So from all the way in Melbourne, Australia my missus is having grand ideas of moving to Canada. Where would we move? What would we do? She's a despatcher for South East Water with experience also in despatching for Victoria Police and my experience is in the motorcycle industry where I am the Parts Manager for Triumph Motorcycles Australia. We both love our jobs and our animals so we'd be moving up with 2 dogs (Labrador & Greyhound), a cat, and 2 horses. Apart from that there really isn't much more. We're both growing tired of the constant drought conditions here and figure if we start our research now we may move in a few years. Beyond moving between Melbourne and Brisbane I haven't had any exposure to the trials of moving between countries and Maggie hasn't moved outside the state so we're somewhat niave to it all. However, we both were raised overseas. I came from Singapore as an expat and she from Poland as a refugee. What's are the main population centres with good employment and access to outdoor activities? What's the average wage & what's the cost of living like? Weather and temperature? What would a DR650 & a new CBR600 cost us (trying to get some familiar perspective)? What's your average weekly groceries cost (for 2 adults)? We really appreciate the help and suggestions!
I live in British Columbia on Canada's west coast and would highly recommend this Province to anyone. The weather is more moderate than the rest of Canada, which means you can ride your motorcycle virtually year round. The rest of Canada has pretty cold / snowy winters which would severely limit your riding time. The West Coast is also a Mecca for outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds (skiing, mountain biking, hiking, boating, scuba diving, etc., etc.) and (IMHO) is one of the most beautiful and livable places in the world. Having lived in other parts of Canada as well as the UK, I'd highly recommend it. My sister and her husband moved her from Brisbane 15 years ago and have never looked back. The economy in the Province is doing well and judging from your work history, I dont think youd have any problems getting work here. BC is set to host the 2010 Winter Olympics, so that is generating a lot of buzz and is helping to keep the economy pumped. We do get a lot of rain / overcast days here so if youre moving from Australia you may find that a bit of a hard adjustment to make. Also, house prices here are pretty crazy and are probably the most expensive in Canada. You can check-out this link for more info on British Columbia http://www.hellobc.com/en-CA/default.htm Good luck!
As Incendo said, the west coast is very nice, for the outdoorsy type, and the weather is a LOT better than the rest of the country. Other areas to look at are Calgary, Alberta, where the oil industry is booming, as well as the economy. So jobs are plentiful, and wages are high, but propery is also getting on the expensive side. The weather there is also a little wonky...some say you can expect snow every month of the year But then again, you can also see strange weather in the middle of winter, like +20 in January...you really never know what to expect! Toronto, Ontario is pretty much the biggest city in all of Canada (aka "the center of the universe) where you can find work in any type of field, and wages tend to be moderate to high, depending on what you want to do. Property is a bit high, but I dont think its as high as BC. Weather is warm and muggy in the summer, winter is cold and snowy...although, not *that* bad IMHO. Montreal, Quebec is the second largest city. This is the most european city in Canada, because of its rich history, as well as majority of french speaking citizens (Quebec's main language is french). It is a wonderful city, with excellent restaurants, nightlife, universities, and there are plenty of high-tech jobs. Also, propery is relatively affordable, especially when you are looking at the suburbs. BUT, you do have some pretty big negatives living here. Speaking french is MANDATORY, especially when trying to find a decent job. There are some companies that deal mainly with Americans and/or the rest of Canada, but you really much search for these. Either way, you will need some knowledge of french to get around. Also, taxes here are I beleive the HIGHEST in all of North America, so be prepared for that. And we do get some pretty harsh winters..cold, lots of snow etc. As for the Eastern provinces, I dont really know much about them, but if you prefer a small town, laid back feel, then they would be recommended
Pretty much all of Canada outside of Toronto and Montreal have great access to outdoor activities. As mentioned, throughout the bulk of Canada you'll have to be prepared for winter sports if you want to be at all active. Coastal BC, and to a lesser extent Newfoundland have the least frequently frozen climates. Why do you want to move? ie: is there anything about Canada you're interested in? If a moderate climate is what you're after, you'll really be limiting yourself by coming to Canada. I've lived in Australia for 7 years and really enjoyed it. I love Canada, too, but I also love playing outdoor hockey when it's -20c outside.
Lots of good info here. http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=247310&highlight=coming+canada Immigration rules have just changed to make it easier for people with real skills to come here.
We are newcomers to BC from the UK and we're loving it so far The big move can be a bit hard, leaving friends and family.
What part of the UK are you from? I moved out here in 1998 and although I miss a lot about the UK, BC is just too nice a place to contemplate ever moving back.
I'm born & raised here in south west BC [a real rare commodity I think], and have many relatives in England [ north Sussex and Camb.] . I simply love visiting there, but I can't help seeing how tricky it would be to live there. A buddy of mine who has lived here for 20 yrs, from Sommerset, told me once that here in Canada we can have many hobbies, whereas in England, you can really only afford 1. Steve
GO WEST IN CANADA I lived in sunderland for a year, Just outside newcastle, UK. then back to Toronto for a year, then out to Calgary. I had to come back to TORONTO AND IT SUCKS HERE. Out west it's gorgeous, people are nice, and there is constantly something to do. Mind you if you want adventure, move to City Centre of Toronto, you can risk your life daily, either by eating, drving, walking, pretty much leaving the house.... Calgary, then west is the best. Love it. In fact. In Sept, seriously thinking about moving back..... see you there!!
The best riding in this country has to be the foothills of both the east and west side of the Rocky Mtns., street & off road riding inclusive. Steve
Getting back to the OP, moving from Melbourne to Canada I'm not sure if there's any benefit if you don't have a compelling reason to move. Australia and Canada are very comparable countries -- Melbourne and Vancouver are especially comparable cities. IMO all you can look forward to is a change of scenery. The countries are comparable, the cities are comparable. You won't have as many water problems as in Melbourne, but you'll exchange one set of problems for another... only you won't know what you're getting in exchange until after you've lived here for a while. I've lived in Newcastle Australia for 7 years and I loved it there but it also had its problems. I choose to live in Canada largely because my family is here and most of my friends are here... I have a much better sense of how Canada works than Australia. Also Canada is a bit more central to my work life -- when I travel I tend to go to Europe, the States, and Japan. Canada is practically the mid-point of those three destinations.
Why not come for a visit or 2. Pick a couple of places that look interesting and come over. There are lots of ADV riders here who would be more than happy to put you up for a while and show you around. Rent a car or a bike and go exploring. This way you would get a feel for the country and the people who live here. I'm in Calgary and would be happy to put you up for a bit and show you the good and bad of this area. Regards, Wreck
Oh yeah, we're coming for a visit. Maggie has a few pen friends and one that is coming down to visit us in November. All have offered us their homes so the offer is much appreciated. I've done some some research with CI so once again, thanks very much for all the suggestions, Maggie & I appreciated all the PMs and replies!
I just bought a new DR650 that cost me $5800 on the road, in Alberta. We only have 5% sales tax the rest of the provinces have double that or more. As for a CBR's cost I refer you to Honda's web site: http://www.honda.ca/MCPE/Motorcycle/Models/ModelOverview?L=E&Type=Sport&Year=2008&Model=CBR600RR8 looks like list is $13,000. I would look for a used rice rocket as there are millions for sale at: www.kijiji.ca just pick your city www.canadatrader.com again pick your province www.buysell.com As for realestate cost in the various areas look at www.mls.ca just pick your area, you can drill down through the maps which seems to work best or choose the area off the check list that doesn't work as well it seems. Here is a web site to check out the weather in various parts of Canada: http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/weather/winners/intro-e.html As far as the move goes it is going to be a bit tough to move the dogs but the horses are going to be a much bigger problem IMHO. I have no personal experience with this but it seems to me to be an expensive idea. The other problem is what to do with the horses when you light here. There are boarding spots for horses in the cities but the cost would be high and not too close to you I would think. In Alberta there is good work just about everywhere. The cost of lodging is high but the wages are high as well. On the west coast it rains a lot so be ready for that if you move there, it is also very expensive to live there and historically jobs haven't been plentyful. BC means Bring Cash basically. Auto insurance or bike insurance in BC is really high so I have read here. Like $1600 compared to $700 here in Alberta, I pay $300 or less no collision or theft. Right now Ontario is going through a major slump. They traditionally export to the USA and with our dollar being par they have taken a hit. I am origionally from the East coast and plan to move back there next year. There is work there but at low wages and housing is basically the lowest in Canada, it's an offset. Taxes are high there as is gas and heating. Halifax is the crown jewel, it is fairly warm there but it rains or is foggy a lot. There is a lot of snow in the winter everywhere east of Thunder Bay I would say. Canada is a good place to live, you can get ahead here if you mind your money. We need people like you guys here as there is more work than workers especially a place like Fort McMurray.
Sunny Somerset. Beautiful place but doesn't really compare to what's on the door step now we've moved here! After ten years I guess you've settled well. Any hints? Where are you based? We're in Surrey VC and will be heading inland towards the Okanagan or Kootenays when the chance arises. Say a "ow be on me son" to him from us! What part of Sunny Somerset is he from?
Don't move there, LOL you won't be able to get white margarine anymore! Seems to me it's been 40 years since I saw white margarine when I was growing up.
