Moving from UK to Victoria BC

[pocketandsweet]

Hi. Hoping for some helpful advice ( reassurance). DH has been offered job in Victoria ( well Mill Bay actually but I am assuming we will want to live in Victoria). Questions: where to look ( neighbourhoods), schools ( sorry so predictable) and most importantly How pleased/ unhappy are others who have made this move?

I am actually Canadian but have been in UK for 15 and both daughters (3 and 7) born in UK. I have very mixed feelings about moving. Having grown up in Canada I think I am aware of the advantages but I feel very "integrated " here since having children. We spend our summers on a little island between Vancouver Island and Mainland and lived in Vancouver before moving to UK. It is undeniably beautiful BUT it has been 15 years since we lived there ( and that was pre kids so different interests and although we spend our summers there holidays are not "real life ").

So please any helpful info or advice about Victoria and area and what you miss/ love most about moving to the area. Also perceptions of health care system.... I have to say that I have nothing but good things to say about NHS ( which couldn't have been better during our difficult pregnancies). I have an elderly mother in Alberta and I have to say it seems like waiting lists etc are worse than here. Thanks

Bump

Oh double bump.... No one?

Please help!!!

Sorry - don't want you to feel ignored but I'm right the other side of BC so have no advice about Victoria at all. For what it's worth, we've had nothing but fantastic experiences with the health care system over here with anything urgent dealt with very quickly and my husband having a knee op (for a problem that wasn't causing him much pain, more discomfort and occasional locking of the joint) in less than 6 months from first going to the GP about it, which we thought was comparable to our experience of the NHS.

thanks lazydog for the info about your experiences with health service. is there no one in Victoria area?

Hello there I live in Victoria! Sorry I didn't see your post before now, there are a couple of mumsnetters on the island too. Feel free to pm me with any questions. :)

As for places to live, well it really depends what you can afford and what type of commute you want. Mill bay means you will have to cross the malahat to get into work, it's not a great road in the snow but I wouldn't let that put you off living in victoria and commuting.

The public schools are generally good and most private schools are reasonable and cheap compared to uk. Check out the Fraser institute for school rankings.

We have one of the highest concentrations of doctors in Canada, getting one can be tricky, the best way to get one is when you visit a walkin clinic and you like the doctor treating you, ask if they are taking on patients, I find cold calling surgeries doesn't lead to much success.

Vancouver Island is a great family place, it's safe and there are lots of kids activities to do and lots of fantastic sceanary.

Neighbourhoods try Langford, View Royal, strawberry vale, I think any further may be too far to commute?

Also try British expats they are always helpful

Thanks westcoastnortherner. I will Pm you later when I have thought a bit more about what I really need to know. Honestly last night I didn't sleep at all for constantly thinking about this. My 7 year old dd is seriously stressed out already at the mere idea of moving. It all just seems so much more of a big deal than when my husband and I moved to the UK with 2 backpacks and 4 small boxes

Hi, I have just read your post and it has made me smile because I could have written one almost identical! I am a Canadian who is married to a Brit and I have lived in the UK for about 17 years. My 3 children were all born here but we are thinking of moving back to Canada to Vancouver Island in the next 6 months. We usually spend summers in Kelowna with my family and have done loads of research and think that Langford would be a great place to settle. We have been 'thinking' of moving back to Canada for about 10 years now and have decided that if we don't do it this next week then we never will. My eldest is due to start high school here in Sept. and we don't really want to pull him out once he has settled.

I am trying to sort out schooling etc and a place to live and jobs etc and am hoping to fly out in the next month or two to have a final look around and meet prospective employers before we make the big decision to go. I feel more British now than Canadian and there are certain parts of living here that I love but I really miss the summers in Canada and think it would be a great place for the kids to grow up. I totally know what you mean about it all being really daunting! There is so much to think about!!!!! Loads of sleepless nights!

We love Victoria but couldn't afford to live there and we love the Cowichan area and Mill Bay but are not too keen on the commute over the Malahat (assuming either me or DH gets work in Victoria). Langford seems to tick the majority of the boxes but now I am getting slightly worried about the schooling situation as there are some comments on expats abroad about how the schools in Langford are not that great! Hard to know what to do hence me flying out soon to check them all out. pm me if you want to have a chat as it sounds like we are in a similar place!/emo/te/1.gif

Hi monkeytoes just saw this will pm you!

Have you settled in now pocketandsweet

Hi westcoast.... Just saw that you wrote. I haven't been around much because to be honest Im feeling pretty depressed about everything. I feel quite lame saying that but it's true. We have a lovely house, nice neighbourhood blah blah blah but Im pretty homesick. (Which is even lamer since I actually am Canadian but have lived in the UK for 15 years. So this should be "home" but doesn't feel like it anymore). I am sure that this is "normal" at 3 months into a big move but it still sucks. thanks for thinking of me though :)

I'm sorry to hear that! If you want to meet up for tea let me know!

That would be great. Right now my children are taking turns with fevers but when we get that sorted it would be lovely.

Where abouts did you move to? Did you end up in oak bay?

Where abouts did you move to? Did you end up in oak bay?

Yes. Oak Bay just south of Oak Bay Avenue.

Hoping you're still around as I'd like to hear how you're getting on a few years on. I'm in exactly the same position as you were (from Vancouver, moved to the UK, had my 4 kids in the uk and now considering moving to Vancouver island). Any advice?

Did you move? Also considering the same, for family reasons