# Canada Calling...



## Loulabell56 (Jan 19, 2013)

Hi There,

I'm looking for some advice please. My husband and I are set on emigrating to Canada from the UK with our now 6yr old daughter in the next couple of years, but we don't really know where to start with our research. 
We haven't been over to Canada yet but have been in love with the country for years and everyone we know who has been have all said they would move there in a heartbeat, which fills us with even more confidence that we will be making the right move.
We are planning to come over on a fact finding holiday when we've done a little more research, we're not just gonna make a blind move. 

As we haven't been over yet we don't have a place in mind where to settle, so this I think is the first thing I need your help with please.

We are both in agreement that we don't want to live in a city, we're country folk at heart, but wouldn't mind being within an hour or 2 drive from a city. We really like the idea of being able to fit into a community. And obviously good schools close by is a must.

Weather/terrain wise we would ideally like to be somewhere that has decent warm-hot summers, and winters that aren't arctic temperatures. We all like snow tho so that's not a problem for us. And ideally somewhere we can do things as a family like camping, hiking, other outdoor activities etc, and there's things going on for kids and adults to do in spare time then we'll be happy.

This being said I'd be really grateful if some of you could recommend some nice towns/communities that I can further research please.

I know that's a lot of info, sorry about that, I just want to get as much detailed info as poss at this stage. 
Thanks in advance for your help  

Lou x


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## Brockthebadger (May 11, 2012)

Suggest you look at Kamloops. It is a University city with hot summers and mild, for Canada, winters. 3rd most popular ski resort in Canada is 45 minutes away, lots of summer activities. 4 hour drive to Vancouver. Have a look at Kamloops website for more info.


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## Loulabell56 (Jan 19, 2013)

Thanks for that, will definitely have a look. Much appreciated


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## Joan Tack (Jan 17, 2013)

BC is probably the most beautiful and warmest province in Canada. I know I'm going to get flak from Canadians from other provinces for saying that but it's true. It's our California of the States so to speak. Far from warm, but the warmest of the provinces. Not a lot of snow unless you're living in the mountains or northern BC. Try southern Ontario as well. So many nice towns outside of Toronto but I'd avoid the suburbs like Whitby, Ajax, Pickering as they're all the same and boring.


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## Loulabell56 (Jan 19, 2013)

Thank you, will sure have a good look at the surrounding areas of Toronto now as well as BC. Can't wait to come over on our fact finding holiday and check out all these great places in the flesh!


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## headzred (Mar 20, 2012)

If you like small town with decent proximity to the city, I would suggest you put Guelph, Ontario on your agenda.


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## missmop (Oct 27, 2009)

Hi, we moved to BC four months ago and are actually on the Island. we have two daughters and they have settled really well. There are loads of places to chose from but you really have to visit to look at what may or may not suit you or your family. We were originally going to move to Victoria but found on our last visit it wasn't for us and eventually settled in Qualicum Beach. A lot of people will laugh at this because it is known for it's 'mature' population but I can assure you it's a lovely place to bring up children and there are loads of young families here. Good luck with your search.


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## Loulabell56 (Jan 19, 2013)

Thanks guys, those places are on my list now too. Well the 'short list' of potential places is ever growing......heaven knows how I'm gonna really narrow it down! Lol xx


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## SylvieMorel (Sep 10, 2012)

We live about 45 minutes south of Ottawa on a farm. So, we are well in te country yet a very easy drive into the capital. Ottawa is a relatively small city that is perfect for family activities. There is skiing very close by, skating, lots of museums, festivals all the time. The summers are HOT. the only drawback is that winters are COLD (but very sunny). A great place to live.


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## Loulabell56 (Jan 19, 2013)

I was looking at Ottawa lastnight as it happens and it does look like a lovely city, and not too big like you say. I did have a bit of trouble finding out what the employment opportunities are like for carpenters in and around Ottawa though, and also if property is affordable in the surrounding areas. I don't suppose you have any idea?? 
I don't really mind the winters being really cold, I'd just add more layers. I do love the snow anyway, and if the summers are hot (not just warm, wet, and short like here in the uk), then I think it balances out  x


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

Joan Tack said:


> BC is probably the most beautiful and warmest province in Canada. I know I'm going to get flak from Canadians from other provinces for saying that but it's true. It's our California of the States so to speak. Far from warm, but the warmest of the provinces. Not a lot of snow unless you're living in the mountains or northern BC. Try southern Ontario as well. So many nice towns outside of Toronto but I'd avoid the suburbs like Whitby, Ajax, Pickering as they're all the same and boring.


Not sure as to what part of the UK you are from, but I can tell you from personal experience (40 years in Metro Vancouver and 16+ weeks of new immigrant/newlywed life in Central London), that Vancouver and Victoria are more temperate in the Summer and Winter than the rest of the country.

Summer weather is the best between mid/late July-mid-September, with temperatures in the upper 20's C (occasionally tootling into the low 30's C) and usually _isn't_ humid (it does get humid on occasion, but it's not constantly humid every. sodding. day. like it is in Toronto and Montreal).

Summers in the Okanagan (the geographic area of BC where Kamloops is located) are great.. sunny and warm, resulting in lots of yummy tree fruit! Do you like wine? If so, you'd probably be interested in doing a day-trip or mini-break from Kamloops to Summerland (2 hours by car) and have a look at the wineries along Summerland's Bottleneck Drive... your daughter will be allowed to go into the wineries with you but, unlike here in the UK, if you want to go to a pub to eat lunch, she will be forbidden from entering any pub/bar (restaurants are o.k.) anywhere in Canada until she reaches 18 or 19 years of age (province specific legal age... in BC it's 19, and pubs can and _do_ check for ID if there is any doubt and even when there's no doubt... this shocks my Yorkshire born/raised husband who spent "many a happy childhood hour in pubs.")... she'll not be allowed to go into casinos as well, for that matter, even if you just want to walk through... I know this for a fact, as my brother and sister in law were forced to walk around the _outside_ of the building of a casino resort I was meeting them at for dinner because they had their then 18 month old son in a push chair)

The only real draw back to summers in British Columbia is the fire bans (no campfires or similar outdoor controlled fires, even in Metro Vancouver) as a good chunk of the province is on fire (forest fires) during the summer months, usually a result of a mix of tinder dry forests and lightning storms (and, occasionally, the tossing away of a careless smoker's cigarette butt or camper who hasn't extinguished their camp fire properly).

Winters in Vancouver and Victoria tend to be similar (temperature and rainfall wise, at least) to London... if you can handle winter in London (including copious amounts of rain), then you can handle winter in Vancouver and Victoria... it does snow in the city, but not all winter like it does in most of the rest of the country - in fact, it tends to be hit or miss as far as snow goes year on year... in 2010 (the so-called "Olympic" year), the city received no snow during the fortnight that the Olympics were in town, while in 2009, we had a substantial blanket of snow from mid December through to February (I was _not_ impressed, as I worked in a particularly hilly section of Metro Vancouver).

Canada's probably a larger country than you realise (just as I'm finding that London and the UK is a lot smaller/compact/accesible than I had been led to believe before I moved over) and there's _lots_ to consider in regards to where one might settle. Nevertheless, you and your family are very much welcome to my country and I hope that you enjoy life there!


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## SylvieMorel (Sep 10, 2012)

Loulabell56 said:


> I was looking at Ottawa lastnight as it happens and it does look like a lovely city, and not too big like you say. I did have a bit of trouble finding out what the employment opportunities are like for carpenters in and around Ottawa though, and also if property is affordable in the surrounding areas. I don't suppose you have any idea??
> I don't really mind the winters being really cold, I'd just add more layers. I do love the snow anyway, and if the summers are hot (not just warm, wet, and short like here in the uk), then I think it balances out  x


Hi Loullabell56,

I can only speak from personal experience and not in any way as an expert. We have an old farmhouse that is always in need of work. We have found it VERY difficult to find good and reliable trades people (carpenters, electricians, etc). 

I am stunned at how house prices are going up. However, compared to Toronto or Vancouver, Ottawa is very affordable, and in the countryside houses are generally cheaper. Average house prices in Ottawa are quoted in the media as around $340,000.

Hope this helps.

It is a gorgeous day here - huge fluffy snowflakes are falling - it's quite beautiful.


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