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Original poster

What should I know about Canada...

56 replies

Barmcake · 16/06/2011 15:08

Hi

Following on from the thread about what surprised you about Australia when you first moved there, I was just wondering if any Canadian based MN's could give me tips on what surprised you the most when you first moved there,are there things that weren't as you expected? What surprised/pleased you the most? Do I need to investigate anything that I might not obviously think about? Do you have any tips or things that you wished you had known prior to moving there? I am looking for positive and negative answers!!

Thanks

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nooka · 18/06/2011 04:02

I'm sure that there are lots of good things about Manitoba, but where I work there are a fair few people who come from Winnipeg aka Winterpeg. Apparently it's under snow for over half of the year and then you get attacked by bugs the rest of the time. Personally it's just too flat for me (dh wanted to live there).

I'm told that in the Prairies everyone has babies because there is nothing else to do, Newfies are county bumpkins, Ontarians think they are the center of the universe and Quebeckers are well French. Apparently the Maritimes are OK though Grin

Most of these things are said by people who used to live in the other provinces - it seems to me that BC humour at least is fairly similar to the English variety.

The interesting thing about BC to me is how British it is. Many of my friends have an English originating parent or grandparent, which certainly helps me feel more at home (certainly much more than in NYC where we moved first).

The other thing I notice is how politically apathetic most people are. We've had two elections (national and provincial) and really it seemed as if no one really cared at all.

HerRoyalNotness · 18/06/2011 04:35

I was really surprised about how behind they are in technology. Banking online was very basic, improving now, we can actually pay bills through it. Don't come thinking everything is cheaper than the UK, it isn't. Lack of population I think is to answer for this. There is no money supermarket to do your comparisons, you have to shop around for insurances and cellphone deals the old fashioned way. Here in Quebec there is only 1 utility provider.

We found car insurance v.v pricey, so yes bring all your no claims stuff from the UK.

Shopping is dire. It's quite a closed market. If you order things online and have them shipped you will pay duty on every package, even from the States. Online shopping is just starting to take off here really, again way behind the UK.

Supermarkets, expensive and uninspiring. Our friends keep an eye out for flyers and will go to several different ones to get the best deals each week. Definitely join Costco if it's in your area for bulk purchases cheaper. Helps to have loads of storage and a chest freezer for this.

It takes a looooooooong time or aloy of cash if you are going to travel within Canada, hence we have not seen most of it. We find it expensive to travel international from here as well. You'll miss the cheap travel the UK has on offer.

Original poster
Barmcake · 18/06/2011 05:11

WhatGoodIsThis and Oblomov I said in a earlier post that we are thinking of Toronto for travel to family in UK/Europe and pils in Florida but open to other suggestions and experiences.

We are not coming from the UK we have lived in the middle east for several years who are so behind in technology, banking and only have 1 service provider so anything would be better than this Wink

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Original poster
Barmcake · 18/06/2011 05:15

HerRoyalNotness flights from the middle east are so expensive too, you can get here cheapish but trying to get out costs a fortune!! But we do get a flight allowance each year which helps so will miss that when we leave

madwoman dh will be very happy that he will be able to Tetley tea Grin

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Original poster
Barmcake · 18/06/2011 05:19

ds is very sporty and can't wait to ski on proper snow!! he ice-skates but may not be up Canadian standards to play hockey, he loves tennis, basketball and golf too, will he still be able to do all these, I imagine that golf will be hard on snow Wink

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nooka · 18/06/2011 07:41

Oh yes, I forgot about that HerRoyalHighness, there is a lot more protectionism here, and it is a much smaller market with high distribution costs. Plus thinking about the current strikes the labour laws seem very old fashioned.

The outdoor life, skiing, hiking, fishing etc etc are fab. Although personally I wouldn't want to live anywhere near Toronto - for me the point of living in Canada is the space, and Toronto although pretty small as cities go is in the most crowded part of Canada and whenever I have visited I've been struck by the traffic getting in and out.

The West Coast is very expensive to leave (although I don't really want to :))

StewieGriffinsMom · 18/06/2011 14:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Barmcake · 18/06/2011 15:15

Thanks Stewie & nooka, ds will love to play golf in the snowHmm esp with neon balls.

To have proper weather will be a delight after years in the sandpit but worried about how long it will take for my blood to thicken eek. do all houses have open fires or is that just in the movies??? lol as long as there is central heating I'll be fine (I think)

thanks for all your replies so far x

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Original poster
Barmcake · 18/06/2011 15:17

forgot to say that ds will be of high school age by the time we move, well by Uk standards he will be, what age do they start high/senior school there?

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StewieGriffinsMom · 18/06/2011 15:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

nooka · 18/06/2011 19:34

A great deal is province dependent, even school board dependent. Here we mostly have elementary up to 12/13 and then high school, but they have also played with the middle school/junior high model. I'd be happy with either. One of the really nice things about the town I live in is that there is no school angst. Generally children go to their local schools and parents are happy about that (BC schools as I understand it are pretty good). We have two private schools in our town, but they are both really for religious families (one Catholic and one non conformist) - you don't hear parents bemoaning that they can't afford to send their children to those schools, or being envious of those that can.

BC also uses a December cut off instead of September as in the UK (so ds went down a grade because he has a May birthday and dd went up a grade because she was born in September). Which worked out very well for both of them, and we are very happy that in effect ds has had an extra two years in a primary setting.

We don't have snow golf Grin here - everyone is too busy skiing I guess (family skiing in half an hour a way, world class 45mins). Canadians seem to have more anti-freeze in their blood than me - we've been invited to a New Year's Eve party the last few years, and were very surprised the first year to find that the party was pretty much exclusively outdoors. Now we have eared up it's fine, and the houses are generally built for the cold (I have thermal pjs though).

Oblomov · 19/06/2011 07:54

sorry. missed toronto bit.

Pashazade · 19/06/2011 08:06

I know nothing about living in Canada :) But have quite a few friends who've moved abroad and these books have always seemed useful for the basics. Sure you could get it sent out to you.
www.amazon.co.uk/Live-Work-Canada-Practical-Comprehensive/dp/1854584278/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1308467024&sr=8-1
Hope you find the right location / job / house!

Original poster
Barmcake · 19/06/2011 09:21

thanks Nooka, that info really helps, think I will have to learn to ski!

Pash, thanks for the book idea, will have to get one

Oblomov, I should have said Toronto in my op

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ChristianSalvesen62 · 23/06/2011 09:53

Barmcake am interested in Ottawa. It's only a 'possibility' at the moment.

What are the chances of me getting a job there? It would be my DH's job that would take us there, but I'm not sure I could do nothing for 3 years!! Confused

mumof3tobe · 24/06/2011 17:53

We have been here just over 3yrs and love it, started camping this year. Outdoor life is great all year as long as you dress for it.
I agree car insurance is very expensive. What we pay a month is what we would have paid for 1yr back in the UK. Take your no claims details with you, it will help a bit.
For groceries, what you pay in pounds in the UK you will pay in dollars over here. if you live outside the city's houses are pretty reasonable, well they are here north east of Ottawa. Try to read up on some by-laws as soon as you arrive. One I almost got caught out with is you have to park on the same side of the road as you drive. I'm sure there are others that I've found out by pure chance but forget.
We are in a very church oriented place so it's very friendly and I have to watch my tougue. Didn't think I swore that much until I came here. Neighbors are friendly, in winter most will help you out with plowing your drive.
Yes technology is behind back home, have lost touch now about how far behind. I love the online banking system here it is soo much easier, a lot less passwords to forget remember.
As soon as you step of the plane your credit history is zero. We had to put money on a credit card just to get a credit card. That is the best way to start. Even if you don't use it much. Then to get a car loan we needed a deposit and same with a mortgage.
That's all I can think of at the moment. Good luck! Smile

Popbiscuit · 24/06/2011 17:59

Mississauga is horrible. Come to Oakville...much nicer and still within commuting distance to Toronto. LOTS of Brits here.

Original poster
Barmcake · 25/06/2011 07:36

thanks mumof3tobe, seems we will need lots of $$$$$ when we first get there, although will probably be 2 years before we come over when dh's contract ends here, coming for a visit next summer though, can't wait.

Popbiscuit we have been looking at Oakville, was recommened on another site, are there goods secondary schools there, and will ds then have to learn to spell the American way Hmm

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Original poster
Barmcake · 25/06/2011 07:41

another question!! Do you have to retake your driving test or can you just exchange your UK licence? Really don't want to take another driving test - not sure I would pass Blush

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ggirl · 25/06/2011 12:40

spelling is same as british
driving test-hmm not sure , I had to retake when I came to UK
driving is easy there
I didn't find food that much cheaper when i was back in April , this was in Southern Ontario.

Popbiscuit · 25/06/2011 17:30

The public secondary schools are very good and there is none of the school hysteria that exists in the UK. There are several private schools in Oakville but only the ultra-wealthy send their kids. There's no "taking three jobs to pay the school fees" nonsense as there is simply no need.

mumof3tobe · 25/06/2011 21:57

We didn't have to retake a driving test, just swapped the licence for an Ontarian one.

TuttoRhino · 04/07/2011 06:34

ChristianSalvesen62 - you will probably need French for most jobs in Ottawa. Depends what you want to do but it is usually necessary for most professional jobs there (and retail).

Highlander · 04/07/2011 19:35

your UK driving licence is valid for 3 months then you have to sit a Canadian theory and practical test. It's dead easy, although do take a lesson first. For instance, you must slow down to 30km/hr coming up to a school, regardless of the area speed limit.

HerRoyalNotness · 04/07/2011 19:43

Must be dependant on where you go. We showed our UK license and got a Quebec one with not tests, also got to keep our UK one. When we went to BC, they asked us a couple of questions in the office, and exchanged for our Quebec license.

Make sure you have 4mths health insurance for when you arrive (we took a travel insurance policy, you'll probably have private health with your work too). Apply for your medicare card straight away, there is a 3mth waiting period (Quebec, maybe the same for the rest). In BC we paid $114/mth for a family healthcare card.