Unexpected Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 I lived in Toronto for a while. Found it to be seriously corrupt. You could "buy" a driving licence there without sitting a test. Car insurance is outrageously expensive so I ended up bunging a friend of a friend $500 to get it for me on the cheap. And dont get me started on the discrimination. I did like the coffee shops though. Seriously dont go there thinking you can easily get a job because you have a uk qualification and x number of years work experience here. Its not like getting work in the UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddles Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 (edited) good on you OP. as for moving - too right, this country has nothing to offer, especially our kids (who I would hate to enter adulthood in), me and mrs jfk are seriously looking into emigration to new zealand in a few years. f*ck this squalid shit hole I discounted New Zealand as an emigration destination based on the people I saw going there; http://thenewaustralian.org/?p=24 Edited April 8, 2012 by Paddles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeless Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 A few may remember me from years back. I was one of the miserable disenfranchised minority of renters in Britain, abandonded by successive governments desperate to keep the gravy train rolling for their chums in the financial sector. No longer. I have bought a property in Canada where I have lived and worked for nearly a year. I resisted the calls to buy a grotty two bed in hove for a ridiculous price for 8 long years. I'd love to say I squirreled away what I saved by renting, but that would be a lie, I pissed most of it up the wall on beer and holidays. There is no justice though...I got lucky last year...I walked from a company on a Friday in the uk with a tasty package and started a new job in Canada on the Monday...relocation thrown in. Since then I pretty quickly Sussed that Canada is in a bubble, but if you choose the right area there are still bargains to be had. I snapped up a four bed house with a pool, an in law apartment, on a lovely oldish street where I can walk tothe pub and the beach (albeit on a lake) and be in downtown Toronto quicker than it would take me to get to London from hove all for the same price as a two bed in hove. All I have to do now is not piss my money up the wall down the pub, avoid having a heart attack shovelling snow, and things should be pretty cushdy. (mortgage free in 10 years). The moral of the story is get the hell out of the uk, if you can, while you can. For those thinking of canada, I highly recommend it. Come with your eyes open and it is a great place. saving, scheming, planning, getting prepared, fighting every step of the way myself to get the hell out of this country. i cant wait, i feel i have regained hope ive now made this decision, and if uk property was giving away free tomorrow i woukld still go. like people for centuries leaving their crappy countries for a better life elsewhere. im off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
royalmike Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 Some real stereotypes here about Canada I moved to the South Okanagan from Marlborough Wilts some six and a bit years ago and am now a dual Citizen. There is a lot of Canada outside off Vancouver and Toronto. Ware I live we are semiarid about 8 inches of rain / snow a year, we do not usually get much snow and only cold for a couple of months normally in shorts from April to November, we do however get bears rattle snakes wolfs and scorpions but you leave them alone they leave you alone.Eighty mile long lake 1/2 mile down the road, and when I want to escape I jump on my ATV with the two dogs and there are hundreds of trails in the back country were you can go for days without seeing a another human being. Now I do miss my football and local pub but don't think I will be moving back any time soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
royalmike Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Cavey Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 One of my colleagues recently went back to Vancouver! You know what? I think they are having a housing bubble there too! Still, it looks nice! Congratulations on your move! It seem positive! BTW, I used to live in Hove! A bubble! - and some. Looks fit to pop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Bowman Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 (edited) good on you OP. as for moving - too right, this country has nothing to offer, especially our kids (who I would hate to enter adulthood in), me and mrs jfk are seriously looking into emigration to new zealand in a few years. f*ck this squalid shit hole It's got plenty to offer just like Canada you have just got to take it. So you fancy living amongst sheep in the 1950's each to their own. What seems to pass many people on here by is that millions are doing well in the UK and continue to do so, quality of life, good education for the kids (private/good state and universities) have their health but have got good value from the NHS. If running their own lightly regulated ( compared to Canada and Europe) business paying 20% tax A peculiar trait of Brit would be émigrés from the UK is their hatred of their own country. I don't think I have ever heard one of my Eastern European relatives, Greek, Turk or Indian friends describe their mother country like that. But then again they are doing well in the UK so don't feel the need to..... I suspect you will fit in well in New Zealand Edited April 9, 2012 by Greg Bowman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funinhounslow Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 A bubble! - and some. Looks fit to pop Montreal seems to have largely escaped the bubble though. I've only visited once (and that was a while ago) and thought it was a wonderful place. What is keeping a lid on prices there, is it the necessity of speaking French if you live there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swissy_fit Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 Montreal seems to have largely escaped the bubble though. I've only visited once (and that was a while ago) and thought it was a wonderful place. What is keeping a lid on prices there, is it the necessity of speaking French if you live there? What passes for French there, you mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Bear Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 I've got a lot of Canadian relatives, nearly all of whom are apparently screwed up, weird, or just plain bonkers. An aunt in UK recently died and left her estate to be split between nieces and nephews, several of whom in Canada. Although it was all dealt with remarkably quickly, the executors were getting emails from the Canadian lot, saying where's the money, what's going on, it's all right for you lot in the UK, you all have it easy, you don't know what it's like for us here, etc. etc. moan moan moan whinge whinge whinge. One of them even invited himself over to 'see what's going on with this money'. I had him staying 10 days - 10 days of bonkerdom - never again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swissy_fit Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 Montreal seems to have largely escaped the bubble though. I've only visited once (and that was a while ago) and thought it was a wonderful place. What is keeping a lid on prices there, is it the necessity of speaking French if you live there? What passes for French there, you mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HovelinHove Posted April 9, 2012 Author Share Posted April 9, 2012 I think if I spoke fluent french, And didn't need to work, France might just have trumped Canada! My observation of those returning to the Uk is that the decision is often driven by the female partner...nesting near to family instincts take over etc. Now that I don't live in the uk, I am hating it less...I am starting to feel nothing for it. I guess I don't dwell on the past and focus on making the most of my present and future. All the time I lived in hove I felt I couldn't do that and the future had been stolen from me by corrupt politicians who pandered to the city etc. now I have 5, 10 and 20 year plans that are achievable...God willing. Moving to Canada has created that opportunity. Skype is amazing and has made it much easier for me and the family I have left behind. You can watch all uk tv on line by using a proxy VPN...bbc period dramas and documentaries are the best, but the rest I could live without and only keep the VPN because it's cheap and for when my parents visit. I have found some surprisingly good stuff on tv here (although i only watch through the web as the ads are too frequent and intolerable) and an excellent paper called the national post, which is like a cross between the independent and the Daily Mail (straight talking, intelligent critisism without the xenophobia and mindless gossip or political bias) The health care system is not quite as good as the uk, but better than most places, and if you have private cover, it's fine (insurance pays for prescriptions here). I was very blessed to find a better job than I had in the uk, with more money. That is far from the experience of many, and the comment about your uk quals and experience meaning nothing is accurate if you're trying to break into the general employment market. Once you're in though it's a different story. Everything about my move has had a sense of destiny about it...we even got upgraded to business at the gate in heathrow when we left last year. I realize that for many that is not the experience, and setting up in a new country can be emotionally and financially exhausting, so it is not for the faint hearted or for those who don't have the kind of attitude that will drive them to overcome obstacles and put aside their cravings for marmite and country pubs with log fires! Thanks everyone for all the comments. I spent many hours on HPC in the past...but it's nice to not care about property prices any more. I'm not on a ladder....all going well my next move will be to downsize...it's like I've picked up the "advance to GO and collect $200 on the way card" when my opponent had hotels on Park Lane and Mayfair! Good luck to you all...I hope your dreams come true and prices normalize...even if they do, wild horses couldn't drag me back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 Thanks Mr Cavey, for that Canadian bubble information! Oh crikey! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deckard Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 I snapped up a four bed house with a pool, an in law apartment, on a lovely oldish street where I can walk to the pub and the beach (albeit on a lake) and be in downtown Toronto quicker than it would take me to get to London from hove all for the same price as a two bed in hove. Cobourg, is it? I spent a day there last summer with friends who live in Markham, and must admit it's not a bad beach. Markham, however, is a suicidally depressing suburban nightmare with street after street of dull, almost identical, vastly overpriced houses on minuscule plots in the middle of nowhere. The streets are so similar that the guy who drove us to Cobourg, who has been living in Markham for close to 10 years, got lost at night and needed his GPS to find his own home - and he wasn't even drunk. True story Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HovelinHove Posted April 9, 2012 Author Share Posted April 9, 2012 Cobourg, is it? I spent a day there last summer with friends who live in Markham, and must admit it's not a bad beach. Markham, however, is a suicidally depressing suburban nightmare with street after street of dull, almost identical, vastly overpriced houses on minuscule plots in the middle of nowhere. The streets are so similar that the guy who drove us to Cobourg, who has been living in Markham for close to 10 years, got lost at night and needed his GPS to find his own home - and he wasn't even drunk. True story Markham is pretty grim. No, I moved to the much Maligned Barrie...love it up here, cycled around the lake on Saturday, then went for a drink in one f the many pubs and thought what a great place it is. We live the older part of town which is lovely....wouldn't want to be in a cookie cutter house further out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cashinmattress Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 (edited) Meh. I lived between Toronto, Halifax, St Johns and a few other places over 20 years. Can't say I'd like to spend one minute more in any Canadian city if I'm honest. I've a Canadian passport too, but it's not worth a bean compared the UK/Euro passport as far as travel security is concerned. Plus it's only valid for 4 frickin years! Winters are hell, life is expensive, health care is sparse if you aren't both fit and working for a company that covers your dental, taxes are no better, if not slightly worse than they are in the UK. Being old in Canada, with most hospitals far removed from the ridiculous urban sprawls is going to be tough. Bad country to retire in if you aren't fit. Canada does not do music festivals, and seeing your favourite bands usually means a lot of travel and worries of being collared by the security if you plan on getting minced before a show. In Canada, mobile phones are expensive, so is television and entertainment. Drinking culture is waaay different, as is the way you spend your free time. Most smaller cities have drunk tanks and you are liable to end up in one if you carry on outside the pub as you would in say, Newcastle, etc... Most Canadians are thick as two short planks, call themselves Canucks, but spend their lives emulating the lifestyles of Americans. Toronto is like most of the northern USA cities, but with less guns. Good city if you are wanting an openly gay lifestyle, or can afford to live in the few posh bits, like in the Beaches, over by Casa Loma, etc... Commuting via car sucks the big one, the public transit only has two bloody subway lines (WHY??), winters are crap and night life is dull. When I lived there I often would spend most weekends away because there really is nothing to do there if you aren't always flush with cash, and can handle the metro-sexual bvllcrap in the few decent wine bars. I actually lived on the Danforth in a nice apartment, and spend my summers in the cafe's there, but would always vacate the city during Caribana and Pride week. EDIT: They call it a multicultural city, which is kind of true, if you discount the fact that like any big city there are non-integrating cultural divides with differing neighbourhoods identifiable by the names above the shops and the writing on street signs. I believe the city of Toronto is about 50% Chinese too. Halifax has a great night-life, but is full of real scum, as one would expect in a maritime city. Not going to play the race card, but there is a lot of poor ethnics there and its pretty common to get mugged or beat up if you stray. You get the sea fog most summers, but its home to most of the big sea cruise liners and lots of tourism, plus the buskers festival every summer. Winters there are absolute hell, and you are miles from nowhere in every direction. Halifax is great if you like sailing and fresh, cheap seafood, plus the market in the old brewery on Saturday is great. Check out the cinnamon rolls. Real downside of Nova Scotia is no shopping Sundays. Every thing closes exept for the odd corner shop, and if you want a drink you have to drive to the actual brewery. St Johns, well. It's full of newfie's. Good if you like singing, and nonsense talk 'Yes By' etc... George St is a blast if you liked getting pished and pulling questionable birds. Outside of that, you are subject to a constant 30 knot wind, no real good bands, no culture, and mostly nothing to do. Winters there are mean. There are plenty of countries to live in the world and I've seen a lot of them. Canada is off my list. Edited April 9, 2012 by cashinmattress Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HovelinHove Posted April 10, 2012 Author Share Posted April 10, 2012 No he hasn't. and if I ever feel like that, I just go back to the UK for a weekend. He does have some points...I must admit I don't plan to spend my winters here when I've retired...it's OK if you're fit, but it's not for the old and frail. Canada is about the best place for me to spend my most productive years...I've been all over the world, done Europe to death, and am ready for what this country has to offer...which is not what the UK has (and my liver is very happy about that!) He's also right about Toronto...but I knew all that before I came...like I said eyes wide open. The vast majority of ex-pats I meet love it here, and I met a few Brits back in the UK who moved back to England after a few years in Canada and reckoned returning home was the worst decision they ever made. Let's face it a country that has 3 out of the top 5 most liveable cities in the world can't be that bad! Anyone slagging off Canadians is forgetting the chavs and city *****ers. The people here are much better to share your existance with than the people I rubbed shoulders with in the UK. Anyway, different strokes and all that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cashinmattress Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 To each their own, as put by HovlinHove. If you want a taste of real Toronto, take a walk down Dundas after midnight, or visit the burbs between 'Scarlem and East York. Or how about Cabbage Town or the Annex. Like I said, its ok to live their if you are young and fit, and preferably can take the train to your place of work. It's no city for the old or weak. If you had to choose between many of the great North American cities, I would choose those in the United States over those in Canada, but that is just my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybernoid Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 What seems to pass many people on here by is that millions are doing well in the UK and continue to do so, quality of life, good education for the kids (private/good state and universities) have their health but have got good value from the NHS. If running their own lightly regulated ( compared to Canada and Europe) business paying 20% tax A peculiar trait of Brit would be émigrés from the UK is their hatred of their own country. Yes there are plenty doing well, but unless you got there before the housing bubble your chances of joining them are very slim. Social mobility is gone from the uk due to the housing bubble. You stand a better chance elsewhere. I'm in favour of starting a business, i think it's a very satisfying route to take in your life, but due in large part to the enormous costs of property (your home and any business premises) starting from zero is much much harder in the uk. And if you are unlucky in when you were born in the uk in relation to the bubble, and don't own by now, it makes an awful lot of sense to leave. The option of cheaper housing really takes the pressure off, you don't have to sprint as hard as you can all the time just to stand still, and you'll have a happier healthier life. I don't think many hate England, I don't, i think it's a great place if you've got money, but it saddens me greatly to feel there is no choice but to leave if you ever want to make anything of yourself and were born at an unlucky time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HovelinHove Posted April 15, 2012 Author Share Posted April 15, 2012 Couldn't agree more. I don't hate England and I don't hate the Engish. When I wa growing up I dreamed of living in a village or small town, raising a family, going on holiday a couple of times ayear etc. Gone...no ******ing chance, even for someone earning a decent salary. If I sound bitter it's because my dream of living in my own country and having a reasonable lifestyle were robbed from me by successive greedy government pandering to corporations and banks...flooding the country with too many people (not their fault...HM gov's fault). But I'm not bitter, if anything I'm grateful as it drove me to look overseas and now that I've left, I can see just how much greener the grass really is, and if they started giving away country cottages in Sussex, I still wouldn't go back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tbatst2000 Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Or how about Cabbage Town or the Annex. When were you last in either? I know Cabbagetown used to be a crap-hole in the 70s, but it's pretty up market these days (as is the Annex). E.g. http://goo.gl/maps/vDRk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Cavey Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 (edited) Are we at the tipping point – see Canadian House Price Charts? Vancouver’s drop of 9.1% (a “loss” of $97,300 !!!!!) in May is as spectacular as the rise in the preceding months, although this sharp increase has been put down to lucky flippers finding the last few fools. Lets see if the speculators now start rushing for the exits. Edited June 11, 2012 by Captain Cavey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tbatst2000 Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 The Vancouver drop is interesting. I speculate that it's strongly linked to the economic slow down in China given that the Canadian economy seems to be fairly stable at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Democorruptcy Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 Canada v US http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/canadian-housing-prices-canada-housing-real-estate-bubblereach-apex-set-for-deep-fall-foreign-money-speculation-housing-debt/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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