Louvb

Hi all😃 we have finally decided on which route to take to get into Canada. My other half will apply to do a course at Okahagon College in order to get a diploma which is recognised. We have looked at the costs etc and although it will be a bit tough at first it is doable. So we would be looking to move to Kelowna where the relevant campus is and was wondering if anyone was there or had any advice re schools - our daughter will be 8 when we go
Thanks everyone

bcmama

We live in Kelowna and pretty much love living here, although it's pretty pricey. Okanagan College is in the Mission area of Kelowna, which is a nice part of town and lots of expats live here. Plenty of public and private, french and english elementary schools in Kelowna, some are good, some not so much. It will depend on where you end up living as that determines which school catchment your in.

withabix

Not in comparison to the Lower Mainland however (if you are talking house prices)....I would say Kelowna is 15-20% cheaper compared to Langley/Maple Ridge/Surrey. Probably compares price-wise to Abbotsford.

Beckie and Morgan UK

Hi

Good luck to you and your family. Myself and my husband are also on the move to Kelowna for next year. I'm applying for Oakanagan College to study for a Diploma. We are now in the process of selling our house and bumping up the Canada college fund. Will be worth it in the end.
Beckie

christmasoompa

Hi, and welcome to BE.

Are you moving on a study permit or another visa? If it's a study permit then don't forget it's only temporary and to get it you may have to prove you'll return to the UK at the end of your stay in Canada, so selling your house might be a red flag to an immi officer. It'll be ok if you've got other property or ties to the UK, but just thought I'd mention it.

HTH.

printer

Kelowna has it all, lakes, mountains, swimming, skiing, wineries, hiking trails, camping sites, skating rink in winter, shopping etc. It also has drugs, down and outs, beggars, crime, empty retail spaces, restaurants opening then closing etc.

In short it is a great place and i love living here BUT jobs that pay anywhere near a living wage are very hard to get and the whole city is littered with small business owners trying to make it themselves. The West Kelowna side has exploded in the 7 years we have been here and they cannot build enough retail and commercial premises BUT they also cannot fill them for longer than a few months before the tenants jump ship. Both Future Shop and Staples recently closed stores on the Westside that hadn't been around that long.
Its the old problem of high house prices and low wages as we are often seen as a major tourist destination so seasonal work is popular. Todays survey on a local website suggests we have the second highest price for milk in Western Canada.
I have no idea about schooling as ours are way past that now but it is a nice place to live and raise kids providing you can get that all important job that is secure and paid well enough

Good luck with whatever you decide, ask away if you need any more info on specifics

Lunathecat

We are moving from Kelowna to Calgary at the end of the month. We have been here for more than 10 years and the local economy seems to have gone from bad to worse over that time. I live in the upper mission and many of my friends and neighbours have husbands who work in the oil sands and only get home occasionally. This is the only way they can afford to live here as local jobs are in short supply and badly paid. In fact, the person that bought our house in Kelowna works in fort St. John. The other people that seem to make it work have a government job (very hard to come by), have made money in Alberta and semi-retired here, or have rich parents.

Kelowna is a pretty place but it's not all unicorns and rainbows. Much of it depends on your career aspirations and/or existing funds. I would check out the forum section of castanet.net for some more insight. There are many posts about "brokanagan".

missmemum

Kelowna and the Okanagan Valley is a beautiful place to live and the perfect location to raise a family. If you love the outdoor life, then it offers everything from beautiful lakes to great ski resorts. As with most places these days it's expensive to live here, but not impossible. As you get older the winters do seem to get longer, hence the reason we are now relocating to somewhere there is no snow!

Louvb

Thanks all. Is a shame to read negative views all areas have rough parts I suppose. We are going for a change in lifestyle hopefully for our little girl who will be 8 when we go in 2016. As long as we spend more time as a family instead of the usual 9-5 and too tired to do anything after we will be happy. Any advice on the best place to live for our family would be appreciated x

Lychee

"Best" is subjective. Describe your ideal place to live, what you think would be best (types of houses, how far you're willing to drive/walk for amenities, what types of amenities you want close by, access to public transit, etc.) and we'll try to match it to somewhere in Kelowna. My first thought was, if you're trying to avoid the usual 9-5 (which certainly exists in Kelowna), don't pursue a commuting lifestyle - try to move where you'll be working/studying to maximize time spent at home with the family. Also, don't worry so much about the schools. They're all fairly standard. Move to an area you want to live in, and the closest school will be good.

withabix

Walk?

Not a common pastime in any urban area, especially Kelowna, unless you are pushing a trolley to the nearest soup kitchen!

Lychee

Quite untrue. There are many urban areas in BC where one can walk to amenities without being mistaken as a vagrant.

I do know that car reigns in Kelowna culture, which is partially my point of mentioning walking in the first place. If being able to walk to amenities (the nearest supermarket, community centre, beach, etc.) is a priority, it will help narrow down a location to live in Kelowna, or it could suggest that perhaps Kelowna, or any Okanagan community, simply won't suit at all. We don't know the type of lifestyle they want to live.

Louvb

Hopefully my husband will be studying at Okanhagon college and I will work round that. As previously said our daughter will be 8 and she loves long walks, the beach and shopping but isn't too keen on water! We won't have a car to begin with (unless we ship ours?!) and as for house styles as we will rent for a year or so as long as it has 2 bedrooms and enough space we don't have an ideal as we are aware we will have to compromise to begin our life there! My husband is ex british army so we have lived in some dumps in our time but it's what you make it lol! As long as it's a safe community with the odd coffee shop....thanks again

printer

I would say that your ideal destination would probably be the lower mission area. Its flat so walking/cycling is easier in the right weather. It has shopping and plenty of coffee shops as well as some nice beaches. Its close to the college and schools too. There are still some affordable homes in the area depending on what you want/need.
Many Brits seem to head straight for the Upper Mission area as it offered some great views and the Kettle Valley neighbourhood was and to some extent still is quite unique in its original design although it also comes in for some ribbing about it being rather stepford wives and full of rich Brits driving Escalades who must get their little darlings into Anne Mc Clymont school as that is the only one worth considering. The downside (in my opinion) is much farther to commute into town, few shops exist and the promise of a supermarket and more is still just a promise. Its up up up so expect walking/cycling to be more difficult and in winter it can be challenging when they don't grit the road in time. It is getting more and more homes built so expect more and more traffic (good news for the Escalade sales guy)
It can also be more expensive to live up there but there are sometimes some bargains although expect to be close, sometimes very close to your neighbour.
If you can make it work financially you will love it i'm sure but in reality working 9-5 and fitting in mundane stuff like shopping and chores will still likely be how it is because i'm sure that's how it is for most people.
You will need to work to earn money to live and that may mean more than just 9-5 unless you are coming with a huge pile of savings. If you can work it so you finish early enough to enjoy late afternoons at the beach in the summer (we do it regularly) and get the weekends off to enjoy some skiing, sledding, ice skating in winter then you are halfway there.

Tramps_mate

Can you go over to go to college and take partner and child with you? I thought it a bit odd like...

Plus once college is finished they will have to leave?