Move to Calgary?
Mar 5th 2014, 10:22 pm
#31
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Arnhem, Netherlands
Posts: 287
Re: Move to Calgary?
Good luck with your decision...It is a big world out there - nice to see as much of it as you can!!
Lisa
Lisa
Mar 6th 2014, 2:32 pm
#32
Just Joined
Joined: Mar 2014
Location: Perth WA originally from UK!!
Posts: 17
Re: Move to Calgary?
Hi guys we are living in Perth too but hubby not keen on staying here! He would have much preferred to have emigrated to Canada in the first place but because his sisters are here decided on Perth! We are just about to start the Canada process now so if you have any advice/tips on doing it from here would be much appreciated! How come you guys are leaving here?
Lesa, Paul and boys
Lesa, Paul and boys
Mar 6th 2014, 8:31 pm
#33
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 1,898
Re: Move to Calgary?
The cowboy and rodeo culture thing isn't really anything more than a stereotype that isn't true unless your entire Calgary experience is one week in July.
Mar 6th 2014, 9:19 pm
#34
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2014
Location: Perth, Australia
Posts: 6
Re: Move to Calgary?
Hi Perth Family :-)
We've been here for 3 years but my wife isn't really settled. I thought it would be different once we moved out of rental into our own place but unfortunately it's not. I think Perth is a lovely chilled back city. I have a good job and the children seem to like it here. Probably similar to after a couple of Calgary winters and the novelty wears off, I think after a couple of Perth Summers the novelty wears off too :-) 38 degrees today and its supposed to be Autumn!
I guess it just doesn't feel like home? Its been hard making friends outside of work. There are heaps of Poms here and all looking for the same thing but not finding it. We've even tried the Perth Poms get-togethers! Unless something changes in the next 18 months, we'll be heading west (or east, it doesn't really matter from here :-) ) Canada was our first choice but we didn't get the opportunity to actually live there so hence all the questions now :-) We haven't started the process yet but would love to hear from you on how your application is going.
We've been here for 3 years but my wife isn't really settled. I thought it would be different once we moved out of rental into our own place but unfortunately it's not. I think Perth is a lovely chilled back city. I have a good job and the children seem to like it here. Probably similar to after a couple of Calgary winters and the novelty wears off, I think after a couple of Perth Summers the novelty wears off too :-) 38 degrees today and its supposed to be Autumn!
I guess it just doesn't feel like home? Its been hard making friends outside of work. There are heaps of Poms here and all looking for the same thing but not finding it. We've even tried the Perth Poms get-togethers! Unless something changes in the next 18 months, we'll be heading west (or east, it doesn't really matter from here :-) ) Canada was our first choice but we didn't get the opportunity to actually live there so hence all the questions now :-) We haven't started the process yet but would love to hear from you on how your application is going.
Mar 6th 2014, 9:51 pm
#35
Just Joined
Joined: Mar 2014
Location: Perth WA originally from UK!!
Posts: 17
Re: Move to Calgary?
Hi WHinton you guys sound like us except its my hubby that doesn't like it here! He hates the extreme heat and plus getting ripped off for things!!!! Yes know how you feel about making friends here its hard we've been here just over 2 years and we tried the pio get together once but no one really spoke to us much so we never did that again!!!!! We're going to try and get my hubby's work qualifications recognised this weekend well get the paperwork all sent off so that's a start! Would much rather be shovelling snow then wilting in this sun especially today! Atleast its a little cooler over the weekend! Are you guys SOR or nor we're SOR!!
Mar 6th 2014, 10:02 pm
#36
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2011
Location: Back in Scotland after 4 years in Calgary
Posts: 1,403
Mar 6th 2014, 11:03 pm
#37
Just Joined
Joined: Mar 2014
Location: Perth WA originally from UK!!
Posts: 17
Re: Move to Calgary?
Oh dear is it just as bad there lol?!!! Things in Perth are about 3 times more expensive than anywhere else - if you work in the mines great but if not its tough!!!
Mar 7th 2014, 12:03 am
#38
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2014
Location: Perth, Australia
Posts: 6
Re: Move to Calgary?
Perth Family, we're NOR (or North of the River for Calgarians :-) ) Let us know if you venture up this way or we'll give you a shout if we come down there :-)
It is expensive here. I think its about 12th in the world or something like that? According to the BBC Melb and Sydney are more expensive but according to the Aussies Perth is more expensive. I'm not sure about being ripped off. I just accept its expensive I guess. It does open opportunities for people to over-inflate their prices I guess?
Tax sounds better in Calgary? Houses? Probably more for your money in Calgary (are there any web sites that people particularly use for real estate in Calgary)? I made the mistake of registering with one and get daily updates now :-) I did say we weren't looking seriously just yet!
It is expensive here. I think its about 12th in the world or something like that? According to the BBC Melb and Sydney are more expensive but according to the Aussies Perth is more expensive. I'm not sure about being ripped off. I just accept its expensive I guess. It does open opportunities for people to over-inflate their prices I guess?
Tax sounds better in Calgary? Houses? Probably more for your money in Calgary (are there any web sites that people particularly use for real estate in Calgary)? I made the mistake of registering with one and get daily updates now :-) I did say we weren't looking seriously just yet!
Mar 7th 2014, 11:48 pm
#39
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 440
Re: Move to Calgary?
I know absolutely nothing about Calgary for sure but I'm somewhat inclined to believe that it kind of sucks there. I know a lot of people in BC who are from Calgary (as in grew up there) or have lived there at some point. The impression that I got from them is that the province of Alberta was overly conservative and somewhat backwards in a lot of ways. Most of these people I know are super-liberal though. The more liberal the person was, the more critical they were of Calgary (as well as BC's interior, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and northwest Ontario).
Mar 8th 2014, 12:39 am
#40
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 66
Re: Move to Calgary?
I know absolutely nothing about Calgary for sure but I'm somewhat inclined to believe that it kind of sucks there. I know a lot of people in BC who are from Calgary (as in grew up there) or have lived there at some point. The impression that I got from them is that the province of Alberta was overly conservative and somewhat backwards in a lot of ways. Most of these people I know are super-liberal though. The more liberal the person was, the more critical they were of Calgary (as well as BC's interior, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and northwest Ontario).
Last edited by Wagaress; Mar 8th 2014 at 1:33 am.
Mar 8th 2014, 1:15 am
#41
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 440
Re: Move to Calgary?
Calgary's living costs have gotten more expensive in recent years due to the oil sands but there are even more expensive places in Canada that aren't just limited to cities or metro areas. One example would be Vancouver and another would be Fort McMurray. If you live up in the northern territories, things are crazy expensive but wages are somewhat higher to compensate.
Mar 8th 2014, 1:46 am
#42
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Ontario
Posts: 40,018
Mar 8th 2014, 4:46 pm
#43
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 1,898
Re: Move to Calgary?
I completely agree with this. I'm pretty liberal and unfortunately have met a lot of people who are not very tolerant of the LGBT community, racist, stuff like that. It makes me sad. Calgary is the Texas of Canada that's for sure. It has it's good and bad though but this for me is a definite downside.
Jun 7th 2014, 3:51 am
#45
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2010
Location: Calgary
Posts: 286
Re: Move to Calgary?
Hi Wayne & Co
Wow what a close story. Not only are our names the same, our kids are very close in age. We lived in Perth for 20 years and now we're in Calgary! Feel free to pm me with any questions ... glad to help if I can
Cheers
Wayne
Wow what a close story. Not only are our names the same, our kids are very close in age. We lived in Perth for 20 years and now we're in Calgary! Feel free to pm me with any questions ... glad to help if I can
Cheers
Wayne
Hi everyone 
We aren't exactly new to the moving scene :-) Moved from the UK to NZ and now living in Perth, Australia.
Canada and Calgary was our first choice of places to move to but due to time-frames for getting in and the "chicken and egg" scenario with getting a job and visa we ended up moving to the other side of the planet!
Due to a number of factors we might be looking to moving back to the UK next year.
Before committing (in my case reluctantly) to moving back to the UK, I thought we would entertain the idea of Calgary again.
I now work for an international company so there might be hope of a transfer. Failing that I would have to look at all the Visa's on offer.
We have been to Calgary a few times but only on winter holidays. I would love to hear from people who have moved there and would pass on their thoughts (good and bad) of what Calgary is like as a place to live, especially for a young family (children are 4 and 5).
I know opinions are personal so if a couple of people wouldn't mind replying to this thread or even messaging me it would be much appreciated.
Thanks in anticipation.
Regards
Wayne and Co.
We aren't exactly new to the moving scene :-) Moved from the UK to NZ and now living in Perth, Australia.
Canada and Calgary was our first choice of places to move to but due to time-frames for getting in and the "chicken and egg" scenario with getting a job and visa we ended up moving to the other side of the planet!
Due to a number of factors we might be looking to moving back to the UK next year.
Before committing (in my case reluctantly) to moving back to the UK, I thought we would entertain the idea of Calgary again.
I now work for an international company so there might be hope of a transfer. Failing that I would have to look at all the Visa's on offer.
We have been to Calgary a few times but only on winter holidays. I would love to hear from people who have moved there and would pass on their thoughts (good and bad) of what Calgary is like as a place to live, especially for a young family (children are 4 and 5).
I know opinions are personal so if a couple of people wouldn't mind replying to this thread or even messaging me it would be much appreciated.
Thanks in anticipation.
Regards
Wayne and Co.
