MR79

Hi All,

Please can someone advise me on the following -

affordable areas to live around Edmonton?

also i take it you only pay one tax gst and not pst?

Car insurance is cheap and not like BC icbc?

you can exchange you uk license for Canadian license?

you get free medical cover without having to wait 3 months?

how bad are the winters in edmonton?

I appreciate and welcome all answers to my questions above, i an trying to compare edmonton to bc.

MR79

Butch Cassidy

Well dont. You cant compare Kamloops to Vancouver (well not in any meaningful way) or Prince George or Sparwood so why do think you can compare Edmonton to the WHOLE of BC????

Lloydies

Here's a few answers - maybe you should wait to hear from others that have been here longer.

Butch Cassidy

LOL

Linda P

Chill out guys..........I am sure Butch wasn't trying to be rude. He's a big softy really


Affordable houses....this depends on what you call affordable? Also what type of area you want to be in? Do you have children?

Car insurance.... I'm with Llyodies on that...it certainly isn't cheap.

Edmonton winters.....personally I love them, I still went walking in -48, we also ski, so the winters can't come fast enough for us!

It all depends what you want from life

Linda

Butch Cassidy

Quite right Linda, I was in no way attempting (or intending) to be rude

MR79

Well it did come across rude to me and i am just trying to get some answers to my questions and could really do without answers like yours unless they are of some good advice...anyways forgotten about...

I know that ICBC are a complete rip off when it comes to car insurance and just wanted to know do they operate a similiar system in Edmonton or is it generally cheaper.....

I am not sure what areas there are in Edmonton and i am looking at buying a old style basement home in an affordable area for under $400,000.... close to good transport links to downtown.....

In terms of the weather just wanted to know does it snow all winter long and for how many months?

MR79

jericho

If you're worried about snow, Canada is probably the wrong country for you.
If you love snow and cant get enough of it, Vancouver is the wrong city for you.

Winters in Edmonton are cold. It's normally around -20, but can get much colder. However, if you're thinking "Jeez, i get cold when it's -2 in the UK. How can I cope with -30!" you're not making a fair comparison. It's a very dry climate, and it makes a big difference.
One thing about Edmonton is that it's usually sunny. You can be outside in -30 quite comfortably, as long as you're not in shorts and t-shirt. It's not as cold as you'd think. We've just had our first winter, and the temperature didnt stop us from doing anything.
It snows a fair bit, but not compared to other places in Canada. Last winter, I'd say we accumulated a couple of feet of snow. Once the snow begins to fall, it's here until the thaw in the spring. Due to the temperature, it doesnt stay as "snow" for long- it freezes in to ice. The snow is typically dry and powdery too, so not much good for snowmen/snowballs.

We had spaces of a couple of weeks or more where it didnt snow, and it was clear blue skies all the time... but -30. Then it'd snow for a couple of days and there'd be a fresh layer of about 4 or 5 inches on your garden.

The winters here should not be a reason to come IMO.

MR79

Hi Jericho,

Thanks for that, any advise on my other questions?

MR79

Largo

Ordinarily, I do not usually, agree with Butch's replies, however,in this case I do agree with him 100% Canada is so vast, even within a province , from N to S and E to W there are so many variations . It is impossible to say ; this is the best place to go. In my case it was trial and error, and this is part of the adventure.
.

Lived in Edmonton, in the early 60,s. yes, it did snow , but not that much, and yes it did get very cold, but it was a dry cold and it was difficult to make snowmen etc, because there was not enough moisture in the snow.
Even when my children were very young, we spent at least 1/2 hr, each day outside playing in the snow.
One day, when I was working, the temp. only reached -29 below, but with the windchill it was -90 below.Whereas I managed to get to work,( after my car a 1958 Austin, bought second- hand from the British Trade Commissioner's wife, actually a great little car,) I could not get home and had to call a taxi. But it was up and going the next day.

I don't think , at least in my case, could I call life in Canada ' Cushy' ( is that term still used )?

So , compare and beware. I'm still here after 52 years.

Linda P

Generally SW Edmonton is very nice, good schools, lovely ravines, it's within easy reach of any retail outlet you should need and it also has good public transport to downtown.

Have you looked on.
www.mls.ca
and
www.comfree.com

Linda

MR79

hi largo,

thanks for the post, if you look at my original questions i was only trying to find out which province/area is cheaper,thats why i asked such questions, also regarding the weather i thought it would be nice to get first hand knowledge on what it is like during the winter, thats it really.........

MR79

Largo

It has been a very long time since I lived in Edmonton, so I could not answer questions about life there today, re; prices etc.However, weather is much the same there now, as it was when I lived there. I don't know that Alberta is now one of the less expensive provinces in which to live. It all depends on what you are looking for in life.

Anyway, good luck, whatever you decide.

bsmith

If you want an unbiased opinion of Edmonton, read my post "One year in Edmonton Alberta" on the Canniversary page.

Butch Cassidy

MR79,

As far as insurance is concerned (ok I'm in Calgary but I'm sure they operate in Edmonton) we found Ing Novex to be VERY cheap (got the policy via brokerlink)