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It looks like my French husband and I will be moving to Ottowa, Ontario this coming fall for a position of his at the university. For the most part, we are super excited about everything (except the long winters...)but I have a lot of questions!
The biggest question for me right now is curiosity about daycare/creches. We are leaning towards living in Gatineau. Not only would we be able to buy a house, but we are also a French speaking family. I would like my 3 year old to go to a French daycare if possible. Any suggestions on good ones? Is getting in difficult? Any Catholic ones? We are hoping to send my daughter to school at Our Lady of Mount Caramel across the way in Ottowa. A big question is also concerning vaccinations in both provinces. My kids have most, but not all.
So basically:
Should I be looking NOW for a daycare? Or can I find one when we move in August?
What are the vaccination laws/exception laws in Canada?
Also, any tips or insights or encouragement about winter? I am seasonal-defective disordered, sun-loving creature. With three kids, is there any way I will survive??!?!!??
ANY OTHER AMERICANS IN CANADA OUT THERE? HOW DO YOU SURVIVE WITHOUT TRADER JOES???? gaaaaaAAAAA!!
It's been a while since my kids were in daycare but I believe waiting lists for spots are regionally centralized now. You might want to contact this association which I believe handles the list(s) or at least could point you in the right direction:
I am not sure if you have to be a resident of Quebec before you can put your child's name on a list.
The fees for Quebec daycares have changed and increased for more well to do families. They range from about 8 dollars a day to about 20 dollars a days for top income earners (think over 150k family income).
It's more than what I used to pay (7 dollars) but it's still a lot cheaper than in Ottawa.
Overall the average child care bill in Gatineau is about 200 dollars per month. In Ottawa it's over 1000.
Note that in Quebec daycares are not generally referred to as "crèches" and the usual term is "garderie" or "CPE" for Centre de la petite enfance.
I am not aware of any Catholic daycares in Gatineau. I am positive that the entire CPE system is totally secular just like Quebec's other public institutions these days.
There may be privately run daycares where the lady is Catholic and teaches those values, and finds kids based on her circle or entourage, but that's about all I could think of.
Ottawa has a French Catholic school system that is public (similar to the one that Our Lady of Mount Carmel is a part of, but with teaching in French instead of English), and this system may have daycares for preschoolers attached to some of their elementary schools. This would be a "Catholic" daycare environment I suppose. Worth looking into.
Vaccinations are required to register kids in school in both Quebec and Ontario, but there is some parental leeway that is granted.
As for the weather, where in the US are you coming from?
FYI the majority of winter days in this region are cold and reasonably sunny. The typical pattern is clouds and a bit milder temperatures and then snow, then followed by several often much colder days with bright sunshine. Then the cycle repeats itself again.
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
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Okay, I'll be the one to tell you how to survive without Trader Joe's. You can't!!! I lived in the States for a long time and, every time I'm back to visit, that's one of my first stops. I *love* Trader Joe's!
I'm only moving from Montreal to Ottawa in June but I already know about Farm Boy in Ottawa. It's not the same as Trader Joe's -- not at all and nor is it trying to be -- but I'm excited to do some shopping there. https://www.farmboy.ca/
If you move to Gatineau, though, you're out of luck re: Trader Joe's AND Farm Boy. But you can pop into Ottawa to go to Farm Boy; the closest Trader Joe's is in Burlington, Vermont (70 miles from Montreal; 140 miles from Gatineau and Ottawa).
Best of luck with your move. I hope that it all goes smoothly and that you settle in beautifully.
I have lived within a 10 minute drive of a Trader Joe's for over a decade (or so). Only went once or twice. Mostly I eat the best produce and products I can find which are found at farmer's markets, grocers, butchers, and bekeries. I also cook most of my own food between visits to good restaurants.
In short, I am pretty sure you can eat well in Ottawa. Which, by the way, is the only city in Ontario that I have been to (mostly been to Quebec and the Maritimes) and am jealous that you are going to live there. Nice city. Absolutely picturesque on the river.
There is a day care center, primarily catering to students and staff at Ottawa U, both English and French kids, right on campus just fyi. You may want to call them and/or have your husband talk to people in the department he will teach for and see what they suggest. And you can find licensed French home and offsite daycare facilities all over the Ottawa area.
If you choose to live in Gatineau, while the costs for daycare may be much lower, be sure to check out the tax and other ramifications of living in Quebec vs Ontario .. I believe they are still quite significantly different. Also, if you expect to work too, you may want to consider where the best place for your family to live is based on where your job prospects might be greatest. If you are coming from the US though .. you may want to also find out if you would be allowed to work while you are in Canada at all.
If you are not going to be staying forever, it might be a good idea to look for a nice house or large apartment to rent in the downtown area, close to Ottawa U so your husband doesn't have to fight traffic everyday - and may even be able to walk to work - and you will be able to walk or take the bus with the kids all over the best parts of downtown Ottawa - the market, the museums, the Parliament building area, etc. and reserve the car trips to the 'suburb' areas and beyond for weekends.
Farm Boy is a great local chain of stores in the Ottawa area. No, it is not Trader Joe's of course, but, you will probably enjoy it anyway. TJs is good for what TJs is good for .. but I would not say TJs is most known for its fresh fruit and vegetables, nor for local produce or regional foods. Longing for TJs is not necessarily a bad thing though .. I head there myself every time I cross the border .. but that also makes it a much more fun and special experience too when I do get to go there, even if I have to fight traffic to get to it.
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Aery11
If you choose to live in Gatineau, while the costs for daycare may be much lower, be sure to check out the tax and other ramifications of living in Quebec vs Ontario .. I believe they are still quite significantly different.
You believe correctly. I'm self-employed so I set aside a percentage, every time I get paid, for taxes. I see exactly how much I owe annually and it's disgusting to have to write those big checks (cheques! whatever! ) around this time of year. I did the math -- myself, with my financial advisor, and with my accountant -- and if I were filing this year in Ontario instead of in Quebec, I'd be paying almost $6000 less to the government, after business expenses are deducted as well as my RRSP contribution. That's a lot to swallow. Granted, my cost of living will be higher when I move, but that's fine -- even if I spend the entire $6000 that I've saved in taxes, at least that money is going towards my lifestyle.
The difference on a 100k salary between Ontario and Quebec is about 5k in Ontario's favour. Of course personal situations will vary but it's in that range.
Generally speaking, the following stuff is cheaper or more advantageous in Quebec:
- child care
- beer
- auto insurance
- city water bills
- child support payments
- post-secondary tuition
- private school tuition
- electricity
- housing either to buy or rent
- certain things like vaccinations, dentistry and eye care for kids (covered by medicare)
The following stuff is cheaper or more advantageous in Ontario:
- income taxes
- driver's licence and registration
- gas (most of the time, not always; and not by that much)
- sales taxes (very slightly so, but worth it on big ticket items)
About the same
- property taxes
- groceries and other necessities
Other things to consider: the health care system is better in Ottawa than in Gatineau. (Even if Quebec offers more stuff for free, access is a bigger problem.) You however can access Ottawa hospitals very easily as a Quebec resident. Doctors in clinics is a bit trickier but not impossible either.
The education system is roughly equivalent between the provinces. It varies more from school to school than from province to province.
Note that access to English first (basically schools that teach all day in English as in the US - but with WAY better French) schools in Quebec is subject to restrictions. Non-Canadians are often not eligible to send their kids to English Quebec schools.
There may also be some restrictions on registering in French schools in Ontario but they are generally less stringent. If one of the parents speaks French (even better if the child does) it's usually OK.
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But you can pop into Ottawa to go to Farm Boy; the closest Trader Joe's is in Burlington, Vermont (70 miles from Montreal; 140 miles from Gatineau and Ottawa).
) around this time of year. I did the math -- myself, with my financial advisor, and with my accountant -- and if I were filing this year in Ontario instead of in Quebec, I'd be paying almost $6000 less to the government, after business expenses are deducted as well as my RRSP contribution. That's a lot to swallow. Granted, my cost of living will be higher when I move, but that's fine -- even if I spend the entire $6000 that I've saved in taxes, at least that money is going towards my lifestyle.
