₦airaland Forum

walenden:
I never said a stable marriage is not an achievement, that citizenship should not be celebrated, or that immigrants cannot make remarkable progress. Those are arguments you introduced yourself and then proceeded to defend.A good marriage may support long-term financial well-being, but it is not, by itself, “financial success.” Emotional stability, marital stability, legal status, homeownership, and financial independence are related but distinct concepts. Combining them simply because they all sound positive does not make them interchangeable.The statistics you quoted about Canadians struggling with emergency expenses also do not disprove the point. Saying many Canadian-born households are financially insecure does not magically make immigrant financial insecurity disappear. It merely shows that financial pressure is widespread. One group struggling does not cancel out the struggles of another.

Likewise, homeownership figures do not automatically prove financial freedom. A mortgaged property may build wealth over time, but it can also come with heavy debt, high carrying costs, and little liquid cash. Ownership and financial security are not identical.

Yes, the writer has every right to celebrate his journey. I also have every right to observe that citizenship, resilience, marriage, and homeownership should not automatically be packaged as complete financial success.

So please stop creating arguments nobody made. Celebrate the story if you wish, but do not demand that everyone suspend critical thinking simply because the story ends with a passport, and a mortgaged house

Your first claim was exclusively about immigrants being financially beleaguered, that should have been ensconced in the broad context of the population and not in isolation. I am glad you realize financial instability is a widespread phenomenon.

Home ownership is correlated with financial success for sure. Liquidity may also come with home ownership by leveraging equity.
Lastly, critical thinking is based on evidence (sample size of 1 in this case), without the latter the former is mere speculation. The story is just beginning and for sure did not end with a passport and a mortgage.

Care to share your story of financial stability as an immigrant in Canada?

walenden:
Honestly, after reading this long story, it feels like the main achievement being celebrated is the Canadian passport rather than genuine financial freedom.

Yes, becoming a Canadian citizen is a good achievement, but a passport alone does not mean someone has succeeded financially. The story also describes years of unemployment, depleted savings, EI, survival jobs, mortgage pressure, property taxes, and constant financial stress.

Buying a house and obtaining citizenship may look impressive from the outside, but the real question is whether the family is financially secure, has manageable debt, stable income, savings, and peace of mind.

Many immigrants are too focused on passports, houses, and appearances while struggling seriously behind closed doors. Citizenship is valuable, but it should not be confused with financial independence. A passport cannot pay bills, clear a mortgage, or guarantee a stable future.

Your story shows resilience, but it also exposes the reality that many immigrants glorify suffering and celebrate appearances while remaining financially insecure. After nearly five years, the real achievement should be stable income, manageable debt, strong savings, investments, and financial peace not merely a passport and a mortgaged house.

The hardships taught me lessons I could never have learned from success alone.
They deepened my appreciation for my wife and her unwavering support. They showed me the importance of partnership during adversity and helped me understand why many marriages struggle, and some crumble under the pressures of immigration and resettlement.

Immigration is one of the highest risk factors for marital separation. The writer took a whole paragraph to extol the virtues of their life partner and count himself blessed to have such a good wife. I suspect his wife will have great words for him too. May I tell you that this in itself represent success including financial success. A stable marriage is one of the strongest predictors of long-term financial well-being. Don't believe me? Have a chat with a divorce lawyer about the financial cost of separation.

Secondly, it is important to see the forest for the trees. The writer's story is not over, their story is evolving and will continuously adapt in response to changing demands. This is a mere prelude for them and already they have built resilience for the journey ahead. Financial success is not achieved in one day. Aìkànjú l'ọ́lù ọ̀ràn.

The writer reserve the prerogative to celebrate what they want. If it brings them joy, what right do I have to steer them towards the 'real definition of joy/success, especially if it is my own definition or the consensus definition of joy or success? We do not know what goals they set before leaving Nigeria. For all we know, obtaining Canadian citizenship may have been one of those goals.

Lastly, I think there is an elephant in this room that needs to be addressed. You posited that many immigrant remain financially insecure? As a matter of fact, this is disingenious. The stats say 25% of all (ALL!) Canadians would be unable to cover a sudden, unexpected emergency expense of $500. Recent studies reveal that the majority of working-age Canadians lack sufficient liquid cash to handle a $1,000 financial emergency, with almost half of the population living paycheck to paycheck (https://www.rbc.com/newsroom/news/article.html?article=125971).
The link shared in the last page says In Ontario, the homeownership rate among immigrants in their fifth year after admission climbed from 35.7 per cent in 2018 to 40.2 per cent in 2021. During the same period, the rate among Canadian-born residents aged 25 to 54 fell from 50.7 per cent to 47.8 per cent (https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/real-estate/article/newcomers-are-buying-homes-faster-as-canadian-born-ownership-rates-decline-statcan/). We know for sure that the bank of dad/mum is giving an average of $145k to help the Canadian-born residents achieve that 47.8% home ownership (https://globalnews.ca/news/11800855/parents-co-signing-mortgages/ + https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/article/bank-of-mom-and-dad-affluent-families-giving-average-of-145k-for-kids-first-home-report-finds/ ) whilst immigrants who pay black tax achieve 40.2%.

Financial instability is an equal opportunity malaise. Many immigrants are punching way above their financial weight and deserve credit for it. You should look at both the financial realities experienced by many Canadian-born households and the remarkable economic progress that many immigrants achieve despite starting with fewer financial advantages before posting such an 'extraordinary' claim about immigrants based on one sample size. Remember that an extraordinary claim require an extraordinary evidence.

It is summer again, please tell the kids to wear helmet when they ride their bikes and come down when they move along the cross walk.

Somebody pikin don dey emergency now.

BurnerMan:
Hello,

I want to ask, for people who landed as PR, is it quite common to be requested to show the complete proof of funds that you declared during application.

I would appreciate answers from as many people who have first hand information.

The stats are irrelevant in this case, BurnerMan.

Just make sure you have the complete funds in the account when you get to the port of entry. The port of entry officer reserve the prerogative to do 'the unthinkable' if those funds are not present! This is not the time to send invite to village people.

amdman:
Unfortunately, this taste for new builds or bespoke/custom houses, including the taste for massive houses with double garages has become the undoing of many Nigerians who have no business buying such homes.

You sign a pre-construction deal for a $1m+ house without a clear plan for how you will qualify for the mortgage with an A lender. I was speaking with someone recently that has put down almost $200k on such a home. House is now ready, but they dont have the wherewithal to close. A similar home on the street by the same builder is selling for about $300k less than their own price.

Builder has now taken them to court to forfeit their downpayment and get judgment for any loss the builder will make as they will definitely have to sell the house at a much lower price.

Na village people dem!

jedisco:
Nice. Ownership of ones home seems to be a good starting point of building wealth and stability in most western nations. Having to rent again for a while, showed me how nasty some landlords can be.

Never understood the much higher appeal for new houses in Canada. Reverse was the case in the U.K. I still exchange with folks on the UK mortgage thread to consider new builds. In Canada, folks see 20 yr old houses as old while in the UK 200 yr o houses are still standing and seen as decent and having 'character'
Wanted to go for a new build recently but after I was told I'd have to wait for a year to completion, I went for an old build (20 -30 yr old) instead.

Brother, I used to wonder about the appetite for new builds but I got a lesson on its importance recently. We woke up one morning and the fridge stopped working. Thankfully it was smack dab in the middle of winter so basement served as the fridge immediately. This ended up being a ~2k emergency bill (yes one could explore financing option).

Remember that approximately 25% of all Canadians would be unable to cover a sudden, unexpected emergency expense of $500. Recent studies reveal that the majority of working-age Canadians lack sufficient liquid cash to handle a $1,000 financial emergency, with almost half of the population living paycheck to paycheck (https://www.rbc.com/newsroom/news/article.html?article=125971)

New builds have new appliances and all things being equal, they should last longer and are generally less likely to need replacement/pafuka in the first few years plus they should be under warranty 'in case of incasity'.

I am not saying do new/custom build oo, I am just exploring the other side.
The balance is between delayed gratification of waiting for the custom build and potentially/possibly higher mortgage cost versus the instant convenience and often lower purchase price of a move-in-ready home.

jedisco:
Interesting article. Is it also representative of the Nigerian community?

Wonder what folks thoughts are.

https://share.google/0Kmpjvvu58mGCyMDe

- Naija no dey carry last oo, na so e be. In fact it is 'better' because there seem to be a recent uptick in taste for new builds or bespoke/custom houses.

MaggieJul:
Anyone in the Canadian millitary? Pls I have some questions to ask.

There is a fellow West African I know, we have not chatted in a while but I can still forward your question to them. Feel free to ask away here.

Zeemaan:
Please is getting admission to study courses like Medical Laboratory Technology, Nursing, etc Competitive? I am single with little savings and would like to get advice on what best to do after arriving Canada (I got PR in April) in terms of work or study. The money I saved would be sufficient for school fees but not rent or feeding.

Is admission really competitive for those courses? Maybe. Maybe not. It really does depend on many factors - the province, your profile etc. Compile a list of all the Colleges/ Unis that offer what you are interested in and go through their website with a fine tooth comb. Feel free to shoot them a mail for more clarity.


Being a new immigrant and with PR, there are no restrictions whatsoever on your status so my advice is to be open to possibilities. No pressure to start school right away. You can work, understand the job market and boost your savings. Healthcare programs may be demanding such that there isn't much time for you to work once you start. The time to start applying for job was April.

Congratulations and may the land favor you.

Sheron50:
Please,You too think about it ,PM Carney tells people to invest in Canada, yet his own funds are in a blind trust reportedly 91% invested in the U.S.A. Meanwhile, canada is giving $270 million to Ukraine this week , totaling $25.8 billion canada is giving to ukraine. How does that make sense?

Same in uk becos Keir Starmer proudly announcing the UK will join a £78 billion loan to Ukraine.
The UK’s national debt is currently about £2.91 trillion, standing at 93.8% of GDP as of the end of March 2026. Since July 2024, the debt has risen by roughly £180–200 billion in the first year alone, with the total increase since then likely in the £250–300 billion range.

So how do you justify giving out loans that may never be fully repaid while your own national debt keeps rising? Interesting priorities. We truly have some remarkable leaders around the world

It is a blind trust and even if we know the constitution of the asset before going into the trust (before he took office) we can never know if it remain so or they have been diversified to include Canadian investment. Only few people, if at all, know what is in a blind trust and they will be bound by NDA.

And by the way, he remains a private citizen despite being the prime minister and he reserves the prerogative to put his money anywhere he wishes. At least he has not domiciled his funds in the Caymans or Bahamas which, in my opinion, is a sin for a public office holder.
Lastly, there is no doubt that the office of the ethics commissioner would have instituted an investigation if there is an infraction going on.

@Ukraine and 'giveaway'. I hope you are aware that there are different layers to this? There is military aid provided by Canada which supports local industries and training.
Secondly, there are few countries on earth today with real and practical knowledge of drone warfare that surpasses that of Ukraine (Arab countries signed a pact to have a share of this knowledge recently to counter Iranian aggression). Who do you think Ukraine will share this knowledge with - friends who came to their aid or who folded their arms?

Politics also come into play since the Ukrainians have been in Canada for a long time and are a huge voting bloc.

The amount you mentioned may include financial loans and painting a picture of just 'giving away money' is naive at best. There have been talks that these loans will be secured with Russian assets that are frozen especially in Belgium. This is usually the way it works if a country is the aggressor they pay for the cost of the war.

Please do not question how important countering Russian aggression is for the UK and all of Europe. History, European History 101, is a good place to start to have a robust understanding on what happens when aggression goes unchecked in Europe.

Granted Canada faces domestic issues, just like every other country, that could be ameliorated with government funding, it is also important for us to explore rationale behind some of these decisions to do 'give-away' and not paint a picture of crass recklessness.

jedisco:
Interesting update by Carney... outlines his plans in the midst of a changing world eloquently. Canada is blessed to have him.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk2TZwkhi4E?si=7EhGtEhbN5ApunBT

1) Hehehe...he had to choose Isaac Brock - he was instrumental in thwarting the American invasion of Canada in the early days of the war.
This is symbolic given that Carney has been given the mandate to thwart/stand up to the American president.
Can he do it? He is the best person to attempt it. Cometh the hour, cometh the man.

During an appearance on Joe Rogan, Jordan Peterson made the remark that Trump’s tariffs threats and “51st state” chatter would come back to bite him. He further added that - “He’s (Trump) gonna pay for that because once Carney is elected, if that happens, Trump will not have a more seasoned enemy in the West,” he declared.
“Carney’s very well-connected, very,” Peterson added. “Especially in Europe and the U.K.”

Let's be clear, you will rarely find 2 Conservative/Republican high priest combo in North America that pull more followers than these 2.
So if there is any Conservative voter out there still smarting from their candidate losing the election, well, una oga don say your candidate is not competent and connected enough to stand up to the derogatory 51st state comments.

2) Speaking of 51st state - these are the top 5 countries with proven oil reserves....
1 Venezuela 303,008,000,000 17.17%
2 Saudi Arabia 267,230,000,000 15.14%
3 Iran 208,600,000,000 11.82%
4 Canada 163,108,000,000 9.24%
5 Iraq 145,019,000,000 8.22%
We know what happened to number 1, number 2 is a owes its existence to the western world (treaty of darin) and arguably, remains a western satellite 'town' , we know what is happening with number 3 and your 'native land' is number 4. He is not joking about the 51st state comment, there is a pattern to these things.......control the oil, control all!

2) With real intent behind the '51st state' and 'governor of canada' comments, Carney needed a strong mandate but he did not get it in the last election. There has to be a way to change the minority mandate to a majority.
Immediately after Poilievre lost his riding, I wrote that there is still a back door into the House, albeit a risky one. The back door is going to contest in a safe riding which will give him access to the House of Commons. Now he has access to the seat, but his authority is being tested - forget the malarkey about getting significant increase in popular vote share and the overwhelming vote of confidence during the leadership review.
And right now Poilievre is hemorrhaging authority where it matters most. How many caucus members has he lost to Carney now?
Lastly, Carney resisted the temptation to be partisan by not delaying Poilievre's by-election till as late as December 2025 - this benefits all Canadians in that the best person presented by the opposition ensures the government is held accountable. Carney would have presented as a power grabber if he delayed the by-election and encourage cross carpeting of the opposition to his side - their rank will be depleted due to the absence of Poilievre and he is grabbing the followers one after the other. But now with Poilievre's presence in the House, Carney is grabbing the sheep right in the presence of the shepherd.

In the-same manner, Carney's Advisory Committee on Canada-U.S. Economic Relations include more prominent Conservative voices as the country prepares for critical CUSMA review negotiations - the likes of O'Toole who may have an axe to grind with Poilievre. Omo by the time Carney is done dealing with Poilievre and the Cons...hmmm...
This way of consolidating power reminds me of a quote about Haile Selassie - he creeps like a mouse, but has the jaws of a lion.

3) Enough of the politics. Let's share ideas that will make us better as immigrants. During the Spring update, a $6-billion "Team Canada Strong" program to train upto100,000 new skilled workers by 2031 was announced. It includes a $5,000 bonus for Red Seal certification, increased apprenticeship grants ($400/week), and $10,000 wage subsidies for employers. They want to modernize training, with $331 million over five years to speed up paths to Red Seal. The big projects that will be approved require skilled workers, @leksite120 and others have talked about the advantage of trade school etc. This is an opportunity for both new and landlord immigrants to pivot.

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/jordan-peterson-says-trumps-threats-185854454.html
https://natural-resources.canada.ca/energy-sources/fossil-fuels/oil-resources
https://www.worldometers.info/oil/oil-reserves-by-country/
https://budget.canada.ca/update-miseajour/2026/report-rapport/intro-en.html

https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/huge-budget-deficit-has-danielle-smith-raging-against-the-immigrants-she-recently-asked-for-and/article_d6d0ec0e-7804-4852-943b-5eac5ba76f8a.html

Hehehehe

Ayomikunkco:
Good day everyone. I am a new PR awaiting landing in May 2026. I am an experienced HCA and laboratory assistant/phlebotomist from Nigeria. I have a PSW certificate from Ontario (online study). I have always dreamt of becoming a nurse some day. Now that I have my PR, I think it is best to start the race of achieving my career in nursing. I have an offer of admission into BSc nursing ( pre nursing courses included) But alot sounds as if it isn't achievable or doesn't worth it as a PR.
I am not sure if it is extremely difficult to achieve academically or it just doesn't worth taking 4 years of my life when I can get something good without having a Canadian education.

Narrowing it down to diploma of nursing
Laboratory assistant course(4 months duration
Medical laboratory science (28months
Diploma of social work(24 months
Pharmacy technician.

Also, all I hear is I can't combine study and work together. How true is this statement?
I just want to align myself in a good healthcare course without much stress while making a cool cash.

Healthcare has been my identity all my life so diverting totally away will not make me feel complete. I am open to good suggestions too. Little about me A mother of 3 (12-7- 1 year and 2 months) relocating family of 5.
Thanks.

A little bit about the nursing project - I have focused on that because it's been a dream of yours and that pivoting from it will not make you feel complete.

1) Athabasca University used to have online pre-health science courses. Also check in with your university if it is acceptable or if they have a course equivalency chart for pre nursing courses from online Athabasca University. This way you have time to work + family responsibilities.

2) Congratulations on your PR. This may not be for you but it's good for families with kids transitioning from 'one' environment to the 'other' to try to foster independence. If you happen to have someone who helps around the home, this is the time to thank them and pay them off. Independence in every member of the family from the daddy to the mummy and the young ones, especially with regards to domestic duties, self care and activities of daily living is very important for new immigrants.

3) It is achievable academically and people do it all the time. I know folks who came into this country and started, arguably, more difficult, and expensive professional undergraduate degrees like Dentistry, Medicine, Pharmacy and were able to graduate. Was it tough, oh yes, it probably was for these folks.
Is it worth it? That is subjective.

4) MSL, DSW and Pharm. Tech. are also rewarding and awesome career lines. Go for it!

Goodluck.

In line with @maternal's post about government jobs....

There is the Federal Student Work Experience Program which is basically a recruitment pathway for the federal public service and is exclusively available to students. If you are in school, please feel free to apply.

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-service-commission/jobs/services/recruitment/students/federal-student-work-program.html

Also, if you are in school and would prefer the non trad route of paying for tuition, the armed forces have a program where they pick up the tabs for your tuition, plus pay you a yearly stipend - you get to work for them after graduation for a specific number of years otherwise the salary+tuition will be clawed back.

Good luck and happy family day.

jedisco:
I think his speech was well calculated. He's responded to Trumps criticisms especially in light of CUSMA negotiations which are due soon. How long would one stoop while Trump grovels?
Russia and China have shown that Trump only respects strength. Europe and the UK have realised that too.

Canada has it's own peculiarities but bending over to Trump at each turn would be disastrous. Now they're gunning for Alberta - pleading and begging only means they'd come for more.

The ideal follow-up to that speech should be answering the press about some of the high points. Not only was Carney not available for that, he ensured that the hatches were battened down when his ministers did not answer any questions about the speech. Not even one aspect of it. That is a fluff speech!

Based on Statistics Canada data, Canada’s merchandise trade surplus with the U.S. last year was on track to reach C$100 billion. That equates to 3.2% of Canadian GDP (A merchandise trade surplus means Canada exported more physical goods to the U.S. than it imported from the U.S. over the year).
On the other hand, looking at the trade situation from the U.S. lens yields smaller figures, partly reflecting different data measurement. Applying Census Bureau figures, the U.S. is on track to record a trade deficit with Canada of roughly US$45 billion in 2024 (or a mere -0.2% of U.S. GDP). In Canadian dollars at the spot rate, this would amount to $65 billion (https://economics.td.com/ca-canada-us-trade-balance).
Canada needs the US more than the US needs Canada when it comes to trades.
In my opinion, it will be better to not ruffle feathers, to continue to manage an already bad situation so it does not become worse. Whilst hustling day and night to ensure this situation never happens again, which is what Carney has been doing.

The job figures were released a few days ago and it does paint a not-so-good picture, and that is an euphemism because if you combine that with inflation, cost of food prices etc, then you have a real situation at hand. This is not the time nor the season to be engaging in fancy talk at all. Just knuckle down and do the job. It is a season and it will pass. The US midterms are coming and the report card will be out soon enough, the pressure Trump is exerting will not be maintained like this for long. He is able to do that because he has both the senate and house. The moment he loses one, then stuffs will get real. He will be busy swatting flies away from his now-exposed necrotic sore that he will not bother riding roughshod on others.

Russia does not come into the conversation at all. Putin is another US democratic president away from serious problem. Remember that this war was supposed to be a police action in which they will over run Kyiv in weeks and it is extending to years! It is estimated that Russia has lost 2% of its males to the war, that is future, never mind present, problem right there (https://www.csis.org/analysis/russias-grinding-war-ukraine).
Senescence is real and as advanced as modern science is, it has not solved the problem of immortality yet. Have you ever wondered what will happen in a post-Putin Russia? If what happened after Stalin was anything to go by then drama go dey for that side oo!

China is not restricted to trading with just a country, they are friends with all continents. In addition, they are not restricted by any green policy that bottlenecks mineral exploration, they have put themselves in a strong position.

leksite120:
If you don't mind getting into trade, go to a trade school and start a trade career as an electrician, pipefitter or others.
You can not go wrong on trade, it is financially rewarding, long-term advantage and easy to be independent in the future.

Not saying white collar isn't okay, but if you don't want to waste and gamble your time,, just go for the one that's sure.

Start as an apprentice, you'll get paid even during your apprenticeship. And after your apprenticeship, sky is the limit.

Under-rated. We don't talk about this as often as we should.

jedisco:
BTW, I wonder what peoples thoughts are about trumps recent shenanigans with Europe.
Should they bend over and let Trump do as he likes as some had advised Carney and Canadians to do?

There is no pleasing a bully

Europe! The 'old world' that subjugated almost every human in the days of yore! Pillaging everything in its path and claiming it in the name of royalty! Enough said.

Never please a bully, bid your time, some will say stoop if you must, then go all in with everything.
I am not sold on Carney's speech because he showed his hand too much. Remember this is not just any bully but the most powerful one. And it seem Carney has realized it, hence, his refusal ( and his ministers) to comment about Trump's recent threat which was as a result of the speech.

Preliminary skirmishes should not be fought with major artillery. Subterfuge with a slice of flattery should have been key at this point while Carney bids his time. But he is the PM, so he knows best. The US midterms are coming, that is when Trump's report card will be out. Politics may seem international but it is almost always local.

Happy new year everyone, may this 2026 be a better year than the last.

Have a great one.

Bibitayo2:
Thank you so much for your reply.

I have a BSc and a PGDE, and I have been doing some research on obtaining a teaching licence in one of the provinces. I really just want to understand the financial situation of teachers compared to other professionals.

It is well known that teachers are low-income earners in Nigeria. Is it the same in Canada?

Would you advise someone to go into teaching in Canada?

Thank you.

I do not think we need to worry about the financial situation of teachers compared to other professionals unless you are thinking about pivoting to those professions. We should be more concerned about if the remuneration is good for your short term, medium term and long term needs. And information about teachers' remuneration can be gleaned on the internet. Each provincial professional teaching body has their collective bargaining agreement and I have attached that of Alberta for you in the previous reply. You can search for that of any province to have the info.

The most important thing here is to continue to engage different provincial licensing bodies (Shop around! My info could be obsolete but most of them will require a credential evaluation like WES/others to Canadian equivalencies to determine if you have the 'B.Ed' that some provinces require to have an unrestricted/professional A license) so you have a clear idea of what you need to do to have a professional license to teach.

Bibitayo2:
Please, is teaching a good profession to go into in Canada?

I currently teach in Nigeria and I plan on getting the teaching license of a province before I move.

I am also taking online courses on KYC/AML.

Hopefully this is not coming late.

Do you have a B.Ed, M.Ed or NCE? I think its never too early to start the ball rolling on getting in touch with the appropriate provincial teacher's regulatory board about what you need to do to obtain a license. They are the ones in charge of licensing. If they tell you to do bridging courses, please go ahead and do it as long as you have set your mind on going the teaching route in Canada.

There are people (Christians especially) who prefer to teach in the catholic school system compared to the public - it's a long story.

There are rewards for Canadian teachers on earth and in heaven, Mum was a public school teacher for 35 years in Osun state and a fully paid monthly pension is cause for thanksgiving! Let's not start what we can't finish if we talk about active service remuneration - military years especially.

Lastly, check out the grid for Alberta here - https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/ecc-alberta-teachers-salary-grid.pdf

Good luck.

eniola1010:
(1) thinking of buying used 2020 rav4 or used 2020 acura mdx. I would have loved the rav4 but its a bit too basic and its horsepower is 203 which may not be powerful to pull through heavy snow, but i know toyotas are very reliable.
And as for the mdx, its a more powerful car and the horsepower is 290 it can pull through snow i guess. It has so many functions like heated seat, heated steering and so much others. But i am skeptical because a car like this having too much funtion and very low price might be prone to eletrical issues.
Although i plan to use winter tires in winter anyways. Which one of the two is a better option?


(2) asides copart, fbmarket place, is there a reliable auction yard one can go to to pick up used, reliable certified cars. I know most places u need a dealer license or some sort of license for this, i will sort that out, but where in ontario can one find such reliable auction yard that categorises cars into good, fair and bad so you know exactly what you are getting into.

Cc jedisco ferfer 73O9

Brother, that is a lot of power, 203 or 290 and more than enough for everyday people. The specialty winter tyres also gives you more capability although I am not sure that will be necessary since both are available in AWD, right? A few thoughts...

1) I think the most important thing here is to look at your budget and work with that.

2) The next thing is to do your research well. Brother-in-law just told us they are being billed 5 figures for a '21 highlander transmission/other issues. Now that is a problem! And we are still wondering how we missed something as obvious as that because if you just google the common problem(s) with this car, that's what will come up. Inspect if fb market/get guarantees if from dealer. Look through the carfax report and watch for timely maintenance/oil change etc.

3) Also, its important to consider depreciation too. When you buy a car, you may not use it till the wheels fall off! So when it is time to offload it, we all want it to command the highest amount possible. Use this tool to compare what their value will be in a few years (https://caredge.com/depreciation). What about the cost of ownership/maintenance - (https://www.edmunds.com/tco.html).

3) It is good that it is a 2020 rav4 so it is not Canada's most stolen vehicle (https://www.equiteassociation.com/top-10-most-stolen-vehicles). Personally I am choosing reliability over any other thing, weather is harsh here and in most parts of Canada for months and I need what I drive to be dependable whilst also being relatively pocket friendly to maintain.
Cheers.

jedisco:
True. I'm planning to start looking late winter and buy in spring. So hopefully, it'd be one or two months overlap. Would start looking online soon e.g using realtor

I never got the rave about Rav4. I know it's a reliable car but internals are rather basic and it being the default vehicle for taxis in Canada put me off. One

I see your point- paying interest on a higher principal would add up overtime. I'd be asking my broker to run all the scenarios when the time comes.

Broker comparison is the kinda thing AI tools are good at. Would raise a querry and see.

Please share when you have the AI tool.

@mortgage - Great plan to let the broker run all the different scenarios. I beg you, shop around. If you have been pre approved for a particular amount/rate, you are still allowed to approach another financial institution. I think they only pull (hard) your credit once for the first one and that is it. As a new comer to Canada, some (I know for sure that TD has this because I know someone who got it) financial institutions have newcomer rate/bonus thingy! Shop around - broker, big 6 bank etc.

@Rav4...unless I have the resources to go buy the only Bugatti Ottoman made for Suleiman the Magnificent, I will vote with my feet for a tested and trusted, albeit banal and ubiquitous, RaV4.
The taxi drivers definitely know something we do not and I'd say we follow their lead!

jedisco:
Good stuff

For the rental, I ultimately used rentfaster with aim to get my place when the rental expires

@getting your place on expiration of lease - that is a good plan which requires that a lot of things fall into place. If you have to wait, it is better for the lease to expire and be on a month by month 'contract' (this is more expensive) than to break the lease - in which case the damage deposit is gone. Please watch out.

Facebook market place is popular and with all things being equal, it is a good place to get stuffs.

I know someone who was waitlisted for a rav4 for 8 weeks, it is better now since immediately post covid, it usually takes longer. By the way, this is for the gas only variant and this will be the last gas only rav4 - subsequent ones will be hybrid or plug in EV (which means they are more expensive). At the end of the day, it is a reliable vehicle and being a very popular car attests to the fact that people want the best bang for their buck - reliable, holds its value and a little bit cheaper compared to major competitor like Honda CRV. It may even be that it is an asset at this point especially if you consider the dynamics of a 2023 variant (with up to 80mileage) being more expensive than a new 2025, with the catch that the former is available now whilst the latter require waiting/patience.

I know Olubams has talked about the demerit (higher rate) that comes with having a 20% down payment but I think it is still cheaper compared what you pay apropos the mortgage insurance (immediate penalty) and the rate that is levied against a larger principal loan (medium/longterm penalty) if putting in less than 20%. Our in-house financial experts can come up with a clearer picture.
I think aiming for double digits down payment is more realistic for most people. Single digit down payment just makes me uncomfortable.

You can see a lot of listings using realtor.ca - add your location/city.

Yes, that is a practice account and the money is what you will call - audiomoney. The e-series is majorly for US companies, I do not think it's a global one. I do not know any site that aggregate brokers/funds. Perhaps our bankers can help with that.

See below

jedisco:
Fair enough.. interestingly, the UK and US also posted job losses recently. This is to negate particular challenges Canada faces.
Every country does have challenges and economies do have peaks and troughs, however, conversations should be rounded

As someone who moved recently, I've needed and would need help with certain bits e.g

-Where to find the right rental accommodation, source a vehicle, insurance e.t.c
-Tax efficient savings/investment accounts and how to maximise these annually
-How to go about purchasing my place down the line, mortgages e.t.c
-Investments one can explore
-Pension planning as Canada does have a thinner safety net e.t.c

These obviously would differ from person to person and I still need help with many of these especially from those who've been here long enough. You then see why it becomes tiring when the overwhelming majority of discussions are focused on warning people not to come or driving some far-right narrative.

1) Rental accommodation depends on the city and what one can afford. But it is important to talk to the right people. For instance, I live in a city bisected by a river and the word on the street is the West side is riddled with crime and it is all nice/crimeless on the East side. The official police crime map tells a more complicated story. Accordingly, rent is higher when you cross from the side the sun sets to where it rises for the same configuration and probably less square footage. Do not even get me started on the extra you pay if you are buying. For both renting and buying, there are pockets of deals in safe neighborhoods in the supposedly notorious side.
Always watch out.
It reminds me of Alexander Solzhenitsyn's words - If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being.

2) @ sourcing a vehicle. Facebook market place is under estimated in my opinion for sourcing a vehicle. There are good deals every day on there and I have used it a couple of times to buy and sell. Ensure your powder is dry (cash is handy for transfer to the seller), get your mechanic inspector ready at a short notice, check carfax report for service/other histories and you may be good to go. Another way is to go to the dealership for a new vehicle, you get a good deal (MSRP, Warranty) especially for makers that hold value like Toyota. Although the downside is the wait time for such fast movers like rav4 and grand highlander. Right now in this here parts, there are used rav4 that rival/exceed the price of a new one.

3) This may not be for you. Always get a prepaid cell line first, especially when dealing with the big service providers. I can assure you that within 6 months when you keep up they would want to tie you down to a contract, and it is almost always a sweet one. If there is one bill that nauseates me in this country, it is mobile phone network access bill.

4) With my limited experience, the only thing I can say about getting a mortgage is to shop around (from brokers and banks) and try as much as possible to get to the 20% down payment threshold. Usually its better to put more down, as the saving on the interest rate will be less than the insurance premium.
There is the counter argument that you'll be better served putting less down and investing the difference. But one should be aware that the "return" on paying down a mortgage faster is guaranteed and non-taxable, vs paying capital gains taxes even if your investments fail to outpace interest savings.

5) Real estate trends seem to be defined by geography/city size etc - the big markets are experiencing slight depreciation but the mid-sized/small cities are booming. According to the link below - Fredericton and St. John have seen double-digit gains and Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba continue to gain, led by cities like Red Deer, Saskatoon and Brandon, where prices jumped 10 to 30% year over year.
https://www.wealthprofessional.ca/investments/alternative-investments/canadas-residential-real-estate-market-shows-geographical-divergence/389897

6) As per pension, please take advantage of matching contributions and investment by employer group RRSPs. Also, pension planning, in my opinion, includes planning to pay for college education for kids. Some of us started life early and some of us 'hmm' - you know what I mean! Putting in the minimum $2,500 per child per year into a RESP and attaching it to an investment vehicle attracts both provincial (depending on the province) and federal contributions that gives a little bit more freedom when it's time to pay for the kid's college tuition. College education is not getting any cheaper and I think it's about to experience a jump with the continued reduction in the volume of international students. Lots of higher institutions in the country are struggling because of this and the normal thing to do is to increase fees for all - domestic and international.

7) Again, with my limited investment experience, this E-series mutual funds was an opportunity to explore during COVID - around 2020. This is a practice, self-directed account that was set up to test-run some ideas. It is not an investment advice. See attached picture.

orjohn24:
As unemployment is raising and people start losing their homes, your idea of “national pride” will collapse soon. Pride without economic power is fake just like the way some shops are relabeling U.S.-made goods as “Made in Canada” to fool buyers as buy in canada made good. Stop deceiving urself

Straw-manning, as usual.
Your inability to string together a coherent argument without resorting to name calling and strong words reeks to high heavens. You should do better.

You are the one deceiving yourself by wishing for unemployment to keep rising + people losing their homes. Better be careful what you wish for.....

You are also being untruthful to yourself by pitching your tent in a country you believe lacks economic power.

jedisco:
Fair enough. Canada needs to build its economic base. Part of that may be by getting the right talent in and reducing intra-provincial trade barriers among others.

In relation to the U.S, Canada and to a large extent Mexico are quite different from most other nations.
Trump etal have not been flaunting to take over sovereignty of the UK. How many sister nations did Trump and his wingers go around calling the leader of 'a boy' as they did with Trudeau?

That's why I find the idea expoused here that Carney should do anything Trump wants as quite naive. Trump isn't easy to deal with and any move has to be weighed-up. Not being too brisk as Doug Ford and not being a stepover as many may want. Though time is of the essesnce, trade deals manytimes take years of negotiations to craft out if both parties are to benefit.

My little bit -

1) For sure, Canada needs to build it's economic base and this involves increasing both the population and economic activities including resource extraction. Perhaps, the latter before the former at this point if we are reading the room right. We can also talk about how to leverage on the Northwest passage but that is another matter entirely. There are other reasons apart from the abundance of critical minerals that Trump had eyes on both Greenland and Canada.

2) Carney can not afford to do whatever Trump wants. Those who advocate for doing whatever Trump wants are engaging in peak detraction. Carney's mandate was based on national pride, his experience managing an economy in 'lean' times, difference in political belief from Cons/Republicans etc. History has shown that bending to the will/pacifying someone who seeks to intimidate is not the way to go - see Neville Chamberlain in Munich as an example. One can stoop to conquer initially, but the long term play should be something other than laying down for one's belly to be tickled.

3) History has also shown that populist regimes always self destruct. Just wait....

4) Speaking of patience, Carney may be waiting for the CUSMA review, by that time the after-effects of all these tariff brouhaha would have made landfall and reached the pocket of 'Joe Sixpack' and with the looming midterms next year - the stakes will be very high. At this point, it won't matter if the DNC gets their act right or not, if folks are paying more for everyday stuffs, people would want to hold someone responsible.
If Trump continues to take a similar hard stance with CUSMA, then immediately post CUSMA and pre midterm will be the time to borrow Douglas Ford's big stick. Go toe-to-toe and dollar-for-dollar.

eniola1010:
I wanna ask some questions

1) are winter tyres a necessity, i mean are they worth it, would they pass thru 80% of snowy conditions?
Also, is it wise to put it on all seasons or you have to change it to normal tyres when its summer. Interchanging as the season comes and go seems stressful too me, i’d rather just leave it on irrespective of the season. But i wanna hear you guys opinion.


2) also, whats the best place to get a used reliable car, i checked autotrader and fb market and their prices are so so high. Is copart a good alternative?


3) trying to buy a 2015 suv and most of the mileage i am seeing is mindblowing. Why are most cars in canada having so much mileage? Is it because the country is big or what. I am mostly seeing = or > 150k km.

Hello, hope this is not too late.

1) I drive a sedan, I realize that winter tires are really helpful, I have never been stuck in snow. If I am grounded, that means the whole city is shut down because of significant amount of snow. Some people say if you have an AWD, winter tires may not be necessary - I have no experience with AWDs.
It is annoying to switch tires every Oct/Nov and May (May long weekend is usually when I switch out the winter tires). Costco offers one of the best price around especially if you bought both sets of tire from them.
There are adverts for this service on Facebook marketplace, caveat emptor.

2) Speaking of fb market place, you can set a reminder for the type(s) of car you want - immediately it is posted, you are alerted to go check it out. It is a competitive market for good deals. I have good experience buying a vehicle there - private seller, wanted their cash and it was a Sunday. Ensure your car inspector is ready at short notice. Also, ensure your account is well funded. You may have to make transfer via your online banking (especially on a weekend when bank branches are not open). Private sellers may need the money immediately and not want to wait.
Some one mentioned sourcing your carfax report yourself - this is very good quality advice. Look through the report and ensure that it is well serviced, high or low mileage is neither here nor there, it is the every 5k miles/6- months servicing that matters especially for makers like Toyota.

3) Please refer to the last line above.

Goodluck out there.

GraciousWords:
Fraser Institute only rank schools in the top 4 provinces (na play o!)

Seriously though, looks like you may just have to search for rankings per province or even city to see if anyone covers them.

For interested "high-schooler's" parents here is a list of IB schools across Canada
https://www.ibo.org/programmes/find-an-ib-school/?SearchFields.Country=CA

IB is a fantastic program (superior in my opinion to the Canadian Diploma and even A levels) and can be used to get into Uni across North America and Western Europe.

Happy Parenting!

Thank you.

jedisco:
Interesting and close.

Trumps administration has really 'benefited' the CPC

Haha, benefit, eh!...sarcastic Wednesday.

The election has come and gone. A few personal takeaways -

1) The hyperboles, the catch phrases like 'Axe the tax', 'bring it home', 'build the homes' did not work. I'd say it is more of 'pee the bed' with Pierre's performance. The obstreperous personality of Smith and Moe – the premiers of hydrocarbon-rich prairie provinces, with their threats of secession from the union has also come to nothing.

2) The 'leader of the opposition' lost his riding to a political debutant who was doing the grunt work (the basic, often physical or repetitive, and sometimes boring work that is necessary for a project to succeed but is not considered glamorous or prestigious) of knocking on doors and being visible in the community. Whilst the 'leader of the opposition' transverse the whole country, boasting about sold-out crowds and basking in the adulation of strangers and partners-in-rebellion, he forgot the small rule of not 'eating where you defecate’ - he seasoned the pit-fire roasted pigs (Literarily, the Truckers cooked whole pigs over an open fire on the street of Ottawa) and helped procure coffee to wash down the bovine grub of the Truckers who spent up-to 20 days on the streets of Ottawa making the life of his constituents miserable (The reason for their protest? Covid-19 social distancing protocols, mask and vaccine mandates). Actions have consequences.

3) The infatuation with reducing complex issues to simple terms is a dangerous habit. It was too easy to point at Trudeau as the reason for the increase in cost of living and inflation. Hatred of Trudeau and the carbon tax became an article of faith and with it the inability to pivot which resulted in political seppuku for Pierre. Some people even jubilated the day Trudeau's divorce became public. Of-course Trudeau left ignominiously, there is no single picture of him with Carney even on the day he handed over to ensure that he does not besmirch the latter with his political persona. Within hours of becoming Prime Minister, Carney knocked off the consumer carbon tax, now the 2 main point of support for the opposition no longer exist. Yet, they continue to foam at the mouth at both.

4) Politicians are like medications. Regulators/voters have to be sure that their benefit far outweigh the side effects/mistakes. If you do not have a need for that medication, do not take it because you are taking poison if there is no indication. The present situation needs someone like Carney, he will make blunders, but his economic knowledge, demeanor, ability to read a situation and act/pivot accordingly (see 3 above) means he should be more beneficial overall. A minority government will serve as a control mechanism to check his excesses.
Although, I am not a fan of his because of the capitalist affiliations but his firm stance against bully by the southern neighbor deserve applause. Again, the ability to pivot was key.

5) All in all, the transient nature of life is always good for a man to ponder in addition to an awareness of his other limitations. Like the bard of Stratford-upon-Avon wrote -

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances....

The main political players of the past 3-4 years have been 'retired' or sent off - Trudeau, Singh and Pierre. One can say Pierre can remain the leader of the Cons, after all a big picture analysis of their performance show that they got a better share of the vote than when Harper (the last Con PM) had a majority and their catch phrases resonate with the youths, but the baggage of losing your own riding will dog him for a long time to come.
N.B - There is still another backdoor way for him to be an MP, but that is risky.

6) The major source of disagreement between the Liberal-led Ottawa and Conservative-leaning resource-rich provinces like Alberta, Saskatchewan has been the lack of 'empowerment' of the energy sector in these provinces. When two behemoths tussle, the minions around will be strafed.
An ideal situation for us immigrants is to get to a point where these political swings/strife does not lead to major turnarounds in our ‘economy’. If that means we need to explore ways of having viable, long-term careers that confer immunity to the boom-bust cycle of the energy sector so as to preserve and improve the strength of our communities, then so be it.

maternal:
Please post this poll, or where you got the info, that the majority of Albertans want to leave Canada. Do people even know the logistics of what's involved to accomplish that ? Then the US needs to vote them in. The Republicans consider Albertans Liberals. It won't happen.

If Albertan somehow becomes a nation, what makes you think Trump won't slap Tarrifs on the nation ? It looks like the Liberals will win. An unreal 180. PP inability to pivot, and Danielle inability to keep quiet and not rock the boat caused this. Canada is a diverse nation, and not everything is about oil. Nobody outside of Alberta is buying the separation threat. Its better each province and territory works together. Energy projects will be more favored now. Canada's economy independence and prosperity depends on it.

These are calm and wise words.

On the assumption that majority of Albertans will vote Wexit ( but this is not the case, at-least according to this poll - https://angusreid.org/smith-shapiro-sovereignty/), the constitutional battle alone will torpedo any progress. It is the-same reason Canada will remain a constitutional monarchy and the crown will never be expunged as the head.

Canada is a beneficiary of treaties between First nations and the crown. The Natural Resources Transfer Acts allow treaty lands to be transferred from Ottawa to the provinces. Secession breaches this Act and that means the treaties come into focus again. Good luck with 'seceding' that! What about the reserve lands that are strictly under federal jurisdiction?

Reality will set in after the election.

[quote author=jedisco post=134698962]They are the kings of double-speak aka British diplomacy.


Hehehehe...2025 is the new 1984 and Orwellian doublespeak is here to stay.


https://www.ourcommons.ca/Members/en/votes/44/1/205 and https://globalnews.ca/news/11097024/poilievre-promises-to-keep-dental-care-pharmacare-if-elected/