MikeUK

Interestingly enough talking to a couple of people in our building whilst today describing parts of England, they just stopped the conversion dead and asked “why did you move here?”
They didn’t see any advantages for Canada over England, granted they’ve never been there, but I’d assume they are probably aware that England’s not doing so well with t Euro issue, but they still see it as better
I said moved for the Job, they seem satisfied with the answer

Londonuck

Couldnt agree more Michael.

Hawk13

So, taking into account what I'm hearing that the cost of living is cheaper in the UK - was it for just "a" job? or a better paying job that increased your standard of living?

NoreenC

I'm married to a Canadian who wanted to come back to Canada, because he thought things would be better here. He'd spent 7 years in the UK after our marriage. We've been here just over two years now, and during that time I've made trips back to the UK as I have children and grandchildren there. I like Canada and I think Nova Scotia is a lovely province. I have met some nice people here and made friends, but I wouldn't say I have ever preferred it to the UK. The one big plus is that we have a really nice house here which feels like 'home'. Now my husband has realised he was more settled in the UK than he thought; he misses the train trips we used to take, the snooker, watching the football, the weather, (he hates the winters here), the people that he knew etc etc. He also finds that Canada is not the same country he left ten years ago and hasn't been able to settle. The upshot is that we now have our house for sale and it looks like we'll be coming back to the UK within a couple of months. I thought I was here permanently and didn't allow myself to think too much about things I missed from the UK, but now I just feel so excited!! It'll be lovely to be back with family and friends. I'm looking forward to being able to visit galleries, museums, and not have to drive such long distances to get to somewhere interesting. There's loads of things I'm looking forward to doing again. I would agree with others that you need to come to Canada and spend some time here before you make a decision. If you're happy now you may not find it any 'better'. I've seen people comment on other posts that by emigrating we still bring a lot of our problems with us - Canada doesn't make them go away. If you don't have problems anyway and are happy where you are, I'd think seriously before you make the decision. I understand what you are saying about a sense of adventure, and I think that is better than coming here solely to get away from the UK. It will be an adventure. I like it here but to me it's not 'better', just different. I'm a lot older than you so I may feel differently anyway but now I just feel that I'm going home!

rdashmore

-1, read your last paragraph again and try not to laugh. What a load of BS. Your first paragraph was bi-partisan and genuine. Did you stop for a drink or two in between? Canada has much greater opportunity, outdoors, and wilderness. Have you ever been here?

dbd33

It may have opportunity, depending on what opportunity you seek, certainly there are more positions in the field of lumberjacking in Canada, but life in Toronto offers less access to the outdoors than life in London. Neither offer wilderness nearby (and neither does London Ont). If you're starting in central London you can enjoy a number of parks or take the tube to one of a couple of forests or take the train to a National Park. If you're starting in Toronto you must first rent a car and then drive to the nearest non-privately owned patch of grass; Algonquin perhaps. Nice enough but it's like going to the Lake District, not something you can do on a Wednesday evening.

Jingsamichty

Of course I've been here. I suspect you haven't been here for very long if you disagree with what I said.

Please tell exactly how/what you mean by "Canada has much greater opportunity"??

As far as wilderness goes, naturally Canada has more of it, but it's not exactly accessible for the vast majority of the Canadian population. As dbd33 correctly says, it mainly requires access to, and considerable time spent in, a vehicle. Conversely, in the UK I can walk out of my front door with my dog and walk for miles and miles in open countryside without needing a car.

But please, do explain in what way Canada has "much greater opportunity" than the UK.

scottyxx

I moved to Canada for a job, as a recent graduate in the uk I have 3 University Degrees, a BEng, MEng and MSc I was applying for jobs everywhere, and couldn't find anything. I got offered an Internship here, through AIESEC.

I then got hired, and I honestly get a job offer once a week from employers here. That is the main thing for me. There are many jobs here, for me at least, and I am in Ontario. Things cost less in General (Minus Mobile phones, Car Insurance, and Alcohol) and the wages are way higher.

My current wage is $52k per year, which is underpaid for my education and experience here, Ive been told I should get at lest $70, in the Uk for my first job out of Uni, I would be lucky to make 20,000 pounds a year.

I also really enjoy the weather, being from Scotland, the weather is pretty samey all the time. I love that there are seasons here, and I love that.

It isn't all rosey though. I have felt lots of discrimination as a foreigner here. People make fun of my accent, including my boss and co-workers, they great me with "Top O the Morning" every day, and constantly joke about me being "cheap" or "drunk" which I find inappropriate and hurtful.

I also HATE driving here, I find people so aggressive and just generally bad drivers, it is terrifying driving on the 401 most of the time, as people do not signal, do not look where they are going and just drive.

Public transport is a joke! I miss being able to just hop on the train and go shopping, or hop on the train and drink to a night out in our neighbouring town. I also miss being able to buy a bottle of wine to have with dinner when I do my groceries, and understanding the actual price of items when I buy them.

I miss having a debit card I can use wherever I want, whenever I want. I hate the bugs too. You really need a car if you want to live here, which is a big difference from the UK.

I feel overall, where I live, even the "poor" Canadian's are richer than my family back home in the UK, and we were considered Average. The standard of living here is much much higher.


Overall, I had nothing to loose by coming here, which is why I did it, I was just out of school, no solid job, no relationships, but I had a good group of very very old friends I had known since I was a kid. Now in Canada, I have a good job, a lovely house, and car, a "common law" husband, kittens and freedom. I miss having my friends who Ive known all my life, and the loneliness of the inital move is really hard to deal with for someone from a small town like myself, but overall, I am happy here, and I am sure my friendships will grow and I will make good friends here eventually.

didikai

I'm just puzzled at the number of people here on a Canada forum, who keep saying Canada has no better lifestyle than the U.K., when they are all living in Canada. If the U.K. is better or equal why not go back there?

scottyxx

I think it has a much better life style! The standard of living, compared to where I am from is much higher here. I could fit my parents entire house into my boyfriend's house's basement!

iaink

Settled here, and moving is expensive.

Its not better or worse, its just different. Once you get over more property for your money, its just more square feet to dust and mop.

Its people that make a place good or bad, not stuff. If you have good people around you, then its a good place. If you have bad people around you, then its a bad place. No amount of toys and consumer goods can hide that basic truth after a while. Im glad I have good people around me.

When you move 3500 miles everything is new to you and you know no one, so you can assume everyone is nice and things seem fine. How it seems 5 years later is going to depend on your experience I guess.

FirstRatofftheShipUK

I am not disagreeing with the points above.

However, if read in isolation, you could also quite easily be describing some of the irritants of living/doing business in The UK these days.

I think this is informative of the futility in nature of these types of debates; unless one moves out of the industrialised 'Western World' (certainly the Anglo-speaking part of same) life is pretty much the same throughout.

The only real changes may be the language on your box of morning cereal.

FROTSUK

feelbritish

Again, it very much depends on where you are from in the UK. Also you are comparing apples to oranges, and as someone else said, not better only different. Lots of people do go back but the reasons are not usually because UK is better. The overwhelming common factor in their return is usually financial, friends, family and a lifestyle which they find Canada does not give them. Again people come out here for the lifestyle which suits them at that moment in their lives and go back when it suits that moment in their lives!

el_richo

Out of pure curiousity, other than a larger living space, what is the difference in actual fundamental lifestyle?

In your daily work life, on an evening, or at the weekend. What's so different?

I find other than the side of the road you drive on, or the types of clothing you might wear at points through the year, i struggle to see the fundamental lifestyle (get up, go to work, go home, shop, eat, sleep) differences when comparing the whole of Canada and the whole of the UK.

Aside from the fundamental similarities, it's wholly dependant on where you choose to live. For example, i'm going to walk to the beach later. I couldn't do that if i lived in Dulwich. On the other hand, i could if i lived in Bournemouth but not in Coquitlam. I could enjoy nice restaurants and a walk by the River of an evening (without driving) if i lived in Richmond, but not in Chilliwack. I could enjoy skiiing after work living in downtown Vancouver but not in Bristol.

Whether the whole of one country is better than the whole of another country is all bullshit.

You rarely see direct comparisons in these arguments.

For example, Where i live in Canada, i have easier access to the ski hills, the beach, and the ocean. Those opportunities are better for me where i live in Canada.

Where i lived in the UK, i had easier access to beautiful parks, the countryside, and i was closer to my family. Those opportunities are better for me where i lived in the UK.

For work, my opportunities were better where i lived in the UK, but i'm not driven by work.

Former Lancastrian

+ 100
Both are great countries and both have disadvantages and advantages.
Once you have outgrown the well Im used to this that and the other then both countries become more tolerable.
Most of us did not move here based on the availability of ski hills, beaches and parks or if we could buy real cadburys chocolate bars, PG tips or the price of cheese. Most of us have the option of moving back to the UK should we wish to do so.