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Where to live in Alberta.

Where to live in Alberta.

Old Jan 7th 2015, 7:32 pm
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Default Re: Where to live in Alberta.

You are obviously speaking from a position of greater knowledge, but most if the commentators seem to be tolling the bells of doom:
How $40 Oil Would Impact Canada's Provinces | Jeffrey Rubin
Especially as the US has now threatened to veto the Keystone XL pipeline.

I'm guessing that house prices hadn't risen so high with people paying for large mortgages off the back of oil inflated wages.
Was the wider Albertan economy so reliant on the oil industry back then, or was it a little more broadly spread?

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Old Jan 7th 2015, 8:14 pm
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Default Re: Where to live in Alberta.

Oh good, am I moving to Alberta just in time for a little recession!! ������
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Old Jan 7th 2015, 8:42 pm
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Default Re: Where to live in Alberta.

Lol I hear you there!
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Old Jan 7th 2015, 9:32 pm
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Default Re: Where to live in Alberta.

Originally Posted by Marky Mark
Was the wider Albertan economy so reliant on the oil industry back then, or was it a little more broadly spread?
Alberta had a diversified economy that revolved more around agriculture and ranching, and transporting all that grain by freight train to be exported internationally. It was always a quieter, slower paced, farming province, where immigrants from Sweden and Ukraine settled as pioneer farmers, taking advantage of the free land the Canadian government was offering as a way to entice people (hearty Eastern European peasants and Scandinavians, primarily) to settle the stark, extreme climate of the prairies. Finding oil in Alberta was just a stroke of luck. The current oil boom is a relatively recent phenomenon, especially at its current scale. But oil is always boom and bust. Alberta's current economy is not sustainable.

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Old Jan 7th 2015, 10:04 pm
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Default Re: Where to live in Alberta.

Originally Posted by Lexie82
Thanks for all the info guys. I'm thinking I'll stay away from Calgary as the traffic will probably drive me nuts. I live in a town of 100,000 anyway so Red Deer or Lethbridge would suit us size wise. Just need to decide between the 2. Anyone know if either city is better for young kids.....family activities etc, toddler groups etc?


I don't know what Lethbridge has to offer but I do know that Red Deer has a fantastic Rec center
Collicutt Centre - The City of Red Deer

But then Calgary does too.

Why not look at Airdrie (another fantastic rec centre), just north of Calgary or Okotoks Just to the south?
If you like big city amenities (international airports, Concert arenas etc.) but smaller town living, these Calgary satellites might be an option and both are great communities for young families.
I'm not saying a big city is the be all and end all, that depends on what you're used to and where you live now. Just saying don't completely rule it out.

hth a little bit
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Old Jan 7th 2015, 11:18 pm
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Default Re: Where to live in Alberta.

Originally Posted by Marky Mark
Especially as the US has now threatened to veto the Keystone XL pipeline.
Congress are pushing it through.
Obama threatened to veto the bill (not "the US")
Congress can then override that veto if they can get 2/3rd support (which is looking tight).
Failing that, they will attach the legislation later in the year to another bill.

Sooner or later, it's going to happen.
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Old Jan 8th 2015, 4:56 pm
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Default Re: Where to live in Alberta.

I live in Lethbridge & came here for my hubby's job. Even though it has been a good starting point for our new life in Canada, we have been here since 2010, we would never consider the city as our forever home town/place. There are limitations for retail, things to do & growth.

Since being here little retail outlets have opened up, only banking or food outlets. Plenty of houses being built & a few new schools, however with 2 out of 5 children being in poverty according to officials last year, it is a worrying prospect that Lethbridge has such a high population but odes not have the income revenue to reflect it. The rental market is high rent also, and to buy is hard with the prices of all the new houses being built.

At the moment i can still get my son who is 11 into clubs & keep him occupied, but find socially for him playing out with other kids non-existent, but also the older the kids get I feel the less to do unless you are a hockey, football player or soccer. There is not alot of clubs for young adults rather just social sports bars.

Lethbridge does have up sides like being near the border to the US which is great for holidays etc & some shopping in great falls, however once you have been a few times the thrill is gone. Even great falls is glum.

The coulees are lovely & the river, rockies only an hour away & skiing. we make the best of what is here but just find it limited and a tad boring.
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Old Jan 9th 2015, 2:45 am
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Default Re: Where to live in Alberta.

Originally Posted by Red1974
I live in Lethbridge & came here for my hubby's job. Even though it has been a good starting point for our new life in Canada, we have been here since 2010, we would never consider the city as our forever home town/place. There are limitations for retail, things to do & growth.

Since being here little retail outlets have opened up, only banking or food outlets. Plenty of houses being built & a few new schools, however with 2 out of 5 children being in poverty according to officials last year, it is a worrying prospect that Lethbridge has such a high population but odes not have the income revenue to reflect it. The rental market is high rent also, and to buy is hard with the prices of all the new houses being built.

At the moment i can still get my son who is 11 into clubs & keep him occupied, but find socially for him playing out with other kids non-existent, but also the older the kids get I feel the less to do unless you are a hockey, football player or soccer. There is not alot of clubs for young adults rather just social sports bars.

Lethbridge does have up sides like being near the border to the US which is great for holidays etc & some shopping in great falls, however once you have been a few times the thrill is gone. Even great falls is glum.

The coulees are lovely & the river, rockies only an hour away & skiing. we make the best of what is here but just find it limited and a tad boring.
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Old Jan 9th 2015, 6:47 pm
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Default Re: Where to live in Alberta.

I live in Red Deer. I like it - I can nip into Calgary or Edmonton at any time that I want anything that Red Deer doesn't have.
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Old Jan 9th 2015, 9:21 pm
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Default Re: Where to live in Alberta.

Originally Posted by Almost Canadian
When I came to Calgary in 2007, IIRC, the price of a barrel of oil was lower than it is now, and Alberta was "booming"

Could you please explain to me what has changed
It is actually quite a bit lower now than in 2007, WTI is six dollars lower than in 2007 and still falling. Bear in mind Alberta heavy crude becomes unprofitable around the $35-40 mark and at the moment it's around $32.
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Old Jan 9th 2015, 9:34 pm
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Default Re: Where to live in Alberta.

Originally Posted by Lexie82
Oh good, am I moving to Alberta just in time for a little recession!! ������
I think it's going to be quite a big actually, at these prices the hole in the Alberta budget is gigantic, something like $8 billion. So if your job is anything even remotely related to the public sector, you could face problems.

I know from some of the FB groups I am in that there is always complaints of lack of children's activities to do here in Lethbridge. My daughter is 9 and does a lot of activities but it costs us a pretty packet to keep her occupied.
But you're assuming Red Deer is better, I don't think that's necessarily the case. People often complain on here about lack of children's activities, seems general.

IMO, Lethbridge is a bit better than Red Deer because it's a teeny bit warmer, you can go shopping in the US whenever you want to and it's nearer the mountains. Which means if you really can't stand the weather you can drive over the crow's nest pass and experience somewhat better weather in BC. And you can also drive up from Lethbridge to Calgary, and Hwy 2 south of Calgary has way less traffic than it does between Calgary and Edmonton. From Red Deer your only real options are north and south, from Lethbridge there's a bit more to the east and west as well. Sylvan Lake is quite nice though. But is it nicer than Waterton Lakes?

I think it is a very slight difference in terms of day-to-day living. It really boils down to personal preference, I think the OP would have to visit and form an opinion.
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Old Jan 9th 2015, 9:37 pm
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Default Re: Where to live in Alberta.

Originally Posted by Red1974
Lethbridge does have up sides like being near the border to the US which is great for holidays etc & some shopping in great falls, however once you have been a few times the thrill is gone. Even great falls is glum.
Have you been to Kalispell though? Glacier National Park is a lot closer to Lethbridge.

Bit of an argument over minutiae really.
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Old Jan 16th 2015, 1:36 am
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Default Re: Where to live in Alberta.

Originally Posted by Lexie82
Oh good, am I moving to Alberta just in time for a little recession!! ������
It's not little. Seriously.
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