4 ms·

I lived in Ottawa and then worked in Montreal few years ago. Compare to silicon valley - the difference is between 2x - 4x. Canada always been a joke is high t

by gesman 8y ago

I lived in Ottawa and then worked in Montreal few years ago. Compare to silicon valley - the difference is between 2x - 4x. Canada always been a joke is high tech pays. Add miserable weather to that and that completes the package.

zerr 8y ago
> Add miserable weather Is this true for the whole country? Also, what about the healthcare? (compared to US)
- raquo 8y ago
  Healthcare in my limited experience is generally great for life threatening problems. But other, more mundane problems are not solved as well. Try finding a family doctor (GP) in Vancouver, none of them accept new patients. So a lot of people have to go to walk in clinics where the doctor has never seen you before and might not see you again. Ok to get a prescription, not good for a case that spans multiple visits. But hey on the plus side the biggest financial annoyance are hospital parking fees. Which are not especially high, just to clarify. So far I'm happy to take this tradeoff.
digianarchist 8y ago
Canadian salaries are better than the UK but not as good as the US.
mast 8y ago
I think you need to consider more than just the differences in salary with Silicon Valley. You also need to compare the cost of living and other benefits as well. Canada is a huge country and some places are much more expensive (and so require higher salaries) than others. > miserable weather The weather is as miserable as we let it make us. Canadians in general love to complain about the weather but I don't think it is that bad. It can be cold or hot, snowy or rainy but most days are quite nice. When I lived in California I missed the changing seasons, fall colours and snow at Christmas.
- gesman 8y ago
  I prefer winter-on-demand - (Tahoe!) vs. 4-5 months of misery in the air and on the roads enforced upon you - like it or not. Add to that quick car depreciation due to salty roads. I am happy to pay for air tickets and buy a dinner for my Canadian friends during fall colors season. After all - I'll be coming back to summer, but it's all downhill for them from that point on, weatherwise. Some people are managing to convince themselves that Canadian weather is great but I don't have these masochistic talents. Having said that - I loved hot and often humid Canadian summers (Eastern Ontario and Quebec) - but these are too short anyways. Sluggish resale housing market (my personal repeated experience). I lived in a real nice area in Kanata (West Ottawa) and it took us 1.5 yrs to sell a house. With Silicon Valey salary i luckily was able to afford to pay single house rent here + Canadian mortgage payment. California taxes are high, but Canadian are higher. I better stop. :)

by gesman 8y ago

zerr 8y ago

> Add miserable weather Is this true for the whole country? Also, what about the healthcare? (compared to US)

raquo 8y ago
Healthcare in my limited experience is generally great for life threatening problems. But other, more mundane problems are not solved as well. Try finding a family doctor (GP) in Vancouver, none of them accept new patients. So a lot of people have to go to walk in clinics where the doctor has never seen you before and might not see you again. Ok to get a prescription, not good for a case that spans multiple visits. But hey on the plus side the biggest financial annoyance are hospital parking fees. Which are not especially high, just to clarify. So far I'm happy to take this tradeoff.

digianarchist 8y ago

Canadian salaries are better than the UK but not as good as the US.

mast 8y ago

I think you need to consider more than just the differences in salary with Silicon Valley. You also need to compare the cost of living and other benefits as well. Canada is a huge country and some places are much more expensive (and so require higher salaries) than others. > miserable weather The weather is as miserable as we let it make us. Canadians in general love to complain about the weather but I don't think it is that bad. It can be cold or hot, snowy or rainy but most days are quite nice. When I lived in California I missed the changing seasons, fall colours and snow at Christmas.

gesman 8y ago
I prefer winter-on-demand - (Tahoe!) vs. 4-5 months of misery in the air and on the roads enforced upon you - like it or not. Add to that quick car depreciation due to salty roads. I am happy to pay for air tickets and buy a dinner for my Canadian friends during fall colors season. After all - I'll be coming back to summer, but it's all downhill for them from that point on, weatherwise. Some people are managing to convince themselves that Canadian weather is great but I don't have these masochistic talents. Having said that - I loved hot and often humid Canadian summers (Eastern Ontario and Quebec) - but these are too short anyways. Sluggish resale housing market (my personal repeated experience). I lived in a real nice area in Kanata (West Ottawa) and it took us 1.5 yrs to sell a house. With Silicon Valey salary i luckily was able to afford to pay single house rent here + Canadian mortgage payment. California taxes are high, but Canadian are higher. I better stop. :)