A Simple Life In Canada - How To Guide Part 1

This is Part One of a Multi-part Guide.
Please check back tomorrow for the next installment. And thanks Dad for giving me a great reminder to write about things that might be useful to people. Here's photo of my dad taken on a nice hazy summers day last year. He's the best!

What does that mean to you, living the simple life? Does it evoke memories from your childhood of picking peas in your grandparents garden and chasing fireflies or frogs on warm summer evenings? Do you think of the Amish people with their wonderful farming and craft filled communities devoid of cars? Or is it something much closer to home for you, as close as growing herbs and lettuce in your garden? Because we're all individuals and at different points on the path of life we all see and experience things in ways totally unique to us. And that doesn't change if you decide to abandon the modern day rat-race and head for the country. Even out here in Nova Scotia you won't find 2 farmers who do things exactly alike. Some like chickens, some like vegetables, and some just farm trees.

My point is this; before you can even begin to make plans to move towards a simple life you need to assess what that means to you. You need to have at least a goal to work towards and then you'll be able to put the other necessary steps in order. What exactly do you want out of life? I find that the simple steps for this are as follows:

Have a Goal. It's okay if this evolves and changes over time.
     *Why do you want this?
     *How will it benefit you?
     *What steps do you need to take?
     *Can you afford it?

Decide how long you'll take to achieve your goal.
     Sometimes our dreams are tempered by the fact that we need to put a roof over our heads and food in our bellies while we're working towards something better. And that generally means for Canadians that we have to work at a paid job and work on our own projects in our personal hours. It's the trade off of hours available for work vs. a need to get paid. Sure, we'd all like endless time for our own projects but the reality is that most of us can't do that. We need at least a small income.

Make a Plan.
     Having something written down that shows the logical steps will help you to organize the work that's necessary. Just as a builder needs a set of blueprints and an understanding of the progression of a build (permits before walls,walls before plumbing etc.) so we need a plan that allows us to make the most efficient use of our resources. It helps you avoid some of the pitfalls by considering what could go wrong and making plans accordingly. Plans shouldn't be written in stone but they should provide a framework for you to build upon.

Do a realistic Budget.
     Sure we can all make our budget look good on paper, but saying you'll only spend $200 on groceries and eat lots of pasta and then actually doing it are 2 very different things. Maybe you hate pasta but didn't think it would be so bad. Who knows. I'm simply suggesting that you take into account that things may change in price, medical bills might happen, the car may break down. Be realistic and plan for some emergency funds to be set aside if you at all can.

And Last But Not Least ...




Get To Work!
     Nobody is going to feel as passionately about your goal as you do. It's your baby. You're the one with all the hopes and dreams so it's up to you to take the leap into the unknown and be adventurous! Learn new skills, try things you've never done before, make new friends and invest yourself in your project. When you can commit yourself to something it's more likely to be finished and finished well. It's not going to be easy for the most part but it will definitely be worth it.


Periodically, whether it's once a week or once a year, you need to sit down and go over the written plans and goals you have. See how you're doing and if there's anything you want to change or add. Take a look at how much you've accomplished and be honest with yourself about how you're doing. This is a good time to modify your goals and then start off re-energized and re-focused. If things haven't gone as planned figure out why and take steps to get back on track. Maybe you need to go in a different direction or get some help from a professional. Maybe you simply need more time. As the saying goes 'Rome wasn't built in a day'. The point of having goals and projects is to improve your life in some way. Otherwise why would we do them? And anything that's worth having is worth the effort to get it, even if it takes longer than you planned on. If you're getting discouraged then break down your goal into smaller goals and keep track as you accomplish things so that you can see yourself making progress.

Just remember this... every pyramid was built one block at a time.

Good luck with your goals for 2014 and beyond. Check back tomorrow for more information about starting a simple life in Canada.

Best Place To Retire In The World - Canada

If you are getting close to retirement and looking at your options, you may be considering a move to a different area of your country or a different country altogether with tropical weather or a low cost of living. Online searches and polls will show so many varied opinions that it's almost impossible to know for sure what life is really like in any one given location and the criteria they use for judging a place is highly subjective. But to jump into the fray, I'd like to tell you about Canada.

Our climate in Canada varies from permafrost in the North, to temperate rainforest on Vancouver Island, to the wine growing regions of southern Ontario and the cool and green Maritime Provinces on the East Coast. As you can imagine in a country that spans 5 time zones, there's a little bit of something for everyone weather wise. For gardeners, our zones range from 8 (Victoria, BC) to 1 (the Arctic) and if you're moving from Europe you'll find many areas of our beautiful country not unlike areas you are used to. While we joke about being the 'Great White North' we're actually on the same latitude as places like Paris, Florence, London, Rome and the south of France. Our climate varies due to the air currents over land and the oceans which accounts for either our maritime or continental temperatures but lots of information about historical weather is available online for you to look at.

The Cost of Living is another important factor, as is the exchange rate if you are drawing a pension from the UK for example. Since these vary it pays to check it out regularly. But the cost of living also varies greatly from one place to another and from store to store. It's easy to check out the local papers of any places you're considering and have a look at their grocery store ads. Here's my opinion of the various places in Canada...

Victoria, Vancouver, and BC (British Columbia) in general. The most beautiful place on Earth. And it comes with a price tag. The housing market in the major metropolitan areas is second in the world only to Hong Kong as far as being an unaffordable English speaking housing market. The median home price in 2011 in the Vancouver area was almost $700,000 but having said that, if you want a multi-cultural and vibrant city with good weather and a good arts scene, it's a great choice. If though, you wanted a quiet country life near to the sea and an easy flight to Europe then you'd look at Nova Scotia.

Nova Scotia is a lovely small Maritime province steeped in English and French history since the 1600's. The people are friendly, the real estate is unbelievably cheap in rural areas, and the winters are not too long, though we do get plenty of snow. So why are houses so cheap? Due to the nature of the local fishing industry and it's falling on hard times, unemployment is fairly high and so there are less people in a position to buy homes. Many people here already own their own home, even those receiving Social Assistance can manage the $300-$500 typical mortgage for a small rural house. Having said that, if you are a skilled worker you'll find plenty of work in and around the metro areas of Halifax and Dartmouth and the house prices rise accordingly. Here in the Annapolis Valley a decent home will range in price from $75,000 to well over $300,000 for the fanciest models with large acreages. The typical price for a hobby farm of 5 acres in the country is probably somewhere closer to $130,000 if you are an hour or more outside of town. We bought just 42 acres of bare land and it cost us $35,000. Nova Scotia reminds me a lot of Scotland and Ireland as far as climate goes and the population is under 1 million people. Many young people move away from the Maritime provinces seeking adventure and employment in busier places such as Alberta and Ontario. But on the reverse side, many people retire here for the slower pace of life and the cheaper cost of living. A great tourist destination, as my Dad is demonstrating (that's him in the pic) and a large British ex-pat population.

Ontario varies from city to city but it's the largest population centre of the country with large cities like Toronto, Ottawa and really too many others to list. This province is bigger than many countries in the world so topography varies as you'd expect. The southern part of the province has the best weather and also the largest population centres and these are home to many people who choose to make Canada their home as refugees, immigrants and those who have been in Canada for generations. The population is approximately 12 million.


Alberta, located on the western side of Canada it's separated from BC by the glorious Rocky Mountains and then stretches eastward onto the rolling prairies of Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Alberta is home to Edmonton and Calgary both of which offer ethnically diverse populations and arts and culture despite the region being known as the home of cowboys. Oil and gas make this a resource rich province boasting high wages and low unemployment so many younger Canadians live and work here in the hustle and bustle of the boom towns and cities. Being  conservative area, it's home to many different religions and people are generally friendly and welcoming. There's a marked difference between the rural life and the big city life on the Prairie Provinces, but no matter where you go you're sure to find a warm welcome as this lovely couple found out. The white hats are gift given from the City of Calgary to visiting dignitaries and are especially prevalent during the world famous 'Calgary Stampede' held every year in July over a 10 day period. Billed as the Greatest Outdoor Show On Earth, it's got something for the whole family to enjoy.


The northern territories offer opportunities for a slower pace of life and the thrill of living away from large centres. Yellowknife, the only major city has a population of 20,000 and boasts a varied cultural heritage with 20% or more people identifying themselves as aboriginal. Located just 250 miles south of the Arctic Circle, it's cold in the winter and the winters are long and dark. Transportation of goods can be tricky in the summer months when the ice roads begin to thaw but that doesn't stop tourists from flying in and workers who use Yellowknife as a hub on their way to the many mines that lie withing a 500 mile radius of the city. Diamonds are particularly plentiful. Tourism is another industry that's flourishing among the adventure providing outfitters up north and they offer a once in a lifetime vacation for anyone looking for something different.


Moving to Canada is a big step so if you're considering it, I'd urge you to come and visit a different province for vacation each year and see what you like best. You should have a good idea of your budget and your priorities so that you can make a decision that you will be happy to live with. And if you're moving within Canada, enjoy the drive! Our family moved to Nova Scotia with the idea that we could have our own land, home and finish raising our family here before settling down into a semi-retirement. It's a dream that's slowly becoming reality, and I wish you all the very best success and happiness too!

Please feel free to comment and ask questions.