Hi everyone

I'm getting a few requests now for information about the Community Identified stream, Nova Scotia, Colchester County and Truro. Although I am happy to PM and help with specifics I am getting quite a few requests for general introductory information about the area and the Community Identified stream that could be answered by a single, "wiki". Here is the bare bones of that "wiki".

Apologies for the slightly impersonal touch to those who PM'd me but it was getting that way that I was unable to answer fully due to pressure of time. So please excuse me for now, read the information below, and come back with specifics to which I will do my best to help.

If you only have time to read two threads, I recommend the WIKI stuff. It's this one:
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...ity+identified
and this one:
http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Catego...ntified_Stream


Anyways, here goes!

Nova Scotia ("NS") is in the East of Canada: "Altantic Canada".
As the name suggests it has a strong scots heritage. Lots of Mac's in the phone book for example.
It gets neither as cold nor as hot as the rest of Canada though it can get some snow.
It's about the size and ruggedness of Ireland and home to a million people.
The main city is Halifax.
The economy is somewhat agrarian but the people are friendly and housing is cheap.
There are tech/business/professional jobs to be had but you have to look hard.
Wikipedia says it best:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nova_Scotia

For an introduction to Nova Scotia, go here:
http://novascotia.com/en/home/default.aspx
and here:
http://www.gov.ns.ca/


Colchester County is more or less in the middle of NS.
It sits on the intersection of the main trans-NS and trans-Canada highways and train routes.
This is a mostly agrarian area with lots of lumber and farming.
The county is home to some 50,000 people.
Here's some additional information.
http://www.colchester.ca/
and here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colches...y,_Nova_Scotia
and here
http://www.corda.ca/
For folks looking to relocate to the area, teh Colchester Regional Development Agency ("CoRDA") is a key element. The human development officer there is called Margot Begin-Gillis. She comes highly recommended. She will help you open doors with local companies, groups and the all-important Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
There are equivalent agencies for each NS county. Google for them.


The main town in Colchester is Truro.
Truro lies in the middle of Colchester County.
This is the location of numerous municipal offices such as CoRDA.
Truro is right at the intersection of the main highways and railroads.
As such it is home to numerous businesses serving the functions of such a transit hub.
Indeed Truro is sometimes nicknamed "Hubtown".
With a population of around 12,000 Truro is considered a relatively large town by Provincial standards.
As such it has many of the trappings. For example:
There are numerous schools and churches. Also there is a cinema, ice rink, swimming pool, hospital, adult education college, university, race track, show grounds, athletic grounds and so on. Basically it has facilities you would expect of a UK town 10 times as big.
There are sports clubs serving the needs of football, rugby, martial arts and so on.
There is more information here:
http://www.town.truro.ns.ca/http://www.trurons.com/
and here
http://www.trurons.com/
and here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truro,_Nova_Scotia


If you want to buy a house in Truro, your best place to start is here:
http://www.mls.ca/PropertySearch.asp...fAreaID%3d2223
or here
http://www.propertyguys.com/listings...=Selling+Price
The house prices and their relation to Truro's popularity with BritishExpats is self-explanatory.
If you want to look for houses elsewhere the above links have search functions.
Realtors worldwide have a... reputation. Do lots of research before you buy.


If its work you are looking for, then this is a good place to start:
http://www.careerbeacon.com/search/en/-1/3/62
- although lots (most?) jobs in NS go via the grapevine, this gives you an idea of who's hiring.


I am afraid it's too early for an assessment of the schools.
I know quite a few of them are due to amalgamate to ask the right questions.
All the schools are apparently quite good. There are no league tables to help you.
Schooling goes by catchment areas but I don't know what they are.
I will know more once the family are settled in May/June 2008.
Here's the current list.
http://www.ccrsb.ednet.ns.ca/cobequid.html


Flooding!
Yes, Truro is built on a flood plain that from time to time makes a real mess of things.
The worst on record was in 1889 or something like that.
However lesser floods do come from time to time and affect various areas.

More information here:
http://www.town.truro.ns.ca/committees/plan_flood.htm
and here
http://gsc.nrcan.gc.ca/marine/map/altm_e.php
and here
http://images.google.ca/images?um=1&...=Search+Images
and here
http://www.novaweather.net/Flood_200...o_topo_map.gif
(The brown areas are low lying - Use Google maps to get an idea of what's what)


My own story is that I am in the midst of a Temporary Work Permit application, as well as a NS-PNP Community Identified stream application. It is subject of a thread or two:
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...ity+identified
and the wiki:
http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Catego...ntified_Stream


Hope that helps!

Cheers

wbexpat

More links....
http://www.profilecanada.com/company...pital_Truro_NS
http://www.truro.nscc.ns.ca/
http://www.nsac.ca/
http://www.trurochamber.com/
http://www.google.ca/movies?hl=en&ne...&ct=title&cd=1
http://cehlibrary.ednet.ns.ca/
http://www.trurodaily.com/

Hi Wbexpat

That's really helpful info and some excellent links which give good insight into the local community.

Now I just need to find a house on a hill because those flood pictures are pretty scary!

lynpy

You might want to add this info about schools. http://www.aims.ca/issues.asp?cmPageID=445 It does give some useful performance data but only in the older age groups

Thanks very much for taking the time to do this, its really helpful.

We are looking at a recce trip in May to NS and are looking at the Colchester area under the Community Stream route!

Good luck with your journey!

Nikki

If you get a house on a hill, just remember you have to get up that hill when it is icy and snowy ....

and down again!

Ok, so perhaps just a slight incline

Hi Nikki dreaming
Same here! May see you there.
We've booked our reccie for 2 weeks at the begining of May and are spending the 2nd week at Truro. We are also looking at the Community Identified route.

lynpy

I think Judy has already done a Wiki on CI so you could add on. Maybe pm her - I'm not sure how it's done.


Bible Hill, almost part of Truro is on, er, Hill.

I think everyone should also know, that it is not just colchester County that have the Community Identified Stream, (PNProgram) but every county in the province is also trying to get people to commit to them. The way everyone goes on it makes it sound as if it is just Colchester County but people may like to live in the Annapolis Valley, or some other county in Nova Scotia. The Annapolis Valley is a beautiful place so don't rule it out until you have had a look. Just look around! You will be very surprised.

I am aware of the wiki.
I contributed to it and refer/link to it in the OP.

The OP was a response to a number of PMs I have had WRT Truro, Colchester and NS-PNP/CI. NS is indeed full of cracking places but I do not have time or inclination to write details on them all.
Perhaps you can provide a similar post for your patch.

Hi,
wbexpat well done lots of good info there,this will help lots of folk

Wbexpat, I've taken the liberty of copying, pasting, and cleaning up (for formatting purposes) your info into a Wiki article on Truro.

Everyone of course is welcome to edit any Wiki article.

For those who don't know how to do so, there is a Wiki article about creating and editing Wiki articles.
x

Crumbs, thanks. That's saved me a chore.