EngCan

Hi all,

We are still in the early days of our application but are thinking of a few different options.
Does anyone have any opinions or info on Hamilton?
Schools, houses, etc?

Thank you,
Robyn

dbd33

There are lots of past threads on Hamilton. Here's one:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/canad...please-549477/

EngCan

Thank you.

dbd33

Not at all, note that I just searched for the keyword "Hamilton" and posted the link. I see now that that is the harshest Hamilton thread that ever existed.

Partially discharged

Mikey B and Rich_007 in the same old thread. They seem to have disappeared. I think Mikey B totally assimilated

dbd33

Sad.

DandNHill

We've been living in Hamilton since July this year.

There is a lot of negative input about Hamilton on BEs. In many cases from people who have never set foot in Hamilton.

I'm still new so obviously I don't know the place that well. It's an industrial town which means lots of "blue collar" workers. A few ladies of the night too if you know where to find them...

Hamilton however is such a big place. There are very different areas attracting very different people so don't be put off by the industrial part.

The general consensus is that Hamilton is going through a wide scale gentrification. The downtown area is changing all the time. I can see the difference not so much from my 3 months as a resident but the 3 years I have been in Ontario. There is the most amazing movie theatre at Jackson Square. They have huge leather recliners, I'm never going anywhere else!!!

We live in the Hamilton Beach Community (under the Skyway bridge). Our 12 year old goes to the local catchment school which is a little rough around the edges but he seems happy overall and has been making friends. We're renting at the moment but we are considering buying along here as we believe it will be a good investment.

If you're seriously considering a move here check out Stoney Creek, Ancaster or the mountain. Both are considered good areas.

Siouxie

Ugh DBD - could you have picked a worse (or older) thread, lol.

Here you go, a few threads on it from the past year or so:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/canad...ntario-883885/
http://britishexpats.com/forum/canad...milton-883238/
http://britishexpats.com/forum/canad...chools-883204/
http://britishexpats.com/forum/canad...rhoods-881759/
http://britishexpats.com/forum/canad...dundas-860116/
http://britishexpats.com/forum/canad...milton-855352/

and lastly

Hamilton : British Expat Wiki

I particularly like this link, provided in one of the threads

28 Reasons Absolutely Everyone Hates Hamilton, Ontario

and these videos


If you need any specific advice do shout! There's a few of us from the Hammer

Paul_Shepherd

Thats going back a bit!

I actually knew "Mikey B" personally... we were once friends infact!! Hard to believe now.

He claimed to know a lot about Canada, where in fact he knew very little. I knew more in my first 3 months of living here, than he knew in his first 3 years. Needless to say we are no longer acquainted, we had a big fall out 2 months after my arrival in Canada.

So his arrogant opinionated view on Hamilton has no substance whatsoever.

Partially discharged

I remember his posts a lot. He seemed to throw himself heavily into being a 'canadian' and he seemed to have rather sexist opinions. One of the more colourful posters but not as colourful as 'ultrarunner'.

Paul_Shepherd

"Colourful" was a polite way of describing him.... your right in that did throw himself into being a "Canadian" aspect, even though he knew little what being "Canadian" was about and quite frequently would show his ignorance.

I used to work with him in the UK....he came to Canada in 2005, and took great delight in telling everyone in the UK that they lived in a "shithole" his words not mine, and went on to say that he had the guts to do something about it! He totally missed the point that he most of his friends and work colleagues were happy with life in the UK.

He is very arrogant and in being so, isolated himself, all connections and "friends" in the UK grew tired of his "look at me" and "look how great my life is" communique.

He offered me a place to stay and base myself until I got my feet on the ground when I came over in 2009....so I was prepared to over look his opinionated arrogant attitude, but it only lasted 2 months, that arrogance was too much for me and we had a huge falling out, and I never spoke to him again.

lmartin1000

I have family who live near Gage Park and actually looked at a house in that area recently. I quite liked Ottawa Street. But not especially cheap. Depending where you are working also look at St Catharines. Downtown there has really improved. We had an excellent dinner at Bolete, a couple of lunchtime pints at The Merchant Ale House and a nice trip to some wineries. If I didn't have to be in Toronto every day I would definitely consider it (and it is still cheap).