So tell me everyone, where should we live???
#76
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Location: Cornwall, U.K.
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Hi Turfey21
Originally posted by turfey21
definately worth a look then Mike.
Hope everything goes well for you.
FAO Kev,
Hows it going what lovely weather in Cornwall at the moment isn't it, but still not worth staying in this country for is it!
Speak soon from sunny Camborne, Cornwall
Kelly
definately worth a look then Mike.
Hope everything goes well for you.
FAO Kev,
Hows it going what lovely weather in Cornwall at the moment isn't it, but still not worth staying in this country for is it!
Speak soon from sunny Camborne, Cornwall
Kelly
Hi Kelly,
Yeah, the weather's great right now. But in this flippin' country, we never know how long it'l last! - but i'd still prefer longer sunny summers and white Christmases every year - something we never get here!
In order to fund our trip to Canada (planned for next spring), i've just sold my pride and joy - my Mitsubishi GTO 3.0 Twin Turbo - and put the dosh in our 'holiday account'. Boy-oh-boy, it may only be a material possession, but i was so sad to see it go. But at least the proceeds are gonna be used for hopefully the best reason in the World!
Anyway, take care,
Kev.
#77
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Mike Gas
Thanks for the good wishes Mike.
To be honest, until we sell, or re-mortgage and rent out our property, we ain't really got the dosh to go more than once - unless we get some lottery luck!! That's why I think spring may be a good time to go - maybe we'l get an idea of the kinda sorta weather we'l face inbetween the hot and the cold.... if that makes sense.
I notice you're in the U.K. Are you in the same position as us - waiting and hoping to 'blow this gaff'?
Kev.
To be honest, until we sell, or re-mortgage and rent out our property, we ain't really got the dosh to go more than once - unless we get some lottery luck!! That's why I think spring may be a good time to go - maybe we'l get an idea of the kinda sorta weather we'l face inbetween the hot and the cold.... if that makes sense.
I notice you're in the U.K. Are you in the same position as us - waiting and hoping to 'blow this gaff'?
Kev.
#78
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Location: Christina Lake. BC
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Re: Mike Gas
Kev Yes I am Aor March 3 2004 so a long way to go probably I am sweating a bit on my medicals as well as I have had two operations on my back, I have visited twice now and cant wait to get there, me and the wife went in April leaving the kids with Grandparents. I also wont buy a property until i have passed medical to risky.
#79
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Re: Thanx for your views
Originally posted by CalgaryAMC
I think Alberta is a good choice for lots of reasons. Economically it is a good entry to Canada, house prices are still reasonable, the climate is not as awful as it might sound because although it gets very cold it is sunny all year round.
It doesn't meet your climate criteria - which precluded bitterly cold - though because it does get bitterly cold. The only place I can think of that meets your climate criteria is Kamloops, BC.
The picture below was taking yesterday in Calgary. Earlier this week we had a blizzard.
I think Alberta is a good choice for lots of reasons. Economically it is a good entry to Canada, house prices are still reasonable, the climate is not as awful as it might sound because although it gets very cold it is sunny all year round.
It doesn't meet your climate criteria - which precluded bitterly cold - though because it does get bitterly cold. The only place I can think of that meets your climate criteria is Kamloops, BC.
The picture below was taking yesterday in Calgary. Earlier this week we had a blizzard.
Hi again, CalgaryAMC.
Obviously you know that Kamloops, B.C. has been mentioned a couple of times. So, do you think it has more of what i'm looking for than Alberta does? i.e. Scenery, sun, snow, jobs, reasonable house prices?
The reason i ask, is because we're planning our trip, and wanna have an idea of where would be best suited to us before we book it.
All of us love the snow, but Linda (the missus) is quite rightly concerned about how Josh will cope if it gets too bitter, due to him being stuck in his wheelchair all day.
Kev.
#80
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Re: Thanx for your views
If its snow you are looking for, have got plenty of it for you, go nuts :-)
Originally posted by Karate Kev
Hi again, CalgaryAMC.
Obviously you know that Kamloops, B.C. has been mentioned a couple of times. So, do you think it has more of what i'm looking for than Alberta does? i.e. Scenery, sun, snow, jobs, reasonable house prices?
The reason i ask, is because we're planning our trip, and wanna have an idea of where would be best suited to us before we book it.
All of us love the snow, but Linda (the missus) is quite rightly concerned about how Josh will cope if it gets too bitter, due to him being stuck in his wheelchair all day.
Kev.
Hi again, CalgaryAMC.
Obviously you know that Kamloops, B.C. has been mentioned a couple of times. So, do you think it has more of what i'm looking for than Alberta does? i.e. Scenery, sun, snow, jobs, reasonable house prices?
The reason i ask, is because we're planning our trip, and wanna have an idea of where would be best suited to us before we book it.
All of us love the snow, but Linda (the missus) is quite rightly concerned about how Josh will cope if it gets too bitter, due to him being stuck in his wheelchair all day.
Kev.
#81
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Re: Thanx for your views
Originally posted by mickj
If its snow you are looking for, have got plenty of it for you, go nuts :-)
If its snow you are looking for, have got plenty of it for you, go nuts :-)
I just don't flippin' know anymore!!! Someone recently told me Ontario is a good choice - but i've always been led to believe that to the south, near the lakes, it really really gets bitter.
I know that B.C. is the mildest - but it gets rain, and that's one of the main things we wanna get away from - hence Alberta was our next choice.... But by now, everyone should know what i'm after, no matter where it is, to a degree!!.... sunny summers, snowy winters, cheap housing, nice community, and good job prospects.
I don't want much, do i??!!
Kev.
#82
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Location: Ontario.
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Re: Thanx for your views
Originally posted by Karate Kev
Yo, Mickj.
I just don't flippin' know anymore!!! Someone recently told me Ontario is a good choice - but i've always been led to believe that to the south, near the lakes, it really really gets bitter.
I know that B.C. is the mildest - but it gets rain, and that's one of the main things we wanna get away from - hence Alberta was our next choice.... But by now, everyone should know what i'm after, no matter where it is, to a degree!!.... sunny summers, snowy winters, cheap housing, nice community, and good job prospects.
I don't want much, do i??!!
Kev.
Yo, Mickj.
I just don't flippin' know anymore!!! Someone recently told me Ontario is a good choice - but i've always been led to believe that to the south, near the lakes, it really really gets bitter.
I know that B.C. is the mildest - but it gets rain, and that's one of the main things we wanna get away from - hence Alberta was our next choice.... But by now, everyone should know what i'm after, no matter where it is, to a degree!!.... sunny summers, snowy winters, cheap housing, nice community, and good job prospects.
I don't want much, do i??!!
Kev.
BC sounds perfect for you as they do get snow up in the Okanagan but the summers are very hot and dry. If you could start up your own business out there and not have to rely on finding a job then I think it is the place for you. Depending on what type of property and location you are after there are still some good buys out there.
It really must be a nightmare for you whatwith us all putting our tuppence worth in. I only found this site a few months ago so the 12 trips we have made out to Canada were all hit and miss. I have never been to Alberta but I thought that it was really cold out there too? Penticton would be nice for you and if you want to go ski-ing in the winter you just have to take a drive to the Apex ski resort or up to Big White or Silver Star and then at the end of the day you can go back to the mildness of Penticton (well relative mildness!).
You know what, you will just love almost everywhere in Canada and I don't think it really matters where you go as providing you can find employment, you will be welcomed into any community.
#83
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Re: Thanx for your views
Kev,
I don't really want to get into that business of telling you where to live, i can only make suggestions. At the moment, have got people following me around jumping down my throat, scrutinizing everything i say.
Some have even googled mickj to see if i really do work in mississauga, and to see if i have a degree in IT, if am british, if i have 3 other passports like i claim i do, if have got PR, but why on earth would you want to use your real name or post documents that can lead to identity theft?
So am willing to help in any way shape or form, but please do your own research and don't take my advice for gospel. Yes that pic of our house on this forum was an artist's impression, but why will i put the real one up with house number and clues of where it is?
Lesson to everyone, do not use your real name on the web, in anyway shape or form. If you have to, use a surf anonymous program to browse the web, that way, your real IP address goes through a HUB.
I don't really want to get into that business of telling you where to live, i can only make suggestions. At the moment, have got people following me around jumping down my throat, scrutinizing everything i say.
Some have even googled mickj to see if i really do work in mississauga, and to see if i have a degree in IT, if am british, if i have 3 other passports like i claim i do, if have got PR, but why on earth would you want to use your real name or post documents that can lead to identity theft?
So am willing to help in any way shape or form, but please do your own research and don't take my advice for gospel. Yes that pic of our house on this forum was an artist's impression, but why will i put the real one up with house number and clues of where it is?
Lesson to everyone, do not use your real name on the web, in anyway shape or form. If you have to, use a surf anonymous program to browse the web, that way, your real IP address goes through a HUB.
Originally posted by Karate Kev
Yo, Mickj.
I just don't flippin' know anymore!!! Someone recently told me Ontario is a good choice - but i've always been led to believe that to the south, near the lakes, it really really gets bitter.
I know that B.C. is the mildest - but it gets rain, and that's one of the main things we wanna get away from - hence Alberta was our next choice.... But by now, everyone should know what i'm after, no matter where it is, to a degree!!.... sunny summers, snowy winters, cheap housing, nice community, and good job prospects.
I don't want much, do i??!!
Kev.
Yo, Mickj.
I just don't flippin' know anymore!!! Someone recently told me Ontario is a good choice - but i've always been led to believe that to the south, near the lakes, it really really gets bitter.
I know that B.C. is the mildest - but it gets rain, and that's one of the main things we wanna get away from - hence Alberta was our next choice.... But by now, everyone should know what i'm after, no matter where it is, to a degree!!.... sunny summers, snowy winters, cheap housing, nice community, and good job prospects.
I don't want much, do i??!!
Kev.
Last edited by mickj; May 21st 2004 at 5:45 pm.
#84
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But i WANT opinions!!!
Let's put it this way - i've never ever been to Canada, but i've heard nothing but good about it - and emmigrating there is a dream of ours that now seems to be getting closer and more real. Obviously we're gonna visit as soon as it's viable, but our purse-strings won't allow more than one visit before we jump in with both feet.
What i mean is this; If and when we get our visa, we'l start the 're-motgaging-and-renting-out-our-house' machine, to release our setting down capital. But until then, we can only really afford the one trip - that's why i want as many opinions as possible - and that's why i think i'l copy what i've written here, and start a fresh posting entitled "Was i too specific about where i wanna live?!"
Basically, we don't mind where in Canada we end up..... but we do want sun, snow, scenery, job prospects, and reasonable house prices - but once again, not toooooooo bitterly cold, and little or no flippin' rain!!!
Kev.
What i mean is this; If and when we get our visa, we'l start the 're-motgaging-and-renting-out-our-house' machine, to release our setting down capital. But until then, we can only really afford the one trip - that's why i want as many opinions as possible - and that's why i think i'l copy what i've written here, and start a fresh posting entitled "Was i too specific about where i wanna live?!"
Basically, we don't mind where in Canada we end up..... but we do want sun, snow, scenery, job prospects, and reasonable house prices - but once again, not toooooooo bitterly cold, and little or no flippin' rain!!!
Kev.
#85
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Location: Christina Lake. BC
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but it gets rain, and that's one of the main things we wanna get away from
KEV look at the statistics for rainfall on the weather site I believe that the South Okanagan has the lowest in Canada, any how aprox 1/3 of the amount we get in UK also Snow on mountains but not a lot in the Valleys and low humidity very nice when its hot.
Great car Mitsubishi GTO I used to have a highly tuned and up rated Mitsubishi FTO and have just sold my beloved VX220 Hope Canada worth it
KEV look at the statistics for rainfall on the weather site I believe that the South Okanagan has the lowest in Canada, any how aprox 1/3 of the amount we get in UK also Snow on mountains but not a lot in the Valleys and low humidity very nice when its hot.
Great car Mitsubishi GTO I used to have a highly tuned and up rated Mitsubishi FTO and have just sold my beloved VX220 Hope Canada worth it
#86
Kev, its so hard to say!
How cold is too cold?
How reasonable is a reasonable house price? $400k, $130k, depends if you need / want to be near a major city or not.
People in Toronto think Edmonton or Winipeg is too cold, but both those places have large poulations. In Ontario people will put up with minus 20° for a week or two, which is insanely cold by any UK experience. But people here dress for it and get used to it, so its not too cold. If it gets really cold you just hole up in front of the fire and wait for it to change in a day or two.
Most expats in canada think housing is reasonable compared to parts of the UK, but then I think housing in Vancouver or Toronto is expensive compared to my area a couple of hours from TO and I am sure the same is true in other rural or small town areas.
Job prospects are hard to measure, There are more jobs in TO and the big cities, but more people chasing them, and the big cities tend to act as magnets for newcommers, so there are a lot of newcommers competing for the same entry level positions, so maybe things even out to some extent. If you are planning to have your own enterprise you are probably better off near a lot of people, so I would think either the GTA, which may be a little to wintery, or Calgary, which is a little cheaper, but a little more parocheal, and probably colder, but with warm winds in the winter from time to time to give you a break, or drive you crazy!
From what I have heard, the bits of BC that arent wet probably dont have enough people living there to make a business work, but I dont really know that area at all.
My 2c
Iain
How cold is too cold?
How reasonable is a reasonable house price? $400k, $130k, depends if you need / want to be near a major city or not.
People in Toronto think Edmonton or Winipeg is too cold, but both those places have large poulations. In Ontario people will put up with minus 20° for a week or two, which is insanely cold by any UK experience. But people here dress for it and get used to it, so its not too cold. If it gets really cold you just hole up in front of the fire and wait for it to change in a day or two.
Most expats in canada think housing is reasonable compared to parts of the UK, but then I think housing in Vancouver or Toronto is expensive compared to my area a couple of hours from TO and I am sure the same is true in other rural or small town areas.
Job prospects are hard to measure, There are more jobs in TO and the big cities, but more people chasing them, and the big cities tend to act as magnets for newcommers, so there are a lot of newcommers competing for the same entry level positions, so maybe things even out to some extent. If you are planning to have your own enterprise you are probably better off near a lot of people, so I would think either the GTA, which may be a little to wintery, or Calgary, which is a little cheaper, but a little more parocheal, and probably colder, but with warm winds in the winter from time to time to give you a break, or drive you crazy!
From what I have heard, the bits of BC that arent wet probably dont have enough people living there to make a business work, but I dont really know that area at all.
My 2c
Iain
#87
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re;
Originally posted by iaink
Kev, its so hard to say!
How cold is too cold?
How reasonable is a reasonable house price? $400k, $130k, depends if you need / want to be near a major city or not.
People in Toronto think Edmonton or Winipeg is too cold, but both those places have large poulations. In Ontario people will put up with minus 20° for a week or two, which is insanely cold by any UK experience. But people here dress for it and get used to it, so its not too cold. If it gets really cold you just hole up in front of the fire and wait for it to change in a day or two.
Most expats in canada think housing is reasonable compared to parts of the UK, but then I think housing in Vancouver or Toronto is expensive compared to my area a couple of hours from TO and I am sure the same is true in other rural or small town areas.
Job prospects are hard to measure, There are more jobs in TO and the big cities, but more people chasing them, and the big cities tend to act as magnets for newcommers, so there are a lot of newcommers competing for the same entry level positions, so maybe things even out to some extent. If you are planning to have your own enterprise you are probably better off near a lot of people, so I would think either the GTA, which may be a little to wintery, or Calgary, which is a little cheaper, but a little more parocheal, and probably colder, but with warm winds in the winter from time to time to give you a break, or drive you crazy!
From what I have heard, the bits of BC that arent wet probably dont have enough people living there to make a business work, but I dont really know that area at all.
My 2c
Iain
Kev, its so hard to say!
How cold is too cold?
How reasonable is a reasonable house price? $400k, $130k, depends if you need / want to be near a major city or not.
People in Toronto think Edmonton or Winipeg is too cold, but both those places have large poulations. In Ontario people will put up with minus 20° for a week or two, which is insanely cold by any UK experience. But people here dress for it and get used to it, so its not too cold. If it gets really cold you just hole up in front of the fire and wait for it to change in a day or two.
Most expats in canada think housing is reasonable compared to parts of the UK, but then I think housing in Vancouver or Toronto is expensive compared to my area a couple of hours from TO and I am sure the same is true in other rural or small town areas.
Job prospects are hard to measure, There are more jobs in TO and the big cities, but more people chasing them, and the big cities tend to act as magnets for newcommers, so there are a lot of newcommers competing for the same entry level positions, so maybe things even out to some extent. If you are planning to have your own enterprise you are probably better off near a lot of people, so I would think either the GTA, which may be a little to wintery, or Calgary, which is a little cheaper, but a little more parocheal, and probably colder, but with warm winds in the winter from time to time to give you a break, or drive you crazy!
From what I have heard, the bits of BC that arent wet probably dont have enough people living there to make a business work, but I dont really know that area at all.
My 2c
Iain
I get your point Iain,
I know Canada's kitted out for the cold, and i realise prices will vary from city to city, province to province - i guess yet again, i'm just waiting to see what the general opinions are of various areas, so we may be able to choose what we 'feel' may be right for us, as a family.
And thanx for your 2c - any and all opinions are valued and appreciated. Take care,
Kev.
#88
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Re: re;
On a single day, there seems to be more would-be-immigrants, than PR/CITIZENS ( people living here now ) in this room, and it seems you've heard it all from ( me anyway ), about my province Ontario.
You seem to be wanting snow, but i bet you won't last 5mins when it really comes down to it. Just imagine being at niagara falls, all your fingers have gone numb, and tears running down your cheeks, not because you are crying, but because your goolies are on fire, your toes are another issue.
Then there is the driving, are you cut out for snow driving?
You seem to be wanting snow, but i bet you won't last 5mins when it really comes down to it. Just imagine being at niagara falls, all your fingers have gone numb, and tears running down your cheeks, not because you are crying, but because your goolies are on fire, your toes are another issue.
Then there is the driving, are you cut out for snow driving?
Originally posted by Karate Kev
I get your point Iain,
I know Canada's kitted out for the cold, and i realise prices will vary from city to city, province to province - i guess yet again, i'm just waiting to see what the general opinions are of various areas, so we may be able to choose what we 'feel' may be right for us, as a family.
And thanx for your 2c - any and all opinions are valued and appreciated. Take care,
Kev.
I get your point Iain,
I know Canada's kitted out for the cold, and i realise prices will vary from city to city, province to province - i guess yet again, i'm just waiting to see what the general opinions are of various areas, so we may be able to choose what we 'feel' may be right for us, as a family.
And thanx for your 2c - any and all opinions are valued and appreciated. Take care,
Kev.
Last edited by mickj; May 22nd 2004 at 12:52 am.
#89
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re; mickj
Won't last 5 minutes?? That sounds like a challenge to me!! Perhaps i should choose Ontario after all, so we can meet up and stand in the snow face-to-face to see who runs indoors first!
I know it gets cold - but no-matter how minus-zero it gets, i bet we'l be that keen on Canada as a whole, that we'l be able to handle it, having handled the minus-zero offshore chill-factor winds on the coast of Cornwall.
Yes, we do want snow - but also, no, we don't want it to be ear and finger-snappingly bitter! Good clothes, good gloves, and a good 4-wheel-drive with a good heater will obviously be at the top of out 'to-get' list if and when we're accepted.
Kev.
I know it gets cold - but no-matter how minus-zero it gets, i bet we'l be that keen on Canada as a whole, that we'l be able to handle it, having handled the minus-zero offshore chill-factor winds on the coast of Cornwall.
Yes, we do want snow - but also, no, we don't want it to be ear and finger-snappingly bitter! Good clothes, good gloves, and a good 4-wheel-drive with a good heater will obviously be at the top of out 'to-get' list if and when we're accepted.
Kev.
#90
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I would say that Calgary is a good place to start because of all the new home building. There is also a lot of work in working on existing homes - putting in hardwood flooring and so on - and a lot of gentrification. People are buying up beautiful old (wooden) homes that are often in quite bad condition and putting a lot of money into restoring them. This is more so than some other towns - say Winnipeg - because there is more money here (by the way, I don't think that having lots of money makes a town a good town).
So I recommend Calgary because there is action here for a carpenter, so it's a matter of getting in on it. Basically I think it's your safest bet, employment wise.
But if you want to get into working on new homes you'll be dealing with the large building firms and that's where you will start encountering your issues with the trade regulation. I have no idea how this will affect you, but it's something to look at. Working as a sole-trading carpenter putting in floors and so on, obviously you won't come up against that issue to the same degree.
You can then use Calgary as a base from which to explore the viability of other places, like Kamloops.
So I recommend Calgary because there is action here for a carpenter, so it's a matter of getting in on it. Basically I think it's your safest bet, employment wise.
But if you want to get into working on new homes you'll be dealing with the large building firms and that's where you will start encountering your issues with the trade regulation. I have no idea how this will affect you, but it's something to look at. Working as a sole-trading carpenter putting in floors and so on, obviously you won't come up against that issue to the same degree.
You can then use Calgary as a base from which to explore the viability of other places, like Kamloops.