Jeff,
As a Canadian I can give you this broad overview and my personal opinions about the varying parts of Canada.
BC (West Coast) - Housing fuel and groceries are grossly overpriced but is offset with a winter more resembling late fall in the rest of the country. Lots of rain but you probably won't need a snowblower.
Alberta - Manitoba (Pariries) - If you are against supporting the oil industry, stay out of Alberta, if you don't mind getting rich off of poisoning the earth, jump right in there is lots of work but cost of living is rising fast to reflect the average income level. Saskatchewan - I've never been so I am in no place to comment. Manitoba, high unemployment rates and there is a reason they nicknamed Winnipeg "Winterpeg". As with the rest of the prairies...buy a snowblower.
Ontario - I am biased as Toronto is my hometown. If you dont mind a commute, you can find affordable homes surrounding the major cities. If you want to work, you will find it, Particularly in areas along Lake Ontario/Lake Erie in the southern part of the province (between Toronto and Kingston). If you like the great outdoors go north from anywhere, you will find it in an hour or so. Summers are hot and a little humid, snowblower is optional depending on your fitness level. If you go north of hwy 17, buy a snowblower.
Quebec - You are extremely limited if you don't speak French. I fuel up before I hit the provincial line so I don't have to stop on the way through it. I will say however that Quebec City is the closest I have ever seen to an old European city outside of Europe proper, and if you like to party, don't miss St Catherine St in Montreal. You could get by in the cities but if you want to live in the outskirts, french is pretty much essential. Weather is on par with Ontario.
Maritime Provinces - I have travelled all over and will probably retire in the maritimes. Sea air, hot summers and winters that get lots of snow but not bitterly cold like the prairies. I currently live in Bathurst in northern New Brunswick (Acadian Peninsula) so I'll start there. The pace of life in the maritimes is much slower than Ontarion or Quebec, lots of great hunting and fishing. Very bilingual here, so much that the local dialect is a mish mash of french and english which works for me. If I can't think of the word in french I just throw in the english word and keep going. Nobody seems to mind. Not much for work here but housing is cheap! You can get a split level (2400 sq ft for around 125,000) if you go further into the southern part of the province there are a lot of opportunites. Fredericton is growing fast and housing is a bit higher but as soon as your out of the city it is very affordable. It also has some nice pubs. Same goes for Halifax, Nova Scotia. Nice city but getting in and out of the city is a horrid commute based around 2 bridges. Lots of nightlife due to the universities and a lot of nice UK type pubs. Never lived in or around PEI or Newfoundland but have travelled through both. Newfoundland has some of the nicest people on the planet but employment may be an issue. No matter where you go in the Maritimes you can pretty much find seasonal work in the fishing industry but it's up and down based on the year. As for PEI, only ever been as a tourist, beautiful place but can't provide much info on life there.
Hope this helps, and I am sure a few of my fellow Canadians will chime in with their 2 cents....especially after the Alberta comments. Good luck in your future wherever you end up!!
Go Easy,
Operator (Jason)
