# Help - Ontario or British Columbia ???



## m field (Jan 27, 2010)

We are a young family in our early 30's from Yorkshire in the u.k wanting to emigrate to Canada. My husband is a gas/plumbing engineer and has run his own business here for 10 years and i am a childcare worker. We have 3 young children 8,5 and 2. We have been researching and finding information now for almost a year but would really like to hear it from the horses mouth. We can not decide between Ontario and the Vancouver area. We had picked out a few towns in Ontario - Guelf, Burlington - just places that we liked the sound of and seemed to have a lot going on. We think we prefer the idea of the seasons and having the snow every winter where as in Vancouver am i right in believing that they have more of a wet damp winter like we do in the u.k??? Could any one give information on the SMOG situatuion in Ontario is it a problem or is it something that we have in the u.k that they just don't tell us about??. Also any areas/towns in Ontario where the winters are maybe a little milder (is this possible???) I here house prices are very high in Vancouver area but are there any areas that are maybe up and coming and what the weather is actually like there??? - So many questions!!! And finally what area would be best for my husband to get a decent job he has a lot of experience in the u.k but would he have to take any new exams in canada???. We are hoping to come out on a temparory visa any time after October 2010. Any information would be greatly appreciated - Also any expats from the u.k who have emigrated succesfully how are u finding it ?? How does it compare to the u.k?? Thankyou X: confused !!!


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## jen45 (Jan 17, 2010)

hello and yes your right that the house prices in the vancouvr area are expensive compared to parts of ontario and the winters in the vancouver are more wet like in the uk, its not to say that you wouldnt have to travel too far out of vancouver to get the snow, but the cost of living in vancouver for house is very expensive and the city is large with a population of over 2 million in the metro area,so very busy place.... you could probably get cheaper housing outside of vancouver in Langley, Surrey, Abbottsford but it would still be pricey compared to Ontario.......... Guelph in ontario is a smaller city with a population of 200,000....it is close the city of kitchener/waterloo.... london ontario...... and the toronto area...... the house prices in guelph, kitchener and london would be a lot cheaper then vancouver area, also all these cities in ontario are clean, industrial areas for jobs, good climates in the summer and winter and have all the shops an entertainment you would need...... burlington is a lot bigger and part of the toronto metrpolitan area, it is basically next to toronto and very busy and highly populated, has the industries and lots of people and traffic, also the house prices would be more then guelph, kitchener or london...... you would have more of the smog as you call it in the burlington area as it is more populated and more industial work in that area... toronto, burlington and hamilton, also travel times are alot longer here due to the number of people in the area, rush hour traffic is very heavy and very slow...... if it were me i would be looking in the guelph or london area..... kitchener is also nice but a little busier than guelph or london as kitchener is one of the tri cities as they call it...... my wife lived in guelph and we both lived in london so if you have any questions please let us know.... if you want to email us thats not a problem, our email is....... [email protected] . hope this gives you a bit of insight and email us if like....... cheers.


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## Oggy (Jan 25, 2009)

Hi m field 

Really daunting trying to find the right location, isn't it?! Jen45 has provided some great information for you, as always. 

Are you simply interested in the city of Vancouver, or do you also have an interest in the rest of the province of BC? There are some very nice locations in the southern interior of the province, such as the Okanagan Valley, Shuswap and Thompson regions. As these areas aren't coastal, the amount of rain received is quite different - some of the areas are classed as semi-arid, so rainfall is welcomed (especially in the summer months). The Kootenays may also be a consideration too. All the areas mentioned usually enjoy a snowy winter, however, not as much as you might get in more eastern locations in Canada. 

Best of luck with your research!


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## m field (Jan 27, 2010)

thankyou so much for your reply i have been looking at tourist books but not come across those areas before so will research further. Yes it is so daunting trying to find the right location. But those climate/weather sounds o.k. i will get on google and have a good search thanks again m.field


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## m field (Jan 27, 2010)

Not sure if you got my first reply?? computer playing up!! Thankyou so much for your information. Could you tell me the average temperature in Guelph and London?? and are these towns close to a beach possibly at the lakes or close to ski resorts thanks again m. field


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## jen45 (Jan 17, 2010)

m field said:


> Not sure if you got my first reply?? computer playing up!! Thankyou so much for your information. Could you tell me the average temperature in Guelph and London?? and are these towns close to a beach possibly at the lakes or close to ski resorts thanks again m. field


average temp in guelph & london summer is between 20 - 30 degrees. winter can get cold with wind chill and can vary plus 3 - minus 20. nearest beach to guelph & london would be Wasega Beach (3 hours drive). nearest lakes would be Lake Michigan approx 1 hour away. ski resorts not anywhere close. Closest Ski resort would be Blue Mountain in Collingwood approx 3 hours away.
any mre questions feel free to ask.


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## jen45 (Jan 17, 2010)

m field said:


> We are a young family in our early 30's from Yorkshire in the u.k wanting to emigrate to Canada. My husband is a gas/plumbing engineer and has run his own business here for 10 years and i am a childcare worker. We have 3 young children 8,5 and 2. We have been researching and finding information now for almost a year but would really like to hear it from the horses mouth. We can not decide between Ontario and the Vancouver area. We had picked out a few towns in Ontario - Guelf, Burlington - just places that we liked the sound of and seemed to have a lot going on. We think we prefer the idea of the seasons and having the snow every winter where as in Vancouver am i right in believing that they have more of a wet damp winter like we do in the u.k??? Could any one give information on the SMOG situatuion in Ontario is it a problem or is it something that we have in the u.k that they just don't tell us about??. Also any areas/towns in Ontario where the winters are maybe a little milder (is this possible???) I here house prices are very high in Vancouver area but are there any areas that are maybe up and coming and what the weather is actually like there??? - So many questions!!! And finally what area would be best for my husband to get a decent job he has a lot of experience in the u.k but would he have to take any new exams in canada???. We are hoping to come out on a temparory visa any time after October 2010. Any information would be greatly appreciated - Also any expats from the u.k who have emigrated succesfully how are u finding it ?? How does it compare to the u.k?? Thankyou X: confused !!!


sorry forgot to answer your last ?.. I went back to Canada 6 years ago. I found the summers long and hot and loved it. The winters I hated as it was very harsh compared to the UK. I loved the cleanliness of the towns etc and never seen any crime or drugs or even litter !!etc. No yobs or knife gangs etc . Job situation was far greater and got a job quite quick. better opportunities etc. I missed the simple stuff like chinese food and Kebabs. Over in Canada, tasteless etc. Other food though was great. Customer service in Canada is A1 unlike the UK LOL....I found everyone to be very polite ( sickly at first)...and they talk a lot slower than us which annoyed me at first as well!! lol. Hope this helps you. we are on our way back March april so here we go again. No jobs here etc.


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

The Niagara/St. Catherines area has milder winters. It's a large fruit growing area with both Erie and Lake Ontario to temper the tempertures.

London is VERY much snow belt area. If you think 30 cms of snow is historic London will make it seem common.


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## jen45 (Jan 17, 2010)

NickZ said:


> The Niagara/St. Catherines area has milder winters. It's a large fruit growing area with both Erie and Lake Ontario to temper the tempertures.
> 
> London is VERY much snow belt area. If you think 30 cms of snow is historic London will make it seem common.


yes you are correct, have seen London wild in the winter but on the plus side, this year they had very little. My sister and father in law live there so have been getting updates. Have also seen Niagra snowed under. It varys year to year but if you go by the UK, it is horrendous compared to the UK...nothing shuts down over there!! unlike here with 2 inches of snow LOL


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## dstan (Nov 24, 2008)

m field said:


> thankyou so much for your reply i have been looking at tourist books but not come across those areas before so will research further. Yes it is so daunting trying to find the right location. But those climate/weather sounds o.k. i will get on google and have a good search thanks again m.field


Ontario or BC??? thats a no brainer, as far as I am concerned...BC hands down! Why not look into Nelson, British Columbia. It is a small town with a big town vibe....wonderful place to bring up children. Great winter and summer outdoor sports, lots of arts and culture and a pretty good climate. check it out. Also all the other suggestions of more rural BC towns are worth a look.


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## akmacca (Sep 1, 2009)

I am an Australian who lives in the Okanagan Valley in BC. I have never lived in Ontario but my partner and many of our visitors have and those that are still in Ontario are moving to BC or want to move here.

My partner gave up a very good promotion back to Ontario to stay here. She said she would never go back except for a short visit.

People from all over Canada (and the world) flock to the Okanagan as it is a stunningly beautiful part of Canada. It does snow in winter, but nowhere near as much as the east and the summers are warm and dry. Much of the Okanagan is officially declared desert but not the sand dune variety. You have ready access to great ski fields in the winter and long, cool lakes in the summer. 

The Okanagan is a major wine and fruit growing area with deep blue lakes, lush, pine trimmed mountains and sparkling blue skies. The pace of life is much slower here and people tend to enjoy the outdoors to the max.

There are a number of decent size town in the Okanagan that offer all that Vancouver does but on a smaller scale. Have a look on the net at Vernon, Kelowna, Penticton, Oliver and Osoyoos. 

Hope this helps a little


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## m field (Jan 27, 2010)

i have begun looking more and more in BC. We originally chose BC. but then thought they had a lot of rain and damper winters like the u.k and the flights would be cheaper to Ontario and shorter for family etc.. but then when u way it up once your on a plane whats another few hours and from answers on here i hear that in the more central regions this is not the case - okanagan valley sounds perfect - looks stunning. Just hope we could afford a house there. And obviously my husband can get a well paid job?? thanks very much for your info. Our fact finding trip i'm sure is going to be British columbia. We now need to find a town and check out the job situation thanks again


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## Blitzwing85 (Feb 2, 2010)

Wow there are so many nice looking places from everything people have mentioned. 
BC looks nicer overall but i guess it really comes down to job prospects. 
All my experience would more suit an Industrial company so i think Ontario maybe best. 
But i'll be looking at both equally. 

I've never even been to Canada, but i've wanted to live there since i was a kid....i really hope i can....


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## Guest (Feb 8, 2010)

*Good luck fact finding...*



m field said:


> i have begun looking more and more in BC. We originally chose BC. but then thought they had a lot of rain and damper winters like the u.k and the flights would be cheaper to Ontario and shorter for family etc.. but then when u way it up once your on a plane whats another few hours and from answers on here i hear that in the more central regions this is not the case - okanagan valley sounds perfect - looks stunning. Just hope we could afford a house there. And obviously my husband can get a well paid job?? thanks very much for your info. Our fact finding trip i'm sure is going to be British columbia. We now need to find a town and check out the job situation thanks again


There are services to help you (find a town and check out the job situation), and one I'm aware of called coming to vancouver is run by an ex-pat brit.

I've done some posting myself over at an Ecademy Group called Relocation Canada. 

Take care.


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## Guest (Feb 9, 2010)

BC is beautiful, no doubt about it. But to put a spanner in the works, have you thought of Calgary, Alberta? It's beautiful and clean. Great place to bring up kids, it's close to the mountains. If you are into outdoor pursuits, it's one of the best places in Canada, I think. I have never met anyone who didn't love it there. Guess I'm kind of biased, though. 

I have lived in Calgary, Vancouver, and Oakville (near Toronto). Each has it's advantages and disadvantages - it depends on your lifestyle. Toronto has great life theatre, restaurants, nightlife, etc. Calgary has great outdoor activities. Vancouver is beautiful, especially when sunny. BUT the weather in Van can get you down sometimes, esp. if there is a long wet spell. Traffic in Toronto area can be brutal. Winters in Calgary can be cold.

So I would suggest you really think about your lifestyle and what you want out of a city, then do some more searching to see if that city has what you are looking for 

One thing to keep in mind is how often you return to the UK. Flights are shorter and cheaper from Toronto, so if you plan to go back often, it may be a factor in your decision, especially since you have young children. I think TO is about 7 1/2 hours & currently around $1000 CAD return, whereas Van is about 10 hours & around $1400 return (per person) so it can add up! I guess Calgary is somewhere in the middle 

Best of luck!


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## telcoman (Feb 11, 2010)

well, the climate in Vancouver will certainly be closer to what you are used to. House prices are high, but probably still cheaper than what they are in Britain and they drop considerbly as you move out into the suburbs.


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