Why should we move to Canada?
 

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We have decided that we are fed up in the UK and need a change, we dont really know where we want to go.

We have lived in South Africa and have been back in the UK for 11 years.

So.......

Tell me why we should consider moving to Canada.

What are the good bits and the bad bits..

Any help really appreciated.

Thanx

Sue

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

I think you should do your own research into why canada rather than hope others will tell you about it. People have such personal reasons for choosing one place over another, and any replies here will inevitable be biased. For me I like the 4 seasons, the fact I can afford my own house here, the fact that there is a real community spirit where I live, and that I have been able to spend the last half hour watching a flock of beautiful wild turkeys hanging around sunning themselves in my back yard are all favourable points, but there are negatives too.

First thing anyone thinking of emmigrating shoiuld do is make a list of what you do and dont like about where you are now, and then figure out if loading all your posessions into a container and shipping them quarter of the way around the planet, and then having to find a new job and new friends an d social supports is going to make things better or worse.

Besides, pros and cons of canada have been discussed ad nausuem in the past, so have a look in the archive.

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

Besides all the things Iaink said, I love the mixed taps in washroom/kitchens in Canada!

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

Are they manufactured by Moen? My in-laws' kitchen sink has a Moen mixer tap and the end bit pulls out, which is handy for filling the Brita when the sink is full.

I like the lack of graffiti in Canada, and the fact that most houses have basements. But I don't live there yet.

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

Yes, our kitchen tap is Moen! The houses here are modern and I love this style of architecture.
The ONLY thing I'm beginning to miss is my professional job and my permanent contract with the BBC from which I resigned, and we moved here. I don't regret it, but now that our savings are disappearing fast, and I have not found a proper job, I just miss the financial (sort of) security I had there. Though my Lloyds TSB credit card had a balance of 8 grands, but .... anyway I'll find a professional job soon, I have to find a job!

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

Yes, I think I'll miss the security - I was a civil servant for 20 years until I gave it up in October. I'm doing nothing now. :)

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

Yep, everything iaink said plus there's a picture of the Queen on the coins........ :rolleyes:

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

The 'lack of graffiti' doesn't apply for Toronto. Although there does seem to be not much in the nice areas the rest of the city has as much as I have seen anywhere else. One cool thing I see everyday on the subway between Dundas West and Keele is a thing called Wall Noize where the stores have all paid(i think) to have professional graffiti artists come and cover the backs of their buildings. This means that while covered in graffiti it all looks pretty cool and is coherant pictures rather than just pointles tags and because they look good and are genuine graffiti people seem reluctant to further vandalize or destroy it.

I'd say the only reason to move to Canada is because you want to. I find it odd that people would give up their old life (unless it was a really crappy life) and move to a completely different country with a different culture and start their life again from scratch just based on things they have been told or seen on TV or readon the internet. I'd say the reason to move was because you had been to Canada, whether on vacation or as a student or on a work permit etc. temporarily and then had decided you liked it so much you wanted to try living there permanently. Most people who move seem to have good jobs (because they are always worried about getting a new one just the same in Canada) and have houses and cars and often kids etc. I'd say that unless you have spent much time in Canada then uprooting and moving is a straight up gamble. Some people land on their feet and get a good job right away etc and love it, some people land on their feet and get a good job right away and hate it. Others spend ages finding work but love it anyway and others can't find a job and hate it more. As long as you acept the risk and know there are no guarantees and are willing to accept you might not get a good job right away (starting from scratch remember) and it will be hard work and you might not even like living there then you should go for it and see what happens.

Just remember there is no "perfect dream country" where there is no crime and no social problems and everyone has a great job and owns a house and a car and a cottage by the lake etc. You will get pissed off at politicians here and the way things work and things will bug you and there will be crime in the news and all that stuff. You just have to hope you will be happier with the balance and challanges of life in Canada than you would in the UK, or any other country. To me it is more about choosing a country that matches your way of life as closely as you can so that you can more easily live with whatever problems exist.

Drew

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

Good post Drew!

Graffiti is a potential problem everywhere I think, but reading some Canadian community sites it seems to be seen as everyone's problem, and there are active strategies by everyone encouraged in order to minimise it.

This is one of the reasons I like the thought of living in Canada, or certainly in Alberta, where I have mostly researched. There is a strong public and community spirit, a high level of voluntary activity for the general good. There seems to be a sense of nothing really being an insurmountable problem.

The schooling aims at producing well-rounded individuals with a high level of confidence, and respect both for themselves and for others.

These are among the myriad reasons we have chosen to make Canada our new home. Others are more material, eg beautiful wide open spaces, quality of life, cost of living, lower crime rate etc etc as you will find elsewhere on this site and others. ;)

Morw and family :)

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

Ah..........The ultimate PR question !, You will have to do your own research, just like we all did before we took the plunge, all you are going to get here, is a biased view from everyones side of the country.

The job thing is the main thing here, and that can sometimes determine where you end up. Once you get the job though, you can then decide to move to another area, and do the driving if you don't like where the job is situated.

Personally.....our family is quite happy being here now, even though we gave up good jobs and a nice house back in the UK. Things have been tough to start with, but that is the same for everyone.

If you checkout the pics in our album below in our signature, you will see that even our little girl, is having a ball being here, making new friends, getting fluent in french, now that she is in a french immersion school.

Good luck to you, in your decisions.

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

Thanks for your replys.

This forum is the start of my research.

We spend a number of years in South Africa so know all about how hard it is to start over and all about missing family etc, but we dont have any family close by now, so that wont be a problem for us, been there and done that.

Maybe we just havent settled in the UK and now after 10 years have itchy feet. I think that once you have lived abroad it is in your blood and it is hard to settle in a place and say that it is where you want to be for the rest of your life.

We certainly dont feel that about the UK.

Sue

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

So.......has all these swayed your decision in any way?

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

I think the most important thing to research is whether you are going to be able to make a living here. What skills do you have and do you have skills that you could fall back on if your first skill isn't marketable here. This seems to be the thing that depresses people the most and the reason why people fail to settle down and love where they move to - the fact that employers seem to favour Canadians and Canadian qualifications.

Believe me - I have been there - not with the Canadian experience thing but I had a job I absolutely hated. My employer was the reason I hated it. I knew that what he was doing constituted bullying but you have to prove it and at the time I thought I needed the job, so I put up with it. I applied for every single job in the paper whether I was qualified for it or not. I got one interview out of all that. I applied for jobs that I knew I was the only person in Regina that was really qualified for the job - and I didn't even get an interview.

So - I know!

If you have money to tide you over or if your spouse can get a job and you can manage - I would think that once you have a job you like - then you can settle down and decide whether Canada is the place for you.

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

Words of wisdom, I don't expect less from you ! Nicely said Liz.

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

The overriding sentiment here seems to be that you should make your own mind up, and I agree with this.

Things you might want to consider:

Climate
Employment
Type of housing
Abiltity to make new social contacts
Healthcare
Crime rates
Taxes
Retirement Plans

I'm sure there are other things too. Also it's really important that you visit the places that you might consider moving to! Although this won't give you the whole picture, it'll give you a taste!!

Good Luck,

Int

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

A few reasons why the Voyager family are moving, the list is endless

Why are we leaving?

Because frankly the UK sucks that’s why.

Why does it suck?

- Bad education & health systems
- Terrible transport infrastructure
- Highest energy costs of anywhere in the western world
- Highest housing costs in Europe
- all round urban decay

100 years ago the UK was a global leader, in fact it was THE global leader. It's spent those last 100 years in a perpetual decline mainly due to chronic lack of investment in the things that matter.

Our railway infrastructure remains stuck in a Victorian time-warp, the road network is full to bursting point and is crumbling under the pressure.

House prices are astronomical. Petrol costs about 4 pounds a gallon, this despite the fact that the UK is the EU's largest oil producer. You can buy our oil for the 1/2 the price in France than you can right outside our own oil refinery. There’s absolutely no reason for this except to make the people suffer

And to top it all off, everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING, seems to cost more in the UK than it does anywhere else. The UK is the rip-off capital of the world.

Basically the UK's quality of life is terrible. People live better in much poorer countries like Portugal than they do in the UK and so anyone who can leave probably will leave. Especially to somewhere like Canada where the living is so good and things are so cheap.

I will not get on my soap box about it as we have taken the decision to get out and have started filing out the forms

A long way to go, but what the heck, another 18 months in this dump will not kill us

Hope you find this thread informative susiequ

Eddie :beer:

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

I have been feeling REALLY homesick for the UK of late and reading your reply really has hit home. You are right. I am lucky to be living in Canada for all the reasons you have pointed out.
The health care is second to none, I had my daugher here (Alberta) and have been in hospital since and the care was amazing. I do miss my steak and kidney pies and fish and chips though (tee-hee) !
Liz

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

you said you recently came back from a visit home... did you feel homesick before the visit? and if so, did going back appease the homesickness, or did you realise why you actually left in the first place. just curious, as i have been reading a few posts where people get really homesick, then end up going back to a UK they remember so fondly, only to find out its not as great as they remember it.

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

Hi
Yes, I felt homesick before the visit thats why I decided to go back for 2 months. Miss my mum and dad still (as I have a relatively new baby). Going back was wonderful. I didnt really have anything to complain about when I was there. I think when you dont have family around you and your spouse doesnt have any here then your pretty isolated. But I must say I visited the docs when I was home and it really did hit home how dreadful the health system is. I cant make up my mind whether to go back or not, but joining this group last night has made me feel much, much better I must say. Its like I have someone to talk to now ! Am I sad ?? lol

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

lol no thats not sad at all! as BT says - its good to talk :)

it can definitely be tough away from family, especially with a new baby. how long have you been in canada?

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

Ive been here four years, thats why I am still a little bewildered why I am so homesick !!??
How long have you been here ?

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

we've only been in calgary a couple of months. im originally from montreal, but i spent eight years in the uk. my husband is from enfield. i dont think he is homesick - although he does miss his parents. i think he will go back for a visit in april.

maybe the new baby brought on these feelings? it is a big change. plus ive never been to red deer so i dont know how big/small it is...?

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

Not sure, Red Deer is quite small I suppose, just dont feel that the people are too friendly and dont really go out of their way to make friends with "newcomers". I have tried .... I joined groups, volunteered etc, but there is only so much a person can do :))

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

very true. its really difficult to make friends. when i first went to the uk, it took me almost four years to make a decent friend. and im pretty outgoing. and now im starting all over again! ah well.

are you and your husband/other half set on red deer? maybe a move to a bigger city might help? or are you there for his job?

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

I don't think you're sad! Though my situation is somewhat opposite to yours - I'm a Canadian living in England - I can relate very much to what many other British expats on this forum experience - culture shock, isolation, excitement, frustration, homesickness, disliking aspects of their home country, having to re-build a social network, missing friends and family, etc... the countless contradictions of migration that can swirl about in an expat's head, regardless of where they're from and where they've gone. I think the internet and forums like this are like global pubs for global people. :beer: :)

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

I'm agreeing with all the above eddie but its to do with society's evolving into the " me first blame everyone else attitude " too. My sister just came back from NZ after her first year away and absolutely hating being here. She realised whatever she misses was far out weighed with why she left in the first place, the security of her family growing up in a fairer society. Thats what my family will have too i hope

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

Thanks for the replies.

Both my hubby and I have experienced living abroad as we met and married in South Africa, we are both originally from the UK.

We had our first baby in SA and it was really hard as we had no family around and he was born premature and was in intensive care for 6 weeks so I know just how hard it can be without a suppport network.

We have been back in the UK for 11 years and it has been hard, we dont have any family living locally so only see them once a month if we are lucky.

My hubby has been working away from home for the past 5 years (away durning the week coming home Friday night to Monday morning) so it has been really hard for all of us.

I just know that we cant go on living like this and if there is a chance of a better life then we must seriously look into it.

Who knows if it will work out or not, I think that is a risk that everybody takes when emigrating, it is very different going for a holiday in a country that making a living there.

Anyway with christmas just 2 weeks away and New Year in Lanzarote to look forward to, we will discuss the possibility again after christmas.

Sue

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

I'd say have a good look at the education system, and how it would suit your child(ren). A friend of the family recently moved up to Alberta with kids age 7, 12, and 14, and they are beating their heads against a brick wall trying to get them into more challenging classes because their kids are so far ahead. I'd say the UK has a definite edge in terms of education.

Best of luck :)

-Becs

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

I hate to tell you this but I have been here 35 years and I still get homesick. HOWEVER, I have to admit that I probably get homesick for things that might not be happening if I lived at home. I get homesick that I can't go Christmas shopping with my Mom - but I do realize that if I hadn't come to Canada I might not be living anywhere near my Mom!!

I think a lot of homesickness is for things that used to happen when you lived in England - however long ago that is!!

I was reading about the experiment to make 1 lane for shared driving - all the comments said things like - oh great - shove all the cars on 2 lanes instead of 3 - that will be sure to make things better - and how it works on 6 lane highways in the States but maybe not with the roads in England.

I think you just have to accept that you will always have a soft spot for England and that there are times in the year - Christmas being the big one - when you will probably feel homesick the rest of your life!

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

Thanks for the reply - infact thanks everyone, its a big help knowing I am not alone. My hubby has a good job here, so it would be difficult to move right now. Think maybe I should just "suck it up" right now and try to get along best as I can ! Easy to say though. Yet another day today where I dont see or speak to anyone (Sunday). I will probably go out to Earls for lunch with my daugher, it sucks having to eat on my own with her at a restaurant though !

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

Do you go to any "mums-and-toddlers" type things? It occurs to me that there are prolly other wives/mothers, whose husbands are away working, especially on oil/gas sites around the country or indeed in other parts of the world?

Morw

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

be careful! i was out of a job for ages and was offered $9/hr by agencies doing warehouse work!! and thats even after telling them i was a graduate with a BSc in engineering! apparently, i was told there are hundreds of graduates, even doctors for overseas, whose qualifications are not recognised here and are all driving taxis around downtown toronto!! i was fortunate that i had substantial savings which i lived on, rather than doing menial work, but i would have taken any job at the end, had my money run out! :o

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

Yep, I am have joined alot, they are good one here too, alas they have all finished now until the new year. There are lots of mums here whos hubbys are away working all the time, I suppose thats what you get when you come to Alberta !! :)

Re: Why should we move to Canada?
 

Well you have that in common to start with :)

Maybe some are like you, and would love to get together for a coffee and a chat ..... sorry I'll butt out now :p

Morw :rolleyes: