Moving to Calgary, need advise

[IMM]

Hi! My name is Ilona, I am 27 yrs. old and my husband and I are thinking about moving to Calgary from Barrie (ON, 100km north of Toronto). We don't know much about the place other than that job oppurtunities are better there than here and that everything is so great. Maybe someone might actually tell me if there is any reason to not move there or what to wait from Calgary?
I'm looking into jobs like: quality control technician/test technician (within 100 km from Calgary). My husband is in car sales. We would like to settle in the smaller communities further from traffic and noise. Any advise on good areas?
Thank you

 

[TinMan]

Hi Ilona,
I would highly recommend you visit for at least a week before you move anywhere, especially Calgary at this time. No doubt both you and your husband will be able to find jobs, you'll have plenty of options in that regard. If you hope to rent a house you can expect a hard time even finding one available but if you do locate one it's going to cost at least $1500-$2500/mth. + utilities + damage deposit for even the worst sh*t shack. If you're looking for an apartment, you won't find any available period. Hundreds of apartment blocks have been converted to condos and there are none under construction at this time. If you want to buy a condo bring at least $250,000, house at very least $350,00.

As for living outside city limits, you'd have to go a long way to escape the hyper prices right now. Cochrane, Chestermere, Okotoks, Airdre are all commuter suburbs with nutzy prices. Calgary is surrounded by huge ranches, so you don't have the little towns or rural housing that grew on the outskirts like most Canadian cities.

In all honesty you'd be better off to focus on Red Deer or Edmonton Ilona, jobs are good and perhaps you can still get a foothold in those communities but I repeat VISIT FIRST!!!

Cheers

 

[IMM]

Thank you for advise

 

[Ariadne]

Hi! My name is Ilona, I am 27 yrs. old and my husband and I are thinking about moving to Calgary from Barrie (ON, 100km north of Toronto). We don't know much about the place other than that job oppurtunities are better there than here and that everything is so great. Maybe someone might actually tell me if there is any reason to not move there or what to wait from Calgary?
I'm looking into jobs like: quality control technician/test technician (within 100 km from Calgary). My husband is in car sales. We would like to settle in the smaller communities further from traffic and noise. Any advise on good areas?
Thank you

Don't be too easily discouraged. There are still places to live that are not priced beyond what is normal. It's true that some landlords are taking advantage of the housing shortage and have doubled rent, but others are just upping the rent to cover the increased taxes ... like $100 per month. If you're happy to live on the outskirts of the city, rent is cheaper. The East side of the city is cheaper than the West side.

Quality control technician (not exactly familiar with that) sounds like something related to manufacturing. Calgary is not known for manufacturing. To my knowledge, Nortel was the big manufacturing place but they had lots of financial troubles a few years ago and I don't have a clue what happened to them. If you want to know the job market, check the Calgary Herald classifieds online.

As for wages, one of my daughters was interviewed at a hotel for front desk. She was offered $11 per hour with a review after 3 months when it might increase to $14. She told them that she was interested in the position, but if they didn't pay $14 to start, she would just go down the street and get a job there. They paid her the $14 to start. Recently she said she wanted a 2 week vacation. They said no. She told them to take it or leave it, and she's away on vacation without losing her job. My point is that the rents may be up, but there is such a shortage of workers that wages are up and employee rights are definitely up.

Calgary is a beautiful city with mountains, river, fresh air and proximity to many outdoor sports opportunities. The night life is great and there's plenty of money to go around. You may not find the exact position you're looking for right away, but there are loads of jobs to fill so you could take something until you find what you want. Many places have signing bonuses that pay out after 6 months employment.

 

[gearheaded1]

Anywhere in Alberta

IMM, you've made a great choice to move to an area of great opportunity. In general, Canada is enjoying good times, though Alberta is particularly enjoying a rapid pace of excitement.

Good advice, on the "visit first" by TinMan, some folks have moved out without any pre-planning (housing - that's the biggie) and have expected the world being served on a platter as they stepped off the plane.

If you do end up living on the perimeter of Calgary, there is lots to choose from, though there remains some good choices within the urban centers also if you look. I'd suggest you hook up with a good realtor to find you a place that is a good suiting to your likes/dislikes, budget, and interests. They will balance those needs and get you into something that suits you.

Based on your background, as a quality control technician you'd actually be better off in Edmonton as Calgary tends to support more of the "white collar" industries while Edmonton is decidedly "blue collar". The industrialization of Edmonton tends to support the surrounding plants and manufacturing, and oil projects to the north, while Calgary is more the corporate center of activity. Both cities have much to offer and are beautiful cities with hardworking people.

Do your research, and move out a happy camper.

To find your realtor: http://www.remax.ca/ Having had experience with Realty execs, Royal Lepage, etc etc... I wouldn't use anyone that doesn't have the balloon on their card.

 

[Ariadne]

IMM, you've made a great choice to move to an area of great opportunity. In general, Canada is enjoying good times, though Alberta is particularly enjoying a rapid pace of excitement.

Good advice, on the "visit first" by TinMan, some folks have moved out without any pre-planning (housing - that's the biggie) and have expected the world being served on a platter as they stepped off the plane.

If you do end up living on the perimeter of Calgary, there is lots to choose from, though there remains some good choices within the urban centers also if you look. I'd suggest you hook up with a good realtor to find you a place that is a good suiting to your likes/dislikes, budget, and interests. They will balance those needs and get you into something that suits you.

Based on your background, as a quality control technician you'd actually be better off in Edmonton as Calgary tends to support more of the "white collar" industries while Edmonton is decidedly "blue collar". The industrialization of Edmonton tends to support the surrounding plants and manufacturing, and oil projects to the north, while Calgary is more the corporate center of activity. Both cities have much to offer and are beautiful cities with hardworking people.

Do your research, and move out a happy camper.

To find your realtor: http://www.remax.ca/ Having had experience with Realty execs, Royal Lepage, etc etc... I wouldn't use anyone that doesn't have the balloon on their card.

I'd like to add that you should avoid organizations like "home locators". They'll take your money and offer you nothing more than a list of places that are already listed somewhere else ... with no guarentee that they're available.

 

[IMM]

Thanks everybody for info. I really appreciate it.
How about medical system in AB? I heard that many medical sites are privat now and people in AB have to pay from their pockets for many things that are covered by OHIP here in ON? Besides, if so many people are moving to Calgary right now, it might be a problem to find a family doctor? Is that so?

 

[gearheaded1]

Questions cont'd.

I need a break in studying and you're the recipient...

Medical coverage is reasonable in Alberta. The private clinic thing isn't completely mainstream, in that you can't wave a thousand bucks at the counter and get a liver transplant... the Alberta government is considering some alternative aproaches to strengthen our already strong Canadian health care system. To alarmists, that's enough reason to go on a crazy rant, and threaten all kinds of doom and gloom. At heart, that's not what it's about at all. It's about making good, even better.

There are walk-in clinics that are pretty reasonable for getting service. At the hospital you'd better bring a packed lunch if all you've got is a sniffle.

You may have to get on a waiting list if you're choosey about the doctor or office, but generally there are doctors accepting new patients. You just have to look around (and look... and look again.)

With the inflow of people, there's also doctors on the way in too. Alberta, and Edmonton particularly has some of the best medical schools in the country. And every year, increase their enrolement and services.

"Go West!"

 

[Ariadne]

Thanks everybody for info. I really appreciate it.
How about medical system in AB? I heard that many medical sites are privat now and people in AB have to pay from their pockets for many things that are covered by OHIP here in ON? Besides, if so many people are moving to Calgary right now, it might be a problem to find a family doctor? Is that so?

I changed doctors recently and the first question was: are you a new resident. New residents will have an easier time of finding a doctor than people changing doctors. There are referal systems that will give you the names of 3 doctors accepting new patients. They were outdated so I just opened the phone book and picked a name that I liked and no problem. Make sure you have an Alberta Health Care card before you walk into any doctor's office because you will be asked to pay out of pocket without it.

The bottom line is that National Health Care is still a reality, even in Alberta.

 

[timothy12345]

Calgary is probably not greatest place to move to right now 2006/2007. Growth is through the roof! It often takes an hour or more to get anywhere in the city, especially in the winter time. House prices are unaffordable unless you are making at least 100K a year.( Granted it's worse in fort Mac where people who are making 60K a year are living in the homeless shelter.) Even though people say there are tons of jobs and so on snd so on, the vast majority are in retail and pay about 8-9 dollars an hour. So yes it's easy to find a job, maybe even a good paying one, a person is unlikely to find an affordable plce to live. As for me, I'm moving to saskatoon.

 

[peter-aa]

it is hard to find an apartment now...anyway, i can not pay 1000 dollars and more for a small room. i am still trying to find an apartment for me and my wife...

 

[melden]

Take a look at AlbertaCareers.com, they are an up and coming site focusing on helping businesses attract newcomers and helping jobs eekers find work. I hear they will also have a blog and work with Alberta industry leaders in providing broader information in migrating to Alberta.

 

[northstar]

Be prepared for a different type of cold. The cold in Ontario were you are is more of a wet cold with plenty of snow. Alberta is a dry cold. much less snow, we visited in the winter, around christmas and l found it absolutely bone chilling, and l grew up in Muskoka [and so l know cold}, in fact, l didn't warm up until we got home....the outside weather can be dangerous because you don;t feel the frostbite until you have it...
However, it is unbelievably beautiful, and clean...especially the foothillls... and they have no problems with a shortage of tax money due to lots of oil...

 

[Ariadne]

Housing is indeed a problem. There was a good article in the paper over the weekend written by Nobody, a person that is working to save enough money to rent a place to live but in the meantime is a "nobody" that relies on homeless shelters - an unintended victim of homelessness.

 

[peter-aa]

No Home....i Need An Affordable Apartment...

 

[Ariadne]

No Home....i Need An Affordable Apartment...

I see for rent signs in the windows of apartments all the time. I think people are skipping advertising in the papers and posting signs. I suppose you have to choose the neighbourhood you want and drive around to see what's available ... doesn't help much if you live out of province.

 

[Sаbine]

No Home....i Need An Affordable Apartment...

Hope you'll get lucky with finding one:

http://www.homerent.ca/
http://www.just4rent.ca/
http://calgary.craigslist.org/hhh/
http://www.places4rent.com/finder.asp?LOCID=82
http://www.rentfaster.ca/advanced_search.php
http://www.mainst.biz/

 

[darleneonfire]

Hi! My name is Ilona, I am 27 yrs. old and my husband and I are thinking about moving to Calgary from Barrie (ON, 100km north of Toronto). We don't know much about the place other than that job oppurtunities are better there than here and that everything is so great. Maybe someone might actually tell me if there is any reason to not move there or what to wait from Calgary?
I'm looking into jobs like: quality control technician/test technician (within 100 km from Calgary). My husband is in car sales. We would like to settle in the smaller communities further from traffic and noise. Any advise on good areas?
Thank you

First off, use your spell check. I confess to a phobia about proper spelling as in years gone by I was an English teacher. You need ADVICE, not "advise".

Secondly, reconsider your choice. We lived in Calgary years ago. It is an awful, pretentious city suffering under a massive inferiority complex. It, as a whole, seeks only to ape Toronto.

We hated the city. The people were arrogant, rude and unfriendly.

 

[Ariadne]

First off, use your spell check. I confess to a phobia about proper spelling as in years gone by I was an English teacher. You need ADVICE, not "advise".

Secondly, reconsider your choice. We lived in Calgary years ago. It is an awful, pretentious city suffering under a massive inferiority complex. It, as a whole, seeks only to ape Toronto.

We hated the city. The people were arrogant, rude and unfriendly.

Well, well, well ... and what part of the city did you live in? I find that hard to believe.

 

[Trex]

Hi! My name is Ilona, I am 27 yrs. old and my husband and I are thinking about moving to Calgary from Barrie (ON, 100km north of Toronto). We don't know much about the place other than that job oppurtunities are better there than here and that everything is so great. Maybe someone might actually tell me if there is any reason to not move there or what to wait from Calgary?
I'm looking into jobs like: quality control technician/test technician (within 100 km from Calgary). My husband is in car sales. We would like to settle in the smaller communities further from traffic and noise. Any advise on good areas?
Thank you

Lot of good info already posted Ilona.
I used to live in Barrie and now live in Calgary.
I can only add to the info above.
You should have no trouble at all finding work as a technician. Keep in mind that although jobs in Alberta are easy to find, good jobs that pay well and have good benfits may be a little tougher.
Calgary has an almost zero rental availability, rental rates are going up by the day not the month.
Why not try the smaller communities like Red Deer,Medicine Hat, Lethbridge. Even Edmonton has lower rental rates than Calgary.
The places to avoid because of crowding,expansion and a skyrocketing cost of living are of course the places that have the highest pay scales. Calgary, Fort Mcmurray,Grand Prarie etc etc.