How to go "off the grid" in Canada

25 Tips for going "off the grid" in Canada

If you are new to the concept of "going off the grid" then you need all the advice you can get. Here is an introduction / 25 tips on how to go off the grid and survive.

#1. Learn how to hunt. Get a hunting license.

#2. Learn how to fish. Get a fishing license.

#3. Learn how to grow your own food.

#4. Learn how to shop for cheap land. The cheapest land in Canada is in northwestern Ontario or the Maritimes. Forget about British Columbia unless you want to go really off the beaten path.

#5. Winter is Coming. Prepare for it. You will need firewood and lots of it.

#6. If you opt for a RV or trailer buy it used off a public auction or a police auction.

#7. Practice your mechanic skills and learn how to fix things.

#8. Get good at woodworking and working with your hands in general.

#9. Insurance. Think cheap and if possible get your insurance from Saskatchewan or Manitoba because they offer government insurance which is cheaper. You don't need to live in the province to get your insurance from there.

#10. Learn how to get free stuff off Craigslists and Kijiji - often this means you will need to buy a truck so you can haul stuff. This practice is known as Freeganism.

#11. Learn to barter with other people to trade food / services. Avoid bartering services for services with people you don't know. People are sketchy sometimes so aim to make sure you receive your end of the bargain.

#12. Learn to forage for berries, mushrooms and other sources of food. eg. Edible wildflowers.

#13. Squatting on land is risky but potentially an option in parts of Canada that are not used very much. Learn Canada's laws regarding squatting on land and become an expert on them.

#14. There are many books out there about back roads exploration which list places that make great campsites off the beaten path. Many of these places you can stay for weeks or even months of the year for free.

#15. Avoid National Parks - they are expensive tourist traps.

#16. You can get land sometimes by making a gold placer claim. Other options include leasing and traplines. Avoid places that have land disputes with Natives.

#17. Get a Hostel Card if traveling a lot. It also saves you 10 to 20% off Greyhound bus tickets.

#18. Sign up for free labour... Usually they are looking for gullible foreign students who are willing to work for free for a cause, but it is also a good way to pick up needed skills and you get free food and a place to stay. You can even find such groups within Canada, they don't care if you are from Canada or not, they just want free labourers for whatever charitable cause they are doing.

#19. If buying a tent GO BIG! You will never regret the extra space.

#20. Learn how to work off the grid (without paying taxes) by doing barter, odd jobs, babysitting, basically any kind of work where you get paid with cash or bartered goods. Become an expert on "Underground Economics".

#21. Don't freeze to death like that guy in the movie "Into The Wild".

#22. Learn how to make your own sources of electricity by building solar panels or wind turbines - or buy solar panels / wind turbines, whichever is best for your situation.

#23. Learn from other people who are doing the same thing you are doing. Absorb everything you can.

#24. Learn to protect yourself from wildlife by understanding the nature of predators in the region and what ways they might kill you - and arm yourself with knowledge and appropriate weapons against them.

#25. Learn to cook and preserve food. Don't waste any food if you have the option to preserve it for later.