Living in Vancouver or Canada in General

[Scornelius]

Thank you for all of your advice. I will certainly look into applying on our own backs. I am worried that we will get it wrong somehow and then they say no.

Does all of Ontario have smog? We have seen a few cottages in Niagra on the lakes. We may stay here and travel around Canada in May. I know its not a great location. I am having a few problems trying to find a cottage central in Ontario, so we can visit Niagra, Toronto, Oshuawa etc

No, all of Ontario doesn't have smog, thank goodness! The (VAST) majority of the province is green and lovely. I'm not sure what things are like in England, but all of my American friends are gobsmacked (there's some slang, just for you) to see how much forest and fieldland we still have, even driving between two large cities like Toronto and London.

Niagara on the Lake is a lovely, lovely area, but stupid expensive. However, May seems fairly early in the season, so it might be more reasonable. If you're willing to do a bit more driving, check out rent cottages dot com. It's got some beautiful cottage rentals to the northwest of Toronto. Maybe a little to far for you, but so much more beautiful and more of the 'canadian experiece'.

This must be so exciting for you! Good luck with all your research!

 

[Scornelius]

Thank you for your advice. It really has helped. I am looking at nursing universities at the moment. I am trying to look at locations near to them. We do not want to live in Toronto City, but dh will probably commute to work in the city. I would love to live in a quaint neighbourhood. Something quieter, prettier and friendly.

Commuting wont be a problem. Many of the cities around Toronto are 'bedroom communities', full of people who work in the city but refuse to live there. The prices plummet when you head a few km from downtown. Just as an example, my husband and I just bought a 1300 sq.ft., 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom 16th floor waterfront condo. It takes us 25 minutes to get from our front door to downtown Toronto. We paid $160K for it, where as an apartment with almost the same stats closer to the city was asking over 600K. Actually IN downtown Toronto, it was close to a million. I'll take my suburbs, thank you very much. When I look out of every window in my place, I see trees, Frenchman's Bay and Lake Ontario, clear across to Rochester (USA) on a good sunny day.
Ajax, Whitby and Oshawa are also cities within an easy commute, but quite reasonable priced. There are also at least 2 schools nearby that offer nursing courses.

 

[nelljay1973]

Thank you for all of your advice. I will certainly look into applying on our own backs. I am worried that we will get it wrong somehow and then they say no.

Does all of Ontario have smog? We have seen a few cottages in Niagra on the lakes. We may stay here and travel around Canada in May. I know its not a great location. I am having a few problems trying to find a cottage central in Ontario, so we can visit Niagra, Toronto, Oshuawa etc

When I applied to migrate I had already been here on a working holiday visa then returned on a visitor visa. The thing that I did was I called the immigration department and we talked about what the reasons were for the delays and many of the delays were with the immigration department writing to the applicant and asking for further info, like police clearance documentation from their homeland. So when I applied I had all that information in my application. The date from when I applied to when I was accepted was FOUR months...yes...FOUR months!

 

[angel659]

When I applied to migrate I had already been here on a working holiday visa then returned on a visitor visa. The thing that I did was I called the immigration department and we talked about what the reasons were for the delays and many of the delays were with the immigration department writing to the applicant and asking for further info, like police clearance documentation from their homeland. So when I applied I had all that information in my application. The date from when I applied to when I was accepted was FOUR months...yes...FOUR months!

Did you apply via Canada or Australia? The wait for a normal skilled worker perm resident visa is 52 months. I cant believe it. So we are going to get dh a job hopefully and then apply to get the visa pushed through. We were thinking of going to Canada on a temporary working visa, but after reading up it looked like it was not going to be viable, because we have to take family with us and the length of the UK canada embassy to take to process a visa.

 

[angel659]

Found a lovely villa we hope to hire when we come to BC. I think this is where Bruce maybe able to speed his visa through. On some programe.

http://www.holidayhomes.ca/CultusLake.htm#

I love it. Ideal home as well.

 

[angel659]

Where can I fly to, to get cheaper flights if I want to stay in Vancouver? I noticed Seattle is cheaper?

 

[Scornelius]

Seattle is only about 2 1/2 hours away from Vancouver, so if you're willing to make the drive you can probably save some good money. Cultus Lake is about the same distance, as well. What a gorgeous lake house, by the way. Good find!

 

[angel659]

Hi

How is everyone today? Hope you all had a great holiday weekend. Its been raining here everyday.

My dh is excited about the prospect of living in Canada now Only problem we have encountered is..... In order for us to get into Canada dh needs to get a job, problem is without getting an LMO he wouldnt be able to get a job. At the moment we are both dissapointed and do not know where to turn. Dh job as an Accounting Technician does not qualify for PPN, so he would have to request a Visa for skilled worker that would take 3-4 years The other way we could do this if dh had a temporary working status then he can apply for permenant residency in Canada that would only take a year. Again he would need to get a LMO. This sounds so complicated and I cant see how dh would be able to get a job. Apparrently companies have to apply to HRSDC. We basically have to receive a positive LMO from HRSDC. I am not sure if any companies would do this. I am a little upset and dissapointed today. How will dh get a job in order for us to get there.

Please help any advice.

 

[nelljay1973]

Did you apply via Canada or Australia? The wait for a normal skilled worker perm resident visa is 52 months. I cant believe it. So we are going to get dh a job hopefully and then apply to get the visa pushed through. We were thinking of going to Canada on a temporary working visa, but after reading up it looked like it was not going to be viable, because we have to take family with us and the length of the UK canada embassy to take to process a visa.

I applied from within Canada. You can be sponsored to migrate to Canada, I think that is what you are implying when you mention a business visa. I would get online, write to the "big" accountancy firms, you may well be surprised what the outcome could be. My sister did something similar when she went on a working visa to the UK (our Grandmother was English born) and after the visa expired her company sponsored her.

 

[candizfan]

It looks like a lovely place. I hope you have a great time.

Jo-Anne

 

[Northstar]

You're actually better off not committing to immigrate without a firm job offer in Canada... then, if there's no good job offer forthcoming, you haven't spent all your money on the immigration fees and putting down roots here. I agree with the previous poster that it's not at all impossible to get a job offer from a Canadian company when you're not yet in Canada. It depends on whether there's a shortage of people with your qualifications or not... if there's a shortage, the hiring company can easily satisfy the immigration people that they went through the steps to find someone within Canada and that you were the best-qualified applicant. Really, they don't have to prove that they COULD NOT find a Canadian to do the job... just that they took reasonable steps to advertise and search, and that you were the best person who applied.

On the other hand, if there's no shortage or if the position requires a professional license that you have to obtain before you can work, you're probably not going to have success with that route.

Time for some serious job-hunt researching, then a combined vacation-to-see-if-we-really-want-to-live-in-Canada and on-the-ground job search and interviewing.

 

[linzwylie]

Angel659 HI

I live in edinburgh and for the last 1 and 1/2 years we have been discussing moving to ontario. We have not looked into as much detail about this as you and your husband have, as we still cannot decide wether this would be a good move for us

Our kids aged 5 and 9 have mentioned snowy christmases and swimming pools in the back yard as being the most important for them (kids eh !)

To us the most important things are good schooling, affordable housing, a safe neighbourhood.

I must admit the thought of a white christmas is appealing - actually can anyone tell me where gets a white chrismas? - somewhere close to toronto?

I have just started training as a primary school teacher and it will be another 4 years till we would definatly move.

Good luck Michele, and I hope you get answers to all your questions

LINZ XXX

 

[Davey-D-99]

Hello Linz
We live in Hamilton, Ontario...just down the highway from Toronto on the Western tip of Lake Ontario.
If you are looking for snow (believe me, it's not that appealing when you are shovelling deep drifts for the 3rd time in a week) anywhere N and NW of Toronto in what is known as the "snow belt" you are guaranteed to get more snow than you can stand.
Anywhere right on the northern shores of the Great Lakes we tend to get a little less snow because of the moderating effects of the water, I would say around 60% of the time we have snow covering the ground at Christmas.
BTW..
We also have a pool in our yard... While it can get very cold (I mean very cold) in the winter, it also gets really hot & humid in the summer. This past week we reached a humidex reading of 40c.

Dave

 

[linzwylie]

Hello Linz
We live in Hamilton, Ontario...just down the highway from Toronto on the Western tip of Lake Ontario.
If you are looking for snow (believe me, it's not that appealing when you are shovelling deep drifts for the 3rd time in a week) anywhere N and NW of Toronto in what is known as the "snow belt" you are guaranteed to get more snow than you can stand.
Anywhere right on the northern shores of the Great Lakes we tend to get a little less snow because of the moderating effects of the water, I would say around 60% of the time we have snow covering the ground at Christmas.
BTW..
We also have a pool in our yard... While it can get very cold (I mean very cold) in the winter, it also gets really hot & humid in the summer. This past week we reached a humidex reading of 40c.
Dave

HI DAVE

I agree with what you say about shovelling snow and it getting to be a pain in the butt ! However on the flip side of that, we did not get ANY snow at all this winter The kids' sledges are gathering dust in the loft as they have not been moved since last year (and that was only for a day)
I think a balance of hot and cold is what we as a family would enjoy, as you said you have had 40c this week - we have struggled to get beyond
15c and it has been pouring with rain for 2 weeks - not the summer we would have hoped for !

What areas are in the 'snow belt'?

I can't believe you have a pool in your yard - we would have to be loaded with money to have that here

LINZ XXX

 

[angel659]

Hi

This is what we want as well. Snow in the winter and hot summer. I am not sure if BC will offer this though. We were looking into Ontario, but I think from what I have read the PNP does not offer that many jobs, its the first year they are offering this.

Is the weather in BC snow in the winter and hot in the summer?

 

[Davey-D-99]

What areas are in the 'snow belt'?
I can't believe you have a pool in your yard - we would have to be loaded with money to have that here

The "Snow Belt" is a huge area of Southern Ontario from the eastern and southern shores of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. We get a lot of cold North and North West winds in the winter and that generates "Lake Effect" snow off the lakes, usually 300+cm a season. The biggest city in Southern Ontario's snow belt is Barrie.
BTW...
This is also the area known as "cottage country" in the summer months...People from the metro Toronto and Hamilton areas flock to thousands of summer cottages all along the lakes to the north. It's a beautiful, relaxing, fishing, drinking, camping, swimming, BBQing, hiking, sailing, roasting mashmallows, and more drinking getaway that all Ontarians feel deserving of after winter.

Muskoka is one of these areas. This is where some of the really rich people play. Hollywood celebrities and sports stars.
http://www.experience-muskoka.com/

------------------------------------------
No, we definitely are not loaded with money, I don't own a summer cottage (wish I did) but most of us just rent one for a week. Also our pool is pretty small, my next door neighbour has one that is 20ft by 40ft and 9ft deep. I always like to build a skating rink in the yard in winter for my kids. My son plays hockey all winter.

-----------------------------------------
Can't speak too much of BC's weather. I have been to Vancouver once and was raining and cloudy the whole time I was there. Most metro areas of BC do not get the extended temperature extremes we get in Ontario. They rarely get snow in Vancouver. I can tell you that my drive through the Rocky Mountains in BC was one of the most spectacular experiences of my life.

 

[BCDisneyFanatic]

We very rarely get snow in Vancouver...this year, we had snow on the ground for about a week in November (major snowstorm), and then that was pretty much it for the year. Almost every year we get one good dump that lasts a couple of days or a week, and that is it. That said, I kind of like it...you get a "taste" for winter, which reminds me why we moved to Vancouver in the first place (I'm originally from Ottawa).

Don't get me wrong...white winters can be nice - when you're sitting inside with a hot chocolate by a fire . I'll take B.C., where I can drive an hour up into the mountains to visit the snow, and then come back to my shovel-free driveway and wear my light jacket and running shoes instead of winter boots and parkas.

That being said, Ottawa is a close second to Vancouver...I'd much prefer it over the Toronto area (it's not really that much colder, but it is a much more manageable size, with good facilities, beautiful parks, and skiing close by).

Good luck with your decision!
Heather

 

[offwegotoneverland]

I have also been looking at Ontario. The climate seems good. Cold and snowy winters. The kids will love the snow and warm weather.

I have been trying to get some ideas from this site.

http://www.livingin-canada.com/canadian-climates.html

Windsor, Ottawa and Toronto in Ontario. Windsor mentioned smog. Dh friends family lives in Ontario it looks beautiful. So many beautiful places. Its hard.

Windsor and some areas do have some smog warning days...but normally only in high humid times. Nothing like LA or other places where you can see it all the time.

Windsor is also much much cheaper then Van. you will have some winter snow activity but not very much. (less then say 4 inches at any one time with lots of frequent melts in between...snow possbile mostly from late dec to late feb)

 

[I Run Long]

Welcome to Canada Angel659! Well I might be a little biased - o.k. I'm alot biased but I would take the westcoast over any other part of Canada. Please don't get mad everyone. I hate winter and snow - no thanks. I love the mild winters (I'm a real outdoor runner) so this is perfect for it. Sure it rains (just like the U.K.) but at least you don't have to shovel it. Summers are wonderful - we don't have the high humidity or smog (at least in Victoria) like eastern Canada does. I guess you get used to it but to me it feels like a sauna. Come out our way. In fact my running partner is an OR nurse, she wouldn't live anywhere else. By the way - I love ALL of Canada.

 

[lisaviolet]

OP....

You can't rely on getting much snow in Toronto either. Year by year. I would prefer to have snow when it's cold as well.

I went to university in the Eastern Townships of Quebec and it constantly snowed. That's what I think makes a wonderful winter. If it's going to be cold, well snow is a necessity for me.

Ottawa and Montreal have more constant snow. As do communities north of Toronto. Barrie being in the snow belt as others mentioned.

Collingwood is a beautiful area in Ontario. Four season activity. Skiing, biking, golfing, on a lake. Smaller community if you wanted.

I love big cities myself and also love Vancouver. It's breathtakingly beautiful.

Best of luck...