Go Back  British Expats > Living & Moving Abroad > Canada
Reload this Page >

What do you dislike about living in Ontario?

What do you dislike about living in Ontario?

Old Oct 14th 2015, 9:29 pm
  #61  
Assimilated Pauper
 
dbd33's Avatar
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Ontario
Posts: 40,014
dbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: What do you dislike about living in Ontario?

Originally Posted by Partially discharged
Cradles go to the 'cottage' 'up north' 'myrtle', Florida, all inclusive bubble vacations in Cuba or the Dominican Republic. Those with less $ often go camping or find a friend or relative with a cottage. Using up the meager vacation rations does not seem to be a big priority for many old stock Canadians.
Sadly, this is spot on. There's even a competitive aspect to cottaging, who's is bigger, who has the better boat, who's on the more prestigious lake.
dbd33 is offline  
Old Oct 14th 2015, 9:35 pm
  #62  
Yo
 
Shard's Avatar
 
Joined: Nov 2012
Location: UK
Posts: 24,459
Shard has a reputation beyond reputeShard has a reputation beyond reputeShard has a reputation beyond reputeShard has a reputation beyond reputeShard has a reputation beyond reputeShard has a reputation beyond reputeShard has a reputation beyond reputeShard has a reputation beyond reputeShard has a reputation beyond reputeShard has a reputation beyond reputeShard has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: What do you dislike about living in Ontario?

Worse than I thought
Shard is offline  
Old Oct 14th 2015, 11:05 pm
  #63  
BE Forum Addict
 
Partially discharged's Avatar
 
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 3,363
Partially discharged has a reputation beyond reputePartially discharged has a reputation beyond reputePartially discharged has a reputation beyond reputePartially discharged has a reputation beyond reputePartially discharged has a reputation beyond reputePartially discharged has a reputation beyond reputePartially discharged has a reputation beyond reputePartially discharged has a reputation beyond reputePartially discharged has a reputation beyond reputePartially discharged has a reputation beyond reputePartially discharged has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: What do you dislike about living in Ontario?

Originally Posted by dbd33
Sadly, this is spot on. There's even a competitive aspect to cottaging, who's is bigger, who has the better boat, who's on the more prestigious lake.
Lake Rosseau, Lake Joseph, Lake Muskoka being some of the more prestigious with the Kawartha Lakes trailing and those lake east of Algonquin Park being even lower on the pecking order.

There are a number who try and be weekend farmers in Prince Edward County or between Orangeville and Collingwood.
Partially discharged is offline  
Old Oct 14th 2015, 11:06 pm
  #64  
limey party pooper
 
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 9,979
bats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: What do you dislike about living in Ontario?

Originally Posted by Partially discharged
Cradles go to the 'cottage' 'up north' 'myrtle', Florida, all inclusive bubble vacations in Cuba or the Dominican Republic. Those with less $ often go camping or find a friend or relative with a cottage. Using up the meager vacation rations does not seem to be a big priority for many old stock Canadians.
Trailers, don't forget trailer parks. Those who can't afford a cottage get a trailer. Bizarrely often only a few miles from where they live.
bats is offline  
Old Oct 14th 2015, 11:12 pm
  #65  
BE Forum Addict
 
Partially discharged's Avatar
 
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 3,363
Partially discharged has a reputation beyond reputePartially discharged has a reputation beyond reputePartially discharged has a reputation beyond reputePartially discharged has a reputation beyond reputePartially discharged has a reputation beyond reputePartially discharged has a reputation beyond reputePartially discharged has a reputation beyond reputePartially discharged has a reputation beyond reputePartially discharged has a reputation beyond reputePartially discharged has a reputation beyond reputePartially discharged has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: What do you dislike about living in Ontario?

Originally Posted by bats
Trailers, don't forget trailer parks. Those who can't afford a cottage get a trailer. Bizarrely often only a few miles from where they live.
The trailer park in Victoria Park in Cobourg seems to be like that. Nice overall setting but they are packed in like sardines and most don't travel more than an hour to get there.
Partially discharged is offline  
Old Oct 14th 2015, 11:20 pm
  #66  
Assimilated Pauper
 
dbd33's Avatar
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Ontario
Posts: 40,014
dbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: What do you dislike about living in Ontario?

Originally Posted by Partially discharged
There are a number who try and be weekend farmers in Prince Edward County or between Orangeville and Collingwood.
That's us, innit? Nags and dogs, shifting earth about, planting stuff, fixing fences, feeding the chickens. I wouldn't call it a holiday.
dbd33 is offline  
Old Oct 14th 2015, 11:52 pm
  #67  
limey party pooper
 
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 9,979
bats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: What do you dislike about living in Ontario?

Originally Posted by dbd33
That's us, innit? Nags and dogs, shifting earth about, planting stuff, fixing fences, feeding the chickens. I wouldn't call it a holiday.
I wouldn't call the whole owning a cottage thing a holiday let alone adding in livestock and land. The prospect of maintaing two houses is bad enough to me. Maybe the trailer trash have the right idea.

The farmers I know don't seem to do any actual farming, you know ploughing and suchlike. They do some planning, some accounts, and then head off to their day jobs while employing others to do the hands on stuff. Have you considered staff? Or is that where Novo is now, living in your chicken shed and broadcasting seed?
bats is offline  
Old Oct 14th 2015, 11:59 pm
  #68  
Born again atheist
 
Novocastrian's Avatar
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Europe (to be specified).
Posts: 30,259
Novocastrian has a reputation beyond reputeNovocastrian has a reputation beyond reputeNovocastrian has a reputation beyond reputeNovocastrian has a reputation beyond reputeNovocastrian has a reputation beyond reputeNovocastrian has a reputation beyond reputeNovocastrian has a reputation beyond reputeNovocastrian has a reputation beyond reputeNovocastrian has a reputation beyond reputeNovocastrian has a reputation beyond reputeNovocastrian has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: What do you dislike about living in Ontario?

Originally Posted by bats
I wouldn't call the whole owning a cottage thing a holiday let alone adding in livestock and land. The prospect of maintaing two houses is bad enough to me. Maybe the trailer trash have the right idea.

The farmers I know don't seem to do any actual farming, you know ploughing and suchlike. They do some planning, some accounts, and then head off to their day jobs while employing others to do the hands on stuff. Have you considered staff? Or is that where Novo is now, living in your chicken shed and broadcasting seed?
Broadcasting seed comes naturally, but not in dbd33's shed.

(wot about them Blue Jays?)
Novocastrian is offline  
Old Oct 15th 2015, 1:07 am
  #69  
Assimilated Pauper
 
dbd33's Avatar
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Ontario
Posts: 40,014
dbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: What do you dislike about living in Ontario?

Originally Posted by bats
The farmers I know don't seem to do any actual farming, you know ploughing and suchlike. They do some planning, some accounts, and then head off to their day jobs while employing others to do the hands on stuff.
That's not what I see around here. Farmers with a few hundred acres and perhaps 100 cows do almost everything themselves and have day jobs; service manager at TSC, roads supervisor for the county, lecturer at Guelph, car assembler at Honda. If the nature of the farm is too hands on for the person with the farm skills to have another job, a boarding barn for example, then the other partner typically has a job and works on the farm. A real farm though isn't a discretionary purchase like a cottage, with very few exceptions, you're born to the farm or you're not.
dbd33 is offline  
Old Oct 15th 2015, 1:24 am
  #70  
limey party pooper
 
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 9,979
bats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: What do you dislike about living in Ontario?

Originally Posted by Novocastrian
Broadcasting seed comes naturally, but not in dbd33's shed.

(wot about them Blue Jays?)
I knew you'd pick up on that.

Dem Blue Jays? They have nice bums those baseball guys.

Originally Posted by dbd33
That's not what I see around here. Farmers with a few hundred acres and perhaps 100 cows do almost everything themselves and have day jobs; service manager at TSC, roads supervisor for the county, lecturer at Guelph, car assembler at Honda. If the nature of the farm is too hands on for the person with the farm skills to have another job, a boarding barn for example, then the other partner typically has a job and works on the farm. A real farm though isn't a discretionary purchase like a cottage, with very few exceptions, you're born to the farm or you're not.
Interesting, of course I probably never meet the farmers who do farm work rather than those who employ because the farm working farmers would be working on the farm and not working with me. If you see what I mean.
bats is offline  
Old Oct 15th 2015, 1:37 am
  #71  
Assimilated Pauper
 
dbd33's Avatar
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Ontario
Posts: 40,014
dbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond reputedbd33 has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: What do you dislike about living in Ontario?

Originally Posted by bats
Interesting, of course I probably never meet the farmers who do farm work rather than those who employ because the farm working farmers would be working on the farm and not working with me. If you see what I mean.
I do but they might fall off their tractory things and need their bits pictured.
dbd33 is offline  
Old Oct 15th 2015, 1:43 am
  #72  
limey party pooper
 
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 9,979
bats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond reputebats has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: What do you dislike about living in Ontario?

Originally Posted by dbd33
I do but they might fall off their tractory things and need their bits pictured.
They do, and get kicked by cows, or mangled by machinery. I tend not to ask them about any other jobs though.
bats is offline  
Old Oct 15th 2015, 1:48 am
  #73  
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
 
Pine Cone's Avatar
 
Joined: Jan 2010
Location: UK at present
Posts: 248
Pine Cone has a reputation beyond reputePine Cone has a reputation beyond reputePine Cone has a reputation beyond reputePine Cone has a reputation beyond reputePine Cone has a reputation beyond reputePine Cone has a reputation beyond reputePine Cone has a reputation beyond reputePine Cone has a reputation beyond reputePine Cone has a reputation beyond reputePine Cone has a reputation beyond reputePine Cone has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: What do you dislike about living in Ontario?

Originally Posted by not2old
Since you have started many threads with lots of posts & questions on life & things in Canada

What are the top 5 things you dislike about life in Sydney NSW, Australia, that makes you want to leave it to move to another country?

Exclude the adventure or giving the kids a better view of the world, or trying to find a place that you think may be better than OZ, NZ, UK?

Exclude the comparison of building structures or any comparison to Canada, OZ, NZ or the UK

And why do you think Canada would give you what you want in life?
.
I don't know whether or not Canada would give us more of what we want in life. I'm still trying to figure out whether it's worth getting a work transfer there and giving it a shot.

But here goes. My top 5 things in no particular order that I dislike about Sydney/NSW:

1. It's too hot. Temperatures into the high 30's are OK, even with the high humidity we can deal with it. Weeks of 40+ weather is just too damn hot. When it was 45 degrees last summer it was like stepping out into a hot oven outside and I don't like worrying about the 'extreme' bushfire risk. The fires have started already this spring and the weather is still only in the 30's.
Two members of my family suffer considerably in the heat, and positively thrive in cold weather. I believe we'd be able to adapt better to very cold weather than very hot.

2. Sydney is one of the most expensive cities in the world. Toronto is expensive but just doesn't compare to how expensive it is in Sydney. Housing here, especially for a larger than average family, is astronomically expensive. We don't want to buy into this market long term and live a life funded on debt. The cost of living is also very high and yes, property taxes are very high here too. We want to live somewhere that will allow us and our children to build ourselves some long term security, rather than spend the next 20 odd years being crippled by a mortgage taking up 50% of our income, thereby limiting our ability to afford other enjoyable activities.

3. Limited access to the natural environment. We thrive on a reasonably outdoorsy, but not hardcore extreme sports, lifestyle. Sydney as a city is a really quite beautiful, as are the Blue Mountains and the coastline. But we can't get out and enjoy the outdoors in a relaxing manner anywhere much as we'd like. Partly because it's too hot for half the year and the UV levels are so very high - annoying I have a weird allergic reaction to sunlight (apparently common in people from Scandinavian countries) which is much worse here. But also because you have to be on your guard (especially with children) all of the time for venomous spiders, snakes, sharks, jellyfish, stone fish, bull ants etc etc. Even spending time in your garden or on kids play equipment in parks means you have to watch out for funnel web spiders and redbacks. We do the best we can. My kids are in Scouts so we do get out with leaders who are highly trained in bushcraft. Canada seems to offer different opportunities to get out and about, which may be more suited to our lifestyle so that is a big draw for us.

4. Isolation! Being down here on the lower Pacific Rim in Sydney is quite distancing from much the world. Cities are very insular here and it takes too long to get to many other places. I know Canada can be parochial too, but it's worse here in terms of job/career for my husband, whose job as a consultant requires travelling around for work. Being on the North American continent would provide many more opportunites for work, conferences etc, which he currently misses out on, without us having to actually live in the US.
Also I dislike being quite so far away from ageing relatives and not being able to see them for years at a time. It would almost be quicker to fly to Europe from Toronto that it would be flying across Australia to Perth. It would be nice to be able to visit friends and family in the UK without having to spend 2 plane rides and 30+ hours in the air and waiting around at airports in order to do so.

5. Bureaucracy here is annoying. Australia has a this international image of a carefree lifestyle of barbies on the beach, wandering around in flip-flops and shorts. This was true 30 years ago, but now there is so much red tape and so many rules than peoples lives are effectively micro-managed and it's almost suffocating. NSW is worse than other states though. It's not the 'cotton wool' culture that exists in the UK which I am talking about. It's a different sort of annoying, and I'm having a hard time trying to put it into words. But I'll give you a couple of example. I have bright kids. Imagine my shock at being told I need 'approval' from the NSW Board of Studies to teach one of my kids some high school maths/algebra because it's not on the specfied curriculum for the child's particular year level, even though said child is several years ahead in maths and is excelling at it. Or the fact that it's actually illegal to keep my dinky child in a booster seat in a vehicle because they happen to be over the age 7 age limit, even though they are still way too small to use an adult seatbelt safely and there are no 'Australian approved' child restraints for kids of their age.
I'm sure Ontario has just as many annoyances though - just different ones.
Pine Cone is offline  
Old Oct 15th 2015, 2:53 am
  #74  
BE Forum Addict
 
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: Orton, Ontario
Posts: 2,028
HGerchikov has a reputation beyond reputeHGerchikov has a reputation beyond reputeHGerchikov has a reputation beyond reputeHGerchikov has a reputation beyond reputeHGerchikov has a reputation beyond reputeHGerchikov has a reputation beyond reputeHGerchikov has a reputation beyond reputeHGerchikov has a reputation beyond reputeHGerchikov has a reputation beyond reputeHGerchikov has a reputation beyond reputeHGerchikov has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: What do you dislike about living in Ontario?

Originally Posted by Pine Cone
I don't know whether or not Canada would give us more of what we want in life. I'm still trying to figure out whether it's worth getting a work transfer there and giving it a shot.

But here goes. My top 5 things in no particular order that I dislike about Sydney/NSW:

1. It's too hot. Temperatures into the high 30's are OK, even with the high humidity we can deal with it. Weeks of 40+ weather is just too damn hot. When it was 45 degrees last summer it was like stepping out into a hot oven outside and I don't like worrying about the 'extreme' bushfire risk. The fires have started already this spring and the weather is still only in the 30's.
Two members of my family suffer considerably in the heat, and positively thrive in cold weather. I believe we'd be able to adapt better to very cold weather than very hot.
Our worst case for heat (30-35 ) seems to be your best case. As far as the cold goes, wrap up well and it's totally bearable. It's driving in snow that stresses me but apart from that I don't have an issue with winter or summer. Sounds like you won't either.

2. Sydney is one of the most expensive cities in the world. Toronto is expensive but just doesn't compare to how expensive it is in Sydney. Housing here, especially for a larger than average family, is astronomically expensive. We don't want to buy into this market long term and live a life funded on debt. The cost of living is also very high and yes, property taxes are very high here too. We want to live somewhere that will allow us and our children to build ourselves some long term security, rather than spend the next 20 odd years being crippled by a mortgage taking up 50% of our income, thereby limiting our ability to afford other enjoyable activities.
make sure you are comparing apples with apples. Areas of Ontario are very affordable but Toronto itself can be very pricey. I have no idea about Sydney so, assuming it is more expensive, or if you don't need to live right in Toronto then that's another plus in favour of Ontario.

3. Limited access to the natural environment. We thrive on a reasonably outdoorsy, but not hardcore extreme sports, lifestyle. Sydney as a city is a really quite beautiful, as are the Blue Mountains and the coastline. But we can't get out and enjoy the outdoors in a relaxing manner anywhere much as we'd like. Partly because it's too hot for half the year and the UV levels are so very high - annoying I have a weird allergic reaction to sunlight (apparently common in people from Scandinavian countries) which is much worse here. But also because you have to be on your guard (especially with children) all of the time for venomous spiders, snakes, sharks, jellyfish, stone fish, bull ants etc etc. Even spending time in your garden or on kids play equipment in parks means you have to watch out for funnel web spiders and redbacks. We do the best we can. My kids are in Scouts so we do get out with leaders who are highly trained in bushcraft. Canada seems to offer different opportunities to get out and about, which may be more suited to our lifestyle so that is a big draw for us.
Puts the odd mosquito into perspective

4. Isolation! Being down here on the lower Pacific Rim in Sydney is quite distancing from much the world. Cities are very insular here and it takes too long to get to many other places. I know Canada can be parochial too, but it's worse here in terms of job/career for my husband, whose job as a consultant requires travelling around for work. Being on the North American continent would provide many more opportunites for work, conferences etc, which he currently misses out on, without us having to actually live in the US.
Also I dislike being quite so far away from ageing relatives and not being able to see them for years at a time. It would almost be quicker to fly to Europe from Toronto that it would be flying across Australia to Perth. It would be nice to be able to visit friends and family in the UK without having to spend 2 plane rides and 30+ hours in the air and waiting around at airports in order to do so.
we live about 30 mins from Toronto airport, my parents are less than that from Manchester. Even allowing for wait time at the airport, I can be with them in approx 10 hours door to door.

5. Bureaucracy here is annoying. Australia has a this international image of a carefree lifestyle of barbies on the beach, wandering around in flip-flops and shorts. This was true 30 years ago, but now there is so much red tape and so many rules than peoples lives are effectively micro-managed and it's almost suffocating. NSW is worse than other states though. It's not the 'cotton wool' culture that exists in the UK which I am talking about. It's a different sort of annoying, and I'm having a hard time trying to put it into words. But I'll give you a couple of example. I have bright kids. Imagine my shock at being told I need 'approval' from the NSW Board of Studies to teach one of my kids some high school maths/algebra because it's not on the specfied curriculum for the child's particular year level, even though said child is several years ahead in maths and is excelling at it. Or the fact that it's actually illegal to keep my dinky child in a booster seat in a vehicle because they happen to be over the age 7 age limit, even though they are still way too small to use an adult seatbelt safely and there are no 'Australian approved' child restraints for kids of their age.
I'm sure Ontario has just as many annoyances though - just different ones.
I have nothing to add to this, except to say that your last sentence is likely very true
My two cents
HGerchikov is offline  
Old Oct 15th 2015, 6:21 am
  #75  
Account Closed
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
scrubbedexpat091 has a reputation beyond reputescrubbedexpat091 has a reputation beyond reputescrubbedexpat091 has a reputation beyond reputescrubbedexpat091 has a reputation beyond reputescrubbedexpat091 has a reputation beyond reputescrubbedexpat091 has a reputation beyond reputescrubbedexpat091 has a reputation beyond reputescrubbedexpat091 has a reputation beyond reputescrubbedexpat091 has a reputation beyond reputescrubbedexpat091 has a reputation beyond reputescrubbedexpat091 has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: What do you dislike about living in Ontario?

Originally Posted by dbd33
Sadly, this is spot on. There's even a competitive aspect to cottaging, who's is bigger, who has the better boat, who's on the more prestigious lake.
I found the whole cottage thing odd when I was in ON, seemed everyone I met had some sort of cottage.

Maybe folks in BC have a cottage, but haven't heard anyone here ever mention going to the cottage, but camping is popular but most use tents...

I wonder if BC has a cottage culture like Ontario and people just don't talk about it..
scrubbedexpat091 is offline  

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.