Blog
Popular Cities in Canada for Expats
Canada is one of the most popular places for expats to move to, particularly from the UK; it is estimated that more than 650,000 Brits have chosen to move there, attracted by the healthy lifestyle and the stunning scenery.
Hamiltons Removals have years of experience in organising commercial and domestic removals to a wide range of worldwide destinations. If you are considering moving home to Canada, here is our guide to the most popular cities. guide to the most popular cities.
Toronto
This city in Ontario has the largest population in the whole country, standing at more than 2.7million in 2016. It was ranked in the top 10 of places to move to by an InterNations annual survey of expats, who scored it highly for the friendliness of the native population, making it very easy for outsiders to settle in. Actors Keanu Reeves, Kiefer Sutherland and Jim Carrey all grew up here. The city’s most visible landmark is the CN Tower, a communications and observation tower which is 553 metres tall, making it one of the world’s tallest free-standing structures.
Ottawa
This city, in southern Ontario, is Canada’s capital. It scores well in international quality of living surveys, mainly due to its large number of educational and research establishments; the people here are thought to be the most well-educated in Canada. A thriving economy, fuelled by flourishing IT and public service sectors, mean the city also has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country. Famous people from Ottawa include comic and actor Dan Aykroyd and singer Alanis Morrissette. It is famous for the historic buildings on Parliament Hill, which are the seat of Canada’s government.
Vancouver
This city in British Columbia, to the west of the country, has Canada’s largest British expat community, although it is an ethnically very diverse city. More than half of the population do not count English as their mother tongue. It again scores well in international quality of life surveys, with more than 80 parks and green spaces within the city’s borders, and the Pacific Rim National Park and the spectacular North Shore mountains are both close by. Actor Ryan Reynolds and Carrie-Anne Moss, and singer-songwriter Michael Bublé, were all either born or grew up here.
Edmonton
This city in Alberta has a population fast approaching the one million mark and is a popular city to move to for British expats in particular. The oil and gas industries helped to build up the economy, while in recent years its growth has been down to the high-tech and research sectors. Until 2004, the West Edmonton Mall was the biggest shopping centre in the whole world; with more than 800 stores, and over 32 million visitors a year, it is still the largest in the whole of North America. Actor Michael J. Fox was born in Edmonton, while Bank of England governor Mark Carney grew up in the city.
Hamilton
This port city on the banks of Lake Ontario is popular not just with British expats but also people from many other European countries. The economy is largely based on agriculture and manufacturing. Pop singer Nicole Appleton, of All Saints Fame, and actor Martin Short were both born in the city. Hamilton’s most notable landmark is the Niagara Escarpment, a ridge which divides the city and is marked by a series of conservation areas and waterfalls.
Hamiltons Removals can help you if you are moving home to Canada. We frequently arrange moves to all these popular cities and other destinations across the country, including Winnipeg, Montreal and Quebec. We can also organise removals to the USA, Australia and New Zealand, as well as many international destinations.
Key Factors to Remember When Moving Abroad
Moving abroad can be a daunting experience, even if it is only for a short or fixed period of time. You will have to make up your mind about what you are going to take and what you will be leaving behind.
Hamiltons Removals, based in East Anglia, are highly experienced in international removals and can organise your whole move abroad. We offer a full range of services to fit your needs, including packing and unpacking your possessions. We also guide you through all the paperwork and formalities involved, whether you are undertaking removals to the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, or countries in Europe including France, Sweden, Italy and Switzerland.
Hamiltons also offer secure self storage at our Norfolk sites, near the Suffolk border, for any possessions you won’t be taking with you. Here is our checklist of some key areas you might not think of at first – but which need to be sorted out well in advance of any move abroad.
What About Your Pet?
Your pet is part of the family and it may prove difficult to leave them behind with a different owner. But you should check in advance whether or not your pet will actually be allowed into your new country. Dogs and cats are acceptable in most countries but others may have bans on certain creatures. Australia, for instance, does not allow any rodents into the country.
You will also have to consider the practicalities of how your pet is going to be transported into your new country; it will usually be classified as live animal cargo so won’t be allowed to sit in your lap. In aircraft this means there will be a special pressurised compartment in the hold. Even then they may need to serve a period in quarantine, depending on which country you are moving to, to eliminate the threat of rabies. All of this means it can be a very stressful time for your pet so you could make sure they travel with a favourite item such as a blanket.
Will You be Driving Abroad?
European countries still recognise the UK’s driving licence. If you are moving outside Europe, then you will need an international driving permit, which can be obtained from the Post Office. This, together with your existing UK licence, will allow you to drive a car in your new country. The advice is to make sure you apply for one at least three months ahead of your departure date.
And once you are there, you will need to get used to a whole new set of rules and regulations, such as driving on the right-hand side of the road. More unusual laws mean it is illegal to use your car horn in Spain, except in an emergency, while in the USA cars are permitted to overtake you from either the left-hand or the right-hand lane.
Looking After Your Health
If you are moving to a European country then you should apply for a European Health Insurance Card. This will entitle you to either free or reduced-price healthcare. However, it is not a long-term solution and you will need to consider either taking out some form of private healthcare or making payments to your new country’s social security system. The NHS Choices website is a useful source of further information.
Exercising Your Right to Vote
You can still vote in UK general elections provided you have not been resident in another country for 15 years or more. Registration is completed on the government’s online website. You will need both your previous address and your National Insurance number to complete the form.
Storing Your Items
Keeping some of your treasured possessions in a storage facility can make any move much easier. If you don’t want to take loads of bulky items like furniture with you, then you can keep them at Hamiltons Removals’ Safe N Stored premises. This will make the journey abroad much easier physically and, if you have any particularly valuable items, you will have the peace of mind of keeping them in our secure self storage sites at Harleston and Aldeby in Norfolk. Both sites are covered by CCTV cameras and the alarms at our Harleston premises have a link to Norfolk Police.
Our Harleston site offers individual storage rooms from sizes ranging from 25 square feet to 200 square feet, while at our Aldeby premises you can choose from a range of differently-sized storage containers. Your possessions will be kept clean and dry at both locations, which are particularly convenient for people living in the Diss, Bungay and Stradbroke areas.
If you are planning overseas removals, click here for details of our international removals services. Click here for more about our range of self-storage services at both of our Safe N Stored sites.