Hi Guys,

Having finally arrived on 1 Jan, I have been busy for the last couple of weeks setting up home (again!) in Canada. Here is a brief summary of comments, observations, top tips, whatever, for you to ponder whilst planning your move here.

1. A 20' container with White's movers cost around £4500 with a door to door service, meaning they pack everything and unpack it the other end. You do have to go to the local Customs office to get your paperwork stamped though.

2. Fill out the B4/ B4A/ B4E forms for both accompanying goods and goods to follow before you come. Present them to the Customs guys with a smile on your face and they will stamp them for you.

3. It is very easy (in Ontario) to swap your UK driving Licence for a Canadian one.

4. You cannot swap your motorcycle licence at the same time. You have to take another written and skills test.

5. Tim Horton's coffee tastes like piss.

6. Car insurance is ridiculously expensive.

7. Mobile Phone charges are also outrageous. You pay for incoming calls!!

8. Canadian workmanship is not up to the same standards as (qualified) European equivalents. Beware the cowboy builder/ electrician/ heating engineer ......

9. Canadians are nice people .... Too nice and do not understand the banter that we throw at each other, particularly between strangers.

10. Canadian TV is pretty shite. I have a Rogers package with a gazillion channels of crap and have to surf to find good programmes. Keeps the kids happy though.

11. The schooling system (in Ontario) is very different, particularly after grade 9. The school year is divided into 2 semesters, in which a student takes 4 courses in each one. A school day is comprised of 4 lessons of 75 minutes each, relating to the 4 subjects, every day being the same. There are mandatory subjects to be taken each year - Math(s), English, Science and others so someone can take math(s) in the first semester, then not have to take it in the second (???!!), meaning that there does not seem to be the required continuity. Very strange at the moment.

12. You can buy relatively cheap transformers to run your UK 240v electrical items here.

13. Canadian driving is OK .... They tend to pottle along at below the speed limit but ...... most do not seem aware of other drivers, rarely use their indicators, veer across lanes randomly, are a hazard at roundabouts, flap like shit when a cop car is about. Generally, as long as you keep your wits about you, it is quite safe here.

14. Tim Horton's coffee still tastes like boiled gnats piss!

More to follow!
Jim

thing is...certainly round here (Windsor/LaSalle/Amherstburg) there is zero tolerance, 10 k above the speed limit is ok....anymore and they will pull u and fine u, 3 speeding tickets and some insurance company's don't want to insure u....insurance premiums are high enough as it is, it will go up even with one speeding fine!!

So, how long will you last do you think? Apart from Timmies coffee (not instant like you're probably used to) you haven't even mentioned the food problems (no pork pies, bread too sweet, lousy bacon etc, etc 1000 times).

Hey Jim, good to see you settling in

Can you give me a wee bit more info on the container arrival procedure please.

We arrive on March the 7th, and would love to have our container delivered to our rental house as soon after that as possible.

Where are you going to be living?

We went from the UK to Germany for 3 weeks, arriving on 1 Jan. on 2 Jan I got an email from the Canadian sub-contractors for Whites, that my container had landed in Montreal and was waiting for a train to take it to Toronto and a week ater another saying that it was there. I had to go to the Barrie (nearest to me) CBSA office and meet the truck driver there, taking my B4 forms which I got stamped on entry with me. The customs guy was great, asked me what 'my story was', stamped another release form and we were good to go. The truck then brought the container to the house. Overall very easy.

Cheers,
Jim

I am used to strong German and French coffee, which I drink every morning for breakfast. Tim Horton's is brewed so weak that I can hardly taste coffee, just water. If that is how it is here, so be it.

I am here for the long haul. I am not whingeing about anything here. I have lived in many countries and do not yearn for 'the old country'. I like the bread, the bacon is OK and I love it here. These are merely observations - Timmies coffee tastes like peepee... Fact.

Please do not lump me in with those that are homesick after a short while.

Ta,
Jim

Same here in Collingwood. I was merely commenting on the locals driving style and apparent lack of awareness.

I think your observations are most interesting and from my limited experience, spot on. I am not a coffee drinker thank heaven, but for the life of me I can't see the obsession with the horrible Horton's. My husband likes 'proper' coffee, so we just brew it at home.

There are many on here who aren't exactly homesick, but who take a while to find their own niche.

I may have been born semi Canadian...I always poodle around below the speed limit!

Is it possible to ban people from discussing Rodgers? My blood pressure rises and I start to hyperventilate, and I can feel a rollercoaster moment coming upon me. I really dislike that Company.

Hope all continues to go well.

Where I live the only options are Bell and Rogers but Bell is a satellite system which does not work so well at my house. Rogers it is!

Hi there, how did you find buying new appliances and furniture (price wise) ? Is there anything worth buying in the uk before coming over ? The coffee may be a deal breaker !!!!!

Hi IR!

The are other places to get coffee here!

Furniture and appliances are the same as UK - some more expensive, some cheaper. We sold most of our stuff but brought a leather 3 piece suite, dining table etc. Have a look on the internet for Candian prices.

Thank you ,some of the Internet prices (ca) for white goods are crazy ! Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places ! Good to read positive stuff on here !

There are food problems in Canada?

White goods do seem to be more expensive. We recently paid $1699 for a washer and dryer. Can't imagine how we would have ever paid over 1000GBP for a washer and dryer in the UK....I do like my new appliances though

Yes white goods are bloody expensive I think...I suppose it's the reason that so many are sold with the house? In my last home in Europe, I managed to buy all of the white goods in the house for $1,500 which would certainly not be possible here.