best city to raise a family?
 

Hi, just joined the boards today was looking at the calgary post, all seems very negative! surely its not all that bad? from what had heard it was a beautiful scenic city and not as expensive as vancover.
Anway you lot are the experts so advise pls! what canadian city would you reccommend would be best to raise a family - we have four kids and are thinking of moving from Ireland, so obviously schools, recreational facilites etc. would all feature heavily, any advice greatly appreciated!

Re: best city to raise a family?
 

Dito!!:thumbup:

Re: best city to raise a family?
 

raising a family? NO city...but rural Canada, I'd say.

Re: best city to raise a family?
 

How can someone else really determine what's best for your family?

Too many unknown factors.....weather likes/dislikes, job prospects, what type of recreation you like, cost of living, equity you have, ethnicity, shopping habits etc etc etc.

Re: best city to raise a family?
 

I suppose it depends on what kind person you want your children to become. If you favour urbane, sophisticated and well educated, then Vancouver or Toronto, if on the other hand you want a narrow-minded barely literate redneck, then everywhere else. ;)

Re: best city to raise a family?
 

Urbane? Sophisticated? in Canada??!!! :lol:

Re: best city to raise a family?
 

You have to bear in mind the dynamics of a board like this, its a place people come to vent their frustration.

Any Canadian city (Yes, even Hamilton) offers great opportunities to raise a family, but the perfect fit comes down to you. We dont know you, so only a fool would stick their neck out. Where can you find work, thats usually the first stop on the journey.

I would say that the scenery in Vancouver is a lot more immediate, and access to the mountains much easier than in Calgary. Although there are places like the Olympic park in town, the real skiing is a decent drive away, more of a weekend thing than an evening after work opportunity. That said I live in Ontario, and my local ski hill wouldnt even register on the radar of a western skiier as more than a snowbank:)

Re: best city to raise a family?
 

:D

Re: best city to raise a family?
 

Gee my kids grew up just fine in Calgary.

And they still live here. ;)

Re: best city to raise a family?
 

So are your eyes really brown?:sneaky:

Re: best city to raise a family?
 

Rich, you <snip>, I am not asking someone else to determine mine and my childrens future, simply well informed people their opinion.

We are hoping to rent a reasonable sized family home, though again this is dictated by rent over there, hence opinions needed i.e. calgary is/is not over priced.

I don't see see how our ethnicity comes into it at all???

I think peoples opinions on school systems etc are a lot more important than our shopping habits - trust me paris hilton i ain't. So take the weight of your shoulders I am looking constructive advice nothing more!

to the person who said people come here to vent phew! you were right!
thanks all who took the time to reply,
scirish

Re: best city to raise a family?
 

In my short lifetime I have met people that have grown up all over the country. Every province and territory. They all seemed to turn out fine. Go where you want to be and be happy.

That said, the only place in Canada I have no desire to live in is Quebec. I'm just not into speaking or learning french. Oh and their income tax is high.

Have a good one!

Re: best city to raise a family?
 

Actually ethnicity can play a HUGE role in where you locate - if perhaps you are a Jamaican/ African/ W Indian . .you get my drift. . . family, To is considerably more welcoming than Vancouver.

Re: best city to raise a family?
 

Absolutely agree. OH and I are English, white and what passes for "normal" but were viewed with a great deal of suspicion and not accepted at all in very-small-town Southwestern Ontario! Must be those horns and cloven hoofs.....;)

Re: best city to raise a family?
 

Don't see anything wrong with this, especially in context with the title. With a question like yours, there are as many answers as cities in Canada. Some people on here rave about TO, Vancouver and Calgary, I could not be paid enough to live in a city and would suggest a rural community, others love cities.

Same with schools, when my kids were in school one of the parents pulled her kids out and home schooled, blaming the school for their poor performance, my kids got A honors all the way through at the same school.

You say you want to rent a reasonable size home, dictated by rent and asking if Calgary is not expensive. What's a reasonable size, 1500 sq ft, 3500 sq ft? What is the level of rent you are dictated by, $1000 a month or $3000? Is Calgary inexpensive as compared to what, which part of Calgary.

You should be more specific to get constructive answers and a little less abrasive, otherwise your threads could get very few responses.

There is no substitute for visiting Canada and checking things out for yourself as well.