Move to Calgary?
 

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.

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

boring, faceless and cold but with great proximity to the rockies, low taxes and they have an NHL team...

its not really a bad place to live, though i can't help but think there must be more exciting and friendlier places to live in Canada!

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

It didn't take you long to get bored with Calgary!
I have to agree with haggis88, that description pretty much hit the nail on the head. However, it has taken us nearly 6 years to start looking for alternatives.

Isn't the worst place on the planet, you can make a decent living here, but it is all work, how big your house/ truck/ tv is, etc. We have made a few good friends here, however we have neighbors we haven't even spoke to. Some genuinely nice people, but the majority don't give a shit about anyone else.
A good example of this is, our next door neighbor moved out on Friday, and left boxes of garbage on our front lawn. I moved it, the new people moved in yesterday, and left their garbage in front of our drive! It is still there this morning.

People keep going on about how cheap it is here, granted, income tax is low, and only 5% GST ( rest of Canada is around 15%) but goods seem to be that bit dearer to start with. Rents are expensive, if you can find one ( 1% rental availability) houses are ridiculously expensive to buy. Houses are crammed together, with very little privacy.

So much so, we are leaving Alberta in June.

Hope this doesn't put you off, we have had a good 6 years here, we just find we are in a rut here, and need a change of lifestyle.

Good luck.

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

I think what this thread demonstrates is that many immigrants are looking for something that may not exist for them. I think this may apply to us too. So far, we're enjoying our time in Calgary, but I agree with some of the comments above. I think it a lot applies equally to Canada as a whole.

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

That is why we feel we need to try another part of Canada. We came to Calgary as that was where the job offer was. We hadn't even visited Canada before we came here so had no idea of what to expect.

In a trip to Vancouver Island last year, we realised that there is a lot more to Canada than Calgary, and it was the kick we needed to get us out the rut we were in. In fact, we hadn't realised we were in a rut, as the last 6 years have flown past, we just didn't want to wake up one day and find another 6 years had slipped away.
My wife and I are in the fortunate position that we can move anywhere, at any time. So if our next move isn't what we are looking for, we will just move on.
Like the op, this isn't the only (other) country we have lived in, and actually enjoy the planning and moving experience, I'm thinking we must have some Gypsy blood in us!

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

I moved to Calgary 7 weeks ago after visiting here many times.

My hubbie and I have had the most amazing welcome and love all the Canadian people we have met. They really can not do enough for you.

We found a nice apartment and think we will have a life long friend with our landlady and many of her friends.

There seems to be a lot of opportunity in Calgary and there is a lot to to socially. The Rockies on your doorstep is a big selling factor!

Yeh it can be expensive but just shop around. The odd non Canadian person can let the city down but you learn where not to go.

It's great here please PM me if you have any questions. Not home sick yet, we worked very hard to get here and appreciate everyday!

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

Glad your move has went well and your settling in.

But at 7 weeks, it's still all new and exciting for you. We were the same for the first 2 years.
I just wanted the op to get our experience of the city after a reasonable amount of years. Then again, most people will say the same about anywhere, after a number of years. I guess we just haven't found our "place" yet.

As Canada is such a big and diverse place, we never planned to just stay in Calgary for ever more.

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

I wouldn't say i'm bored per-say, I've got loads of hobbies and always seem to be doing something but not everyone has the disposable cash to just decide to go away skiing one weekend or buy a car to tinker with when going outside isn't really advised (like this weekend). I also play ice-hockey 3 or 4 times a week, but I do have a lot of free time on my hands.

You have expanded on what i said, and I have to say you're pretty spot on with what you say also!

My neighbour on one side is from backwoods Ontario and is really nice and chatty. The other side is from Calgary and he says hello when i see him but getting more than that is rare :lol:

The houses are really crammed in as you mention, from my living room I can see right through my kitchen window, through my back neighbours house and out their front window

I'm happy enough with where I am right now, and don't have any immediate plans to go anywhere but I couldn't imagine raising a family here...I don't think I'd want my kids to grow up as Calgarians :lol:

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

Thanks so much for your honest opinions guys. Settling in somewhere can take a lot of time no matter where you live and its not just the material things that matter.
The place needs to feel like home too :-)
When we were in Calgary it felt homely but I guess you can never tell until you've tried it. Like any city it must have its problems.
Its good to find out how people got on settling in and how they feel about the place. Both from those who have been there a few years and those newly there :-)
Martin and Claire, I tried to PM you but I need a few posts first before it lets me. Maybe you could PM me. Would love to keep in touch and hear how you get on.
The comments about neighbours made me laugh :-) I think it must be a global thing. I don't know who lives next door to us! We smile now and then but that's about all. They keep the bins on their side though :-)
Keep your thoughts coming :-)

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

Whilst you are, of course, free to pm it's preferred that questions and answers are posted on the forum so that it can help others looking as well.

:)

Glad you have settled in well!

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

We have been here 2 years next week.

We absolutely love it and are doing well.

We moved for my husbands job and whilst he took a big step back in terms of responsibility to come he has been promoted several times and his salary is good. Better than the UK, job is now similar but it took a while to get back to UK standard.

I have set up on my own and am making 8 times per hour what I used to in the UK. Business is getting busy so that side of things is all good.

Our son is very happy here - never complains about the weather.

We love it. We have a good circle of very good friends who we see all the time. Weekends are about getting together and for example NYE was spent skating on a lake with a firepit. Kids and grownups had a great night. Would never have done stuff like this in the UK.

Rentals are very hard to find - a lot to do with the flooding back in June. We bought as soon as we got PR and are very happy. House is huge.

We can see the Rockies from our house so I personally love living here.

Calgary is a big city and very new. I miss York and history and green grass but overall we are happier here.

I have some very good Canadian friends. They are all genuinely nice welcoming people. Most of them don't get sarcasm but a few do.

Hope that helps. Not all expats think it's dull. :)

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

I've been here nearly a year, the proximity of Banff and where we are in the nw, right by nose hill park, coupled with very friendly neighbours, has made this a good experience.

However, I thought it so odd how so many calgarians asked why on earth we chose to come and live here , I've discovered the reason for this is the horrendous and torturous winter which with 2 young children and a dog to get out and about every day in sometimes -38 temps like today, it's really unpleasant and hard work. I wonder how the elderly and all the wildlife actually even survive living in a place like this!!

That being said overall I am fairly happy with the move.

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

Geordie Lass that's great news that you have settled in so well and even started your own business!
I think its the making of good friends that helps a lot. We have tried here in Aussie but aside from workmates it is very hard. Even with the abundance of Poms it is hard to have regular folk to meet up with. We need the common factor of young children :-)
Gemma I remember the first time I visited Calgary. -40 and I had to walk backwards to avoid freezing my face off :-) Banff definitely is beautiful though and I am an outdoor type person.
When we were in NZ there were quite a few ex pats. In Aussie here there are loads! I 'm still not sure that's a good thing or a bad one? Are there many ex pats in Calgary?
Martin and Claire, we must be close to being able to open your PM :-) Of course .... posting on here is still good :-)

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

Love reading about everything you all have to say on Calgary and Alberta in general - It's where I have my beady eye on.

And Siouxie is right... Keep it public for nosey people ike me :lol:

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

Sorry guys will keep my replies public, still all new to me!

Gemmab1979 - Surprisingly my hubbie and I were looking forward to the crazy weather. I think it's all about research and visiting before you move.

Did the dog go for a walk yest? We went for a walk about 20 blocks in all! If you bundle up its fine. We get so many bright sunny days and then there's the chinooks :-) The variation in weather always has you guessing, totally diff to what I'm used to in the UK. It's great!

Warm weather to come yay!

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

Having lived here for 2 years i would agree with Calgary being a boring place to live...nothing much happens here..people are quiet and boring too..yes the Rockies are on the door step..but once you have seen one mountain you have seen them all...weather is nice though..very little rain and lots of sunshine which gets a big thumbs up.

If you compared cities to a school classroom..then London and New York would be the cool kids that everybody wanted to hang out with..Calgary would be the class swat never got in trouble and got good grades..a bit of nerd with not too many friends..nobody disliked them or liked them either.

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

I agree with cheeky_monkey. I lived in Calgary for 2 years with my family and while we certainly made the most of it (i.e. the proximity to the Rockies for hiking, camping and skiing) we always knew it would never be somewhere we could settle - it really is a very shallow, boring and isolated place. Sorry if that offends anyone.

I have never been to Perth WA, but lots of people have told me that "oh you must try to get on a project there! It's marvellous!" I expect that it is very like Calgary... long way from anywhere, very dull and suburban, and full of people trying to validate their reasons for being there.

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

There's some ex-Calgarians at work, they say something similar.

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

It must be a step up from certain places I've been. Never been to Calgary but it's on my list of 'visit' places just not very high up.

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

I agree with Geordie Lass, been here 5.1/2 yrs and love it. Wouldn't wanna be anywhere else.

Can always find something to do. OH is getting involved in Rugby so he's happy, 17yr old daughter loves school and has some great friends and is going on a road trip to see 1D in TO in the summer.

We have some fab Canadian friends along with a couple of Brit friends. We were made to feel at home from the start and can't imagine we would ever live anywhere else now, think we're here for good.

KAT

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

I don't think all the planning and research in the world prepares you for living it!! Don't fermented wrong I love the blue sky's and sun , some days I look outside and it's like being on a summer holiday, then you get out the door and it's a bloody rude awakening ! I'm one of these that will walk the dog no matter what as she needs excercising, I look like a right Wally though in so many layers and I'm heavily pregnant to, I'd scare young kids I reckon ! If I didn't have a little freezing dog and 2 young kids to take out in it, reckon I'd fare much better on my own !!

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

Completely agree; starting my 6th year in AB now, albeit in Edmonton. Gotta say it takes 3 years for the honeymoon factor to properly wear off.


I think it's insane they build these houses so close to each other here. Yet the locals don't seem to think it;s a big deal...people buying a $500k house with hardly any garden and looking right into their neighbour. We moved outside Edmonton just to get an unobstructed view. Nuts.

I got married to a girl from Edmonton 2 years ago, we have no kids yet as we were waiting on my PR completing, but we're planning to start a family soon. (We've been practicing with two cats first, all indications are good that we can cope with kids). I told her it was a deal breaker that we needed to move within the next 3 years, before we got married. Why? I'd been here long enough to realize I needed to be beside the ocean again, being landlocked makes me uneasy. Added to that is the winter in AB, which effectively shuts down access to most of the places i like to drive to during the better weather! Having said all that, you're never going to understand this in your first couple of years, it's a new country and lots to find out. But once you've found it out you're left with the fact that there's not really any depth to either Calgary or Edmonton. There's no real downtown and there's certainly no culture in the way that we would understand it back home, which is not a fault of either City, just doesn't help me want to stay here. I'm not sure either, as the OP said, that it's somewhere i'd want to bring up my kids. Just my two cents: from several travels to Vancouver Island/Victoria and Vancouver there's more diversity and better weather and i'm willing to pay for it. Whatever floats your boat, this is just one person's verdict of AB after a few years.

I will say that i'd rather have an adventure and make a mistake...than never having tried at all...but you already get that part :D

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

lol +1

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

Hi there i live in Calgary and have for almost 8 years now from the UK (now married to a Canadian and we have 2 young kids)
I have always liked Calgary but never really loved it. The weather is appalling, people can say 'oh bundle up, it's not that bad' but it really is that bad. It's 6-7 months of solid winter. Taking your kids trick or tearing is a nightmare. This year we had hardly any chinooks and the snow never went away and lots of -25 days which makes it very hard to get out for a walk with my dog and 2 children. They are 2.5 yrs and 5 months so I'm not bundling them up to go for a walk when the windchill is -44.

The city is nice and clean, nice restaurants and shops but not much for real culture, unless you like cowboys and rodeos. I personally don't enjoy the stampede but each to their own.
I don't meet that many original calgarians, it's a very transient city. But I have rarely met bad people. They are usually friendly and helpful and I like that about Calgary. My neighbours are awesome people and we have made so many friends living here.

If you are into winter sports it's great. I really love being near banff and lake Louise, I've been numerous times over the last 8 years and will never ever get bored of the hikes and views, it's absolutely stunning. I don't ski but my husband does so it's nice to be near the hills.

I love the summers here, the weather is usually really nice. Only problem is that the are a million skanky girls in Calgary walking around in bikinis. That's due to so many rig guys living here and they are desperate to bag a man with money. Sorry to be crass but it's totally true lol.

So it's definitely a personal thing, I'm now looking at either moving back to the uk or onto a different city as I'm tired of the traffic here and the weather, it's starting to get me down, especially with the long winter and having the kids stuck inside so much.

Good luck with whatever you decide :)
Btw I loved reading the other things about Calgary, very interesting.

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

Our thoughts exactly. That's why we are moving to the east coast in a few months.

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

:thumbsup:

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

We have lived in Calgary for almost eight years. Prior to that we lived for three years in France and about three years in Germany....I am originally from London.

What I miss about Europe (aside of the regular friends and family) is the variety - food, landscapes, weather etc etc. We are thinking about moving on in the next year or so - not because of Calgary but just because it is a big world out there. I have been thinking about what I will miss about being here and I am a bit surprised that there are more things than I thought there would be....

When we moved here my boys were three yrs old and eleven weeks old. They have grown up in a street where all the kids get to play outside (weather permitting!!) and all those kids have parents who have taken an interest in my kids. When we go to dinner with friends we go as a family so I don't have to bother with babysitters!! My boys go to an excellent school with teachers who hug them and praise them and are allowed to be strict when required. Generally I find Calgarians to be friendly but not exactly full of life - that said I have made some very good friends who I will be sad to leave behind.

For me the glaring problem has been the weather - I wouldn't want to get old here and have to deal with winter. That said I can only think of a handful of days when I have felt I can't go out....We do a lot of winter sports - not cheap but we are able to manage. I can't really imagine dealing with the cold if I couldn't also see the upside of good skiing an hour away....

You mentioned that you have young kids....I would certainly feel that Calgary is a good place for them to grow up but that is just from my own experience. I guess you won't know unless you try it!!!

Good luck with your decision

Lisa

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

I really like life in Calgary; but I don't love the city.

Our life is very easy here. We find there is lots to do; we love the outdoors and we ski both days pretty much every weekend from Nov to mid-end April. Calgary is fab for that. Like I cannot honestly think of a better decent sized place in Canada (Vancouver just has too many people all wanting to ski at he same time) for skiing

Downsides to Calgary are:
cold
surburbaness
everything looks the same
too many people have too much money
lack of ocean

good sides are:
mountains (see above)
everything is very handy
its a very easy city to bring kids up in
flexible realistic employers because they know they have to try hard to keep you. You don't find many calgarians on here complaining about lack of vacation for example , or working every hour possible in the day

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

gryphea and leepee have put that very well.

Calgary as a city scape does not inspire me hugely. Bits of it are lovely, but it's more functional with plenty to do, and easy to manoeuvre around, and to get out of.

I like my life here - it is easy, and comfortable and it suits the stage we are at. The job market is strong and high house prices accompany that. On the whole people are easy to rub along with and I don't find it a struggle here.

But like others, I don't know if I see this a long-term home (but the thought of starting over somewhere new again is, well, not quite overwhelming, but a big downside). It's been a good place for our kids to grow up, and as they transition into adulthood they may or may not hang around - I think they will move and so they should really - and I suspect we will move somewhere without the brutal 5 month winters.

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

What can I say? ............ Thank you SO much for all those posts. Feel free to keep them coming. There are so many people with so many different opinions and that's exactly the way it should be :-) Without the ebb and flow, the enjoyment and the criticism, the world would be a pretty boring place to be. I've heard more interesting opinions and conversations here than in the 3 years we have been in Perth!
I only wish I was there and we were all down the pub talking about this :-)
If work permits I would love to try it out there, if only with a view of "if it doesn't work there's always somewhere else" :-)

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

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

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.

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.

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!!

Re: Move to Calgary?
 

so he'd rather be extremely cold and get ripped off for things?

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!!!

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!

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).

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.