Neetie

Dear All,

I'm new here but have been lurking for a while (!) My husband and I are hoping to emigrate to Alberta and are going off on our exploratory visit this Thursday to have a look around, do some interviews and generally find out as much as we can before we submit paperwork for visas etc.

For those of you who've visited or who are already in either Calgary or Edmonton, can you give me some idea of which city you like and why? Would just appreciate a British Expat's viewpoint.

Thanks!

Neetie
Reading, UK

SirTainly

Neetie, are you visiting both cities ? Just curious as I'll be visiting both next January. For what it's worht the friends I'm visiting in Edmonton tell me they may well move to Calgary soon.

Simon

Neetie

Hi Simon

That's interesting - we're visiting both cities and my husband has an interview with the Edmonton Police, so if we are incredibly lucky and he gets through, then the choice will already have been made.

We've found an expat in Calgary who we're visiting whilst there, and he said everyone he knows say Edmonton is like Birmingham which he takes to be a bad thing! We're keeping open minds until we've had a good look round, and possibly another visit early summer next year.

Why are your friends thinking of moving to Calgary - anything in particular they love/hate?

Neetie

SirTainly

Well good luck with the interview, hope your husband is offered the job

My friends said Calgary was a more happening place, and also there were more job opportunites. They were originally in Edmonton to go to the university, but stayed on afterwards as they landed local jobs. I intend to press them on it further when I go and see them.

oceanMDX

One of the few advantages that Edmonton has over Calgary is that housing is cheaper.

Iginla

Calgary gets Chinooks, Edmonton doesn't.

Calgary is closer to the mountains.

I've only ever been to Edmonton once and it was grey and raining so probably not the best time to see the city. In that sense it does remind me a bit of Birmingham.

oceanMDX

That is untrue. Both cities get very strong chinooks. Calgary gets them more often, and they last longer in Calgary, but Edmonton most certainly gets them too!

I lived in Edmonton for 7 years and Red Deer for 8 years.

Chinooks are really neat because you can see them coming. It'll be cold and cloudy, then you'll see a line in the sky - to the southwest will be a cloudless sky moving closer. Then the temperature will increase dramatically.

Glaswegian

Everytime I've been to Edmonton it was colder ... driving from Calgary, past Red Deer to Edmonton in winter, you notice it gets colder as you go further north.

I haven' known anyone to move to Edmonton from Calgary, but I've known people to move to Calgary from Edmonton.

I don't know if the new insurance rules have changed the costs, but auto insurance has always been more expensive in Edmonton.

Does it look like Birmingam? It probably looks more like it than Calgary does ... but neither Canadian city is half as unpleasant to spend time in

oceanMDX

As a city Edmonton doesn't look too bad as long as you don't see the northeast quadrant of the city - large parts of that area look rather dumpy. The nicest part of Edmonton is the south west quadrant.

Neetie

Thanks for all your replies - sounds like Calgary is winning right now! We're arriving in Calgary tomorrow afternoon and will be up in Edmonton next week, very excited and very nervous in equal measures.

Will let you know what I think when I get back!

Neetie

matts_99

Think I better stick up for Edmonton. Having spent some time in both cities on several visits I can honestly say I prefer Edmonton. I find Edmonton a much greener city, with a bit more variety to its architecture. The views over the river valley are fantatsic, and Old Strathcona is a great place for a night out. If you like shopping then Edmonton is for you- West Edmonton mall is something else. My friends from Edmonton are gutted to have to move to Calgary for work.

Calgary is a fine city, but I just found a lot of the suburbs like Milton Keynes without the trees. However the work seams to be in Calgary.

A persoanl opinion, but I would take a good look at Edmonton- I think it has a lot to offer.

Neetie

Thanks for the positive note about Edmonton - I'm looking forward to checking out the mall and having a good look around. I expect I'll have plenty of time whilst my husband's being interviewed, so our credit card may take a bit of a bashing!

Neetie

Glaswegian

I was surprised to read this. It must depend on which bits of each city you visit as we always found Calgary to be greener. We live south of Fish Creek Park and overlooking another park so perhaps we are just biased.

Looking at some of the new developments I would agree, however the south west of Calgary (where we are) is greener than Milton Keynes. Someone once commented to me that they hadnt realised that Calgary's deep south had any mature trees! I didnt understand why at the time however now I have seen some of the newer developments it has become clear!

oceanMDX

Edmonton is somewhat greener than Calgary. Edmonton is considered part of Alberta's "parkland region", Calgary is not.

Linda P

Hi, like you we are finding it difficult to choose between the two places! Michael has just (today) had a job offer in Edmonton. Do we take it and explore there, (we could always move on if it was not what we wanted!) or do we hold out for Calgary.

P.S. This is fantastic site !!!! what a sounding board!

LindaP