Sharpy4

Hi All,

I am looking to relocate from the UK to NS Halifax/ Dartmouth area and wanted some advise on nice family friendly areas that are fairly close to ice/leisure facilities for my young boys.
I also work as a Nurse and hoping to work in the local hospitals in or surrounding Haifax. My husband would ideally work as a plumbers mate/ apprentice until he converts to a qualified plumber once he has gained enough experience/ hours/ qualifications etc.

So far I have looked at Bedford, Clayton Park and some of Dartmouth but it is limited to see whats to offer on the web considering that I have not been to NS before.
We were originally looking to re-locate to GTA--Burlington or Milton area as I have been over to visit twice before but the prices are jumping up fairly quickly and we may find ourselves financially restricted until we become established with work etc.

Any advise or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.

scilly

Your first step should be to find out if you are eligible to get a visa to come to Canada, then to look at where you might be able to get work.

As a nurse, you will have to have your qualifications assessed by one of the nursing associations .......... each province has its own association, so you could first try the NS one. From what other people have posted, it may well be that you will have to some upgrading.

Silverdragon102

Howefamily

No comment on the visa or the nursing side (as I simply dont have that expertise) but if that all pans out for you, then from what you have said, and depending on your budget (of course) the south end of Halifax sounds like a great fit for you. Its near to the Halifax hospitals and the Emera oval (free skating rink all winter). Its a very nice area of Halifax indeed although can be pricey.

glb19

Visa stuff aside...

I'm from Bedford (currently live in UK but working on moving back). I love Bedford, however it is starting to really build up. Lots of condo's/apartments now with more on the way, and the Bedford Highway into Halifax is only one lane each way so you can imagine how busy it gets at rush hour! (However you can jump on the 102 to get to downtown Halifax as well, which will run a bit quicker most of the time). There's two small shopping malls there but they aren't great - one of them especially is pretty bad and has slowly been losing majority of its stores.
Saying that, West Bedford is virtually all new, nice housing, but with that comes slightly higher pricing as well. There's a huge 4-pad state of the art ice arena called the BMO Centre (the likes of MacKinnon and Crosby etc practice there all the time in the summer), and the new C.P Allen High School was built there and opened about 5 years ago I believe. I'm hoping I'll be able to live around there whenever I move back since my parents live there and I'm willing to put up with the traffic ha.

Clayton Park is just 10 mins down the road and is closer to the Canada Games centre which has a massive pool/slides, running track, courts, outdoor fields, so a great place for family stuff. Bayers Lake is also right by there where there's shopping and restaurants. I only ever drive through there so not much info on the top of my head about housing/schools, but it's a decent area.

Dartmouth is a hit or miss place. North Dartmouth is a place to avoid, lots of crime. I know there's some nice neighbourhoods but unfortunately I can't name exactly where as I rarely spend time over there. They've also built one of the 4-pad arenas there that's just recently opened in the past year or so which is very nice. There's a place called Dartmouth Crossing which has great shopping/restaurants and a brand new Ikea. The downside to living in Dartmouth is if you work in Halifax, you have the joy of having to cross the bridges every day to and from work. They're often very busy, closed due to high winds or construction, or other issues. For that reason alone I would not want to live on one side and work on the other (one of them was closed for nearly two years recently I think for construction). Plus it's another daily cost.

South End of Halifax is another place I'd recommend but it's another spot where you'll definitely be forking out a bit more for housing.

Good luck!

Tumbling_Dice

I live in Clayton Park and I would sum it up as convenient and not much more. Some great running / walking trails, close to the 102 and Bayer's Lake, other smaller shopping plaza's and a non-NSLC boozer. It is a typical, beige, family area, and pretty good value for accommodation. But it is boring as hell.. no soul, and a definite requirement for a car. They recently changed the bus service, which took an hour (!!!) into Halifax in the first place (ironically, you could be in downtown Dartmouth quicker). Now it is much worse as you have to go via Lacewood Terminal.

So, if you want room, convenience, and not much other than a nice, quiet place to live, it could fit the bill. If you like walking to a pub for a swift one, or a non-chain cafe, forget it.

scilly

Areas of Clayton Park had a very bad reputation ca 10 years ago ....... has that improved?

Don't forget the ferries ............... you can very easily live in Dartmouth and work in Halifax if you forego using the car. The bus services are reliable, or you can walk, to the ferry terminal in Dartmouth, a lovely 10-15 minute ferry ride, then walk or take a bus to where you work in Halifax.

Saves one heck of a lot of money on tolls on the bridge and parking fees.

Tumbling_Dice

Dunno what areas were ropey - might you be thinking of Fairview? In any case, I have yet to come across any place in Clayton Park I would class as dodgy in any way, shape or form.

scilly

I did ask "if that had improved" as it was about 10 years ago that we were told that.

Did you know Clayton Park back then????

Siouxie

This is quite cool - you can choose the year using the dropdown to the top right (years) and then watch the graphic change as the months go past.

http://www.crimeheatmap.ca/

Tumbling_Dice

Eh? Read my post. It is self explanatory.

wardy_1990

me and the wife currently in calgary looking at heading to scotia too. i switched from plumbing to class 1 driving, i would recommend it. worked out for me in alberda. no hassle plenty of work in maritimes for it too, you just may struggle to find a decent company to take a new driver.
because trucking is so plentiful we have the ability to look pretty much where ever we like, your fella may have to work away in week or maybe drive in states for a year or two. were looking for a quiet life with a bit of land so we headed away from city but like to be close enough so when my daughter grows up she can have a nightlife in town bars wi her mates. al so i like a tipple now n then. planning a fact fiding missin in winter to see where we like the best, 80 grand for a mortgage in east compared to 350 or 400 grand in calgary, no brainer for me. we looked at pugwash and amhurst, springhill and so on, but also south shore lunenberg county.

scrubbedexpat133

As a Class 1 who has been in Atlantic Canada for 8 years get used to working a lot more hours for a lot less money. Your daughter will literally die of boredom in the places that you mention. Plumbers here earn a dam site more than Class 1 and work half the hours.

wardy_1990

I doubt they do "alot" more hours, in the oil field i was one if a handful of guys who even followed hours of service, 15 16 hour days is common fracking up north. I took the best job I've had yet and it's still 12 hours for 5 days a week and ten hours for the 6th at times. Driving In states is 10 hours I believe way better than Alberta. Also we are not moving for excitement just so she is close enough for a drink with pals not mental every weekend like back home. I have a good 16 years before I when to worry about that anyway. Less pay? 70 grand mortgage or 300 grand mortgage? Being paid less doesn't matter if I have lower out goings surely.
I spent my holidays on east coast of Yorkshire I know how quiet old fishing villages are and the problems on social side I've lived around my fair share in sunny Doncaster. Nova Scotia still seems like a more laid back pace of life.
I mean you are still living there so how bad can it be

scrubbedexpat133

A lot more hours for less money was to be illustrative. Its the culture here - long hours low pay. I know blokes here that have moved from points west and this is how they describe it and since gone back.. My point being is that as a trucker 60 -70 hours is the norm. Most trades here are 8-5 with lunch break M - F. States was 11 driving hours but you can still do 14 on duty in the day. Have you looked at what you are going to earn here vs AB? There is a reason people up and leave here to go to ON and AB. Yes there are jobs - why do you think that is considering the high levels of unemployment here? A friend of mine worked for one of the well know larger local companies here. After two 60 hour weeks opened his bank account to see that he had $500 deposited. Yes he jacked. Yes there are better paid jobs than that but dont let the 'lots of jobs' fool you. If you are taking home 11 - 1300 every 2 weeks that would be about average. Would'nt you be earning double this as a Driver or Plumber in AB? Another thing to consider is that if you buy a house in AB for lets say 350 now in future there is a good chance that it will be worth more. You buy a house here in the places you have mentioned now for 150 in future it will be worth less in real terms as the house prices rarely if ever out out perform inflation.

I am only responding to what you posted regarding your daughter and nightlife, entertainment etc, Its simply non existent in the places that you mentioned. I would strongly recommend that if you are heading for NS then be in close proximity to Halifax as that is the only area that will afford you reasonable opportunities and entertainment for your family. Halifax is good for a meal or a night out.

I still live here for another 4 days before I move to ON. I can honestly say that there is'nt a single thing that I will miss about the place after 8 1 /2 years. Just some friends and family. I have been here far longer than I wanted to be as a result of circumstances. Some beyond my control and some poor choices that I made. The latest of which was taking 14 months to sell my house. Bought 3 bed 1 1/2 bath in good area. I finished the basement, added a legal 4th bed and another bath. Sold the now 4 bed 2 1/2 bath for less than I paid for it 4 years ago.

Dont get me wrong mate I am not just trying to be negative or wee in your cornflakes. I am just trying to give you an honest picture of what the transport industry and life is like here. I am more than happy to help if you have any questions about transport industry and companies here.