Geez, I never thought it was going to be this hard! We arrived here on Friday night (Toronto) and I feel burnt out already.

We have spent the whole weekend driving around areas, trying to decide where we would like to live in the GTA.

I did not realise that we would be tied into a rental agreement for 12 months - really want to get our own place in 3-6 months. We would also like a townhouse not an apartment. Also my wife does not drive so I would rather there were things on the doorstep to keep her occupied. Oh and she is also 5 months pregnant. We do like a challenge - not sure if we like them this big.

The areas we looked at are:

1. Beaches - beautiful area but too far east I will be working mostly in & around the west.
2. Meadowvale - met a lovely expat who gave us alot of advice, spoke to a realtor who said not much comes up!
3. Mississauga - looks fine but looks like you need to drive to get anywhere.
4. Bloor west village - lovely area really liked it. Discovered the joys of "Open House" you pull up and walk in. Viewed several homes one that was lovely, but backed on to an esso garage.
5. Etobicoke - struggled to find the central area.
6. Unionville - beautiful old town, maybe too far from the west
7. Markham village - again a lovely small town feel.

The search must go on!!! Any suggestions for areas that have a small town feel?

We now think we may plunge into buying, I am on a 1 year work permit, so we are taking a risk. But will apply for PR once we are settled. We think it makes sense to use the equity we have and have a very small mortgage, than pay out loads in rent.

One poblem we have had is finding the center of places we seem to spend ages driving around lost are there clues we are missing?
Where are all the sign posts, does everyone really know where they are going?

Things we have to sort out still
1. House
2. Bank accounts
3. SSI number - filled out need to deliver.
4. Mobile sim card - for triband uk phone (unlocked)
5. Car
6. Car insurance
7. Pre natal stuff
8. Book a holiday after all above are sorted!

I feel we have not progressed since arriving, but I guess driving around getting more of a feel is a good start. I wonder now if we should have done more from the UK?

Regards

Iain

Hi there,

Cant really help with areas in TO, but sometimes you need to keep an eye out for the "Downtown" signs, although in some places (like belleville) most of the activity isnt in the downtown anymore, so I guess you need to find out where you should be going beforehand. Maybe a good realtor could help you out in your search, it wont cost you anything. For some of the other stuff...

2. Try Presidents Choice Financial, they often have kiosks in the Loblaws grocery stores, or use the website or 800 # (1 888 723 8881) As you are on a WP they may not be interested, but it doesnt hurt to ask. It is the only fee free checking account I know of here.

3. Need to go the the nearest HRDC office to do the SIN thing. Check in the blue pages of the phone book for government agencies. It will probably be under Employment...Human Resource Centers.

5&6 Will be easier with an Ontario License, contact the DVLO, again in the Blue pages under Drivers and Vehicles

7. While you are looking in the blue pages look up the number for the local health unit, they will offer some basic pre natal courses, and may be able to get you hooked up with a GP and Obs/Gyne specialist. Also contact the ontario ministry of health to find out what you need to do to get a health (OHIP) card. (1 800 664 8988)

Once the initial rush to sort things out is done, it will feel like a hoiday for a bit, I just hope the weather gets a bit better and the sun comes out for you.

All the best

Iain

We're in the same boat:-

Arrived in Ottawa from Hong Kong 3 weeks ago.
Wife 7 months pregnant.
Bought the car (98 Subaru Outback CAD16k)
Rented the house (CAD1000pm for 2 months)
Found the house to buy (cottage by the lake - mortgage 99% sorted)
Got the driving lisence
Applied for OHIP
Got my library card (free internet, although since found out some pubs have free wireless internet access, look for the 'Bold Street' logo)
Got my SIN number
Sorted out pre natal classes (intensive course)
Bought a mountain bike
Bought a orange juicer
Carried on with my freelance work form Hong Kong

I think that's about it, I'm going to have a lie down now.

Here's my twopence on the property issue:

You have to pay a lot of real estate fees when selling a property. Therefore, if you plan being staying here less than a year or two, then renting may end up being financially better than buying. Aside from that, buying is still definitely the way to go.

Good luck. Welcome to Canada.

Given your wife's situation I would make my priority finding a doctor and making sure I had someone who could deliver the baby. I know she is only at 5 months - but time will fly and before you know it you will need help.

Regards

Mrs G

You might want to check out the yahoo group for Brits in Toroto (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/brits2toronto/ )

Some of them may be able to give you suggestions on pre-natal care, doctors, etc.

Good luck in TO!!

Clare

This is very true, for a while it felt we were drowning but suddenly everything has sorted itself out and we can finally relax. Once you get to that stage it's a wonderful country to enjoy.

I agree with the other posters about sorting out healthcare, luckily my wifes family here helped us out but we did miss the deadline for the full prenatal course and have had to settle for an intensive one instead.

Thanks everyone, monday with everything being open made a big difference, really felt we were progressing.

1.Sorted out bank accounts
2.Applied for SIN #
3.Got true clarification of the areas I will be working in
4.Discovered Richmond Hill town
5.Viewed a few more properties
6.Slept like a log

Tuesday
======
We got a viewing for a house in Richmond Hill, and have now got a basement apartment to live in for $700 for 1 month (from Thursday) then we take over the whole house on the 22nd August.

The realtor turns out to be the landlord, and has also mentioned the option to buy in forthcoming months (and will deduct what we've already paid - you can't get fairer than that ) Whats more there is a Firkin pub 2 mins from the house.

I feel we have broken the back of it all, maybe I over reacted, but as Sean says
then things turn round. Already I feel a weight is off my shoulders, Jo reckons as I'm a bloke I cannot multi-task, I reckon thats nonsense I have 5 windows open on the pc & am replying to this post & chatting on MSN & looking @ furniture.

Thanks for all your help healthcare, prenatal & OHIP is the next step. Will register today, someone has said Jo may not be eligible as she is here on visitor status. I guess we will find out today.

Once again thank you, its like having a safety net whilst walking on a tight rope having this forum.

Has anyone arrived without an address to use for setting up bank accounts, SIN etc? As this must be a nightmare?

Bye for now ...

Iain

Sean do you have PR? We are on a 1 year WP - will apply soon for PR.

Iain, If you are here on a WP your wife should be elligible for an "open" work permit, which will then entitle her to OHIP after the 3 month wait. Worth looking into...add it to the list!

Iain

As explained above, you will have to wait 3 months for health coverage in Ontario, so the sooner you apply, the better. There should be a ministry of tranport kiosk in your neck of the wood, just go in with your UK license ( more than 2yrs exp ), your passport and $50 for the exchange, but make sure you make copies of it, for if and when you go back to the UK.

As you might have noticed, you basically have to drive to get everywhere. PCfinancial will open an account for you with a temp SIN #, but they will want all sort of other IDs just to cover their bacon.

Seanboxer.....seems like you got a lot done, since getting here, good on you. We are SUBARU fans too, and have our eye on the forrester XS 2.5 model

Good luck with everything.

PS: A site here that I have found very useful, is www.settlement.org

Just a quick note for the OHIP, we didn't register for it straight away on arrival, bad advice, it was just over the three months when we registered and we where covered immediately. Gave us temporary cards on the spot, slip of paper, and then the cards turned up within a week or so.

Don't know if this was standard practice though. I have found that you can ask the same question many times and get totally different answers, especially in dealings with government officials. In other words if you don't get the answer you like the first time, try again with a different person.

We looked at the Forrester too but from certain angles it looked just a bit too 'boxy'. The Outback has nicer lines, but basically all the models are good. Subaru has a great reputation over here.

I would have thought "boxy" doesn't bother you The outback just doesn't do it for us, it's too long, and looks like something that people with plenty of kids will drive around.

You are right, they are good cars, and the fact that they are AWD, is just an added bonus. I just hope people don't start snapping them up like the new mazda 3 & 6, because that will make the price go up more.

I like the petit and bigou look of the forrester XS 2.5, the new Saturn SUV looks nice also.

I love my Legacy. However, Subaru are pushing up market in a big way with the new models, and even I would rather have an Audi than a Sube if they are going to ask the same kind of money. Legacy GT now starts in the mid to high 30s (before tax) for what is classed as a mid/compact here, even the base spec is $28k. FWIW Subes tend to keep their used prices well due to reputation for reliability and AWD rarity in that price bracket.

Noone with kids drives an Outback, they all have vans. For my money the outback is just a legacy that costs more, has more wallowy suspension and vaguer roadhandling. Dont know why people bother with it to be honest, I guess its image related. If you want to go off road in it without a low range, thats your business.

My boss just got a new Turbo Forester, and has a grin on his face which will probably last until just after they take his license away. (Now its run in and he can rev to the red line with full turbo effect its too quick for his own good)

If I didnt have the wife and child to consider I would take an Imprezza WRX and a set of snow tires for the winter over almost anything else out there. Dont know what the insurance would be though , but the Legacy is not too bad in that respect.

Iain