cth13

thanks for all the replies so far.

Last year we looked into going west - husband could get job there too (vancouver or vancouver island) but the majority of opinion i got on that was not very favourable. More expensive, more crime etc. Elsewhere west isn't an option just now, got to go where the work is.....

My thoughts on the winters were i know there is loads more snow but i had heard the temperatures weren't so severe. The kids love the snow but its hard building snowmen with a 1yr old when it is -30.

Hopefully the summer this way is a one off this year - the weather has been very disheartening. I remember the first couple of summers putting the shorts and flip flops on and not having to change out of them again until sept time.
The idea of set seasons is very appealing but i know there is a lot lot more to consider.

Has anyone got anything with regards to the cost of living - i know there are the two taxes over east but we have been told that the product, eg grocery is cheaper to begin with pre tax.

SambaDeAmigo

Been in Ottawa for 2 years now. Loving every minute of it.
We bought a house over a year ago, also bought a brand new car recently.
Those are things that we wouldn't have been able to afford so quickly back in the UK.

Now, I've been to cities like Toronto, Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Saskatoon and Montreal and I can tell you that Ottawa is the best city I could have picked out of those. It's very good if you have kids and want a quiet life. We live about 40 mins from downtown. Commuting hasn't been a big problem using the bus. I sometimes drive downtown during peak hours, parking is about $8-10 per weekday.

Quebec province is right across the river. Montreal is 2hrs away. I do speak French but honestly, I don't have to use it at all here. Most of the time, I don't understand their Quebecois accent anyway. Unless you want to work for the government, you won't necessarily need French.

In terms of cost of living, with the HST recently introduced quite a few bills and services have gone up 8%. Petrol for example used to be cheaper in Ottawa than in Gatineau (Quebec) but now it's the other way round.

Here's a list of grocery items that are and aren't taxed in Ontario:
http://www.rev.gov.on.ca/en/guides/rst/500.html

I took the picture below last month. It shows the view from where I sit to have lunch most days when I work downtown.