The Move to Calgary area
 

Hi All,
it has been awhile since my last post here,I am now working in Nova Scotia or should I say off the coast of NS .The company I work for pays my flights from Scotland to NS on a two on two off rotation.
We had intended to move to NS but are now looking at Alberta or BC,i still intend to work in NS and the company will pay my flights from anywhere in North America.
So we are a family of four my son is 17 and is in his fifth year and believe will be going into 12 th Grade this coming September ,my daughter will be staying in the UK to complete her degree at Heriot- Watt Uni.
So looking for somewhere nice not too expensive and not to far from civilisation,good High schools and good Trade schools close by would be even better.Have had good reports about areas near Calgary and Abbotsford in BC.
We are not knocking NS and would have loved to have lived there but we believe that out west will give my son and daughter a better start in life ?
ps does anyone know of any good companies with regards to bringing our furniture over and what the price will likely be.

cheers
Arty & Family

Re: The Move to Calgary area
 

If your son is 17 and your daughter is already at Heriot Watt University, why do you think moving to Calgary will give them 'a better start in life'?

IMO, the UK is a much better place for bright young kids on the cusp of adulthood to be.

Re: The Move to Calgary area
 

Hi ,
it was a dream for a long time and to be honest for my son it is the best move as the competition for Apprenticeships and the availability in Scotland are pretty tough.
For my daughter the world is her oyster and I believe she will travel for a long time to come.
A trade in Instrumentation is what my son is looking for and we will take it from there.
We will give it a go and see were it takes us,nothing ventured nothing gained.

Art

Re: The Move to Calgary area
 

SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology) is your trade school for Calgary. Wide variety of programs, great campus, and sits on 16th Ave which is middle/north-west-ish. Competition for seats in many of the programs can be tough, so be planning well in advance of the year you want to enter.
For example, if you are looking to start a program in September 2015 - know what you need by mid 2014 and be on the ball with applications by October 2014.

This might be of interest to you:

http://www.sait.ca/programs-and-cour...e-overview.php

:)

Re: The Move to Calgary area
 

BCIT is the best school in BC for trades etc but it's pretty far from Abbotsford.

Re: The Move to Calgary area
 

I'd take a serious look at NAIT in Edmonton. It has the type of courses you are looking for your son .... http://www.nait.ca/program_home_81733.htm

Also Edmonton is probably a better bet for him to start a trade related career. Calgary is reputed to be more white collar.

As for places to live - well St Albert is getting good press at the moment! http://www.moneysense.ca/property/ca...to-think-small

Good luck! J :)

Re: The Move to Calgary area
 

Just to back up a bit first, have you been accepted for a Permanent Resident Visa for Canada already?

You say your employer will pay for flights and you want to move to Canada but you don't say you have been accepted to live in Canada by Canadian Immigration. So I just want to clarify that.

As for where to live in Canada, that's hard to answer. I've lived in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta. All of them as well as the other provinces have their pros and cons. Since you don't have the usual restriction of living where the job is, really you could pick any one.

Regarding education for your son, again, there is no clear 'best'. Instrumentation covers a lot of territory and jobs in those fields exist in every province. Does he have any more specific interests that would narrow down the potentially best schools or job opportunites once he graduates?

A Diploma from Fanshawe in Ontario vs. a Diploma from NAIT is really not going to mean anything one way or the other. Here is a list of courses in Ontario for example. http://www.ontariocolleges.ca/Search...NTROL/_/N-lmm1
All no doubt acceptable to employers.

While your son's education is no doubt important to you, I would suggest you concentrate more on where you would LIKE to live. Somewhere near a school for your son can be found in most provinces no doubt.

So housing value, weather, access to services like a family doctor, cost of living, access to travel for vacations perhaps(visits back to Scotland cost less to fly from Toronto than from Edmonton for example), all kinds of criteria besides a school.

Re: The Move to Calgary area
 

http://www.sait.ca/about-sait/public...ing-Technology

;)

Re: The Move to Calgary area
 

LOL - I have no affiliation to either so won't get into a NAIT/SAIT duel ... :p

I imagine they are much of a muchness - just thought the work opportunities may be higher in Edmonton for those skills.

J :)

Re: The Move to Calgary area
 

Process control is a field in which there are jobs everywhere Jingle. Making Mars bars is a process control business. I know, I sold them a control system many years ago.

My point being, there is no need to put jobs or schools ahead of where the whole family would LIKE to live based on ALL relevant factors.

Re: The Move to Calgary area
 

Hi Guys,
thanks for all your replies,yes we are permanent residents and have over 4 years to go before it expires.
I work with quite a few Canadians and everyone to a T recommends the Calgary and Edmonton areas for kids to get trades and eventually work in the Oil and Gas sector.Also a few of the guys live out in BC recommended Abbotsford .
Our main objective and also for Lewis is to get him into a trade school after his final year in High school and we will take it from there.I have heard good reports about Cochrane and Airdrie and the surrounding areas.

cheers
All