yorkshirerose

If you've ever lived in Vancouver, BC you'll know about driving 2 hours to work and back because no-one can afford to actually LIVE in Vancouver and the 'burbs are very far away. Traffic is a huge problem. If you are thinking of coming to Canada I would check into our high taxes here. It's my understanding that you keep more of what you earn in the UK as opposed to Canada. And.....really, really check out the weather for the area you want to move to - it can be harsh here in the winter - and I mean HARSH, depending on where you live. Not in my area - I've only ever seen it go down to -20 C in the winter and it's dry - but do your research. We have incredible summer's 38 C coz we are semi arid, and we have lovely lakes and beaches. The downside is there are NO JOBS! Highest unemployment outside of the Atlantic provinces. So check.
Sorry to sound so bummer, but I find that once you are away from the UK, after a while you really appreciate the UK more. I don't see it as a picture postcard that's for sure, but I'm there very frequently, and not just for vacation so I have a good grip on things.

callé

SirTainly, I dont think any of us returnees think the UK is picture postcard perfect. Thats just the thing. If you have lived a large part of your life elsewhere as we have then you soon realise that NOwhere is perfect. There are problems everywhere. It kind of amuses me when I read posts from people saying they are leaving Britain because of hight taxes, rudeness, high crime, etc. THEY will be the ones who will be dissappointed. Life is like that everywhere. I for one, knowing that life is not rosier elsewhere, am ready to go home to my beloved England.

yorkshirerose

Jolly Good answer Calle - my sentiments EXACTLY.

callé

Thank you Yorkshirerose. And I do wish you luck and hope all goes well with your parents.

SirTainly

Folks, I think we are all on the same wavelength, I'm not claiming anywhere to be perfect, and just trying to say to LBW, that he shouldn't think just moving to the UK would fix his problems.

YorkshireRose: driving 2 hours would be fine, it's the 30 min drive, then 1 hr train, then 30 mins on the tube followed by the 5 mins walk that pisses me off about my commute! I've been looking at Alberta so I know the weather will be tough, visiting in January to see what it's really like. Somebody on the Canada forum worked out the taxes, and with no sales tax in Alberta I'd be better off. At least my taxes would get me something (snow ploughing), rather than paying £65 per month to have my bin emptied. Tell me about no jobs, I'm have to travel rural Cambridgeshire to London each day to work. If it's no better, i n Canada at least I get to see some more of the world.

Calle, you may have lived in other parts of the world, but how much of the UK have you seen and lived in? I have lived in several parts of the uk within the last ten years, and I'm ready for a change. I'm stuck in a country where the all the jobs are in one corner, in a city bursting at the seems, a city I utterly detest, which is unpleasant and polluted, so for me pretty much anywhere would be an improvement.

callé

Calle, you may have lived in other parts of the world, but how much of the UK have you seen and lived in? I have lived in several parts of the uk within the last ten years, and I'm ready for a change. I'm stuck in a country where the all the jobs are in one corner, in a city bursting at the seems, a city I utterly detest, which is unpleasant and polluted, so for me pretty much anywhere would be an improvement.[/QUOTE]


Fair enough Sir Tainly.
I havent been back to the UK in many years, but I do have a large family that live in many parts of the UK and am geeting loads of advice from them on decent areas, and also from people on this site.
I do understand that since you have lived there all these years you are quite ready for a change. And if you have the opportunity you should definately give it a go. too many people never venture out as they fear change. Then they actually miss out on a lot in their lives. Good luck to you.
BTW, all I was implying is that for those of us that have been away, we do know it's far from perfect. I do read the UK papers. Shame about crowding, taxes, crime, and yob culture. and where I live in the US, shame about crowding, taxes, crime, and hip hop culture that encourages drugs, guns, and disrespect.
But we both know thats everywhere. I do wish you well.
calle

SirTainly

Thanks, and I hope your return goes well too.

yorkshirerose

SirTainly:
Well said! I remember feeling exactly like that when I first left the UK in 1980!
Alberta is a nice province. You have the beautiful Rockies, Banff for skiing, Lake Louise for beauty, Calgary for big city - and the people are very friendly. The weather sucks in the winter, however, I'm not a snowbunny and I hate the cold. I've travelled extensively across all the western provinces,for work and pleasure, I've lived in Toronto, visited places around there and I wouldn't pick anywhere else but BC. You definitely want to check out Vancouver and the Okangan Valley. However, that being said - LOTS of people from BC flee to Alberta coz there are JOBS! Good luck going in January - pack your woollies! By the way...I stick to Yorkshire when I go to England - was never keen on London, even when I lived in the UK.
Cheers.

iaink

There is some sense of humour in Canada, its just not as nasty and biting as most current popular UK humour seems to be.

A lot of Holywood talent started in Canada, Mike Myers, Jim Carrey and others. I find Red Green very funny, and Ron James is also hilarious, TV satire like RCAir Farce and 22 minutes has its moments. Rick Mercer used to be funny too.


As far as the rest of the thread goes, some people are not going to settle wherever they go. Canadas drawbacks for me are, very short holiday entitlement, and to a far lesser extent much as I enjoy the contrast in the seasons and the chance to go sking etc, last winter was a month too long. Anyone considering moving to or from canada is well advised to do their research, it should not come as a surprise to a newly landed brit that it gets cold here, but then its also easy to forget the misery of high property prices and endless commuting and overcrowding in the UK. Nowhere is perfect.

iaink

You havent met me then.

Pleased to meet you

Iain

SirTainly

Thanks btw I was born in Yorkshire, but haven't been back there, except for a couple of days visits since 1987.

daisymoll

Been back to the UK, moving back to Canada again next week after year back in the UK!!!!!

yorkshirerose

I'm giving myself a year in the UK - probably not staying permanently because of ties in Canada. Nothing is written in stone is it? We can move as much as we want and where we want! It's just a giant hassle that's all.

Glaswegian

Hmmmm ... there are many aspects of life in Canada that are truly crap ... every so often I wonder how crap life in the UK really was.

I'll be interested to hear what you think of Ontario