As we rapidly approach our 5th Anniversary of landing here in Nova Scotia, we sometimes sit down with friends and get asked the same two questions. Why did you leave the UK, and why did you choose Nova Scotia?
This gets us thinking and we reflect sometimes between ourselves, sometimes with other expats, what are our likes and dislikes about living in this province. Before I post our observations, I thought I would throw this out there and see what all you honorary bluenosers have to say. My reply will probably be quite lengthy, so it gives me time to put it together! So if you have lived in NS for 3 or more years, let us all know what you are REALLY thinking. Don't forget to remove the rose-tinted spectacles, and let us have it, warts and all...
We obtained citizenship on Canada Day this year and live in the Fall River Area. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts....

Lived there for just under 5 years. Recently moved to the GTA to get access to all the things we had in the UK but thought we didn't want or need.

I find loads of people who grow up in NS would never leave as they have nothing to compare it to. When you have come from the UK you get used to access and choice. We missed that in NS and it finally got bad enough to pack up and leave.

Horses for courses.

As someone in the process of applying to go to NS, I look forward to reading people's comments - your lengthy post included gvanleer!

Me too!

I'll get the ball rolling.
Been here nine years. can't compare it to the UK, but Ontario....
On the plus side:
Winters are definitely milder, the frost here goes down one foot here; three or more in Ontario. It's not such a dry cold so it doesn't necessary feel any warmer and since you're always close to the Atlantic it gets pretty windy. We seem to get less snow, at least since I've been here.

It's way more laid back and people are more friendly and helpful. My neighbours are wonderful and will do anything to help, very generous with their time. My next door neighbour in Ontario died and I didn't find out until six months later and I lived in that house for twenty years.

Because there's so much lumber here firewood is cheap, so we installed a wood stove.. very cosy.

We have a neat licence plate and road signs.

On the minus:
There's a shortage of doctors here and the wait times for medical procedures are longer

If you're not close to a city, shopping is a pain (other than groceries)

AT 15%, the HST is the highest in the country. It's 13% in Ontario, 12 in BC and 5 in Alberta!

I agree with just about all of that.
There is a shortage of doctors in most places, not just in N.S.
I lived in Ontario for 30 years and the folks there seemed to be much more aloof and unfriendly. My neighborhood near Truro is much friendlier.
I have all but forgotten about the winters not having been through one in seven years. This will be the eighth. I do, however, enjoy spending the summer there.
I retired in N.S. because that's where my wife is from.

sorry I'm unable to post my thoughts as I've not been here more than 3 years yet...

I'm interested in hearing your points...

That's weird, as our neighbours in Mississauga are way more friendly than the neighbours we had in NB and NS.

How much fog/rain is to be had in North Queens co. area?
The statistics site I found seems to suggest it rains more than it does in Wales!

I am from Nova Scotia, and before I moved to Scotland I looked up the rain tables. In general I found between the two, that in Nova Scotia we get more mm of rain every time it rains then in Scotland. For example, it might rain a lot for an entire day in Nova Scotia, but then we have an entire day of Sun or Sun & Clouds. Whereas in Scotland, it would rain at different intervals throughout the day and be sunny, then rain, then sunny, then rain. etc for both of the days.

I know Vancouver has more rain than London, so it's not outside the realms of possibility.

so is that fewer days of rain and lots of it then?

and how much fog?

lol I think the conclusion is it's roughly the same but you may get more entire days of sun and more entire days of rain then a mixture throughout the day. Oh, but Nova Scotia is definietly foggier - it's all the lakes!! But the fog will usually lift with the sun.

From my own experience, my scottish OH prefers the weather here than to Scotland.

Depends where you live in NS - we only get a few days fog a year. Compared to Scotland, much hotter temps here during the summer months, and of course, much colder temps over the winter.

PS I am sure we got much more rain and definitely more clouds back in Aberdeen. Again, it all depends where you live. Scotland, although beautiful can be really dreich!

Ironically we either had fog or low cloud here today