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Anybody From Canada?

Anybody From Canada?

Old Nov 20th 2003, 6:02 am
  #1  
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Hi! I've stayed in Canada for a while and I can say that it's a lovely country indeed. As we are originally from an Asian country, we find Australia a pretty nice place, too, considering we'll be nearer to our friends and relatives if ever we decide to immigrate to Oz. Can anybody who had migrated and settled from Canada to Australia share their points of view as to why they chose Oz? Both countries have so much to offer and it would be nice if anyone can share their ideas and thoughts about my question. They'll be much appreciated.

Many thanks....
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Old Nov 20th 2003, 7:24 am
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Default Re: Anybody From Canada?

Originally posted by amendoza
Hi! I've stayed in Canada for a while and I can say that it's a lovely country indeed. As we are originally from an Asian country, we find Australia a pretty nice place, too, considering we'll be nearer to our friends and relatives if ever we decide to immigrate to Oz. Can anybody who had migrated and settled from Canada to Australia share their points of view as to why they chose Oz? Both countries have so much to offer and it would be nice if anyone can share their ideas and thoughts about my question. They'll be much appreciated.

Many thanks....
Briefly:
Am not Canadian but we lived there prior to here. Main reason we came to OZ was Husband is Australian and we had business ideas that seemed to have more scope here. Canada had less opportunity for us as its so closely linked to the USA, too much competition. We lived in Vancouver , I prefered the climate, seasons etc, OZ reality for me is its a very harsh climate . Easy access for travel. Housing in the great majority of Canada is way cheaper than OZ. Even Vancouver and Toronto. Oz economy is booming now, Canadas is much slower being linked to the USA. Crime, pretty similar really, I know there are some bad areas in Canada but they are here too if you know where to look. OZ is very diverse, Melbourne and Queensland for eg could be different countries.
Oz certainly has big links with Asia, probably due to the closeness, however I am sure Canada has much bigger Asian communities than OZ. Cost of living Canada is cheaper, especially cars, electricals, housing. Wages and taxes do a search on here, plenty of threads about both. Hope that helps a bit. I guess you just need to weigh up the bits that are most important to yourselves
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Old Nov 20th 2003, 8:26 am
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I am from Canada. I moved to the UK when I was 21 and at the age of 32 I am now moving to Oz instead of moving back to Toronto.

At age 21 London was FAR more exciting than Toronto. Toronto is a nice city - nice people, nice houses, nice shops, nice clean streets. At 21 you really don't want nice - you want something more!

I disagree in some aspects with Dotty's comments. My friends who I grew up in a suburb of Toronto (North York) can't afford to live in North York. They all moved out to Burlington or Newmarket or Oshawa. Houses in these areas (new builds) were about CAN$170k. Not bad - but then you have well over an hours commute into the city. My uncle lives in Ottawa and moved into a new build for CAN$210k about 2.5 years ago - it's now worth CAN$250k. But when I say new build it's the same as here in the UK - no out door space whatsoever.

My parents live in an apt. and have lived in the same one for 29years. Their rent is well over CAN$1,000 a month - and that's cheap because they have lived there so long.

YOu get a lot of American TV in Canada - a lot of American adverts. Canada is quite similar to the US (but I have the feeling that Oz is as well??).

Toronto is one of the largest multi-cultural cities in the world. It is a beautiful city in the summer - lots to do, lots going on. The winter though in Canada can be brutal depending on where you live. Toronto winter's aren't as bad as they were when I was growing up but they are still cold, gray and generally, IMHO, miserable. And long. If you go to Ottawa you are in a snow belt area and the winter's there are harsher than in TO.

Clothes shopping is cheaper than the UK. Same with food shopping as well.

It would have been easier for us to move to Canada but as I really can't stand the cold winters and don't like living too close to the US we have opted for Oz. But that is just my personal opinion. Lots of people I know love Canada. There are lots of opportunities, if you have kids they can become bilingual very easily through French Immersion schooling. The holiday entitlement at work sucks though!

However, if you work for the Canadian Gov't (as my uncle does) then the world is your oyster!!! Maternity leave for 12 months at 93% of your salary (could be paternity leave); 4 weeks holiday; good pension; you can even leave your job for up to 12 months and try another job somewhere else - if you don't like your new job you can come back to your old job at the Gov't on the same salary. Obviously, the gov't tries to set by example so whether or not other companies will start to do the same thing....
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Old Nov 20th 2003, 2:42 pm
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Default Re: Anybody From Canada?

Originally posted by amendoza
Hi! I've stayed in Canada for a while and I can say that it's a lovely country indeed. As we are originally from an Asian country, we find Australia a pretty nice place, too, considering we'll be nearer to our friends and relatives if ever we decide to immigrate to Oz. Can anybody who had migrated and settled from Canada to Australia share their points of view as to why they chose Oz? Both countries have so much to offer and it would be nice if anyone can share their ideas and thoughts about my question. They'll be much appreciated.

Many thanks....
I currently live in Calgary, am am emigrating over to Brisbane around March 2004. I have really enjoyed living here, but unfortunately...the climate is not for me. I freeze in winter and it lasts too long IMO. Vancouver weather is better, but it rains too much and there is not enough sun. It may appear strange to some, but this is one of the main reasons why we are emigrating. I find I stay indoors for far too many months of the year...I just don't like going out. Some people dress for the weather and get out more than I do...but even then they don't look like they are having much fun in -20 degree weather!
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Old Nov 22nd 2003, 3:01 am
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Default Re: Anybody From Canada?

Originally posted by The GoodbyeGirl
I currently live in Calgary, am am emigrating over to Brisbane around March 2004. I have really enjoyed living here, but unfortunately...the climate is not for me. I freeze in winter and it lasts too long IMO. Vancouver weather is better, but it rains too much and there is not enough sun. It may appear strange to some, but this is one of the main reasons why we are emigrating. I find I stay indoors for far too many months of the year...I just don't like going out. Some people dress for the weather and get out more than I do...but even then they don't look like they are having much fun in -20 degree weather!

It was cold today -6 but after the heat in the summer I liked it.....

I'm in the Okanagan..........good luck in your adventure.........
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Old Nov 22nd 2003, 3:42 am
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by Vee

I disagree in some aspects with Dotty's comments. My friends who I grew up in a suburb of Toronto (North York) can't afford to live in North York. They all moved out to Burlington or Newmarket or Oshawa. Houses in these areas (new builds) were about CAN$170k. Not bad - but then you have well over an hours commute into the city. My uncle lives in Ottawa and moved into a new build for CAN$210k about 2.5 years ago - it's now worth CAN$250k. But when I say new build it's the same as here in the UK - no out door space whatsoever.

My parents live in an apt. and have lived in the same one for 29years. Their rent is well over CAN$1,000 a month - and that's cheap because they have lived there so long.

[Quote]

Vee I think if you lived in OZ you would realise that those figures would seem incredibly cheap to any OZ City that was remotely comparable to Toronto! Have a look at Sydney or Melbourne prices, as for rents in Sydney $1000 would get you a complete dump most of us would not live in. Brisbanes next on the major City lists but your 200's here would buy very little indeed.
If I took our house one hourish from Bris and moved one hour from Vancouver, I could buy probably 2/3 houses for the price of this ONE. Perhaps Perth but thats one hell of a long way from anywhere, unlike Toronto which is quite handy even for a weekend in New York.
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