CDNReturner

I'll chip in here on the basis that some feedback is better than no feedback but don't have too much knowledge about Winnipeg. I was there 2 weeks ago for 4 days as my sister moved out there last spring. It wasn't for me but then again I don't think anyplace in Canada is for me (I'm Canadian born and bred but spent 25 years in the UK and only came back for ageing family reasons and so sis could move to Winnipeg!!!)

Anyway, sis loves it.....she moved out there to be with her man. Her man is from there and loves it. I met a young guy on the flight out and another on the flight back that were both born and bred there and love it there and think it's the best place on earth. I would guess they were around 30ish.

It WAS damn cold but then it was almost that cold here 2 weeks ago as well. It is very flat and just about all housing is unpainted stucco and with snow everywhere including the roofs, on landing the landscape looked like a sepia picture. (For me I HAVE TO HAVE COLOUR in my life!!!!)

She lives in an area called Island Shores, I think.....and I think it is to the east. Nice family area. They had a hard time finding a house to buy as they are apparently snapped up pretty quickly. If we think car insurance is expensive here (Ontario) it is even more expensive there apparently.

So that's basically my 2 cents worth of feedback.

Cathie

TrishP

No snakes that I know of or have come across other than wee grass snakes.
i did nearly crash the car last year as i drove through town as a huge bug thing like something from my worst nightmare landed on the windscreen and stayed there - I have no idea what it was, but it was about 6cm long and had even longer tentacles, black with a beetle-like body and just awful!

The mozzies are only really around in the hottest summer months and in areas of standing water & forest - as I've just moved into a new place with a forest for a back garden, think I'll be investing in one of the skeetervac machnes this year!!

I'm really phobic about stuff like bugs and spiders, but I've managed to happily survive fishing and camping trips without too much bother.

Winnipeg are currently crowing it a bit over Ottawa as they've beaten the capital to the title of longest outdoor skating rink in Canada this year!

Biiiiink

It's an absolutely fine place to live. I don't post about Winnipeg much as I did no research on it. It wasn't the conclusion of my trawling the internet for the best place for the Biiiiink Family to put down roots, it was just a no brainer for Mr B's job conversion.

I only really know the West of the city - North of Portage going west, MLS - St James/Assiniboia, and again, it wasn't careful research that landed us on this side of town, just a random nice house that we bid on. Third property lucky, there was rather a boom in our price range when we came and properties were going many tens of thousands over the asking price - and this in the "starter home" range too, eek! We're in a 1970s neighbourhood, a bit more character than the newbuilds but only just.

Schooling I know nothing about. I nearly put my kid in a nursery school but didn't, I can't remember how much but it was something like 9 dollars a day. And since Mr B was a student, it'd actually only be a dollar fifty or so. Unbelievable. Kids activity wise, I can't help much either. Ours only goes to the local YMCA - it's a pretty new one and fantastic value at 50 CAD a month for all of us - pool, kids pool, turkish bath, gym, kids activities, babysitting...

Shopping is fine. All the major stores are here, there are a few big malls, and lots of independent places too but it's hard to find those at first. Even nice stores have unappealing frontages here, and you miss them because of that. It's about 2hrs to North Dakota to a tiny town with a Target, 4hrs to Fargo (yep, as in the movie) for a bit more choice, and 8hrs to Minneapolis for Mall of America. Book shops are a disappointment but there's one big independent that's not too bad, and the rest we smuggle across the border or get sent.

Air travel is my least favourite thing about Winnipeg. A flight to the UK for me in the Winter is a 3-leg endurance test through Chicago or Toronto. Takes about 17hrs on average, and costs a fortune. Package holidays in the winter have limited choice - it's Mexico, DR, Jamaica or Cuba, and for a reasonable "cheapie" for 7nights we've paid 1,000 CAD-ish each time. Ouch.

First Summer I had quite a few reactions to quite a few mosquito bites. I don't remember a single bite last year, don't recall seeing (m)any mosquitoes either. It was pretty dry and all we had was a plague of wasps

For outdoors stuff the beaches on Lake Winnipeg are pretty good. I'll miss Grand Beach - gorgeous white sand dunes, http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/pa...ach/index.html . We were rather late to discover Birds Hill Park (the traffic queues put us off) but there are lots of nice walks, beaches, historic homesteads, kids trails etc in there. It is of course pretty flat round here but you don't have to go far to get some hills. The Canadian Shield starts a little east of here, and it's definitely hilly if you head out Neepawa way in the other direction.

Culture-wise, there's a surprising amount going on. Ashamed to say I've never been to the museum here, I think they have the Nonsuch which I ought to see before we go. There's a kids museum too but it's a misnomer, more of an activity centre. Theatre is the usual stuff, lots of amateur productions and some touring, music - most of the bands include the MTS Centre on their travels, there's the Royal Ballet if that floats your boat, lots of galleries, Manitoba Opera, Rainbow Stage, Pantages Playhouse, the Folklorama festival where 40+ nations set up a cultural pavilion and you can sample food, drink and dance, etc etc. I doubt you'd be bored here.

Downtown is much the same as any other, some nice buildings in the Exchange District which they're trying to gentrify. Chinatown is small but effective. The Forks has some shopping, restaurants and nice riverwalks. St Boniface is the French quarter, walkable from downtown, well-kept buildings like the town hall and not so well-kept like the cathedral (burned out shell!). There's a grand Union Station (modelled on the NY one, or was it modelled on the Winnipeg one, I forget!) but goodness knows where the trains actually go to from there.

Interesting to read Cathie's post about car insurance, I thought it was pretty cheap here. It's no fault and run by the province - you needn't shop around, you have to have the province one. We pay 1,600 CAD for a (was) brand new Kia Sorento. I paid 600 GBP for a VW Lupo in Scotland by comparison.

Jobs - I can't help there either, neither of us have one.

Areas to avoid? I wouldn't like to live around the Health Sciences Centre (?5a on MLS from memory). They put hospitals in areas where they'll be close to their main customers. There are some lovely properties round there too, lots of elm-lined streets.

The people are friendly, as the license plate says. But they're not friendly to everyone. They're not very nice at all the natives and they're not afraid to tell you so, that's been quite a shock.

And that's all I can think of at the moment. I'd like to add that the tax department in Winnipeg are a right shower, don't get involved with them if you can help it and if any of them are reading this, it'd be nice if they could stop emptying my bank account and return my calls. Seriously

DAVIE_MAC

Biiiiink,

Absolutely PRICELESS.

Thanks very much for an awsome post. This is exactly what I have been looking for and is great to know that not all of Winnipeg has bad press.

Some say that no news is good news and if there is not a lot posted then there's not very much to say. I think in this case there is a lot that needs to be said.

Winnipeg DOES have bad press not only from Ex Pats but from some of the locals also and I think like you have told it these things need to be put into perspective.

One of the guys from Winnipeg I have spoken to has said that per capita it has been the murder capital of Canada since the 80's yet he has lived there for 41 yrs and NEVER been a victim of ANY crime nor his family...touch wood!!!

The facilites look great as others have pointed out and the Mossies aren't the big problem that have been mentioned before...I don't get bit anyway just the wife, I slept in the Amazon in boxers and never got bit she was like the Egyptian mummy and got eaten alive.... .

To look at this from another angle, We live in Winchester which has just been voted the UK's No1 place to live. Last year we were interviewed by CID as a women had gone missing and was last seen top of our road...within a week she was found murdered, nothing to do with us by the way, they were doing door to door. Round the corner approx 400m women battered to death in her own home...same week women murdered in Town. Drugs out of control. We were victims of identity theft to a tune of £3500 from mail being stolen from the postman. We live in a good area of Winchester where the average house price is over £280.000.

What I'm trying to say is everywhere in todays world has it's problems...and from what I can make out from the info I now have Winnipeg seems not bad a place after all and I will defo be going for a visit and interviews.....

Thanks
Biiiiink,

scimdarren

Hi
"Why choose Winnipeg?" is the most commonly asked question I get when meeting people here even though most people who live here are positive about there home and what this area can offer.
I have lived here for 18 months, I have done Mosquitoes and the cold and I am still happy with my choice. I chose Winnipeg after a lot of research as follows:

Cost of Housing.
Cost of Living.
Friendly people.
Amount of sunny days.
Big city opportunities, small town atmosphere.
Positve immigration policies.

Without experiencing other provinces, I can, and only make comparisons with the life I left behind in UK, and our life here is a hell of a lot nicer!

So Dave, what are your circumstances? Do you have equity in a house, what is your job etc, are you planning a research visit?.
If you tell us more about your aspirations and what you want from your move, I am sure we can give you some honest answers as to whether Winnipeg could be right for you.

Darren

Grah

So Dave how about some info about you?

You have a mrs that has a high body scent, that attracts mossies. Your fairly well off compared to the average joe and have good job prospects.

But as Biiiiink eluded to "what the 'ell floats your boat?"

Biiiiink generalised but didn't even scratch the surface of local scene's. ( She drove by the best pie shop for year without seeing it, for goodness sake ).

Got time on your hands sit down and tell us about you and your family, your non-work activities, your favourite hobby, your relaxation requirements.
Do play a sport? Want join a local drama club? write poems? Join a band?
Watch world class Volleyball or even want to play cricket all year round?
Do you want a 4 bedroom house or a 2 bedroom condo, do you need to know about kids sports, level of competitiveness, kindergardens Middle school, high school or even universities............
Don't ask for generalish question coz you'll only get generalish answers. bottom line is yes people live here, work here, and are mostly happy here.

I work in the same building as www.destinationwinnipeg.ca/home_w.php
so got a particular question about the Slurpee capital of the world - go ahead and ask a question that is specific to your needs.

P.S Car Drivers are crap here, golf is everywhere and remoteness can be found 20 minutes from the perimeter ( which is the ring road around the city).
and in the last year and a half I've only been outside it to go to Soccer games, 2 provincial parks, the rodeo in Swan River, the inland sea called lake Winnipeg\Manitoba once and the Car repair place were we brought it from. oh and house veiwing around the small hamlets for a sunday drive.

DAVIE_MAC

Here ya go guys.

Both the wife and I are serving soldiers until Me – Mar 08 Wife – Jun 08 when we leave.

I will have completed 22 yrs service Wife 12

I am a driver by trade Heavy Haulage Tank Transporters (130 ton) Wife is a military Clerk currently working in Release Management for distribution and replication of software.

Even though I am a driver by trade I am currently working as an ORACLE DBA Analyst Programmer but because I don’t have a degree I need to revert back to driving to enable us to move to Canada…even though the Army has spent around £28.000 on training me it counts for nothing I have been told neither does the experience.

Anyway:

Jobs:

I have been in touch with various companies regarding driving and the one which operates out of Winnipeg seem the best at present in every respect which will be Long Haul Truck Driving. Wife will be coming out a few months after me for a couple of reasons. She finishes in the Army after me and also we have been told she can’t work for the first year if I come as a truck driver !!! This we need to confirm though. She will be looking at work in IT or Administration.

Interests:

Me – Every sport you could possibly think of. I have played Rugby at quite a high level and am a qualified English RFU Coach so might be interested in getting back into this once settled. Football and Liverpool is my religion The Mighty Reds. Skiing is one thing I am looking forward to in Canada and with Manitoba being quite flat the X Country version as I used to race X Country cough cough years ago now will be touring. All outdoor type stuff also a Mountain leader instructor…not much use there I don’t think but I like being out walking. Also a qualified BSAC Dive Leader so diving as well..I believe the lake is Good for this. All in all any Sport or stuff outdoors….and if it’s not there we could always start it !!!!

Wife – Nothing outdoors !!! Shopping, Watching S***E on TV, The theatre (me also), The Gym and training, more shopping, Dogs and looking into breeding ours, Interior design, Reading, Cinema (me also).

Kids – None (I have 2 older ones who live with their mum & won’t be coming)

Housing – Looking for a decent 3 bedroom up to $220.000 in nice area we should be mortgage free this way to get us on our feet once there a while see if we can move on when Wife is working. Been told the North & Centre of the City is a big NO NO!!. SE & SW are good areas...Any names Please. Also would like to know good places just outside in country area as don't mind being in the sticks a bit as we both drive this will not be a problem. Also will be good for dog walking a bit further out.

All we really want is to move to an area where we can have a good standard of living in a safe environment and not have to worry about getting Robbed, Burgled, Car Stolen repeatedly, Living in vicinity of drug abuse & drunks. If we wanted this we could move to the NE of England where our house is without all the upheaval if you know what I mean?

We want to be able to say go to the Cinema and not feel threatened walking home or if the car will be there when we get back. Now I know people will say well you have these issues anywhere but no you really don’t. We don’t need the lure of a big city to be happy for example the other area we are looking at with good work for me is PE Island total other end of the spectrum I know. It’s quiet virtually Zero crime and you can walk about safe and happy as Larry. However I really DON’T want to dismiss Winnipeg as it sounds great as does the work I just want as much info as possible from local people who live there to give it every chance the crime is an issue though.

To sum it up then. If Winnipeg just gets bad press on the crime front and it’s not as bad as some people have made out and you don’t feel threatened walking around the city at night to get home after a night out and the crime is contained in a certain area then it will be fine for us as the job I have been offered there is excellent with excellent people.

We will be making a visit and the company is going to take us under their wing while were there and show us round, Realtors, Banks etc etc. They are a really caring bunch and are only to eager to help and this I believe is the true face of Winnipeg.


Cheers Dave.

Please correct me in any areas as I really want some good advice and constructive criticism.

dbd33

So far as the immigration people are concerned that's true, they'd rather import a truck driver or someone who has a PhD in divinity than someone who has valuable experience in another field but no degree relevant to that experience. That's the government though, people who have qualifications that impress them end up driving taxis and flipping burgers. Employers in the computer industry want experience and they want communication skills. Once here, someone who was educated in the UK and who has recent Oracle experience should have no trouble getting work as a programmer/DBA.

Souvenir

Oooh. A clerk. I've got one of them. Kills people with a mouse.

DAVIE_MAC

Totally True Mate.

I think it really is a shame they let in most cases High Calibre individuals slip through the net who have years of experience worked all their life and never had any problems with the law etc.

You can never find a substitue for experience.

Biiiiink

Exactly. See my point about rubbish shop frontages I think she should change her name to Mrs Miggins, I might have realised what her wares were then!

Davie, glad you found something useful in my post. I thought I was mainly pointing out how little I really know about Winnipeg but hey-ho

I forgot to mention the weather, it's really not that bad. The summers are glorious. There's nothing like a blue prairie sky. And in my vast experience of Manitoba winters (haha, this is no. 2!), they're not so bad either. THe locals always tell me the winters are nowhere near as harsh as they remember them from childhood, I don't know if that's false memory or true - maybe Steve_P will post some weather stats - I can even get the mail in a t-shirt most days, although I wouldn't venture further than the path!

I'm MLS-ing this afternoon for myself, so will take a look at Winnipeg and see what your 220k will get, and post any good ones here. Our 3bed semi was only 117k, so I'm sure you'd get something pretty good.

Biiiiink

Davie, I know I said no Wolseley for me, but this would tempt me for 209k CAD - http://tinyurl.com/35nqkr - click "view multimedia" for virtual tour.

This is a nice area, 199k CAD - http://tinyurl.com/yu4h6e

If you like new - http://tinyurl.com/24lhm6 - 199k CAD

I don't know where this one is, Transcona is sometimes called Trashcona so maybe not a good sign - 196k CAD - http://tinyurl.com/23uraw

189k CAD - Fort Rouge again, http://tinyurl.com/3agz6j - green trees and grass in the pics for this one, has it been up for sale for a lo-o-ong time?

http://tinyurl.com/36s6aj - St Vital, 179k CAD

DAVIE_MAC

Mrs B'

Many thanks for your help info and advice ALL of it is greatly appreciated.

I suppose what it all boils down to at the moment is trying to get a feel for places to see if they are somewhere we would like to live and there are obviously loads of questions to ask and things to think about.

For example I know PE Island would be a great place to live but the company I have the best feeling about is in Winnipeg. PEI has a mountain of info on the net about it (prob coz of tourists) yet unless I am totaly looking in the wrong places I can find very little on Winnipeg. I would like 100's of photos of the place like downtown, the shops, the parks, the facilities etc etc so you can see it get a feel for it ADVERTISE THE BLOODY place show and display all the fantastic areas of the city so we can see it.....

I am 100% sure it is all there these things please just someone show me the websites to find it all.

The house links are great and thank you for sending them to me. Where are you off to next then?

All of you have been fantastic in what you have provoded for us and we have spoke about making the visit in the coming months.

http://www.perceptionandaction.com/aboutWinnipeg.asp

Have found this site with good info on it.

2 Q's

1. You mentioned race problems are the locals very racist towards the native population there in Winnipeg.

2. If we go to the Theatre or a club downtown are we likely to encounter trouble or be mugged on the way home.

Frankley like I have mentioned before we could get that right here in UK so why move all that way to have the same hassle. In this instance this is where PEI has the advantage.

Cheers Dave

dbd33

I don't know about that. White Canadian racism against native Canadians might be less of a problem in PEI because there are less native Canadians but, if white Canadians are predisposed to racism and don't have natives to pick on, maybe they pick on the British instead.

In any case, Winnipeg vs. PEI is an odd comparison since one is a city and the other several potato fields with some tourists around the edges. There does seem to be a trucking firm in PEI but probably only one so that would be putting all your eggs in one rural basket while Winnipeg has multiple trucking companies and some computers. I'd think rural vs. urban would be a big factor in choosing, that and the erratic income to be derived from trucking on and off an island via roads subject to frequent winter closures.

DAVIE_MAC

The difference in locations...I know mad aint it City or villiage life !!

You wouldn't belive it but there are actually quite a few firms on PEI. It's swing n roundabouts really aint it. Higher wages in Winnipeg but you might have the hassle that comes with a city. Lower wages on PEI you might meet a few crabs and a lobster in the morning...but great beeches.

The wife and I have just spoke about size of cities in comparison between UK & Winnipeg to try and get some sort of idea in size.

Approx populations

Winnipeg........650.000
Manchester....450.000
Liverpool........450.000 Cmon U mighty Reds
Southampton..250.000 Were in Winchester but shop in Soton
Hartlepool......100.000 Where wife is from

Therefore looking at these figures and Winnipeg is proboly spread over a FAR Greater area than any UK City it's no wonder some people NEVER see any trouble or have problems if they live in areas away from the most crime.

On another point I could not belive while reading on another thread the Halifax NS has a serious crime problem........it's mile from anywhere.

No problems with racism on PEI as far as I'm aware. Defo not towards the Brits. I only mentioned it because someone said they were amazed by the attitude towards the native population in Winnipeg which was quite surprising to them.

Cheers Dave