Moving to Canada. Good idea?

MrKJBlue · MrKJBlue's Garage

Hi Canadians

Ever more frequently these days my wife and I are thinking to move abroad, This move is more because of peoples attitudes and quality of surroundings than for any financial reasons.
So on this basis and taking the advice of people who have visited we think Canada would be a great place to start, were going to visit within the next 4 months and have a good look around BC.
If any one has ANY advice or recommendations of places and towns to visit, the job market, quality of life, the people ETC..
especially if you can compare Canada with UK please let me know.

Thanking you

PS not sure if this needs to be 911 related in the region forums. Apologies if OT.

stealthn · 07-23-2003, 08:49 AM

Kevin,

Yes Canada is the BEST place to live (well 7th if you go by the UN)

I worked with a guy a few months back that brought his girlfriend over a couple of years ago from England. He liked it here and was a computer consultant. He was getting good wages, but at the time consulting was down so he took a full-time job. His girlfriend worked in a good job as well (I can't remember what she did).
They did move back to England, and I asked him why and he said he thought it was better for raising and educating kids (they were getting married). I was surprised because I always thought Canada had a great education system, but he explained that Univeristies and better schools aren't driven my means as much as education.
He would be the one to talk to and I'll see if I can find his email address for you.
As far as what to visit, see it all!
BC - visit Whistler mountain,Victoria by ferry, and any microbrewery.

Reg · 07-23-2003, 10:06 AM

I cannot speak for B.C. but here in southern Ontario there is pretty much everything, save for mountains.

We have plenty of water around us ( just like in the UK) and there are lots of things to do. The climate is 4 seasons, so we get a taste of everything. You can be in the midst millions in Toronto then drive a few hours and me in the middle of nowhere

toddporsche · 07-23-2003, 11:54 AM

Now Calgary is the place to be....Alberta, Canada Lots of things to do and a great Job market. You have the Mountains and the Beautiful weather. It doesn't compare to BC for Beauty but it is a fun place with lots of Beautiful surroundings.

Purrybonker · 02:55 PM

BC: All beautiful mountains and coastline infested with squatters and dreamers. BC is perpetually burdened with governments that lean too far from centre to provide consistent, effective economic direction for the province. Canada's land of honey (only the milk is missing) that has the most beautiful and expensive real estate in the country. The place where everything is for sale (and the signs to prove it) but nothing ever sells (except for Vancouver and Whistler where the reverse is true); but the climate keeps everyone too mellow to care either way. BC's lumber based economy has been beaten to a pulp (pun intended) by punishing American tariffs and the province is leaning heavily on tourism and a smattering of oil & gas to keep the wheels turning. Think California without the intellectual property and with extra doses of Florida retirees and sushi.

on the other hand...

Alberta: Wanna be Texans and gunslingers with far too many smarts to give themselves completely over to the image. The province is ALL about oil & gas and the fat paychecks that spin out of capital rather than labour intensive industries. Ultra-conservative politics that insulate the province from the emergence of meaningful culture as effectively as their border patrol keeps the province free of rats. Albertan's live the paranoid existance that the federal government or Quebec is going to do something to burst their economic bubble (like maybe offend the Americans some way). Pre-war Christian ethics are used to keep capitalism charging forward uncluttered by forward thinking social or environmental initiatives. The streets of Calgary are littered with BMWs, Mercs, SUVs, Boxsters and the odd Porsche. But the fancy new neighbourhoods are devoid of schools or hospitals. Everyone dreams of retiring to BC.

Wanna hear about the rest of Canada, or is that enough?

Welcome aboard, we'd love to have you!

MrKJBlue · MrKJBlue's Garage

Thanks every one for your quick replys, Please keep them coming.

I know im not going to get a real taste of the country in the short amount of time I'm visiting so I need to plan this trip well and go armed with as much info as possible.

Quote:

Originally posted by Purrybonker

Wanna hear about the rest of Canada, or is that enough?

How could I possibly say no?

Have you ever visited the Uk purry? I would love to hear your views.

Purrybonker · 07-23-2003, 03:37 PM

had to ask, eh...

Saskatchewan/Manitoba (the "prairies"): The bread basket. Eastern european, french fur trader and aboriginal foundations that bring a solid work ethic and an interesting history. Charming cultural suprises like the city of Winnipeg (a secret even to many Canadians). Brutal winters and glorious sun baked summers in seas of wheat, warm lakes and sandy beaches. Cities that are still isolated from each other (by huge distances) enough to have their own character and fads, even in this electronic age.

Ontario: Wanna be Americans that are far too gentle to ever be Americans. The moral, industrial, intellectual, economic, financial and political seat of Canada (to the chagrin of Alberta). Ontario has one of the strongest economic outlooks in the world. Ontario cities have that smokey flavoured charm of the good American cities (like Chicago) but are too bland and are missing that "edge" that's needed to be a New York or even a Montreal. Rural, small town Ontario can be almost as charming as the english countryside notwithstanding an overabundance of Tim Horton doughnut shops. Ontario has enough depth of character to stand alone as a meaningful nation in the world. It and Quebec are the only Canadian provinces that could pull that off.

more?

Purrybonker · 07-23-2003, 03:48 PM

...well, OK:

Quebec: Wanna be France without understanding that the province is already twice as good as France will ever be again. Montreal is sexier than Paris (if that's possible) and the provincial countryside has more geographic diversity and beauty than all of europe combined. Montreal is the cultural centre (not in a leadership kinda way) of Canada even though it knows it and is even arrogant about it. Quebec keeps itself economically stifled with constant handwringing about it's place in Canada and destiny in the world.

Maritimes (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, Newfoundland): On the dole and OK with that fact. People from the maritime provinces are more comfortable in their own skin than anyone else in Canada. These provinces are devoid of geographic or cultural high points (lots of each - just no "spikes") but simply don't need them to be a blast. The maritimes are just about fun, and who's doing what, griping about the government and finding a way to beat them. Collapsed fishery industries, limping mining activities, with burgeoning oil and gas exploration offshore as an economic light at the end of the tunnel.

...don't even get me going about the northern territories...

MrKJBlue · MrKJBlue's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by Purrybonker

...don't even get me going about the northern territories...

Go on you know you want to.

Thanks purrey, I've heard a lot from friends and family that have visited but its better to hear an insiders viewpoint.

stealthn · 05:32 PM

WOW....want more....WOW,

Purry, what do you write for some underground Hardcopy/Maxim/Travel mag wannabe rag that's too cool and it know's it that's why it won't even go to press?!

Nunavut?

Purrybonker · 07:26 PM

No, I wont have Nunavit (again, pun intended)...

The Territories: These places are probably about as close as you can get to God on earth these days. No people, vast resources, dramatic landscapes, gold, diamonds, silver and enough Eve's for every Adam. This could be Eden for half a year. Miles of sandy beaches that are empty of humans on hot, hot summer longweekends. Those beaches might be empty because most of town folk are too busy sitting in lawn chairs pulling 10 pound walleyes out of the river downtown. Everything to do for those with at least a moderately strong constitution and an outdoor inclination - and 20 hours a day to do it in!

My greatest regret in Canadian travel is not having spent enough time in the territories... but there's next year.

Now you owe me a primer on the UK - my extensive travels there ended with my 16th birthday, but we are planning to visit England and (primarily, I think) Scotland this fall.

Ciao

Ken

Purrybonker · 07-23-2003, 07:06 PM

Bob: I'm embarrassed for you that you would even know the names of those magazines. But the edge in your copy is pretty sharp, yourself.

BTW: are you signing up for the August 18th (I think) Driver's Ed?

Ken

stealthn · 07-23-2003, 11:04 PM

Ken,

Don't know..money eh.

I will give you a little hint (August tech night) details to come......

But I could use some drivers Ed

MrKJBlue · MrKJBlue's Garage

Ken
Very surprised with what you had to say about the territories, certainly given me food for thought.
I havent toured Scotland any where near enough but I would say it comperes very well with how you explain the territories, well, if you miss out the hot hot summmer weekends bit. With the cities modernising rapidy while a lot in England are going into reverse.
Because my wife and I are planning to move we have spent the last year visiting all the sights in England we had missed,(it still didnt change our minds) and there truley is a lot of exciting and intresting living history. I cant see how you could beat the museums and gallerys in London, or the rural villages and castles.

But be warned EVERY thing is expensive and mostly the service is very poor.

Purrybonker · 07-24-2003, 07:12 AM

Kevin:

Thanks for the thoughts, those sound much like those I hear from my boss. He's a financial wizard from your neck of the woods (you're kinda north-London bedroom community, right?) and still keeps a flat there. He keeps the flat as both a link to home and a probable place to retire - but then, he's the boring son of an Anglican preacherman. You know the type - probably mercilessly teased as a kid, even at that tony private school.

As to Canada, he says that he could potentially see himself living in Vancouver or Victoria or Toronto. Montreal has too much of a bohemian touch and Calgary has a bit of a climate issue. We've been known to shovel snow off our driveways in June in Calgary, but then we sometimes rake our lawns in February. Alberta has to put up with the uncertanties of weather rolling off the Rocky Mountains.

As to the nothern Territories - they have huge romantic appeal in the way of any new frontier, but life there would present numerous challenges (like bugs and high costs) to sustainability. That's obviously why they stay so empty. With an adequately developed tourism infrastructure, they do represent a rewarding place to visit. Raft the Nahanni River or fly into any fishing/wilderness camp for a mind broadening experience.

Good luck!

kgain968 · 07-25-2003, 09:18 PM

One thing that may be of interest to someone relocating from the UK is that Vancouver and Victoria have the mildest and most similar climate to that of the UK.

power · 07-26-2003, 05:15 PM

Don't be offended if you don't get a lot of response on this one. It's so nice here on the west coast we don't want it to get around.....some top secret places to visit while here, take the tram up Grouse mountain on a clear evening, the view of Vancouver is spectacular. Take a walk on the sea-wall that runs by English bay. Visit Stanley Park right next to downtown Vancouver. If you are traveling in a 911 Take a drive to Whistler and back at first light (no traffic). Damn Olympics in 2010 are going to spoil the everything.....

sleeping_beast · 07-30-2003, 09:16 AM

Hi MrKJBlue,

I lived in the Montreal area and found it awesome. That city is so alive, especially in summer. In winter, be ready with your shovel. And be ready to garage your 911.

I lived in California for some years, in the high-tech industry. I found that the high-tech industry was somewhat more dynamic than in Montreal. Wages were very good. Overall, however, I think that the quality of life is better in Montreal than in California, mostly for the low cost of living (inexpensive houses) and the proximity and beauty of nature. I know you were not asking about California but that's the comparison point I have.

I recently moved in the region of Ottawa. Since Ottawa is the national capitale, the area is clean, well-maintained and offers substantial tourism opportunities. From where I live, I can easily go to Toronto (about 4 to 5 hours drive), Montreal for great night life, restaurants, festivals (about 2.5 hours drive), Eastern Townships for good ski, hiking and mountain bike (about 3.5 hours drive) or even Quebec City (about 4.5 hours drive) for a weekend in the most European city in America. And I noticed, by the accent, that lots of people seem to be from UK in the Ottawa region.

Good luck with your move,

Alain