James1921

My wife and I are begining to plan to emigrate to Canada with our 2 children, 4 and 18 month and 2 dogs. The dogs seem simple enough, plane ticket, fit to fly from the vets, crate to travel then paper work the other side. I'm 37 years old and a qualifed plumbing and heating engineer for 20 years. Have gas qualifications as well. We like the look of Alberta around Red Deer or Edmonton (open to other suggestions) and are happy in a largish town instead of a city. Visa wise is where we are getting confused, are we right in thinking start an express entry, try and get sponsored from the province and look for work? My wife is a self employed travel consultant who works from home, would she be covered by my visa (if accepted) or would she need a seperate one? The same goes for the kids. Any help is appreciated and we've probably got another 100 questions to ask!!!!

Lychee

What is it specifically about Red Deer or Edmonton that you find appealing? It’s hard to make other recommendations without knowing some more details.

Have you been to Canada before? What sort of culture are you looking for and what sort of values are you seeking from your new community? What sort of hobbies or outdoor activities would you like to be able to do when you’re not working? What sort of shops and restaurants would you want to have immediately nearby, or does it matter? What sort of climate are you wanting? What sort of landscapes do you find appealing? What sort of modes of transportation are you and your family relying on to get around?
If you want a town, how far are you willing to drive to get to a city?

James1921

Thank for your reply
Being closer to those cities will make finding and having consistent work easier. Currently in the UK we live 20 minutes away from a large city.

We are looking for a we are looking ro a relaxed area which is more focused towards families and activities for children.

We are outdoorsy so enjoy, dog walks, camping and hiking more as our children grow. We are keen for water sports such as paddle boarding.

Shops and restaurants aren't a huge factor however closer to supermarket would an advantage.

Climate wise a warm summer and snowy winters. We are used to cold winters however not as harsh as Canadian.

Landscape wise we enjoy mountains and lakes but don't mind built up areas as long as there is open spaces.

We will be looking to buy a car to get around

For distance to a city as long as there are some shos local to us 60 to 90 minutes is fine.

Thanks again

neill

Okotoks and Cochrane might also fit the bill.

mogscat

Relaxed, family focussed, outdoor lifestyle etc. Maybe you’d like to consider New Brunswick or Nova Scotia? I’m in Fredericton, NB. The pace of life is really slow, and family is everything to most people.
Kids play outdoors all year round in my street, there are parks, trails, lakeside beaches on town outskirts and real beaches a couple of hours drive away. Kids (and you!) can skate on outdoor rinks and trails across the city in winter, ski and snowshoe a few miles away. We have some of the highest
hours of sunshine in all Canada, hot summers and snowy winters and you need your sunglasses all year round.

The school system is very much kinder to children than the UK system and kids seem a lot less stressed here. There’s a lot less emphasis on exams, revision, homework, more emphasis on a wide education. Kids don’t seem to be into fashion and shopping as much. Older teenagers might miss that, if they are used to UK shops.

Unlike Alberta, you can drive to other provinces and the US from New Brunswick, so you’re not stuck in one place as long as you have a car. House prices inNB are still lower than most other places in Canada.

We are absolutely desperate for all skilled trades here but check out the registration process as plumbers are regulated and you might need to get your quals approved etc before you can work (same for most provinces as far as I know).

Canadians from Ontario and western Canada are moving to Atlantic Canada increasingly, for the East Coast lifestyle…

Almost Canadian

Is there something special about Alberta that means that one cannot travel to other parts of Canada or the US? Having lived here for more than 16 years, is it unusual that I have managed to travel all across Canada, and the US, without any issues?

mogscat

New Brunswick borders on the US, NS, Quebec and you can drive to any of these in less than a day, should you wish. We also have a coastline.
From Fredericton to Maine is a couple of hours. In comparison, Red Deer to the US is over 2,000 kms.
Obviously you can travel wherever you like given the time, means of transport, money and travel docs. Young families don’t always have all these things but still wish to go out and about.
The scale of Canada and impact on life is difficult to imagine if you’ve lived mainly in UK. That’s why I highlight the proximity to other locations and effects of geography on lifestyle and travel opportunities as a factor in choosing where to live.

Moses2013

Then again, even from the UK you can travel long distance by car. Ferry from Dover to Calais or tunnel and then a 30 hour drive to Istanbul, 12 hours to Barcelona.
Reality is that many would not drive that far anyway and if you live in Scotland (Inverness), it's a 10 hour drive to London.
From Moncton to NY would still be a 12 hour drive and around the same if you want to go to Seattle from Calgary. Of course those who like coast would be better off where you are.

Almost Canadian

Red Deer to the US 2,000 kms - give your head a shake

It is perfect possible to get from Red Deer to both B.C. and Saskatchewan in less than a day.

I accept that most of Canada does not have a coastline but, having been brought up on the Isle of Wight, I simply don't understand why so many are impressed by the sea. Each to their own.

BristolUK

I suspect if you get used to something 24/7, week in week out, year in year out, you're unlikely to be impressed by it.

Probably like growing up in the middle of Manhattan and saying 'meh' when you see a tall building.

mogscat

Well my prairie pal, I’ll shake my head and you can shake your own hand because I have made an error there- the border with Montana is certainly a lot closer to Red Deer than than 2,000kms.

If the sea has never stirred your soul, perhaps you should take a little trip to the shores of Atlantic Canada to find out why some of us are so impressed 😉?

Moses2013

Probably right and then there will be a high percentage of people in the UK who have never explored their own country. It's no different here in Ireland and I have family who wouldn't even know that we have some of the most stunning beaches or lakes close by. At least for me a 2 hour drive is nothing and for them it's like flying to the Algarve, which they do once a year. Unless you loved the place you grew up in, you'll probably always look for the opposite.

Lychee

Your math is off.

Red Deer to the US border is only 400 km, not 2000 km.
The Alberta BC border is also a 400 km drive away from Red Deer.

It's very possible to travel to the USA and other provinces from Alberta, but I do agree that folks from the UK often picture Canada as if they are still in the UK, that you can quickly pop over to a different-looking landscape or an interesting city quickly and easily and cheaply. That isn't the case in Canada. Where you move to heavily influences your day-to-day life. It costs a lot of money and takes a lot of time to travel elsewhere in Canada. Alberta is great if you want large sprawling cheap housing and communities entirely dependent on cars. But if you move to Alberta, you'll also need to be aware of the local politics (yikes!) and be okay with the prairie landscape which dominates most of the province. With exception to the Rockies, most of Alberta is a fairly humble-looking place.

Almost Canadian

My maternal family are from Ireland. They relocated to Devon so, despite the fact that I was born on, and lived, on the Isle of Wight until I was 19, I was well used to the beaches and coastline of Ireland and the south west coast of England during my youth.

Experience has taught me that the coastline is a shitty place to be for most of the year. In the winter it is not a particularly pleasant place to be and, during the vacation months, trips that normally take 5 minutes take 6 times that amount of times due to the tourists that infiltrate the place, have no idea where they are going and, particularly in the UK, don't wish to drive more than 3 miles an hour along hedgerow lined roads.

I have never been to Atlantic Canada but I can't imagine that it looks much different to coastlines all around the world. While I used to enjoy climbing coastal routes all over the world, I am far too fat and lazy to do so these days.

I agree that some people might not appreciate how north america is laid out but, with the internet giving them access to information that many did not have access to a few decades ago, there really is no excuse for anyone not being able to understand how far apart any two places on earth are.

dbd33

It looks like Cornwall but it's cheaper to buy in Atlantic Canada.