Moving to Canada Questions

I've only lived in Toronto, so my answers are based around that.

spartan5power wrote: »

In Ireland right now even the worst houses are so expensive, is Canada the same?

Toronto houses would be equal to Dublin city centre prices, and then some. Have seen houses go for in excess of a million dollars. Even with the exchange rate, so would be equal to a million euros for a four bed house, at roughly a distance of Dublin city centre to Lucan.

spartan5power wrote: »

Is the health system more efficient than the HSE?

Yeah. In Ontario, you get an OHIP card after you work for 3 months, and you need to renew it every year. With it, you can goto a walk-in doctor with ease, and I even had my foot x-rayed for free with it. Find it to be a good system.

spartan5power wrote: »

Is it a necessity to have private health insurance like it is in Ireland?

Going over, you need to show that you won't be a leech should something go wrong. Pay €300 for it. Reading the small print, and you'll see that it'd cover expenses to allow you to be fixed up to fly home, but not much more. Without this 2 year insurance, you won't get your two year visa, and you'll be told to fcuk off back to Ireland.

Most full-time employment will get private health insurance, and this often covers dental work. Contract work will pay nice, but no company private health care.

spartan5power wrote: »

Im also interested in the difference in standard of living and opportunities for someone like me who works within the Learning and Development function..

Sorry, can't help. If you're going to Toronto, join "irish and new in toronto!" or if going elsewhere, join the Irish facebook page for that location, and ask there.

spartan5power wrote: »

Does anyone have any further information on any of these questions?

Ask away.

Elite Woad Raider wrote: »

By the way, Canadians think it's acceptable to live in a caravan. I worked with a lady in a bakery in Victoria. She was working full time with early morning starts from around 4am. The most she could afford was a mobile home in a trailer park.
By the way people act here you would think they were impoverished.

Have seen a few of these. Typically, I find them to be in areas where people wouldn't buy houses in. In Toronto, the cheap houses/mobile homes are in the flight path of Pearson airport.

antix80 wrote: »

I've a friend who lived in canada and he bought a mobile home in a small city , nice garden with 2 mature trees. It wasn't cheap. It was as good as any small house and his neighbours were mainly retirees. I'd take it any day over a flat in Toronto

Have found that people in a lot of the flats in Toronto don't know their neighbours, unless you're in the likes of the Irish Twin Towers. So for that reason, I don't know would I live long term in one.

Some very racist comments in this thread. I’ve lived in Canada and found that Canadians are lovely. It is expensive though. Also the winters are not pleasant.