DoyleLinda

Hi,

Does anyone on the forum have information on Edson, Alberta please?

Thanks.

ann m

"small town" Alberta, 2 hours from anything else (Edmonton/Jasper)

Ok if you like that sort of thing, I guess - small community of about 8,000.

I'd die of loneliness and lack of civilization .

What makes you ask - are doing a over-night stop - or looking at a job?

Steve_P

What Ann said and I presume you have likely seen this. http://www.townofedson.ca/municipal/...6?opendocument

Edson is a relatively small town about 120 miles west of Edmonton not much to say about it really.

Some info from Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edson,_Alberta

DoyleLinda

Thanks for that. yes, had a look at that site and guessed this would be the case. Hubby has the chance of going there but we have our hearts set on Winnipeg. He is an automotive techician. I don't know if Edson would be for us with three kids. Thx for the information.

jericho

Edson is a stopping off point for fuel etc on the way to/from Jasper. You drive through it in no time at all, and you really are a long drive from the nearest "built up" area.

As an FYI, my brother is auto tech also. He came out to visit us last year and casually popped in to a dozen or so dealerships with his CV. He went home with 3 or 4 job offers, each paying significantly more than is earning in the UK (currently works for Land Rover). I think the best offer he got was around $40 an hour. For various reasons, he decided to stay in the UK. This was early 2010 and things have improved since then. I would say as an auto tech, your husband would have no trouble finding work in Edmonton or Calgary (or Winnipeg for that matter).

I've been to Winnipeg once. I found the City to be a bit of a dump, and it was glaringly obvious that the province has been a "have not" province for a number of years. I'd be interested/curious to find out what it is about Winnipeg that has piqued your interest....

christmasoompa

LOL! First time I've ever seen that on the forum.

DoyleLinda

Hi Jericho. Thanks for your comments and I fully take it on board. We went to visit Winnipeg in February for almost three weeks as a result of lining up interviews from this end (I live in Ireland). Hubby was offered lots of jobs and narrowed it down to one in particular which was a large dealership with a lot of good opportunities to grow, etc.

Unfortunately their LMO was refused three weeks ago because Service Canada stated they did not see a shortage of mechanics being a problem in the area. Anyway, we fell in love with Winnipeg. We were greeted with so many helpful people, people couldn't do enough for us. We were even offered free accommodation on the 2nd day of our trip from a couple whom hubby interviewed with would you believe and they put us up for the remainder of our stay which saved us a fortune. The whole thing was so bizarre. We were made to feel so welcome.

Anyway, now that the LMO was refused I for one am very worried that a 2nd LMO will also be refused and this position has just came along out of the blue's so to speak in Edson, Alberta.

We are trying to decide what to do and the LMO is an open one so he would not have to wait around for a decision or any of that. Such a dilemna. We have three young children so I don't want to be messing them about but if Edson Alberta is a good starting point for us my gut instinct is to go for it. Any more advice out there???
Thanks all.

AlexInBC

Edson is most definitely not somewhere I'd consider living - it has absolutely nothing going for it at all, in my opinion, BUT if you are looking at it as getting a foot in the door and then moving on elsewhere ASAP, I guess that would make time spent there more bearable...? Not sure if that's an option - would your husband's WP be tied to a specific employer?

Oh, I've thought of a plus - it's too far from Edmonton, I guess!

Japonica

Yeah me too...

DoyleLinda

Hi, yes, husband has a positive LMO for Edson Alberta and they want him to start "yesterday". He was turned down for a company in Winnipeg which we had our hearts set on and we have rented our house, and organised everything at our end, and then got the horrible news that LMO for Winnipeg was rejected. The company in Winnipeg is going to put in a 2nd one but they are waiting a while to do that cos the reason it was turned down is because Human Resources Canada said there was no labour shortage of skilled mechanics in Winnipeg. Which is crap, because they are crying out for them. Anyway, we cannot wait indefinetely for an LMO that might never be approved and in meantime we are both unemployed here in Ireland. If going to Edson means a job for a few months and an income, then Im willing to take the risk. If the Winnipeg LMO comes along at a later date, then we can always go there Im sure. Im pretty positive once you get an LMO for one company, it doesn't stop another company from getting one also. We don't want to turn down a job that could be the door opener we need purely because its in a rural area, after all, beggars cannot be choosers at the moment. Thx for all the advice, anyone else got anything to add, Id love to hear opinions. Thx again.

Jingsamichty

Rural Alberta is on a different scale of rural to anything you may have seen before...

Steve_P

Been here for 48 years and have never seen or heard it put any better.

Had an aunt and uncle who lived in Wildwood for many years (half way between Edson and Edmonton).

I loved to go visit but to live there...oh no.

AlexInBC

Ah, that's the vital bit of info that was missing when I made my reply. Edson is not a very nice place - even if rural living doesn't bother you (it's huge compared to where I live, lol!) The thing is, it's rural only in its isolation and relative lack of amenities, but with none of the advantages of "picture postcard" Canadian rural living (i.e. the area is surrounded by flat, dull scenary and Edson itself is known for its uglyness) BUT it's really not so bad that I'd ever say that unemployment was preferable!

jericho

Just as a general comment, but personally I think it's a little bit shitty to have an employer go through the trouble of getting you here, only for you to dump them when you find something better.
Yes, I know employers can let you go with a moments notice, and one has to act in ones personal interests, but it hurts the prospects for future wannabe workers. That employer might take the view of "once bitten, twice shy".

DoyleLinda

thank you all for your comments. However this is the sort of decision that has to be made at the end of the day based on our own personal circumstances. Rural living certainly doesn't worry me, since we currently live in rural Ireland with the nearest town a fifteen minute drive away, and nearest city two hours drive away. Im open to new possibilities and / or beginnings and who knows....perhaps the rejection of the LMO in Winnipeg was something that was meant to happen because this position might actually be the right one for us.....@ Jericho, the LMO that the company has is an open LMO. They actually said they want to hire foreign workers because in the past they have done so and the foreign workers have always been excellent workers and keen to progress. It certainly will not be our intention to lead them down the garden path and then dump them in a few months, they are aware of our rejected LMO in Winnipeg and our dissappointment, however they are very keen to employ my OH. We have been honest with them and they too have been honest with us, however I just wanted to try and get some opinions on Edson as a place to live. Thanks everyone for the opinions and advice and hopefully we can make the right decision for us. Best of luck all!