I think I feel a Christmas flounce coming on but while I work up to that..

The OP asked what sucks about Canada, then pressed the point and asked again. I've posted a few things that I think suck. There are some things I like about the place too but that wasn't the question.

So just how long do you have to live in Canada before you are allowed to criticise the place?? If you are an immigrant is it never?? Are only those born here allowed to criticise?? That sounds like a policy that the BNP would have.

The actual reason why I asked was that it's looking less and less likely that we will go and I think I really just wanted to make myself believe that Canada isn't that great and it wouldn't be a big loss not to go...
From what I've heard so far it still sounds pretty good though! (Don't care too much about architecture, radio or TV...) So there we go - you've named everything bad about the country and it still sounds amazing!

Go and search through some of the threads on the Moving Back forum, that should sort you out

Er no, there's plenty more that's bad, and before the usual Canada Proud posters start wailing, nowhere is perfect. It just depends on what is going to annoy you once you get here.

What is it that 'sounds amazing' to you??

I just love the idea of loads of space and the whole "wilderness" thing and the fact that you can have a huge house with loads of land for the same price we pay here for a 1 bed room flat! And none of the things anyone's said so far would make me not want that... Well, that's not exactly true - much less annual holiday and sick pay is a huge disadvantage! But with us planning on one day becoming self-employed and mainly self-sufficient it wouldn't be that big a deal after a while.... (That makes me sound like a naive dreamer again, doesn't it?! )

Depends on the area.

Of course it does but at least in Canada there are those areas! Over here there aren't...

Depends on the area. Scotland has plenty of wide open spaces, as does Wales. We moved from the Cotswolds which had plenty of countryside surrounding our property.

Thats more about $$$ than Canada. With enough money you can get that in Britain. Well maybe not bears in the wilderness but do you really want to live in the real wilderness?? Maybe a house on the moors would suffice?

What is it apart from a big house and land?? BTW self suffificent is extremely hard when you have winter for 4 months. Maybe you were thinking of BC though, but isn't property more expensive there?

That's exactly it - $$$ or shall I say £££....?! And if we stay in England I wouldn't move up north though.... The weather is bad enough down here in the south and I really couldn't deal with more rain and cold as they have in e.g. Scotland or so!!
Well, in Canada I wouldn't want to live in some little log cabin in the woods but looking on real estate sites there are rural areas with the kind of thing we were thinking of (and very affordable) close to larger cities! We were looking at the Maritimes as well, so I realise the "bears and mountains" wilderness doesn't apply for that area, but we could always go on holiday in other parts of Canada. That's another thing against the UK - you need a ferry or plane to take you off this little island if you want to see anything new.... No doubt there are gorgeous places in the UK (haven't visited any of them in my 3 years here though ) but it just isn't the same...

If you cannot get your head around the difference in the weather between Scotland and England, you are in for a big shock with Canada

The costs of actually flying to other parts of Canada are virtually prohibitive. I can get to Heathrow for about the same as it would cost me to get to Halifax. A long weekend to Vancouver either involves 10 hour drive there (and then back again) or $$$$ in flights. We don't have that sort of cash (yet!). It would be easier and much cheaper to get on the Chunnel and have a long weekend in Bruges or Paris (and they have better chocolate and architecture too ).

The reality of living rurally or in the wilderness, or even on an acreage, are very different from the dream, I think. Friends of ours have recently moved from here to Ottawa, onto a 4 acre property. Suddenly the lack of neighbours, the amount of snow, the reliance on vehicles, the need to dig yourself a drive-way and the open-ness to wildlife is a huge wake up call.

There - are we helping with your glasses yet?

Thank you Ann....I just couldn't be bothered. You have put it very succinctly. Don't get me wrong I like living here and wouldn't want to go back to the UK, but a little reality should be sprinkled on your tourist cornflakes.

As one of those 'Canada Proud' people I AGREE

As Tangram says depends on the area I can find you a one bed flat in Vancouver/Calgary/Toronto that would cost you more than a 'huge' house with land in the UK
good luck combining those two if you're looking be a beautician
Sorry to say yes it does


Parts of Canada (AB?) require $$$ for the huge house and land, Not sure what Mandys place would cost, but I'm in the process of buying a similar property (about an hour south of Mandy) and thats (to me) CHEAP, I looked around the general area where Mandy is and properties were almost identical prices (give or take). Go 45 minutes west (but still east of Calgary) and prices go up by around 40-50%, go SW or W of Calgary and equivalent properties are more than double. Again I'm sure you could find 'wilderness' properties in the UK (or Europe) for similar prices.

Big house and land, ts the dream in it? 4 months? Six in some places
Again its location relative, in parts of Alberta properties would set you back more than parts of the BC interior.

They have "weather' in the Maritimes, and bears, and wilderness and some big hills.

Canada and Europe are about the same area so there is more within easy and affordable reach of Britain than from Canada.

OK, as I said we were thinking about the Maritimes so all this "AB and BC are so expensive" is pointless banter - sorry! And trust me, I do realise that it is a LOAD of work owning land, but that's what we want!! That's what it's all about for us - a different quality of life!!!! And most people on here seem to agree with my idea of living in Canada providing you with a better quality of life! You guys certainly do, otherwise why would you be there?!