carolineandrew

Hi I am new to this site and am looking for some advice. My husband and myself are looking to move to Canada in the next 3 years and are going on a trip next year to locate where we want to live. We have a little boy who is currently 6 months old and hope to move before he's at school so would be looking for and area with good schooling, friendly locals, jobs in IT and law, rural and most importantly cold winters - we love them! Can anyone suggest a good area. We have been looking at Nova Scotia, but we are having doubts about whether we would like it.

Beck77

Hi there

Welcome to the forum. I only started posting threads lat week so I'm new to this aswell! My OH and I drove accross Canada from one side to the other to try to get a feel for the place and to see where we liked best. We loved BC due to the fab scenery and the slightly more temperate winters although everywhere in Canada is cold in Winter compared to UK! I would suggest exploring rather than just going to one area as it is such a diverse country.

Butch Cassidy

May I be the second to:

a) welcome you

b) suggest grabbing a brew and perusing the wiki which can be located 4 from the right on the blue bar top of the screen.

Alan2005

Are you really sure - I mean really really sure about that? It's a whole different level to the UK

Getting There

Hi carolineandrew,

Welcome to the forum.

Most of the major cities and surrounding towns, especially east of the Rockies, would tick most of your boxes. Calgary and surrounding towns, in our view, certainly would. Very sensible to think about doing a recce - that will certainly help to give you a better feel for life here.

Best wishes with your plans.

Kind regards,

Eamonn & Janet.

R I C H

With all due respect to GT, most ex-pats are going to recommend the area they know/live in or have direct knowledge of.

Sit down and make your own list of requirements - geography, weather, accessibility to whatever amenities you require, urban/rural etc. then look at which provinces broadly work, before narrowing down the search further.

Butch Cassidy

Fair point R I C H. Not sure about the bit in red though.

R I C H

Not so sure about your red bits either.

I'd see a doctor, mate.

Butch Cassidy

Oh I am seeing a Dr, very nice man, keeps asking me about my childhood and my relationship with my mother? I wouldnt mind but he talks with a weird german accent and makes me lie on a leather bed.

Getting There

Absolutely...although we didn't suggest Calgary and surrounds was the only solution, or even the best, but the OP was looking for suggestions.

Your advice to the OP in the second para is spot on.

Eamonn & Janet.

christmasoompa

And just to add to what everybody else has said, don't get too fixated on one area unless you qualify for PR without a job offer.

Most people require a job offer to get to Canada these days, and so you may just have to go where the work is, particularly given the recession over there. Obviously if you qualify as a SW without a job offer, then ignore me and go wherever you fancy, but if you don't, then research your job market and where your jobs are in demand before deciding on where to reccie.

Oh, and welcome to the forum!

fledermaus

What is it that you think you might not like?

Some random thoughts.

Jobs in law mean requalifying, is it worth it?

Cold winters are a bore after 4 months, unless you do the sporty stuff, but then life still gets in the way of enjoying the weather, or do I mean the other way round?

You need to come and look if you haven't already, but... I had been coming to this area for vacations over 20 years, but it's different when you live here.

Cassie 10000

Hello, welcome to BE.

Edmonton has cold winters we love it too.

Have a look at this part of the Wiki.

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Category:Beginners-Canada

BE is is also very fun and addicitive, enjoy