What's It Like Over There?

Tusi2 · 10-03-2007, 03:14 PM

Hello my fellow Cysters,

Just wondering what it's like living in Canada? My husband is born to a Canadian parent and can get residency if he wants, so since there is a possibility of being able to move (shh, don't tell him!) I thought I'd ask those in the know what it's like to really live there. So here are basic questions (if we ever moved (from NZ) it would most likely be to Vancouver/Vancouver Island)...
What is your health system like? Is it user pays/insurance or government pays?
What are general rates of pay (checkout operator/builder/bank officer)?
What's the weather/seasons like?
Are there subsidised/free childcare available?
What creepy crawlies do you have?????
What advice would you have for someone thinking of moving?

Thanks for your time

BeetleGirl · 10-04-2007, 04:38 PM

I can help with a few questions...
Health Care System is medicore(I work in it) There is no coverage for fertility treatments. There can be months of waiting for tests and tretments and it only costs you approx. $100 a month. Many employers offer additional insurance coverage.
Wages vary. However the cost of living is not cheap in the areas inquired about(not sure how they compare in New Zealand) so you would want to take that into consideration. There are plenty of jobs in British Columbia so if you are looking for just an entry level job for the above mentioned employment opportunities, wages can range from $10 to $20 an hour. Depending on experience.
Dh was offered a job in Victoria making $10 more an hour than he is making in the interior of BC however when we take into account the high cost of living, we are better to stay where we are.
As for Creepy Crawlies, sure we have them(lots where I am) but nothing a can of Raid wouldn't take care of.
Hope this helps you a little.
Good Luck.

one-hit_wonder · 10-06-2007, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tusi2

Hello my fellow Cysters,

Just wondering what it's like living in Canada? My husband is born to a Canadian parent and can get residency if he wants, so since there is a possibility of being able to move (shh, don't tell him!) I thought I'd ask those in the know what it's like to really live there. So here are basic questions (if we ever moved (from NZ) it would most likely be to Vancouver/Vancouver Island)...
What is your health system like? Is it user pays/insurance or government pays?
What are general rates of pay (checkout operator/builder/bank officer)?
What's the weather/seasons like?
Are there subsidised/free childcare available?
What creepy crawlies do you have?????
What advice would you have for someone thinking of moving?

Thanks for your time

This all varies according to the different provinces and territories.
Healthcare is public and free for most things. Wait times tend to be long for specialists; and if you don't like your specialist, too bad.

Don't know about pay for the things you mentioned. Anything involving building (trades, etc.) would be paid well in Vancouver, I'd imagine, but then again, the cost of living is high there.
Don't know about Vancouver, but in Manitoba, you pay for childcare (from what I know), there's lots of mosquitoes in the summer, and it's freezing cold for half the year. Vancouver's probably better in these areas.
Canada's nice. I'm glad I'm from here. Stuff is more expensive in Canada than it is in the U.S., but with our dollar so high, there's more parity.
We're thinking of relocating to NZ, incidentally!

Tusi2 · 10-06-2007, 04:53 PM

Thanks ladies! I appreciate that it's a big country and it's difficult to pinpoint things

one-hit wonder, that's so funny! Anywhere in NZ in particular? We're coming into summer now... very nice

one-hit_wonder · 10-06-2007, 08:39 PM

Well, we don't know. I'm a teacher and dh is an electrician, and from my research (web sites and from NZ people), it appears that we'd both be able to secure jobs in NZ. I want to live abroad again. Any advice?

CanadaCandy · 10-19-2007, 11:15 AM

My husband is a Kiwi, I am canadian.. We live in Ontario, Canada.

we like it fine, but both of us miss NZ like crazy sometimes!

VJP · 10-21-2007, 01:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tusi2

Hello my fellow Cysters,

Just wondering what it's like living in Canada? My husband is born to a Canadian parent and can get residency if he wants, so since there is a possibility of being able to move (shh, don't tell him!) I thought I'd ask those in the know what it's like to really live there. So here are basic questions (if we ever moved (from NZ) it would most likely be to Vancouver/Vancouver Island)...
What is your health system like? Is it user pays/insurance or government pays?
What are general rates of pay (checkout operator/builder/bank officer)?
What's the weather/seasons like?
Are there subsidised/free childcare available?
What creepy crawlies do you have?????
What advice would you have for someone thinking of moving?

Thanks for your time

I know you are looking at BC, but I would argue in favour of my prairie home.

The wages out here in Alberta are crazily high, but the cost of living is also going up. It's really easy to get a job here right now.
The weather is really nice here. The winters are cold, but no longer as cold as they used to be, and it is pretty tolerable, since it's a dry cold. The summers can get really hot, but because it is not humid, it is pretty good.
There are some not-for-profit day care centers and some employers subsidize, but generally, child care is pretty expensive.
Alberta is very creepy-crawly free, thank goodness. I am always a little freaked out in other places.

No particular advice. Although I would say that now is a pretty good time, what with the labour shortages and all.

one-hit_wonder · 10-21-2007, 03:07 PM

We wanted to move to Edmonton at one point. I wanted to go to U of A for grad studies. Jobs were plentiful for my dh (he's in the trades). Cost of housing was high. It didn't work out, but I'd consider it again in the future.

stark tjej · 10-21-2007, 10:29 PM

I live outside of Vancouver.

There is child care subsidy that everyone gets which is about $100/kid a month, until a child is 5 or 6. In BC there is also a sales tax rebate for kids, although I don't know how much that is (I don't know if it is a federal or provincial rebate). And if you make less money, you get more money for your kids. There is also a thing where the government will match (or add a certain percentage) to what you set aside for higher education for your kid(s) in things called RESPs. The amount the government kicks in is dependent upon how much you make, but they do add some for anyone.

The weather, for me, is mind-numbingly depressing. I moved here a little over 4 years ago when we married, and the winters just about do me in every time. Summers are beautiful, if you can survive the gray until then. It rarely pours, but generally is overcast and drizzles for months. I think it was last winter they had something like 30 days in a row in our area without the sun even peeking through. Then there was a peek, then it was a couple more weeks. Because of the weather plants are lush, it's always green, and it is easy to have a green thumb (we just hack back the rosebushes and they keep growing too fast). There's a lot of moss and mold around, because its wet, but there aren't many mosquitos in the summer. A person only uses AC for a couple of weeks in the summer (if they have it) and there isn't much snow in the winter (and it doesn't stay for long).

Summers are filled with mountain hiking opportunities, tons of fresh local fruit, and lovely days. There are very few bugs in the "lower mainland" (the valley area that extends from Vancouver) - not even gnats.

In BC there is a little paying for healthcare (like the pp said, about $100/mo for a family). So far I have had great service in the system, and felt that doctors were more attentive and less rushed than they seemed in my US healthcare (profit-driven system). The issue of wait times is big, though, if you need surgery that isn't an emergency (limb/joint injury, heart, etc).

Housing around here is expensive right now. We bought 4 years ago and could get not quite double what we paid for our house. And our house isn't big or new. And we live really far out of Vancouver. Look on MLS for prices - it's hard to find anything for less than $500,000 in the city.

People tend to be really friendly and open, although from my midwest American upbringing it can seem like people are blunt and a bit pushy. I am from a place where subtle talking is an art form, though, so it probably isn't an issue for most transplants.

Well, I'm sure this post is long enough. Lots of people move here, from across Canada and from the East (1/3 of the population of BC is descended from people from Asia - China and India being the biggest contributors I've noticed). 2010 Olympics are coming up, so if you move soon enough you could get in on the fun.

Stark

Tusi2 · 11-14-2007, 02:29 PM

Thanks all for your posts, I have been in communicado for a little while due to health issues (not yet resolved). Thanks for being honest too!! There are always pros and cons to anywhere.
One hit wonder - If you were looking at moving to NZ you would probably be welcomed with opened arms to any rural area, but might get paid more in the metro areas. I would recommend investigating Marlborough/Nelson (top of Sth Island) as we have beaches, mountains for skiing, world class wines, breweries and walking tracks and a fantastic community spirit