Removals to Ottawa

Living costs

• Salaries are 18% higher in Ottawa when compared to Vancouver and 21% higher than Toronto.
• Rental costs based on a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre are 53% lower than in central London.
• Basic utilities (including electricity, gas and heating) for a studio apartment cost around CA$110 a month (£69), around a third cheaper than London.

Expats will find they save on almost every aspect when it comes to the cost of living in Ottawa compared to the UK.

Unfortunately, Canadian grocery prices have gone up significantly in the last few years. Most Canadian cities have higher average food bills than you would pay in London and sadly Ottawa is no exception.

Having said this the city is still much cheaper than Vancouver or Montreal. You can expect to pay $15 for inexpensive restaurant meal, or about $35 for a three-course meal at a mid-range restaurant.

The St. Lawrence Market in downtown Toronto is one of the best food markets in the world and you can grab some real in season bargains at great prices.

Public transport is highly efficient and runs on time with minimum delays. A monthly pass for all modes of transport, including bus and trains costs just C$100. However, if you choose to drive, you’ll be happy to know fuel is almost half the price it is in the UK.

Jobs market

• Ottawa is officially a bilingual city and many jobs require candidates to be fluent in both English and French.
• The city’s unemployment rate is stable and consistently below the national average.
• The largest employer in Ottawa is the federal government with additional opportunities in the technology and education sectors.

As Canada’s largest city, Ottawa offers many job-related opportunities particularly in federal government.

Technology firms also play an important role in the capital’s economy, with firms like IBM, Shopify and Cisco Systems employing thousands of workers.

For expats, the main barrier to finding a job is language related. Many of the top paying jobs require candidates to possess both English and French language skills.

However, this mainly relates to public-sector jobs – those seeking positions in the private sector can often work exclusively in English.

A good starting point for finding a job in Ottawa is to look online. There are many online portals where expats can look for work.

Networking is also an essential element of the job search in Canada and social networking sites such as LinkedIn are especially helpful to make connections and research the local job market.

Schools

• Ottawa is known as one of the most educated cities in Canada, with over half the population having graduated from college or university (University of Ottawa and Carleton University)
• Consistent with the region’s role as Canada’s research capital, over 9,000 residents have PhDs in Ottawa.
• Class sizes are smaller (on average 17-20 pupils) which results in students receiving more one to one time and dedicated teaching.

As a result of the city’s heavy investment in schools, universities and other educational establishments, Ottawa now boasts one of the most highly educated workforces in the country.

The Ontario Government pays for public elementary and secondary school education and expat students with a residence permit can attend any public school in Ontario at no cost.

School attendance is mandatory until the age of 16 in all provinces except for Manitoba, Ontario, and New Brunswick where the required age is 18.

Most Canadian citizens living in Ottawa send their children to public schools. However, the city has a significant number of international, faith and private schools which may be a good option for expats staying temporarily or who want to ensure their child has multiple options.

If you are moving as part of an arranged work transfer it is worth checking with your employer whether they are willing to pay your child’s school fees.

Lots of parents base their decision to move to Canada on the increased opportunities it will present to their children, as well as the outdoors lifestyle on offer.

Ottawa is no different to any other Canadian city in this regard and moving here you can ensure they have access to an exceptional start in life.

Removals to Ottawa

• Weekly removals services to Canada with full load consignments that take your belongings direct from point A to B or part loads that are delivered shortly after your arrival.
• Shipping can take anything from 8 to 12 weeks. From arrival at port in Ottawa to the additional time taken for the clearing of customs and quarantine.
• Storage offered either at our secure facilities based in the UK or through our industry partners in Canada.

Now that you’ve hopefully decided to settle down and move to Ottawa it’s time to figure out how to get there.

Canada has long been the expat destination of choice with thousands making the move each year.

During this time White & Company has positioned itself as the international removals firm of choice for all Removals to Canada.

To find out more about how we could get your dream move to Canada underway don’t hesitate to give us a call today.

Alternatively fill out a quick quote form or chat to our Bot and we’ll get in touch with you straight away.