Who's from Canada? I got some questions ^_^

I may be going to Canada for quite some time, don't know when exactly though.
I just asked myself if there is anyone who can tell me a bit about the Canadian collectors/gaming scene as well as some other things as I do have quite some questions.
I'd be going to stay in Edmonton (AB) btw.

- Is shipping from the US->Canada and within (over long distances, like Toronto->Edmonton) expensive?
- What about the living costs in Canada? I'd like to get a 2-room flat for rent (rather central-located)
- Is the quality of TV just as dull as in the US?
- What about the gas prices? As low as in the US? (I know they increased there as well, but still they're cheap. Today morning 1 liter of unleaded-regular was 1,479 Euro (!) >_<

Well thats it so far.

 

Jesus

You're going to Edmonton ???

Get ready for a MAJOR surprise pricewise ! Since oil is now as pricey as it is The Oil Sands have ramped up major and Alberta is booming.

Edmonton is quite a quiet town. There's the Oilers (NHL) and West Edmonton Mall. That's about it.

TV is more British based but I'd say we have 80% US programing anyways. Gas would be cheaper then anywhere else in Canadas they don't sales tax. Here in Toronto gas is $1.20 a litre.

Shipping cost can get pricey depending on what it is and how quickly you want it.

A 2 bedroom flat IF you can find one is priced pretty high.

Apt finder is here so you can get an idea.

Local paper is the Edmonton Journal and it's here the other paper would be a tabloid and that's Edmonton Sun it's here.

Another thing is it's the West and Canucks are a little wilder out that way then in the East.

Any more you want let me know.

 

Jesus? So bad? ^^
Well it's not sure yet, but in case that yes it could also become another town in Canada.

There's this huge swimming pool I stumbled all over while searching through Google... but maybe that's it indeed.
Thats also how my current town could be described as well so it wouldn't be much of a change.

900$ is the cheapest? This page must be kidding.

You mean more countrylized? Actually I'd appreciate the nearby mountains and the clear change of winter+summer, the landscape and so on.

I'd not like to live like in a small village in Nebraska though. Gas Station, small shop, hillbilly restaurant and that'll be the day... well rather not >_<

 

The pool is West Edmonton Mall has to be. Google that and you'll be amazed at how big it is.

The rents are no joke it's boom time now people are getting paid stupid amounts of money so it's what the market can bear. Can you imagine a fast food worker making $14-$16 a hour ?

Edmonton is/was a bit of sleepy unviersity town, Calgary is little more active and lively but both can be a little rough by that I mean Manchester would be rougher then London.

All that aside it's beautiful country out there, really is and the skiing was the best I ever had in Canada. There's some awesome hikes to do at Lake Louise i n the off season. Edmonton also is unique to Calgary in that it doesn't have squrriels it's has prarie dogs, basically the same thing except they live in the ground and are a different colour.

Are you going there for pleasure or business ?

As for vintage games/ video game I would say your not likely to find a lot other then chains. Pretty much the same here in Toronto although there is this place they guys there are pretty cool.

 

Seems like I have to get a parttime job as a fastfood-worker then :lol:
Jokes apart, I did not expect prices to be that high. I'll still have to see how I can handle that...

I will most likely go there after I graduated at school, so maybe I'm becoming a part of what you call university town. Although it irritates me a bit that "poor students" are supposed to live in 1000$-appartments -_-

I love prairie dogs We don't have them here in Germany, neither are squirrels running around all the time like in the moderately climted areas of the US (saw tons of them in+around NY / SF)

Mmh even if there is nothing really vintage game-related in my area as well, I won't feel much of a loss. Was just a thought, but I'm an only-jpn collector anyway and already getting my stuff via yahoo only, so... well...
I will be going there w/my parents because of my fathers job, so for business mainly. I always fancied to study abroad, so this is a pretty neat possibility to realize my dream (my dream for studying at least^^).

Do you know how much flights within Canada may cost? Here in Europe it is quite cheap to fly around, won't cost you more than 150€ 2-way to any town in Europe. I'd like to visit many places in the US, maybe also go far north to Anchorage and smell some ice, so I hope it won't cost me way too much.

 

Well last time checked (yesterday) 1 Euro = $1.60 CDN don't think it'll stay that high, it's normally in the $1.40+ range.

University housing would be seperate and much cheaper !! but you'd have to be enrolled to take advantage of it. I don't think we have a TFS system like Europe and the States do, and being Deutsch you might get soaked tuition wise compared to a Canadian would.

Flight within Canada are more expensive then in US and depending on where you want to go you might have to transfer rather then fly direct. Flights I would imagine would run you maybe $250-$300 return depending on distance.

Alaska on the other hand I would imagine to be quite pricey.

 

Go to Ontario instead, Alberta/BC is booming for now, but it will crash...err level out like it always does....goes big boom for several years then crashes for several years repeat. Plus the cost of living out there can be pricy.


TV sucks....we get bout have the shows and stuff anywhere else gets. First thing when you get here, get a FTA satillite, and get some good TV that way.

Games?....well we have EBGames....and wal-mart

Flights are pretty cheap, around 120-250 for a flight within Canada

 

@spot
OK, I think I'll choose that college housing thing to live then. I still can live (and store my stuff ) at my parents house as my whole family is about to live+immigrate to Canada.

No choice for me anyway mate
But when I graduated college, I'll have free choice of places to work, so I don't worry about that too much.

Sounds good. I'd love to spend some time in Vancouver and Toronto...

 

Let us know when you hit Ontario !!!

 

I've been incredibly impressed with the collecors scene in London, Ontaio (Canada). I stumbled upon this fantastic little classified adds site that I've been mooching all the good stuff off of.

http://www.kijiji.ca/

Collection wise though, I'm just talking normal stuff. Old game systems, imports, etc. There's a game shop locally I visit on ocassion that has all the rare stuff, but prices them according to eBay.

Development kits tend to only show up when compainies shut down, and unlike the UK, Canada seems to be thriving.

 

Kijiji is owned by eBay!
I hope to come to Canada soon with my family but need to sell my house first! Damn the UK's economy for crashing

 

Come to montreal insted!!!

Stuff is cheaper over here. Sure you got to deal with the quebecies but montreal downtown is becoming more and more anglophone each year.

^_^

 

*resurrecting thread*

I can't believe this thread is already 2,5 years old.
Anyway, things have developed in the meantime and the big move is not that far away anymore. After I had graduated from school in summer 2009, I had to do 9 months of civil service and then I started doing several jobs to kill time and save money. The application for permanent residence was submitted around this time one year ago and the first stage is through, therefore we are expecting to become PR's every day now. It's not Edmonton anymore by the way. My parents work and live in Edmonton, but I will be studying in Vancouver, BC.

Once we have become permanent residents of Canada, we will book a flight and start organizing the move. It's very likely that I will leave my home in late May or early June 2011.

The move will be quite a challenge. My video game collection is really bulky as I collect only boxed stuff incl. accessories. Selling my collection is no option for me because it's a part of me, I'm very passionate about my possessions. All in all we are talking 600+ VG magazines, 1000+ games, endless lots of boxed hardware, several CRT RGB monitors and an arcade cabinet. If someone's interested in how I plan to package it: I'll keep record of every step of the move on an online-blog:
http://caveiga.blogspot.com/


I also have a couple of new questions about some unimportant stuff.

>How about the shipping rates? Pretty much everything I buy comes from Japan. Is it more expensive than shipping fees to Europe (I hoped the Japan-located members could enlighten me)?

>How expensive is domestic shipping? Is it more expensive if the receiver is located in Halifax than in Regina or are there standard rates depending on size and weight?

>What about the alc? I dislike the liquor stores in the US: you feel like a sleazy underworld junkie if you want to buy a bottle of cheapass booze. Aren't there just supermarkets that have it in some separate corner like pornos? -_-


And last but not least: Are there any members on this forum who are located in either Edmonton or Vancouver/Seattle? It would be nice to know someone when I arrive. I have cookies

 

Hahah, Funny to see this topic since now I live in Toronto. =P (kind of miss montreal)

>How about the shipping rates? Pretty much everything I buy comes from Japan. Is it more expensive than shipping fees to Europe (I hoped the Japan-located members could enlighten me)?
It's not all that bad depending on weight and if it goes EMS or Boat. What will probably bite you in the ass is exchange rates. FYI, I get EMS shippments from japan in 3-4 days. Airmail from HK shows up in 1 week, Packages from USA 2-3 weeks (probably their export customs).

>How expensive is domestic shipping? Is it more expensive if the receiver is located in Halifax than in Regina or are there standard rates depending on size and weight?
It's by weight and zones. Generally I don't find it all that expensive. Hell even shipping out to the USA is pretty decent and shows up in a week.

>What about the alc? I dislike the liquor stores in the US: you feel like a sleazy underworld junkie if you want to buy a bottle of cheapass booze. Aren't there just supermarkets that have it in some separate corner like pornos? -_-
I don't know for all provinces but in Ontario & Quebec, Alc is regulated by the province and as such, only provice run stores can sell alcohol. In Quebec anybody can sell beer but in Ontario only "Beer Store" can sell beer. Over all it's not bad since SAQ (Quebec) or LCBO (Ontario) are nice places and very easy to find (at least in downtown areas). Also if you go to a good size place the selections are pretty spectacular.

 

Too be honest, I'm not too sure.

Rates are consistent nationwide, if using Canada Post, as far as I know

BC does sell exclusively through (typically government owned) liquor stores. However they're quite classy and there's no stigma surrounding them. Some bars will have stores attached as well with longer hours, but pricing isn't great (I can't say for sure though, since I don't drink)

I fear I may be one of the only Vancouverites on the board... where are you studying?

 

Thanks subbie and opethfan

The shipping rate stuff doesn't sound too bad. I was afraid of something utterly expensive. I know my father once wanted to send us a small a parcel (shoe box) and he said they wanted 120$ airmail. That'd be more than what I had paid for a gigantic 10kg package from Japan to Germany!

@opethfan
Hidely-hodely, neighborino!

I've been admitted to UBC Sauder School and deferred my studies until 2011. If my early arrival application comes through (which opens as late as in July 2011), I will be living on campus (westcoast'ish) in August 2011.

 

Cool cool, I'll be taking my citizenship in August

I'm out in the burbs, so a ways out-ish, but not bad.

Feel free to drop any questions about living around here, insider knowledge, etc. I'm in class and I'm super bored

 

To where?!? To Europe or with in canada? With in canada it's reasonable and shouldn't cost $120 for airmail. If he was shipping to Europe that's a whole nother story (shipping to EUR is crazy expensive).

You can always check postal rates via www.canadapost.ca =)

 

We should have a west coast meetup! It's lonely here on the island

Plus, it'd give me an excuse to go to Vancouver and hit up some decent arcades.