To Americans who emigrated to Canada

[Realspiritik]

Oh yes, I use it all the time! Love that it overlays lot lines with satellite views.

We’re far enough west of Boston & its suburbs that I don’t think the Annapolis Valley would feel too “small”. Ideally we’d be close enough to shopping in New Minas, or Greenwood to do it as needed rather than making a monthly trek. We’ve done some exploring of that area, but need to do more.

The Valley is pretty small, to be honest. When you take into account that the total population of Nova Scotia didn't crack the 1-million mark till 2023 or 2024, and half the population lives in or very close to Halifax, the populations of Valley towns such as New Minas are fairly small.

I live in West Bedford, which has seen rapid growth in the past few years. My apartment is quite spacious, so I have lots of room for book shelves. But older apartments and condos in the area are usually smaller.

Something I forgot to mention is the cost of groceries in Nova Scotia. Food isn't cheap here because most of it is shipped long distances. On the plus side, there are many farms in the Valley that grow wonderful produce, and if you like to garden, the Valley has the best growing conditions in the province.

My daughter-in-law's brother almost bought a new house on a slab close to the area where you're looking. But the well water didn't pass the test. Some of the newer builds seem to be on slabs (probably to save money, as you suggest), but as a dyed-in-the-wool older Canadian, I don't think I could bring myself to buy a house without a basement.

Laundry on the main floor would be awesome, though!

 

[Introversion]

The Valley is pretty small, to be honest.

Yeah, we don’t mind that. It felt like where we live now, just a bit smaller.

I like Halifax, but yow, houses are expensive there. We remotely look at property in some of its outer suburbs, though even there you seem to get quite a bit less land for similar money? We’re both of the opinion that if we must have close neighbors, then a city condo that’s walkable to things would be preferable.

Something I forgot to mention is the cost of groceries in Nova Scotia. Food isn't cheap here because most of it is shipped long distances. On the plus side, there are many farms in the Valley that grow wonderful produce, and if you like to garden, the Valley has the best growing conditions in the province.

Yeah, that’s (the micro climate) also a draw! I used to garden, and would like to again. There seems to be a lot of farmer‘s markets and smaller butcher shops in the Valley too? Nice to have.

As for living costs, yeah. Not cheaper than here. But I’d trade higher costs for “less fascism”. Assuming you all don’t wind up going down the same MAGA road as the US, of course.

 

[Realspiritik]

As for living costs, yeah. Not cheaper than here. But I’d trade higher costs for “less fascism”. Assuming you all don’t wind up going down the same MAGA road as the US, of course.

I usually check CNN every day, and to be honest, there are days when I just cannot believe what I'm seeing.

We just had a provincial election in Nova Scotia and the Conservative government won a second term. But Canada's Maritime provinces have always been among the most liberal of our liberal governments, and "Conservative" here doesn't mean what it means in the U.S. The current provincial government has been spending money on health care, roads, and solutions to the homelessness problem (which we have like everybody else, in part because housing prices have skyrocketed since Covid).

And, like all Canadian provinces, we have government-funded health care. I recently had cataract surgery (first one eye, then the other), and the only cost to me was $80 per eye for upgraded lenses. Although there are often waiting lists here, nobody (well, almost nobody) loses their house because of medical bills.

 

[Realspiritik]

Yeah, that’s (the micro climate) also a draw! I used to garden, and would like to again. There seems to be a lot of farmer‘s markets and smaller butcher shops in the Valley too? Nice to have.

I forgot to mention how surprised I was when I arrived in Nova Scotia and discovered there are small vineyards in the Valley because of the micro climate. At these latitudes, it's quite surprising.

New Brunswick, on the other side of the Bay of Fundy, is a short distance as the crow flies, but their winters are dreadful by comparison!

 

[Introversion]

I forgot to mention how surprised I was when I arrived in Nova Scotia and discovered there are small vineyards in the Valley because of the micro climate.

We visited one near Wolfville. Nice spot, nice wine. Wish Wolfville was more affordable.

But Canada's Maritime provinces have always been among the most liberal of our liberal governments, and "Conservative" here doesn't mean what it means in the U.S. The current provincial government has been spending money on health care, roads, and solutions to the homelessness problem (which we have like everybody else, in part because housing prices have skyrocketed since Covid).

Yeah, it’s always refreshing to my cynical USian eyes to read Nova Scotia’s plans for Internet, roads, etc. Like, wow, functional government!

Healthcare is a concern — I gather it would take a newcomer years to find a regular doctor, and many smaller parts of the province (am thinking of Annapolis Royal, which otherwise looks like a nice if very small town) have no nearby hospitals. Walk-in clinics fill the gaps I guess?

But healthcare in the US is not exactly braggable either, and I don’t see it getting better soon. It’s already hard to find a new doctor here. And if Convicted Felon Trump (CFT)™ does what he threatened promised to do, Nova Scotia’s healthcare will look very, very good by comparison, even if one does have decent coverage by one’s employer.

 

[Realspiritik]

Healthcare is a concern — I gather it would take a newcomer years to find a regular doctor, and many smaller parts of the province (am thinking of Annapolis Royal, which otherwise looks like a nice if very small town) have no nearby hospitals. Walk-in clinics fill the gaps I guess?

And Annapolis Royal is a long, long way from the Halifax Costco!

Sometimes it takes years to find a family doctor and sometimes it doesn't. There's an online waiting list, and people actually get called when there's an opening on the list. Meanwhile, there are walk-in clinics, certain pharmacies where a pharmacist can prescribe basic treatments (e.g. antibiotics for pink eye or urinary tract infections), a telemedicine service staffed (I believe) by nurse practitioners, and of course the overcrowded emergency departments.

There's also a pretty efficient system for preventive care, including free mammograms (long wait, but free) and free routine blood work (though you need a doctor to prescribe the blood work). Once you've been here for a while (not sure about the rules for newcomers to the province), you can apply for help with the cost of prescription meds (based on your income) and all seniors 65 and older can enroll in the seniors' prescription med plan, which is also income-based. So there's lots of good stuff here.

By the way, Wolfville is expensive because there's a small university there.

 

[lizmonster]

By the way, Wolfville is expensive because there's a small university there.

That's actually one of the reasons we like it. If we don't get in, we're thinking of moving closer to a college town around here - there are services there, and shopping. And a liveliness that is sometimes nice to have as one gets older and doesn't have as large a circle of friends.

 

[ElaineB]

Fingerprints wear down over time.

This is giving me lots of ideas!

 

[JJ Litke]

For mystery writers out there, though, fingerprints that don't read very well might make an interesting plot point. I for sure didn't think of it until it happened to me.

Omg, and movies/TV/books all act like fingerprints are a perfect thing. Like the bit in movies where someone lifts a fingerprint with a piece of tape then uses that to replicate it and use it to open a print-protected lock (that’s in Ant Man and National Treasure, right off the top of my head, I’m sure I’ve seen it in other movies, too).

And realistically, we should have plot twists about fingerprints not working. But I bet if you do this, you’ll need to do some ‘splaining about it, because we’re all programmed to believe the false reality that fingerprints are totally reliable.

The whorls in my fingertips are so faint I had to break out a magnifying glass to really see them. With a combination of age, working on a computer, knitting, and winter weather, and I bet I couldn’t leave discernible fingerprints right now if I tried. I could do crimes and not even have to wear gloves!

 

[Introversion]

I do feel like telling the FBI: “Good luck finding us in your database. Sincerely, Criminals Without Prints”

 

[Unimportant]

Have you ever tried to set up the fingerprint recognition on your phone? Nightmare.

Steroid cream can make your fingertips disappear. Some chemo therapies can. And, as I know from personal experience, even if your fingerprints are taken by professionals, at a police station, and sent to the FBI, they can be rejected because the fingerprints were "insufficiently clear" and sent back to the police -- who share with you that somebody not on their end spilled coffee on the fingerprint card.

 

[Mevrouw Bee]

I usually check CNN every day, and to be honest, there are days when I just cannot believe what I'm seeing.

We just had a provincial election in Nova Scotia and the Conservative government won a second term. But Canada's Maritime provinces have always been among the most liberal of our liberal governments, and "Conservative" here doesn't mean what it means in the U.S.

...or Ontario (or even federally from the sounds of it). More like Bill Davis Conservatives of the 60s and 70s...the only time my parents ever voted Conservative.

 

[adinaluca]

That's actually one of the reasons we like it. If we don't get in, we're thinking of moving closer to a college town around here - there are services there, and shopping. And a liveliness that is sometimes nice to have as one gets older and doesn't have as large a circle of friends.

My Canadian friend lives in Antigonish, her husband teaches at a University nearby, she really loves it. Happy to get you in touch if you need more information, she has her own business and is well connected.

 

[Introversion]

My Canadian friend lives in Antigonish, her husband teaches at a University nearby, she really loves it.

There’s a lovely parcel of land for sale between Antigonish and New Glasgow that I’d be looking at, if we were admitted and decided to build. Antigonish seems like a lovely smaller town, and New Glasgow looks to have a fair bit of shopping & restaurants? Thanks for the offer!