So, are living standards in the US really better than, say, Canada?

[Eug]

By all means move somewhere and check it out. I'd seriously consider staying in Canada for your education though. If you can get into a good school in Canada, it would take serious $$$$$$$ to get an equivalent education in the US.

The pay in a lot of fields are higher in the US, but in some it's about the same. Taxes in the lower tax brackets is lower in the US, but in the higher tax brackets it can be similar to the tax rate in Canada in certain states. In other states it's still significantly lower in the US. Note also that there are hidden expenses. While Canadians pay thru the teeth for health care compared to the rest of the world through taxes, in the US the per capita expenditure for health care is approximately 10-12% higher. And you still have to pay for health care in the US, except either you get it through work, through separate insurance, or else out of your own pocket. I can only hope you don't have to deal with Medicaid in the US.

Interest on mortgages is tax deductible in the US and in Canada it isn't. OTOH, overall the housing costs in Canada is MUCH lower usually.

Simple things like eating out at the local bistro costs a LOT more in the US. If it costs $20 CAD here in Toronto, it will cost $20 US in Boston, ie. a 50% higher price. Same goes for hotels. Computer equipment OTOH is about the same price after conversion.

Big cities in the US generally are more dangerous. Indeed, I find Toronto much safer than San Francisco for instance, and SF is by no means a dangerous city by US standards.

So like I said, by all means, consider living in the US for some time to check it out. But don't be convinced right off that the grass is greener. Because there are plusses and minuses to both the US and Canada. Except that the grass (literally) is greener in parts of the US, since it's so damn cold up here in Canada. 😉

 

[gordy]

i was born in Vancouver B.C. '70 and moved to Houston in 1979 aside from unlearning the metric system to SAE which is hell on a 3rd grader, Houston (we lived in Friendswood in the burbs)Houston and most of Tx is damn hot and extremely humid..

if i could afford it i'd live off Horsehoe Bay any day in Vancouver or North Van... there's a reason why all those movies are filmed there...

BTW, it rains in Van about(aboot) 70% of the time but then again(agayne) that's why its so green and lush... the Hindu's and Sikh temple bombings are about the only things to worry about, and maybe the odd Asian mafia slayings.. there's a heavy Asian influence in Van on accounta Japan, China et all are a Pacific hop skip and a jump away..


oh, and Surrey girls rock 😉 (those who know, know)

 

[Mookow]

Well, if you want to compare the economics, you need consider:
Potential wages in your preferred job (if you have a realistic chance of getting it), both in the area of the USA you would like to move to, and Canada
Living costs in both areas
Taxes (generally lower here in the US)
Schools (you pay for them here)
Medical care (you pay for it as you use it, but OTOH, you dont have a 6 week wait for an apendectomy)

 

[SherEPunjab]

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: SherEPunjab

Originally posted by: Ultima
I'm gonna try to approach this question with an open mind. I don't really know much about the states as I've never lived there, so this is where you people come in to help.

I'm thinking of moving down to the states one day.. maybe if I get a university education (I'm on my last year of college right now).. why? Well, from what I hear the salaries are significantly higher, taxes are lower, and I'd like to move down to say texas or california where the weather is nice and you don't have -20 degree days end on end...

However, people up here have so many conceptions about what the states are like, even though I'm sure that culturally there isn't much difference at all. For example, people here think that medication and education are expensive as hell down there and that many get sick and die because they cannot afford it. Housing is extremely expensive down there. You still have bad racial problems and tensions between black and white or other races, everyone has guns, and crime in general is much higher down there than here. You can't walk down a downtown street at night for example, which over here I have no problem doing. Even the ghettos here are pretty safe, relatively speaking. So even if you make more money... does it really amount to a better standard of living?

So, what is the actual truth of the situation? I love Canada.. there is just so much free space up here and everything is so clean, yet I don't like the crappy seperatist politics playing out in Quebec and anyways I don't want to live in one place all my life. I'd like to try out different places.. heck, a friend of mine is thinking about Europe :Q That'd be too much of a change for me I think.. anyways, looking forward to your posts.

So, are living standards in the US really better than, say, Canada?

I'll take a shot. at that, being a Texan. First of all who ever told you the weather was good in Texas? It sucks. it blows. Its damn hot in the summer and, worse yet, a lot of the major cities have bad humidity... some are not as bad as others, but for the most part, the weather sucks in Texas in whatever city you live in. I have family in Dallas, and I've stayed their for a few weeks. I went to U.T. Austin for 4 years, and I live in Houston, so I have most of the major cities covered with the exception of San Antonio - which has one of the highest drive by shooting rates and major gang problems.

As far as going downtown, that is true, it IS dangerous. Houston's downtown is getting quite upscale, but that is only really a fraction of the entire downtown. Most of the downtown is owned by asians- mostly vietnamese and the buildings are dilapitaded (sp?). There are endless supplies of drunkards, bums, etc. that would like to rip you a new one. Salaries, from what i've heard from family in Canada, are indeed a good deal higher here. But I have heard that cities like Toronto are pretty competitive in terms of that. Culturally, i would agree from how my cousins act, its pretty similar but the young males are not as full as hate as we are down here. 😀 Medication is quite expensive, but good insurance can really drop othe prices.. however i have heard that in canada everything, including expensive therapy sessions, etc. are free?? we cannot compete.


As far as education, i have heard that high schools are much more difficult up there, and I do have one story of a friend who moved from toronto and she told me that our school was a piece of cake, even though i went to one of the top high schools in texas 😱. She moved to rank 5 of our school, and our school was really really competitive.

Racial problems are still VERY HIGH in Texas, even though you will have some on this board that probably will not admit to it. The race problems i've seen are really between Black and White though, not so much asians and hispanics. Keep in mind a lot of the people esp. here in the south come from famlies that owned slaves, and were brought up in a racist and predujiced family that attempted to dehumanize people of color, particularly blacks. I've heard people make comments like "He's a good guy, even though he's black." and i'm like WTF?? They dont' even realize it -- it is so ingrained in their head. In defense of the race problem though, I do not think Canada is as diverse. I question how 'racist' canada would be if it had the same percentage of ethnic groups. btw, from what i have seen/heard I would rather live in Canada. Who cares if they have one tank, they don't start sh*t so they dont' need to worry about sh*t. BUt who knows, everyone thinks the grass is greener on the other side -- but is it?

Being a life long Texan, they only thing i can agree with is that Texas has hot humid summers. There are some excellent schools in texas and some bad ones. The rest I disagree with.

Of course, because you are in denial of the problems. Couldn't expect more from you Charrison. by the way i went to an exemplary HS in Texas, and we had the highest scoring valedictorian in the STATE. Yet my canadian friend was able to come here, and in a matter of months move to the 5th spot. she had no benefit of lying by saying Canadian schools were tougher, nor does my cousin, who is Canadian and who has visited me and seen my coursework.

You disagree with my statement that Downtown is unsafe? Either you live in Mcallen, or some other podunk town where everyone knows everyone. In Houston and Austin, I can speak with confidence and say they are unsafe, or at least, unlike Ultima's experience in Canada, one wouldn't FEEL safe there.

We don't have racial problems? Haha! right.

 

[Infos]

Congrats are in order posters
this has been a very civil thread :Q

(unlike the usual CA/US threads) 😉

 

[SherEPunjab]

Originally posted by: Infos
Congrats are in order posters
this has been a very civil thread :Q

(unlike the usual CA/US threads) 😉

WTF was that pea brain?


You talking trash BEEEOTCH!?


j/k

😉

 

[Mookow]

Originally posted by: Infos
Congrats are in order posters
this has been a very civil thread :Q

(unlike the usual CA/US threads) 😉

You've just tempted several people... myself included

 

[Shantanu]

For every 20 Canadians that move to the U.S., I think one American moves to Canada.

Sure there are a few slums in the U.S., but no one is a sticking a gun in your mouth telling you to go to one. And on the other hand, here in the U.S. you've got a lot of rich areas too. I don't recall seeing very many wealthy communities in Canada. Maybe that's because the government taxes the sh|t out of you, so that you can't get wealthy in the first place. Instead of having an upper middle class, you've just got a giant underclass of unwashed, stinking hosers.

Nobody gives a fvck what some UN report or magazine survey says. You want to talk about living standards, you have to look at GDP. And real GDP per capita in the U.S. is 50% higher than it is in Canada. Your purchasing power is higher in America, and your standard of life is better.

 

[Atrail]

North Texas is great!!!
Where else can you get all 4 seasons in the same day... 🙂

 

[Eug]

Originally posted by: Shantanu
For every 20 Canadians that move to the U.S., I think one American moves to Canada.

Including the ones we don't want. I am sooooo glad Celine Dion has blessed us Canadians by moving to Las Vegas. 😛

 

[SherEPunjab]

Originally posted by: Shantanu
For every 20 Canadians that move to the U.S., I think one American moves to Canada.

Sure there are a few slums in the U.S., but no one is a sticking a gun in your mouth telling you to go to one. And on the other hand, here in the U.S. you've got a lot of rich areas too. I don't recall seeing very many wealthy communities in Canada. Maybe that's because the government taxes the sh|t out of you, so that you can't get wealthy in the first place. Instead of having an upper middle class, you've just got a giant underclass of unwashed, stinking hosers.

Nobody gives a fvck what some UN report or magazine survey says. You want to talk about living standards, you have to look at GDP. And real GDP per capita in the U.S. is 50% higher than it is in Canada. Your purchasing power is higher in America, and your standard of life is better.

there are actually A LOT of slums in the u.s. but i agre with the rest except instead of gdp, the PPP, purchase power parity, as you went on to say is more important imho.

 

[Mookow]

Originally posted by: Eug

Originally posted by: Shantanu
For every 20 Canadians that move to the U.S., I think one American moves to Canada.

Including the ones we don't want. I am sooooo glad Celine Dion has blessed us Canadians by moving to Las Vegas. 😛

Thats OK, I'll be exercising my 2nd Amendment rights and taking care of that problem soon afterwards 😛

 

[Ultima]

Interesting thread.. keep the replies coming.

 

[vi edit]

You buying power and safety concerns down here in the states really depends on the area you live in. Here in Iowa, I have as much buying power with $50k a year that somebody on the coasts has with 100k a year. My home is significantly cheaper, my insurance is cheaper, my utilities, are cheaper, my property taxes are cheaper, and things like going out to eat and recreational activities are more expensive. I've also got much lower crime rates than most of the country. The trade off is lack of culture and lack of big name businesses and such. You've also got to drive a bit to get anywhere.

Much of the U.S. is like that. It's hard to really say how expensive it is to live in the states without actually knowing exactly where you plan to move it.

As for the concerns with health care - if you have a full time job that provides health coverage it's not really that big of a deal. I don't think that $50 a month for single person coverage is too out of the extraordinary for health care. But, it really depends on your employer and the policies that they offer. In my last two jobs, I only had to worry about a $10 copay with a $0 deductable for all routine doctors visits. Big surguries and what not were 10% without having to worry about paying more than $1000 in a years time. My perscriptions run me $10-$30 depending on the type of drug. $10 for generics, and $30 popular name brand drugs. It really is quite reasonable. But, then I am quite healthy and not any monthly perscriptions.

 

[Jadow]

France about a year ago for the same reasons. She's very much regretting it now.

Yeah, I can imagine, with France's unemployment rate for people under 30 being around 25%!!!!!!!

 

[clicknext]

Originally posted by: Ultima
I'm gonna try to approach this question with an open mind. I don't really know much about the states as I've never lived there, so this is where you people come in to help.

I'm thinking of moving down to the states one day.. maybe if I get a university education (I'm on my last year of college right now).. why? Well, from what I hear the salaries are significantly higher, taxes are lower, and I'd like to move down to say texas or california where the weather is nice and you don't have -20 degree days end on end...

However, people up here have so many conceptions about what the states are like, even though I'm sure that culturally there isn't much difference at all. For example, people here think that medication and education are expensive as hell down there and that many get sick and die because they cannot afford it. Housing is extremely expensive down there. You still have bad racial problems and tensions between black and white or other races, everyone has guns, and crime in general is much higher down there than here. You can't walk down a downtown street at night for example, which over here I have no problem doing. Even the ghettos here are pretty safe, relatively speaking. So even if you make more money... does it really amount to a better standard of living?

So, what is the actual truth of the situation? I love Canada.. there is just so much free space up here and everything is so clean, yet I don't like the crappy seperatist politics playing out in Quebec and anyways I don't want to live in one place all my life. I'd like to try out different places.. heck, a friend of mine is thinking about Europe :Q That'd be too much of a change for me I think.. anyways, looking forward to your posts.

I used to live in the US but live in Canada now. Vancouver, BC to be exact, moved up from Houston Texas. Yes, taxes are definately much lower in the states and salaries are generally higher. I think, though, that living in Canada is better. People are more friendly here (at least this city compared to Houston), the air's great, lots and lots and lots of green, I love that. When I was in Houston 7 years ago, some had racial issues. None whatsoever up here. It really depends on where you are in such a big country, I think. I even noticed that being in Vancouver is pretty different from being in Montreal.

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: SherEPunjab

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: SherEPunjab

Originally posted by: Ultima
I'm gonna try to approach this question with an open mind. I don't really know much about the states as I've never lived there, so this is where you people come in to help.

I'm thinking of moving down to the states one day.. maybe if I get a university education (I'm on my last year of college right now).. why? Well, from what I hear the salaries are significantly higher, taxes are lower, and I'd like to move down to say texas or california where the weather is nice and you don't have -20 degree days end on end...

However, people up here have so many conceptions about what the states are like, even though I'm sure that culturally there isn't much difference at all. For example, people here think that medication and education are expensive as hell down there and that many get sick and die because they cannot afford it. Housing is extremely expensive down there. You still have bad racial problems and tensions between black and white or other races, everyone has guns, and crime in general is much higher down there than here. You can't walk down a downtown street at night for example, which over here I have no problem doing. Even the ghettos here are pretty safe, relatively speaking. So even if you make more money... does it really amount to a better standard of living?

So, what is the actual truth of the situation? I love Canada.. there is just so much free space up here and everything is so clean, yet I don't like the crappy seperatist politics playing out in Quebec and anyways I don't want to live in one place all my life. I'd like to try out different places.. heck, a friend of mine is thinking about Europe :Q That'd be too much of a change for me I think.. anyways, looking forward to your posts.

So, are living standards in the US really better than, say, Canada?

I'll take a shot. at that, being a Texan. First of all who ever told you the weather was good in Texas? It sucks. it blows. Its damn hot in the summer and, worse yet, a lot of the major cities have bad humidity... some are not as bad as others, but for the most part, the weather sucks in Texas in whatever city you live in. I have family in Dallas, and I've stayed their for a few weeks. I went to U.T. Austin for 4 years, and I live in Houston, so I have most of the major cities covered with the exception of San Antonio - which has one of the highest drive by shooting rates and major gang problems.

As far as going downtown, that is true, it IS dangerous. Houston's downtown is getting quite upscale, but that is only really a fraction of the entire downtown. Most of the downtown is owned by asians- mostly vietnamese and the buildings are dilapitaded (sp?). There are endless supplies of drunkards, bums, etc. that would like to rip you a new one. Salaries, from what i've heard from family in Canada, are indeed a good deal higher here. But I have heard that cities like Toronto are pretty competitive in terms of that. Culturally, i would agree from how my cousins act, its pretty similar but the young males are not as full as hate as we are down here. 😀 Medication is quite expensive, but good insurance can really drop othe prices.. however i have heard that in canada everything, including expensive therapy sessions, etc. are free?? we cannot compete.


As far as education, i have heard that high schools are much more difficult up there, and I do have one story of a friend who moved from toronto and she told me that our school was a piece of cake, even though i went to one of the top high schools in texas 😱. She moved to rank 5 of our school, and our school was really really competitive.

Racial problems are still VERY HIGH in Texas, even though you will have some on this board that probably will not admit to it. The race problems i've seen are really between Black and White though, not so much asians and hispanics. Keep in mind a lot of the people esp. here in the south come from famlies that owned slaves, and were brought up in a racist and predujiced family that attempted to dehumanize people of color, particularly blacks. I've heard people make comments like "He's a good guy, even though he's black." and i'm like WTF?? They dont' even realize it -- it is so ingrained in their head. In defense of the race problem though, I do not think Canada is as diverse. I question how 'racist' canada would be if it had the same percentage of ethnic groups. btw, from what i have seen/heard I would rather live in Canada. Who cares if they have one tank, they don't start sh*t so they dont' need to worry about sh*t. BUt who knows, everyone thinks the grass is greener on the other side -- but is it?

Being a life long Texan, they only thing i can agree with is that Texas has hot humid summers. There are some excellent schools in texas and some bad ones. The rest I disagree with.

Of course, because you are in denial of the problems. Couldn't expect more from you Charrison. by the way i went to an exemplary HS in Texas, and we had the highest scoring valedictorian in the STATE. Yet my canadian friend was able to come here, and in a matter of months move to the 5th spot. she had no benefit of lying by saying Canadian schools were tougher, nor does my cousin, who is Canadian and who has visited me and seen my coursework.

You disagree with my statement that Downtown is unsafe? Either you live in Mcallen, or some other podunk town where everyone knows everyone. In Houston and Austin, I can speak with confidence and say they are unsafe, or at least, unlike Ultima's experience in Canada, one wouldn't FEEL safe there.

We don't have racial problems? Haha! right.

I never said we are not free of racial problems or we had a perfect education system. I have no doubt Canada has fine schools and they can come down here and excel in our schools.

The racial problems you speak of I have only experienced a few times in my life. The high school I went to was fairly evenly split between white, black and hispanic. This is not denial, I just normally dont see what you speak of. And do you consider San Antonio a podunk town?

YOu name any city and guarantee there is some portion of it that is unsafe.
Downtown San Antonio is safe, but there exists portions i would rather not go to.
Downtown austin is safe, but most people would rather not go to east part of austin.
Houston downtown is safe, but portions of it are not.
No city is free from this.

 

[SherEPunjab]

I never said we are not free of racial problems or we had a perfect education system.

No, you didn't, but you said "There are some excellent schools in texas and some bad ones." And what I am saying is that even within our 'exemplary' schools,' the curriculum is nothing compared to the 'top' public high schools of canada, another poster who has been educated in both places has attested to this.

have no doubt Canada has fine schools and they can come down here and excel in our schools.

okay, was that a point of mine?

The racial problems you speak of I have only experienced a few times in my life. The high school I went to was fairly evenly split between white, black and hispanic. This is not denial, I just normally dont see what you speak of.

Again refer to a different poster above on their experiences with race in Houston, and Canada. Racism is very prevalent in this state, if you don't see it, i suggest you open your eyes more, because i know for a fact that you have been around it if you have lived in this state for more than 1 year. I see racism everyday, from stares made by certain people to certain people, by comments made, by actions, heck, by just driving around the city and seeing how segregated it is in 2003.

And do you consider San Antonio a podunk town?

no, not at all. But i seriously doubt you will feel safe walking around downtown San Antonio late at night, considering the gang problems that city has.

YOu name any city and guarantee there is some portion of it that is unsafe.

not true for a lot of small cities, but i know what you mean. But there is a huge part of downtown houston where anyone would feel unsafe, 'some portion' is downplaying this fact considerably IMHO.

Downtown austin is safe, but most people would rather not go to east part of austin.

Why, because it is populated by mainly lower income hispanic people? There are PLENTY of areas in Downtown austin that i wouldn't feel safe walking around alone at night. I've been there enough to know this.

Houston downtown is safe, but portions of it are not.

I seriously doubt this statement. Yes, the club district is relatively well lighted and security is plentiful, but that only makes up a tiny portion of the entire downtown. Drive from there to past George R. Brown to the Kim Son restaurant side and see all the ghetto there. Would you feel safe walking there at night? I doubt it.

 

[Ultima]

Well, if I'm gonna go to university I hope they have an equivalency program, or else I'm gonna be stuck in there for 3 more years.. lol. See, right now I'm in college in CS, which is a 3-year technical program designed to find me a job (albeit not a very high paying one) at the end of the program. I get what is called a DEC when I graduate. That's not the same as a bachelor's though. If they have an equivalency thing, maybe I could cut university down to 2 or even 1 year, since I already covered a lot of that material in my college course.

 

[rudder]

its really hard to generalize the U.S. Even the amount you are taxed varies from state to state. I live in Tennessee where we do not have a state income tax, but pay 9% on most purchases. Some areas are rascist, some areas have a generous mix of ethnicities and get along quite well. There are places I would not venture to even when the sun was up, and then there are places where I would not care if my kids stayed out all night playing with their friends.

Here in middle Tennessee, the winters are generally mild. I live in a rural area and the only reason I lock my car door is so people don't fill it up with vegetables from thier garden. Being tennessee there are a lot of rednecks running around. Some are rascist, but in our area we have not had any race issues for as long as I have lived here which is 5 years.

The only advice I can offer is to think about what type of climate and attitude you would enjoy. Do a little research and your bound to find a community to your liking.

 

[Lonyo]

I thought Canada was pretty much the "best" country in terms of standard of living, things like literacy rate, people per doctor etc, and general overall "niceness". Well, maybe all this geography stuff about population is wrong and Canada is not infact the #1 country. Or maybe it is and Americans don't want to admit it.

 

[StageLeft]

Too bad I didn't see this thread before.

Canadians have a very skewed opinion/view of the states - but Americans have the exact same pervasive ignorance of Canada, so I'm not pointing fingers.

I don't know about the overall quality of life and yes there are good/bad cases everywhere but for us personally our quality of life, insomuch as our financial status at least, is better. We make more money and it is taxed less. Living costs in birmingham at least are not extravagent and we get to us the US dollar when buying things.

For example, people here think that medication and education are expensive as hell down there and that many get sick and die because they cannot afford it.

If you're poor stay up in Canada, because you don't want to use the health system here if you lack insurance.

Housing is extremely expensive down there.

In some areas yeah, but in other areas not necessarily 🙂

You still have bad racial problems and tensions between black and white or other races

Yes, but I can truly say that having lived in the deep south for the past 18 months I've not seen it at all. I mean not a single case in front of me. Not to say it doesn't exist, but the south is not full of shotgun toting KKK and lynch parties every saturday night.

everyone has guns, and crime in general is much higher down there than here.

There are a lot of guns but the only guns I've seen down here so are are a) On police, b) In a hunting store, and c) I one time saw a guy carrying an assault rifle out of a pawn shop. In terms of crime I feel no less safe here than in Halifax, though admittedly Halifax is very violent. I do remember seeing the stats before I moved and while there are more lethalities here (because of the more guns) the rape and unarmed assault was much lower. THe score that the site was using actually ranked Huntsville, AL as LESS crime ridden than Halifax.

You can't walk down a downtown street at night for example, which over here I have no problem doing.

Man there are some streets in Halifax I wouldn't want to walk down unless I was with 5 friends and we all had bats and mace.

It is dirtier at least in Birmingham than in Halifax. People here are slobs often - you'll see beer bottles/cans on the side of the road and crap like that. I don't know if it's becaue they are dirtier here or the cleaning crews are just not as prevalent.

That said immigrating legally is a horrendous pain in the ass. If we had to do it all over again I'd say we'd have gone to Ontario. We're over the hump now I believe, but legal immigration to the US is a _big big_ pain in the ass. In fact many/most people just can't do it. I can only do it because I'm piggy backing on mrsskoorb's nursing shortcuts. Even though it's not all that hard for a Canadian to work in the US on a TN (temporary), anything long term (permanent resident/ AKA Greencard) is a whopping boundary.

nothing like getting a good education from highly accredited schools funded in large part by your government then moving outta country.

GO CANADA!

Bingo! Canada needs to sort that situation out. I'm a product of it and I feel no guilt.

Frankly North America really is #1.

My brother has spent 2 years in Arizona, 2 years in Tokyo, and is now probably going to move to Singapore. I've been to many countries in my time and for me North America really is #1. I guess different strokes for different folks but Europe ain't all it's cracked up to be (our family immigrated from England when I was 7). North America ROX0RS.

I'm glad most of the Canadians agree that the political climate in Canada is apathetic. It really bugs the sh*t out of me too.

canada- great place to live
USA- great place to work/oppurtunities
overall- both are great places.

Very accurate. The US is a better place to make money, there is little doubt about that. Once you retire take that money and switch to Canadian dollars and retire 🙂

Oh and BTW it may seem petty but the weather down in southern US is a sigifnicant contributing reason to my liking it here. It's march and I just drove around with the window down in the sun with a t-shirt listening to music. I don't think people in Alberta were doing that today. We got like 5 mm of snow. I mean hell in most of canada there are 5 months where you may end up shoveling snow. It's ridiculous.

I'll admit I'm greedy and I like toys which also contributes to my liking of the US. I feel that the tax system in Canada is a great weight that Canada needs to lift from its shoulders. It's doing a lot of damage.

As mentioned get your education in Canada.

I've said it before and I'll say it again Canada and the US are more similar than they are different. A willing Canadian can make a good happy life in the US and vice versa. People in both countries like the same things, watch the same sh*ty reality tv shows, and listen to the same music. If we leave the US Canada would be the only place we'd really consider living. Mrsskoorb and I aren't sure if we'll go back or not. Assuming immigration gives us the flexibility to decide fully who knows what the future holds. For now we like the weather, we like the people we've met, we like being within close distances of big cities. We're 4.5 hours from the hottest beach water I've ever felt, a long day's drive from Disney world, and less than a day's drive to good mountains should we want to ski in the winter. If I lose my job hers alone will keep us above water living well, whereas in Canada we'd both need to work. I do miss Tim Hortons and Keiths beer, however.

 

[freegeeks]

That said immigrating legally is a horrendous pain in the ass. If we had to do it all over again I'd say we'd have gone to Ontario. We're over the hump now I believe, but legal immigration to the US is a _big big_ pain in the ass. In fact many/most people just can't do it. I can only do it because I'm piggy backing on mrsskoorb's nursing shortcuts. Even though it's not all that hard for a Canadian to work in the US on a TN (temporary), anything long term (permanent resident/ AKA Greencard) is a whopping boundary.

WOW I didn't know it was so difficult for Canadians to immigrate legally.

I had the impression that the US had very loose immigration laws

 

[The Stigenator]

NO!

Canada is higher.. canada has an HPI index of .99 which is the heighest in the world.... HPI (Human Population Index)...

Check out the CIA fact book.

 

[kami]

I love Canada.. there is just so much free space up here and everything is so clean, yet I don't like the crappy seperatist politics playing out in Quebec and anyways I don't want to live in one place all my life

Come to southern ontario then...not necessarily toronto. I could never live in toronto actually. I've been living here for 2 years for school and I'm not a fan of the big city life. I'll be moving to and working in Guelph Ontario when I'm done (population of around 90,000) which is within short driving distance to a lot of other cities. I grew up in Kitchener Ontario.