manitobain

ya gotta do whatcba gotta do...only consideration to keep in mind is, with that the doors on the strategic stream for MB is closed. Once in Canada, you can't apply to it anymore.
I have had several ppl approaching me over the last year, who were laid off in AB, but the only way then to get to MB is via LMO/WP... (or of course with PR)

DoyleLinda

such a lot to think about.....and such a difficult decision to make......Winnipeg is deffo where we want to be but we can't risk waiting indefinetely for something that might never happen either. We are in turmoil once again. Oh well, just gotta do what our hearts tell us on this one I think and I won't rush into anything straight away. Thx everyone.

cheeky_monkey

i stop in edson every week on my way to Jasper..funnything about edson one of my subcontractors is based there and asked if i would stop by on my way through to pick up some documents..i explained i stop at the tim hortons drive thru because its next to the esso petrol station and that is a far as my relationship with edson goes and thats as far as i wanted it to go...so he agreed to come to my office in Edmonton instead....not quite as bad as Evansburg but i wont go into that or Niton junction.

DoyleLinda

From reading all the posts here with the exception of one I don't think anyone has told me anything positive about Edson....however the one thing I do know is that there is nothing positive about living in rural Ireland right now with no jobs and no stability either.....coupled with trying to rear three young children on very little money, so I think I am going to have to make my decision based on what is best for us at this moment in time. Thanx again for all the advice, pity there wasn't more positives but then again, that's why I asked so thx folks. Linda.

cheeky_monkey

if you got three young children..honestly Edson isnt the place to be..there are quite a few Irish expats in Edmonton in fact i work with three of them..one also has small kids and lives in Sherwood Park.

mandymoochops

That seems to me because there might not be anyone who lives there, people move to Canada to where the jobs are, and those who don't need a job would be living in a more expensive area.

What did you expect to get for answers - they may not be what you want to hear but at least it's the truth in other peoples eyes.

That is unless you want someone to reaffirm that the area you have tentatively chosen is just perfect in which case Edson is awesome, there's som many out of school activities, your kids will be super happy, you'll make loads of friends, the abudance of stores which are way cheaper than anywhere else in Canada will blow your mind.

Anyway - I will post a thread (with the permission of the mods) to hilight a point ad then when there are a sufficient amount of responses - i'll post my own opinions - the reason I will do this is because you will see the reason that you are getting the answers you are and then you will get the reality.

ireland2canada

Bit harsh there MMC, if you don't mind me saying!

I don't think the OP has shunned the comments she has been given in favour of a rose tinted view, I took her post to mean that is there really nothing....nowt at all nice to say about this Edson place? No redeeming features at all?!

Maybe there just aren't any, or maybe it is just indistinguishable from any other tiny Albertan town. It is, however, where the job is so that has to count for a lot.

I google mapped Edson and it would not be making it's way onto my wishlist any time soon. Then again, you have to go where the work is and take things from there.

AlexInBC

Agree - the job offer is what counts, I feel, but I think the overwhelming negative opinion of the place is justified - it's small town but heavily industrialised. This is cut-n-pasted from a website that I believe is trying to make Edson sound appealing, while describing its history:

"Edson is located on one of the largest gas fields in Alberta. The first wet gas discovery was made in the Edson area in 1955. Petroleum headlined the 1960's. Exploration, drilling, collection, transporting and servicing of the oil and gas industry brought prosperity to Edson and surrounding district. Today, producing oil and gas wells, gas processing plants and pumping stations are easily visible throughout the area.

In the 1970's coal once again became a viable product and strip mining was commenced around the old Luscar and Coal Valley town sites.

Natural resources in West Central Alberta have provided and will continue to provide an excellent economic base for our community.
" (Quoted from: http://www.bbdsedson.com/edson/history.htm )

Jingsamichty

I agree that it doesn't sound like the most appealing of places, but, as the OP said, two unemployed parents with a young family in rural Ireland doesn't sound like a whole heap of fun either.

Life is an adventure, and it doesn't sound like you've a whole lot to lose. But at least go with your eyes open. Good luck.

Atlantic Xpat

Says a lot about a place that google streetview is limited to the two main drags through town and none of the other streets........

But unemployment in rural Ireland vs. employment in rural AB? Tough call but for the adventurous maybe it's a risk worth taking. Only the OP can make that call.

mandymoochops

ok here's the point I was trying to make (probably badly)

I posted a thread about stettler, smaller than Edson by a couple of thousand people, no views of mountains, not really a stop off even on the way to somewhere, no theatres (big ones anyway) hockey arenas of any note, a cinema that holds about 2.5 people, the bare essential shops, certainly no cookie cutter estates but no big middle class houses either.

It's a rural small AB town that I live 10 mins North of. Yes there is the steam train but would that prompt someone to move there on its own or even on the back of a job???? I doubt it.

HOWEVER all that being said - it's my home, I love it, have tons of friends here and wouldn't change it for the world.

Regardless of peoples views on a place (I would make one proviso that if you got a squillion answers to the tune of "oh theres been 24 murders here yesterday due to the mafia stronghold being here) then a place is what you make it.

All towns will have the essentials, there will be families with kids to befriend, parks to go to, it's what YOU make out of a situation.

Just because Edson isn't Lake Louise - it doesn't make it bad it's just someone elses opinion of why they wouldn't move there.

ireland2canada

<snigger>

GC44

I believe that if your original post was titled Anyone in Winnipeg, Manitoba, you would get much the same mixed bag of answers a lot of which would be negative.
As has been mentioned, its what you make of it.
Good luck

cheeky_monkey

Its is pointless to give an opinion of anywhere unless you have been there.

AlexInBC

That's why I wouldn't dream of doing that! I was only Googling descriptions of Edson to find facts to back up my personal opinion. My opinion that it's a hole is based on experience of passing through every few months for the last 6 years, and also having to kill time there when I needed to attend a hospital appointment...