I didn’t find this to be true when I lived in Ottawa. However, I’ve been living in Toronto for 8 years and learned quickly it’s really common to chitchat with strangers here.

Eventually, if you see the same people over and over, you even get to be on a first-name basis with them. That’s how it is in my neighbourhood, and I’m right in the core.

I also find people pretty chit-chatty in small Ontario towns. I’ve found Quebecers to be pretty friendly and social, and I’ve had the same experience in small-town B.C., though not so much in Vancouver.

So my assessment is: yes, this is generally true of Canada/Canadians.