london.2014

It doesn't quite work like that in Canada, although I'm not sure how to explain it.

Speaking for Edmonton, it's nowhere near as big as 'busy' as what you'd imagine for a 1m population. The downtown is fairly busy on working days, with a lot of towers, but it's not crowded if that's what you're concerned. To put things in perspective, you can live in an acreage with forest around you and be just 30mins driving commute to your downtown office - check out the edges of the city and you'll see.

Houses (outside downtown which is mostly apartments) are generally bigger than in UK - think american style. They are all much 'newer' built than UK houses as well. Around here, anything over ~50 years old is considered a historic building!

My advice to you would be to either go to Calgary or Edmonton, rent an apartment somewhere downtown that's as close as possible to your work, and use the first year to learn about the areas and pros/cons before you decide on a more permanent accommodation. This will give you the benefit of using public transport (it's pretty decent downtown) and not have to worry about a car purchase immediately.It's also best come here around May when the weather is good and you have a few good months ahead of you to settle in.

Shard

https://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/...ts-a-big-wall/

What say you AC ?

Almost Canadian

I have no issue with them. Okotoks attempted to set aside an area for a such a development recently and the NIMBYs then prevented them from doing so, that was referred to in the article. I have no idea how feasible they would be in winter.

Shard

Doesn't seem that different than a mobile home park. Surprised that it was voted down.

Crazyutka

Thank you for all the information!!
I am just turning 30 this year, but I am currently studying masters so have to finish that
a quick test on the government website said I would have 475 points (age 30 with a masters degree), but that's just a guess because I am sure things will change in a year or so.
there few things we can try to improve the score, like re-take IELTS (I got 8) or get province sponsorship (my profession is on the desired list of occupations in Alberta), as well as getting a Job. Calgary has so many jobs advertised (like 3000+ for my profession) that I hope it wouldn't be that difficult

The reason we are delaying the application is actually finance. 1st. I want to repay most of the credit cards we have then save £10k to for moving. Weare trying really hard but I don't think it's possible within less than a year
talking about finance, ost of assessment forms are asking how much money you have/ personal net wort etc. what does it really mean? do we need to have a certain amount of cash in bank account? do you need to prove it and if yes, at what stage? So let's say we save that £10k, can we use it for moving to Canada? we also have a house (mortgaged), does this count towards personal worth or anything at all?
I hope I am making sense

Crazyutka

Thank you, Lethbridge sounds liek a lovely place
we live in the outskirts of Bristol, we have everything around us ( mall, entertainment, etc) but we don't really tend to use anything. We are more of outdoor/family people and free entertainment maybe because everything is so expensive in UK, or maybe because we are not that bothered. we both come from rural places and enjoy time in nature instead.
Calgary is a perfect place for employment opportunities, but not for a lifestyle we are looking for (isn' it?) therefore, I would very much like to understand if there are any employment opportunities in small villages/cities? or am I looking for something that doesn't exist.

I understand that my perspective comes from so many tears living in UK and Canada is so different.I probably need to live there for few years to understand the possibilities and what we really want

Crazyutka

Thank you this sounds very reasonable plan and will probably be something that we end up dong

Shard

Population densities between Southern England and Alberta are very different. You don't have a plethora of villages, towns, beaches that you can drive to within an hour or two. The mountains are great, but even then so massive and wild that you tend to go to the same areas. It's very different from rural Britain. Many in Calgary enjoy outdoors lifestyles, I don't think you will have a problem being based in or near the city. If you want to be in the mountains, maybe look at Canmore, though it will depend on the kind of work you do.

dbd33

Farmers? Street sweepers? Fishermen? Dog walkers?

Which people enjoy this "outdoors lifestyle"?

london.2014

Those are some good points. To add to that for the OP, they need to bear in mind that the outdoors in Canada are not similar to the outdoors in UK.

Outdoors in alberta = bears, elk and all sorts of wild animals, topped up by wild temperatures too! It doesn't mean that it's dangerous, but it's a different kind of outdoors, much harsher than most outdoors-y options you get in the UK. A brief example: last week I was at a cabin near Red Deer and the temperatures went from +5C on Saturday noon to -11C on Monday noon, with about 15cm of snow to boot. What I'm trying to say is that you may get more than what you bargain for here! Living rural in Alberta has very different requirements than living rural in UK, that's all. Having said that, if you like the outdoors you will have a great time here, it's extremely accessible, abundant and with all kinds of options.

Shard

Skiers, boarders, cyclists, kayakers, hikers, climbers, campers, hunters, those kind.

dbd33

Oh, just people who go to a park on the occasional weekend. By that standard even I have an "outdoors lifestyle" despite sitting at a computer 10 hours a day.

If that's the sort of thing people want they're better off in the UK aren't they? The weather's more suitable, you don't need as much disposable income to be able to participate, you get time off work to be able to do that sort of thing and the attractive part of the outdoors is accessible by public transport. The people I know who make the most use of the Canadian outdoors live in Norway; they have time and money to ski in Canada, people here don't!

Shard

I think the Rockies put a slightly different spin on things than Southern Ontario, but it's true that for weekend oudoors types Britain offers many acessible opportunities.

dbd33

I suspect the Rockies are a barrier to outdoor entertainment rather than an asset. They're outside cities so one needs a car to get to them. Even from Calgary a trip up the Rockies takes all day so you need a day when you're not working; that's great if you're a student or retired but not so probable if you've recently started a job. For example, my informant in Vancouver, which is quite close to some mountains, skied every (winter) Friday while in university but hasn't since due to working all the time and not being able to afford the bus without the student discount. By contrast, someone living in, say, Wrexham could take a coach and walk up Snowdon both days of every weekend if they so chose. They could do so in a flat cap while working as a cobbler or car mechanic or some other ordinary type of job.

I accept that the Rockies are pretty to look at but question the idea that they contribute to an "outdoors lifestyle" unless you live in a ski resort. Four hours in a car going to and from is not being outside.

Shard

Skiing/boarding has a price tag, but there are plenty of other outdoor activities in the mountains that are enjoyable. Only an hour and a bit from the city, and there's wilderness areas in the foothills too. Vancouver is even more outdoorsy.