Emmigrating To Canada

[Netty]

Hi,
I am in the process of filling out all the forms to emmigrate to Canada.
We have an immigration consultant based in BC who is searching for a job in my husbands trade. WE would like to live anywhere in Canada but i think we have more of a chance in Vancouver or Calgary of finding his type of work.
At the moment we are looking more at Vancouver.

We are coming over just after easter for a research trip, for about 10 days.
Can anyone advise us as to what Vancouver and surrounding areas are like, are there any autistic schools there ( i work in one at the moment,teaching assistant, and would like to continue to!)
Husbands job is as a specialist floor layer, flooring such as anti-slip, epoxy resin,etc, he has worked here at goverment places, factories/ prisons /millenium dome etc, doing specialist flooring.

Any information on housing , schools , cost of living etc will be great!!
Thanks

 

[cabmom]

Hi Janette, I have no idea about BC, however if you are considering Ontario I can help!
Good luck with your move. I've sent you a pm.

Marilynn

 

[BLBCB]

My nephew just moved to Vancouver, and he says the cost of living is high, but that is according to living in Manitoba. If you don't mind the snow, the cost of living is pretty low here. Aside from that, Vancouver is very beautiful, with the mountains, the ocean, and the warmer temperatures. I'm sure you will love it there. Anything we can do just ask, us Canadian DISers are pretty helpful. WELCOME TO CANADA

 

[pkitty]

I grew up in Abbotsford BC. just east of Vancouver. It was a long time ago (25 years) and have not been back for a while. I'm sorry as far as homes or communities etc go I won't be of much help to you. Why I am typing this to you is to let you know about our Canadian climate. The Vancouver area is alot like Englands, damp cool or cold in winter and very nice in the summer. The rest of Canada, that is to say Canada East of the Rockies is not just cold but #$@! COLD. I spoke to my dad yesterday from his home in BC and it was + 12 degrees while here in Ontario it was - 20 without the windchill. So if temprature is important to you Vancouver would be my first choice. I currently live in Ontario and Alberta is just as cold. Granted the odd shinook goes through Alberta every now and then and warms things up for a day or so, but for the most part it's a deep freeze like the rest of Canada. Winter in Vancouver is alot shorter and I here their daffodils sprout in mid to late Feb. Hope this helps.

 

[totalia]

Its very expensive to live in British Columbia compared to the other provinces like Alberta. Good luck whatever you decide.

 

[Jennie in TO]

Here are a few links for you:

www.mls.ca Has all the housing listings in the area of your choice. Calgary is WAY cheaper than Vancouver. It is also WAY colder and drier. In Vancouver just think rain...like in Seattle. In Calgary, think weather like Montana. What's your preference?

http://vancouver.ca/ These will give you some potential information about each city. http://www.calgary.ca/cweb/communities/community.asp?UserID=2&CommunityID=203

This site http://www.naturallyautistic.com/ might give you some info about the autistic services in the Vancouver area. This site http://www.autismcalgary.com/ might give you the same info about Calgary.

Calgary tends to be more WASP and right of centre politically. Vancouver is far more cosmopolitan and left of centre.

Hope that helps!

 

[Netty]

Hi!!
And thank you all for your replies!
So , vancouver is -bc- is quie expensive and it rains more than snows.
i would there for be better going to calgary for cheaper living costs and snow Is alberta the only province that has lower living costs?
cabmom- i have sent you a pm
jennie in TO thankyou for the websites!

 

[Jennie in TO]

Toronto, Vancouver and MOntreal (and their surrounding areas) are the most expensive cities. Our 1100 sq.ft. house east of Toronto is going for 225K easily. That pales in comparison to the price you would pay for the same house withing the above city limits.

Rural area are cheaper...but then there is commuter time. Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, northern Ontario, much of the Maritime (east coast) provinces are far cheaper to live in. The nice thing about Alberta is that there is NO provincial sales tax. Be aware that there is a 7% federal sales tax in all provinces.

 

[c&m]

I have lived here in Vancouver, North Vancouver, and Richmond for almost 30 years. And we go out to Abbotsford a lot (in-laws live there). I must say that I am amused to hear that our reputation is RAIN. While it is true that it does rain here, we do get incredible mild and sunny weather. Like today...it's SUNNY and warm today 10 degrees C...feels like spring.

The rain makes our forests beautiful (which makes than wonderful places to hike and enjoy when we want to de-stress), and our golf courses green and lush. The mountains are gorgeous. Life here is nice.

PM me if you have specific questions. Would love to answer them and maybe dispel some myths!

 

[SnowyPrincesses:)]

I live in Ontario on a little island. We have all four seasons well defined here, I'm close to a national park with white sand beaches. This town is quiet during the winter and full of tourists in the summer. I moved here from Toronto 4 years ago and would NEVER move back! (understand its a personal preference- here I live by a mountain with a lake that is a great place to walk my dog no matter what time of year! I feel so free compared to the city.)
Winter is cold and snowy- Spring is beautiful and fresh- Summer is HOT- Autumn is crisp and colourful.
We are only a 4 hrs drive from Toronto.
Our cost of living is incredible by comparison, in fact there is no comparison. We have more and more people retiring out here from the city every year.
There are a few plants that keep the majority of the town busy, There are alot of nursing homes down here (where I'm employed) There are usually jobs with Children aid looking for people to help with all sorts of children in all sorts of circumstances. (I have two friends that work with them.)
Any way, Do your research because you might find another province that will fit the bill to a tee.

CANADA WILL BE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU>>>WELCOME!!!!!

 

[Netty]

thankyou all so much for all your replies!
you Canadians are so friendly!!
I will post again after we have been on our research trip after Easter and tell you all about it!

 

[mom_rules]

Anyone have an idea of how long it takes to process the paperwork?

Sent all the forms in and just wanted an approximate time frame.

 

[totalia]

Your welcome.

Personally, I wouldn't say the rural areas in BC are much cheaper than the cities but that may just be my personal preference. My sister lived there for 6 months and my cousin has a permanent residence there. Its very expensive.

But yes, I will say the prairie provinces are definately the cheapest to live in.

Personally (and this may be a bias here since I live there lol) I suggest Alberta. If you want a city, try Calgary (preferable) or Edmonton (I dislike the city). They both have about a million people. If you want a small city, Medicine Hat or Lethbridge. They both have around 70, 000 to 80 000 people.

 

[tinkerbeth]

Hiya,

Just wanted to add my .02... While Vancouver is expensive by Canadian standards, you might not find it too bad coming from N. Wales. My husband is from the UK and things are so CRAZY expensive there that even in Toronto or Vancouver, it's still cheaper. Something to think about.

Beth

 

[Mickey Fanatic]

You also have to remember that with the Olylmpics in Vancouver in 2010 the cost of living and housing prices are going to rise as the games get closer.

I think Alberta probably has the lowest cost of living because they don't pay any provincial sales tax just the GST. The other provinces have both.