I tried to get the wifey to move to Cobourg 10 years ago, missed the boat on extra cheap homes. Still has a VIA rail connection to Union Station. So it's great if you want to work in the Downtown Core and live in the Country.
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Thinking of moving to a new city...suggestions, ideas etc are welcome
- Thread starter black_CG2
- Start date
I tried to get the wifey to move to Cobourg 10 years ago, missed the boat on extra cheap homes. Still has a VIA rail connection to Union Station. So it's great if you want to work in the Downtown Core and live in the Country.
I know some people that tried that. Soul crushing. So much money and time spent on the commute that they seriously regretted the decision and were planning on moving back until illness changed the plan entirely.
I grew up near cobourg. House prices there are crazy (and out of line with incomes in the area). So many gta residents are retiring in cobourg and after selling their gta houses they have tons to spend on cobourg houses (while still keeping a lot in the bank). 1000 sq ft condo stacked towns for 500k+. Yes, that's more affordable than gta, but still too much. Cobourg, where people go to die.
Roadghost
Well-known member
--Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Prices in Halifax are rising (Ontario refugees).
--Kingston, ON (1000 islands area, very nice)
--Southwestern Quebec (Hudson, etc.) Within striking distance of "wild party" Montreal, reasonable house pricing.
-- St. John, New Brunswick (or any of the Southern New Brunswick towns).
--Kingston, ON (1000 islands area, very nice)
--Southwestern Quebec (Hudson, etc.) Within striking distance of "wild party" Montreal, reasonable house pricing.
-- St. John, New Brunswick (or any of the Southern New Brunswick towns).
I originally came from the UK. My part of the world if you wanted to work in London a 90 minute train ride was the norm.
Checking the schedule, the 7am train to Union is 1hr and 25 minutes, which by GTA standards isn't offensive.
By the time you include some time to get to the train and some time at the other end to get from Union to work, you are pushing close to four hours a day. Add the $50 to $100 for your daily via ticket, plus TTC or uber at the Toronto end for most people. Unless you are making tons of money (in which case you could have afforded TO) it's nuts. Maybe if you can go to the office two days a week or less, but you are still looking at commuting costs of $500 to $1000 a month (plus the vehicle you needed to get to the cobourg rail station because nobody in their right mind would rely on cobourg public transit as part of their long morning commute). It is possible, I just think that once you actually see what the time and money required looks like, there are much better options (live and work in the area or live closer to GTA if you need to work downtown).
Same here but I used to commute across the Pennines from Manchester to Sheffield via train. British rail was extremely crap then, would sometimes take the better part of 2h. My commute in Paris, France was about 1.5h end to end but was more manageable as I was commuting out and not into the city, sometimes I’d get off the metro early from work and walk past Notre Dame cathedral to get home to my apartment so things like that made it very bearable. When I came to Canada I had job offers in Toronto and Kingston. The practically non-existent commute and lower house prices were why I chose Kingston and after visiting Toronto quite a few times over the years and driving on the Gardiner/401/400 I’ve never had any regrets.
I do miss the city but I’m talking Paris or London or Manchester, not Toronto. Hardly ever go to Toronto, I prefer Montreal which is why Kingston is a good fit. Kingston is busy when the students are here, quieter when they aren’t. It is a good base though and the lake and the islands are close. My house currently is worth about $500k with 2200 sq ft and nice big lot but there’s plenty around for way less than that (some 200k homes and even a few less than that). 10 mins north gets quite cheap, Napanee/Gananoque (30 mins east/west) there’s some bargains. Even some mini farmsteads for decent prices.
I can see how family might be a big thing if they are 2h away. Mine are 1000s Km’s away and a full day's flight anyway so it doesn’t make a difference to me either way.
Totally understand what you are getting at, and it's not for everyone. For instance some idea of the savings is not having to pay $500 a month to park downtown, that goes a long way of absorb the train cost. Wear and tear on the car, gas and insurance etc etc.
Make sure it is a legal basement apartment. The vast majority aren't. That has income, liability, safety and insurance implications.
EDIT:
If you really want a boost to get you going, rent out the above-ground part of the house for a few years while you live in the basement.
Mad Mike
Well-known member
Both my son and I had a relo opportunity in St. John and Moncton respectively. When I was evaluating things, the most expensive home in the greater Moncton area was $650K. 5000sq', a few acres and enough garage space for 5 cars, 20 bikes and a a few other powertoys. Something that would cost 750 in the GTA would be $150 there, $2M in the GTA - maybe $500K. 2 acres with 400' ocean front for $350K.
The prices and laid back lifestyle was tempting, but not enough to overcome the extra month of winter the feeling I get when too far removed from the center of the universe.
Eighty hours a month of commuting and $1500-$2500 in commuting costs. Thats incredibly foolish. One would have to be making $150-$200K just to consider that. If your making that much you can easily afford TO.
black_CG2
Well-known member
Maritimes are so tempting but is there any chance their economy could bounce back?
Wouldn't you want to go to the bigger cities? Every single person in my family (Ottawa Valley) gets referred to Ottawa for any major medical issues. Small potatoes are dealt with locally but everyone ends up in Ottawa or Toronto. This is going back to the late 70's/early 80s eg cancer/addicitions and handicaps.
My first thought was who cares? Assuming you can get a job, pay off your house fast. If nothing changes, you are in a paid off house enjoying life. If things take off, you are in a paid off house worth a fortune enjoying life.
black_CG2
Well-known member
That is true.
I appreciate how members of GTAM are so helpful and open with their suggestions, advice and experience. I cannot thank you enough, folks!
J_F
Guest
lots of quality work out there
and most other places
Irving in NB is a good employer
but like everywhere else
you need industry specific knowledge to get hired on
iron ore mines in Labrador are going again
but same thing, you need a mining background
a company has no need to bring an out of province generalist
lots of local generalists
I would be personally concerned about job stability for both myself and my spouse. Also, eventually for my kids (they could move, but most people will end up staying close-ish to their parents, at least to start).
OP I think your best course of action is to focus on the job you want, apply and apply and apply, and in all honesty in your line of previous work I think the GTA/ON is the best for the time being. You can always pack up and move at any time. Have you considered consulting/contracting with old contacts/customers/etc.?
In my job I'm very fortunate that I get to work with people from all over Canada. From the East Coast, to the Yukon and they all say the same thing, it's great where they are, but they're all here for money. The guys on the East Coast show me houses that are 1/3-1/4 of what I'm looking at for a much bigger house. The guys in SASK say it's great but jobs are so so. Same story everywhere.
Everyone that's gotten to where they are also say the same thing, they either stayed with family, or followed the money. No other reason. That's where an existing job took them, so they made the new location their home. Very few picked up and left to go to a place and then look for a job.
There's a mine going in Kamloops, but they want people from Kamloops. They won't fly guys in/out as it's not a remote site, and they're supporting the local economy. A good 10 years of mining out there, possibly more.
A few off the top of my head....Site C (BC) is a huge camp fly in/out site, good money. Try applying at FIFO jobs, and maybe the lifestyle will work for you and yours. Then you can live wherever you like as FIFO jobs don't care where you live.
EDIT: If I knew I'd stay here and be doing FIFO jobs for the next 10-20 years I would find a nice cheap COL town, setup there with my family, and they can live there while I travel for work. But I know I'm coming back to TO within 1-2 years, depending on project blah blah blah, so there's no purpose for me to move away. Honestly I've heard of a mine site in Mongolia that pays $1200/day for a 4 and 2 rotation...I'm trying to get more info. 2 years of that and everything I've ever owned is paid off.
Honestly look into LNG project in Kitimat/Terrace. Unfortunately with this much money coming in the gangs/crime will follow suit and it'll change the town. But that's everywhere you go.
In my job I'm very fortunate that I get to work with people from all over Canada. From the East Coast, to the Yukon and they all say the same thing, it's great where they are, but they're all here for money. The guys on the East Coast show me houses that are 1/3-1/4 of what I'm looking at for a much bigger house. The guys in SASK say it's great but jobs are so so. Same story everywhere.
Everyone that's gotten to where they are also say the same thing, they either stayed with family, or followed the money. No other reason. That's where an existing job took them, so they made the new location their home. Very few picked up and left to go to a place and then look for a job.
There's a mine going in Kamloops, but they want people from Kamloops. They won't fly guys in/out as it's not a remote site, and they're supporting the local economy. A good 10 years of mining out there, possibly more.
A few off the top of my head....Site C (BC) is a huge camp fly in/out site, good money. Try applying at FIFO jobs, and maybe the lifestyle will work for you and yours. Then you can live wherever you like as FIFO jobs don't care where you live.
EDIT: If I knew I'd stay here and be doing FIFO jobs for the next 10-20 years I would find a nice cheap COL town, setup there with my family, and they can live there while I travel for work. But I know I'm coming back to TO within 1-2 years, depending on project blah blah blah, so there's no purpose for me to move away. Honestly I've heard of a mine site in Mongolia that pays $1200/day for a 4 and 2 rotation...I'm trying to get more info. 2 years of that and everything I've ever owned is paid off.
Honestly look into LNG project in Kitimat/Terrace. Unfortunately with this much money coming in the gangs/crime will follow suit and it'll change the town. But that's everywhere you go.
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