Canada is odd for stores. Not a lot of chain stores besides Wal-Mart and Dollarama, which has nearly nothing for a dollar.
The difference is made up by the other stores selling what you'd want from the big stores. Found my humidity meter in the local drug store (Jean Couteau)/Walgreens's equivalent. Farmaprix is the CVS equivalent. The JC also had bento and things I wouldn't expect in a pharmacy store.
The Dollarama carries siracha sauce - a testament to the diversity. It's impossible to predict who will come out of a house in our neighborhood. In that respect it's much better than the U.S.
So I guess I should not have been surprised to find that the local health food store (that an anomaly in itself) is also an Asian/Arab grocery store - no meats, but everything else. I bought kombucha and aloe juice. And seaweed at a reasonable price. $2.79 in the U.S., 0.97CDN here. They have an incredible selection of spices, grains and herbs. The supplement selection is limited, but the tea selection is vast. It made spending $74 at the JC ($10 was taxes) hurt less.
French is still an issue but now that grading is done I should have an easier time with the lessons.
