BC and Surround VS Ontario
 

HI

If you haven't read any of my previous threads over the past 4 years. I'm hoping to move to Ontario Early next year depending on Medical results, but this is the only place I have visited and even though it has some Luverly areas I can't help but admire some of the views people have from there houses who live in BC/Calgary etc.

Houses look to be roughly the same price, but I'm not sure on my trade.
I'm a Injection Molding Technician and they haven't got many results on Google for this trade in the BC/Alberta areas.

Would appreciate any advice from other people on which area they would prefer to live who have been fortunate enough to visit both sides of Canada.

Thanks

Re: BC and Surround VS Ontario
 

Hi weener, and happy new year .

Sorry, no idea about your kind of work, except that it sounds as if it is only found in the larger cities, which is no help!

We have lived in both BC and Ontario. One thing about BC that we realized later was that being in a valley meant that you didn't see the sun until later in the morning, and it disappeared behind a mountain on the west side long before darkness came. (ie., no dawn or sunset).This seems such a minor thing, and the question is: why even mention it?

Because its one of those apparently insignificant items that are nearly always overlooked by newcomers, in the beginning, but which can become irritants later on. Worth thinking about, because there are lots of them.

Re: BC and Surround VS Ontario
 

Hi Weener,

I've visited GTA, London, Stratford, Barrie, Woodstock and Niagra and with the exception of Woodstock (dont ask me why) wouldnt Live in any of them (ok maybe GTA if I was earning 2 or 3 times what I am now).

BC is gorgeous ( i found a reasonable Indian in Kamloops) people (seem) very friendly. BUT I still prefer old Calgary.

Sorry cant advise about the employment. All I would say is MOST of us live where we do cos we prefer our own area over anyone elses.

Best thing to do is Come out and look at BC and AB.

Hope I've been at least a tiny bit helpful

Butch

Re: BC and Surround VS Ontario
 

[QUOTE=Butch Cassidy]Hi Weener,

I've visited GTA, London, Stratford, Barrie, Woodstock and Niagra and with the exception of Woodstock (dont ask me why) wouldnt Live in any of them (ok maybe GTA if I was earning 2 or 3 times what I am now).

BC is gorgeous ( i found a reasonable Indian in Kamloops) people (seem) very friendly. BUT I still prefer old Calgary.

Sorry cant advise about the employment. All I would say is MOST of us live where we do cos we prefer our own area over anyone elses.

Best thing to do is Come out and look at BC and AB.

Hope I've been at least a tiny bit helpful

HI

Thanks for your replyies and I thtink that a valid point regarding the sun rise/set. I will try to visit BC but I think its more of a cost thingy now, hopefuly will get the final yes within the next couple of months.

The reason why I asked this question was my original thoughts of moving to Canada were because of the outdoor life in montains, lakes etc, which seem to be only in pockets in Ontario but saying that I personally liked Barrie.....

My side of work though seems to be more to the West of the GTA, Guelph, London, Cambidge etc.
Thanks for your advice though and have a Great New Year!!!!

Weener

Re: BC and Surround VS Ontario
 

[QUOTE=weener]
Have a look at the Hockley Valley area. From the airport go north on Airport Road (!) until it gets hilly.

Re: BC and Surround VS Ontario
 

Northern Ontario has a lot to offer for the outdoorsman, and even though there are no 'Rockies' as such, the hills around Thunder Bay are magnificent. Up there , there are no 'pockets', instead it is one great pocket, of lakes, hills and rivers. To put the area into perspective, going from Ottawa to Vancouver: at the Ontario/Manitoba border you are nearly half way there. It is a fact of life though that there is not a great range of employment possibilities in N Ontario - they are mostly in mining and forestry. Still, the roads leading to it from Toronto are good, and the area is accesible in a weekend.

Re: BC and Surround VS Ontario
 

A long weekend. Mapquest says Thunder Bay is 17 hours and that doesn't allow for time spent at the two border crossings.

Re: BC and Surround VS Ontario
 

I was thinking more of the North Bay/Sudbury area. Toronto to N Ontario, what border x-ings??

Re: BC and Surround VS Ontario
 

Into Michigan at Sarnia and into Ontario at Sault St Marie. If you don't go through Michigan you can either take the ferry to Manitoulin, scenic but slow, or drive all the way around through Sudbury. Canadian roads are not very good and the drivers are worse so it's quicker and easier to go through Michigan. Of course, if you're only going to North Bay it's quicker to take the 400, but North Bay isn't much to look at.

Re: BC and Surround VS Ontario
 

True, but in July it's very popular with the shadflies.

Re: BC and Surround VS Ontario
 

Sudbury and North Bay are about one hour apart. Lived in Sudbury for 15 years. It is a nice area with plenty of outdoors to enjoy. There is a lake (Ramsey) in the middle of the city with a Science Center on the water front. About 45 minutes from Sudbury is Lake Penage, almost 90% uninhabited, easily accessible with a marina and all the water you could ask for. Hundreds of islands to find shelter when the waves get too high. My favorite place. My former in-laws had a cottage there for over 40 years.
There is plenty to do in Sudbury, some big box stores, an OHL (junior..17 to 20 year olds) hockey team that plays about three nights a week during the season and has seen many players drafted to the NHL. A great University, Laurentian, also a community College, and I believe now a Medical School as well, among others.
It's a three hour slog to Toronto from there, and much of Hwy 69 is two lane. Better to go the route through North Bay and down Hwy 11 to the 400. Twenty minutes longer, but mostly 4 lane divided highway.

Definitely prefer Sudbury to North Bay. Although it does have Lake Nippising. Huge lake, somewhat shallow, great fishing...but if the wind comes up, get the hell to shore. Waves will run you over.

But whichever....have you made the acquaintance of blackflies yet? hahaha

Little known fact: The Appolo astronauts trained just outside Sudbury. It was the closest thing to the moonscape that they could find on earth. Got that picture?

Re: BC and Surround VS Ontario
 

Sudbury..a little history. It was at one time referred to as "saint Ann des pins" Saint Ann of the pines. There were huge pine trees that dominated the area. A forest of pine so thick and mature that it was amazing. Then came the Chicago fire. Most of the lumber to rebuild the city came from the those pine trees. Then of course there was the discovery of nickel and the aggressive mining of ore. That brought about open pit smelting..and vast numbers of trees were cut down, placed in pit and set on fire to smelt the ore. Aside from the burning of trees, the sulfur generated by open pit smelting virtually destroyed most living plants in the area. All of that has changed, and there is beautiful country to be found there. The city has come a long way. One bonus? The acidic soil grows the best damn blueberries you'll ever taste. Just watch out for the bears when you go picking. They like them too.