Canada
 

Anyone have any thoughts?

again long winded and some history, but just the nuts and bolts



"MAY" possibly be looking at going to Canada, game plan.

So,

1> My house here: Keep on rent to pay mortgage, (house is 2 bed end of terrace, large garden/off street parking an garage. would prolly leave it fully furnished. so ideas?

i) Thinking of either having the remainder of money sent to me OR all of it going to pay the mortgage early
ii) can i get an agent to deal (as I would be in canada)
iii) use as a nest egg/pension


2> OR sell the house bef4 I goto canada and pay off rest of mortgage


I'd be living there in another persons house, bills wouldnbt be a problem, off course I'd need to get a job ASAP, but I'm worried my age will be against me 43.

Any ideas generally, also ideas about Canada, stability, financial etc

cheeers

Canada is a pretty big place..

Where in Canada, thats like asking "I'm moving to Europe, what is it like?"....

Canada is a great place, I was born in Montreal and lived in the country just under 20years. I have lived all over Ontario and Vancouver in tha time.

Financially the country is stable but dependent on the US economy. Cost of living in the big cities like Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver is VERY high, real estate prices in these big cities command a premium! Taxes are very high, but the place is clean, safe and health care that as an Englishman you can relate to.

I really *hate* the winters there, really its almost 5months, Vancouver being the exception. The winters are very long, very grey and sobering cold and the salt that is put down on the roads WILL destroy your car after only a few years. The winters almost dictate your movements and that is unappealing to me.

Spring to Fall - is magical!!!

Ask more questions!

Yasin

BTW...I moved back to Toronto from London.

Dont you need a Visa to work here? I dont think your age matters as much as your skills / personality / job history. Folks love the English accent. Canada is all about Energy right now and energy is tanking. I think our financial system is doing a bit better than the US but our economy will take a huge hit as the full effect of the US recession plays out.

Not sure about selling versus keeping your home. I might rent it if I could cover the mortgage just in case this Canada idea does not work out. You know your local Market. Here in Canada (large as Gaijin points out), real estate is down and is likely to drop more.

Agent? Do you mean someone to manage your rental?

hi guys thankxs for the quick replies,

some back ground

It would be a case of getting married to a Canadian National.

She/we would either get married here in the UK and stay here or go back.
of She/we would get married in canada and stay there or come back.

She has her own house and live in Ontario.

She has a managerial role for a large american multinational.

problem is if she comes here she may not get a trasnfer and have to job search herself. My company does not have a branch in Canada

We both have houses and good jobs though i suspect she has a better job and house ;)

BUT I got the Porsche ! :) hehehehehehehe

My job means I'm security cleared to whats called SC vetting, howevere I'm as i said 43, and healthwise, I'm Diabetic (well controlled) and have a heart murmer.

If we get married in Canada,, she would end up planning, paying for it (at least her dad would) but if we got married her, I'd prolly get lumbered with that

so at the moment I'm voting for getting married in Canada :) ;)

We got our first snow of the season over the last few days. Nothing massive or lasting, but enough to make most of us put our Porsches away for the year. That's one of the overriding things about this area of the world. Winter is brutal, and this is my least favourite time of year. I've read that Ottawa is the second-coldest capital city in the world, second only to Moscow. I define winter as salt on the road, non P-car driving time, and by that definition it lasts from sometime in November until late April. You can't count on nice weather until well into May.

Not that weather is the only plus/minus factor in this country, it's just on my mind a lot right now.

Economically, I think where we are and where we're going is a question of who you listen to and who you believe. Personally, I'm of the belief that fundamentally we're in good shape, but the constant barrage of negative media is driving consumer confidence into the ground, which is going to hurt us more than anything. While we're not taking as badly as the US, our economy is inextricably tied to theirs. Ontario has lost almost half a million jobs in the manufacturing sector in the last few years, (manufacturing, in particular auto manufacturing and its various spin-off industries, is Ontario's main economic driving force) so that's hurting. For the first time in the province's history, we're among the "have-not provinces. Canada has a province-to-province wealth distribution system whereby those provcines that turn surpluses send money to those that run deficits. For the first time ever Ontario will receive money this year.

I'm of the belief that Europe does the high taxes/payback from gov't thing better than we do. We've currently got a minority Conservative gov't in power (2nd term) though that conservatism is much more to the left than American conservatism. However, from my end taxes have not lowered (at least not in any significant way) whereas services have been cut. I personally don't feel we get a great return from gov't for the taxes we pay (ca. 60% in the highest bracket). Our health care system leaves much to be desired - wait times are a particular issue, as is overcrowding of hospitals, though the quality of care is quite high. I don't mean to turn this into a political rant, it's just my personal view - others will of course feel differently. I've always said Canada is a great place DESPITE our gov'ts, at all levels.

More along the p-car lines, we've got a draconian police gestapo that now will impound your car at the side of the road if you're caught going more than 50 km/h over the limit - no pleas, no judge, no trial, your car and license are gone for 7 days. It's a constant thorn in the side of anyone who actually cares about safety on the roads (check the rennlist Canada forum - we discuss it to death there).

However we also have one of the world's best racetracks in our backyard - Mosport is an hour outside Toronto.

So there's a scattering of info about life in Ontario. I think I may be being a bit overly negative, so keep that in mind. Hope that helps a bit!

You're welcome to join us....don't forget your snow shoes...!

hey thankxs guys

50 clicks over

dayem, I'm going to have to get used to clicks instead of miles per hour

Canada is a very nice place - if it was 40 degrees warmer on any given day I might wanna move there.

Temperatures between US and adjacent communities in Canada along the border are pretty close :)

Yeah, too bad we don't have a border adjacent with Texas! :)

Haaaaa....not sure of this one...!;)

I am sure this was said in jest but really do bring snowshoes, crosscountry skiis, downhill skis, snowboard, ice climbing gear or skates. The winter can suck but if you take part in winter activities you can have a lot of fun. I look forward to hitting the slopes 30+ times this winter.

Where in Ontario? This becomes a reasonable question because Ontario is a pretty big place with a big variation in weather - in ALL seasons. The job market is also much bigger if you are commutable to Toronto or the greater GTA. Access to heathcare is also broader in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area).

Ontarians are conservative in nature (although our vote can swing) & friendly with a similar crime situation to general UK & Europe. Politically, economically & internationally we are a quiet boring country. And we like it that way.

Ian

just finding out, my world time clock on my work pc is set for Toronto,

same crime rate is UK EEEEEEEEK, nononononon :eek:
quiet, boring, is good too :)

Mississauga close to Toronto

I was just guessing, but you can check. Here are some figures . . .

"For the third consecutive year, Canada's overall crime rate dropped in 2007, according to Statistics Canada figures.

The biggest reasons for the decline were the nine per cent dips in both the number of home break-ins and motor vehicle thefts. The robbery rate also fell by five per cent, StatsCan said in its July 17, 2008 report.

The homicide rate fell for the second year in a row as did the actual number of murders in Canada to 594 from 606 in 2006. The number of robberies committed with a firearm also fell, to a 30-year low."

"Toronto reported the second-lowest crime rate of all the centres measured. One-fifth of Canada's murders are committed in the country's largest city, StatsCan said. But Toronto's murder rate per capita is still lower than Saskatoon, Regina, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg."

from CBC

Mississauga is 'attached' to Toronto's west end. A large suburban sprawl area. If you bring your Porsche, you are in prime time for fair weather Pcar activities with many of us who live in the GTA.

Real estate in the area varies widely but overall we are in a downward trend since August. We didn't have the bubble in prices that US cities had - except for the condo market which is driven by our large (and growing) Asian population.

Ian

would be planning on getting a container and brining my stuff along with the p-car

by the way, just saw about firearms... can I play with guns ........... :D

Not easily or without red tape. All firearms must be registered.

See http://www.panda.com/canadaguns/

We are not a 2nd Amendment Wild West like the yahoos south of the border. And we like it that way. :cool:

Ian

+ 1 on that one....I'don't feel very confortable when all peoples around me wear AK 47 under their belt...:D

Some great answers here from the Canucks, I don't have much more to add really, just thought I'd give you an early "Welcome to Canada!".

I've travelled a lot, and I love seeing other countries (particularly yours!), but Canada really is a great place to call home.

My parents came here in the 70s from the UK. My father, being a smart fellow, did a lot of research up front. Our family moved to Ontario, but much further north of where you will be, in Thunder Bay on the top of Lake Superior. When he checked the stats for the average year-round temperature for that part of the country he assumed it was a typo. It was not.

Buy a toque at the airport when you arrive.

I'll throw up a "Welcome to Canada!" to 'eh.

I'm a WEST Coaster though. Toronto is a blast though; you'll love it there.
;)

I have 3 sets of close friends who moved here from the UK in the last 10 years. My son even has a new classmate from the UK in his grade 1 class.....

Too bad you can't come to the west coast. Much better climate out here (yes I am in Ontario a lot).

Pretty stable country and economy, not with out its faults, but pretty stable.


Cheers

Thankxs all,

ok (the questions keep on rolling)

I'm also a Diabetic (think some of yall know), how do i stand on healthcare with regards to that.

In the UK as a Diabetic my healthcare is free (i.e meds) i.e Insulin, needles and other stuff.
Is there heath insurance and would it cover a pre-existing condition. or a health system like the UK has.

The canada site says that for the first 3 years that no assistance can be offered to a person being sponsored.

I only thought of this, could be a big chunk of my money going to pay for essentials that will stop me from dying (literally)

of course I'm hoping to find work or have an income from my house from the UK or sell it totally etc

All of the provinces in Canada have different Healthcare systems. In Ontario it is OHIP. For info see Ontario Health Insurance Plan

Sorry to make you read, but I don't know the answer. You must obtain a Healthcard. Every doctor/technician/hospital will refuse no-cost care without it. You might have to bridge your UK services with a private plan until you qualify. Although your UK benefits might also work here for the transition period.

Ian

Ian, I would hope you're right. The reason you don't get immediate no-pay care is because you haven't yet paid into the taxation system, but by that same logic, you *have* paid into the UK system, which means, in theory, your benefits should carry over.

THANKS THANKS THANKS guys'

I've got a similar thread running on a couple of other sites and you guys are fab one person on another site even inferred I was trying to pull one over on the Canadian's by telling white lies to get in.

Man I'm not coming from some 3rd world country, more than happy to say in Blighty.

but again

thankxs alot guys

Pelican rocks !

So you say... :)

hehehehe

Are you sure you want to come to Toronto the area?

This was our 1st real snowfall - about 8 cm . . .

"There were no major crashes reported Thursday morning, but the OPP around Toronto are dealing with more than 400 collisions since the snow started falling yesterday."

And the OPP only patrol the highways . . .

Ian

It's only the beginning Ian....We're lucky in Mtl...no snow yet....yet.

My sister in law spent 16 hours in her car yesterday, stuck on the Trans-Canada highway just outside of Truro, NS. She was one of ~1500 people.

No police, no emergency workers, no snowplows. No public announcements, no information on any radio stations. They didn't even block the highway to prevent other people from being stranded.

Fun stuff!

Folly Mountain?

Ian

Yeah not far from there, actually!

Back in the early 80s I did the Halifax/Moncton/Fredericton run 3 - 4 times a year visiting customers. All seasons/all weather. Fun times.

Ian

Thankfully the highway is VASTLY improved since then... you know, so long as they plow it!

hi mate,

yep heard about this, mi girl in canada already pranged her car (a GM mini-van).

man, we get a few leaves on the track in the UK and our trains stop,
if where lucky to get a little snow flurry the qhole country comes to a halt


heheheheheheh

I love snow though !

It was interesting one year driving the Porsche in snow......... very interesting

Kwik call for Mister plow

"Mister Plow, that’s my name. That name again is Mister Plow!"