# A move to Canada?



## sunny1 (Apr 22, 2009)

Please can anyone tell me if it would be a wise choice to move to Canada?? I have a husband who is currently working in IT and 2 small children. We would like to find out as much knowledge as we can from anyone who has already taken the leap! We are in the v early stages of this huge change so any info would be v useful! Thanks!


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## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

sunny1 said:


> Please can anyone tell me if it would be a wise choice to move to Canada?? I have a husband who is currently working in IT and 2 small children. We would like to find out as much knowledge as we can from anyone who has already taken the leap! We are in the v early stages of this huge change so any info would be v useful! Thanks!


You have asked an almost unanswerable question. If you have a nice house in a nice area, take good vacations, have happy children, your husband likes his job which is secure, then you have to ask yourself what added value would your life obtain if you moved here. Many people who have good lifestyles in the UK maintain they move here because they believe it provides more/better opportinities for their children. House prices are less here so you could have a larger house perhaps. If on the other hand your life in the UK sucks then quite likely you would find it great here.
It's tough making such a life change particularly if your very close to your family/friends in the UK. Many claim they find our winters very hard. You think you have cold winters where you are. Believe me you don't know cold, but if you're into winter activities then it can be paradise.
Which part of Canada were you contemplating? This is an immense country with considerable variables depending on where you settle.


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## laddo (Apr 20, 2009)

sunny1 said:


> Please can anyone tell me if it would be a wise choice to move to Canada?? I have a husband who is currently working in IT and 2 small children. We would like to find out as much knowledge as we can from anyone who has already taken the leap! We are in the v early stages of this huge change so any info would be v useful! Thanks!


Hi Sunny,

I'm battling with the same ideas! I'm English and living in England but my wife is from Montreal. She would like to move back to be close to her family and friends. We have a house on the edge of the peak district national park and I love everything about my life and where I live but I feel that I owe it to my wife to give Canada a go. I feel that Canada would be a huge sacrifice for me and I would have to stop doing some of the things that I love the most. Not to mention the seperation from my family & friends.

I posted a thread asking about vacation allowance on this forum. Might be worth you having a read.

Can I ask why Canada?


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## sunny1 (Apr 22, 2009)

Hi Auld Yin! Thankyou for your reply, in answer to your question,things are not great for us here in England. We do have a nice house but work for my husband isn't very good at all! He hates it! Was made redundant a year or so ago then was employed again by pretty much the same bosses who branched out on their own which is now certainly not secure. They are working one year at a time! One of my children (The eldest) has never settled into his new school and my youngest is still in Reception so feel if we were gonna do a huge move would be best now before no important exams etc...Down side i am VERY close to my parents!! Have read that Canada is a beautiful country with lots to offer a growing family. We were thinking of East Canada- New Brunswick so if you have any info on it wud love to hear from you! Thanks, sunny1.


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## sunny1 (Apr 22, 2009)

Hi Laddo! Thanks for reply! It's a toughie isn't it?? Guess we will both have to write a list of good and bad points to see how they weigh up! I think the biggy for me is leaving loved ones so know how you are feeling. Its a real tough one for you cos your wife has her family over there but then she hasn't got them here so there really isn't gonna be a perfect solution!How is your life going at the moment if you don't mind me asking? Have you any kids? Job you like etc?... Don't know if anyone is truly 100% sure when they make a life changing decision perhaps some are just more braver than others! Oh we were thinking of Canada because of better opportunities it has for all my family and the fact it is a beautiful country.


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## laddo (Apr 20, 2009)

sunny1 said:


> Hi Laddo! Thanks for reply! It's a toughie isn't it?? Guess we will both have to write a list of good and bad points to see how they weigh up! I think the biggy for me is leaving loved ones so know how you are feeling. Its a real tough one for you cos your wife has her family over there but then she hasn't got them here so there really isn't gonna be a perfect solution!How is your life going at the moment if you don't mind me asking? Have you any kids? Job you like etc?... Don't know if anyone is truly 100% sure when they make a life changing decision perhaps some are just more braver than others! Oh we were thinking of Canada because of better opportunities it has for all my family and the fact it is a beautiful country.


Hi Sunny, Tough it certainly is!!!
I too was made redundant last year. I was working a CAD technician for an architect in Manchester. As you probably know construction in the UK has been hit very hard. They were a London based company and decided to close the Manchester office. That was me down the road!! I've since become self employed and work from home doing the same thing. It's going well but freelancing is an uncertain workload & future. If the freelancing begins to fall short then I would struggle to make ends meet for sure. 
I don't mind leaving my family so much because I don't see much of them anyway. In fact I would probably see more of them if they came to Canada for their holidays. With the internet, email, skype, etc.... Its easy to keep in touch.
I imagine that eventually I would loose touch with my friends which is a sad thought.

We have a daughter who will be 2 in August. My wife is a teacher. She has told me that education is better in the UK. That said she also says that much more is expected of teachers & children in UK schools. They are pushed harder and put under more stress. She says that school for kids in Canada is much more fun.
It depends how you look at that I suppose. Some kids need pushing or will never amount to anything. Infact I was one of those kids!! If I was given an inch at school I would have taken a mile!!

I don't really think that there is more oportunity career wise in Canada. What I will say from my visits is that it is easier to make ends meet.
For the below average earner in Canada they seem to be able to afford a reasonable house, car, etc....
In the UK if you consider a 21 year old couple trying to buy their first house and they earn the average which I believe is somehwere in the region of 23k and your partner earns the same how do you afford to step into the housing market!!??
So in that sense I can see that it could be argued that the standard of living is better.

For me, I'm 35, qualified, like the town where I live, have good friends, passionate about rock climbing, have a house on the edge of the Peak District National Park which means I can be at world class climbing in a beautiful area in 20 minutes. I can climb year round. I've been doing this for over 10 years which is why I live where I live. I'm lucky to have a lovely wife & daughter.
If we sell up now, with the equity that we lost in the house we should just about break even by the time we get to Canada and ship everything over including ourselves and the dogs therefore coming back might not be an option.

Canada is beautiful for sure but no more beautiful than anything here like say the Lake District or parts of the south coast or parts of Scotland.
Vacation allowance is hard to come by so you might find it hard to see the things you want to and fit time in to come back and see your folks. We also have Europe on our doorstep for our holidays. Something I think many take for granted.

The summers in Montreal are hot and humid. Mosquitoes are a nuisance and prevent people from going into the forests to climb. Winters are cold and snow can lie from November to April. If I move to Canada I may ski & conitinue martial arts but the climbing might be more trouble than its worth.

My career may have to take a back seat also until my french becomes good enough to allow me to continue to do what it is that I've been doing for the last 18 years.

So you see, for me its a big sacrifice. Old blighty has not been to harsh on me but then maybe ask me again in 6 months. Apparently the econmomy is still shrinking and parliament thinks that Alistair Darling has lost the plot.

Its good to talk to someone with similar considerations.

God I can talk when you get me going!!!


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## sunny1 (Apr 22, 2009)

Hi Laddo! Thanks again for your v interesting reply. Firstly,i have looked up your thread on vacation allowance(OMG!) Thats not good! We are thinking of getting (Ideal world!) a more relaxed way of life but looking at that i would have no husband home hardly to share it with! I am just starting to take off my rose tinted glasses!!! 
Do you know what?? When i had finished reading what you had written i did wonder why you were contemplating Canada! Your life seems lovely,you seem v happy with your lot and i am starting to wonder "is the grass greener?". If i were in your shoes i don't think i would make the leap but i guess thats not for me to say! Does your wife long to go back home??
As for us we are still talking about it but i feel my husband is not ready for such a huge change and i respect that but the thought of living as we do not really happy with job etc..frightens me and the thought of missing out on an opportunity is to me admitting to defeat if that makes sense?!Sometimes its "Better the devil you know" too! Talk about a double edged sword!!


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## laddo (Apr 20, 2009)

sunny1 said:


> Hi Laddo! Thanks again for your v interesting reply. Firstly,i have looked up your thread on vacation allowance(OMG!) Thats not good! We are thinking of getting (Ideal world!) a more relaxed way of life but looking at that i would have no husband home hardly to share it with! I am just starting to take off my rose tinted glasses!!!
> Do you know what?? When i had finished reading what you had written i did wonder why you were contemplating Canada! Your life seems lovely,you seem v happy with your lot and i am starting to wonder "is the grass greener?". If i were in your shoes i don't think i would make the leap but i guess thats not for me to say! Does your wife long to go back home??
> As for us we are still talking about it but i feel my husband is not ready for such a huge change and i respect that but the thought of living as we do not really happy with job etc..frightens me and the thought of missing out on an opportunity is to me admitting to defeat if that makes sense?!Sometimes its "Better the devil you know" too! Talk about a double edged sword!!


Hi Sunny,

The possibility of moving to Canada was part of the deal when we decided to get together. When we met my wife was travelling Europe for a few months and had every intention of going home after her tour.
I think for me, if we're to give it a go. Then I have to be absolutley sure that I dop't burn any bridges. I've also been clear to everyone that it's something I'm willing to give 2 years. If it doesn't work out we come back.
I keep thinking of the saying "Its better to regret what you HAVE done than what you haven't"


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## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

sunny1 said:


> Hi Laddo! Thanks again for your v interesting reply. Firstly,i have looked up your thread on vacation allowance(OMG!) Thats not good! We are thinking of getting (Ideal world!) a more relaxed way of life but looking at that i would have no husband home hardly to share it with! I am just starting to take off my rose tinted glasses!!!
> Do you know what?? When i had finished reading what you had written i did wonder why you were contemplating Canada! Your life seems lovely,you seem v happy with your lot and i am starting to wonder "is the grass greener?". If i were in your shoes i don't think i would make the leap but i guess thats not for me to say! Does your wife long to go back home??
> As for us we are still talking about it but i feel my husband is not ready for such a huge change and i respect that but the thought of living as we do not really happy with job etc..frightens me and the thought of missing out on an opportunity is to me admitting to defeat if that makes sense?!Sometimes its "Better the devil you know" too! Talk about a double edged sword!!


I'm a great believer that everything we do in life is a compromise. What you lose on the hobby-horses you gain on the roundabouts. If we do not have the same vacation allowances as in UK/Europe perhaps that is offset by better/more enjoyable lifestyle? Depends on whom you talk to. Needless to say, after all my years here I have many friends and acquaintances both from UK and Canada. Vacations, or lack thereof, has never seemed to be an issue. Vacations are earned here and most large employers award vs time served.
The grass is not greener, only different. I can't imagine living anywhere other than Canada but I came at a time when the UK was a dreary, downtrodden country still coming out of massive problems from the war. At that time Canada was regarded as being about 10 years ahead of the UK. Things have reversed to an great extent so making the decision to emigrate is much more difficult.
From the many posts I've read, people often make the decision to emigrate on the basis of better for their children. I'm not sure that's not a cop-out.
I read recently in the Daily Mail that the UN had forecast that by the year 2020 the UK population would expand to 70 million and 72 million by 2050. In a tiny land mass that's a lot of people, cars, trucks, etc, etc, etc. Most of this population increase would come from Eastern Europe.
Nobody knows what the future holds. Much of life is flown by the seat of your pants. Generally speaking people who do well in life are risk-takers who are prepared to deal with failure and start again.


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