Nova Scotia is sucking the life out of me!
Apr 14th 2014, 1:05 pm
#76
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Re: Nova Scotia is sucking the life out of me!
the undutchables - My thoughts exactly, maybe the majority of expats just have that sort of personality where they will never be content anywhere & always looking for something better
Apr 14th 2014, 1:20 pm
#77
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Re: Nova Scotia is sucking the life out of me!
Interesting thread.
As we are currently planning our move to NS, I am always interested in peoples personal experiences of the place, why they were drawn there, and ultimately, what drives them away.
A few of the OP's points are the very same reasons we are leaving Alberta, and as it seems from some of the replies, how a lot of the expats feel about where they currently live.
So, is the problem us expats, who are looking for something that doesn't exist? Or is it just Canada that is boring?
A couple of replies mentioned New Zealand being the same. So it must be the British attitude that's the problem? We do have a long history of traveling to foreign lands and trying to make them as much like Britain as possible. Perhaps we are just never content. We are well known as a race of complainers who love to have something to moan about. How else can so many, living is very different parts of a country so large and diverse, have the same feelings of boredom and complain of having nothing to do.
We are still planning to give NS a go, but my wife and I have decided to give it 2 years, and if either of us have issues or haven't settled, then we move on. That is part of the problem for us here in Calgary, after 6 years, we've been here too long. The first 4 years were great, then we got in a rut and are now bored sh*tless.
Who knows, maybe we will find our paradise in Nova Scotia, we shall just have to find out for ourselves.
Or, perhaps, we have just all got the travel bug, and after making the move from the UK, we just need to keep moving? After all, for us anyway, this is the 5th country we have lived in!
As we are currently planning our move to NS, I am always interested in peoples personal experiences of the place, why they were drawn there, and ultimately, what drives them away.
A few of the OP's points are the very same reasons we are leaving Alberta, and as it seems from some of the replies, how a lot of the expats feel about where they currently live.
So, is the problem us expats, who are looking for something that doesn't exist? Or is it just Canada that is boring?
A couple of replies mentioned New Zealand being the same. So it must be the British attitude that's the problem? We do have a long history of traveling to foreign lands and trying to make them as much like Britain as possible. Perhaps we are just never content. We are well known as a race of complainers who love to have something to moan about. How else can so many, living is very different parts of a country so large and diverse, have the same feelings of boredom and complain of having nothing to do.
We are still planning to give NS a go, but my wife and I have decided to give it 2 years, and if either of us have issues or haven't settled, then we move on. That is part of the problem for us here in Calgary, after 6 years, we've been here too long. The first 4 years were great, then we got in a rut and are now bored sh*tless.
Who knows, maybe we will find our paradise in Nova Scotia, we shall just have to find out for ourselves.
Or, perhaps, we have just all got the travel bug, and after making the move from the UK, we just need to keep moving? After all, for us anyway, this is the 5th country we have lived in!
I am certainly one of those, I get bored of a place quickly and feel the need to move onto a new place, while I've only lived within North America, since becoming an adult, I can't even keep track of how many places I've lived, some a year, some just a few months, but I always have this urge to leave and seek out something new to experience.
I used to work for an airline and I think one reason that job lasted so long, was on my days off, I could hop on an airplane and just go somewhere, there wasn't 1 week in 5 years where I stayed home on my days off, I was always in a different city doing something.....
I know I'd be happiest just traveling the world, and experiencing new things. If only I were born wealthy.
Apr 14th 2014, 1:27 pm
#78
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Re: Nova Scotia is sucking the life out of me!
All of our moves so far haven't been because we were unhappy or felt we needed to move on, it was always a job offer or an opportunity that came up, none of the places we have live were because we wanted to go to that particular place. ( But we have loved them all for different reasons)
For some reason I have always had some draw to Nova Scotia, I guess I just need to get it out of my system.
Apr 14th 2014, 1:35 pm
#79
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Location: SW Ontario
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Re: Nova Scotia is sucking the life out of me!
Did a very "back of the envelope" calculation based on a single, pretty average $40k wage.
In NS it's pushing ~$3,200 in provincial income tax.
Do the same in ON and it's ~$1,900
There's $100 a month right off the bat.
And isn't the HST in NS the highest in the nation?
I'll qualify my statements by saying I'm not against high taxes. I'm a bit of a statist and quite the socialist so it's not an alien idea. But you need to get results for the taxes. The eastern provinces seem to have difficulties in this regard. Not that Ontario is perfect...Dalton and Co seem to have made a bit of a mess of it here too.
Last edited by orly; Apr 14th 2014 at 1:39 pm.
Apr 14th 2014, 1:43 pm
#80
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Joined: Nov 2013
Location: ontario
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Re: Nova Scotia is sucking the life out of me!
Higher taxes in NS though?
Did a very "back of the envelope" calculation based on a single, pretty average $40k wage.
In NS it's pushing ~$3,200 in provincial income tax.
Do the same in ON and it's ~$1,900
There's $100 a month right off the bat.
And isn't the HST in NS the highest in the nation?
Did a very "back of the envelope" calculation based on a single, pretty average $40k wage.
In NS it's pushing ~$3,200 in provincial income tax.
Do the same in ON and it's ~$1,900
There's $100 a month right off the bat.
And isn't the HST in NS the highest in the nation?
Apr 14th 2014, 1:46 pm
#81
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Joined: Nov 2009
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Posts: 4,307
Re: Nova Scotia is sucking the life out of me!
I guess the username says it all! Although, I have to add, this next move for us is the only move we are making by our own choice.
All of our moves so far haven't been because we were unhappy or felt we needed to move on, it was always a job offer or an opportunity that came up, none of the places we have live were because we wanted to go to that particular place. ( But we have loved them all for different reasons)
For some reason I have always had some draw to Nova Scotia, I guess I just need to get it out of my system.
All of our moves so far haven't been because we were unhappy or felt we needed to move on, it was always a job offer or an opportunity that came up, none of the places we have live were because we wanted to go to that particular place. ( But we have loved them all for different reasons)
For some reason I have always had some draw to Nova Scotia, I guess I just need to get it out of my system.
Life is a slower pace than in many places. That's even in Halifax. So you have to consider carefully how slow you want life to be before moving somewhere totally remote (I speak from experience...).
Also, you will always be an outsider in rural NS. We found down in Yarmouth that they loved you, loved chatting with you but for the most part didn't want to extend their friendliness to friendship...
It just really depends what you're looking for really...if you even know
Apr 14th 2014, 1:50 pm
#82
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Re: Nova Scotia is sucking the life out of me!
Yep Orly, that's about what we worked out. By moving province, my wage alone would go up $1000 per month (before tax) and my OH and I would save at least $200 per month with the reduction of the professional body fees. On top of that, our general tax would be decreased. Plus, my OH wage would be significantly higher too. Even if you factor in the more expensive housing, we will still be quids in! It's a no brainer for us.
Apr 14th 2014, 1:57 pm
#83
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Re: Nova Scotia is sucking the life out of me!
We have a few places in mind. Don't want to be too close to Toronto.(traffic/house prices etc) OH had a job offer in Vaughan, but wasn't really what we were looking for. Either super pricey houses or long commute.
We have working connections in Kingston, London and Peterborough. Prefer medium sized city/town. We are really open to suggestion at this point depending on employment!
We have working connections in Kingston, London and Peterborough. Prefer medium sized city/town. We are really open to suggestion at this point depending on employment!
Apr 14th 2014, 2:02 pm
#84
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Re: Nova Scotia is sucking the life out of me!
We have a few places in mind. Don't want to be too close to Toronto.(traffic/house prices etc) OH had a job offer in Vaughan, but wasn't really what we were looking for. Either super pricey houses or long commute.
We have working connections in Kingston, London and Peterborough. Prefer medium sized city/town. We are really open to suggestion at this point depending on employment!
We have working connections in Kingston, London and Peterborough. Prefer medium sized city/town. We are really open to suggestion at this point depending on employment!
A guy I work with lives in London and he seems to like it as a city. I've only ever visited a few times so don't really have an opinion on it myself.
Apr 14th 2014, 2:15 pm
#85
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Re: Nova Scotia is sucking the life out of me!
Higher taxes in NS though?
Did a very "back of the envelope" calculation based on a single, pretty average $40k wage.
In NS it's pushing ~$3,200 in provincial income tax.
Do the same in ON and it's ~$1,900
There's $100 a month right off the bat.
And isn't the HST in NS the highest in the nation?
I'll qualify my statements by saying I'm not against high taxes. I'm a bit of a statist and quite the socialist so it's not an alien idea. But you need to get results for the taxes. The eastern provinces seem to have difficulties in this regard. Not that Ontario is perfect...Dalton and Co seem to have made a bit of a mess of it here too.
Did a very "back of the envelope" calculation based on a single, pretty average $40k wage.
In NS it's pushing ~$3,200 in provincial income tax.
Do the same in ON and it's ~$1,900
There's $100 a month right off the bat.
And isn't the HST in NS the highest in the nation?
I'll qualify my statements by saying I'm not against high taxes. I'm a bit of a statist and quite the socialist so it's not an alien idea. But you need to get results for the taxes. The eastern provinces seem to have difficulties in this regard. Not that Ontario is perfect...Dalton and Co seem to have made a bit of a mess of it here too.
I know the sales tax is the highest but 15% to me still seems cheap compared to 20% in the Uk.
To be honest I think the way Canada does taxes is stupid, it creates an unhealthy divide within a country where of course the majority of the workforce will want to be in the part that pays less tax
Apr 14th 2014, 2:58 pm
#86
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 9,982
Re: Nova Scotia is sucking the life out of me!
Well Maritimers pride themselves in being the friendliest Canadians... So that's a good point.
Life is a slower pace than in many places. That's even in Halifax. So you have to consider carefully how slow you want life to be before moving somewhere totally remote (I speak from experience...).
Also, you will always be an outsider in rural NS. We found down in Yarmouth that they loved you, loved chatting with you but for the most part didn't want to extend their friendliness to friendship...
It just really depends what you're looking for really...if you even know
Life is a slower pace than in many places. That's even in Halifax. So you have to consider carefully how slow you want life to be before moving somewhere totally remote (I speak from experience...).
Also, you will always be an outsider in rural NS. We found down in Yarmouth that they loved you, loved chatting with you but for the most part didn't want to extend their friendliness to friendship...
It just really depends what you're looking for really...if you even know
Apr 14th 2014, 3:03 pm
#87
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Re: Nova Scotia is sucking the life out of me!
I do tend to agree. Tommy Douglas and Co hinted at such way back in the 30s...but they never got a chance as a national government to sort it out.
Apr 14th 2014, 3:22 pm
#88
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Re: Nova Scotia is sucking the life out of me!
I do like that things are divided up between the provinces because I think with such a big country each area is going to know what's best for it's people, but I see no reason why tax can't be equal then distributed between the provinces based on their population needs
Apr 14th 2014, 4:27 pm
#89
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Re: Nova Scotia is sucking the life out of me!
Yep Orly, that's about what we worked out. By moving province, my wage alone would go up $1000 per month (before tax) and my OH and I would save at least $200 per month with the reduction of the professional body fees....Even if you factor in the more expensive housing, we will still be quids in!
Not sure what that $1000 a month is after tax...$600-$750?
That already makes it more attractive than $100 and then there's the $200 reduction in professional fees. $800 to $950 is a good gain, even, as said, with the more expensive housing.
But that $100 difference probably applies to more people than $800-$950 does and for those, the lower housing cost would likely more than make up the loss of $100 income.
Apr 14th 2014, 4:32 pm
#90
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Re: Nova Scotia is sucking the life out of me!
This perhaps illustrates the difference for most people and others.
Not sure what that $1000 a month is after tax...$600-$750?
That already makes it more attractive than $100 and then there's the $200 reduction in professional fees. $800 to $950 is a good gain, even, as said, with the more expensive housing.
But that $100 difference probably applies to more people than $800-$950 does and for those, the lower housing cost would likely more than make up the loss of $100 income.
Not sure what that $1000 a month is after tax...$600-$750?
That already makes it more attractive than $100 and then there's the $200 reduction in professional fees. $800 to $950 is a good gain, even, as said, with the more expensive housing.
But that $100 difference probably applies to more people than $800-$950 does and for those, the lower housing cost would likely more than make up the loss of $100 income.
