Hi to you all,

First post.

I'm looking for your opinions & help with a massive life decision......To go or not to go !!.

I run my own kitchen design / installation business an have done for the last 5 years. Business is very poor at the moment and doesn't look to be improving anytime soon. My wife works for Hbos in Mortgage services (qualified IFA). Her father, 2 Uncles & granparents are all Canadian citizens. We've been on holiday 4 times (3-4 weeks at a time) and loved every minute of it. We've 2 boys (4 & 2yrs).

We're tyring to decide whether or not to go. I'd jump at the chance but my OH is very cautious and about giving up what we've got here. I have a lot of time as i work from home and am always around for the boys, we take nice holidays and a have a good standard of living which may or may not continue due to the faultering builing trade in the uk and the Hbos / lloyds merger.

I'm looking for some inspiration / personal experiences be it for an also against.

Your help is greatly appreciated

Regards,

Gav.

hi gav and welcome.......

all your info is going to be found on this web site...the good, the bad and the ugly, warts and all.....so read everything is my advice.....

as to your dilema......my own personal 'thing' to say is....

'living in a box, watching a box and waiting for a box'.......

you decide! but good luck and there are plenty on here who will help as much as they can.....check out the wiki, a mind of info....

I haven't read good things about the construction industry in Canada (or Aussie for that matter) so problems in the UK might be in Canada too, as far as your business goes.

Yeah, likewise re the industry. I kinda had thoughts about doing something completely different. Possibly a completely different business venture.

It sounds like you may want to look at either the Federal Entrepreneur Program

or one of the Provincial Nominees Programs, like New Brunswicks which is what we are applying under.

Thanks for the heads up but we're kinda sold on Vernon / Okanagan area in BC Halfway between the family in Vancouver & Calgary. And the small matter of the 300K........

Cheers,

Gav.

Question: Where will you move to in Canada?

If you moved it would be a struggle for most as the GBP - CAD rate is so poor + the falling house prices in the UK...Therefore the question above will probably help in a financial sense.

Somewhere in the Okanagan prob Vernon or surrouning area. Still trying to figure out which is the best method of visa application for our situation.

sorry to disagree with the previous posters about the construction industry but i don't see it like that at all....there is alot of construction going on in calgary, more housing, more roads are being put in etc. and one of the reasons for a slight down turn in this area is a shortage of materials, ie. cement and not becuase of the financial market......the bow is taking huge amounts of cement.......over in vancouver, there is also alot of construction, olympics, hydro-electrics, water treatment, houseing etc. and in vancouver in particular, there is alot of properties that are being renoed......especially kitchens and bathrooms......in kelowna, there is a new hospital going in and more houseing....

Thanks for the reply.

The next question is can you afford it?

Are you looking to ultimately buy (even if you choose to rent first)?

I believe in BC house are generally above $800,000 which is 421,000GBP.

If you don't have all of it then obviously you would need to get a mortgage for the remainder...

$30,000 a year single salary should easily cover you for a mortgage of $100,000 and just add on this figure until you know what you need to be earning to achieve a move.

The rest is all debatable between people as to whether or not they like it.

I certainly had a very hard first year but since then i am quite liking it. But i always say that if you take away money from the equation i would be in the UK.

I hope you make the right decision...In terms of the visa i believe that grandchildren can apply based on their grandparents but you will need to read through www.cic.gc.ca for that.

I don't know though - the Canadian Fed. Govt. is talking about running a deficit next year so things might change even in AB if this talk reflects a underlying fear regarding the wider economic future.

Houses i've been looking at on the MLS seem to be between $300k - $500k for a 3 / 4 be detached close to schools etc. am i looking in the wrong place ????.

Thanks for the info on the grandchildren....i'll check it out.

Cheers.

Over the past five years home renovation projects have been a big item and tied, I believe, to the rising financial markets. With the severe downturn in these markets many people will be delaying such projects and I am one of them. I believe it is not a good time to consider moving here and bring such a business with you. Two of the largest DIY stores in the world, Home Depot and Lowes have kitchen design/installation departments and working for them, if they are hiring, might be a start to provide income and learn the lay of the land in that business. The Canadian banks are expected to release their year end figures this week and expectation is for poor results. This would, I think, diminish your wife's chance of being hired in banking at the moment. Unfortunately vacations give a somewhat rosy picture of things. You're running around spending money like drunken sailors and your relatives have nice homes and appear to be prospering. Remember, things are nor always as they appear. I can fully understand your OH's apprehension, particularly in this severe global downturn. Canada will probably be regarded as being in a recession shortly and some economists are even spouting the word DEFLATION, and that's definitely not good.
That's my opinion, for what it's worth (probably not much).

........oh boy there's a lot of doom & gloom out there at the moment. Thanks for the info though it's good to hear that it's not all it's cracked up to be.

Cheers

Gav.