EngCan

Hi All,

Just wondering if there is anyone here who lives in or has lived in London, Ontario?

We are looking to move across (visas etc held with me ‘landing’ in September) but wondered if people had any tips on where to live or where to avoid having only really seen the city centre. We have 2 kids (4 and 2) so would have schools in mind and I would be looking to work in the downtown area so also the commute (traffic!) to consider. Would probably be looking at a max budget of $325k when we buy.

Any advice / information from those in the know gratefully received.

Hurlabrick

We have just taken 3 recce trips to London with a view to moving ourselves! Very vibrant and compact town with a lot going on (festivals, music etc.). The suburbs are all within 6 - 7 km and there is excellent and widespread bus routes. The suburbs are a mix of older (60's and 70's) and newer 'cookie cutter' estates further out. We really like the Northern thru to Western suburbs. Byron is really nice. Not keen on the south and east.

$325k not a huge sum, but you will find a smaller family home. Houses seem to sell quickly from what we have experienced in London, so you really need to be on hand locally to view.

Hurlabrick

The eastern side of London is mainly airport and industrial estates!

MarylandNed

Haven't lived there but I know London, ON fairly well as my daughter has lived there for the past 7 years and I have made many trips up there ranging from 2 days to 2 weeks. The west side is definitely much better than the east. London is becoming quite spread out and traffic can be a nightmare. There is a surprising number of homeless and other "street people" hanging around downtown. This might be helpful:

Neighbourhood Profiles

Hurlabrick

I recommend a fold out / open flat street map of London and the suburbs - excellent for figuring out which neighbourhood is where and where the malls and industrial estates etc. are. MapArt.com do one, the IBSN is IBSN 10: 1-55486-145-4

Siouxie

City Map Gallery

EngCan

Hurlabrick

We are likely to be house-hunting in London in August, but at a higher price point than you.

scilly

Don't forget that Canada is unlike England in that you do not have to choose a "good" school, almost all will be of the same calibre. London is a university city, so expect lots of students and university people also wanting. You will probably find an international flavour to schools once you do get around to entering your little ones into the system.

I've also visited several times, and have a number of friends who live there and enjoy the life.

I do wonder though whether your price point is high enough to find a 3 or 4 bedroom house if that is what you are looking for.

dbd33

Today I met someone who lives where I once did in suburban Toronto. "Which school did your children go to?" she asked, "you must have been in the catchment area for w school". I said they went to x school and that interested her, she'd gone to great trouble to avoid buying in the area of y school and they're all so close together.

Such conversations are routine because, with a few exceptions, people do very much care to choose a "good" school. and do not think them equal. "We don't have a car to go z school. It would have embarrassed the children to turn up in our clunker" she said of another school, seemingly unaware of the absence of snobbery from Canada as well as the lack of academic competition.

Hurlabrick

So do I! You should find at least a 2 bed 'above grade' with a third bed in a converted basement (not as ghastly as it sounds I might add!).

MarylandNed

Thankfully I wasn't drinking my coffee when I read this otherwise it would be coming out my nose! I've seen plenty of snobbery in Canada - including academic snobbery. Have you ever met any parents or students at Queen's (Kingston, ON)? It's by no means restricted to Queen's but that's where I encountered the most snobbery (I've seen some at Western in London, ON as well) . Although I will say that most of the snobs were from Toronto and Vancouver.

Partially discharged

My wife went to Queen's and I've never heard of that type of snobbery. The 'elites' of Toronto tend to send their children to Bishop's, Queen's, Western or maybe McGill if they head out of town. My son is heading to Waterloo in September, a university that seems devoid of snobbery.

Our daughter went to York, a university that to me is devoid of snobbery. Thankfully, she didn't attend the stalag known as the Keele campus and went to Glendon (in the middle of midtown Toronto) but unfortunately she didn't avoid the heavy union presence in the junior prof's/TA's there that went on strike since March 5.

dbd33

Some Cancon:

"How do you know that someone went to Queens?"

"They'll tell you"

Many years ago my brother arrived from London. He still had that mindset that, if it was evening, there would be a fight. We went to the pub with a crowd I knew and he happened to sit opposite the bloke who went to Queens. Part of the conversation went:

BWWTQ "what do you do for a job"

Brother "I'm a bricklayer"

BWWTQ "That's nothing, I went to Queens"

Brother finishes beer holds up glass "You what, mate?"

Bystander "He's asking you to repeat that comment"

BWWTQ something along the lines of "manual labour is beneath me, I went to Queens"

Brother breaks glass on head of BWWTQ. (downwards, not viciously)

Ever since then we someone is introduced and says that they went to Queens I expect them to be rich and clueless. Of course, I haven't met everyone who went to Queens but so far I'm comfortable with the assessment.

MarylandNed

I'm not saying that everyone who goes to Queen's is a snob or comes from a family of snobs. I also doubt that any top Canadian university is completely devoid of snobs. What I'm saying is that I've encountered snobbery at Queen's. Anecdotal I know, but it seems to be more prevalent there than at the other universities I've visited.