Hi people,

So I've heard about this forum and thought I would join to get some advice from people who have lived and done the emigration to Canada.

I'm trying to workout where I would be best moving to in Canada, so thought I would give a brief description of what I will be doing out there and what I would love to have.

So I will be working as a programmer out there so ideally a place with good job opportunities however, I am happy to free lance or do an hour or so commute everyday. I am nearly 30 and night clubs don't do it for me so it is not a priority for a crazy night life but I would like somewhere that does have nice bars/pubs that I could occasionally go to. I'm big into sport so anywhere I can watch and play football(soccer). Ice Hockey is something I'd like to watch a lot more and maybe give a bash at playing in a Sunday league the same as football....so I guess supporting a good hockey team would be beneficial as well it is bad enough I support Leeds Utd

I won't be getting a house straight away, priority would be Job and settling first, but I would love to eventually start a family when I meet Miss (Canadian) Right so I would want somewhere you would get a decent sized house for your money. 3-4 bed, garage, basement with a big garden/land.

Ideally I'd want to live closer to the east coast and that is purely because of football fixtures back here and I guess it's easier to ring being 5 hrs behind than 8...but in all honesty it's not a deal breaker living further west.

I really appreciate the time any one has spent reading this and even more so anyone replying and giving advice!

First question you should be answering rather than where to go is how you plan on getting there. You seem very certain saying you 'will be working as a programmer' ... 'won't be getting a house' - do you have a permit/residency sorted? Or are these just things you'd like/hope/plan to be doing? You say you're nearly 30 - do you have an IEC permit? Is that a route you hope to be going down but yet to sort out?

If you've got that sorted already then fine, just that it's a fairly important part and you didn't mention it

Sounds like you'll fit in well in the Kitchener/Waterloo region or in the Greater Toronto Area proper.

Ottawa could also be a good choice. Great city! I lived there for over 15 years when I arrived from England.

How do you feel about Winter? Ottawa may be the best city in Canada, according to certain media sources, but you can get ~300 cm of snow a year. Compare that to maybe 100 cm in Southern Ontario. In Western Canada you get some snow, but way less humidity. More sunshine in Western Canada, except when you get all the way out to Vancouver - where you get rain, not snow, less sun. Eastern Canada is beautiful in the summer. Not so much in the winter.

Do you want a big city or a smaller town? Here is a link to a list that comes out every year. This year it is more interactive - you can dial in things more important to you. In the last couple of years, Ottawa has topped the list. My smaller town of Burlington is a perennial favorite, but I think it is over ranked for what it is. Weather is not that good. Read 6 months of winter, 6 months of high humidity.


One thing to consider - if the ranking includes affordable real estate - that can be telling - if housing is cheap it can be because it is a dump. Hamilton comes to mind.

And, not to get political, but there are certain areas in Canada that are bordering on or are Socialist and others that are more Conservative. If that is a concern.

Canada's Best Places to Live 2017 - MoneySense