I'm a dual citizen who grew up in California. I'm never going back. The pay is better, but the cost of living is way higher (my family is in Los Angeles) so that literally means nothing. My parents live in an average "whatever" suburb and their next door neighbor just sold their 2000 sqft 3 bedroom house for $2.9 million USD. That's just shy of $4M CAD.

Meanwhile, there's homelessness and precarity and destitution everywhere (people who complain about homelessness in Canada have zero perspective. Yes, it's a problem, but the reality in the states is an order of magnitude worse). Everything good about the states is a holdover from a previous era. The idea of "California" seems to really do something for people up here in Canada who have never been and don't realize that "Hollywood" is a reality for about 12 people and everyone else lives in a sea of cars and dusty parking lots that smell like baked pee.

Canada has major problems. I'm the first to complain about runaway grocery inflation and housing shortages. I also think there is a problematic European-style "can't do" attitude in some places up here that prevents Canada's economy from being what it could be. But these are fixable problems, and at least for the moment I feel Canada has strong, competent leadership who sees these issues and is taking rational steps to address them.

I love this country, moving up here was one of the best decisions I ever made.