[QUOTE=Moose Jaw Ladies]My advice to anyone thinking of making the move is research, research and more research. QUOTE]

Good point. Where I am in BC, cost of living is more similar overall to Britain. In fact it's practically the same. I agree that you cannot do enough research, so you need to be researching from day 0 until long after you arrive. There is, however, a limit to how much you can prepare before arrival. Something that shocked my family, is how very different the place is to what our research has led us to expect. Surviving is down to having an open mind and being ready for anything. Good post Moose.

Ah crap, do you mean I should look for another job as I don't make that muck

Dunno, do you enjoy it? can you make ends meet on what you do get in Winnipeg?

Some generalizations that do work are

1) You are unlikely to find a location with high or well paid employment and low property costs.

2) Getting the ideal job in the ideal location is highly unlikely at least for a start.

3) Some jobs may require periodic relocation anywhere in North America so get used to adjusting to new locations and making new friends.

4) Don't expect a 'Horizontal Arabesque" for the first job. You may have to drop a notch or two on the career ladder but it shouldn't take long to catch up and improve.

Being creative in work opportunities can also help. For instance, for a while I worked in Toronto but my home was not within commuting distance so I stayed there for the week and returned home on weekends. Living expenses can be tax deductable if your employer gives you a piece of paper declaring that your residence is not at you work location.

I know a number of people (including my wife) who are on projects which entail travelling and are only home on weekends and holidays. Of course the employer pays all meal and travel expenses.

Just to show that they dont work though
My mortgage is less than 2x annual salary, and I dont earn a huge amount

I did, I rather like my job, and I love this area

So far Ive been lucky, but Im not here to climb the greasy pole
Im not sure what that is, but the hovel I am in now is in fact the first home Ive owned anywhere, and we have no plans to move yet. We might have to remodel though when we run out of space

Hey Iaink. There's always exceptions to any generalization. Unless of course your experience is typical and all newcomers should expect to experience the same.

Mmmmmmmm!!??

Well, I suggested it, and he laughed. I showed him the pictures and he laughed a bit more. Now gone off on his night shift grumbling that 'Percy' shrivelled up just looking at the cold!

Methinks that he won't be applying for that particular job!!

My point was that its almost pointless to make generalisation, as every case is an exception to some extent.

Ice roads are common where I am - the northern communities depend on them for trucking in supplies over the winter. Otherwise everything has to be flown in and is subsequently twice the price.
We have a couple of ice roads here in Red Lake for acessing McKenzie island, a small community where the XC ski trails are - scary experience driving over for the first time in the Jeep!! However, the thought that a much larger snow plough went over before me comforts me that I won't fall through the ice!!!!

Bit off topic but... have any of youex-pats had the experience of driving a stick shift in the winter on an iced over empty parking lot?

My brother gave my Brit partner a little spin around the local parking lot when we visited Canada 2 years ago, he was like a little boy with his first red fire engine & is looking forward to playing on the ice again

EDIT: To do this you need a decent manual car & a good emergency brake.... great way of getting used to your car's handling on ice patches by doing donoughts etc on an empty icy lot

Just had a thought.... if we do come over, please don't laugh and point!!

"Oh look, there's the English guy with the tiny todge!!"

I taught my kids to drive in such circumstances. It's best with front wheel drive but almost any manual car can be spun stylishly.

Even if you have an Auto you should do that to get used to the conditions.

Used to be fun in the stick shift jeep, get it going fastish in 4x4, then switch to RWD and boot it. Im older and more of a scaredy cat now, but like to get the back end wagging in the subaru from time to time

Just posted in the "gas going down" thread...... you haven't got any spare windows you could send our way have you??

No, but when the weed whacker whacked a pebble through the passenger window one time it was a stock item at the local glass repair place. $130 installed IIRC.