 Poster: A snowHead
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I have some exciting news! Well, exciting for me at least... 
I'm moving to Canada next year (so long as my company sticks to what it has almost-promised me; just working on getting it finalised in writing). I've persuaded my company to let me move out to the Toronto office (unfortunately there are no stock exchanges in Vancouver so that wasn't on the menu). The target date is 1st Jan 2009, so hopefully I'll be there while the snow is at its best.
So:
- Goodbye UK!
- Hello relaxed Canadian lifestyle (hopefully)
- Hello snow within easy reach of where I'll be living and working
Anyone know the area at all? Any personal recommendations, cautions or advice would mean a lot to me, whether snow-related or not...
Cheers,
-Shalli
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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before I could board properly I went to montreal to work, I asked around if they got any snow there and one taxi driver said "no, nothing" Since I got more into boarding it's obvious montreal is where all of the street rail video sections get filmed, lying wannabe french ass hat 
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Shallimus, From what I've read, it's the fastest growing place in terms of snow-related properties, so you should be in for a good (and profitable) time!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Word cannot describe the jealousy one feels at this moment 
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Thanks all!
| Jumping Jack Flash wrote: |
| Shallimus, From what I've read, it's the fastest growing place in terms of snow-related properties, so you should be in for a good (and profitable) time! |
I'm still a young 'un (and so don't have a lot of cash yet) - I'll need to own a first home before I start looking at a second! Having said that, I do hope to one day...
As for all you jealous types, you may yet not have to be so green - my move won't be happening til Jan 2009 (or thereabouts) so I have to sit out the rest of this year here. Also, I still haven't got this confirmed in writing yet - there is a chance I could end up in New York, Hong Kong or Tokyo instead, but I have firmly requested Toronto, so I hope the company will make good.
Finally, if anyone has ever ski'd or boarded East Canada, please let me know 
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Shallimus, there is skiing in Japan too btw  how about NY?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I know there's awesome pow in Japan, and plenty of ice-hills on the East Coast, but a major part of this move is about improving my quality of life, and I don't think moving from London to Tokyo or NYC will help with that.
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Shallimus, have been to eastern canada many times to mont tremblant, which is a small resort that has some good skiing and boarding, but there are also many so called local hills which are usally open at night and day and i think there are some good deals on season passes.
a good link for local info is;
www.tremblant-insider.com
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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IIRC Blue Mountain Resort is near Toronto
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Thanks Okanagan. I checked out the web-site of a couple of these after I found a list with some of these on. Have you ever been to any?
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You know it makes sense.
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Update: this is looking a lot more likely now... the office over there seems keen to get their hands on me, and I may even be there before the end of this year... just a question of when my UK office will be willing to let me go. w00h0000!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Shallimus, fingers crossed (jammy git)
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Shallimus, sounds really promising and with a week there you can explore and see if its you kind of place. Shame about the lack of snow though, but as Swirly says its probably a good thing 
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don't want to put too much of a dampener but you'll probably still need to get on a plane if you want to be skiing on mountains rather than hills
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Arno, but at least its an internal flight
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Arno, afternoon off work, or weekend, hill with snow 30 minutes away - not a problem. Mountains are just lots of hills connected by chair lifts
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rayscoops, have you ever been to Ontario?
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Arno, Its not the uk Plus there is always the option of the train to the rockies oh heaven
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Shallimus wrote: |
Anyone know the area at all? Any personal recommendations, cautions or advice would mean a lot to me, whether snow-related or not...
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My brother moved to Toronto many years ago. He initially rented in Forest Hills which was a very pleasant area. Then he bought a house in Brampton Ontario on the outskirts of the metropolitan area. Good train link into the centre.
He is not a skier and I visited in Summer so no ski info. However it was bloody cold in Winter. Buses stop every two hundred yards. You have to let your car warm up for five minutes before you drive off.
It seemed a nice clean city in the Summer. I could imagine what it would be like to live there compared to New York say, which I never really understood.
Although my brother like Canada his wife was a home bird and always missed family and the UK. Eventually they managed to get a transfer back to the UK. His first two children were born in Canada. I am going back a few decades. My brother is a grandfather now.
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I lived in Ontario for several years and to be honest most of the skiing is pretty crap. Tremblant is a bit far from Toronto for anything less than a weekend and most of the areas within easy reach are just hills which soon become boring. Vermont is worth a trip as is Lake Placid area. Other than that you are still facing a plane trip out west and internal flights in Canada aren't always cheap. Enjoy your move but be aware Ontario isn't Alberta or BC.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Your better off in the UK for skiing than Ontario................
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Shallimus,
I'd guess norris meant plentiful formerly reasonably priced flights to the Alps from UK. Lots of Eastern Canadian skiers/boarders head west for their full skiing hols but they have a reputation for being hardcore riders due to more icy conditions in the East
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You know it makes sense.
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Shallimus,
I would prefer to spend my snow time on real snow up a proper mountain! Having lived in Vancouver myself I know lots of Ontario born people who moved West for the skiing....
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I see, I see. Well, I'm not expecting the Himalayas on my doorstep, but these are all valid points. If I'd had a choice I would have moved to Vancouver, but that wasn't on the menu ("anywhere in Canada you want so long as it's Toronto", basically). Does the east-coast ice mean I'll qualify as hardcore one day? Awesome.
I'm heading out for my first ever visit a week from today, so I'll report back (probably of marginal interest to UK  and not much at all to anyone else, but hey)
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Poster: A snowHead
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Shallimus, have a good trip !
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Goodbye rainy UK.
Hello freezing-your-box-off-and-skiing-on-ice-hills Toronto.
Good luck
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Shallimus, Good Luck and enjoy the Tim Hortons!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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TO is 5 hrs drive from 'proper' east coast ice.
At least you're moving to wine country.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Bah! Trip postponed for 2 weeks as I lost my passport. Stupid I know, but hardly suprising after my last trip abroad: the whirlwind of sleep-deprivation, all-day ice/blizzard riding and nighttime alcohol-fuelled irresponsibility that was my last trip to the snow. I wasn't exactly compos mentis on my return, so must have put it somewhere other than the filing cabinet where it lives when I'm not on tour. Oh well. I'll just have to wait another couple of weeks for my first Double Double
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Shallimus, what's the skinny on the Canadian NHS? A few years ago I read that long-term visitors could pay a yearly premium to join. About the same price as a year's backpacking insurance but the cover's better . . . however, I can't find any current reference. I'm just about to contact the Consulate but just wondering i you have any info.
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So, I eventually made it out to Toronto for my preview week. I'm really impressed by the city, I really like my new office (and its inhabitants seem pretty cool) and just generally I'm very excited about the move.
In true obsessive style, I made it out to Earl Bales Park for a look around.
This is a view taken looking about due south from Sheppard Ave W just west of Roycrest Ave. Lush and green, isn't it? Pay particular attention to the small patch of clear grass towards the right-hand side of the horizon.
Walking through the park to the bottom of that area, you find this:
This is about 15-minute walk from a Toronto metro station, and is also one more chairlift than I've ever seen in England. Sure, it's a bit snowless in July...
...but in winter the hill looks a little something like this:
Last picture isn't mine, but was taken by HalCalvin, a Panoramio user.
I know, I know, Chamonix it ain't, but it's open 10-12 weeks per year and it will be right on my doorstep once I move... 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Shallimus, Go for it !!!
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Thanks DebbiDoesSnow. Although I do have other things drawing me to Canada, the proper winter is certainly one of the biggest lures for me.
Of course, I'll probably be less thankful once I have a driveway to keep shovelled, eh?
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FAQ
As my job includes private health cover (I pay for some, but the company pays the rest and there's some sort of tax break, I dunno - I just pay it!) I haven't really looked into it too much so far as goes moving to Canadialand. As I'm only going to visit the medics for serious stuff, I don't make much use of the NHS here (1 visit every 5 years or so) and hope this won't have to change for a looooong time.
