ireland2canada

You can get a really nice tandoori fish in Brampton. I'd specify the restaurant but, quite frankly, one strip mall looks exactly like the other. And that's the problem with Brampton, aside from the leafy older streets (which I expect come with a price tag) the majority of it is brute ugly.

macadian

Yup...had I never been to Canada before, and on my arrival at Pearson had been taken to Brampton, I would have told the driver to take me back to the airport sharpish! ....

dbd33

I think we'll all accept that, aside from a few streets in the centre, Brampton looks awful, but does it look more awful than, say, Mississauga? (I pick Mississauga because we've done the rough bits of Oakville to death). Dundas Street from Hurontario towards Toronto is as miserable place to live as one could imagine and yet it's more expensive than Brampton. Why is Brampton cheap? Ask in any bar in Orangeville, that's where the white flight landed.

ireland2canada

I don't know that, appearance wise, Brampton is any worse than Mississauga. Mississauga is closer to Toronto which, I suppose, explains the rise in cost.

If the promise of work takes a prospective immigrant to either Mississauga or Brampton, then fair enough, you have to go where the work is. But, for someone who has never lived in England, I am left wondering how soul crushingly shit their part of England must be for someone to pack up and take the financial hit involved in moving countries....to end up in Brampton.

MarylandNed

No - I don't accept that the population of Brampton is "overwhelmingly" Asian or Black. I don't need clues. Just take the information in that link you provided and add up the populations who are labelled as being of Canadian, English, Scottish, Irish, Italian, Portuguese, French or German descent. Those people are overwhelmingly white and added together outnumber those you would class as Asian or Black. Someone could make the argument that the population of Brampton is overwhelmingly European and be closer to the truth than you are. What is "silly" is making assertions that fly in the face of the very facts that you are presenting.

House prices in Brampton are low relative to what?

dbd33

Suit yourself. The popular use of the name, Bramledesh, instead of Bramalea, to describe the projects there is a mystery then.

Oakville. That's the premise of the thread, it's about Brampton being cheap.

I suppose, if one accepted that the population is largely poor brown immigrants, one might say that's because they arrive poor and have to go there, rather than their presence lowering the value of property. However, in the absence of the poor brown immigrants we're left with two puzzles. Why is it cheap and why, dear God, would anyone put up with living there?

MarylandNed

No mystery. Springdale is also referred to as "Singhdale". There are certainly enclaves within Brampton that are overwhelmingly of South Asian ethnicity. But if you extrapolate this to assume that the population of Brampton overall is overwhelmingly South Asian then you end up being wrong.

I don't claim to have expert recent knowledge of Brampton and Oakville real estate but there could be many reasons for any difference in real estate prices. Yes, there are demographic (ethnicity, socioeconomic, etc) differences between the 2 cities and that's almost certainly a factor. There are also geographical differences (e.g. Oakville is closer to the lake and has a harbour). I'm sure someone could come up with more reasons.

None of this means that you can just claim that Brampton is overwhelming of Asian and Black descent. That's simply not true.

dbd33

To put this in context for someone in the UK reading the thread, the places in the UK with similar demographics to Brampton are Bradford and Southall.

Pendonk

Phew, we got there in the end. Thanks

So... my job, should I accept it, will be very close to the west side of Parson airport. Brampton is close and affordable but really fugly and there is a considerable risk that my cats could end up as someones dinner. Oakville has been recommended but is a greater distance to travel, is massively more expensive, generally nicer, better transport infrastructure, and close to the lake.

What are the other alternatives? I guess Mississauga? Is that an ok area? How about Milton? Maybe I should rent...

dbd33

Absolutely rent for a year. Selling a house is expensive in Canada, you want to try and choose somewhere you'll be content to stay for a while so as to avoid buying twice.

Pendonk

thanks for the advice. Appreciated

Platinum979

Why, Oh why does it all comes down to the color of someone's skin. Brown, Pink or Ebony - We are all the same. ps: I own a English Pie & Mash shop in Brampton, all welcome!

Sally Redux

Indians eat cats?

macadian

Thought cats were Chinese chicken?...especially in a 'chowmein'

Sally Redux

Close enough I suppose