Budgeting for Canada
Apr 8th 2020, 11:55 pm
#61
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Location: Orton, Ontario
Posts: 2,028
Re: Budgeting for Canada
An hour north of Toronto and Hamilton is going to be a challenge at the $500k mark but should be possible north of London and Ottawa I would have thought. I spent some time about 90 mins north.of Ottawa and property there was cheap.
Apr 9th 2020, 2:14 am
#62
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Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 49
Re: Budgeting for Canada
The same way any other landlocked country does. There are international treaties that allow for passage of goods, ironically with more ease than in the current federal system.
But those who are pushing for Western separation seem to include BC. So then it would be an irrelevant question.
Back to topic. Property around Toronto is very expensive, Ottawa less so.
Another thought for Alberta is further south around crossnest pass area. Much cheaper than Calgary. In the mountains, easy access into BC for more outdoors fun. And as a millwright some good opportunities at the likes of the Teck coal mines in Sparwood.
In fact you'd feel right at home. It's very similar to the south wales valleys in some ways.
Great skiing in Fernie and castle.
But those who are pushing for Western separation seem to include BC. So then it would be an irrelevant question.
Back to topic. Property around Toronto is very expensive, Ottawa less so.
Another thought for Alberta is further south around crossnest pass area. Much cheaper than Calgary. In the mountains, easy access into BC for more outdoors fun. And as a millwright some good opportunities at the likes of the Teck coal mines in Sparwood.
In fact you'd feel right at home. It's very similar to the south wales valleys in some ways.
Great skiing in Fernie and castle.
Apr 9th 2020, 10:22 am
#63
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Re: Budgeting for Canada
Doesn't help with the rain or the mountains though of course!
Apr 9th 2020, 1:10 pm
#64
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Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Winterpeg
Posts: 771
Re: Budgeting for Canada
Hi all! With all of the spare time on our hands due to Covid and the lack of progress with our application, i've been double checking through our budget for Canada. We're aiming to live within an hours drive of Calgary so anyone with specific experience around Calgary / Alberta would be great. I know that everyones costs will vary but I just wanted to post what I have written in our budget so far and see if i'm massively over/under estimating anything? Could also be useful for future reference for others looking to make the move.
Rent / Mortgage : $1800
Property Taxes: $140
Home insurance: $40
Gas & Elec: $250
Mobile Phones: $75
TV & Internet: $100
Groceries: $500
Restaurant & Take-aways: $150
Life Insurance: $40
Car Finance / Lease: $350
Car Insurance: $250?!
Fuel: $250
Skiing: $100
Haircuts: £30
Clothing: $100
Dog Food: $30
Flights back home to UK once per year: $125
Any advice on anything i'm massively out with would be great. Either way we're off to Canada, just want to have our eyes as open as possible. Especially being a one-wage household of 4.
Rent / Mortgage : $1800
Property Taxes: $140
Home insurance: $40
Gas & Elec: $250
Mobile Phones: $75
TV & Internet: $100
Groceries: $500
Restaurant & Take-aways: $150
Life Insurance: $40
Car Finance / Lease: $350
Car Insurance: $250?!
Fuel: $250
Skiing: $100
Haircuts: £30
Clothing: $100
Dog Food: $30
Flights back home to UK once per year: $125
Any advice on anything i'm massively out with would be great. Either way we're off to Canada, just want to have our eyes as open as possible. Especially being a one-wage household of 4.
Not sure what dog you have but unless it's an ankle nipper or your planning on feeding it Walmarts finest then you should double you dog food budget.
Apr 9th 2020, 2:05 pm
#66
Slightly Canadian
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: St. John's, Newfoundland
Posts: 10,128
Re: Budgeting for Canada
My suggestion is that you look for an acreage with a paved driveway. If you have one with a gravel driveway then, in the winter, you will use an expensive machine to blast that gravel all over the lawn and then, at about this time of the year, you will have to put it all back again using your hands and, possibly, a rake.
Apr 9th 2020, 2:58 pm
#67
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Joined: Aug 2005
Location: South of Calgary
Posts: 13,374
Re: Budgeting for Canada
Hah! This strikes a chord. First few years in our place - which is only an acre but with a 200ft drive - was that we couldn't use a snow blower to clear the snow because of the gravel so either had to shovel or get a plow in. The plow would scrape all the stone chips up and dump them on the lawn and yes, every spring we'd have to rake the bloody stuff off the lawn. Paving the drive was the best thing we've ever done.
Apr 9th 2020, 4:48 pm
#68
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Joined: Apr 2009
Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 19,879
Re: Budgeting for Canada
Food for thought..
https://www.realtor.ca/real-estate/2...nsay-rm-no-342
https://www.realtor.ca/map#ZoomLevel...2&Currency=CAD
https://www.point2homes.com/CA/Farms...hanged=&ajax=1
https://www.farmmarketer.com/findpro...owFilters=True
https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/marketrepo...14700/geo29307
Don't forget you will need to have your Certificate of Qualification to work as a Millwright in any Province (each Province has it's own governing body).. some are a bit easier to get sorted than others
https://saskapprenticeship.ca/intern...ation-process/
https://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/expe...ional-workers/
https://www.realtor.ca/real-estate/2...nsay-rm-no-342
https://www.realtor.ca/map#ZoomLevel...2&Currency=CAD
https://www.point2homes.com/CA/Farms...hanged=&ajax=1
https://www.farmmarketer.com/findpro...owFilters=True
https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/marketrepo...14700/geo29307
Don't forget you will need to have your Certificate of Qualification to work as a Millwright in any Province (each Province has it's own governing body).. some are a bit easier to get sorted than others
https://saskapprenticeship.ca/intern...ation-process/
https://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/expe...ional-workers/
Apr 9th 2020, 5:39 pm
#69
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 103
Re: Budgeting for Canada
Thanks Siouxie, will take a look through those this evening and reply to the other comments above. I've been accepted to sit my trade qualifier exam in Alberta already. Unfortunately I found out that you need to be a resident and employed in the trade to sit the exam. They've given me a permit to work in the trade for 12 months though as long as I successfully complete the exam in that time
It seems that I can't sit any provincial certificate of qualification exams before becoming a resident. Rules out FST for me really. Will have to be an IEC then Canadian Experience.
It seems that I can't sit any provincial certificate of qualification exams before becoming a resident. Rules out FST for me really. Will have to be an IEC then Canadian Experience.
Apr 9th 2020, 5:43 pm
#70
Slightly Canadian
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: St. John's, Newfoundland
Posts: 10,128
Apr 9th 2020, 6:09 pm
#71
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Joined: Oct 2007
Location: In a darkened room somewhere.............
Posts: 34,025
Re: Budgeting for Canada
Thanks Siouxie, will take a look through those this evening and reply to the other comments above. I've been accepted to sit my trade qualifier exam in Alberta already. Unfortunately I found out that you need to be a resident and employed in the trade to sit the exam. They've given me a permit to work in the trade for 12 months though as long as I successfully complete the exam in that time
It seems that I can't sit any provincial certificate of qualification exams before becoming a resident. Rules out FST for me really. Will have to be an IEC then Canadian Experience.
It seems that I can't sit any provincial certificate of qualification exams before becoming a resident. Rules out FST for me really. Will have to be an IEC then Canadian Experience.
Apr 9th 2020, 6:14 pm
#72
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 103
Re: Budgeting for Canada
At the moment we're thinking that our favourite provinces are:
1. AB
2. SK
3.MB / ON / BC
According to job bank though my best prospects are in:
1. QC (215 jobs) We don't speak any french
2.ON (75 jobs) Cost of living still seems high after abit of research and we're unsure if the climate is what we're looking for.
3. BC (27) + is still being near mountains. - is rain?
4. SK (7) We do like the look of SK and affordable rural housing still seems to be in commutable distance to Saskatoon or Regina.
5. AB (4) Our favourite province but job prospects look poor and affordable rural property seems like it'd be uncommutable.
6. MB (3) We like the look of MB, haven't done much research yet though. Although, if job prospects are worse than Alberta's then there doesn't seem much point.
1. AB
2. SK
3.MB / ON / BC
According to job bank though my best prospects are in:
1. QC (215 jobs) We don't speak any french
2.ON (75 jobs) Cost of living still seems high after abit of research and we're unsure if the climate is what we're looking for.
3. BC (27) + is still being near mountains. - is rain?
4. SK (7) We do like the look of SK and affordable rural housing still seems to be in commutable distance to Saskatoon or Regina.
5. AB (4) Our favourite province but job prospects look poor and affordable rural property seems like it'd be uncommutable.
6. MB (3) We like the look of MB, haven't done much research yet though. Although, if job prospects are worse than Alberta's then there doesn't seem much point.
Apr 9th 2020, 6:20 pm
#73
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 49
Re: Budgeting for Canada
At the moment we're thinking that our favourite provinces are:
1. AB
2. SK
3.MB / ON / BC
According to job bank though my best prospects are in:
1. QC (215 jobs) We don't speak any french
2.ON (75 jobs) Cost of living still seems high after abit of research and we're unsure if the climate is what we're looking for.
3. BC (27) + is still being near mountains. - is rain?
4. SK (7) We do like the look of SK and affordable rural housing still seems to be in commutable distance to Saskatoon or Regina.
5. AB (4) Our favourite province but job prospects look poor and affordable rural property seems like it'd be uncommutable.
6. MB (3) We like the look of MB, haven't done much research yet though. Although, if job prospects are worse than Alberta's then there doesn't seem much point.
1. AB
2. SK
3.MB / ON / BC
According to job bank though my best prospects are in:
1. QC (215 jobs) We don't speak any french
2.ON (75 jobs) Cost of living still seems high after abit of research and we're unsure if the climate is what we're looking for.
3. BC (27) + is still being near mountains. - is rain?
4. SK (7) We do like the look of SK and affordable rural housing still seems to be in commutable distance to Saskatoon or Regina.
5. AB (4) Our favourite province but job prospects look poor and affordable rural property seems like it'd be uncommutable.
6. MB (3) We like the look of MB, haven't done much research yet though. Although, if job prospects are worse than Alberta's then there doesn't seem much point.
from Med like Victoria, to the deserts of southern interior, rugged mountains of mid BC toward Alberta border, to coal district in South west, to isolated forest and coast in the mid to northern parts.
For your lifestyle like I say crossnest pass or Fernie area could be a good fit.
We have family there and in northern BC. Industry in the north is taking a hit with lots of saw mills closing. But there are some growths in gold and similar mines. They are often week in week out kind of places for work.
Apr 9th 2020, 6:23 pm
#74
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 103
Re: Budgeting for Canada
I'm so glad you said this, it still doesn't sound right to me that you have to be a resident to take the exam for FST, but Siouxie is the woman in the know! I've been meaning to ask her to respond to your other thread about it. She should be able to confirm or clarify for you.
Apr 9th 2020, 6:26 pm
#75
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Winterpeg
Posts: 771
Re: Budgeting for Canada
At the moment we're thinking that our favourite provinces are:
1. AB
2. SK
3.MB / ON / BC
According to job bank though my best prospects are in:
1. QC (215 jobs) We don't speak any french
2.ON (75 jobs) Cost of living still seems high after abit of research and we're unsure if the climate is what we're looking for.
3. BC (27) + is still being near mountains. - is rain?
4. SK (7) We do like the look of SK and affordable rural housing still seems to be in commutable distance to Saskatoon or Regina.
5. AB (4) Our favourite province but job prospects look poor and affordable rural property seems like it'd be uncommutable.
6. MB (3) We like the look of MB, haven't done much research yet though. Although, if job prospects are worse than Alberta's then there doesn't seem much point.
1. AB
2. SK
3.MB / ON / BC
According to job bank though my best prospects are in:
1. QC (215 jobs) We don't speak any french
2.ON (75 jobs) Cost of living still seems high after abit of research and we're unsure if the climate is what we're looking for.
3. BC (27) + is still being near mountains. - is rain?
4. SK (7) We do like the look of SK and affordable rural housing still seems to be in commutable distance to Saskatoon or Regina.
5. AB (4) Our favourite province but job prospects look poor and affordable rural property seems like it'd be uncommutable.
6. MB (3) We like the look of MB, haven't done much research yet though. Although, if job prospects are worse than Alberta's then there doesn't seem much point.
I was there in 91 with the army so I was only interested in bars but we passed through a couple of times 2 years ago on our way to Calgary and it struck me as being a great little town which seemed to have a lot of facilities.
