Steve_

I've travelled pretty widely in Canada, all the supposed "better" alternatives to Calgary aren't. For example, southern Ontario. Terrible traffic, tons of snow, higher taxes. Parts of Québec are nice but it's just as cold if not colder but with more snow, plus you need to know French. And also the taxes are a lot higher.

Victoria is okay, but it's awkward living on an island. Fraser Valley is too crowded (well the bits near jobs usually are), traffic around Vancouver is appalling, house prices are idiotic.

I meet so many people here who moved here from the maritimes who complain about the crap economy I've never even considered it.

Edmonton is colder, although I do think it is a marginally nicer city than Calgary and their city govt. has their act together better than ours.

So overall Calgary wins. The only other places I think I could hack in Canada would be Ottawa or Kelowna. But in Ontario there always seems to be people on strike, the provincial govt. is massively in debt, etc. so I wouldn't move. But I could live there if I already was there. Kelowna I'm ambivalent about, just a bit too small.

90% of job creation in Canada at the moment is in Alberta, I just cannot come up with a sensible rationale to live anywhere else in Canada. The weather is pretty much crap everywhere in Canada during the winter, although it certainly is a lot easier to hack it in Kelowna or Victoria.

xxdb

My 2p for what it's worth: get your citizenship.

When things are rough I hate the crap out of Canada (I'm in Alberta and have also lived in Ontario) but when I'm back home the things that I dislike start to grind and I end up back here. For that reason I'm glad that even though I bitch about things and am brutally honest about how crappy it can be, I'm very very glad (to repeat myself) that I got citizenship.

Reason being that it has become harder and harder to get so I know how awful it would be to be stuck back home if things turned to crap there.

xxdb

Net net I believe you're right BUT if the economy plummets because of low oil prices it will be brutal to be here. I'm not looking forward to next year at all.

stuabroad

I'm celebrating my 6th year in Alberta today! Will be applying for Citizenship this month to get it out the way. With regards to your post, depending on your finances and personal options for employment etc, I'd say go and try another province. I lived in Ottawa as a child for 5 years and. Apart from Victoria, Ottawa would be my choice of city to live in. After 6 years in Edmonton, I'm slowly losing my mind, for all the reasons said above in previous posts. It's a soulless prairie landscape with zero diversity. I miss the ocean having grown up by the sea. Unfortunately I married a girl from Edmonton who has spent all her life here...she's a teacher and she regards Ontario and BC as ' expensive' compared to Alberta...which is true but if you're not happy what's the point in paying 200$ a month less on your mortgage! Just gave birth to a little boy 4 weeks ago ( not me, the wife) and I dont want hm growing up here. Good luck with your choice, if you're not happy in Alberta you have to try BC or Ontario...unless you want to move to more of the same

AllyS

Once we get our citizenship we are moving back to the UK. We are using the next 2 years (or how ever long it takes for the citizenship to come through) to save up as much money as possible.

We are praying that exchange rate doesn't go too crazy in the meantime.

rivingtonpike

If you can find suitable employment, the Island is a pretty good place to live. The weather is mild and the scenery is pretty cool too. Not sure I'd want to be too too far away from Victoria though.