First Few Days in Canada

gary27

COYVB wrote: »

yeah the price of stuff is always listed without HST (13%), so when you actually go to pay for it you'll be paying 13% extra

am I correct in saying that not all province's have the same rate of HST?

COYVB

gary27 wrote: »

am I correct in saying that not all province's have the same rate of HST?

You are. Not all even have HST.

AB - GST - 5%
BC - GST + PST - 12%
MB - GST + PST = 12%
NB - HST - 13%
NL - HST - 13%
NT - GST - 5%
NS - GST - 15%
Nunavut - GST - 5%
ON - HST - 13%
PEI - HST - 15%
QC - GST + QST - 14.975%
SK - GST + PST - 10%
Yukon - GST - 5%

gary27

COYVB wrote: »

You are. Not all even have HST.

AB - GST - 5%
BC - GST + PST - 12%
MB - GST + PST = 12%
NB - HST - 13%
NL - HST - 13%
NT - GST - 5%
NS - GST - 15%
Nunavut - GST - 5%
ON - HST - 13%
PEI - HST - 15%
QC - GST + QST - 14.975%
SK - GST + PST - 10%
Yukon - GST - 5%

Thanks for that.

kerinethan

COYVB wrote: »

BC - GST + PST - 12%

What does this mean if I was to buy e.g. $100 worth of food at labelled price in a store?

I pay $112?

COYVB

kerinethan wrote: »

What does this mean if I was to buy e.g. $100 worth of food at labelled price in a store?

I pay $112?

Yup

kerinethan

thanks all this info is very helpful, we are a young couple heading over with no contacts there. Herself is fairly relaxed but as usual I want to know as much as possible before I go. Proper S**ting it!!

COYVB

You'll be fine, just take your time to get settled into everything. It'll be a little odd at first, but just immerse yourself for the first month or two and it'll be a lot quicker. Best advice I can honestly give to anyone moving over here is to avoid other irish people and irish travellers for at least the first month. The danger is that you fall into the "irish foreigner" trap where you're in another country making new irish friends, drinking in new irish pubs, talking about irish stuff constantly. That makes the whole adapting thing a lot more difficult long run. Get yourself in and settled then if you want to find other irish people go for it

That's the way myself and a couple of other Irish people over here I know did it, and we're all in our 3rd or 4th year and staying for good. The ones who hung around exclusively with irish people initially tend to be gone as soon as their visa is up. Might be a coincidence though

kerinethan

Yeah, once I have my accommodation, SIN and Bank Account set up within the first few days I will then hopefully began to get excited about the change. I am really looking forward to it, but am nervous at the same time.

JK9

Heading to Toronto on the 25th on my own so I'm starting to find it all a little daunting now. But like above, I think once I get accommodation, SIN and banks sorted, I can relax a little and start to enjoy it.

Anyone here in Toronto right now? What's the weather like at the moment?

COYVB

JK9 wrote: »

Heading to Toronto on the 25th on my own so I'm starting to find it all a little daunting now. But like above, I think once I get accommodation, SIN and banks sorted, I can relax a little and start to enjoy it.

Anyone here in Toronto right now? What's the weather like at the moment?

It's starting to warm up. Was raining yesterday, but the sun is out today

kerinethan

What is the story with driving over in Canada. As I understand it, R.O.I does not have the same agreement that the UK does as regards to you drivers licence being valid. As far as I know R.O.I citizens have to pass a competence test, do one driving lesson and pass another diving test. Is this True?

Also any info in getting a car on the road (insurance, tax, NTC or equivalent) would be very helpful

againstthetide

Depends where you are going?
Saskatchewan will do a straight swap.
I did the test in Alberta, it is pretty easy.
You don't have to do a lesson but I did and found it very helpful.
You have to do a theory test first and get a canadian learner permit
Once you get the physical permit in the mail you can book your test in any registryit's fairly handy nothing to panic about really.
You can only drive on your irish license for 90 days btw

COYVB

kerinethan wrote: »

What is the story with driving over in Canada. As I understand it, R.O.I does not have the same agreement that the UK does as regards to you drivers licence being valid. As far as I know R.O.I citizens have to pass a competence test, do one driving lesson and pass another diving test. Is this True?

Also any info in getting a car on the road (insurance, tax, NTC or equivalent) would be very helpful

In Ontario you need to apply using your Irish license, proof from the issuing body that you've been driving for more than 3 years, and your driving record. Tick all the boxes and you'll do your theory test, then apply immediately for your full test with a wait time of about a month, then you get your license. Easy as pie

Do some lessons with an instructor first though, they have some very different rules

retalivity

COYVB wrote: »

Do some lessons with an instructor first though, they have some very different rules

+1

I failed my attempt at the full test, and had to enter the canadian driving system at the bottom. Can't sit my full test again until October.
There lots of rules around highway driving that it is better to have an instructor sit in the car with you and tell you what to do or what you;re doing wrong

COYVB

Young Drivers of Canada are the best ones I believe. That's who I went with for 10 30 minute lessons. Only actually went out 4 times and did multiple 30 minute chunks in each. Passed it first time even though I made a couple of boo-boos, but I'd never have passed it on my own without the lessons. Failing to turn right on a red, for example, will get you marked down for impeding traffic

kazoo2001

hi, any advice for me, hoping to head to Calgary in the next few months. Will be going on my own and finding it a bit daunting.
Thanks for any replies!!

againstthetide

kazoo2001 wrote: »

hi, any advice for me, hoping to head to Calgary in the next few months. Will be going on my own and finding it a bit daunting.
Thanks for any replies!!

-Bring lots of money
-Go to service Canada and get your SIN sorted on the first day- You will need your passport and work permit for this
-Go to an Alberta Registry and apply for Alberta Health
-Get a local number straight away so you can be contacted by employers
-Buy a transit pass so you can explore the city from public transport.
Maybe a weekly pass to start off

montreal2011

pmcmahon wrote: »

...
Bills
Call electrical,heating companies etc etc and ensure there are no arrears on the accounts if you have to change the account over to yourself.Be prepared to pay for water.
...

This is very important advice. I have a friend who got caught with an electricity in the thousands from a previous tenant who left.

You can opt to have equalized payments meaning that the cost of a full year is spread evenly over each billing period. If the heating and hot water runs on electricity the bills will be huge in winter so some people to prefer a more even rate throughout the year.

My friend was not aware of this, and the person who knew left. When it came time for my friend to move, there was a huge bill because they were only paying the average each timeand there was a lot owing.

You can call the electric company to find out how the average cost is of a particular address. You should do this before moving in somewhere. $50 a month in summer can turn into $500 a month in winter!

COYVB

If you look around it's not uncommon to find apartments will all utilities included in the price

KevinFQB1

Will probably be moving over to Canada in late summer or early September. Extrememly scared as I'm going by myself but there is some great info in here, thanks everybody!

KevinFQB1

I plan on heading over to Toronto, also on my own. Would love to hear how you get on over there!

Niamh_M

This is a great thread! Where do you go to get your SIN number? Specifically in Vancouver if anyone knows?

kazoo2001

KevinFQB1 wrote: »

Will probably be moving over to Canada in late summer or early September. Extrememly scared as I'm going by myself but there is some great info in here, thanks everybody!

I know its really daunting, i'm heading too on my own. The info though from here alone is great a BIG thank you to everyone!!
Hopefully i can add some useful advice once i get out there...........

KevinFQB1

Open a page on Notepad or Word or whatever you like and just write down every useful piece of information or website you come across on here. That's what I've done for the past 3 or so hours

kazoo2001

Try the Canada? thread.... its a little older but still has lots of relevent info.

zweton

lots of useful info on these forums too:


http://britishexpats.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=33

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/canada-expat-forum-expats-living-canada/

pig88

Niamh_M wrote: »

This is a great thread! Where do you go to get your SIN number? Specifically in Vancouver if anyone knows?

you get it in service canada,I went to the one in the sinclair centre,757 W Hastings St Vancouver, BC V6C 1A1,near waterfront skytrain.

del777

Does anybody know if the Service Canada is open on Saturdays? We will be arriving in Toronto at like 5pm on a Friday evening and would like to get it sorted the first day! Also, I notice alot of the apartments are not furnished.... is this common with apartment rentals in Toronto??

againstthetide

Common everywhere in Canada tbh

http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/cgi-bin/sc-dsp.cgi?rc=3505&ln=eng

http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/cgi-bin/sc-dsp.cgi?rc=3583&ln=eng

Looks like neither of the Toronto ones open on a Saturday

COYVB

del777 wrote: »

Does anybody know if the Service Canada is open on Saturdays? We will be arriving in Toronto at like 5pm on a Friday evening and would like to get it sorted the first day! Also, I notice alot of the apartments are not furnished.... is this common with apartment rentals in Toronto??

depends what part of TO you're going to re whether they're open or not. pretty sure ive been to the one nearest me on a saturday before

and yes, unfurnished is the norm