jericho

Well, almost: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18425472

jericho

My UK salary was 27,000 GBP.... a smidgen within the UK average income, and roughly the going rate for my occupation.

There aint many places you can move to and buy a house on that kind of salary.

And even if I'd moved to another place, I'd still be commuting back in to a city centre every day for work... it's not always that easy to get away from it.

el_richo

We may agree on a few things

I would wager that most of the above is perception, not actual experience.

Canada, a country perceived to be full of happy smiling people who live simple lives with no fear, owning land enough for horses and a large house. All for a cheap price. Kids are kids and ever respectful to others, etc etc.

Most people believe what they read or watch. Or at least form perceptions in their mind.

In reality, Canada has crime, unruly kids, expensive housing, rising congestion, and lack of space.

The reality is, both countries have it all, and both countries have areas that do not. Most people choose Canada based on what they read or see when on holiday. That has nothing to do with true experience as such.

I don't need to shake myself. I read this forum and form an opinion which tends to lean toward many people choosing to move due to disillusionment brought on by either stagnancy in their lives, or false perceptions based on media. Granted some do live in terrible situations and are looking to escape. I would bet the majority who post on here are not in that situation but that's just a guess.

I would guess most who post on here haven't been involved or impacted directly with asbo crime, or wake up to glass all over the street. I would also guess those who can afford to move to canada for open space and limited congestion can also do the same in the uk.

The bottom line is, there's nothing wrong with living in either country. Both can provide a good life, education, opportunities, safe environment, space, etc.

And I repeat, if the media is impacting your thought process, take a step back, focus on your reality, and then reevaluate.

el_richo

A question for The OP, Alcat. You say you vilified the UK for so long, but you have a nice life where you are. Was the vilification based on daily experiences or mainly media driven? For example, was crime, immigration, violence, etc, a driect impact to you or mainly media stories?

Also how will your life be better on a day to day basis? What do you see?

Im actually Very curious because it could help form more direct, and helpfully realistic responses.

iaink

Thats $43k canadian, so perhaps true here to some extent, certainly in most of the "big" cities anyway.

Presumably if your work is the kind of thing done in a city center exclusively then thats true in Canada too?

Anyway, Canada is different, but is it REALLY better? Horses for courses I suspect.

gillyd65

No, its different.
Where I lived in the UK I wasn't aware of my local town ever being firebombed by the local drug dealers due to rivalry between gangs, one of the drug leaders being shot dead at point blank range on his driveway in a so called 'leafy area', local students rioting in the street and setting fire to cars, numerous homeless people on the streets.....so yeh Canada is different.
The summer riots last year in the UK, whilst shocking, did not have an impact on my life as it didn't happen in the town where I lived (a case of 'oh well not in my back yard'), however the events in the first paragraph happened where we lived/live (hubby still there) in Canada. Having driven through some towns in Canada some areas look just as run down and rough as some of the bad areas in the UK. So yes, it all depends on the immediate vicinity of where you live, which country it is in makes not one jot of difference, there's good and bad in all. Trouble is the UK is perceived to be all chavs, hoodies, street crime, riots, drunken yobs, murders etc etc whilst Canada is perceived to be safe, polite, clean, environmentally friendly and a near to perfect place to live.

Novocastrian

No. Next question?

Steve_

I was just about to say, one-word answer to this question. But it would help if the OP had some idea of where they wanted to move in Canada.

Novocastrian

I doubt it. The answer's the same wherever. Don't get me wrong, I like (or rather have liked) Canada. But the title question has a straightforward answer. No.

rivingtonpike

Does one really have to be "better" than the other? I like one beer, my brother likes another and my father a third. None of us is wrong, we just appreciate or like different things.

Novocastrian

No, it doesn't. And it isn't. Just trying to answer the OP's question.

Hawk13

+1 No, it's different, not better, not worse.

Lvh76

I agree with most of the posts saying that it's different but not necessarily better. I think it all depends on your circumstances. We've been here for 3 weeks and so obviously I still have my rose tinted specs on. For us as a family (two kids aged 3 and 1) it was a good move because back in the UK my OH commuted from Newbury to London every day and missed out on so much with the kids. In Toronto we are able to afford to live within 30 mins commute of the Financial District resulting in hubby being around for breakfast and bath time for the kids. It makes a world of difference to us. We had a very nice life in the UK but we fancied a change and the kids were at the right age to make such a huge move. My home is where my husband and kids are so it doesn't matter where in the world we live. Grass is never greener just different.

Auld Yin

Yes, it's much better...........................than Glasgow. Almost anywhere is.

Novocastrian

Exactly. So why bother with Canada?