Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

I thought I'd better start my own thread about this. Are there any places best avoided to live in NS or NB? Its looking pretty certain that we'll be moving to one of the two in the next month or two, probably NS as I'm already being treated at Halifax hospital.

I'm a bit worried as I seem to have a knack of picking real scum hole places to live (prior to moving to Canada), and all of our friends here in PEI are convinced that both NS and NB are the roughest places on Earth and we'll be robbed, kidnapped and murdered within a day. We have been getting lots of "I went once but I'd never go back, I was so glad to get back to the Island and feel safe again".
Perhaps I'm the one being naïve but I'm struggling to imagine either province as rough on the scale of some of the places we've lived.

We will be looking for a house (hopefully a fixer upper, its a hobby of mine) with a 10+ acres within 1.5 hours drive of Halifax, Fredericton or Saint John. I would love to have horses again although not until my health is sorted.

Does anyone know of any places in those areas best to give a miss? We will be having a drive around and checking them out, but sometimes you just can't tell about a place and I don't want to have to move again after this.

Any advice would be much appreciated thanks :)

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

I am surprised that feel that way in PEI. I wonder where on earth they visited in NS.
The valley is gorgeous as is "the corridor" - Enfield up to Shubenacadie. and beyond. If you are in Grand Lake check out Todd Hill farm, thats a big horse barn in the area.

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

Yeah I did ask them if the were referring to Nova Scotia the province, or somewhere else in the world but we've heard it so often now. Its a vast generalization but people here rarely miss an opportunity to demonize anywhere which isn't PEI, one of the most popular topics of conversation is how much better PEI is than everywhere else.

Thanks, I'll add them to my list of places to check out. :)

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

I'm not in the Maritimes but do live in a nearly fixed-up house on ten usable acres seeded in horse pasture mix. I've previously had horses on the property where I then lived and know that I can fit horse care with having a job. However, our current horses are not at home but at a boarding barn.

This is because we don't have an indoor and without one half the year's riding is lost. Arguably the most valuable riding time is lost as it's the in winter that one needs a diversion from the misery of the climate and the darkness and the awfulness of the television programming.

I suggest that, if the reason for the ten acres is the horse potential, then an alternative would be to accept the need to board, find an area with a choice of barns and to buy a property with less land, perhaps an old school house. That would offer a greater choice of properties for the money. Of course, if you want ten acres for your llamas or because you have some exceptionally smelly hobby, then that's another matter.

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

The ten plus acres is primarily to indulge my hermit like and anti social tendencies, I like to be able to get home and hole up if I'm having a day when I don't feel great.
Im a stay at home mum for our social butterfly only child toddler who always wants his friends round, or to be at parties and I like having an escape place where I can metaphorically hoist the drawbridge at the end of the day :D

Yes, if/when we get horses I would want to board them regardless. Our current house here in PEI was a fixer upper, actually is was more the creepy abandoned urban legends style house at the end of a dead end lane and we've had great fun doing it up.
I like taking abandoned places and making them homes again, we've done it a lot of times now although I'm hoping this next time will be the very last time.

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

Llamas...now there's a thought! :D

I would ideally like the ten plus acres to be forested, but happy to plant them if not.

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

Listings, country property for sale, farms for sale in Nova Scotia | Country Real Estate Brokers of Nova Scotia
Farms, Ranches, and Land for sale in Canada | Farm Marketer
https://www.point2homes.com/CA/Farms...hanged=&ajax=1

here's some food for thought :)

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

Thanks Siouxie that's brilliant :) I scour point2, Royal Le Page and kijiji obsessively but hadn't checked the other two. There are some really stunning places on Country Real Estate.

Our current house is an old house (by PEI standards anyway) and I'd like an old house again ideally, I love them. Plus we now have a lot of antique Canadian furniture and it would fit better in an older house I think.

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

That doesn't surprise me in the least. :rofl:
People here (in Moncton) feel the same about Halifax and Montreal, Toronto etc while people out in the sticks feel the same about Moncton. It really is quite laughable.

They talk about traffic here but what they're really talking about is generally half a dozen cars waiting for the red light to change. :nod:

It's a whole different world in these parts and different worlds within these parts too. I daresay that some folk in some parts of PEI view Charlottetown as if it's Pottersville or some other Sin City. :rofl:

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

Yes exactly!!! And the people in Charlottetown think Tignish and Souris are dens of iniquity. We know a lot of islanders who won't even entertain moving more than fifteen minutes drive from Charlottetown in case they end up in a ghetto! :rofl:

People here are also absolutely convinced that the drug problems come from Halifax and Moncton, it couldn't possibly be from Islanders.
Even the Hells Angels here aren't considered quite as much as a bad influence as people from NB or NS, though they have been generating their fair share of bosom heaving and pearl clutching. To be fair all of the Hells Angels I've met have been lovely and very helpful, I was chatting to some the other day.

Still, its really nice to live somewhere so benign and peaceful, as much as it amused me sometimes.

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

We currently live 10 minutes from Moncton NB on the Riverview side of the river. We have 20 acres overlooking the Petitcodiac river.
We have been here for 10 years this month since coming from England.
We are just in the process of listing our house to move to Ontario to be near our sons and grandkids.
We have found the Moncton area has been a good place for us.
Friendly and safe if you don't count the random shooter who took out three RCMP officers a couple of years back!
Usually there is very little in the way of violent crime.

We have Fundy National Park down the road which is beautiful.
And we have built up a good cleaning business from scratch here.

We have one horse right now. Two pet sheep and a llama.
We also board few horses to keep our girl company. I would never keep a horse on its own although many do here.

We are very keen to move to be near our family but I don'e expect to find such a place when we move.
20 acres within 10 minutes of Tim Hortons and Superstore was a rare find! :lol:

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

Thanks Penny, it sounds gorgeous in your spot and definitely a rare location! I have noticed and wondered at the one horse alone keeping here. My husband and I used to rehabilitate and re-train ex race horses and horses rescued from the meat auctions on behalf of an horse sanctuary when we lived in Europe, it is something I'd like to do again in time when my health improves.

It must be tough being away from your children and grandchildren, well done on building your business (that's not meant to sound patronising!) I think that's certainly no small task!

I know there will always be crime and less desirable areas, I just didn't want to accidentally move to the only kkk stronghold in the Maritimes which everyone knew about but which somehow passed me by or something along those lines as I've been quite adept at accidentally picking the wrong places to live in the past :blink:

I do struggle to imagine anywhere truly awful in the Maritime, it always seems so nice, comfortable and gentle here, but when I said that to one of my friends yesterday she shook her head and tutted and told me I only thought that as I'm a sheltered Islander. The irony that she has never left PEI in her life seemed to escape her :lol:

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

In all reality there is not anywhere that I can think of in Atlantic Canada that I would say are no go areas. Even the less desirable parts of Halifax or Dirtmouth really are not that bad. Atlantic Canadians are afraid of their own shadow! :rofl:

When I first moves to Moncton I was warned about walking around downtown at night. I didn't have much choice as that's where I was staying. After a couple of nights and walking around all times of the night I thought that they must be joking to wind me up. It isn't even the same sport as walking around most UK towns and Cities on a Friday or Saturday night. I didn't see one punch up, argument or any bother at all. Much the same as someone who lives in a shanty town in Rio would think that inner city UK is a doddle. Its relative.

If you are looking at not being in Halifax or Dirtmouth then there are plenty of nice spots that are just a short drive away. The South shore is also beautiful depending on how far from Halifax you want to be.

If you come to NB the area around Shediac bay is nice as is the Valley from Rothsay towards Sussex.

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

A few years back there was a punch up on Main St that made it onto youtube.
You may get asked for money there but whether you give or not you still get "have a nice evening" and it sounds more genuine than the have a nice/great day in the shops does. :nod:

Even Gordon St, where the houses are closer together, with a couple of bail hostels and a lone parent support/advice centre is benign.

Back in Bristol, any area with a hostel/night shelter - especially more than one - is to be avoided even in daytime.

Just a couple of streets with a handful of run-down looking properties is as bad as it gets.

Now Saint John may be a different matter. Before moving to Moncton I was looking for likely homes and a rental property to buy.

So many places in Saint John looked in poor shape. I contacted some realtors and they advised me which 'areas' to avoid.

Of course, this might have been a similar 'relative' attitude but it wasn't a simple thing like that street, this block or where two streets met, or a square or anything like that. It would be the north part of this street, west end of this one and south of that one.

You'd look on a map expecting them to converge and they'd be in three entirely different parts of the city. You'd also wonder why if that end of the street was problematic, why not the side street too, or 20 yards around the corner.

Moncton looked a whole lot better than all those ramshackle places in Saint John.

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

Thanks Alex. We want a rural acerage, the distance to Halifax was just as I need to be fairly close to a hospital as I still need to go through rounds of treatment.

I'm really glad to hear its relative - we've loved in some very rough parts of the world and I was struggling to imagine the Maritimes to be as bad as Jo'burg, for example.
We had looked at Shediac bay and thought it looks nice, thanks for the recommendations :)

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

Thanks Bristol that's really helpful. We were told about particular small areas to avoid in PEI (which now having lived here is laughable) and I always felt it was a bit bizarre, surely the "wrong 'uns" could just walk around the corner and tarnish the next street too? :lol:
I did think Saint John looked a bit more tired, the rural areas looked nice though.

I'd love to live somewhere heavily forested, I once heard someone say there's nothing between Fred and Moncton but trees and that really appealed.

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

These might be of help

Halifax Regional Municipality - Crime Mapping
https://data.novascotia.ca/Crime-and...ndex/w64p-5ue3
https://spotcrime.com/ca/halifax
https://spotcrime.com/#Frederickton%20Canada
Mapnimbus
Crime Map | City of Fredericton

With Mapnimbus (pan out and look for symbols) and Spotcrime (not all places are covered, hold down ctrl and move map or try imputting city name), you can select different towns/cities.

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

I think the Coal Harbour area of Halifax might still be an area to avoid, although it has improved somewhat in the last 15 or so years ........... it was an area where there not many role models in the sense of locals making good, joining the police, becoming an NHL player, etc.

Having a local girl join the RCMP really opened some eyes as to opportunities other than standing around on the street corner and selling drugs!

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

Thanks Siouxie that's absolutely brilliant, and fascinating too.

Thanks Scilly, that's really good to know.

I don't expect anywhere to be paradise redound, every has its issues but its really helpful knowing more :)

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

As I said, things might well have changed now ............ certainly hope they have!

But my s-i-l taught at Ross Road Junior High about 15 years ago, it's a feeder school to Coal Harbour High, but there is also an elementary school on the same campus.

When he was there, the teachers would spend Monday morning trying to work out where missing students were ....... ie, where they had been incarcerated after Friday or Saturday nights. :ohmy:


Mind you, the "famous" hockey player Sidney Crosby came from near that area ..... so it wasn't all bad!!

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

I think it's a bit generic to say Cole Harbour is bad. There good bits and bad bits like anywhere...

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

where did I say ALL Cole Harbour was bad?

I said it might still be an area to avoid!

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

Well, all Cole Harbour is pretty small 😐

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

And not an area of Halifax.

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

Suggesting somebody avoid it is because you have negative thoughts about it...so you think it's bad!

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

What's wrong??

Have you been there?

Do you know anything about it?

Or are you just going after me for some reason???


I actually have been to Cole Harbour, and, yes, there are some nice parts, BUT there were a lot of areas that it was best to avoid in MY experience .............. and that is what raindropsandroses is asking.

When someone tells you the way to their house, and adds "stay on the main road, don't take any short cuts or you might be in trouble", one pays attention!

The schools do not always draw students only from the "nice" area ..... so yes, it is an area to be very careful of. My story of Ross Road is true.

There are many much nicer areas in NS


FYI .............. Sid came from one of the nicer areas, we visited someone who lived 2 streets away from his family ........... typical 70s subdivision, lawns and gardens well kept, streets clean.

BUT you only had to go a few streets further away and you were out of the nice area and into one that was much less well kept.

Sid was lucky ....... he had a talent and a very firm, even over strict, father (if stories are to be believed), and that took him out of Cole Harbour.

Sid was / is loved there, as is his mother. He is also trying to pay back the community for the moral support they gave him, and to act as a role model.


I also know of areas in Halifax that it would be best to avoid ........ but like many other places, you can go 2 or 3 blocks away, and be in a very nice decent area.

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

What makes you think I'm going after you? All I'm saying is that you can't just generalize like you did. Otherwise let's just agree that Vancouver needs to be written because there are too many pot heads!

FYI I lived in NS for three years and I worked with the population you dislike. Generalizing does nobody any favors!

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

I dunno, I think generalizing Brampton as "Suburb populated by Indians", while not technically correct, conveys an accurate impression of the place.
Casting Cole Harbour as a northern East Saint Louis does seem a bit harsh, but I was only there once and barely remember it, perhaps it's gone to the dogs.

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

Cole Harbour is considered a really lovely area by some (especially the Colby Village part) and clearly not by others, as per comments on here. I dont have any personal experience except that its busy. Lots of traffic on the main drag through there.

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

Have you ever noticed downtown Brampton is not the same colour as the rest of Brampton?

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

No but I'm not sure where downtown Brampton would be. My ex had a job next to the GO bus station and I'd meet her there sometimes. The streets had carriage lamps and seasonal decorations, maybe that's downtown. If so, no, I didn't think the population was much different. I accept though that there may be a ghetto of people who've been there fifty years and who originally came from Scotland.

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

I have no idea what the area is like.

But a common thread running through these comments is the dire warnings of kidnapping and murder from someone local to the area who hasn't experienced much of living somewhere different.

I can't help wondering if someone from any number of cities from Bristol to Vancouver, Bath to Winnipeg, Coventry to Toronto etc might wander along those short cuts and wonder what the problem was. :unsure:

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

My partner is from Middlesbrough and last year when we were in Canada I took him to one of the more deprived areas of Hamilton - lots of boarded up storefronts, run down buildings, etc. He asked when we were going to get to the rough parts :lol:

It really is all relative, isn't it?

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

Don't you mean 'not yet under regeneration' lol :p I'm guessing you were down on Barton?

Building renovations a sign of changing times on Barton Street - Hamilton - CBC News
Can Barton Street become the next hip area of Hamilton? - Latest Hamilton news - CBC Hamilton

Despite the run down appearance, I've never felt unsafe in the area (not that I go down there often, but there's a couple of good places to eat).

:)

Anyway, back on topic - has anyone any other suggested specific areas to avoid in NS/NB? Having never been there (it's on my bucket list) I'm not able to offer any insight.

Thanks :)

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

I'm certainly not offering any more suggestions ........

.......... I've been going to NS since 1972, love it, but obviously I'm never believed in what I say!

I wouldn't dare offer suggestions re Moncton, Hamilton, Windsor, Toronto, Winnipeg, St John's, etc etc because I've never spent more than a week in any of those places, but I DO know Vancouver and BC very well, and Halifax and NS well.

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

Thank you all, I really do appreciate the recommendations, comments, warnings and all. We will be moving to a rural ish area as we want acreage.

I've lived in some, ahem, "interesting" parts of the world (Johannesburg for one) where personal safety is a concern but since moving to Canada its been mostly unicorns and rainbows and I love that, I love the sort of calm, quiet, rural Maritime quality of life and we'd like to move somewhere which still has that.

Some of our PEI friends have gone so far as to say they'd rather live in Jo'burg than Moncton or Halifax when we've talked to them about us moving. None of them have ever actually been to Jo'burg - I suspect they have a u-turn of opinion if they did but it did make me a bit paranoid.

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

Unbelievable! I stayed in Vereeniging for a few months back in the 70's and visited Jo'burg several times.. I didn't feel very safe there and that was before everything changed (and I won't talk about the time a group of us inadvertently drove into Soweto)!

Good luck with your move and I'm sure where ever you end up, you will make it 'home'.

:)

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

Thanks Siouxie. Yeah I was there when it was pretty bad, its definitely the place I felt least safe living - PEI is pretty much then exact opposite :lol:

I think I'm just worrying and dreading the hassle of moving again and its making me overly paranoid, I really want this to be our last move at least until our toddler has gone through school and out then other side, so I want to make sure we get it right, if that makes sense.

Re: Where to avoid in NS or NB to live?
 

Also inadvertently in Soweto!?! :ohmy: