Shard

Yes that's about right. I'm fairly sure one of the reasons these places have their entrance price high is to encourage take-up of the annual pass, and maximise their revenue. It's annoying if you only do want to go once.

scrubbedexpat091

That is certainly part of it for sure. Disney for example want's people to stay multiple days, so the price per day gets cheaper as you get towards the 5 day pass or annual passes.

The highest annual pass is $779 which gets you 365 days a year, or about the same as 7 1/2 1 day passes.

A 5 day pass is 55 per day, vs 1 day pass at 99 dollars.

Disney doesn't wan't 1 day visitors, so they price the 1 day at a rate to encourage a multiple day stay.

Seems to be working, they are seeing record numbers of visitors and just this week hit capacity and had to close the gates early.


San Diego Zoo prices their annual membership at the cost of 2 general admission tickets for adults, or 10 more for child pass, so if local it's a good deal since locals tend to go more then once a year.


BC doesn't have any attractions on par with Disney or SD Zoo so I don't have much to compare in BC.

scrubbedexpat091

One day would be nice to not be yelled at over something. I need a job in a basement away from people.....

Oink

Computer programmer/coder?

scrubbedexpat091

Probably have to be good at computer programming and coding though?

If its something you can learn and be proficient at, at my age, it might be a possibility.

Shard

Langara. Continuing Studies: Programs & Courses: Prerequisites

It's possible that after you take a few of the modules you would be able to present yourself as a part qualified bbookeeper and find some entry level accounting work. No prerequisites to start off.

scrubbedexpat091

We are going to try for this program next year (only 1 intake per year)

Community Mental Health Worker - Programs - Douglas College


I am doing the food safe now, other then that have everything else needed to apply.


I am wary of the private sector and pay, its so inconsistent and if I am going to go into debt for a few grand, I kind of want something more known pay wise.



(All of course assuming we can fund the program, afford the gas to drive 200km a day most days of the week and figure out how to make enough money to pay rent, and increased gas bills. Lots of financial issues that may prevent it from happening, but we are going to try.)

Shard

Does that mean both you and your wife will go on the program. Should aim to live close by, a 100km commute is going to be expensive and time consuming.

Oink

Isn't there government assistance for retraining and education for people who need it?

Failing that, what about working for the BCLC? It must be a union position here and probably be a fairly well paid job for life, plus decent pension.

scrubbedexpat091

I've been trying to get hired with some sort of government or semi-government agency for near a decade now...lol be it provincial, or municipal.

I have probably tried BCLC at some point, I'd have to go and check my list of applications, but I know I have tried the BC liquor stores numerous times, and various entry level jobs with health authorities and such, never have any luck or even a reply of any sort. But I do try any time I see a job I could potentially get.

Man are government jobs are to get when you have no connections.


There are retraining for those on EI but we don't qualify for EI, and disability really has no real interest in retraining you, they are happy if your just working, the type of work or salary is of no concern to them.


They actually penalize you by going to school by clawing back payment amounts making living even harder.

There are federal grants and programs if your disabled to CRA standards but we are not, so most of those programs are not available. (every level of government has a different definition and standard for being disabled.)


Yea that one we would both do, we may move but we are in a lease, so we may not be able to as we likely won't know at the right time of year if we get into the program or not, now if we do move in with MIL its not much an issue, but then we have a pet and we may not find anything in our price range in Coquitlam that is pet friendly.

Moving for a short term course may not be wise either as we may end up not working in that area.

Have to wait and see if we even get accepted first, wife made the wait list last year, but by the time she was notified it was too late to get funding and schedule at work dealt with. (they told her the day before class start she could have a seat, I didn't even make the wait list last year, but trying again this year.)

Moving is complicated for us since our rent budget is so low, and so many landlords find reasons not to rent to those on disability, legally they can't deny you for disability, but they can say you don't make enough, or your credit wasn't good enough or a whole slew of other reasons. The discrimination towards those on disability is huge.

Can't not tell the landlord since the ministry requires the landlord to fill out a form, so no way around the landlord not knowing.