British Expats - Hamilton

British Expats (https://britishexpats.com/forum/)

- Canada (https://britishexpats.com/forum/canada-56/)

- - Hamilton (https://britishexpats.com/forum/canada-56/hamilton-929712/)

Oh thank you and sorry about that. Yes Iâ€™ll check that link.

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Originally Posted by Ryola2014 (Post 12776677)

Oh thank you and sorry about that. Yes Iâ€™ll check that link.

It's no problem at all. We can help you for free once you've checked and most questions can be answered on BE - just head to the immi section of the Canada forum for any visa related queries.

Good luck.

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Originally Posted by Ryola2014 (Post 12776316)

Hamilton here is my reasons. So firstly from my research it said Toronto has the most Brits so I thought well there must be a good reason for that. My husband is a Tower & crawler crane driver so figured there might be opportunities for work for him. Iâ€™ve been led to believe that crane drivers are wanted.. Then I started looking on house prices we could potentially afford. Bear in mind my mortgage here in Leeds West Yorkshire is Â£82,000 less than Â£400 a month. I lived in Western Australia for a year and loved the spacious surroundings, the cleaner more modern buildings. The friendly people. The outdoors, parks and feeling safer. Crime in my area at the moment is awful. Teens smashing bus stops & shop windows virtually every night. People are nowhere to be seen. Itâ€™s like a lawless society here and the thugs know it. Due to budget cuts. Equally my kids primary school is constantly begging parents for money or trying to raise money. Parents have to send in craft materials and books.. There is no money again due to cuts. Iâ€™m just unsatisfied with life here. I love my family although my parents are crap so there will be no loss there but just want better for my kids. Surely Hamilton is better than where I live with kids getting pissed up outside shops and houses been broke into virtually every night!

Hamilton is a City but we do have parks and outdoor areas :) Have a look at the link I gave in another post - things to do in the area and lots of links to parks and trails for walking. There is crime, as there is everywhere - but it's not 'in your face' - you don't see gangs of kids hanging around.. and I feel perfectly safe coming home from downtown on the bus at night. You are not going to find spacious properties unless you have a lot of money, prices have gone through the roof as more Torontonians move to Hamilton to escape the high prices there. 8 years ago you could buy a nice smallish 3 bed house for under $200,000 - now you would be lucky to find one under $400,000. There are cheaper 'pockets' but probably in areas you would prefer not to live. I like living in Hamilton, there's a good vibe and lots to do.. a good transit system and great restaurants, bars and music venues - plus all the usual facilities you get in Cities :) It doesn't feel like a city - it feels like a sprawling town. If you really want to be in an area where there is lots of space, perhaps look further north.

I know a crane operator and he regularly travels to Sarnia (Ontario) and Alberta to work as there isn't that much work in this area. That kind of work is often seasonal - so there may be little income in the winter months. Your husband may also need his Certificate of Qualification for Ontario (or any other Province you consider) as it may be a compulsary trade (meaning it's regulated) depending on the type of crane work he does. https://www.careersinconstruction.ca/en/career/crane-operator
https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/marketrepo...ements/7891/ON
https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/jobsearch/...fn=7371&sort=M

:)

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Originally Posted by MarylandNed (Post 12776031)

I'm honestly really not understanding all this "driving in the GTHA is stressful" vibe. IMHO, driving anywhere in Canada is much easier than driving in the UK. Most cars in Canada are automatic transmission and the roads are wider than those in the UK. I recently came back from a trip to the UK which had me driving in Edinburgh and various parts of Greater Manchester. I was driving a car with manual transmission on narrow roads with double-parked vehicles, double-decker buses, big lorries, confusing roundabouts, etc. I think that driving in and around Toronto is a piece of cake in comparison - unless you're trying to drive in really bad winter conditions.

The thing with all that is that you have to be aware and alert. The main problem in Canada, or certainly what I have seen of the majority of drivers from NS, PEI, NB or NF, is the utter lack of awareness and care. I genuinely felt safer driving in Sicily than driving here.

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Originally Posted by Tumbling_Dice (Post 12777791)

The main problem in Canada, or certainly what I have seen of the majority of drivers from NS, PEI, NB or NF, is the utter lack of awareness and care.

This made me laugh as this morning, our taxi driver to the grocery store (it was too cold & icy for a bus, only $5 more and door to door) was in the lane for the wrong strip mall and had to back up to get in the right one when I pointed it out. Less than 100 yards later, at the very next left turn he should have been taking, he was in the lane to go straight on. :blink:

Lots of to think about. Thank you for all your help and advice í ½í±í ½í¹‚

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Originally Posted by Ryola2014 (Post 12775743)

Jeeeesus you guys are totally putting me off driving in Canada full stop! Iâ€™ve had my driving licence since 2006 but if I donâ€™t know the roads, which lane to be in etc I freak out. This is honestly my main concern about moving to Canada. I donâ€™t know what to do ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½

Hi from a fellow expat who was dreading driving over here I would take the long route in the UK to avoid the Motorway and hated long journeys with a passion. But over here the roads are bigger and on the Highway you get plenty of notice of what lane you need to be in, and even if you take the wrong turn itâ€™s far easier to correct it than in the UK. Iâ€™m not saying it isnâ€™t daunting at first but once you get your head around it it is pretty simple. Iâ€™m now dreading driving in the UK when we go back next year and getting used to driving a â€œstickâ€ again.

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Originally Posted by Lichisadave (Post 12778598)

Iâ€™m now dreading driving in the UK when we go back next year and getting used to driving a â€œstickâ€ again.

If you're hiring a car just specify automatic. Lots of them here (both our cars are automatic), won't be a problem at all.

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Originally Posted by Ryola2014 (Post 12776316)

Hi welcome from a fellow Yorkshire girl originally from Hull I can totally understand where you are coming from in terms of wanting better for your kids. I donâ€™t know much about Hamilton apart from it seems to be getting more popular because house prices are cheaper than Toronto or Oakville/Burlington, Iâ€™ve heard good things about Stoney Creek. All I can say is we have been here 18 months and love it there are lots for the kids to do especially in the summer you donâ€™t particularly need to spend a fortune on days out like in the UK there are beaches that are accessible and you donâ€™t need to worry about sitting in traffic for hours to get there, and trails and parks. In the summer most childrens play areas have splash pads which is great for the younger ones. As for teenagers hanging around I havenâ€™t seen any where we live but Iâ€™m sure there are some areas that have it. What I and expat friends have said is that children are more respectful of their siblings and others here itâ€™s taught in Kindergarten upwards.

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Originally Posted by Lichisadave (Post 12778873)

Hi welcome from a fellow Yorkshire girl originally from Hull I can totally understand where you are coming from in terms of wanting better for your kids. I donâ€™t know much about Hamilton apart from it seems to be getting more popular because house prices are cheaper than Toronto or Oakville/Burlington, Iâ€™ve heard good things about Stoney Creek. All I can say is we have been here 18 months and love it there are lots for the kids to do especially in the summer you donâ€™t particularly need to spend a fortune on days out like in the UK there are beaches that are accessible and you donâ€™t need to worry about sitting in traffic for hours to get there, and trails and parks. In the summer most childrens play areas have splash pads which is great for the younger ones. As for teenagers hanging around I havenâ€™t seen any where we live but Iâ€™m sure there are some areas that have it. What I and expat friends have said is that children are more respectful of their siblings and others here itâ€™s taught in Kindergarten upwards.

Re Stoney Creek - be aware there is very little public transit there... I would choose Hamilton over Stoney Creek unless they are going to have 2 vehicles.