Canada Jane

:scared: Dear friends - we need your help!

We are almost two years into our immigration plans (2 yrs since deciding to move, 15 months since AOR) and have just suddenly had cold feet about where we want to settle. Our AOR is May 04 and stated 15 months, so we are hoping to hear about meds anytime soon.

Since originally applying we have settled on SW Ontario. We originally thought about the area around London and visited in May 04. We decided that we liked the nearby areas of Tillsonburg/Delhi/Simcoe, so visited again May 05 to visit this area and liked it.

However, now that we are close, we are now thinking that we might prefer Southern Alberta! This is worrying as we have never visited Alberta, but have no problem with landing there and then using the first month to look around and decide if it is the place for us, if not we can go back to Ontario.

Ideally we want a property that has some land (1-2+ acres) with it and preferably not too urban - we like the rural way of life, but at the same time we don't want to be cut off from civilisation. We would also need high speed internet for our business. We would be looking to spend in up to about $250k.

Does anyone have any views that would help us in our decision? Perhaps someone who has experienced both area and can suggest a nice place to settle in Alberta.

Any help will be gratefully received
Thanks
Jane (confussed)

Judy in Calgary

Hello Jane,

At first I thought the Bragg Creek area, 40 km west of Calgary, might suit your needs. However, according to the Multiple Listing Service's web site, the houses there started in the C$350,000 range, and climbed to the $1,000,000 range.

I also looked in the Black Diamond / Longview area, about 1.5 hours southwest of Calgary. Those are small towns surrounded by ranches in a scenic foothills landscape. I didn't find any properties that seemed suitable.

Next, I looked in Mountain View County, in which the towns of Carstairs, Didsbury, Olds and Sundre were located. There I found properties that seemed to be perfect matches, according to my understanding of your needs.

I stand to be corrected on this point, but my hunch is that Bragg Creek, while it is out in the forest, is close enough to Calgary to serve as a bedroom community for Calgary. I think that's what drives the prices up.

When you're talking about Mountain View County, you're talking about an area that is about double the distance from Calgary. There are fewer yuppies who commute into Calgary. Lower demand for real estate translates into lower prices. That is my reading of the situation.

If you do choose Alberta as your destination, I think you would be wise to keep an open mind and consider the fact that the area around Edmonton also might provide you with what you want.

Having said all this, I feel you're putting the cart before the horse at this stage of the game. Ontario can provide you with the kind of property you're looking for. Alberta can provide you with the kind of property you're looking for. Every province in Canada can provide you with the kind of property you're looking for. So I think there are more fundamental questions to ask at this point.

I'd be curious to know what it is about Alberta that attracts you. Indeed, I'd be curious to know what it is about Canada that attracts you. Knowing these things would help a person to direct you to useful sources of information during your research phase.

bobhope

Well you dont pay province tax in Alberta, you get health care as soon as you land and register, erm, not too far from mountains, its the richest province in Canada, more money spent on health and education. For 250,000 you would have to be about half an hour outside Edmonton, but close enough to city to make it ok, stick near to major highways as they are cleared of snow quickly. If you want rural farm type, very friendly community, then try Lethbridge, further south than Calgary. Hope this helps.

dbd33

Eh ? Doesn't this rather clash with the neo-conservative economic policies of the religious fundamentalist government ?

Remya

I'm sure Judy in Calgary can clarify, but I've got a friend from Calgary who is constantly bemoaning the fact that mothers have to hold a lot of cake bake sale thingies and other charity ideas just to buy textbooks because schools are extremely under funded and can't provide them...

Judy in Calgary

That is correct.

You see it not only in the education system but also in the health care system.

I have a friend who is recovering from cancer. Because of the specific kind of cancer she had, she's a candidate for a treatment called Herceptin® (Trastuzumab). This, supposedly the richest of Canada's provinces, also is the only province that does not give cancer patients free access to Herceptin.

Judy in Calgary

Just as a point of clarification, Alberta does not have a provincial sales tax. However, like other provinces, it does have a provincial income tax, albeit the provincial income tax is amongst the lowest, if not the lowest in Canada.

Since Jane mentioned a business, I'll confirm that Alberta's tax climate is very favourable for a small business with profits of up to C$200,000 a year. But then I think most provinces give small businesses favourable tax treatment.

Edited to correct the small business threshold that I mentioned above. It used to be C$200,000. In recent years it has increased in increments to the point that it now is C$400,000.

While the small business threshold has been increasing, the small business tax rate has been falling. A few years ago it was 6%. Now it's 3%.

hot wasabi peas

One of my good friends is a Calgarian and she had enough of the place and has moved. She was sick of seeing the province turning to crap. Ironically, she moved to the States (but a really nice state).

Judy in Calgary

What was wrong with the woman? Didn't she want to live on an acreage outside of Cochrane, with a small plane and a couple of horses, and forget about the homeless people under the Centre Street Bridge?

What state, pray tell, is that?

CalgaryBlade

I doubt she'll be missed

From an article about labour shortgages in Alberta in this morning's National Post:

"The government said 5,259 more people moved to the province than left it in the first quarter of 2005, 3500 more than last year. Ontario, Canada's most populous province lost 1,501 people in the first qusrter to other provinces almost all of them to Alberta"

As for healthcare, we got a family doctor as soon as we arrived. Oh, and some of the biggest construction projects in Calgary are new hospitals.

We have not had to do any fund-raising at school for books, but for extra-curricular things such as to have an artist in residence.

However, it sometimes is frustrating that we are constantly being told how much money the province has, are constantly being asked how it should be spent and then nothing much happens. Apart from a major road building program in Calgary to service the new sub-divisions.

A lot of the problems stem from the speed that the economy and province is growing. I don't think the provincial politiicians really know how to cope.

But nowhere's perfect and on balance, we're glad we live here.

frankieforehead

Canada jane

Probably 2 late for you now, but three weeks ago in our local paper there was an advert for a rural property down by lethbridge, 7 acres + two rental properties, barn and various other small buildings for an unbelievable CAD290,000....so if that sort of thing is up your street try contacting some realtors in or around lethbridge.
Regards
Frankieforehead

Canada Jane

Many thanks for replies so far.

In answer to Judy re above question. I suppose when we first though about emigrating to Canada we thought as most people do of open countryside, mountain views etc. However, we seemed "drawn" for some strange reason to the London area of Ontario.


As I mentioned we have visited the area twice and found it perfectly acceptable, but it is very featureless and flat landscape-wise. As far as the weather is concerned, they seem to have distinct seasons, at least more than we have in the UK which we look forward to. Overall, it was ok.


The trouble is now we are getting closer to getting our med requests and hopefully visas we are thinking to ourselves, is ok good enough – we have ok in England. My hubby has always looked forward to being within shouting distance of mountains, views etc, which we will not get in SW Ontario.

This is when we began to think that if we are having second thoughts, now is the time to have them whilst we can still change our minds and it not cost us too much in either heartache or money.

We have no need of schools etc as it is just the two of us. Our business is internet based, so as long as we have a good internet connection our location is irrelevant. So our main concerns are finding a nice property in a good location with reasonable weather.


We have discussed other provinces during the long process, but have only ever seriously considered Alberta or Ontario.


On another note, I seem to remember that someone said you can now exchange UK driving licence for an Alberta one without taking another test (as you can in Ontario). Is this really the case – the relevant Alberta website still indicates that a test is required.


Any more help much appreciated

Jane

frankieforehead

No absolutely true, you CAN simply exchange your UK license for an Alberta license.

MikeUK

Well just to give you a little more insight

The area you chose in SW Ontario which is very picturesque in summer, is very dull in winter.. its also the home to the tobacco farmers which are having a bit of a hard time at the moment too
And from my memories of driving through the region, has more than its fair share of religious wackos…
Having said that it doesn’t become a frozen wasteland between November and May

hot wasabi peas

Exactly.

Hawaii.