Canadian Adventure

[redgiant]

Few more days to go at my current clientco and I've already started to pack for my first contract abroad in Canada which should last for at least 6 months starting at the start of October - role is based in Vancouver but requires travel to Calgary occasionally.

Any advice from anyone who has lived out there before and recommendaitions on good places to stay in Vancouver (Clientco's office is downtown)? I was looking at short term let flats (with 1 month notice).

Cheers.

[Old Hack]

Granville Island is where I would head. Close to downtown, and with some cracking markets, and a lovely pub on it (which has a small microbrewery iirc). Very close to the West end and stanley park (where they play cricket).

Top place, get out to Jericho beach at weekends, or do some skiing on the city slopes. Couldn't be happier for you, one of my favourite places on earth.

Take the booze train to whistler too. Cracking trip.

Other than that, New Westminster has good transport links, Coquitlam etc, out east, are all easy to get into town. Up t me though, as a contractor, I'd be looking at Granville; not cheap, but right in the thick of it all.

[portseven]

Few more days to go at my current clientco and I've already started to pack for my first contract abroad in Canada which should last for at least 6 months starting at the start of October - role is based in Vancouver but requires travel to Calgary occasionally.

Any advice from anyone who has lived out there before and recommendaitions on good places to stay in Vancouver (Clientco's office is downtown)? I was looking at short term let flats (with 1 month notice).

Cheers.

Never mind all that, i want to know how you got the gig, how the rates compare to the UK, and what sort of skills are in demand over there. I have a brother in Edmonton and would love to do a stint out there, think the missus would come too as long as its only a short term thing. We usualy spend a few weeks over there most years anyway.

Very Jealous BTW!!! Good luck to you though.

[Old Hack]

Never mind all that, i want to know how you got the gig, how the rates compare to the UK, and what sort of skills are in demand over there.

Very Jealous BTW!!! Good luck to you though.

Ditto

[Paddy]

Few more days to go at my current clientco and I've already started to pack for my first contract abroad in Canada which should last for at least 6 months starting at the start of October - role is based in Vancouver but requires travel to Calgary occasionally.

Any advice from anyone who has lived out there before and recommendaitions on good places to stay in Vancouver (Clientco's office is downtown)? I was looking at short term let flats (with 1 month notice).

Cheers.

[redgiant]

Granville Island is where I would head. Close to downtown, and with some cracking markets, and a lovely pub on it (which has a small microbrewery iirc). Very close to the West end and stanley park (where they play cricket).

Top place, get out to Jericho beach at weekends, or do some skiing on the city slopes. Couldn't be happier for you, one of my favourite places on earth.

Take the booze train to whistler too. Cracking trip.

Other than that, New Westminster has good transport links, Coquitlam etc, out east, are all easy to get into town. Up t me though, as a contractor, I'd be looking at Granville; not cheap, but right in the thick of it all.

Thanks for the tips. I will take a look at the island and granville ... i've looked at North Vancouver as well although it looks a little cut off from the rest of the city but one of my clients lives there so can't be too bad.

The client has already invited me to a hockey game ... don't think much of it when I saw it earlier this year when I was in Montreal but I maybe pursuaded.

I've heard about the booze train to whistler ... will take a trip on that for sure

Never mind all that, i want to know how you got the gig, how the rates compare to the UK, and what sort of skills are in demand over there. I have a brother in Edmonton and would love to do a stint out there, think the missus would come too as long as its only a short term thing. We usualy spend a few weeks over there most years anyway.

Very Jealous BTW!!! Good luck to you though.

Thanks ... that seems the be the reaction to those I have spoken to at my current clientco who have been there before.

As for the contracting market the big growth areas are the mining and energy industries from what I can see. I am an infrastructure PM but with expertise in EPM and SharePoint and there is quite a bit of work in these areas.

The rates compare to what I can get in London at the moment i.e £525-550+ p/d and the cost of living is generally lower there I've found - Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver, Canada And London, United Kingdom.

Being under 31 I applied for the IEC (International Experience Canada) visa which gives me up to a year to work over there without restrictions.

Edmonton would be a little too cold for me long term ... I like the cold but only for a couple of weeks max. This is one of the main reasons to go to Vancouver as it's one of the warmest places in Canada

[Old Hack]

North Vancouver is spectacular, it really is, all woodlands and near to Grouse andf Seymour. I found it a little isolated, relatively.

Its all good though, and I wish you luck.

[EternalOptimist]

Canada ? you must be bonkers. I had this mate right, and he went out there. It was great in september and that , but when the winter came he nearly died through eating ice worms. They are little stomache parasites that live only in ice crystals and the attack the nervous system.
Canada is so cold you have to melt your own water for coffee, and thats the danger.

dont go, thats my advice

[speling bee]

If I could move to anywhere in the world it would be Vancouver. Very jealous. Granville Island is a great place to go out.

[redgiant]

Canada ? you must be bonkers. I had this mate right, and he went out there. It was great in september and that , but when the winter came he nearly died through eating ice worms. They are little stomache parasites that live only in ice crystals and the attack the nervous system.
Canada is so cold you have to melt your own water for coffee, and thats the danger.

dont go, thats my advice

I'll bear that in mind EO But being a contractor I'll get someone to melt my ice, boil it, grind and make the coffee and to check for any parasites with a microscope.

Also thinking about it i'll have the bear the bears in mind as well ... they will be getting a bit hungry about the time I arrive.