Would you choose to move to Scotland or Canada?

[Darlingyouvegottoletmeknow]

Would you move to Canada or Scotland? To a rural area in both. Eldest child in Y1, youngest a baby, we are in mid 30s.

Scotland

• Highlands village
• can both work part time
• buy a house outright with chunk of savings left over
• grandparent can visit every 2 months
• can move as soon as lockdown lifted
• keeps option of having another child open

Canada

• likely British Columbia, the island
• I would need to work full-time for the work visa, once Permanent Residency achieved could work part time (would take 1-3 years depending on factors largely outside our control)
• could buy a house outright once settled somewhere
• would take around a year to get documentation and visas sorted before we could actually move, and cost quite a few thousand, so only want to start this process if we are likely to actually move
• would see grandparents 1-2 times per year only (no relatives in Canada)
• would be harder to have another child as if still on work visa I couldn't take a full year of maternity leave

One option is moving to Scotland now and considering Canada in future when kids older, when I'd be happier to consider full-time work. Although maybe we wouldn't want to move then if children settled.

I lived in Canada as a kid (Vancouver). My childhood there was amazing. We would go on school trips to the beach, ice skating, the mountains. I’d have ski lessons at the weekends and we would go camping a lot in the summer. It took a while to get settled in but people were so welcoming and friendly. We were also surprised at how many family and friends chose to come and stay - we always had visitors.

Now as an adult, I’d jump at the chance to give my children that life. London doesn’t quite offer it 😂

I've lived in both rural and urban Scotland but only visited BC and it's gorgeous of course.

I think politically we are in for a decade of upheaval in Scotland and absolutely no guarantees of a stable financial future. I'm for Independence but not for the SNP...at the moment it feels safer having non-Tories in charge to some degree but once the indy vote bus revs up again, things are going to get nasty up here for a while and further cuts to services are inevitable.

It's relatively easy to find somewhere to live that is near to transport links and a decent-sized town, though. Lots of friends are really happy in small towns and villages, they just get involved and contribute but I'd say you do have to do that. Property isn't as cheap in those places because cheap usually equals remote. There is also a higher proportion of deprivation, drug-taking etc than you realise just visiting a place for a couple of weeks as a tourist. Small towns have drug problems, alcohol is a huge problem, and in some places there are 'mafia' type men who hold sway. It's often in the most unexpectedly beautiful villages.

Not to put you off because if you have a bit of money and security, life is good here, really good if you are outdoorsy.

My parents live in the rural Scottish Highlands. My sibling has lived on Vancouver Island for 15 years. If it had to be one or the other, I'd go Canada.

Vancouver island has snow in winter (often lots of it) and beautifully hot summers, Scotland is cold and often wet most of the year. I'd far rather ski in BC than Scotland!

In terms of communication, Scotland is easier, though post takes a day longer to arrive and some companies add a surcharge for delivery. My sibling pays extortionate amounts for mobile and internet and their services are a fair way behind what we get in the UK in terms of coverage. Parcels regularly take 6-8 weeks to arrive. Goods are basic and expensive as they all need to be shipped to the island.

I don't know how schools compare but I don't hear great things about the Scottish system in general.

If you want a laid-back outdoor lifestyle, then Vancouver Island is amazing, they can ski the morning, come down, get in the boat, catch a few fish and BBQ them on the beach for tea. The water, mountains, trails, forests, wildlife are brilliant.

It is a long way from the UK though. If we fly from Vancouver to the island it's about 12 hours from LHR. If we take the ferry it's more like 15-18hrs. Depending where you are on the island, it's still long way to Vancouver if you wanted to visit the city.

Scotland has free uni for the kids...

Scotland has free uni for the kids...

It's delusional to think that will last long.

I live in Scotland and have spent the last couple of days googling places to live in Canada probably because the midges have made their appearance and we are all covered in bites.

Scotland!!!!

I hope you don’t mind me asking but what do you both do that allows such easy movement and part time work?

I’d do Scotland now with a view to moving to Canada in the future.

British Colombia is the one place I have been to where I could really see myself living. I wish I had the balls to do it myself.

Scotland. I would not move permanently to British Columbia, despite it being so lovely there. I lived in Seattle for three years many years ago, and traveled up to Canada many many times, as the border was only about 140 miles away. We as a family, loved our time in the USA, and being able to go into Canada also. But eventually had to come back to the UK after our time was done there.

I live in the far north of the Scottish Highlands - think top of the map! Moved 11 and a half years ago (from central Scotland).

I'll start with the negatives (to end on a positive :-) )

Cons:
High winds in winter
Summers are not hot like south
M&S is a 3 hour drive
Half hour drive for supermarket shops (but can get deliveries from Tesco and Asda)
Delivery charges - some couriers take the piss, but Amazon, IKEA, etc are fine
Have to drive most places, public transport not the best (think after-school activities, etc and you'll be a taxi driver until your children can drive)
While we have local A&E, hospital, most consultative medical needs and presently maternity/birthing unit (although contentious and trying to address) is a 2 to 3 hour drive at Raigmore in Inverness (with community midwifery provided locally)

Pros:
Excellent air quality
Friendly
Very low crime rates
Safe place to bring up children
Good education provision
Excellent GP practices with (often) same day appointments, quick referrals, etc
Beautiful scenery, countryside, seaviews
Northern lights - often
Orcas in early summer
A lot of house and land for your money
Winters not as cold as central Scotland - at the coast, doesn't get below zero degrees where I live, for example
No traffic to speak of

I feel like I have come home and I would recommend it to anyone. My son is at a local college (part of Highland & Islands Uni) and my daughter married a local man and now has a baby. None of them wish to move, which is a good testament to how it has worked out for us.

Re a move to the highlands of Scotland:

There is an east as well as a west side, also with access to lovely coasts and mountains, but maybe without some of the drawbacks of being very remote. Here are some areas on the east to consider: , the Black Isle (including the towns of Cromarty and Fortrose ), just north of Inverness; and also the often overlooked Moray coast, which has pretty good weather and easyish (A96 road) access to both Inverness and Aberdeen. Also - no midgies in the east!

Scotland!

I was in Canada - Ontario, near the lakes, last April (2019), when spring was springing in the UK - the weather was beginning to warm up, things were happening with trees and plants. Not in Canada though. They seemed to be weeks behind us - the snow had only just cleared. But yet their summers are uncomfortably hot. Friends who are there say it snowed a couple of weeks ago.

I love aspects of Canadian life but I'm not sure I could tolerate the climate.

@NanaRant where you live sounds fabulous, can you say where it is (by PM maybe?)?

@Froq I'm a GP and dh works in IT (in a particular bit which is very flexible and in-demand).

I think politically we are in for a decade of upheaval in Scotland and absolutely no guarantees of a stable financial future
This worries me, and partly I want to emigrate as I'm sick to the back teeth of Brexit and the fall-out from it!

the Black Isle (including the towns of Cromarty and Fortrose ), just north of Inverness; and also the often overlooked Moray coast,
Thank you yes I really like both these areas.
DH is more keen on incredible views, but I would like to balance with being closer to facilities and transport links. I think almost any Scottish view will be superior to our current view so we won't be disappointed on that front!

I think you need to consider your long term.

My sister emigrated (California) when she was 20 (not intentionally - she went to study and never came back). This was over 40 years now - she has been desperately homesick for a long time now, and it just isn't practical for her to come back now. She is now pretty ill and its a hell of a way/£££ for us to visit, so realistically I don't think we will ever actually meet in person again.

You may like Kintyre in Scotland. It's remote and beautiful. Like much of the west coast you depend on particular roads for access to Glasgow, but you won't be far from Campbeltown which had everything you need. You can also fly to Glasgow and there are ferries in the summer.

Ursaminor

I agree with you that the places you mention are attractive and the weather is better, more sun and less rain than the west.

I know people who have moved very happily to Cromarty and Rosemarkie on the Black Isle which is not an island, by the way! Good communities within reach of Inverness.
Easy to get across to the beautiful west coast if you want to.
No midges. The schools are decent there too as far as I know.

Vancouver island is lovely but expensive, a lot of bc is. Living overseas can seem more glamorous than it is. Why not do more research, can you actually get a job at the moment?

Just noticed you were mentioning the Black Isle while I was posting!

Canada. But you don't sound ready for such a drastic move tbh. Take things slowly.

I grew up in Fortrose and it is a lovely community. Not to mention a beautiful place and very handy for Inverness for shopping. The academy is a very good school (at least it was back in the day). The weather is generally much better on the east coast (much drier than the west) but never really tropical, of course. I don't know how old your kids are but for me being a teen in such a small place was of course unbearable . Our soundtrack was "Nothing ever happens" by del Amitri.

I moved up to the Highlands a couple of years ago rural but beautiful. For local teens it's not a fun time, they want the McDonald's, being able to go to their friends easily etc. My pros and cons list is pretty much the same as nanarant, I suspect we live in the sameish area!
The wind is insane in winter and the winter darkness can be seriously depressing

I would choose Scotland

Scotland! Maybe somewhere in Highland Perthshire (Pitlochry, Aberfeldy, Dunkeld etc) rather than the north or west Highlands might suit you?