Rebecca1980

Linotype

https://rentmidwest.com/location/the...rtment-rental/

Lived here in 1990/94. Quiet area.
Very close to LRT station (one stop to university).
Less than 5 minutes to downtown.
Food store (Save on Foods) 1 km north on 109 Street.

It's possible to live in this area without a car.

Rebecca1980

Thank you Linotype. I have seen some apartments in that area but didnt know about the LRT and shopping nearby.
I have never lived anywhere with such cold winters, dont know how long one can walk outside safely specially with a one year old, but 1km is not a long distance.

cheeky_monkey

i don't wear anything different to what i wore in the UK save the gloves (and a hat if its really cold)..most days in winter are sunny and cold..but not blistering cold..its preferable to the cold and damp of a UK winter.

Vulcanoid

You think that until you've walked it in -30C a few times with the wind howling into your face...

I've never lived in Edmonton so can't make specific comments. I have had to endure a prairie winter, never intend to do so again, and think my partner having the car (whereas I had to walk 1200m to the bus stop) is the reason why he could write it off as 'it's eh. I don't love it here. I don't hate it like you do'.

If you plan on not having a car, I'd agree you probably want to be as close as possible to an LRT stop, since the university has an underground station. (Amazingly, they don't appear to have a usable tunnel network or many skywalks between buildings, so unless you're working for law/arts it looks like you're going outside in it).

ann m

Rebecca1980

dbd33

After the first day at the bus stop I suspect that you will put sitting in heated seats ahead of your legitimate concerns about violent death in a collision. Keep car money ready.

cheeky_monkey

Neither are difficult to do..different kind of snow to English snow..i have never had any problems driving in winter conditions here ...even without 4 wheel drive

Photoplex

I suspect this decision will last approximately 1 week before it's reversed. Get a reliable car. Invest in winter tires. Drive carefully, and you'll be fine. There are plenty of people living here from tropical climes, that (somewhat) do alright driving in our winters. Coming from the UK, where there's at least the occasional skiff of snow, you'll be fine.

And to add some context to what others are saying here, here's a time-to-frostbite chart for exposed skin (like your face).

• Walking 1km is around 12 minutes
• Pushing a pram/stroller, through snow - maybe 15 minutes? 20 minutes?
• At -30c, with no wind your exposed skin will freeze in 30 minutes.
• At -30c, with some wind (we always have wind here) that easily drops to 10 minutes...

I would not want to be pushing my child around outside through that. Especially just because you're worried about driving here. Maybe if it was for financial reasons etc.

Rebecca1980

scilly

Canada is also MUCH better than the UK in dealing with snow .............. the roads are cleared quickly, buses run on time, etc etc. Even sidewalks are usually quickly cleared ............. in many places it will be a municipal bylaw that residents (owner, tenant or manager) or business owner has to clear the sidewalk outside the property before 9 or 10 am. Many municipalities have little Bobcats that are fitted with ploughs, and sidewalks are cleared in the downtown core and sometimes in the residential areas within hours of a snowfall ending.

I can almost guarantee that within a couple of months living here you will laugh at stories out of the UK on how everything has come to a halt because of a) snow, b) freezing, c) both.

And next summer, you might well be laughing at tales of trains being delayed because rails have buckled in the heat.

Re daycare ............ have you checked with the university??????

Most universities here have some kind of day care onsite that is available to students and staff. You may be in a bit of a hard place as you're arriving in January while most students, grad students, post docs and faculty arrive in September. It's worth a try.


Re your baby ......... many many people here have babies and walk around, take them on buses, etc in the winter. Daycares even take them outside for playtime as long as it is not actually snowing!! Life doesn't come to a halt!!

I would suggest that you see if you can buy a very good snow suit in the UK, or preferably buy whatever you would for a UK winter, and wait until you get here to buy a Canadian snowsuit.

You will probably end up layering clothing (for the baby and yourself) ............ people tend to keep their houses and buildings much warmer that in the UK

Rebecca1980

UK28

Photoplex

Be careful with rentals. To save money, they usually just put all-season tires on year-round. If you're nervous about driving here, you're going to want proper winter tires. Make sure your rental comes with winters on, and ignore their explanations about how all-seasons are just as good.

Online memory foam ones like Casper can deliver in a few days. They also sell bed frames etc.

Some local stores, like Sleep Country etc should have stock on hand for mattresses. Same story for bed frames at the big box stores like The Brick. However, getting to those places without a car is going to be difficult/expensive.