Location advice
Oct 24th 2012, 2:05 pm
#77
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Re: Location advice
Agree with A/expat - I wouldnt be signing any dotted lines for Labrador if I was you without visiting first 
Oct 28th 2012, 2:38 pm
#78
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Re: Location advice
Oct 28th 2012, 3:02 pm
#79
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Re: Location advice
Should IOC offer you a job, I strongly urge you to visit Lab City prior to signing on the dotted line. It is very much small town Canada, with the added pressure of a resource boom. I imagine it is isolated (although, unlike the island portion of Newfoundland and Labrador, one can at least drive to the rest of Canada/US) and expensive to travel to and from. Summers will be hot but short, winters will be long and cold.
A few useful websites:
http://www.labradorwest.com/default....angeSite&sid=1
http://www.theaurora.ca/
http://www.newlabrealty.com/
AX
A few useful websites:
http://www.labradorwest.com/default....angeSite&sid=1
http://www.theaurora.ca/
http://www.newlabrealty.com/
AX
Oct 28th 2012, 8:35 pm
#80
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Oct 29th 2012, 1:16 am
#82
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
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Re: Location advice
Quite. In Labrador City, the local A&E staff are an air ambulance ride away. Unless it's bad weather, then they're nowhere at all.
Oct 29th 2012, 4:05 am
#83
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Location: Alberta
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Re: Location advice
There was a British guy in Edmonton last year visiting friends / rellies - that died as I vaguely recall running over barbed wire fence that was covered in snow. (or something like that - can't find the story right now)
Everyone I know who rides has had very near misses. It's a dangerous sport.
Last edited by mandymoochops; Oct 29th 2012 at 4:09 am.
Oct 29th 2012, 11:05 am
#84
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Location: Kindersley Saskatchewan
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Re: Location advice
Remember unless you go into the mountains you are riding on snow that is covering something up by not a lot in some areas. That something could and will be something that will send your machine flying and killing you.
There was a British guy in Edmonton last year visiting friends / rellies - that died as I vaguely recall running over barbed wire fence that was covered in snow. (or something like that - can't find the story right now)
Everyone I know who rides has had very near misses. It's a dangerous sport.
There was a British guy in Edmonton last year visiting friends / rellies - that died as I vaguely recall running over barbed wire fence that was covered in snow. (or something like that - can't find the story right now)
Everyone I know who rides has had very near misses. It's a dangerous sport.
Oct 29th 2012, 12:16 pm
#85
Slightly Canadian
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: St. John's, Newfoundland
Posts: 10,129
Re: Location advice
It doesn't change the fact that Lab City/Wabush is a small, isolated community in the throes of a resource boom. Again, If I were considering moving there for a job, I'd want to go visit first.
Oh, and as for snowmobiling, it is the most fun you can have in winter with your clothes on. I've snowmobiled without managing to kill or injure myself as have all the other people that I know that do so. Yes, I've almost had to spend a night in the woods in a snow storm, yes, I've had to "skip" across an open river to get to where I needed to be and yes, I've fallen off countless times. And yes, I'm likely a shorter medivac to an ER on the island of Newfoundland than in backwoods Labrador.
Oct 29th 2012, 4:42 pm
#86
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Re: Location advice
Or not. There is a hospital in Lab City. A small one, agreed, but it does have an ER. http://www.lghealth.ca/index.php?pageid=39
It doesn't change the fact that Lab City/Wabush is a small, isolated community in the throes of a resource boom. Again, If I were considering moving there for a job, I'd want to go visit first.
Oh, and as for snowmobiling, it is the most fun you can have in winter with your clothes on. I've snowmobiled without managing to kill or injure myself as have all the other people that I know that do so. Yes, I've almost had to spend a night in the woods in a snow storm, yes, I've had to "skip" across an open river to get to where I needed to be and yes, I've fallen off countless times. And yes, I'm likely a shorter medivac to an ER on the island of Newfoundland than in backwoods Labrador.
It doesn't change the fact that Lab City/Wabush is a small, isolated community in the throes of a resource boom. Again, If I were considering moving there for a job, I'd want to go visit first.
Oh, and as for snowmobiling, it is the most fun you can have in winter with your clothes on. I've snowmobiled without managing to kill or injure myself as have all the other people that I know that do so. Yes, I've almost had to spend a night in the woods in a snow storm, yes, I've had to "skip" across an open river to get to where I needed to be and yes, I've fallen off countless times. And yes, I'm likely a shorter medivac to an ER on the island of Newfoundland than in backwoods Labrador.
(not me hubby btw. I tried to ride his Artic Tank and couldn't even get the thing to change direction - the look of horror in his face as I went towards a row of trees without an incling of turning was apparently priceless).
Oct 29th 2012, 4:43 pm
#87
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Re: Location advice
Thats f*****g cool isn't it. ONE, TWO, THREE GO, open her wide up and pray (not me hubby btw. I tried to ride his Artic Tank and couldn't even get the thing to change direction - the look of horror in his face as I went towards a row of trees without an incling of turning was apparently priceless).
(not me hubby btw. I tried to ride his Artic Tank and couldn't even get the thing to change direction - the look of horror in his face as I went towards a row of trees without an incling of turning was apparently priceless).
Oct 29th 2012, 5:44 pm
#88
Slightly Canadian
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Oct 31st 2012, 5:17 am
#89
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Joined: Dec 2007
Location: St Albert, Alberta
Posts: 193
Re: Location advice
To the OP,
I know of Tarpon Energy, being going for 10yrs or so. What area of work are they offering you, on site work or working in one of their production shops.
They are a union company, so you will be looked after ok. You will need to pass your Red Seal exam before you can earn the going rate. In your trade it ranges from $30-40 hr, more for site work and remote work. Site and remote work brings in extra money due to the overtime you can earn.
Depending on the type of work they offer you, it may be worth your while looking at Edmonton area. Around Edmonton you have leduc, Sherwood park, Spruce Grove, Beaumont, St albert, Fort Saskatchewan, all easy travel to the Edmonton and Nisku locations and all offer everything a family would need without having to live in a big city.
The other advantage of this is should Tarpon not work out for you,there are so many other companies around you could walk out one door cross the road to another company.
I would not recommend Fort Mac for living, very expensive, Most companies doing site work in Fort Mac offer fly in/fly out or provide travel, one of the reasons for this is Fort Mac is 5 hrs from Edmonton, plus you could add another 2-3 hrs to get to some of the sites. also the road from Edmonton to Fort Mac is a killer, huge number of fatal crashes due to the volume of traffic and overtired workers and the road is not the best around although improvements are on the way.
I can not speak for labrador, however due to the trade i work in i know there are a large number of Energy companies building new plants close to Edmonton and more up north, not to mention the expansion of most of the current plants, so lots of work for quite a long time to come in this area.
I know of Tarpon Energy, being going for 10yrs or so. What area of work are they offering you, on site work or working in one of their production shops.
They are a union company, so you will be looked after ok. You will need to pass your Red Seal exam before you can earn the going rate. In your trade it ranges from $30-40 hr, more for site work and remote work. Site and remote work brings in extra money due to the overtime you can earn.
Depending on the type of work they offer you, it may be worth your while looking at Edmonton area. Around Edmonton you have leduc, Sherwood park, Spruce Grove, Beaumont, St albert, Fort Saskatchewan, all easy travel to the Edmonton and Nisku locations and all offer everything a family would need without having to live in a big city.
The other advantage of this is should Tarpon not work out for you,there are so many other companies around you could walk out one door cross the road to another company.
I would not recommend Fort Mac for living, very expensive, Most companies doing site work in Fort Mac offer fly in/fly out or provide travel, one of the reasons for this is Fort Mac is 5 hrs from Edmonton, plus you could add another 2-3 hrs to get to some of the sites. also the road from Edmonton to Fort Mac is a killer, huge number of fatal crashes due to the volume of traffic and overtired workers and the road is not the best around although improvements are on the way.
I can not speak for labrador, however due to the trade i work in i know there are a large number of Energy companies building new plants close to Edmonton and more up north, not to mention the expansion of most of the current plants, so lots of work for quite a long time to come in this area.
Nov 1st 2012, 1:19 pm
#90
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Posts: 2,710
Re: Location advice
I know a few people who have moved to and from Fort Mac. Honestly you need to be earning more than 100K to afford to live there. 100K each may be doable. Its very expensive in fort mac. If I were to move to fort mac I think my salary would be around twice what I earn here. I still wouldn't contemplate it.
People based in fort mac often have a long commute into their site. Mostly done by bus. Once at site certainly for the summer months there is a constant bitumen smell. I know some people who have developed health issues and had to leave; rashes and breathing. I imagine the constant bituminous smell and dust can't be doing people much good.
People based in fort mac often have a long commute into their site. Mostly done by bus. Once at site certainly for the summer months there is a constant bitumen smell. I know some people who have developed health issues and had to leave; rashes and breathing. I imagine the constant bituminous smell and dust can't be doing people much good.