People come to Canada for Canada or the U.S
Jan 5th 2014, 3:03 am
#61
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 24
Re: People come to Canada for Canada or the U.S
Thanks a lot for your guy's comments. Some corrected my incorrect impression of Toronto and some just reflect the advices from my friends - bigger economy scale and better economy structure, some comments are from the people who have lived in both Australia and Canada. Very appreciated. I think I've got enough information to make up my own mind.
Just one more question, since some of you have ever lived in more than 2 countries, presumably with family too, what are the downsides of keeping moving your family from one country to another country? I did think about living in Australia for 4 years and move back to Toronto but I was kind worried because I needed to restart everything from ground twice.
Just one more question, since some of you have ever lived in more than 2 countries, presumably with family too, what are the downsides of keeping moving your family from one country to another country? I did think about living in Australia for 4 years and move back to Toronto but I was kind worried because I needed to restart everything from ground twice.
Jan 5th 2014, 3:07 am
#62
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Europe (to be specified).
Posts: 30,259
Re: People come to Canada for Canada or the U.S
I expected to find a bilingual English/French country when I moved to Canada many years ago, and was disappointed to find this was not a reality. Outside of the big population in Quebec, some parts of New Brunswick and a few pockets elsewhere you will have few opportunities to use French.
Mother tongue statistics don't include learned languages but do give an idea of the languages in use. BC's numbers in 2011 for example included (partial list):
English 3,060,000
Chinese 358,000
(includes Cantonese 133,000; Mandarin 94,000; unspec +Hakka 121,000)
Panjabi(Punjabi) 182,900
German 73,600
Tagalog(Pilipino) 68,800
French 57,280
Other non-official 298,600
English+French 8,600
English+other 68,800
It is mandated you can receive service in French from the Canadian Government and some provinces also do that, as do national call centres for companies with customers in Quebec. Just don't come to Canada thinking the whole country is bilingual.
Mother tongue statistics don't include learned languages but do give an idea of the languages in use. BC's numbers in 2011 for example included (partial list):
English 3,060,000
Chinese 358,000
(includes Cantonese 133,000; Mandarin 94,000; unspec +Hakka 121,000)
Panjabi(Punjabi) 182,900
German 73,600
Tagalog(Pilipino) 68,800
French 57,280
Other non-official 298,600
English+French 8,600
English+other 68,800
It is mandated you can receive service in French from the Canadian Government and some provinces also do that, as do national call centres for companies with customers in Quebec. Just don't come to Canada thinking the whole country is bilingual.
Mon Dieu! Que pensiez-vous?
Jan 5th 2014, 3:10 am
#63
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Europe (to be specified).
Posts: 30,259
Re: People come to Canada for Canada or the U.S
Thanks a lot for your guy's comments. Some corrected my incorrect impression of Toronto and some just reflect the advices from my friends - bigger economy scale and better economy structure, some comments are from the people who have lived in both Australia and Canada. Very appreciated. I think I've got enough information to make up my own mind.
Just one more question, since some of you have ever lived in more than 2 countries, presumably with family too, what are the downsides of keeping moving your family from one country to another country? I did think about living in Australia for 4 years and move back to Toronto but I was kind worried because I needed to restart everything from ground twice.
Just one more question, since some of you have ever lived in more than 2 countries, presumably with family too, what are the downsides of keeping moving your family from one country to another country? I did think about living in Australia for 4 years and move back to Toronto but I was kind worried because I needed to restart everything from ground twice.
Jan 5th 2014, 2:13 pm
#65
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Ontario
Posts: 40,018
Re: People come to Canada for Canada or the U.S
I expected to find a bilingual English/French country when I moved to Canada many years ago, and was disappointed to find this was not a reality. Outside of the big population in Quebec, some parts of New Brunswick and a few pockets elsewhere you will have few opportunities to use French.
Last edited by dbd33; Jan 5th 2014 at 2:15 pm.
Jan 5th 2014, 11:54 pm
#66
Grumpy Know-it-all
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 8,928
Re: People come to Canada for Canada or the U.S
Do not believe the idea that income tax is always lower in the US than in Canada. It entirely depends on your individual circumstances, and whether you live in a high tax location (e.g. California or New York) or a low one (e.g Alberta). Also take into consideration that health care in Canada is funded primarily through taxes, whereas in the US you will have to shell out significant money for health insurance and co-pays.
The employee's part of CPP this year is $2,356, can't remember what EI is but say $3,000 total. The maximum limit for CPP is around $52,500. In the US on the other hand it's 7.65% and the ceiling is $117,000, so around $9,000. And if you're self-employed - double it.
And yes healthcare does cost a lot more in the US, not just co-pays and stuff like that, but also prescription prices.
But having said all that, there are lots more high tax jurisdictions in Canada (basically Ontario eastwards) than in the US in percentage terms. BC though has pretty low taxes as does Alberta. Not as low as the neighbouring US jurisdictions though. Montana for example has no sales tax and Washington has no State income tax. But everyone earning income from a job has to pay FICA in the US.
It does depend on your personal circumstances, as is always the case with taxes. One thing that makes comparison difficult though is that the US has a plethora of tax deductions that don't exist in Canada. You can't just take the tax rate and the standard deduction and use that as an indication, which is why tax preparation software is of some benefit in the US.
Jan 6th 2014, 2:13 pm
#68
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Ontario
Posts: 40,018
Re: People come to Canada for Canada or the U.S
No. But I do pass a sushi place advertising "all you can eat" which is in a plaza on the west side, there's some sort of bottle recycling facility in the plaza, is that it?
Jan 6th 2014, 6:47 pm
#69
The ride never ends
Joined: Sep 2011
Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 2,481
Re: People come to Canada for Canada or the U.S
Corner of Edinburgh and Municipal. I know there's a Beer Store and some other stores. Might be some plant but never paid attention.
Jan 6th 2014, 6:55 pm
#70
The ride never ends
Joined: Sep 2011
Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 2,481
Re: People come to Canada for Canada or the U.S
Was my understanding Ontario was generally quite low on taxes.
Jan 6th 2014, 6:57 pm
#71
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Ontario
Posts: 40,018
Re: People come to Canada for Canada or the U.S
