Discussions

Hi,  
 
I live in a small apartment, have a lot stuff to sell and get rid of, stuff like food will be donated to food bank, other stuff selling below market value, I will have to hire a cleaning contractor to clean the apartment after everything is out. I might be moving because an internal job position for work, I have not decided how much time I need to move to BC. The location according to Google maps is 17 hour drive, I will be flying to look at the job next weekend. My lease is one month for my apartment. I checked apartments in BC, but have not registered yet, I dunno if I am going to take the position.  
 
I need some Guidance, please be respectful when replying to my post.  
 
Thank you  
 
Edited by String, 2019-01-06 22:40:58

Decision . Everything will come down to that job . Questions I would ask my self would be pros and cons . Depends on the job security. Will it last ? The way I see it is if it pays a lot and you can afford living in bc and starting over it may be worth the gamble . For me being in the oil industry it was hard for me to make the same decision on relocating to Alberta . As of right now I put it on hold until things get worked out . Wish I could be more helpful but really comes down to you and how bad you want the job . Best of luck .

The lower mainland is like being on another planet compared to the rest of B.C. it’s bad there. If your job is going to take you there I’d pass on it. But anywhere else in B.C. is beautifull. Your in for an eye opener when you go there and see just the amount of snow they get compared to us praries. But I have family in Prince George. It’s a nice mellow way of life up there. A lot more extra curricular activity’s there then here. And everyone was a lot more enthusiastic about doing anything. I’ve been all over the interior of B.C. and north as far as Dawson’s or chetwynd. Its nice country. The last thing I’ll say though. Is it’s not called BC (bring cash) for nothin. The sunshine tax is real and the cost of living out there is more. Make sure your new job comes with good pay.

I'd ignore all the negativity. Life is what you make of it.  
 
We are so happy since moving to the Greater Vancouver area. It is so much cleaner, so much more diverse and there is some much more opportunity. Haven't been up north yet but have friends who have and yes, there are good and bad things everywhere.  
 
Depending on your work, there are tons of jobs and lots of lateral and upward movement available. Trades are desperately needed everywhere. Especially ticketed and red seal contractors.  
 
I am in office management and make over $25 bucks an hour. Finally I feel I'm getting paid adequately for my skills, especially since I was only making $16 in Brandon. The new law just started that employers will need to cover health care premiums, so that will save us some cash each month.  
 
Yes, rent, gas, and insurance are nuts. Rentals are getting easier to find, especially if you are a single person who would consider cohabitation with someone. Insurance is bad if you don't have clean driving record. My daughter had just gotten her license when we moved here and hers nearly tripled, but it has already gone down a bit with her record staying clean. Mine went up a little bit. Biggest issue we found is dealing with getting cars transferred over from mb to bc. All the paperwork, the forms, the cost....not fun. Biggest advice is get your drivers abstract and claims experience, and make sure you have no chips in your windshield, if you do replace it on your mb insurance before safteying here. Even if you bring a brand new car here, it still has to be safetied here. We got screwed on our first vehicle. Took it to crappy tire where they charged over 200 bucks for the safety. It had a crack in the windshield and they knew it wouldn't pass, but did not tell us that. They tried to charge me a thousand bucks for thecreplacemt and then another 75 bucks for a "re safety". Slime.....luckily we found a great smaller mechanic after that who helped us navigate the repairs , get better pricing and saved us a fortune on all three of our vehicles.  
 
Yes, costs to get set up are a bit higher. But like I said, there's so much more opportunity in these bigger provinces. My kids are so happy, there's so much more to do here. My oldest has two jobs, she had three interviews within days of moving here and got offers at each. Restaurants are desperate for workers, so if you want a second job, there are options.  
 
Gas prices are insane, but for us it isn't a factor. My commute is 4 miles each way. The kid's job is even closer. Hubby is a contractor and specifies areas he will work to minimize travel. He charges a huge premium if he has to cross bridges because they easily add two hours of travel each day. Traffic is not as much a factor up north, or in places like Kelowna. (Just spent a week there).  
 
Yes, there are homeless/panhandlers on every block it seems. From our experience, they are more respectable than any I've come across before. Can't see them being as prevalent the further north you go.....they can live on the streets in the lower mainland because of the milder weather. Drugs are everywhere, but where in Canada aren't they at this point ?  
 
We are loving the weather......rain and all. I love rain though. Hubby wears his shorts year round. We actually did not have a drop of rain for six weeks last summer....and it was hot. Hit 30 degrees quite a few days. And no one has central air here......only had a small window unit. Poor thing had a hard time keeping up.  
 
Anyway. Just my two cents. Feel free to pm if you have more specific questions as its still pretty fresh for us. We are very happy with our decision to leave Manitoba.

...do is go have a look! That 17 hours sounds like Kamloops or there abouts. I grew up in Burnaby and also worked just north of Kamloops in Vavenby, Beutiful part of the country. I would not pay any attention to the naysayers. Go have a good look and decide , Good luck!

I'd strongly consider it. I've been looking at real estate in bc for a number of months now. If I had a job already set up I'd be ecstatic and strongly think about doing the move. Me being the overly sentimental person I am I think I would find leaving " home" the hardest. I mean, in my younger (non child in tow ) years I've live in numerous other countries, and it didn't phase me. But now, I'm not sure if the idea of keeping simple stability would make the move hard. As moves throw everything up in the air and I don't really handle things like that well, anymore. A friend once told me that for a smooth transitional move, one should have 5,000 saved. Go check out the job, and then follow your gut. If you really don't think that it is a good idea, then don't be afraid to say no. Follow your gut when you get there!

read your post...funny

Jump at every opportunity you can. Life is way too short. My kids (in their 20s) have been out there for 3 years on the lower mainland. Would some day like to move to the Island. BUT Not coming back to Mb. Insurance and gas are expensive. The rest are No different than living in Brandon or Winnipeg. It`s beautiful out there. Rain is a lot easier to deal with than snow. And if you like snow it isn`t far away in the mountains. Enjoy!!!

the old adage "It's not the things you do in life you regret, it's the things you don't do". Einstein said, "You never fail until you stop trying". I have family and friends that have moved out to BC. They're feedback is some things are more expansive, but they're getting paid more for the same job too. There are so many free things to enjoy for recreation year round, due to the better weather. None of them would consider moving back to Manitoba, for any money. Go see what the area has to offer, talk to the locals, and folks that work for your company out there. Make sure your company is compensating you for the move and higher living expenses. Most times if they don't offer up front you just have to ask. If you don't like it, it's easier to move back than to get this opportunity again. Good luck deciding.  
 
Edited by kissmeImIrish, 2019-01-15 13:59:11