes, the highest in Canada. The tax rate for as little as CAD 31,000 annual net income is 23.39%, and if you’re one of those earning around CAD 500,000 annually, you might end up paying up to 48.87% in taxes.
The taxes don’t stop here; both the federal government and Quebec charge sales taxes. This double taxation also increases your tax burden as a resident.
5. Government Controls Liquor Sales
If you enjoy wines, hard liquors and spirits, you’ll have to go the extra mile to get them in Trois-Rivières, Quebec. By extra mile, we mean you have to go to an official Societe des Alcools du Québec (SAQ) store as they have a legal monopoly on wine and hard liquor sales. Of course, you can decide to switch to beer that’s readily available from general convenience stores all around Trois-Rivières, Quebec.
Is It Worth Living or Moving to Trois-Rivières, Quebec?
When considering whether to move to a new city or live in a city, it’s impossible to find the perfect city. At best, it’s about choosing where the pros dwarf the cons. For Trois-Rivières, Quebec, it’s clear that many benefits come with living in this city. Still, you might want to examine both pros and cons in light of your circumstances before choosing.