carcajou

I do agree with this. It's their money and our stars aren't hitched to their wagon.

Though I do also feel as members of this forum who know Canada - it is good to warn intending migrants of the banana peels and cream pies waiting to hit them in the face, many of which they may not know are there. It's that experience we communicate, which is valuable.

So when we get the posters who come on here and say "We're coming! Where's the best mountain biking, ON or BC?" I think it's good to say, slow down, have you done your proper research about jobs? Because that's what is going to make or break you, and you won't be able to afford any kayaking if you're both unemployed or underemployed. A lot of them won't have done their research, or will have studied the wrong things, and will have just assumed that they will rock up and find something better that what they have in the UK, easily.

The OP here, has stated that they have two finalist locations, one of which they have no idea about the job prospects in, and they don't say how they know the other one is any better. I do think it is fair game to say, slow down, do your research - properly, which may mean a recce - on your job prospects, and then worry about the mountain biking later.

BristolUK's point that they can always go back is understood, but professional contacts don't tend to survive an overseas stint of more than a year or two, and as can be found in other parts of this forum going back to the UK after several years away, is also not a case of just "slotting back in."

Verdant

Erm, you can equally play that game from a Canadian perspective:

"Consequence of NAFTA crumbling i.e. Recession". Canadian companies get rid of their employees fairly quickly during downturns. In the UK they hunker down by freezing recruitment, holding back promotions and cutting hours. Both countries could enter recession in the next few years due to outcomes from the current political climate.
"Canadian opioid crisis"
"Doctor waiting lists and increase of private sector health care"
" Overleveraged borrowing / personal debt in Canada is at record levels"
"Extreme poverty to levels not often found in the UK"
"Gun crime and gang warfare vs knife crime"

Also, the West Coast is still anticipating the BIG ONE.

On a serious note, if you're from a fairly high socio-economic group, you're obviously much better placed to ride out adverse conditions and shield your family from exposure to hardship.

Former Lancastrian

I don't disagree but some times the initial posters of questions like these give a few details but we have no idea on what if any research they have done and in this case why BC or ON.
Alberta could certainly also fit their brief ideals did they check it out.
Saskatchewan and Manitoba probably out due to their being no mountains
Quebec a struggle if not speaking French
The Maritimes probably not as no large cities.
The Territories also probably out very sparse population bases and probably scarcer job opportunities.

dbd33

I agree with carcajou's comments on this thread. The OP doesn't appear to know when he or she is winning.

Paul_Shepherd

I understand the should they or shouldn't they debate, and the OP does appear to have a great lifestyle in the UK, however the OP wasn't asking whether they should or should not, it was whether they choose Ontario or BC. They even said they had made a firm decision on Canada, so it something we all have to find our for ourselves.

As we all know, its a huge challenge moving to a different country, and adapting, and its certainly a risk but thats a decision for them. If it doesn't work they can always move back, they appear to have enough financial buffer to be able to do that. and if they rent their house in the UK, they will have a safety net to move back to. Maybe its as simple as "regret what you have done, not what you haven't"

Jingsamichty

I would never dissuade someone from moving for the adventure of it, but the OP suggested that two things were important - career and lifestyle.

I won't comment on the career side of it except to say that many Brits find moving to Canada necessitates a step backwards on this front, at least initially.

On lifestyle, it seems they already have the lifestyle they seek, and more importantly, the time to do it. Canadian jobs often offer less holidays, and as children are in the near future the OP must recognise the lack of a family support network - holiday days will be lost to childcare emergencies.

MarylandNed

I'm in IT. I've found tech salaries to be relatively low in Vancouver while the cost of living is high. Maybe they think the milder weather or the pretty surrounding area is enough to make you accept a lower salary. I'd go for somewhere in the GTA or GTHA.

BristolUK

Well you could, but the points I made were primarily about personal attitudes and behaviours (standards, if you prefer) rather than matters relating to economy.

BristolUK

Baked beans have no part of a full brekky. If you're going to add them, then maybe Poutine is on a par.

Well, maybe not.

Paul_Shepherd

Yes all good points, it can be a step back career wise....but not everytime, for example it was the opposite for me ....I was very lucky with my first job...although it took my 9 months to get it (although ironically I have lost that job now) and the vacation thing is a huge minus point about Canada.

But these are all calculated risks when someone makes the move, I knew those risks when I made the move....telling myself that it didn't have to be permanent if it wasn't for me, but obviously there would be costs involved which I kept to the minimum initially, it the event I wanted to return to the UK.

I also think that the outdoor lifestyle in the UK is different to the lifestyle in Canada. I love the outdoors and have enjoyed it in both UK and Canada, but the Canadian outdoors has more of a draw for me personally....but of course its subjective.

Former Lancastrian

The Canadian outdoors can also mean many things across different parts of Canada.

How many are out ice fishing in Vancouver/Victoria today? Are they skating on a frozen pond or river? Are they out sculpting ice sculptures for a downtown festival? Are the kids outside building snow person(s)? OMG Vancouver has received 3 inches of snow and the whole city is shutdown and drivers are crashing into each other all over the place. It looks a bit chilly today I better put a sweater on over the t shirt. Asking why a Saskatchewan plated vehicle has a plug protruding from under the hood or front end of the vehicle.
Or the usual Vancouver phrase heard in winter FFS Its Raining Again Wheres My Brolly.

Paul_Shepherd

Yeah I know what you mean...thats why I am biased towards Ontario. It fits my outdoor needs, I like the balanced seasons. Although I have enjoyed visiting BC if I fancy some mountains.

Canada has as many outdoor climates/weather systems as it does time zones!

Talya88

Thanks guys for the helpful pointers to consider - the alternative outdoor hobbies in ON which I’d not realised were so accessible and the link to Kitchener and Guelph’s bike trails etc.

Just to highlight my original post however "I would really appreciate any personal experiences/thoughts/ideas/comments etc. on any of the locations I have mentioned". In no way have I asked for people to make a personal life decision for myself. Apologies if anyone misunderstood and wanted to take on this burden!

I do believe a few of the posters here need to think, would an accountant and physicist really make an uncalculated decision based on no research what so ever. I wanted to keep my intro brief, however just for additional background – I got my first job at 18, no going to Uni just getting stuck in, working full time on an apprentice salary and studying for my qualifications in my spare time. I am in no way scared of hard graft and fully appreciate I may need to start out doing office admin or bookkeeping or maybe something completely different.

My Institute have a reciprocal agreement with Canada and I can obtain my CPA designation relatively quickly and by sitting a short multiple-choice test. Yes I don’t know the Canadian system but I’m capable of learning.

My partners line of work doesn’t have the same hurdle as me, but again he appreciates he may have to step down to step back up.

Yes we are comfortable in the UK however we cannot progress our careers any further in our current area. The option for us in the UK would be to move to London for the majority of tech/research/innovation opportunities – I go to London every few months and would never live there and this isn’t due to a cost of living issue. We can’t do comfortable from now until retirement age (looking like 90?) it’s just not us.

Just to calm the nerves of a certain few: -

When we move over we will have enough money to live including rent, food etc for 2-3 months. In this time we aim to find a longer term rental in the correct area and hopefully get some sort of a job. After that 2-3 months we will then have substantial savings to fall back on to, however we are not entertaining this in our mind just to make sure we don’t become complaisant.

We do own a home in the UK however my sister is willing to move in and rent for a while and if we make the move permanent will buy this from us. We are not torching any potential return to the UK – we are not afraid to cut our losses and say well we tried.

Haha Oink, classic – venture holidays, done enough of them thanks – you’re not making a generalisation that I’m of a certain age, trying to find myself and boost my Insta followers, are you?! I’m just like any other Kant trying to better themselves where possible.

Paul_Shepherd

Exactly as I thought, you both know what you want and have done your research, you have funds to back yourselves up, a Canadianised career plan, you have an either/or scenario back up plan in place for your house in the UK.

Now you just want to get on with it and give it a try. Thats exactly what I did, and I didn't regret it.

Good for you in being confident in your decision, sounds like a well thought out plan to me.

Verdant

I don't think those concerns were really mentioned by the original poster, whereas lifestyle and economic prospects were. A lot of those tensions you mention are more to do with politics and agenda than an underlying change in the average British citizen. We're no more rightwing (as a group) than we were before (as indicated by two weak Tory governments and a pretty equal split in the Brexit vote) - the only difference is the polarisation of groups of people, which is something happening across the world.

I'd also add that Canada isn't immune to similar tensions. There is growing resentment against immigration due to the higher targets set by the Liberal party and fueled by the growing disparity between rich and poor, which is the underlying reason for what we see in the UK today.