I've been considering the move to Canda for a good number of years now, unfortunately the good lady will not be moved!!!

Still ever hopeful I keep doing my research. At one time I had thought Alberta seemed to offer most of what we would want as a family Calgary, Edmonton or Lethbridge looked nice.

However I've been hearing a lot about Nova Scotia recently and must confess on the surface it looks very alluring. Small towns near to a major city like Halifax with lots of beautiful scenery -all very nice but: what's the crime rate like? Is it really sleepy peaceful Atlantic Canada. How are the schools? Do they stretch and challenge young minds or like British schools grade everthings as excellent no matter how bad it is, and completely ignore any meaningful discipline. What's the healthcare like? Is the cost of living affordable?

Basically I'm a married guy in his forties married to a nurse, and we have a child of nearly five.

What I'm looking for is a happy safe environment to raise our little girl and give her a good education. My wife if she ever changes her mind would be the one to get us in with her nursing qualifications.

Also what are the down sides to NS?

Now I don't want a debate about how wonderful the British Education system really is or that Crime is actually going down in the Uk it's just the Daily Mail getting people worked up: If that's how you feel fine, but I'm after people's experiences good or otherwise


Sorry for being a bit curt but I've been on here often enough to know how it works. All helpful contributions gratefully received, silly posts will be ignored.

Many thanks...

Hawkman, I am in the same position, almost, as you - same age, wife and kids etc - and looking at NS because it seems to offer the fastest way in to PR status.

There are places, I believe, in the UK that are capable of the same tranquility as NS. My folks live in the south-west on the edge of Dartmoor, in beautiful surroundings, but there's little well-paid employment. There's a big city close by (Bristol, about a 90 minute drive away) but not much else to do for bored teenagers. There's no crime that they are aware of and their only real gripe is the rising cost of living versus the falling value of their pensions.

But, in my opinion, much of this tranquility, wherever it may be found, is tainted by a chavvy, entitlement driven culture that debases almost everything it touches. One of the major social problems in the UK, over the last 30 years, is that self-restraint has been bred or conditioned out of younger generations and it is this attitude of doing what one feels that has produced so much dissatisfaction.

Canada is no paradise, in that respect, and can never be for it, too, has a similar cultural philosophy as the UK (in common with the other Commonwealth countries and the USA, to a certain extent). But it does seem that the rot is far more advanced, more severe, in the UK. And for that alone, for the benefit of your children, it's worth coming here.

Hi Hawkman,
if you haven't already - take a look at career beacon, NS is crying out for medical staff.

Adrian,

My thoughts exactly. I'm daft enough to think Canada/NS is peferfect but I do want somewhere better for myself and my wife and child.

Stu pot.

Thank you, pardon my ignorance but what and where is 'Career Beacon'.

Many thanks

Hawkman

HI Hawkman

We are around the same age with 3 kids, 17,15 and 2!
Been here in Truro for just over 2 months

Of course NS is not for everybody, so before you move, you have to be as sure as you can be.

We love it here though, life is very chilled and as quiet as you want it to be.
Our kids love school, yes it is different, but that can be a good thing.
The people are lovely, so friendly and easy going, they really can teach you a few things about chilling!!

There are always things that you find that are more or less expensive than the Uk.
Rugs..............something I don't understand, are more expensive.
Some food items are more expensive etc etc etc
This is not a cheap place to live, but then again neither is the UK!! Once you live in Dollars you have to stick to it and stop converting to Sterling, as it does'nt help, then again it does give you an idea on working out if something is expensive or not.

We have just signed up with a Doctor with our medical cards.
Basically all medical treatment is covered under this apart from Prescriptions, which can be expensive and Plastic surgery etc etc
That is why you are required to have extra medical cover, either privately or through you job. Then most if not all costs are covered. It is important to carefully look at the Medical cover your job is offering.
Dental treatment can be very expensive (over 10yrs), our daughter needs a new brace and we have been told it can cost $5000, we will shop around a bit and hope there is a good payment program. Luckily our eldest has perfect teeth!!!

Glasses and eye tests are not free for over 10yrs, tests are about $50 and glasses prices I suppose compare to the Uk but you can also buy 1 get 1 free here.

The Winters are long but very bright, compared to the Uk, I cannot get over how bright it is here. There is less rain though, which for me is a huge positive.

My Oil bill is a lot bigger, but then again my house is more than twice the size of the last one we had in the UK

MY tax bill is one of the biggest in town, because of where we live but......my house is detached on a good street in the center of the town. In the UK we paid around the same for a small terrace around the corner from a huge council estate and the kids there were little*########* we had the police out a few times there!

On the whole really, it is what you make it here, of course advantages and disadvantages.
In a perfect world we would all be able to come out here for 6 months trial and be able to afford it and not screw up our kids minds.... but we don't live in a perfect world.
Though I think living here is the nearest WE are ever going to get to it.

Make lists and get out here as soon or as much as you can and try to be honest to yourself.

Hope this has been of some use to you and GOODLUCK!!

Hi Hawkman,

We are in a very similar situation to you with a couple of difference. One (small) difference is both me and my hubby would love to emigrate, the other is we would struggle to apply for PR under FSW because neither of us have a 'trade'. Having reivewed this forum I then reaslised that there are other ways to for through the immigration process. That is when I discovered Nova Scotia. When we originally looked at immigrating we were looking at British Columbia, but your right so many people say so many positive things about NS that I thought it's got to be worth a look.

Despite carrying out research we made the decision that the only 'real' way to know whether we would like a place is to see if for ourselves. No amount of research from a computer can replace how you actually feel about somewhere. I stressed myself out no end whether we should go on a recce or not, if we go should we go on our own and leave the kids at home, numerous things whatever I thought, I could think of a reason not to do it.

Anyway I think I reached the point where I thought I can't take this anymore, make a decision woman and get on with it. Its really strange because I was almost having a two way conversation with myself.

Anyway, last Monday I took the plunge and booked the flights, we go on 19 May, but do you know what I felt such a relief and excitement. I have been glued to the laptop since and there's still loads to look into before we go but I can't wait.

'Rubie' gave me one bit of advice that really made me wake up when I couldn't make up our mind whether to go for the recce and that was, a recce is just that, a fact finding exercise that will give you a good idea of whether you want to take it further, you are not committing yourself to anything at that stage.

You are not on your own in wanting the best environment to bring your kids up in, that is one of our main drivers for wanting to emigrate, that and wanting to spend more quality time together as a family.

Obviously when we come back I can let you know how we get on.

If you want anymore info please don't hesitate to send a pm.

Nic

I am in rural NS and in my view it is blissful and sounds exactly what you are looking for.

I am also on the local health board so pm me by all means as another poster says we are desperate and I mean desperate for nurses and docs

to sum it up we dont even possess a key to our home let alone lock any doors

We live approx 2 hours from Halifax and rural and we love it. Drive approx 40 km to shop which takes approx 20 mins compared to driving to work in the UK 3 miles in 20 mins. We have been here 12 months and have settled really well, had some ups and downs and some unexpected big buys like 2 wood stoves as problems with the chimney to the wood furnace. Winter has been long at times but with lots of snow and sunshine, definitely different to the UK and looking grey. Costs vary, some food is cheaper than the UK and then some is more expensive. I am planning on growing my own veg this year so will save some money. House we have is big (over 3000 square feet) and 18 acres and costs less than what we sold our house in the UK for a few years ago. I find life in general is slower than the UK and everyone a lot friendlier.

A lot will depend on what you want out of your move to Canada. Would suggest a visit and a good look round.

Depending on your wife's nurse training will depend if there are any issues. NS requires general trained and transcripts covering clinical and theory in all areas. I am having some issues and a struggle sorting them out but the college is very quick to answer any queries I have

PM me if you want

Not much to do for bored teenagers, except drugs, little well paid employment, entitlement driven culture. That's the downside of rural NS, rural Canada in general, perhaps rural anywhere. I'm sure the better points of rural living will be pointed out by others but, in short, you can have lots of land and work very hard at keeping animals on it.

I think that if you move to a rural location you have to reconcile yourself to the idea of the children moving away at the end of high school, either to go to university or to find work, if not full time work then summer work; enough to pay the stamp and get pogey through the winter. That's a way of life for many adults in the poorer parts of Canada. Another downside is that having got a job you're trapped in that job, there isn't a lot of choice in work; otherwise the very many Maritimers in Toronto would go home. Then there's the weather.

A way to look at this is to compare rural NS with rural Ireland, both are scenic but both have lost their populations to more urban areas; England and Ontario. Would you look at moving to County Begorrah?

LOL!
That is, by far and away, the best comparison and if I had knowledge of said County, it is how I would have described it!

Lots of people do want that. If you want to run an unusual religion or to develop a closer relationship with your livestock and/or family members than is customary in western society then rural Canada certainly provides the opportunity for those things. I think people should be very sure before going though, it takes years to sell houses in rural areas so you can't quickly come back. They also should think about just how rural rural Canada is, County Begorrah is closer to Paris than most of NS is to Boston (the nearest big city). You have to think about generators, tractors, multiple freezers, the risk of being cut off for a couple of days and you might even have to deal with dial up internet!

You paint such a wonderful picture of rural life DBD!!!

We were only cut off once this winter. At the worst time though, 24 was on the telly

You don't have to have dial up, you can go for satellite if you want. Still crap though.

I think he paints a pretty realistic picture.

I'm on satellite, it was that or dial up when we moved here. There's the option of microwave now which might be better, it's certainly cheaper.

We had a couple of days this past winter when it wasn't feasible to leave but no long periods, last winter there were two days in a row when we couldn't get out and, indeed, had to take in someone who got stuck in a drift nearby. When the weather's like that it usually means no power so we make a point of keeping logs, candles and wine to hand.