Pros and Cons of moving from Toronto to Calgary/Edmanton?

[ramanbeedh]

I want move from Toronto to Edmonton. Can someone share his/her experience who has moved from Toronto?

 

[Leon]

Compared to Toronto, I found that Edmonton has much more of a small city feel. People will hold the doors for you and are more polite and pleasant.

There is also a difference with the housing market. In Toronto a landlord can only ask for first and last months rent but in Edmonton it is first month and damage deposit. It is very common for the landlord to make up some reasons to keep your damage deposit even though nothing was damaged so you must be careful to inspect the apartment before you move in and make sure all damages are listed on the move-in report. Same when you move out, do not sign the move-out report unless you agree that you have caused the new damages that they have entered.

There is also a difference in the weather. Edmonton does not get as hot in the summer and it is more dry. In the winter it gets colder and you have more snow.

 

[ramanbeedh]

Compared to Toronto, I found that Edmonton has much more of a small city feel. People will hold the doors for you and are more polite and pleasant.

There is also a difference with the housing market. In Toronto a landlord can only ask for first and last months rent but in Edmonton it is first month and damage deposit. It is very common for the landlord to make up some reasons to keep your damage deposit even though nothing was damaged so you must be careful to inspect the apartment before you move in and make sure all damages are listed on the move-in report. Same when you move out, do not sign the move-out report unless you agree that you have caused the new damages that they have entered.

There is also a difference in the weather. Edmonton does not get as hot in the summer and it is more dry. In the winter it gets colder and you have more snow.

Thanks.

I cant make up my mind whether should i move from Toronto or not. I am earning here just minimum wage and cant get car insurance because its too expensive. I heard you get 6-7 feets snow and weather is terrible in Edmanton. Is that ture?
Thanks

 

[Leon]

I cant make up my mind whether should i move from Toronto or not. I am earning here just minimum wage and cant get car insurance because its too expensive. I heard you get 6-7 feets snow and weather is terrible in Edmanton. Is that ture?
Thanks

I did not find it terrible but I come from a cold country anyway. I never saw 6-7 ft. of snow in Edmonton. Maybe 3 ft. but it doesn't all come at once. If you live in an apartment, it is your landlords job to make sure that the snow gets shovelled. If you live in a house, you have to do it yourself. The city takes care of the streets.

In winter, you will see days with -20 and -30 but it is dry so it doesn't feel as bad. 0 or -5 when it is humid is about as bad as -20 when it is dry. You dress up for it and that is it. I have also lived in Edmonton without a car and it is doable even in winter.

Before deciding on moving though, you should look for jobs. Not just in Edmonton but other cities too. Set up some interviews and travel. When you are sure of getting a better job, you can move.

 

[steph816]

Edmonton definitely is colder than Toronto, temperature wise (you're more likely to get -20 to -30 temps in Edmonton more often than Toronto, but it's humid in Toronto, so, sometimes -10 in Toronto feels like -20. ) Yes, it does snow more, most of the time although last winter it hardly snowed. Yeah, in the winter, it sucks. But, even when it's really cold, the sun is still shining, so that's a positive. Toronto isn't hotter in the summer, it's just more humid. Edm summer temps are mid 20s to sometimes mid 30s. Hot spell for a couple weeks in July this year where it was in the 30s all the time.

The #1 reason people would move to Edmonton is JOBS. There are people from all over the country migrating to Alberta right now, esp from out east. There are jobs in almost every field. Go to edmontonjobshop.ca for a sample of what's out there. If you want to make lots of money fast, there's lots of jobs in the oil industry - but that means you will have to work in northern Alberta/BC for periods of maybe 3 weeks at a time and not see your family (unless they want to move up there with you). You can do a low level manual labour job in the oil fields making 60,000 a year for a start. But you will have to work outside even if it's -30. If you have a trade, even better, you will get hired immediately and get paid a LOT.

Rent is cheaper than Toronto, and you will pay less taxes as there is only a 5% GST tax in Alberta, no PST.

People aren't necessarily friendlier, but people have a slower pace of life and are a bit more down to earth than they are in Toronto or Calgary (in general). The bus system isn't the greatest so you will need a car to drive around (unless you live downtown or near a bus or subway station and your workplace is also along a bus route).

Lots to consider, you can make friends anywhere and your home is what you make of it. Ultimately, if you are looking for a job, it's the place to be.

 

[Luckyman]

I've lived in Edmonton all my life....was born here. Also have been to Toronto many times. While weather is an issue, you get used to it. As far as money is concerned.....you'll make much more in Edmonton, and cost of living is less.

And people are friendlier for the most part.

I can surely vouch for the previous comments.

Cheers!

 

[ramanbeedh]

thanks for sharing the information.

 

[Sylvia Elkatsha]

hi everybody,

am planing to move to calgary , i heard it has lot of jobs , i am moving with my son only , i dont know anybody there ... i wish u can help me to get this infos :
what is the safest area to live in calgary as a single mother ? an area with good schools for my son ?
short term place to stay untill i find a permanent house? near transportation .... etc.
how is the weather in september , i am travelling on 10/09
when reaching calgary and not still having a permanent address to deliver PR card , what can i do ?
what are the support organisations in calgary , i mean giving more infos for new immigrants, helping them to settle down and find a job?make a proper resume? givng references to get a job ?
is there a YMCA in calgary also like toronto, is it really helpful?

appreciate ur kind assistance

 

[Hasher]

Calgary is not much different than what explained above about Edmanton. Lot of jobs - wrong impression, you can say better opportunities are here. if you are not coming with a pre-offered job then it might take a while to get a proper job here. I am a Petroleum Engineer and it took me around 5 months to have a proper job (not ideal or perfect matching), it is almost an year now that I am still searching petroleum engineer job. But no doubt some peoples are lucky and i know one Petroleum Engineer girl she got professional job within her first month, so you can try.

 

[Hasher]

hi everybody,

am planing to move to calgary , i heard it has lot of jobs , i am moving with my son only , i dont know anybody there ... i wish u can help me to get this infos :
what is the safest area to live in calgary as a single mother ? an area with good schools for my son ?
short term place to stay untill i find a permanent house? near transportation .... etc.
how is the weather in september , i am travelling on 10/09
when reaching calgary and not still having a permanent address to deliver PR card , what can i do ?
what are the support organisations in calgary , i mean giving more infos for new immigrants, helping them to settle down and find a job?make a proper resume? givng references to get a job ?
is there a YMCA in calgary also like toronto, is it really helpful?

appreciate ur kind assistance

General impression is NW & SW are expensive but safe area to live but no gurantee, ofcourse. NE is also not bad area to live if you are of southeast asian region, by the way what is your native country.
Check Kijiji for short Rental or rentfaster.ca
In september usually it is mild cold, but come with full preparation.
YMCA, CCIS, Early learning center etc are here to support you but they will not be able to get you anything immmediate.

You need to bring enough saving for yourself for first three months. I don't know your education but one of my friend's wife (live in NE) is looking for a baby sitter for three months, she is doing a trainning and need someone to take care of two small kids (2 yrs & 5 yrs), they will pay like CAD 900 to 1000/month (you can have your son with you), if you send me information about yourself at Dr.rhqg@gmail.com I can talked to them or send you their address and telephone number.

 

[ramanbeedh]

General impression is NW & SW are expensive but safe area to live but no gurantee, ofcourse. NE is also not bad area to live if you are of southeast asian region, by the way what is your native country.
Check Kijiji for short Rental or rentfaster.ca
In september usually it is mild cold, but come with full preparation.
YMCA, CCIS, Early learning center etc are here to support you but they will not be able to get you anything immmediate.

You need to bring enough saving for yourself for first three months. I don't know your education but one of my friend's wife (live in NE) is looking for a baby sitter for three months, she is doing a trainning and need someone to take care of two small kids (2 yrs & 5 yrs), they will pay like CAD 900 to 1000/month (you can have your son with you), if you send me information about yourself at Dr.rhqg @ gmail.com I can talked to them or send you their address and telephone number.

Thanks Hasher, i am south asian and single. dont think i can do babysitting. I am on survival job at the moment. I education is in accounting and now i am planing to do CGA. Accounting jobs are really difficult to get here.

 

[amaniziad]

General impression is NW & SW are expensive but safe area to live but no gurantee, ofcourse. NE is also not bad area to live if you are of southeast asian region, by the way what is your native country.
Check Kijiji for short Rental or rentfaster.ca
In september usually it is mild cold, but come with full preparation.
YMCA, CCIS, Early learning center etc are here to support you but they will not be able to get you anything immmediate.

You need to bring enough saving for yourself for first three months. I don't know your education but one of my friend's wife (live in NE) is looking for a baby sitter for three months, she is doing a trainning and need someone to take care of two small kids (2 yrs & 5 yrs), they will pay like CAD 900 to 1000/month (you can have your son with you), if you send me information about yourself at Dr.rhqg @ gmail.com I can talked to them or send you their address and telephone number.

yes yes , i am so happy , of course i would be very thankful to get this job , pls talk to them about me ... can i send u a PM .... with all the details and my landing date and also with my resume.... appreciate ur kind reply ... thanks

 

[Hasher]

yes yes , i am so happy , of course i would be very thankful to get this job , pls talk to them about me ... can i send u a PM .... with all the details and my landing date and also with my resume.... appreciate ur kind reply ... thanks

Sure

 

[amaniziad]

Sure

thanks so much , reallay appreciate ur offer ,

i already sent an e mail to the email address mentioned in ur last post .

would u pls advice a short stay accommodaion in calgary , and to be very near to PUBLIC TRANSPORT , still i am looking on the internet , but nothing trustable yet ... would u pls help .

also would like to know about the weather in september , i mean what to wear at the time of landing , here in dubai temp. is 45 C. with horrible humidity !!!! how it is in calgary now ?

at the time of landing , i have to give an address to send me the PR card , since at the beginning i do not have an address , what should i do ? pls advice .

what is the area that i can find a good school for my son , i know that all public schools are good , but i know that good area to live means good company and freinds for my son .... so pls advice a good area with good schools ...

thanks and regards

 

[Tariq Ahmed 123]

Hi there,

I lived in Toronto for the last 20 years and planning to settle in Edmonton, Alberta in South West area, with my family 2 kids, and a wife (4 in total). I need your help that did I made the right decision to move there, Please need your advice and honest reply, before I finalize my decision, it'll be a big help?

The things which make me scared is That how is the job market there? I am more interested in the Customer Service job there, As I don't drive and will totally rely on Govt Transport if they have any? ( Jobs in Edmonton, Alberta in South West area, I will settle in this area).

Also, I heard that the basic necessities like

Utilities (Monthly)	TorontoEdit	EdmontonEdit
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 85m2 Apartment	169.11 C$	218.50 C$	+29.21 %
1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local (No Discounts or Plans)	0.36 C$	0.33 C$	-8.56 %
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL)	71.94 C$	90.88 C$	+26.33 %

Why Edmonton is quite expensive in Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) and Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL)
Even when the job market is quite low I believe? And for sure it's cooler than Toronto so the heating will be used in access. So all your money drained there.

Your suggestions will be highly appreciated.