Few questions !
#1
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Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 51
Few questions !
We’re very close to our move now - myself husband and 2 children. We visited last week and settled on looking at aurora Ontario to live, will have work visa for 2 years work with employer in Markham.
1. My daughter age 15 (16 in November) will start in grade 11 ? To graduate high school it’s mentions obstaining credits in grade 9/10 which she will obviously have missed - can any uk work be applied towards or will she have to complete 4 years work in 2 years ?
2 I’m on regular medication for asthma, how much are prescriptions in Ontario or how do i find price ? We’ll have heathcare coverage through work but don’t have specifics what this covers.
3 what sort of price can we buy a reasonable car for ? Nothing fancy or new - just reliable runaround.
4. We arrive June and first 4 weeks in temp accommodation, is it fairly easy to get children school place ready for September or do a lot get full up ? Are the breakfast and afterschool clubs and summer camps readily available ?
Thanks in advance !
1. My daughter age 15 (16 in November) will start in grade 11 ? To graduate high school it’s mentions obstaining credits in grade 9/10 which she will obviously have missed - can any uk work be applied towards or will she have to complete 4 years work in 2 years ?
2 I’m on regular medication for asthma, how much are prescriptions in Ontario or how do i find price ? We’ll have heathcare coverage through work but don’t have specifics what this covers.
3 what sort of price can we buy a reasonable car for ? Nothing fancy or new - just reliable runaround.
4. We arrive June and first 4 weeks in temp accommodation, is it fairly easy to get children school place ready for September or do a lot get full up ? Are the breakfast and afterschool clubs and summer camps readily available ?
Thanks in advance !
#2
Re: Few questions !
We’re very close to our move now - myself husband and 2 children. We visited last week and settled on looking at aurora Ontario to live, will have work visa for 2 years work with employer in Markham.
1. My daughter age 15 (16 in November) will start in grade 11 ? To graduate high school it’s mentions obstaining credits in grade 9/10 which she will obviously have missed - can any uk work be applied towards or will she have to complete 4 years work in 2 years ?
2 I’m on regular medication for asthma, how much are prescriptions in Ontario or how do i find price ? We’ll have heathcare coverage through work but don’t have specifics what this covers.
3 what sort of price can we buy a reasonable car for ? Nothing fancy or new - just reliable runaround.
4. We arrive June and first 4 weeks in temp accommodation, is it fairly easy to get children school place ready for September or do a lot get full up ? Are the breakfast and afterschool clubs and summer camps readily available ?
Thanks in advance !
1. My daughter age 15 (16 in November) will start in grade 11 ? To graduate high school it’s mentions obstaining credits in grade 9/10 which she will obviously have missed - can any uk work be applied towards or will she have to complete 4 years work in 2 years ?
2 I’m on regular medication for asthma, how much are prescriptions in Ontario or how do i find price ? We’ll have heathcare coverage through work but don’t have specifics what this covers.
3 what sort of price can we buy a reasonable car for ? Nothing fancy or new - just reliable runaround.
4. We arrive June and first 4 weeks in temp accommodation, is it fairly easy to get children school place ready for September or do a lot get full up ? Are the breakfast and afterschool clubs and summer camps readily available ?
Thanks in advance !
Is Markham too expensive versus Aurora?
#3
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Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 51
Re: Few questions !
If you haven't already done so, look up the catchment areas for the schools in Aurora and then contact those schools to get your children registered. I imagine that Aurora is within the York Region School Board. If you're in the catchment area you have a spot I believe. For the child in grade 11 I hope her previous subjects get her credit and then she will do grade 11 and 12. The grade 12 marks are what are counted for entry into college or university.
Is Markham too expensive versus Aurora?
Is Markham too expensive versus Aurora?
#4
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Joined: Dec 2010
Location: Whitby, Ontario
Posts: 730
Re: Few questions !
We’re very close to our move now - myself husband and 2 children. We visited last week and settled on looking at aurora Ontario to live, will have work visa for 2 years work with employer in Markham.
1. My daughter age 15 (16 in November) will start in grade 11 ? To graduate high school it’s mentions obstaining credits in grade 9/10 which she will obviously have missed - can any uk work be applied towards or will she have to complete 4 years work in 2 years ?
Thanks in advance !
1. My daughter age 15 (16 in November) will start in grade 11 ? To graduate high school it’s mentions obstaining credits in grade 9/10 which she will obviously have missed - can any uk work be applied towards or will she have to complete 4 years work in 2 years ?
Thanks in advance !
#5
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 51
Re: Few questions !
As partially Discharged mentioned, the thing to do is to contact the local school. We were in a similar position with our daughter but she was doing GCSEs in the UK just before we arrived. We contacted the relevant school before the summer and they reserved a place for her but put us in touch with an assessment centre - when we arrived in September, she had an interview with a counsellor who ‘translated’ her GCSEs into high school credits, and then she started school.
#6
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Joined: Dec 2010
Location: Whitby, Ontario
Posts: 730
Re: Few questions !
ok thanks , my daughter is not due GCSEs till next year so won’t have these. I’ll try emailing a few schools but as we don’t have an address yet it’s difficult to know which one will be our catchment school ?! On a side note , how did your child get to school , I’m worried if it’s further out she’ll be walking miles in cold temps in winter - or do they provide buses ? I can drive but not sure how confident I’ll be over there ! Thanks
The website should also give you an idea of bussing arrangements - we live some miles from the high school so mine used school bus but I don’t know what the rules are regarding distance for eligibility.
#7
Banned
Joined: Apr 2009
Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 19,879
Re: Few questions !
Go to realtor.ca and put Aurora - rent - search - then click on what looks like mortar boards in the bottom left hand corner of the map.. that will show you the different schools in the area.
https://www.realtor.ca/map#ZoomLevel...43549578933727
There are other websites that will give you the exact catchment area..
http://www.yrdsb.ca/Pages/default.aspx
You may find our wiki of use to you as well - this is just one section
https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Category:Housing-Canada
I would see if anyone can recommend a realtor to assist you in finding accommodation - it won't cost you anything and is safer than trying to find one through kijiji or similar..
This is for registration York region District school board: http://www.yrdsb.ca/AboutUs/Departme...on-Centre.aspx
https://www.realtor.ca/map#ZoomLevel...43549578933727
There are other websites that will give you the exact catchment area..
http://www.yrdsb.ca/Pages/default.aspx
You may find our wiki of use to you as well - this is just one section
https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Category:Housing-Canada
I would see if anyone can recommend a realtor to assist you in finding accommodation - it won't cost you anything and is safer than trying to find one through kijiji or similar..
This is for registration York region District school board: http://www.yrdsb.ca/AboutUs/Departme...on-Centre.aspx
Last edited by Siouxie; May 4th 2019 at 6:27 am.
#8
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 51
Re: Few questions !
Go to realtor.ca and put Aurora - rent - search - then click on what looks like mortar boards in the bottom left hand corner of the map.. that will show you the different schools in the area.
https://www.realtor.ca/map#ZoomLevel...43549578933727
There are other websites that will give you the exact catchment area..
Pages - Home
You may find our wiki of use to you as well - this is just one section
https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Category:Housing-Canada
I would see if anyone can recommend a realtor to assist you in finding accommodation - it won't cost you anything and is safer than trying to find one through kijiji or similar..
This is for registration York region District school board: Pages - Reception Centre
https://www.realtor.ca/map#ZoomLevel...43549578933727
There are other websites that will give you the exact catchment area..
Pages - Home
You may find our wiki of use to you as well - this is just one section
https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Category:Housing-Canada
I would see if anyone can recommend a realtor to assist you in finding accommodation - it won't cost you anything and is safer than trying to find one through kijiji or similar..
This is for registration York region District school board: Pages - Reception Centre
#9
Moving to Mississauga!
Joined: Sep 2016
Location: Hertfordshire - soon to be Mississauga!
Posts: 112
Re: Few questions !
Good luck with the move! A friend of mine lives in Aurora and really loves it there.
We signed a lease on a visit over before we got our visas - had to pay 2 months rent up front to secure it but it wasn’t a problem.
Our area is super strict about catchment areas and no schools would even talk to us until we had an address. Wouldn’t even let us come look around or anything!
We signed a lease on a visit over before we got our visas - had to pay 2 months rent up front to secure it but it wasn’t a problem.
Our area is super strict about catchment areas and no schools would even talk to us until we had an address. Wouldn’t even let us come look around or anything!
#10
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 51
Re: Few questions !
Good luck with the move! A friend of mine lives in Aurora and really loves it there.
We signed a lease on a visit over before we got our visas - had to pay 2 months rent up front to secure it but it wasn’t a problem.
Our area is super strict about catchment areas and no schools would even talk to us until we had an address. Wouldn’t even let us come look around or anything!
We signed a lease on a visit over before we got our visas - had to pay 2 months rent up front to secure it but it wasn’t a problem.
Our area is super strict about catchment areas and no schools would even talk to us until we had an address. Wouldn’t even let us come look around or anything!
#11
Moving to Mississauga!
Joined: Sep 2016
Location: Hertfordshire - soon to be Mississauga!
Posts: 112
Re: Few questions !
From what I understand, the school system here is very different to the UK.
The school is is obligated to give your child a space if you’re in their catchment area so you will get a space.
Schools are schools and there isn’t the disparity in quality from school to school like you get in the UK. They are roughly the same standard.
What’s more important is to live in the community you want to, then the school will service that community. It’s very different to the UK so don’t worry about it.
Anyway it’s almost impossible to choose the ideal area from afar. We moved to Mississauga and it’s fine, but we’ve been here 6 months now and realize this is not what we want so once we get PR we’ll be moving to a completely different town. It means settling will take us longer and the kids will be uprooted again but I think that’s part of the immigration process. We’re hoping by this time next year we will be settled and in the area we want to be in.
The school is is obligated to give your child a space if you’re in their catchment area so you will get a space.
Schools are schools and there isn’t the disparity in quality from school to school like you get in the UK. They are roughly the same standard.
What’s more important is to live in the community you want to, then the school will service that community. It’s very different to the UK so don’t worry about it.
Anyway it’s almost impossible to choose the ideal area from afar. We moved to Mississauga and it’s fine, but we’ve been here 6 months now and realize this is not what we want so once we get PR we’ll be moving to a completely different town. It means settling will take us longer and the kids will be uprooted again but I think that’s part of the immigration process. We’re hoping by this time next year we will be settled and in the area we want to be in.
#12
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 51
Re: Few questions !
From what I understand, the school system here is very different to the UK.
The school is is obligated to give your child a space if you’re in their catchment area so you will get a space.
Schools are schools and there isn’t the disparity in quality from school to school like you get in the UK. They are roughly the same standard.
What’s more important is to live in the community you want to, then the school will service that community. It’s very different to the UK so don’t worry about it.
Anyway it’s almost impossible to choose the ideal area from afar. We moved to Mississauga and it’s fine, but we’ve been here 6 months now and realize this is not what we want so once we get PR we’ll be moving to a completely different town. It means settling will take us longer and the kids will be uprooted again but I think that’s part of the immigration process. We’re hoping by this time next year we will be settled and in the area we want to be in.
The school is is obligated to give your child a space if you’re in their catchment area so you will get a space.
Schools are schools and there isn’t the disparity in quality from school to school like you get in the UK. They are roughly the same standard.
What’s more important is to live in the community you want to, then the school will service that community. It’s very different to the UK so don’t worry about it.
Anyway it’s almost impossible to choose the ideal area from afar. We moved to Mississauga and it’s fine, but we’ve been here 6 months now and realize this is not what we want so once we get PR we’ll be moving to a completely different town. It means settling will take us longer and the kids will be uprooted again but I think that’s part of the immigration process. We’re hoping by this time next year we will be settled and in the area we want to be in.
#13
Moving to Mississauga!
Joined: Sep 2016
Location: Hertfordshire - soon to be Mississauga!
Posts: 112
Re: Few questions !
As I say, it’s fine but there’s a few things we don’t like:
- it’s super expensive to buy a house here, you definitely get more for your money East of Toronto
- there is a huge immigrant population here dominated by one or two cultures. We’d like to live somewhere that’s a bit more of a mixture of people from all over and more multi-generational Canadians (though that’s an area thing rather than a town/city thing). To give you an idea, no kids in either of my kids classes in elementary school were born in Canada. I’d just like to be somewhere where there’s a bit more variety of cultures.
- it’s really busy here and very densely populated, we’re next to the airport so it’s noisy too
- we’re too far from the GO train line we want to be on and it’s unlikely we could afford to be close enough for us in this city
- same with proximity to the lake front - we’d rather be closer but can’t afford to here.
- it’s a big city in it’s own right (700,000 people approx) and we would rather have a smaller town feel if we can. Again, might not be a Mississauga thing, more about just finding the right area for us.
We’re looking for a house across a fairly large area so just honing in on specific areas we like and keeping an eye out for anything coming on the market.
- it’s super expensive to buy a house here, you definitely get more for your money East of Toronto
- there is a huge immigrant population here dominated by one or two cultures. We’d like to live somewhere that’s a bit more of a mixture of people from all over and more multi-generational Canadians (though that’s an area thing rather than a town/city thing). To give you an idea, no kids in either of my kids classes in elementary school were born in Canada. I’d just like to be somewhere where there’s a bit more variety of cultures.
- it’s really busy here and very densely populated, we’re next to the airport so it’s noisy too
- we’re too far from the GO train line we want to be on and it’s unlikely we could afford to be close enough for us in this city
- same with proximity to the lake front - we’d rather be closer but can’t afford to here.
- it’s a big city in it’s own right (700,000 people approx) and we would rather have a smaller town feel if we can. Again, might not be a Mississauga thing, more about just finding the right area for us.
We’re looking for a house across a fairly large area so just honing in on specific areas we like and keeping an eye out for anything coming on the market.
#14
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 51
Re: Few questions !
As I say, it’s fine but there’s a few things we don’t like:
- it’s super expensive to buy a house here, you definitely get more for your money East of Toronto
- there is a huge immigrant population here dominated by one or two cultures. We’d like to live somewhere that’s a bit more of a mixture of people from all over and more multi-generational Canadians (though that’s an area thing rather than a town/city thing). To give you an idea, no kids in either of my kids classes in elementary school were born in Canada. I’d just like to be somewhere where there’s a bit more variety of cultures.
- it’s really busy here and very densely populated, we’re next to the airport so it’s noisy too
- we’re too far from the GO train line we want to be on and it’s unlikely we could afford to be close enough for us in this city
- same with proximity to the lake front - we’d rather be closer but can’t afford to here.
- it’s a big city in it’s own right (700,000 people approx) and we would rather have a smaller town feel if we can. Again, might not be a Mississauga thing, more about just finding the right area for us.
We’re looking for a house across a fairly large area so just honing in on specific areas we like and keeping an eye out for anything coming on the market.
- it’s super expensive to buy a house here, you definitely get more for your money East of Toronto
- there is a huge immigrant population here dominated by one or two cultures. We’d like to live somewhere that’s a bit more of a mixture of people from all over and more multi-generational Canadians (though that’s an area thing rather than a town/city thing). To give you an idea, no kids in either of my kids classes in elementary school were born in Canada. I’d just like to be somewhere where there’s a bit more variety of cultures.
- it’s really busy here and very densely populated, we’re next to the airport so it’s noisy too
- we’re too far from the GO train line we want to be on and it’s unlikely we could afford to be close enough for us in this city
- same with proximity to the lake front - we’d rather be closer but can’t afford to here.
- it’s a big city in it’s own right (700,000 people approx) and we would rather have a smaller town feel if we can. Again, might not be a Mississauga thing, more about just finding the right area for us.
We’re looking for a house across a fairly large area so just honing in on specific areas we like and keeping an eye out for anything coming on the market.
#15
Moving to Mississauga!
Joined: Sep 2016
Location: Hertfordshire - soon to be Mississauga!
Posts: 112
Re: Few questions !
thats useful to know thank you ! On a side not can I ask one more question if not too nosy ! How much roughly are you spending on groceries per month and how many people for, I can’t seem to get over how much extra this is going to cost us , some saying 1500 per month for 4?
Don’t know if it’s just me clueless shopping but I shop at a very basic supermarket (No Frills) and Costco for bulk items and meat. I am getting more savvy about what/how to buy and reducing it a bit everything month though.