How Many American Citizens Moving to Canada?

[links18]

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/thousands-of-americans-heading-north/20070802035009990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001


Here is an article about Americans moving to Canada. But really guys, Canada may offer each of us something we desperately need and can't get at home, but it is far from the Utopia Michael Moore and company make it out to be. Canada has many problems too and the sooner we recognize that, the smoother our adjustment to our new home will be and the less likely we are to be disappointed and end up moving back. For starters, we need to accept the fact that most of Canada is REALLY COLD for a ALOT of the year!

 

[calvin1998]

[/quote]
It's very sad. It's not the America I was taught about in school.
[/quote]

No it is not. Worse yet, the discrimination that exists against the LGBT community is horrific, as you well know. So lets be a little more understanding of those that lose their status here, Thaiguy.

 

[kappal_tero_deekra]

It would be interesting to know how many other nationalities living in the US are planning to relocate there.

My husband and I are both US citizens but we want to relocate. I am sure many others in the US want to as well.

 

[calvin1998]

Many in the US have fears of a collapsing social security pension system, unaffordable health costs, as well as deteriorating freedoms. Many are waiting to see the outcome of the next election. I personally know of Americans that plan to leave should the next president be a Republican, or should the Republican party garner more Congressional seats.

 

[SerenityNow]

People thought we moved from the US to Canada for political reasons 2 years ago, but my husband got a job offer he couldn't resist. Of course, if we were Republican, we wouldn't have considered the offer. I did feel as if we were abandoning ship.

 

[kappal_tero_deekra]

What ship? The Titanic? Tam-e be su! (What are you talking about?!) You made the transition and good for you. My hubby and I want to take ourselves and our kids and go to Canada. We are constatnly thinking about it, especially as we get older. The property taxes here are prohibitive, even if you own your house outright.

For example, our small home in Edison, New Jersey, costs us about USD10,000 a year in taxes, deekra. What for? So we can pay for more foreign wars? Kappal!

 

[SerenityNow]

It's an expression. Someone else already referred to the US as a sinking ship, the Titanic, even. Hey, at least it's in English. What's "deekra"?

If you're worried about exhorbitant taxes, Canada is not the place for you. All these services aren't really free. The property taxes you pay on your home are collected by Edison. It probably shows on your tax bill where the money goes, but it does not fund directly the Department of Defense. I suppose you could say the property taxes are so high because the feds are giving less money to states which in turn means less money for cities. But almost all other communities thoughout the US have much lower property and income taxes than you. You happen to live in one of most expensive areas.

By the way, Canada is not entirely innocent as far as foreign wars go. The US military couldn't spread itself as thinly as it has without the help of Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan. Canada is an "enabler".

Now onto health care. Canada offers basic health care to everyone. "Basic" doesn't mean "immediate", "nearby", or "at any cost". You have more choices and easier access to health care in the US, if you have insurance. If you don't have insurance, then Canada is much better. We always had good insurance, but I am fine with this. It took over a year to find any doctor willing to accept me as a new patient. Fortunately, I like her, and I'm happy with the service I've received--I'm paying for it, I'm going to use it! Canadians wait months for elective surgeries that could be scheduled within days for Americans. I heard about a man who needed life-saving surgery, but Canada refused to pay for it (too high risk). He ended up going to the UK. The best thing about Canadian health care is that you won't go bankrupt to use it.

I'm not trying to dissuade you. We really like it here despite the cold. My husband has found his ideal job, unfortunately at less pay than his previous jobs. As an earlier post stated, Canada is not Utopia. This is a huge decision for everyone. It will cost more than one year's property taxes to make the move. Don't want you to move and be disappointed.

 

[kappal_tero_deekra]

It's an expression. Someone else already referred to the US as a sinking ship, the Titanic, even. Hey, at least it's in English. What's "deekra"?

If you're worried about exhorbitant taxes, Canada is not the place for you. All these services aren't really free. The property taxes you pay on your home are collected by Edison. It probably shows on your tax bill where the money goes, but it does not fund directly the Department of Defense. I suppose you could say the property taxes are so high because the feds are giving less money to states which in turn means less money for cities. But almost all other communities thoughout the US have much lower property and income taxes than you. You happen to live in one of most expensive areas.

By the way, Canada is not entirely innocent as far as foreign wars go. The US military couldn't spread itself as thinly as it has without the help of Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan. Canada is an "enabler".

Now onto health care. Canada offers basic health care to everyone. "Basic" doesn't mean "immediate", "nearby", or "at any cost". You have more choices and easier access to health care in the US, if you have insurance. If you don't have insurance, then Canada is much better. We always had good insurance, but I am fine with this. It took over a year to find any doctor willing to accept me as a new patient. Fortunately, I like her, and I'm happy with the service I've received--I'm paying for it, I'm going to use it! Canadians wait months for elective surgeries that could be scheduled within days for Americans. I heard about a man who needed life-saving surgery, but Canada refused to pay for it (too high risk). He ended up going to the UK. The best thing about Canadian health care is that you won't go bankrupt to use it.

I'm not trying to dissuade you. We really like it here despite the cold. My husband has found his ideal job, unfortunately at less pay than his previous jobs. As an earlier post stated, Canada is not Utopia. This is a huge decision for everyone. It will cost more than one year's property taxes to make the move. Don't want you to move and be disappointed.

Good advice. But property taxes in any place with JOBS is sky high here too. We have a small one family house in Edison New Jersey and we pay about USD10,000 in property taxes not counting the upkeep, water, etc. Also real wages are not rising although everything else is. When unemployed, a person can easily pay USD500-600 a month for health insurance alone (prescription is separate). Many people actually go bankrupt or forgo surgery.

You are right, Canada is not utopia, but neither is anywhere else. If Social Security and Medicare go bankrupt as many think they will, then the overall standard of living in the US will plunge. It is really frightening.

 

[edgy555]

You can count me in that number too. The reasons are myriad, but basically it comes down to that I don't feel like the US is the kind of country I want to live in, despite the fact that I was born and spent my entire life there.

 

[calvin1998]

You can count me in that number too. The reasons are myriad, but basically it comes down to that I don't feel like the US is the kind of country I want to live in, despite the fact that I was born and spent my entire life there.

It is interesting how I hear this more and more. We never heard this before years back. A sign of thing to come, perhaps?

 

[chotasahib]

Hello, the forum!

"Yes, exactly," to so much of what others have said. Born and raised in Virginia, and I do love so much about the States, but over the course of my adult life (I'm 37) things really seem to be sliding in a direction I find ominous, at best. I sometimes think an ugly hybrid child of Brave New World (a U.S. version) and The Handmaiden's Tale lies a scanty few decades around the corner.

Some of my list:
The health care crisis, the recent many-year spate of grossly irresponsible lending, the runaway train of higher education costs, neocon justification of outright American hegemony, the SPP, the WalMartification of Middle America, a near cult of the Self, a steady decline in civic participation and public manners, and oh yeah, a shameful and horrific war waged under false pretenses and with zero accountability.

Marry those things to (1) a love of the Maritimes (held by wife and self), and (2) after a patient wait, a fantastic job offer, and voila!--we became new Canadian guests this past January, happily planted in Fredericton, NB.

Is F'ton/NB/Canada perfect? Far from it, and no place is. But despite some growing pains, on base we're finding it a much better fit with our own particular set of values and priorities. Now if only I could wave a magic wand and turn that work permit into a PR card overnight, with no effort...

 

[kappal_tero_deekra]

Yes, deekra (dear), I agree too. The US can be frightening and geloo gado (crazy).

 

[2moms2bc]

I'd love to hear from some of you who have posted here as US citizens who have moved or hope to move! http://www.us2ca.blogspot.com - Thanks!

chotasahib - We're headed to F'ton, if all goes according to plan, next summer! After visiting Vancouver, Victoria, Winnipeg, Toronto, Halifax, and F'ton - we've settled on F'ton. Can't wait! If you have any suggestions re areas to live, etc. please drop me a note - 2moms2canada@gmail.com. We're looking mostly at Downtown, Skyline Acres, The Hill, and Woodstock Road, but I'd love to hear what you think. As you might surmise, proximity to UNB is a priority. Are you, per chance, in academia?

Cheers!

 

[winnycanada]

this looks like an interesting post

i think this post is somewhat thought provoking...



any seniors commenting?