gryphea

We have reasons similar but with slightly differing drivers to reasons posted. Although I should state we are not necessarily looking to go permanently - but will see if/when we get there! We enjoy a reasonable standard of living in UK, house prices are expensive where we live (Leeds commutor belt) but our main driver is the outdoor lifestyle that can be enjoyed for our young family and in particlaur we want to be within 2hrs drive (preferably less ) of worldclass ski resorts with worldclass snow before we get too old to enjoy it!

Really the skiing, coupled with the need for particular jobs, is one of our main considerations and has been in our selection of target areas!!

Gryphea

sinope

My partner and I want to move to Canada mainly because we think our daughter will have a better childhood over there. There are enormous pressures on children in the UK right now and I don't want my child to end up anorexic or worse. From a purely selfish point of view I long for mountains and wilderness and as DBD so correctly stated, the ability to buy our own house.

I actually think that the influx of Poles into GB is a very good thing btw.

niz

Canada surely offers a better quality of life and standard of living than the UK (more bang for your buck?). Also seems to be a little more laid back, a young country learning from social issues globally not to make the same mistakes and no EMPIRE to hark back to...

Also, they're not involved in Iraq so that's a big plus point for me...

dbd33

That seems an even worse reason to move than the minimal risk of a bomb on the tube. Canada is indirectly involved in the conflict by providing troops to Afghanistan, freeing US troops for Iraq, and the decision not to be more overtly involved was made by a Prime Minister who is no longer in power. I don't think Canadians will fight in Iraq or Iran but only because the mood of the US has turned against escalation of the conflict. I think the current PM would readily commit troops.

Deer Hunter

Despite being sure you will interpret this post as picking on you, which I am not, I will write it anyway.

I am curious as to why you think that Canadian children have any less pressure on them than thier British counterparts? I (Canadian) grew up hating the way I looked just like every other Canadian girl I knew. My best friend has been battling severe anorexia and bulimia for the better part of 10 years. Low self esteem unfortunately exists in both sides of the Atlantic.

printer

The OP mentions Polish immigrants being seen as a problem in the UK but i think that to most sensible people it is just the fact that the UK is so overcrowded in places and regardless of where all the people come from it is causing misery to those who live/work in these busy areas. The constant gridlock situation during rush hour, the overcrowded trains and buses and the resulting road rage incidents due to frustrated drivers. Of course not everywhere is like this and i'm sure that parts of Toronto for example can be equally frustrating at busy times.
I thoroughly enjoyed driving on both my last two trips to BC which is something i don't enjoy much in the UK anymore and i have to travel as part of my job.
Hoping for a more outdoor lifestyle, some stress free driving, more skiing (first attempt was Jan 2007) less overall stress and the biggest thing, we will be mortgage free.

dbd33

I've recently experienced the reverse. I very much enjoyed driving from Bexhill to Dartmoor and back in November. I don't enjoy driving in the GTA.
I don't think that's primarily to do with the country although the higher standard of driving and consequent higher speeds in the UK are nice and so is having the gear lever on the proper side.

What I think influences the experience is the amount of traffic, rush hour in Portsmouth is like 4:00am on the 401, and the fact of being on holiday; in the UK we could stop and torment the wild life, if there was wild life here we'd be in too much of a rush to do other than briefly try to run it down.

dbd33

I also drive for work, btw, I always drive on trips of less than 400 miles each way and have driven to appointments in Vegas, New Orleans, Miami, LA, Denver and Houston. In April I'm again working in Vegas and will drive. I enjoy driving except in the GTA and the great traffic tangle that is Chicago.

printer

I've also had some very nice drives around parts of Britain, a nice clear early morning run down the A303 to Devon certainly beats the motorways but i have also done the same trip in the height of summer with wife and kids and it was hellish.
Certainly when in BC the ability to be able to cover vast distances without any traffic hold ups at all is a refreshing change and i have done this both at height of summer and in snow and ice.
The roads today in UK were in chaos due to snow and we all knew it was coming and the main routes were basically quite clear.

dbd33

The same happens here. If we get an inch of snow there are crashed cars all over the place. I expect it's different in mountain provinces and I know it's different in Montreal but the amount of snow that just fell in the UK would have Toronto at a halt and the army called in to move it.

printer

Aren't they all in Afghanistan?

dbd33

LOL You're right, if it snows Toronto will stop until April.

Deer Hunter

I remember that. About 8 years ago?

iaink

Ah, more local "colour". You and I both know thats bullshit. Upwards of a foot fell on toronto overnight when the troops were called in in 1999. Just this week several inches fell on toronto and things carried on pretty much as normal.

There was a fatal accident / fiery explosion on the 401 near cobourg that closed it for 36 hours as the road had been melted, but that was due to white out conditions in the lake effect squalls and people not driving taking into account the prevailing conditions. Precious little danger of traffic ever getting going too fast in the GTA rush hour.

dbd33

It was a while back, I don't remember exactly when.