Ask me about living in Canada.

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Ask me about living in Canada.

Lungboy: Aug 23, 2002; NEED SQUAT FORM HELP

I'm a Brit in the UK but I've applied for a job at UT Mississauga. Any tips for someone who has never been to Canada before? Places to live, places to avoid, dealing with proper winters, financial information (how do pensions work? etc), healthcare for someone with a preexisting condition etc are all very welcome. I don't think I have a hope of getting the job due to the rules on employing Canadians first, but I'd like to look into things just in case.

Lungboy fucked around with this message at 11:04 on Jul 18, 2017

# ¿ Jul 18, 2017 11:02

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Lungboy: Aug 23, 2002; NEED SQUAT FORM HELP

GeorginaSpica posted:

Well we don't have 'proper' winters in south Ontario anymore. When I was a kid, the snow would arrive in November and essentially stay until end of March/mid April. They rented cross country skis at the zoo! Now winter is rather lovely for the most part. Snow comes one day, gone to some grey nasty slush in a day or two and then gone until the next storm. It's either too warm for snow so it's rainy or it's stinking cold and doesn't snow.

So all you need is a good coat and accessories to cover all the other bits when it's really cold. And if you want to experience fun in the snow, be prepared to drive out of the city. There are usually options to go ice skating inside or out around town but other stuff like tobogganing will be something that one has to be ready for the day of the storm! Getting snow tires is a good idea but if you don't plan on going too far during the winter, all seasons will be adequate. I have snow tires because I do go up to cottage country in the winter.

Traffic is awful all over the GTA so getting a place to stay nearby the school would be better. Someone who lives in Mississauga can give better advice as to where to look for an apartment. As to places to avoid, for the most part, the 'bad' areas of Greater Toronto Area (GTA) are really not that bad compared to other large cities.

Thanks for the info. By "proper winter" I meant sub zero temps, this part of the UK rarely gets much below zero and it's even rarer for snow.

Ensign Expendable posted:

Mississauga is a miserable hole, but as far as I know it's a safe miserable hole. Be prepared to take the train to Toronto any time you want to do anything fun.

If Mississauga is a hole, what about living a bit further out, like Oakville or Burlington? Or as GeorginaSpica says, would the traffic be too bad to commute that far?

# ¿ Jul 18, 2017 20:41

Lungboy: Aug 23, 2002; NEED SQUAT FORM HELP

Ensign Expendable posted:

Burlington is a hole with better Indian food.

Better Indian is always good. Is it too far out to commute to UTM?

wesleywillis posted:

Oakville is nice, but pricey. On the other hand, if you're moving across an ocean for a job, then it might pay pretty decent. Also pretty safe too.

I don't know how wages compare in Canada. The job is ~$62k, rising to $80k in 8 years. Is that decent? Compared to what I'm currently on it's a huge increase.

GeorginaSpica posted:

Well that's the thing, the temperature might be sub-zero at times but it's become that it tends to be warmer and it rains instead of snowing. So instead of the slightly sub-zero temperatures (in celsius) being fun with snow and sledding and skating, it is this miserable rainy crappy weather with no sun. Maybe that's what you already have? And if it's not that wet miserable, it could drop to those terrible cold temperatures but unless you are planning on taking transit, the cold won't be that much of an issue. Bundle up when going from warm indoor space to car and back. Dress properly and it's not a big deal unless one works outside or has to wait for a drat bus!

As to location, there are pockets of nicer places in all of the GTA but rent isn't cheap. But I think by hole, Ensign might have just been saying that about the general living conditions with dismal options for restaurants and fun stuff. And that's pretty much everywhere in the GTA. There are some nice older main streets that have shops and restaurants but for the most part in the suburbs, one is driving to a chain restaurant that's right next to the movie theatre cuz there's not much else to do apart from that and the odd street festival or such. To go to anything like theatre or concerts that are any good or sporting events (leafs, blue jays, TFC, Raptors) one generally has to go to Toronto. There is good theatre in Stratford and Niagara-on-the-Lake but that also requires a drive away from where you would be living. Not so good for having a pint with a friend and walking home....

That weather sounds exactly like what we have, dreary grey wet winters, possibly getting to zero and rarely snowing. If it does snow or freeze, everything grinds to a halt as we aren't used to it. You're right about the rental prices, I've had a look on Remax and Home Optima and they are akin to London prices, which are considered insane by the rest of the UK. In my city, a 2 bed flat in a nice area is �500 or so, which is ~$820. I can't find much under $1400 in Mississauga, Oakville or Burlington, am I looking at the wrong websites?

# ¿ Jul 19, 2017 23:20

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Ask me about living in Canada.