[omro]

Note to self - actively look for job at Mohawk or McMaster :cool:

[crhayes]

I do! You only have to pay $40 or so for adminstration fee and the rest is free, no tutition.

I can take an undergraduate program for free, which is what I'm thinking of doing, hell I'm in my 20's so I might as well take full advantage. Right now I'm taking a Continuing Education program, management.

:eek: What do you do at Mac??? I pay like $5400 a year for tuition :( lol it's craziness.

[SteelTown]

I work at a research lab, Program Assistant (that's why I'm taking a management course). I'm still paying off my student debt from the past. Now I go to McMaster and zippo tutition haha. It's really great.

The perks and benefits at McMaster are top notch really.

[omro]

OK, this might be an utterly stupid question, but ....

I have a lamp which I rather like and would really like to bring with me.

Assuming that I change the plug and use a Canadian bulb, which will be suitable for the Canadian voltage, it should work. Correct?

[holymoly]

I have no idea if you have to change the wiring too, but rewiring lamps is usually easy. I've done several. Bring it.

[omro]

I have no idea if you have to change the wiring too, but rewiring lamps is usually easy. I've done several. Bring it.

Awesome, well I was assuming that the wiring was just wiring and that it shouldn't really matter - as long as the bulb was set to operate on the right voltage, but who knows. I would like to bring it :)

[highwater]

I can't see why you would have to change the wiring, unless of course you want to ensure that it is CSA approved! ;)

[emge]

I'm not sure if they're meant for long-term use or just for short-term vacation use, but would an adapter plug also work?

[adam]

If you want to use a european lamp in North America, you'll have to cut the plug and rewire a north american style plug and either:

1. replace the bulb socket with a north american style socket and use a north american bulb
or 2. replace the bulb with a 110 volt european style bulb (you can buy one in a specialty shop in europe) and keep the existing socket

Here are a few diagrams... whoever does it has to know how to solder:
http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-do-home-electrical-repairs5.htm

[omro]

All very useful information :)

Luckily, beyond my laptop, it's the only piece of plugged in electrical equipment I plan on bringing with me. I already know my laptop works fine in Canada :)

Thanks!

[omro]

My brother is in the process of sponsoring the parentals. It looks like they'll be putting their house on the market at the end of this month and moving across to Hamilton as soon as it's sold! I can't wait!!

My mother and step-father are both 57 and are going to need private medical insurance as far as we all can determine and I don't know who are good companies to go with for people of their age. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Also in the realm of insurance. I have to look up pet insurance (gotta look after the cat!), car insurance and home building and contents insurance. In the UK they are both with Saga (insurance for the over 50s) who are covering them for everything. If there is a similar firm that covers the over 50s in Canada, I would appreciate the heads up, though I plan to start googling the second I stop typing here.

Other things I need to look up are:

- the costs of a phone line with cheapish international rates to the UK (my brother's family only bothered having a line for internet, no land line phone and they currently are at war with Bell).

- the rough annual costs to get a car serviced and declared safe and road worthy (my brother's family haven't yet purchased a car).

I'm sure there will be more questions, but any help with the above will as always be gratefully appreciated!

[highwater]

My brother is in the process of sponsoring the parentals. It looks like they'll be putting their house on the market at the end of this month and moving across to Hamilton as soon as it's sold! I can't wait!!

Wonderful news! I'm so happy for you. I know you've been hoping for this.

I'm afraid I can't be too helpful on the insurance front except to suggest that you think about a broker since you have multiple needs. (Can't help you on the broker front either - ours is in Welland.)

But great news!

[sofasurfer]

As a recent arrival from the UK, hopefully my recent experiences might be useful:


My mother and step-father are both 57 and are going to need private medical insurance as far as we all can determine and I don't know who are good companies to go with for people of their age. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Firstly, check this site out:
http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Medical_Insurance-Canada
(their other wiki articles might be useful, too)

For us, we just needed to get 3 months' medical insurance before OHIP kicked in. I would not recommend the Co-Operators, as they were really bloody frustrating to deal with via email/web - even to get a quotation! - with badly worded replies to emails, inability on their part to clarify exactly what they needed from us (and they requested a LOT more than competitiors, which meant more running around fo us, obtaining and scanning documents, etc). I'll double-check at home who we went with in the end, who were a LOT more helpful and a LOT less hassle - I think it was a broker in Stoney Creek. Email me if you'd like the details.


- the costs of a phone line with cheapish international rates to the UK

We went with Cogeco in the end - their bundled calling card service is about $0.03/min to the UK. Not sure if it'll be relevant for your folks, but Cogeco's monthly phone fee includes calls across US and Canada - my in-laws live in Florida, so this was a no-brainer for us. But you might be better off with another telco if they charge less for line rental. Cogeco's triple-play (phone, TV and broadband) worked out well for our needs in the end, we've had no complaints to date. Of course, it'll depend on if your house is in a Cogeco area...

One of the first things you'll discover when moving from the UK is that the mobile phone networks over here are an utter rip-off. Charging for incoming calls (and, in some cases, SMS now!) and typical min contract length is 24-36 months (although this is starting to change from what I can see).


If you're looking for a pre-paid mobile phone, check out the Howard Forums (http://www.howardforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=326) pages for well-compiled FAQs and threads. The like I gave is for pre-paid (PAYG) virtual networks.
Petro-Canada and 7-11 Speakout seem to be best if you're after occasional PAYG use (their minutes last longest without needing to make further top-ups) - but we ended up being given a Presidents Choice phone over christmas from a relation who'd got a new phone.

If you're thinking about a 'pay monthly' plan, I discovered you can get 30-day rolling contracts with Fido on a SIM-only basis if you have an unlocked GSM phone. If you have a UK phone that is (or you can get) unlocked, use that and go with Fido for now, and wait until the imminent new entrants to the GSM market here start to inject some much-needed competition and hopefully improve tariffs and terms. This country really needs it!

Finally, as for general banking/insurance/CCs, we've done very well with TD so far - great service, very helpful, great opening hours (you can see branch staff in the evenings to get stuff sorted out). Avoid CIBC like the pox - they are muppets of the highest order!

You'll discover that car insurance is typically a lot higher than the UK - but we were very lucky to discover that McMaster employees are also entitled to the same preferential rates that Mac alumni get from TD Meloche Monnex :)
One BIG tip: get copies of your entire claims history (on paper, letterheaded from relevant insurance companies) and proof of no-claims bonus (again, from ALL previous insurers it's been accumulted with if you've switched around) as it MIGHT be accepted by your insurer over here.
Be warned that not all Canadian insurance companies seem to be consistent with this, and you'll need a lot of patience and preparation to deal with this when you deal with call centres, brokers, and the like...

Hope this helps!

[omro]

Wonderful news! I'm so happy for you. I know you've been hoping for this.

I'm afraid I can't be too helpful on the insurance front except to suggest that you think about a broker since you have multiple needs. (Can't help you on the broker front either - ours is in Welland.)

But great news!

Thank you, I'm happy too! If the parentals sell up and make the move, I can jump ship early too! :)

I keep saying to my step father that the best way to find insurance is to actually be there and look, but he wants rough numbers before he'll commit to anything. He's just being overly cautious.

[omro]

As a recent arrival from the UK, hopefully my recent experiences might be useful:

Firstly, check this site out:
http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Medical_Insurance-Canada
(their other wiki articles might be useful, too)

I keep forgetting to check out that site. Thanks for the reminder!

For us, we just needed to get 3 months' medical insurance before OHIP kicked in. I would not recommend the Co-Operators, as they were really bloody frustrating to deal with via email/web - even to get a quotation! - with badly worded replies to emails, inability on their part to clarify exactly what they needed from us (and they requested a LOT more than competitiors, which meant more running around fo us, obtaining and scanning documents, etc). I'll double-check at home who we went with in the end, who were a LOT more helpful and a LOT less hassle - I think it was a broker in Stoney Creek. Email me if you'd like the details.

So far we're looking at Blue Cross. It's the only name the parents have heard of, thus are more inclined to go with it - rather than someone they've never heard of. Just over $1000 for the three months for the pair of them.

We went with Cogeco in the end - their bundled calling card service is about $0.03/min to the UK. Not sure if it'll be relevant for your folks, but Cogeco's monthly phone fee includes calls across US and Canada - my in-laws live in Florida, so this was a no-brainer for us. But you might be better off with another telco if they charge less for line rental. Cogeco's triple-play (phone, TV and broadband) worked out well for our needs in the end, we've had no complaints to date. Of course, it'll depend on if your house is in a Cogeco area...

I'm just looking up estimates for the parentals so they can see how much they'll be laying out each month. I'll certainly look into Cogeco.

One of the first things you'll discover when moving from the UK is that the mobile phone networks over here are an utter rip-off. Charging for incoming calls (and, in some cases, SMS now!) and typical min contract length is 24-36 months (although this is starting to change from what I can see).

I noticed! My phone is £25 a month, all in 1000 texts, 600mins, unlimited internet. My sister-in-law is paying $50 a month for nothing quite near that! I need unlimited internet on my phone otherwise I'll go nuts :koko:


If you're looking for a pre-paid mobile phone, check out the Howard Forums (http://www.howardforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=326) pages for well-compiled FAQs and threads. The like I gave is for pre-paid (PAYG) virtual networks.
Petro-Canada and 7-11 Speakout seem to be best if you're after occasional PAYG use (their minutes last longest without needing to make further top-ups) - but we ended up being given a Presidents Choice phone over christmas from a relation who'd got a new phone.

Good to know. Thank you!

If you're thinking about a 'pay monthly' plan, I discovered you can get 30-day rolling contracts with Fido on a SIM-only basis if you have an unlocked GSM phone. If you have a UK phone that is (or you can get) unlocked, use that and go with Fido for now, and wait until the imminent new entrants to the GSM market here start to inject some much-needed competition and hopefully improve tariffs and terms. This country really needs it!

I saw virgin mobile is out there, but that didn't look cheap either and it's the cheap of the cheap here. My phone is totally unlocked so I'll be fine just slotting a SIM into it, I've had a Fido PAYG SIM in it before, when I was visiting BC for a fortnight, was way cheaper than international texts and calls via T-Mobile, however my list trip to Hamilton was also 2 weeks and O2 were less expensive.

Finally, as for general banking/insurance/CCs, we've done very well with TD so far - great service, very helpful, great opening hours (you can see branch staff in the evenings to get stuff sorted out). Avoid CIBC like the pox - they are muppets of the highest order! My brother and his wife both use PC Financial, they like the points credit cards. As long as I NEVER have to bank with Barclays again, I will be happy!!

You'll discover that car insurance is typically a lot higher than the UK - but we were very lucky to discover that McMaster employees are also entitled to the same preferential rates that Mac alumni get from TD Meloche Monnex :)
One BIG tip: get copies of your entire claims history (on paper, letterheaded from relevant insurance companies) and proof of no-claims bonus (again, from ALL previous insurers it's been accumulted with if you've switched around) as it MIGHT be accepted by your insurer over here.
Be warned that not all Canadian insurance companies seem to be consistent with this, and you'll need a lot of patience and preparation to deal with this when you deal with call centres, brokers, and the like... Great advice, something to certainly get BEFORE we move! I don't drive so that's not going to be an issue for me. The parentals don't want to be trapped without a car.

Hope this helps!

As per usual, you're a source of amazing help! It's great because you've done it all, you are my proverbial sheep on the minefield! Thank you!

[sofasurfer]

I keep forgetting to check out that site. Thanks for the reminder!


Yeah, the wiki's pretty good, but the forum's pants, IMO.
There's also britishexpat.com which my OH found very useful (more so than the other one) for discussing/clarifying some of the steps with getting my spousal visa sorted. Discussions seem to be more content-rich on there.


So far we're looking at Blue Cross. It's the only name the parents have heard of, thus are more inclined to go with it - rather than someone they've never heard of. Just over $1000 for the three months for the pair of them.


That premium sounds about right, IIRC. As for brand familiarity (or rather, lack of), it's worth trying to do a bit of research on the unfamiliar ones as they may be better options (fora are good for this, google/epinions/etc can also be useful but you need to filter out the 'outliers' as per any critical analysis of customer service postings found on t'interweb ;))

Worthwhile digression: HSBC really take the piss with 'leveraging the brand' without adding any actual value. They wanted 100-200ukp off me (can't remember exactly, cos I told them to get stuffed) for a 'letter of reference' (note the language - not even a recommendation!) - was told by some mealy-mouthed dick of a manager at more than one UK branch that they couldn't confirm that anything the UK sub gave to the Canadian sub would have any actual influence over their decisions... when I asked so WTF did I actually GET out of this, apart from giving them a couple of hundred quid, I got nothing but vapid fluff. In the end, it didn't matter as TD were happy to take what I said on good faith, even though I had copies of statements going back a few years with me when I went in to set stuff up.



I'm just looking up estimates for the parentals so they can see how much they'll be laying out each month. I'll certainly look into Cogeco.


You might want to assign a value to having only one company to deal with for (potentially) multiple services - in terms of billing, customer service, etc. Might be worth a modest premium (although I don't think there was much in it from the options we shortlisted, IIRC).

Cogeco might not be available in the area your parentals may be settling, though. There will be A cable provider, might be worth checking which one if you can - I bet someone around here has first-hand experience :)


I need unlimited internet on my phone otherwise I'll go nuts :koko:


Mmm. Get ready to be gouged by Rogers or Fido then, I guess... I don't think the MVNOs offer data (but have a look around Howard Forums, I suspect this might be changing in the coming months once competition hots up a little - IIRC, this was the case in the UK)

The 30-day rolling SIM-only contracts from Fido are NOT well publicised, btw. No idea what they offer on those for data, but IIRC they claim to be able to match the regular plans they offer. So you may well have to ask someone at a store/kiosk about 'em..


I saw virgin mobile is out there, but that didn't look cheap either and it's the cheap of the cheap here.


I was using Virgin Mobile before I left the UK - so this might be VERY useful to you: if you're on contract with 'em (or, perhaps if you switch to 'em now before you go ;)) and have a direct debit, you can effectively keep your number and roam in Canada on PAYG if you call CS before you leave. Although their website and other publicity says they don't offer Canada roaming for PAYG, this is only if you're a new - and, presumably, pre-pay - customer. They have and do exercise discretion over this if you call them in advance. I was very impressed at how helpful they were - right down to suggesting I take off voicemail, period because the way their VM system is implemented meant I could potentially rack up roaming charges without intending to. Kudos to them for saving me grief well in advance!). FWIW you'll receive SMS for free on there, and it'll be the cheapest way for any mates in the UK to text you...


As per usual, you're a source of amazing help! It's great because you've done it all, you are my proverbial sheep on the minefield! Thank you!

Baaa! ;)

Seriously, it's a pleasure. Cos digging around for all this crap takes time, and it's great to think recent efforts can be put to further use :)

[highwater]

My brother and his wife both use PC Financial, they like the points credit cards. As long as I NEVER have to bank with Barclays again, I will be happy!!

We're with PC too and very happy. A little irritating opening an account as you have to go to a Fortinos with a kiosk, but once you're set up it's great. No outrageous service fees, and $$100's in free groceries. What's not to love.

[block43]

The 30-day rolling SIM-only contracts from Fido are NOT well publicised, btw. No idea what they offer on those for data, but IIRC they claim to be able to match the regular plans they offer. So you may well have to ask someone at a store/kiosk about 'em..


As long as you have a SIM card phone (either unlocked GSM, or one purchased flat out from fido) you do not have to enter into a contract. I think it is the same with Rogers (they are the same company but offer different plans). Most unlocked GSM's are not supported by fido or rogers so you are limited to talk and text...surfing is something ridiculous like 7c/kb.

Fido recently eliminated their $6.95 system access fees and have included a bunch of extras in their monthly plans including unlimited incoming calls.

[emge]

We're with PC too and very happy. A little irritating opening an account as you have to go to a Fortinos with a kiosk, but once you're set up it's great. No outrageous service fees, and $$100's in free groceries. What's not to love.

I've been with PC for several years now, and I'm also impressed with their customer service - its been consistently very good, and whenever I've made a special request they've always accommodated it. Free cheques are quite nice too, and they have a very user-friendly online banking system.

They start you off with a low withdrawal limit though and hold your deposits at first, which is irritating if you're not expecting it - so be sure you can live with that for a little while; then you can call them and ask them to up your limit and remove the holds, which they had no problem doing.

I also find it's useful that you can connect your account to CIBC investments and make use of better RRSPs, etc. than PC itself offers (my brother's going to McMaster next year, and if he ends up deciding to live with my husband and I, we'll have him put half his rent into an RRSP for a house downpayment/nest egg when he graduates - getting one from CIBC instead of PC will get him a better return [without overly complicating his life with investment terminology and strategies at this point])

[Millstone]

If I have a PC chequing account, which ATMs can I use to get things out without incurring a fee?

[oldcoote]

If I have a PC chequing account, which ATMs can I use to get things out without incurring a fee?

CIBC

[omro]

I had a look at cogego. For 44.99 + 44.95 (89.94) I can get digital phone and internet, the internet at 10mbps with a 60GB download cap.

At the moment I'm paying £30 for all of the above, though 8mbps and no download cap and I thought I was being ripped off :haha:

Any other suggestions out there?

[mic67]

http://www.teksavvy.com/en/nhomephone2.asp?ID=7&mID=1
Home Phone starting from $21.48/mo.

http://www.teksavvy.com/en/resdsl.asp?ID=7&mID=1
Premium 5M/800k 200G/mo. $4/mo. $29.95/mo.
Unlimited 5M/800k Unlimited $4/mo. $39.95/mo.
OR
Premium 512k/512k 200G/mo. $4/mo. $24.95/mo.
Unlimited 512k/512k Unlimited $4/mo. $24.95/mo.

note: the $4 is for a static ip address
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

http://www.canadianisp.ca/cgi-bin/ispsearch.cgi?f=Search&p=ON

Compare between 350 ISPs (Internet Service Providers) serving Canada
Canadian ISP.com is :
The only ISP Finder (comparison website) to allow consumers a one stop shop to FIND an ISP, RATE an ISP, Review an ISP, LIST ISPs, and / or COMPARE any Internet Service Provider (ISP) and their services anywhere in Canada. Those services include Dial-up, ISDN, DSL, Dry DSL, Cable, Satellite, Point to Point, Wireless and Voice Over IP (VoIP).

Hummm...says there are 25 isp's in Hamilton...but???

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

http://www.acanac.ca/
????????????

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

http://www.broadbandreports.com/reviews?slo=1

http://www.dslreports.com/forums/all?cat=66
O Canada!··Forums for Canadians
Canadian
Canadian ISP forums. Sympatico, Rogers, Cogeco, and more.

http://www.hwcn.org/
Who We Are...

HWCN was incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1994 with a grant from the Province of Ontario. In the early days, our goal was to introduce and educate the community of Hamilton on the emerging technology known as the Internet. Today, in addition to providing Internet service to the general community, HWCN develops and supports programs designed to assist local non-profits and the communities they serve on technology and connectivity-related issues.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>
off topic
http://www.techwayhosting.com/
Techway Hosting
139 Kenilworth Ave N
Hamilton, ON L8H 4R7
(905) 545-2831
??????????
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

http://www.teksavvy.com
Will likely be my future isp

mic67

[omro]

Thanks - will look through the links.

http://www.teksavvy.com/en/nhomephone2.asp?ID=7&mID=1
Home Phone starting from $21.48/mo.

http://www.teksavvy.com/en/resdsl.asp?ID=7&mID=1
Premium 5M/800k 200G/mo. $4/mo. $29.95/mo.
Unlimited 5M/800k Unlimited $4/mo. $39.95/mo.
OR
Premium 512k/512k 200G/mo. $4/mo. $24.95/mo.
Unlimited 512k/512k Unlimited $4/mo. $24.95/mo.

note: the $4 is for a static ip address
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

http://www.canadianisp.ca/cgi-bin/ispsearch.cgi?f=Search&p=ON

Compare between 350 ISPs (Internet Service Providers) serving Canada
Canadian ISP.com is :
The only ISP Finder (comparison website) to allow consumers a one stop shop to FIND an ISP, RATE an ISP, Review an ISP, LIST ISPs, and / or COMPARE any Internet Service Provider (ISP) and their services anywhere in Canada. Those services include Dial-up, ISDN, DSL, Dry DSL, Cable, Satellite, Point to Point, Wireless and Voice Over IP (VoIP).

Hummm...says there are 25 isp's in Hamilton...but???

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

http://www.acanac.ca/
????????????

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

http://www.broadbandreports.com/reviews?slo=1

http://www.dslreports.com/forums/all?cat=66
O Canada!··Forums for Canadians
Canadian
Canadian ISP forums. Sympatico, Rogers, Cogeco, and more.

http://www.hwcn.org/
Who We Are...

HWCN was incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1994 with a grant from the Province of Ontario. In the early days, our goal was to introduce and educate the community of Hamilton on the emerging technology known as the Internet. Today, in addition to providing Internet service to the general community, HWCN develops and supports programs designed to assist local non-profits and the communities they serve on technology and connectivity-related issues.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>
off topic
http://www.techwayhosting.com/
Techway Hosting
139 Kenilworth Ave N
Hamilton, ON L8H 4R7
(905) 545-2831
??????????
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

http://www.teksavvy.com
Will likely be my future isp

mic67

[omro]

Car Insurance

Do you guys and gals pay that monthly or annually? Anyone willing to share how much their car insurance is, so that I can build up a rough average?

[omro]

Thus far I've built up these average monthly costs (The Utility Bills are probably off).

Taxes $170
Groceries $400
Utilities:
- Gas $80
- Elec $20
- Water $25
House Insurance $75
Car Insurance TBC
Fuel $100
Phone $42.90 (includes unlimited international calls)
Mobile Phone $29 PAYG
Dental Insurance $104
Pet Insurance $30

Have I missed anything obvious off or made any huge errors?

Am still trying to work out how much it would cost to take a car in for an annual service. I've seen this: Midas Touch™ Maintenance Package, but no prices.

I have CAA as an annual fee of $169 and Medical Insurance for the first three months at $1098

[sofasurfer]

Most unlocked GSM's are not supported by fido or rogers so you are limited to talk and text...surfing is something ridiculous like 7c/kb.

WTF?! on both counts... data bar on unlocked handsets sucks - is that a firmware thing? in any case, that's a stupid data rate. no wonder handset and service penetration here sucks compared to the rest of the world... and I thought the Brits were backward after learning about the Japanese networks' pricing/value chain models... *sigh*

Thanks a lot for the heads-up, block43 - this is VERY helpful to know!

[omro]

Call, Text & Click (http://www.rogers.com/web/content/wireless-products/paygo_rates?content10=paygo_rates&tab=1)

Is it my imagination or does the above plan look very reasonable? Or am I missing something very obvious? :haha:

[sofasurfer]

Call, Text & Click (http://www.rogers.com/web/content/wireless-products/paygo_rates?content10=paygo_rates&tab=1)

Is it my imagination or does the above plan look very reasonable? Or am I missing something very obvious? :haha:

What about this:

Includes unlimited on-device mobile browsing using the Rogers mobile internet browser only and is available on select Rogers certified devices (PDAs such as Blackberry or Window™s mobile devices, PC card & non-Rogers certified devices are not eligible). Data usage incurred on ineligible devices, while tethering (use of device as wireless modem) or while using applications is subject to pay per use charges of 5¢/kb.

*assume this means "anything but their own proprietary browser"? You might want to dig deeper and see just what it is (and to what extent it's crippleware in terms of what you actually *want* to be doing online...)

[emge]

Thus far I've built up these average monthly costs....
Have I missed anything obvious off or made any huge errors?


Hm - just thinking of my own budget categories (or former ones, in case of the gym):

more "fixed" costs:
Cable and Internet, perhaps?
Gym membership
Regular house/yard maintenance costs (salt, fertilizer, yard tools, annual plants, eaves cleaning, etc)
Reserve fund for emergency home repairs, aside from renovations (whether in a monthly amount set aside; or an emergency fund already set up another form)

Clothing & Entertainment (not necessarily "fixed" costs)

I set aside a "miscellaneous" budget per month as well - it catches everything from sandpaper to last-minute gifts to a GO ticket or conference registration, and keeps me from spending more than X amount per month on those types of things.

[omro]

57 year olds have no interest in the gym it seems. Internet is something my Mum uses very rarely. Maintenance costs are a good one thanks. Reserve fund I've got set aside elsewhere in my forecast budget for them.

I have their incomes vs expenses = spending money, from which I'm assuming clothing can be counted.

My mum was pretty much sold on grandchildren. Bigger house, more money in the bank, are seen as just bonuses. My stepfather is the hardsell.

Hm - just thinking of my own budget categories (or former ones, in case of the gym):

more "fixed" costs:
Cable and Internet, perhaps?
Gym membership
Regular house/yard maintenance costs (salt, fertilizer, yard tools, annual plants, eaves cleaning, etc)
Reserve fund for emergency home repairs, aside from renovations (whether in a monthly amount set aside; or an emergency fund already set up another form)

Clothing & Entertainment (not necessarily "fixed" costs)

I set aside a "miscellaneous" budget per month as well - it catches everything from sandpaper to last-minute gifts to a GO ticket or conference registration, and keeps me from spending more than X amount per month on those types of things.

[omro]

Well... here's a news update...

One parent is ready to move now and the other isn't. So they'll be doing the long distance thing :shrug:

Me, I got the big boot today :tup: so my move to Hamilton is either going to happen very suddenly within the next four months or not at all. :(

[highwater]

As in, got the boot from your job?

[omro]

Pretty much, economic climate, blah blah blah.

I'm seeing it as a positive - the universe is saying - "It's time you did something different!"

[IronWarrior]

Thus far I've built up these average monthly costs (The Utility Bills are probably off).

Taxes $170
Groceries $400
Utilities:
- Gas $80
- Elec $20
- Water $25
House Insurance $75
Car Insurance TBC
Fuel $100
Phone $42.90 (includes unlimited international calls)
Mobile Phone $29 PAYG
Dental Insurance $104
Pet Insurance $30

Have I missed anything obvious off or made any huge errors?

Am still trying to work out how much it would cost to take a car in for an annual service. I've seen this: Midas Touch™ Maintenance Package, but no prices.

I have CAA as an annual fee of $169 and Medical Insurance for the first three months at $1098

As far as car maintenance goes...I would never take my car to MIDAS, they screwed me over bigtime! not once! but twice...bad experience! if you want a good mechanic go to Westown Auto on Aberdeen or Jims auto on Locke is good also.

[omro]

Good to know, do they offer an annual service? In the UK you need to take your car to be serviced every year or number of miles which ever comes first.

[IronWarrior]

Good to know, do they offer an annual service? In the UK you need to take your car to be serviced every year or number of miles which ever comes first.


I think Westown Auto offers some routine service packages that you can purchase and then bring your car in for a tune up, oil change, e.t.c..its ran by a father and his 2 sons in there early 30's, so the owners are the mechanics also.

[omro]

Just curious, what's the cheapest way from Pearson Airport to Hamilton?

Last time Mum and I took a taxi that cost about $100. Is there a cheaper way?

[IronWarrior]

Just curious, what's the cheapest way from Pearson Airport to Hamilton?

Last time Mum and I took a taxi that cost about $100. Is there a cheaper way?

Take the 'Go' Bus or Train...I'am not sure how much it is? probably around $15.00 alot cheaper than the $100.00 flat rate for a taxi though!

[IronWarrior]

Don't quote me... but I do 'think' theres a Go Bus that takes people from the Go Station in downtown Hamilton directly to Pearson Airport and back seven days a week..

[omro]

Don't quote me... but I do 'think' theres a Go Bus that takes people from the Go Station in downtown Hamilton directly to Pearson Airport and back seven days a week..

I found this on the mcmaster website, it's not direct, so if you know of one that is, awesome. :)

Mac Link (http://act.mcmaster.ca/transit/toronto-airport-2.htm)

[thistleclub]

Pearson to Hunter logistics (http://act.mcmaster.ca/transit/toronto.htm#b2) -- the trip is apparently about 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes and involves two fares.

You can also use the Square One GO terminal as a waystation: Take the GO from Pearson to Square One [#40], switching to the 407 West [#46] which will take you to Hamilton. That trip's about 1 hour 15 minutes and involves two fares.

[thistleclub]

The second option also seems to offer the most flexibility in terms of departure times. As long as you don't need it Saturday.
Plus you have the option of sightseeing in glittering downtown Mississauga.

[omro]

Great info :) I'll note it with all the rest I'm gathering!

Thanks, much appreciated guys n gals.

[FairHamilton]

As mentioned above an option is to take a taxi to one of the GO stops that service Hamilton. I also think one of the Meadowvale stops (probably the station), and then take the bus into Hamilton.

Another option is to take the Airport Express (http://www.torontoairportexpress.com/) into Toronto. The Royal York stop is at the York Street side of the hotel and Union Station is directly across from the front of the hotel. Then take either the bus, or the train, from Union to Hamilton.

[omro]

Another great option.

I'm thinking heading into Toronto and then out again, is going to be more expensive and longer than heading to Mississauga and down into Hamilton via the bus, no?

[thistleclub]

I'm thinking heading into Toronto and then out again, is going to be more expensive and longer than heading to Mississauga and down into Hamilton via the bus, no?

Hamilton to Pearson makes it look like a time-waster... seems funny to pass Pearson to get to Toronto to go to Pearson. Union Station is 10km further from Pearson than Square One to start with, an inefficiency made worse by the necessary double-back over that 10km. But if you're incoming there might be other considerations.

[emge]

It seems illogical, but since the QEW Express bus to Union is so fast (45 minutes if there's little traffic) it can often be faster to take that to Union and backtrack, whatever your GTA-area destination is. Unless you're getting a direct train from Hamilton, it's also often faster than the bus-train connection from Mac. That may or may not be true for getting to the airport, but as soon as you step across the street from Union that's where the bus comes to take you to the airport.

I'm not sure how far you have to walk, how long you have to wait, etc. in Mississauga to get the bus - it may or may not be faster, but I haven't been too impressed with transit in Mississauga the handful of times I've had to take it.

[omro]

It seems illogical, but since the QEW Express bus to Union is so fast (45 minutes if there's little traffic) it can often be faster to take that to Union and backtrack, whatever your GTA-area destination is. Unless you're getting a direct train from Hamilton, it's also often faster than the bus-train connection from Mac. That may or may not be true for getting to the airport, but as soon as you step across the street from Union that's where the bus comes to take you to the airport.

I'm not sure how far you have to walk, how long you have to wait, etc. in Mississauga to get the bus - it may or may not be faster, but I haven't been too impressed with transit in Mississauga the handful of times I've had to take it.

LOL, yes it's a little bit... bizarre. The shame of it is that globespan doesn't start flights into Hamilton until June and that's no use if you're looking at flights in April/May. Not a huge fan of that company anyway after they robbed me of 21 hours of my time on a flight to Vancouver.

I've been looking, there can be a very long wait at Mississauga between buses to Hamilton. Depends on timing.

My sister-in-law hiring a car for the day might be the best solution, then they've got the car for other stuff for 24 hours.

[thistleclub]

Traffic is definitely a consideration. If you're very lucky and travelling at either end of the day you might manage a 45-minute westbound run. If you're very unlucky, and hit the heart of rush hour, it could take twice that. It's a bit of a crap shoot. Agreed that Mississauga Transit itself is nothing much, but this fix would be GO-only, changing up at the Square One Terminal (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=square%20One%20Go%20terminal&oe=utf-8&um=1&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl). The unknown factor is the lag between buses. In both cases, you could end up with a healthy wait between connections, though yes, the arcane scheduling from Square One to Hamilton can mean you might be looking at a 45-minute layover, which erases any convenience. That's where the tactical planning comes in, I suppose. But the fare on the Mississauga Pearson-to-Hamilton route is markedly cheaper than the Airport Express to Union to Hamilton route. But even the latter is much cheaper than a cab from YYZ. Though not as convenient as an in-law and a rental.

[Jon Dalton]

I always take the 92 Airport Rocket express bus to Kipling station and then the subway to Union Station to catch the QEW Express or the train. Considering the 92 runs at least every 20 minutes and the GO bus every half hour, it's the most reliable route and involves the least wait time. It's also the cheapest - one TTC fare and one GO fare, totalling about $13.

[omro]

I always take the 92 Airport Rocket express bus to Kipling station and then the subway to Union Station to catch the QEW Express or the train. Considering the 92 runs at least every 20 minutes and the GO bus every half hour, it's the most reliable route and involves the least wait time. It's also the cheapest - one TTC fare and one GO fare, totalling about $13.

That's surprisingly cheap, how much are the separate fares? The TTC fare would cover the 92 and the subway?

[omro]

Traffic is definitely a consideration. If you're very lucky and travelling at either end of the day you might manage a 45-minute westbound run. If you're very unlucky, and hit the heart of rush hour, it could take twice that. It's a bit of a crap shoot. Agreed that Mississauga Transit itself is nothing much, but this fix would be GO-only, changing up at the Square One Terminal (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=square%20One%20Go%20terminal&oe=utf-8&um=1&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl). The unknown factor is the lag between buses. In both cases, you could end up with a healthy wait between connections, though yes, the arcane scheduling from Square One to Hamilton can mean you might be looking at a 45-minute layover, which erases any convenience. That's where the tactical planning comes in, I suppose. But the fare on the Mississauga Pearson-to-Hamilton route is markedly cheaper than the Airport Express to Union to Hamilton route. But even the latter is much cheaper than a cab from YYZ. Though not as convenient as an in-law and a rental.

Yup, the Pearson, via Mississauga, to Hamilton route seems to average a total of 3 hours when you factor in waiting for the first bus, then waiting for the second. Fun! :yuck:

[matt602]

That's surprisingly cheap, how much are the separate fares? The TTC fare would cover the 92 and the subway?

Yep, it should be. I don't think the airport rocket requires an extra fare.

[Jon Dalton]

That's right, TTC is one fare when you transfer from the bus to subway or the other way around. Just pay the cash fare and the bus takes you into the subway station and you don't have to go through the turnstiles.

For someone visiting, it's not the easiest thing to find the TTC stop at Pearson, such is the extent that public transit is marginalized in this country. It isn't well signed, so you should ask someone, maybe 2 or 3 people until you find it.

[hamtransithistory]

That's right, TTC is one fare when you transfer from the bus to subway or the other way around. Just pay the cash fare and the bus takes you into the subway station and you don't have to go through the turnstiles.

For someone visiting, it's not the easiest thing to find the TTC stop at Pearson, such is the extent that public transit is marginalized in this country. It isn't well signed, so you should ask someone, maybe 2 or 3 people until you find it.

It's actually the 192 Airport Rocket, not the 92. At Terminal 1, the stop is down at ground level, down the escalator from the arrivals gate. I can't remember where the Terminal 3 stop is

[sofasurfer]

My sister-in-law hiring a car for the day might be the best solution, then they've got the car for other stuff for 24 hours.

Your sis-in-law is in Hamilton already, right? If so, this is a no-brainer in terms of cost.

I had to get to a meeting at YYZ last month on a Sunday. Looked in to the (lack of) public transport options - IIRC, the Square One service isn't an option at weekends - and then found I could rent a car for less than $20 for a day at the weekend.

If you're picking up/dropping off folk with luggage, this is by far the most cost-effective way to go.

The 192/subway/bus option sounds good, but I'd hate to do it off a flight from the UK with suitcases and carry-on... I suspect this would take a while, too (but at least without much wait time for transfers).

[omro]

Your sis-in-law is in Hamilton already, right? If so, this is a no-brainer in terms of cost.

I had to get to a meeting at YYZ last month on a Sunday. Looked in to the (lack of) public transport options - IIRC, the Square One service isn't an option at weekends - and then found I could rent a car for less than $20 for a day at the weekend.

If you're picking up/dropping off folk with luggage, this is by far the most cost-effective way to go.

The 192/subway/bus option sounds good, but I'd hate to do it off a flight from the UK with suitcases and carry-on... I suspect this would take a while, too (but at least without much wait time for transfers).

Good to know, who did you rent this from?

[sofasurfer]

Good to know, who did you rent this from?

www.discountcar.com

I used Hertz when I first moved here, as I was able to rack up a shedload of miles on my FF program (double miles promos per rentals, plus a stack of online codes to get great weekend and the odd weekday 2-day deals) - but their location on Main seems to have shut now.

Enterprise also have a downtown presence, and I suspect they may have similarly good deals available.

Weekend rentals are usually very good - with Hertz, I once got a weekend rate for a Thursday pickup and Monday return, with a 50% off coupon, for under $50 including tax! Check the acronyms used (with hertz, you wanna search for CDP and RQ codes) - worth spending the time researching online.

[omro]

www.discountcar.com

I used Hertz when I first moved here, as I was able to rack up a shedload of miles on my FF program (double miles promos per rentals, plus a stack of online codes to get great weekend and the odd weekday 2-day deals) - but their location on Main seems to have shut now.

Enterprise also have a downtown presence, and I suspect they may have similarly good deals available.

Weekend rentals are usually very good - with Hertz, I once got a weekend rate for a Thursday pickup and Monday return, with a 50% off coupon, for under $50 including tax! Check the acronyms used (with hertz, you wanna search for CDP and RQ codes) - worth spending the time researching online.

I'll pass all this on, thanks

[omro]

Hurrah, finally, it's all been confirmed with my former employer.

I arrive in Hamilton on Monday 6th April. I'm now feeling a disturbing combination of excitement and freaking out. :haha:

[emge]

congrats!

[omro]

congrats!

Thanks :)

I have... just over six weeks to sort my life out. It's not enough time!!

[sofasurfer]

I arrive in Hamilton on Monday 6th April. I'm now feeling a disturbing combination of excitement and freaking out. :haha:

Perfectly normal (well, it was for us).

Is this you moving over proper now? :D

[BrianE]

Good Luck to you Omro!

I'm sure you're aware that times are tough at the moment but I assure you, there are jobs out there. My brother in law was working at a auto parts plant with his hours cut back to working one week a month. He's managed to find a full time job that pays almost as much as he was making and with similar benefits.

It will be difficult, but I'm sure you will find a job.

Good luck!

[omro]

Perfectly normal (well, it was for us).

Is this you moving over proper now? :D

Yeap.. permanently! :)

[SteelTown]

Congratulations!!!

[omro]

Good Luck to you Omro!

I'm sure you're aware that times are tough at the moment but I assure you, there are jobs out there. My brother in law was working at a auto parts plant with his hours cut back to working one week a month. He's managed to find a full time job that pays almost as much as he was making and with similar benefits.

It will be difficult, but I'm sure you will find a job.

Good luck!

Thank you!

Times are scarier in the UK. It's economy has been majorly screwed up by Gordon Brown's years as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Canada's banking system and personal debt ratios are lower, so there's been less of the "house of cards" effect that the UK and USA have suffered from.

After being made redundant, I saw it as the ideal time to move.

I already wanted to move to Hamilton, have done so since my first visit. I was only waiting to sell my flats (which fell through and now one's rented and I'll rent out the other when I move) and for my residency visa.

My brother's family are already in Hamilton and I can stay with them for a lesser life cost than staying in London. My redundancy money only lasts six months in London, but staying with family, it will last a lot longer.

My Mum is moving to Hamilton later this year, so all my immediate family would be there and the only thing that would have kept me in the UK was the visa and having a job.

I would have prefered to have sold my flats, had the money to really start a cool new life and the lack of a visa is a bugger, but these are just delays - not dealbreakers.Nothing stops me from job hunting and applying for a work visa to stay longer, if I find something, until my residency visa comes through. Or another option, would be a student visa and doing a course at Mohawk or McMaster.

Ultimately I can be of more use to my family in Hamilton than in London. I can help around the house, do renovation work, help with their family, etc. Even more if I can find a job! :haha: I would have spent months or years waiting in London for the conditions to be right to make the move, but obviously the big man/woman(or entity) had other plans and has given me this big giant boot up the backside.

[omro]

Congratulations!!!

Thank you.

[sofasurfer]

My redundancy money only lasts six months in London, but staying with family, it will last a lot longer.

Definitely! Even with the weaker pound, you'll do much better here.

Nothing stops me from job hunting and applying for a work visa to stay longer, if I find something, until my residency visa comes through.

At the risk of stating the obvious, I'd be *very* careful about what you say when you come through immigration at YYZ. Talk of work/residency on what would presumably be a regular visit on the face of it could fire off warning bells if you got unlucky... easier not to mention it at all, IMO.

BTW, I'd strongly suggest you try and get that bmi credit card I PM'd you about, while you're still a UK resident and in employment. You might be hard pushed to get the 20k miles credited to it in time for your ticket, but it'll be handy for any trips back to the UK to check on your flats, etc during peak season.

You should be able to blag them into giving you the plat card, too, which might be strategically useful to have when first arriving here (I can think of a couple of times that pulling it out seemed to give me better service than I'd encountered up til that moment - even though it's not much of a big deal in terms of the actual CC product, the person on the other end of the counter had no idea and I managed to leverage that ignorance and snobbery to my advantage ;)) - you'll also clean up on getting more miles with Hertz if you need to rent a car at all (PM me if you want the skinny on this, I think I've still got some of the serious discount codes at home).

Fancy a pint down the Judge in a few weeks, then? ;) :cheers:

[omro]

Definitely! Even with the weaker pound, you'll do much better here.

Exactly, plus with my flat rented and covering the mortgage and not having to pay rent at my Brother's place...

At the risk of stating the obvious, I'd be *very* careful about what you say when you come through immigration at YYZ. Talk of work/residency on what would presumably be a regular visit on the face of it could fire off warning bells if you got unlucky... easier not to mention it at all, IMO.

I have a return ticket ;)

BTW, I'd strongly suggest you try and get that bmi credit card I PM'd you about, while you're still a UK resident and in employment. You might be hard pushed to get the 20k miles credited to it in time for your ticket, but it'll be handy for any trips back to the UK to check on your flats, etc during peak season.

I did try and get that and never heard anything, I shall prod them.

You should be able to blag them into giving you the plat card, too, which might be strategically useful to have when first arriving here (I can think of a couple of times that pulling it out seemed to give me better service than I'd encountered up til that moment - even though it's not much of a big deal in terms of the actual CC product, the person on the other end of the counter had no idea and I managed to leverage that ignorance and snobbery to my advantage ;)) - you'll also clean up on getting more miles with Hertz if you need to rent a car at all (PM me if you want the skinny on this, I think I've still got some of the serious discount codes at home).

The discount car service is apparently the one that we'll use. My Mum has decided to accompany me for the first two weeks, so while I would have managed to commute from the airport to Hamilton via buses and trains, this is no longer an option. :haha:

I have made sure my Nationwide CC still works, which is great as they charge no commission and get the Visa corporate transfer rate, rather than the crappy cash rate, so I might leave funds at home rather than bring them across that way.

Fancy a pint down the Judge in a few weeks, then? ;) :cheers:

It will be six weeks on Monday that I arrive or 45 days from today. But, yes! :) You can tell me your thoughts as a recent arrival and you can tell me what, if anything you miss about the UK and whether you think this was the best move you could have made. My brother and his wife certainly think moving to Hamilton from Vancouver was the best move they ever made.

However, 1 bed flat to 4 bed detached house... :shrug: I dunno, hard to compare...

[hmagazine]

We have an english couple renting a room in our house starting today for a week or two until they find an apartment. They are planning to call Hamilton home for the next couple of years.

What's up with the English and moving to Hamilton? National trend?

It must be because we have such a bevy of big box choices! :yuck:

[omro]

We have an english couple renting a room in our house starting today for a week or two until they find an apartment. They are planning to call Hamilton home for the next couple of years.

What's up with the English and moving to Hamilton? National trend?

It must be because we have such a bevy of big box choices! :yuck:

I hope not. I don't want what happened to southern Spain happening to Hamilton, that'd be crap.

I'm moving to Canada for the Canadians! Though I'm not greedy, one Canadian will do me :haha: Knowing my luck, I'll move all the way to Hamilton and end up meeting and falling for another Brit. My Australian flatmate did exactly the same thing, had lived in Sydney all his life, never dated a fellow aussie, came to the UK and ended up dating one.

[highwater]

What's up with the English and moving to Hamilton? National trend?

It must be because we have such a bevy of big box choices! :yuck:

There are a couple of Brits on sabbatical renting a house around the corner from us. They've decided to stay and are now house hunting.

Perhaps it's because Brits aren't freaked out by gritty, post-industrial towns.

I, for one, welcome the newest British Invasion! :worship:

[matt602]

I, for one, welcome the newest British Invasion! :worship:

Seconded.

[omro]

Perhaps it's because Brits aren't freaked out by gritty, post-industrial towns.

Nottingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, Newcastle, Birmingham, etc. All post industrial towns that have seen major redevelopment in recent years and most have become very trendy places to live with vibrant city centres with cultural venues, shopping and a varied night life.

Nottingham (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nottingham)
Manchester (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester)
Sheffield (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheffield) - Nickname(s): "The Steel City"
Leeds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leeds)
Newcastle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newscastle)
Birmingham (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birmingham)

Hamilton has the feel of one of those cities, a place about to experience a major rediscovery and redevelopment.


You have many big city amenities, in a small city footprint.
University, Cultural Venues, Art Galleries, Museums, Sports, etc.
You have a good and hopefully improving transit system.
Soon there will be increased transit to other cities.
Property is still relatively cheap (certainly by British standards).
Your houses are bigger than British standard houses.
The style of housing has a "look" to them, which British houses don't.
You have some good schools.
You have a relatively low crime rate.
The people whom I have met and spent time with or just spoken to randomly have all been friendly.

[omro]

Anyone able to recommend a decent family doctor and dentist?

My brother and his family haven't found one, that they like, since arriving in Hamilton and I'll need to know for myself.

[IronWarrior]

Anyone able to recommend a decent family doctor and dentist?

My brother and his family haven't found one, that they like, since arriving in Hamilton and I'll need to know for myself.

Sure! there not just decent though...but actually excellent! Dentist go see Dr.Angieneska Jarecka at the corner ot Dundurn and King right beside the Kentucky Fried Chicken, her and her staff are great! I actually look forward to going!!! as far as a family Dr.... I'm not sure if he is taking patients any more but check out Dr.Mark Levy on Dundurn as well near Aberdeen...Dr.Jarecka is always taking new patients on as far as I know! good luck:)

[omro]

Sure! there not just decent though...but actually excellent! Dentist go see Dr.Angieneska Jarecka at the corner ot Dundurn and King right beside the Kentucky Fried Chicken, her and her staff are great! I actually look forward to going!!! as far as a family Dr.... I'm not sure if he is taking patients any more but check out Dr.Mark Levy on Dundurn as well near Aberdeen...Dr.Jarecka is always taking new patients on as far as I know! good luck:)

Awesome thanks!

[omro]

14 days

[holymoly]

14 days
Excellent!! Soon you'll be able to count the days on two hands.

Your move is the same day I finish the last of my MFA courses, so I'm counting down too. I'll be thinking of you bustling off to the airport while I'm heaving my own sigh of relief.

[omro]

Excellent!! Soon you'll be able to count the days on two hands.

Your move is the same day I finish the last of my MFA courses, so I'm counting down too. I'll be thinking of you bustling off to the airport while I'm heaving my own sigh of relief.

Cool :) Good luck with your courses!

I'll be heaving my own sigh of relief once the plane takes off from Gatwick or perhaps when the plane lands at Pearson or both!

[omro]

My immigration lawyer is contacting the London Embassy to find out why my residency visa is taking sooooo long, almost 3 years now it's been in the pipeline. There's no guarantee that it'll turn up anytime soon and no guarantee that anyone will want to hire me in this economic climate, when it's much easier to hire a Canadian or someone with all the right paperwork.

So....

People, some creative thought needed here!!

I have a British private pension, which annoyingly I can't touch until I'm 55. I do have other property investments, which in this market I can't sell, but exceed it in value, so I'm not worried about touching it. However, I can transfer it into a Canadian RRSP, which I understand you can deduct from as long as you're aware of income taxes.

My thought is this. IF I can't find a job quickly, I find some way of setting up an RRSP and getting my pension money across from the UK and then using that to fund time in college and stay thanks to a student visa.

I'm not entirely sure if a non resident can do that, probably not.

So any creative thoughts? Because, once I arrive in Hamilton, I don't want to have to leave again in six months time if I haven't found work!!

[sofasurfer]

[...] I find some way of setting up an RRSP and getting my pension money across from the UK and then using that to fund time in college and stay thanks to a student visa.

I'm not entirely sure if a non resident can do that, probably not.


I think you're right...

you are eligible if you are currently working in Canada and meet the following criteria:

* You are under the age of 69.
* You have contribution room (we'll cover contribution limits later in this tutorial).
* You file income tax with the Canadian government.
(source: Investopedia (http://www.investopedia.com/university/rrsp/rrsp2.asp))

I'd also hazard a guess that you want to tread VERY carefully when it comes to tax, and take some proper advice about all this - especially as you'll still be a homeowner in the UK. As I understand it, once you're filing taxes in Canada, your UK property rental income would be taxable here (as is all worldwide income), so it could all get complicated quite quickly.

I *really* think you should get some professional advice from someone well versed in UK and Canadian tax and pensions to help you out with all this - better to get things working properly from the outset, than have to sort out a potentially costly mess later on because of a mistake made somewhere along the line.

I think one of those British Expats forums I PM'd you a while back has some folk on there that are clued-up about this stuff. Didn't pay much attention to it as we didn't need to - but I'm pretty sure there's someone on there who actually specializes in this stuff for a living.

[omro]

I shall ask!

[omro]

This letter is in reference to your application for permanent residence in Canada, received in July or August 2006. We are now ready to begin processing your application and require additional information and documents. Please provide the documents listed in Appendix 1 by May 14, 2009.

Woohoo, the power of positive thought!

[matt602]

Good luck :)

[omro]

Good luck :)

Thanks! I'll probably need it!

[sofasurfer]

Woohoo, the power of positive thought!

yay!

[bornagainbiking]

So what night could we have OMROfest 2009? At Rebel Rock, that should be close for the new arrival.:cheers:

[Jon Dalton]

I'm down.

[astroblaster]

count me in as well

[emge]

likewise.

[omro]

I arrive on the 5th. I'm parent-sitting from then to the 18th, so perhaps after they've gone back on the evening of the 18th, though I'm sure I can leave them looking at something shiny and escape for a few hours at any point :)

[astroblaster]

you're here now?
welcome!

[omro]

Thank you :)

I am here and I am loving it!!

So far I've been very busy parent sitting and job hunting (I went to a job fair at the HCC earlier today) and performing jobs around the house for my brother. I have a mobile phone now, though I have decided that Canadian mobile phone packages are CRAP compared to my old one back in the UK.

It may sound silly, but this is a realisation of a dream - I've ALWAYS wanted to live in another country and now I am!! I'm actually really happy. :) Hopefully this won't wear off quickly!! Once I have a job, I'll be set!

I know people knock this city, but I like it here and want to stay!

[markbarbera]

Glad to see you've made it here! I'm just up the road from you, on Ontario Avenue by Stinson.

[omro]

Glad to see you've made it here! I'm just up the road from you, on Ontario Avenue by Stinson.

Thanks!

Walked past that road yesterday and last time we were here Mum looked at a house on that street to buy. Awesome house, the entire downstairs sitting room was a museum to the period it was built in. She was initially confused as to why the house was clearly owned by a couple and only had men's clothing in it, but the light soon dawned. :haha:

If she'd had the money in her backpocket she'd have bought that house in a heartbeat. Shame there's that ugly blue building on the corner with Main, but hey ho.

[SteelTown]

Welcome and best of luck on the job searching.

[omro]

Welcome and best of luck on the job searching.

Thank you, I applied for the one you spotted at McMaster and another.

Once I've finished my parent sitting duties (when they fly back on the 18th), I'll definitely try and meet people off here.