dbd33

Those are numbers for my kids but I'd guess they're not unusual. Good universities run about $15,000/yr, "former polys" about $5,000 so $20,000 is a blended figure for two students. Dental care is expensive, braces run a few thousand each year while installed and one of my children has autism, an expensive condition, but not as expensive as say cerebral palsy or anything requiring equipment.

Oh, but you're in Quebec, these costs don't apply, or are much reduced, there.

hudd

I agree with you on costs as its easy to sit in the UK dreaming about how wonderful and better it is in another company. Until you are living in that country, you do not really know what its is really like.

My kids are still young, so I have several years before Uni fees kick in for us.
One of my Facility Managers who worked for me in Ontario, actually remortgaged his house to put his 2 daughters through Uni as well as him and his wife working full time.

As for dental care. Yes we were told it would cost us several thousand of dollars for both my boys to have braces. Last month (back in England) at the dentist I was told the DHS will cover the costs for my sons.

dbd33

When we took out the original mortgage our aim was to pay it off before the kids were 18 so we could mortgage the house again to pay for the tuition. Things didn't work out quite like that but I think that's a good objective. Inshallah, I'll be able to pay the next bill and that'll be the last tuition fee for the two of them (well, one degree each, if they want to go on, as one certainly will, they can fund their own whimsical academic pursuits). I've been lucky though, I've been able to support two "wives" over the past fifteen years as well as the three children.

Stuarty

Just a wee update for Fionhun.
I am just off the phone with friends who have 2 kids in Albertan schools. 1 in Year 8 and 1 in year 10. Their school fees come to $300 plus a bit more for paper, pens etc.
This should go some way to helping the balance of payments.
When they arrived in Alberta 4 years ago they were surviving just fine (their words) on $50,000 per annum with their new house and car. Only thing I would like to point out that they stay in Rural Edmonton area and as such don't pay Calgary house prices.
Stuarty

dbd33

There shouldn't be any fees in the hundreds for grades 8 and 10. If you choose a private school it'll be thousands, or tens of thousands, and if you choose a public school it'll be zip. It's university that costs everyone outside Quebec the big bucks.

Steve_P

Perhaps this is the case in Ontario.

However it is not the case in Alberta.

Fees in the hundreds of dollars for attending public schools are the norm.

My wife just spent three days helping collect these fees at our local high school.

Calgary Board of Education Fees.

Just another example of Ralph Klein's "Alberta Advantage".

dbd33

Ugh.

Between the tax structure and the housing boom and bust cycles Alberta looks to me like a high risk destination for a working person with a young family. If one is willing to look at Alberta one might want to think of some US states instead, places that have a more diverse economy and so less risk of
negative equity. In Canada, Quebec is the province structured most like Europe and, apart from the French, looks to me like a very good destination for anyone primarily concerned with their children's future.

hudd

We lived in Alberta from 1997-99 and did not have to pay for education or transportation. We left Ontario in 2005 and had no school fees to pay.

Has the fee system improved education system in Alberta? or is it one step closer to pay for your education at all ages.

We are back in Blightly now and my 2 sons at high school get free transportation to school, books and paper etc are provided by the school.
Electives are free at lunchtime and after school. The education board here pays for for the after school activities. My youngest son was taught football by an ex professional player from Reading.

I am suprised about fees in Alberta as it thought it would be awash with money from the oil/gas revenue?

hudd

Heland

Hi all

Again these threads you all post are so valuable expecially where there is nobody else to talk to about it as family & friends have nothing positive to say! We are wanting to move to Canada not for a career we would be giving up good jobs but as everyone thinking of bringing up our kids, family time & generally better of quality of life, feel Britain is a small island getting overcrowded and will only continue etc.etc...... But you have to be a realistic don't you still have a mortgage to pay at the end of it, cars to run, bills to pay and so on. I think these threads help me see the practical sides to it all rather than the "dream". For us the reality is here after so long waiting & now with the 90 day letter, it is really happening if we want it to!! Afraid we are going to talk ourselves out of going and miss out on a wonderful opportunity but as our 10 year old son has told us "life is too short to be practical Mum!". Keep the notes coming, I need them!

Helen & Andrew.

Souvenir

A major reason why we are on this side of the river is cheap private schooling.

dbd33

Beyond that, the Quebec resident price for university is excellent. It's politically dodgy, perhaps, as few Quebec students will be educated out of province, but few of us can afford to worry about that.

Majj

I was originally offered $50k for a job in Calgary last year. When I expressed reservations at the low salary they upped it to $55k. They gave me the outdated misconception that everything was a pound to a dollar. I found it hard to believe that I was going to improve my standard of living on that. I couldn't really get my head round that the equivalent of £27,500 was considered a good salary in Canada and could provide a good standard of living. I'm sure they were pulling the wool over my eyes.

Originally I accepted, but then turned the job down when I came to my senses.

Anyway, the good news is that I'm going to have another crack next week, I'm coming to Oakville.

tallperson

I can't remember how much it was but certainly in the hundreds for our daughter in Kindergarten. This was in Montrel. Of course nothing compared to the private fees we're now paying but money all the same

Fionhun

Hi Stuarty and thanks for the info. Sorry it's taken so long to reply First day back at work (in a school) after the summer hols so have spent the last couple of days gearing myself up to go back!

I've also read the recent comments with interest. We are sort of tied to where we can go because it's down to my OH being offered employment. However we are both prepared to work as hard as we have to in order to ensure our kids have what they need for school and, if they choose, further education. All we want is for them to have choices in life and possibly the chance of a less claustrophobic and fraught life than the one we sometimes live here in Britain. Opportunities for our kids are becoming few and far between over here. So many are being pushed harder and harder to achieve. Anyway that's my rant done and dusted

I really want to thank everyone for all their input, it is absolutely invaluable.

cheers

fi

JaseAndHeth

What is a "comfortable" combined income for a family of four in British Columbia considered to be? With both parents working fulltime?

I know there are a lot of variables here but what would be considered a good dual income?

Thanks.