Canada or new zealand ?

Hi,
well theres the question! I want to go emmigrate to NZ, partner wants to go to Canada(British Columbia)
We both want a more rural lifestyle, with an economy based on agriculture rather than industry, also less crime, safer community etc etc for the kids (4).
so anyone out ther able to give insight to both places?
cheers - Helen

Hi Helen,
There are some interesting facts about the different countries available. I've seen on my travels around the net that Canada is not a good place compared to NZ in many ways.

Some stats I've picked up (can't guarantee their accuracy tho!) are:

Number of migrants who return home within 5 years:

Canada 3 in 5, NZ 1 in 5

People felt more isolated by society living in Canada, feeling less accepted and struggling to fit in.

I'm not certain, but I believe some areas require you to be able to speak french to be accepted for migration.

Most parts of Canada are colder than NZ.

Assuming you are from UK, Canadians and NZers alike think of the british as whinging whiners, always saying how horrible things are because of the difference from home. Although this is probably true for some(!), Canadians take much more exception to this than NZ, and are more likely to tell you to go home!

Try reading the reports on http://www.britsabroad.org.uk - gives a good insight from someone who has had personal experience of both countries. Some of his comments are a little harsh, but worth a read.

(Before I get any hate mail, this isn't my personal view as I know nothing about Canada! Its just things i've seen elsewhere!!)

I've holidayed in both BC and NZ. I rather suspect Taffy's comment might apply more to eastern Canada (except Canada being colder!) Vancouver is pretty much similar to Auckland IMHO. Have a look at the Ockanagen (sp?) Valley between the Rockies and the Pacific - that is a truly beautiful part of BC. House prices are higher in BC than NZ, but NZ has a much greater geographical diversity than BC. No bears or wolves in NZ! You'll have to holiday in both countries to get a feel and decide. Both are better than UK IMHO :)

Hi,
we did think about hols in both places to make a decision but with six of us that would knock a good chunk out of our stake money! My partner goes to Canada for two weeks every year to visit friends/hunt, hence his prefrence, but I also have friends in NZ which makes the move there more attractive for me! He reckons cost of livinh/houses/lifestyle much cheaper in Canada than NZ. I have a tendancy to think Canada's is more industry/oil based economy will cause major direct and indirect problems in the future, although only going by research, I reckon NZ's more rural, 'greener' economy, and relative lack of oil resources will promote the development of more renewable inhouse fule sources, and apart from this being something I really believe we need for a world point of view, I also feel it will lead to a more stable, less troubled future for NZ.
The nuclear free zoneing was also a great selling point, but I understand this is in jepardy now, pity.
H

Pity you can't have some interest in both places - then live May - Sept in BC and Oct - Apl in NZ. Could you entertain a "deal" with either of your friends for a house swap arrangement? Mebbe you could buy a property in, say for example Sri Lanka, then have a tripartite home swap arrangement. Hey! - mebbe this forum could be useful for a mega multiple worldwide home swap thing :D :D

Nice idea if you are retired, but its a bit difficult to find stable work on a 6 month basis to support a family!

The house swapping thing got me thinking though, maybe some people looking to move to NZ could contact people looking to move to UK, USA etc, who are living in NZ and have a 6 month (or whatever) exchange to see if they like their respective chosen destinations. That way you get a rent free trial of living in those places without the huge risk of selling up on a hope that things are as expected!

What do you think?

Good idea Taffy. How about getting the website updated with a new Forum subject heading "House Swaps" :)

Canada vs NZ? We are in the US and looked at both. We're going with NZ. Canada is just too close to the US and hence too dangerous. Mark my words, this terrorism thing is going to get a lot worse before it gets better regardless of the outcome of the November elections in the US--if there even IS an election. After seeing what happended in Spain, this week the Bush White House floated some trial balloons about the possibility of "postponing" the election until it is "safer."

Anyway, my point is, the War on Terror already is spilling over the border and adversely effecting Canada as well. Increased suspicion of young dark skinned men and any stranger; increased surveillance of ordinary, law abiding citizens; tightening down border security which adversely effects the Canadian ecomomy since their ecomomy is so emeshed with the US. These things are already happening. And when the dirty bombs start going off....well, the wind and the oceans known no borders. Detroit is directly upwind of all of Eastern Canada and hence probably 80% of the population. Anything thrown into the ocean in California washes up in BC.

Sorry if I sound like the voice of doom and gloom but I'm just calling 'em as I see's 'em. This is why my wife and I are so intent on getting our family to NZ. A little island in the middle of a big ocean on the opposite side of the globe sounds like the best hope for a safe harbor to sit it out the coming Apocolypse. I sincerely hope I'm wrong but I fear I'm right.

On the other hand, Canada has good donuts, eh?

I think you have a good point in a way Woolly, although i'm not sure it will be of an apocaliptic level, the terrorism is bound to get worse before it gets better. I read a poll on a website where kiwis were interviewed about which countries they would like to visit most, and the result was quite interesting. Apparently, most kiwis would like to visit the USA but are put off because they consider it far too dangerous!

It's a sorry world we live in these days :(

sadoldgit,
RE: house swapping, see the new posting under website enhancements!