Souvenir

Not quite true. Being self-employed and working from home, I can offset part of my mortgage interest payments against tax.

iaink

But thats not specifically mortgage tax relief, its part of the whole bundle of perks for having a home business. You can maybe claim part of the property taxes themselves as business expenses too, plus a share of heating and lighting expenses?

getoutofbritainquick

[QUOTE=Leg]Thanks so far guys. We have had a lot of trips out there including Fall in NS for 2 weeks, 4 weeks in NS, NB, Quebec and Ontario in August and 2 weeks in NS and NB in January. Research wise we have read a LOT and I have friends in Halifax, Ottowa, Windsor and Vancouver who have answered questions. That all pales into insignificance compared to the experiences of people who have actually done it, recently.

In fact, everything seemed and still seems so positive to us (I guess it could just be that its all a good fit for our personalities and circumstance) I thought 'there must be some downsides?'

None of the things anyones mentioned above bother me really. TV is crap here too (how often do you load up sky+ and scroll down, and down, and down uttering 'crap', 'crap' etc allt he way through), not into pubs, dont drink ale (Lager, Wine, Whiskey), like Winter and nothing happening, I dreaaaam of nothing happening!

I thought obliged to reply to the negative comments with a few positives:-

1) People always compare a lower Canadian wage with the UK - not in all cases, some professions are similar wages if not more than the UK. A big plus if you can get this. I will be working for BC Hydro and the wages are similar to what I earn in the UK. A tradesman earns about 50% more than the UK.

2) Leave with Hydro starts at 5 weeks - wow cannot believe my luck and rises to a max of 8 weeks depending on length of service.

3) Benefits in general are better than UK

4) I had a great time with the managers on a recent visit and all had a good sense of humour.

5) Nearly of all the workplaces are at dream locations (Hydro electric dams).

6) A lot of people complain about utility costs but that is totally dependant on what province you reside in:-

Cost of electricity $ per 1000 kwh:

a) Winnipeg $58.94
b) Montreal $62.98
c) BC $64.13
d) Calgary $92.61
e) Regina $92.66
f) Halifax $96.93
g) Seattle $103.06
h) Toronto $103.42

If you can get a job before you land then its a big plus and the more money you can bring with you the better.

Carry out the research for where you want to live and at least understand the costs and issues of your individual personal circumstances. It can make the difference between success and failure.

Good luck

Souvenir

All manner of stuff mate. All manner of stuff

Buchan6

[QUOTE=getoutofbritainquick
5) Nearly of all the workplaces are at dream locations (Hydro electric dams).
[/QUOTE]

Not if they leak, You never seen The Heroes of Telemark

iaink

That would be the other thread..this one was specifically asking about the negatives..

Lucky you! Hydro and any CAW unioned plant are probably the best employers you could find, but I cant help but think it will all come crashing down at some future point if the unions are broken, its just not cost effective way to run a business.

AnyaT

I am a Canadian and love my country, but it cannot claim to having particularly good benefits. Vacation, as in the US, starts at a pathetic 10 days per year normally. To find a job that offers more than that is pure luck, and to receive the 5 weeks you mentioned is damn near an impossibility. Sick time you tend to earn on a monthly basis, i.e., 1 day per month. If you are off sick longer than the amount you have saved, then you don't get paid for it. Other benefits don't spring to mind - some employers have pension plans, though the number is dropping, some might offer discounted insurance rates, things like that. However, these things are generally only for full-time employees, and there is an increasing trend of hiring people on contract because it is cheaper and they don't have to pay benefits.

I would not say any of my offices have been in dream locations. They have mainly been in aging office blocks in a downtown core.

Novocastrian

a) Winnipeg $58.94
b) Montreal $62.98
c) BC $64.13
d) Calgary $92.61
e) Regina $92.66
f) Halifax $96.93
g) Seattle $103.06
h) Toronto $103.42

I just looked at my current Hydro bill (haha) and all in all (i.e including marvellous things like "regulatory charges" and "debt retirement charges". GST) it works out to $116.81 per 1000 KW-hr.

York Region-GTA

iaink

I think I pay nearly $60 in all the bullshit before I even pay for a single kwh!

Thats what drives me insane. I can economise as much as I can, and still get to pay for the government to prepare to sell me something I already own!

dbd33

Be very careful that you don't deprive yourself of the CGT exemption on your residence.

Leg

So, out of curiosity, based on all this, in NS, with no mortgage or loans, for 2 adults and 2 children, what sort of family income would everyone say would provide for a reasonable standard of living?

Souvenir

Quoi?

iaink

Everyone is different in their needs, so its an impossible to answer question.

How does $60k sound? If you plan a few family trips back to the UK, or fixing up the house, then you will want more.

Leg

Yeah fair point.

I guess in the end, in for a penny, in for a pound, lifes an adverture eh.

Not enjoying the UK anymore so what the hell. Off to NS again in the spring, no doubt ill buy some new rose tinted glasses while im there.

dbd33

The toothless cowboy accountant has me (the corporate me) rent a room from me (the personal me) rather than write off a percentage of the bills because one's primary residence is exempt from capital gains tax while business premises are not. There is some risk that the taxman may want to levy CGT on the business portion of a building. All the ins and outs, I dunno, but there is an issue to be considered.