Reasons for emigrating?
Jul 14th 2011 | 8:20 am
#241
Every day's a school day
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,667
From: Was Calgary back in Edmonton again !!
Re: Reasons for emigrating?
In residential? I worked in the construction industry in the UK for many years and I don't see that enormous of a difference. Although when my house here was being built I think dragging the site agent out of his office and quoting building regs might have made an impact. Also I had a rather bemusing day showing him how to wire a house. I know a lot of my neighbours have had complaints that I haven't.
Building regs here aren't as tight as in the UK and the building inspections are laughable, however that doesn't necessarily mean if you get someone competent to do the work it's going to be worse, which is why I said there is a greater variation in new build quality here.
Lost count of the number of British people working in construction here (e.g. you) so I think it's bit of a tough sell to say they are markedly worse here!
The one thing that is shockingly worse though is health & safety, I've seen things done routinely here that would get a site closed down in the UK. Massive pits with no fencing, building materials all over the sidewalk and even in the street, not properly covered, unattended machinery not properly locked down, etc.
Building regs here aren't as tight as in the UK and the building inspections are laughable, however that doesn't necessarily mean if you get someone competent to do the work it's going to be worse, which is why I said there is a greater variation in new build quality here.
Lost count of the number of British people working in construction here (e.g. you) so I think it's bit of a tough sell to say they are markedly worse here!
The one thing that is shockingly worse though is health & safety, I've seen things done routinely here that would get a site closed down in the UK. Massive pits with no fencing, building materials all over the sidewalk and even in the street, not properly covered, unattended machinery not properly locked down, etc.
The reason there are lots of british people in construction is they tend to be more qualified and the quality of work is better. They are used to working in shitty conditions and will put in the hours to get things done. They dont have this union mentality alot of trades have here.
Thats not to say there are not any good Canadian trades because there are..but there is a huge amount of chaff in the wheat here unfortunately.
Jul 14th 2011 | 8:24 am
#242
Moderαtor Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 30,771
From: Upstate South Carolina
Re: Reasons for emigrating?
If the figures in the chart in this post from another thread are averages and I see no reason to think otherwise, then the national average is considerably more than what you state. 
Canadian Cities
Average House Prices
February 2011
City Average House Price
Vancouver, BC $792,000
Toronto, Ont $454,000
Calgary, Alb $401,000
Ottawa, Ont $338,000
Montreal, Que $300,000
Regina, Sask $273,000
Halifax, NS $262,000
Fredericton, NB $153,000
Canadian Provinces
Average House Prices
February 2011
Province Average House Price
British Columbia $588,000
Ontario $360,000
Alberta $352,000
Quebec $252,000
Saskatchewan $251,000
Newfoundland / Labrador $240,000
Manitoba $222,000
Nova Scotia $207,000
New Brunswick $151,000
Prince Edward Island $134,000
Canadian Average $365,000
See how the high prices in To and Vancouver push the national average up compared to the more Rural provinces?
I dont know Vancouver, but suspect average pay is not so much higher than the rest of the nation.
Last edited by iaink; Jul 14th 2011 at 8:48 am.
Jul 14th 2011 | 8:27 am
#243
Oscar nominated
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 55,309
From: Moncton, NB, CANADA
Re: Reasons for emigrating?
Average isn't necessarily misleading. But it might be.
Read of an average height and virtually everybody involved in reaching that figure will be close to that height. You could design car seats, doorways, coffins
, any number of things based on that height and your one size fits all approach would fit most.
Read of average earnings and you'll find some people earning well over it and many earning considerably less. If you were trying to sell a product and you priced it at a level that could be afforded by the average income, loads of your potential customers wouldn't be able to afford it. The average would mislead you.
Same with property prices. The average might be perfectly accurate but it wouldn't tell anyone how far below (or indeed above) that average they could actually get a house for.
At the time we bought our house, MLS (as it was then) was listing 40 suitable houses priced between 60% and 80% of the average house price here.
That's a hell of a range of good housing options some way short of average. And there were quite a few less than that.
Good job someone didn't say "Moncton? Ooh, you'll need $xxx,xxx to buy a home there." We wouldn't have known how misleading that would have been.
Read of an average height and virtually everybody involved in reaching that figure will be close to that height. You could design car seats, doorways, coffins
, any number of things based on that height and your one size fits all approach would fit most.Read of average earnings and you'll find some people earning well over it and many earning considerably less. If you were trying to sell a product and you priced it at a level that could be afforded by the average income, loads of your potential customers wouldn't be able to afford it. The average would mislead you.
Same with property prices. The average might be perfectly accurate but it wouldn't tell anyone how far below (or indeed above) that average they could actually get a house for.
At the time we bought our house, MLS (as it was then) was listing 40 suitable houses priced between 60% and 80% of the average house price here.
That's a hell of a range of good housing options some way short of average. And there were quite a few less than that.
Good job someone didn't say "Moncton? Ooh, you'll need $xxx,xxx to buy a home there." We wouldn't have known how misleading that would have been.
Jul 14th 2011 | 8:29 am
#244
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 14,227
Re: Reasons for emigrating?
How can a normal middle class (in the north american sense) couple with a $100 to 120k family income buy something that's $800k? I'd say $400k would be a stretch for these people, but vancouverites are so indoctrinated that they would think otherwise.
Jul 15th 2011 | 1:06 am
#246
Part Time Poster
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,219
From: Worcestershire
Re: Reasons for emigrating?
It isn't. Locals have no chance.
How can a normal middle class (in the north american sense) couple with a $100 to 120k family income buy something that's $800k? I'd say $400k would be a stretch for these people, but vancouverites are so indoctrinated that they would think otherwise.
How can a normal middle class (in the north american sense) couple with a $100 to 120k family income buy something that's $800k? I'd say $400k would be a stretch for these people, but vancouverites are so indoctrinated that they would think otherwise.
Its very desirable and one place you can still be in Canada and not have to suffer a bad winter..
For some they'll pay a lot of money, for others in TO downsizing at 60 to a Vancouver Condo form a 4 bed Toronto house doesn't invole a mortgage and can often leave a surplus..
Jul 15th 2011 | 12:37 pm
#247
Grumpy Know-it-all
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 8,928
From: Calgary, Alberta
Re: Reasons for emigrating?
Province Average House Price
British Columbia $588,000
Ontario $360,000
Alberta $352,000
Quebec $252,000
Saskatchewan $251,000
Newfoundland / Labrador $240,000
Manitoba $222,000
Nova Scotia $207,000
New Brunswick $151,000
Prince Edward Island $134,000
Canadian Average $365,000
British Columbia $588,000
Ontario $360,000
Alberta $352,000
Quebec $252,000
Saskatchewan $251,000
Newfoundland / Labrador $240,000
Manitoba $222,000
Nova Scotia $207,000
New Brunswick $151,000
Prince Edward Island $134,000
Canadian Average $365,000
Gives you a very warped view of the cost of living.
Jul 15th 2011 | 1:15 pm
#248
Oscar nominated
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 55,309
From: Moncton, NB, CANADA
Re: Reasons for emigrating?
I followed the link and it seems in Alberta you have to spend $60 to qualify.
Does that make it more expensive or does it mean people there have 20% more money?
