ann m

The sad 'smiley' indeed My plans for a retirement elsewhere may come to fruition after all

dbd33

There's now some greenbelt legislation but that has only provided a semi-circular gap in the urban sprawl. Places beyond the greenbelt, such as Barrie, are now effectively continuations of the suburbs.

clynnog

The greenbelt in Ottawa protects some areas from rampant development, but for the most part, it protects scrub land from future development and creates growth areas outside the greenbelt (and municipal services have to cross the greenbelt at great cost). However, if one were to seriously consider reducing the size of the greenbelt it would be political suicide.

Personally, I can't imagine commuting from Barrie to the GTA especially in the winter.

dbd33

Loads of people do. I tried driving from H89 and the 400 one morning but it was chocablock at 5:30 so I didn't try again.

I suppose I drive almost that far, when I'm in our office. I do it to get something I can't in the city; room for domestic animals. What I can't fathom is living in a subdivision in one of those places, four hours a day on the road for the sake of an extra 200 square feet.

clynnog

Er, you forgot that if you live outside the central core, you'll probably be able to afford a double garage. In the double garage you can put all the stuff that you have accumulated over the years that you can't bear to part with but will likely never use. These things are important, don't you know.

LadyRayden

What a thread...!! I just want to add a thing or two (being canadian)...

1. On organic food in Quebec - Maybe it has to do with the fact that chemical pesticids are banned from the province. I'm from Montreal, lived there until 2 years ago, and had no trouble finding anything. But most people know that their food does not contain pesticide, therefore, the demand for organic food must be less.

2. Bad Drivers - Shhhisshh. Go for a drive in the state of New York, you'll think differently. We're not so bad.

3. Crap TV - Agreed, but you guys never lived in France. I've been there 3 months, gosh that was the CRAPIEST TV ever. All those talkshows with bands/artists which are not releasing tubes since 10 years!

Elaine B.

So by banning chemical pesticides in Quebec does that mean they don't import anything from other places that do use chemical pesticides?

Canada2006

Lots of stuff comes in from the US and western Canada.... organic food still tastes better even though Québec food is still good.

French TV is really, really awful: talk shows to sell stuff and dubbed American TV shows. We bought DVDs.... otherwise we read, do computer stuff...

LadyRayden

I just meant that this is probably why there is less organic food products offered by the local markets read here farmers markets or local producer. Ontario has the same laws regarding pesticides I believe.

I personally do not buy organic for I can't afford to buy it.

Elaine B.

I thought at least in Ontario it was only pesticides for cosmetic use that are banned so therefore farmers can still use them

dbd33

Yes, farmers can use pesticides and herbicides. It's potato harvesting season so the fields around us have been blasted with herbicides and the plants are flat. There are organic farms in Ontario but most organic vegetables are flown in from the US, that makes them "eating organic" but not "politically organic" in that the Soil Association would likely not certify them.

Norman Family

how much is the alcohol and dairy products?

dbd33

Beer is $2.20-$2.45 per 500ml can. Raw milk is $8 a litre. 12year cheddar is $7 a pound. Wine is all over the map.

iaink

Alcohol in Ontario
http://www.lcbo.com/entry.html


Cheeze and milk have a marketing board that effectively controls the prices.

The good local "Extra Old Cheddar" can be got for about $7 per 500g, although its usually nearer $9 dending on the brand/ quality. Right now you can buy crap Armstrong "cheddar" for $3 per 500g on special offer.

2% milk is $4.29 for 3 bags (4 litres total)

1 litre of chocolate milk (from the brown cows ) is $1.29ish

vickysteve

I think it is plain to see that everyone hates the tv here. I spoke to an English chap that came into my office last week and he said that after three years, they were looking at returning to the UK because the tv was rubbish and the fact that he missed certain foods.

I had to agree that I too miss kebabs, proper fish and chips, proper chips not french fries, reasonably priced wine, curries and many, many more things that I won't bore you with. However, I need a better reason to leave Canada than food and the tv...ever place has its faults and Canada is no different to the UK if you look at it from a Canadian prospective!!!