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Considering a move to Canada
Hello everyone,
My OH and I have been considering emigrating to Canada from Manchester for 2009 or 2010. I've been offered a surgical job at a Calgary hospital though I'm not certain about moving yet. For those who enjoy living in Canada, and have explored much of it, I have a few questions: 1. Is it cold in Canada? How often does it snow? Does it snow everywhere or just in certain areas? 2. What typical cultural activities do Canadians engage in? 3. Is it true that Canadians are obsessed trying to compare themselves to or compete with their southern neighbours in every aspect? 4. What warm areas do Canadians flock to when they want to escape the coldness? Thanks |
Re: Considering a move to Canada
From one manc to another :eek:
Originally Posted by lankymancky
(Post 7207081)
1. Is it cold in Canada? Yes it can be - but especially in Alberta -10 in the uk is nowhere near -10 in Alberta. The Uk is a "damp" cold and we dont suffer from the dampness as much. The thing that makes it worse here - which you dont get as much of in the UK - is the wind chill factor as this can lower the "temp" by anything from a few to 10 or more degrees. The only thing which feels cold is any part of your body which isnt covered - so in the winter sod the fashion statement and swaddle up in a good ski jacket, hat, gloves and scarf and limit the area exposed and you will be fine. How often does it snow? That depends where abouts you are - the east coast gets as much if not more than Alberta and BC gets less than Alberta. Does it snow everywhere or just in certain areas? I reckon it snows in most places but the city or council cope with the snow removal etc a lot better than in the UK - the country obviously doesnt shut down like the UK with a few inches of snow. Most places can easily cope with the snow fall. 2. What typical cultural activities do Canadians engage in? Life out here is alot more family orientated than the UK - we have a better work life balance. People do go out to bars and clubs etc but it all depends where you live - if you do live somewhere like Calgary then you will have alot more opportunities and things to do than in a smaller town like Lethbridge where I live (population in the region of 85,000). 3. Is it true that Canadians are obsessed trying to compare themselves to or compete with their southern neighbours in every aspect? Not from what I have seen but I do find that people living in a bigger city are a little more materialistic than say people living in a smaller town like me - mainly because things are easier to get if you live in Calgary than in a smaller town. We just get used to not being able to get as readily and therefore learn to live without for longer. 4. What warm areas do Canadians flock to when they want to escape the coldness? Generally people will go south to Mexico, Dominican Republic Florida and the like - vary rarely will you here of people going to the MEd for a holiday I think that the hassle of flights and the costs puts people off unless they have family there. Thanks 2007-08 winter we had 3 really cold days at -42ish. Yes it was bloody cold but you only go out if you need to - stay in the house if it is warm you are good to go ! The snow stretched from early November to late February then all cleared up and we got another dump mid April :eek: So far this winter we had no bad weather or snow till mid December and we have had a huge dump of snow but for the last week we have had a lovely balmy 10 above:eek: then yesterday we went below again and got another dump of snow. Who knows what the rest of the winter is going to bring us but from what the locals here have said is that this has been the worst snow fall for about 10 years. Gaynor |
Re: Considering a move to Canada
Originally Posted by lankymancky
(Post 7207081)
Hello everyone,
My OH and I have been considering emigrating to Canada from Manchester for 2009 or 2010. I've been offered a surgical job at a Calgary hospital though I'm not certain about moving yet. For those who enjoy living in Canada, and have explored much of it, I have a few questions: 1. Is it cold in Canada? How often does it snow? Does it snow everywhere or just in certain areas? Today it is -40 in Grande Prairie (with the wind chill.) The first snow fell in October. I have no idea when it will have melted by, although I have been told by a 'local' that we will have snow until April. 2. What typical cultural activities do Canadians engage in? The Canadians I know like, fishing, quadding, snowmobiling, shooting, drinking, road-trips, hockey, football, the rodeo..........I can't be bothered to go on. I know these aren't what you would call "cultural activities" but they are activities non-the less!! 3. Is it true that Canadians are obsessed trying to compare themselves to or compete with their southern neighbours in every aspect? Im my experience, no. 4. What warm areas do Canadians flock to when they want to escape the coldness? I'm off to Cuba with some Canadians in two weeks. I have friends that go to Thailand/Mexico/Florida Thanks I'm sure some-one from Calgary will be along soon to answer some of your questions.......and their answers will probably be completely different to mine! |
Re: Considering a move to Canada
First: is this a serious post?:lol:
If so, welcome to British Expats and suggest you check out the BE wiki pages (click on the link in the blue bar below the Title) for answers to many of your questions, but to give you a starter for ten: 1. Calgary has very individual weather....today there is a high of -22 or so ... two days ago it was +15 degrees C. The big rise in temps is caused by the Chinook Wind ("Snow-Eater") .. read the wiki. 2. Cultural activities? Anything you want really. (Ice) Hockey is huge here of course, but in Calgary there are music and arts as well as all the outdoor pursuits you might want .... skiing/hiking/hunting/whatever. We are only an hour's drive from the Canadian Rockies, and the scenerey is spectacular. 3. Not that I've noticed. 4. Mexico or Hawaii (depending on your budget!) What sort of surgical post? I've been working with a guy who has just returned to UK to take up an orthosurgeons consultant position in the UK. He was here for a year and found it really expensive to what he was expecting. He loved it anyway, but his wife was stuck at home, homesick, with small kiddies and didn't enjoy the experience nearly as much. I am a PT at Foothills Medical Centre btw .... |
Re: Considering a move to Canada
Thanks for all your replies, everyone.
Another question I have to ask is: Why is it that many major Canadian cities (such as Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, Windsor, Regina, Winnipeg and Quebec) are located so closely to the US border? Is the northern region too cold /uninhabitable or is it mainly due to economic reasons? |
Re: Considering a move to Canada
Originally Posted by lankymancky
(Post 7207130)
Is the northern region too cold /uninhabitable ?
are you sure these are serious questions??? What I find most interesting is the influence of the Jet Stream http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/jet_stream/index_e.html Anything north of the jet-stream is COLD and south of it is relatively mild.... but it moves around a heck of a lot, looping north or south day by day ..... |
Re: Considering a move to Canada
Originally Posted by lankymancky
(Post 7207130)
Thanks for all your replies, everyone.
Another question I have to ask is: Why is it that many major Canadian cities (such as Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, Windsor, Regina, Winnipeg and Quebec) are located so closely to the US border? Is the northern region too cold /uninhabitable or is it mainly due to economic reasons? Second part - rule of thumb is the further north to the Arctic the colder it is. We are just over 2 hours south of Calgary and temps here can range from -30 plus wind chill to 35 above in the summer:thumbsup: |
Re: Considering a move to Canada
Originally Posted by Morwenna
(Post 7207134)
erm yes. mostly. http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/canada_e.html
are you sure these are serious questions??? What I find most interesting is the influence of the Jet Stream http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/jet_stream/index_e.html Anything north of the jet-stream is COLD and south of it is relatively mild.... but it moves around a heck of a lot, looping north or south day by day ..... Considering the economic downturn here in Blighty I'm thinking that a move to Canada may also be the best decision for my 8-month-old son. |
Re: Considering a move to Canada
Originally Posted by lankymancky
(Post 7207130)
Thanks for all your replies, everyone.
Another question I have to ask is: Why is it that many major Canadian cities (such as Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, Windsor, Regina, Winnipeg and Quebec) are located so closely to the US border? Is the northern region too cold /uninhabitable or is it mainly due to economic reasons? |
Re: Considering a move to Canada
Originally Posted by lankymancky
(Post 7207151)
Yes, my questions are serious. I just happen to be the type of person who, over the past few years, has been getting more and more annoyed with the cold weather and rain that I experience every year.
Considering the economic downturn here in Blighty I'm thinking that a move to Canada may also be the best decision for my 8-month-old son. I would not consider moving to Canada if you do not like the cold or rain in the UK. I spent 9 winters there and 8 summers and much prefer the UK climate. As you can see in previous posts the temperature can swing 70-80C between winter and summer. An expat told me he was amazed to see 60C change in temperature within three months. My wife and I really realised there was not much differences living in Canada than the UK on a numbers of issues that the daily Mail readers post on this forum. Canada also suffering job losses like the UK and if you have not a job to go to I would stay in the UK until both economies stabilize again. Canada has lost more jobs than the UK and doing simple maths they are having close to double the job losses that the UK are experiencing. I still in regular contact with friends in Canada and they are worried about a recession in Canada as well. I experience a turn down in 1999 in the Alberta job market due to the drop in the oil price which affected many companies. Being an immigrant it was hard to get a decent paying job until I relocated to Ontario. I think the couple of years living in Alberta cost me more than I earned there. We decided that there would be more opportunities in growing up in the UK than in Canada for our 2 sons. If you search some of my previous posts you find more detail. I would consider moving aback to Alberta for work if they build a CANDU reactor there as I have both PWR and CANDU experience. The only difference if I work overseas again I would not give up my house in the UK. Hudd |
Re: Considering a move to Canada
is the economic downturn affecting surgical jobs?
Calgary is lovely, but don't go to the zoo in May without your snow gear, whether the sun is shining or not... <bitter experience> less rain, more snow, but good winter gear so not really an issue - they don't close the schools unless it's below -40. :eek: foothills? surgery there saved my husband's life :) sooooo close to the mountains you can spit on them, so pick an outdoor activity and go. (don't go in the other direction lol - apols to prairie dwellers) we went to jamaica, but not sure we were typical... |
Re: Considering a move to Canada
Originally Posted by lankymancky
(Post 7207130)
Thanks for all your replies, everyone.
Another question I have to ask is: Why is it that many major Canadian cities (such as Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, Windsor, Regina, Winnipeg and Quebec) are located so closely to the US border? Is the northern region too cold /uninhabitable or is it mainly due to economic reasons? |
Re: Considering a move to Canada
Originally Posted by lankymancky
(Post 7207081)
Hello everyone,
My OH and I have been considering emigrating to Canada from Manchester for 2009 or 2010. I've been offered a surgical job at a Calgary hospital though I'm not certain about moving yet. For those who enjoy living in Canada, and have explored much of it, I have a few questions: 1. Is it cold in Canada? How often does it snow? Does it snow everywhere or just in certain areas? 2. What typical cultural activities do Canadians engage in? 3. Is it true that Canadians are obsessed trying to compare themselves to or compete with their southern neighbours in every aspect? 4. What warm areas do Canadians flock to when they want to escape the coldness? Thanks Everyone has answered your queries but, does your UK education satisfy the licencing requirements in Alberta? |
Re: Considering a move to Canada
Originally Posted by lankymancky
(Post 7207081)
Hello everyone,
My OH and I have been considering emigrating to Canada from Manchester for 2009 or 2010. I've been offered a surgical job at a Calgary hospital though I'm not certain about moving yet. For those who enjoy living in Canada, and have explored much of it, I have a few questions: 1. Is it cold in Canada? How often does it snow? Does it snow everywhere or just in certain areas?
Originally Posted by lankymancky
(Post 7207081)
2. What typical cultural activities do Canadians engage in?
Originally Posted by lankymancky
(Post 7207081)
3. Is it true that Canadians are obsessed trying to compare themselves to or compete with their southern neighbours in every aspect?
Originally Posted by lankymancky
(Post 7207081)
4. What warm areas do Canadians flock to when they want to escape the coldness? Thanks hopefully being a European you find all the refences to weather patterns, cultural activities and holidaying habits on the eruopean scale helpful in your decision to move. Personally I would try to be a bit more local in your questioning. As why the cities are where they are much the same reason as why the cities are where they are in Europe because that's where the trade routes where. Could be more informative to find out why the Borders where placed where they are? Who agreed to the funny little bits that stick out of place. Also the maps are really showing the true poltical boundaries as First Nations lands cross the map borders. So is every Canadian city truly less than a 100 miles from the border. Lanky cna you tellme why every city in the UK is less 120 miles from the sea? |
Re: Considering a move to Canada
Originally Posted by lankymancky
(Post 7207081)
Hello everyone,
My OH and I have been considering emigrating to Canada from Manchester for 2009 or 2010. I've been offered a surgical job at a Calgary hospital though I'm not certain about moving yet. For those who enjoy living in Canada, and have explored much of it, I have a few questions: 1. Is it cold in Canada? How often does it snow? Does it snow everywhere or just in certain areas? 2. What typical cultural activities do Canadians engage in? 3. Is it true that Canadians are obsessed trying to compare themselves to or compete with their southern neighbours in every aspect? 4. What warm areas do Canadians flock to when they want to escape the coldness? Thanks You'll regret it! You'll regret it!;) |
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