Would you recommend Calgary to a family who wish to migrate to Canada from UK?

Question

If you do recommend then where would be the best place to buy a house and settle down. We are a couple with two young boys and are looking for a nice house in a safe clean area near good schools and close enough to downtown so husband can drive to work easily but far enough to get away from noise.

Answer 1

Calgary is the greatest city in the world (my own biased opinion).

Here are profiles on every community in Calgary:
http://www.calgary.ca/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_766_244_0_43/http;/content.calgary.ca/CCA/City%20Living/Communities/Community%20Profiles/Community%20Profiles.htm

Based on what you said, I would recommend a new community in the NW part of town, Panorama Hills (which is where I live with my wife and 3 young children):
http://www.calgary.ca/docgallery/bu/cns/community_social_statistics/panorama_hills.pdf

Check out the demographics, starting on page 2 of that report. It's a community filled with young families. It's nice, clean, and safe. You can check out crime stats for each neighbourhood on the Calgary Police website:

http://www.calgarypolice.ca/news/stats_community.html

If you do make it here, then welcome to Calgary!

Answer 2

Calgary is a well designed city with easy access to the downtown core. However, real estate is extremely pricy there at the moment. There are not enough houses for the demand in that area, and so people are either having a hard time finding a house, or they are selling theirs and making a very handsome profit.

If you do decide to settle there, be prepared for wide changes in the weather. There is a saying in Calgary "If you don't like the weather, wait ten minutes..."

Plenty of good schools and communities in both Calgary Southeast and Calgary Northeast. The Northeast section might be a bit less expensive because it is close to the airport.

Calgary SW is an older neighbourhood and you may get a 30-40 year old "fixer-upper" in that part of town. Can't tell you much about NW.

Where you settle in Canada will likely depend on what your husband plans to do for work. If it is something that he can work from home or plans to open his own business, there may be other parts of Canada where it would be less expensive to live (New Brunswick for example), although the job opportunities may not be quite the same.

Answer 3

I recently moved here (Calgary) from The Netherlands. Great place to start I think. Lots of jobs, all pay decent wages. Housing is perhaps a bit expensive, but not half as expensive as any other large Canadian city with a job market like Calgary.

Where to live? Phone a realtor, talk to the guy. Just visit www.remax.ca and look for realtors in Calgary. I hope you have lots of cash because getting a mortgage will be hard if you're not a permanent resident...

Answer 4

I live in Toronto, but would highly recommend living in Calgary. It is close to great recreation in the foothills and Rockies, with about the best skiing anywhere in winter. I'm afraid I can't say much about what areas of the city would be best, but Calgary has a couple of major freeways which will get you downtown fast. Look for an older neighbourhood - some of the new subdivisions have teeny tiny lot sizes and not a tree in sight.
Cheers and good luck.

Answer 5

In spite of recent property price increases, Calgary is still a strong place, economically, to be. I live in an area in the southeast, but not too far from downtown, called Riverbend.

Prices here are reasonable compared to houses on the west side of town, but the biggest advantage I've had here is being located near (not TOO near) the intersection of Calgary's two major freeways, one of which is nearly finished getting a major overhaul. That means transportation is normally headache-free (or will be soon.)

Consider looking here. See also...

http://www.calgary-city-maps.com/relocation-Calgary.html

for more general information about moving to Calgary.

Answer 6

Depends on what his profession is. Calgary is pretty much an oil city. Really expensive to live, really has expanded a lot, very busy and bustling.
Perhaps a better alternative would be Edmonton, just north of Calgary. Better housing prices, nicer quiet neighbourhoods for families, etc.

Answer 7

I moved to Calgary from Toronto a year ago and it's great. It's as cold here as it is in Toronto. So I do recommend Calgary. There's many jobs, and a great place to raise kids.

Answer 8

The best place for you to move would be Kelowna in BC. It is in the interior of the province where it is nice and hot in the summer and mild in the winter. The city of Penticton has the best weather and the most sunny days in Canada per year. Penticton doesnt have that many opportunities for jobs, but Kelowna does, and the weather is practically the same. Your kids will love it there is alot for them to do, and there are alot of beautiful lakes to swim in. You adults will love it because on your days off there are vineyards all around the area you can go to , and other amenities around the area are great for shopping schools etc etc. Oh and did I mention that the place is covered in fruit orchards? Like peaches pears apples, etc etc.

This is paradise . Move there.

Answer 9

Yes around Mcleod Trail south west and 68 th ave or 17 ave sw near mcleod trail

Answer 10

Please do alot of research. Alberta is going through a boom right now because of their oil sands. I am in Manitoba, many people in Canada is flocking there and having problems finding adaquate homes. There are articles in our national papers telling of whole families staying in homeless shelters even though both parents have high paying jobs. There is scarce housing and alot of people are living in other's basements. Housing is at 200% mark up. I know alot of people who go out there to work but come back every few months. Wish you luck, but play it safe...have a job and housing before you leave.