Time to Panic
 

Hi Guys, just a quick update, we got our visas in Dec and we have now booked our one way tickets to Calgary on 17 April 2010:eek: Now we have all the running around to do, sort the dog, find accommodation, we have decided to rent around the Calgary area for about 1 year so we can sort ourselves out. Does anyone know which is the best medical insurance firm that will insure us for the first 3 months as I believe we cannot get healthcare straight away. Any other tips would be greatfully received !!!!! Does anyone know what Airdrie is like? :ohmy:

Re: Time to Panic
 

You will be covered with Alberta Health from the minute you register with them, you can do this on the first day if you wish, so no need to obtain health insurance unless, of course, it is for the items that are not covered by Alberta Health.

I have no idea about Airdrie having never been there.

Re: Time to Panic
 

Hi, thanks for that info, I have just downloaded the forms for Alberta Health and will fill them in and send them off when we land. Can you tell me if you have to sit a driving test in Alberta, or do you just exchange your uk licence for a canadaian one? There is so much to do, not sure I will be able to do it!!!:confused:

Re: Time to Panic
 

Excellent there is someone else in headless chicken mode too!!! I am no where near as far as you so I feel for you. x x x

Hope it all goes well. Loving the Dog btw.
Sarah x

Re: Time to Panic
 

Glad I am not the only one who is headless!!!! Glad you love the dog, she is the one we are sorting out at the moment, her air fare is more than our family of 4's! :unsure:

Re: Time to Panic
 

The driving license you can go to one of many registry offices in alberta and just swap your full uk one (you need both parts the paper and the card) for an alberta one. They take your uk one off you and send it back to DVLA in the uk. You alberta one arrives in the post 2 weeks later and until then they give you a temporary one. Hope it all goes well exciting times :)

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Just a heads up on insurance, holiday insurance worldwide with insure and go cover you for 90 days, incase anyone needs it.

Good luck

Re: Time to Panic
 

It is worth reading the small print of the policy. Holiday insurance generally does not cover emigrants/immigrants.

Re: Time to Panic
 

Hi, thanks for the info on Insurance, I have found out that we are covered almost immediately in Alberta which means our normal holiday insurance that we have will cover us until Alberta Health comes through.

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Thanks for the uselful info, did not realise we had to take both paper and photo license.

Re: Time to Panic
 

Hi Lorrden,

If you exchange your UK licence at one of these registries you can get your Alberta Health number at the same time. It will save you having to send off the paperwork and you will get your health numbers immediately http://www.servicealberta.ca/pdf/reg..._Locations.pdf

Sam

Re: Time to Panic
 

Airdrie in Alberta has as much charm and appeal as Airdrie in Scotland.

Re: Time to Panic
 

Thanks Sam, thats great info :thumbsup:

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OK, I live in Edinburgh, but to my shame have never been to Airdrie in Scotland!!! so is it good or bad?:confused:

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No problem, if you need help with anything else please give me a shout

Sam

Re: Time to Panic
 

I'm sure I'll get shot down in flames here, but in my opinion, Airdrie AB is little more than some identikit housing estates thrown up in between RV dealerships and 'big-box' stores, all plonked at the edge of a major highway.

Kinda like a big giant service station, with houses.

Re: Time to Panic
 

Hi Lorrden
Bet your exicted about the big move, we are also 'landing' in April at Calgary,
we stayed over at the relative of a friends house in Airdrie last time we were in Canada and will probably call in on them again this time round, don't know the Airdrie area that well but it looked ok to me.

All the best and we'll keep a look out for you in Calgary
regards
Joinerboy

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Hi Joinerboy, you will know me by my Big Dog! Good luck with your move :eek:

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Who's doggy flying with? We have our 2 to take ( 1 lab 1 cocker )
and would be interested in who you are using

Regards
Joinerboy

Re: Time to Panic
 

The best one we have found is www.passportsforpets.co.uk a lady named Kirsten was very helpful, they were not the cheapest but they have guaranteed to match a like for like quote, it is going to cost us approx £1800 to fly Kara (who is a 54kg Newfoundland!) with all the fees, air kennel etc from Glasgow direct to Calgary. They are collecting her from my mums house about 1 month after we have left and then we will collect her at Calgary airport. We got 5 quotes in total and I liked the sound of these and Kirsten has phoned to see how we are getting along (Hard sale possibly), when I told her we had a quote £150 cheaper, she said that she would match it. We had 1 quote that wanted over £3000 and one firm want to drive to Edinburgh to Collect Kara and then drive Kara to Gatwick so she could fly from there, not a good idea! Hope this helps. If you need anymore info do not hesitate to give me a shout.

Lorraine

Re: Time to Panic
 

Many thanks for your reply/info
I'd can highly recommend forum user 'Sam-in-Okotoks'
regarding info on properties and relocation info on the Calgary area she's really helpful.
Hope this helps

Regards
Joinerboy:)

Re: Time to Panic
 

Hi there im so excited for you ,you do think youve loads to do but once u get here everything will just fall into place ,dont worry about ur driving license u can just change it over its only if u are from n ireland you have to sit your test again .We moved to Calgary near 2 years ago from N ireland well my other half is from Edinburgh ,we moved to se calgary an lovin it .well try not to panice and any questions il be happy to answer if i can

Re: Time to Panic
 

If I recall correctly, you need to show proof of Alberta residence to get both health insurance and driving license. We used the purchase contract for our house.

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Thanks if I need any info I will give you a shout. :eek:

Re: Time to Panic
 

Congratulations on your move,

we`ve been here 3 years and live in Silverado in Calgary. Airdrie is quiter and if your going to be working down town it`s far to travel but then you`ll find you can`t just pop to the corner shop here lol. Houses are cheaper but people do move out of town to be a little further away. we are just selling up and moving back to the UK. You can just swap your licence here, have you got a letter from your insurance company back home? do you have no claims that will come in handy we used ours when we came here.

Hope it works out for you

Re: Time to Panic
 

I think everyone else has covered the medical and driving licence bit - all very easy. You will also need to go and get your SIM number (like NI number).

Re Airdre - each to their own but it wasn't for us. We do know of people who do live there and love it. Airdre is very big, so much so that it is actually a city in its own right now. It's also quite industrious and very flat. We live in Cochrane - about a half hour north west of Calgary and we love it. Largish town but feels like a small town and has moutain views, walks by the river etc. Less than an hour from the mountains too.

Re: Time to Panic
 

I absolutely agree 100%, I live in Airdrie in Scotland and its dire!!!! The only shops are charity, chemists and take-aways!!! It must have been some nutter from Scotland who named Airdrie in Calgary however there is one major difference - the amazing sking just up the road!!!!
Good Luck!!:thumbsup:

Re: Time to Panic
 

That's a pretty apt description for the place. You can a big, new house there for cheap, and the flatness and blandness of it has a certain homey appeal to people moving in from Saskatchewan.

You can see the place for yourself on Google Streetview: Airdrie

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To be fair, and from what I've seen, you're pretty much describing every suburban development thrown up anywhere in the country in the last couple of decades or so.

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I'm inclined to agree though not having travelled Canada from E to W I can't comment for sure, but from what i've seen in AB that definatley seems to be the case. Not indifferent to the rabbit warren cloned estates of the UK.

Practical but soulless would sum them up.