When in Rome - Part 2

Now that we have lived here for almost 8 months, we have noticed many more differences than the ones we wrote about on our blog post of June 25.

Gas prices - these are set by a government agency, not a cabal of oil companies as is the case in Ontario.  But the end result is much the same - there is almost no difference in pump prices between the few brands that are available.  Costco remains the lowest price in town and this causes the nearby gas stations to keep their prices lower than in the rest of the area.  However, there is only one Costco in Newfoundland and it is in St. John's, which we are able to take advantage of.

Traffic Lights - Because of the regular strong winds here, many traffic signal heads are on a chain so that they can return to a vertical position when the wind dies down.

If the light was on a typical mount that can be secured in any position, someone would have to reset it after the strong wind blows it out of position.

Dominion - For some reason, when The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company (A & P) decided to close their remaining Dominion stores in the Greater Toronto Area in 2008, rebranding them as Metro, Loblaws licensed the name and uses it on their stores in Newfoundland, which are identical to Loblaws or Real Canadian Superstores in every other respect.  Incidentally, with the exception of No Frills, grocery stores do not charge 5 cents for each plastic bag.

The food in this province is quite expensive due to the shipping costs. We have blown our food budget for several months though at the moment we are only eating fruits and vegetables.

Statutory Holidays - They take their holidays seriously here in Newfoundland.  Remembrance Day (Nov. 11) is a statutory holiday and everything is closed, unlike in Ontario.  Same with Boxing Day.  Everything is closed on Dec. 26 and the sales start on the 27th.  The August Civic Holiday, which is always the first Monday in August in Ontario, varies in municipalities in Newfoundland.  In St. John's, it is called Regatta Day and happens on the first Wednesday of August.

Front Licence Plates - No front plates in Newfoundland (except on some trucks)

There are two areas, one at each bottom corner, where you are supposed to put your annual sticker. The idea is that one year you put it in one corner and the next year in the other. You continue going back and forth each year but many just put their new sticker anywhere they want so some plates have 6 or more stickers.

Studded Tires - Very common in Newfoundland.  They are illegal in southern Ontario.

Milk - No 500 ml or 4 litre containers of milk in Newfoundland, only 1 and 2 litre cartons.

Sidewalk Snow Plowing - unlike most towns and cities that I am aware of in Ontario, there is no local by-law requiring homeowners to clear snow from the sidewalks adjacent to their property in Newfoundland, so people don't.  The road plows heap snow over the sidewalks (and driveways) and sometimes, a sidewalk plow comes along.  Where we live, it might be a week or more after a big snowfall that a sidewalk plow comes and even after it does, people still do not clear the remaining snow and ice from their sidewalks.

We have the large plows that do a pretty good job on our street.
The snow is plowed onto the sidewalk because it is next to road.

The sidewalk plow may come by weeks later to do the sidewalk but
the snow pile is so high it does a very poor job.
No one could really walk on the sidewalks during winter.

Then it is up to the home owner to get out their snow blower and clear
their driveway and the piles left by the plow. GO AL!

Doesn't the differences in the world make life interesting? It certainly keeps us on our toes! We hope that you are keeping warm or cool wherever you are.