My sister and husband made the leap about 2 years ago and love.
After the first 35 years in greater London Ontario and then Vancouver for 14 years decided to blow caution to the wind and moved back to rural Ontario.
They bought a farm and am turning it into an organic farm. They are in a little place named Wardsville. It only has about 800 people and are on HWY#2 exactly between Chatham and London about 50 km from both.
Yes not exactly the total boonies but certainly outside the London commuter shadow. Yjey still go to London about twice a month and do most of their major shopping in Chatham due to London's traffic.
They were certainly urbanites and loved the amenities bit at the same time got 60 acres, two barns, and fixer upper of a house but it was only $180,000.
They also wanted to leave BC because they never really liked the place. They actually know their neighbours and are active in the community, The place is as white as snow except the Korean couple who run the only variety store in the town.
They certainly aren't church goers and are liberal in their views on social issues so they certainly didn't move for the conservative small town attitudes. His sister has also bought a house there and hopes to move there in the next 5 years even though she is certainly a liberal and has a good job in Toronto. Neither she nor my sister has no kids so it's not because of their kids they simply wanted to get out of the rat race.
After visiting her I can see why she loves it with her beautiful farm. Even though I'm gay I would certainly consider such a move.
If you could live in a village or rural area if you could get a job that would approximatly provide a wage that allows you to have the standard of living?
I'm not talking 4 minutes out of the city but a real rural are.
Is it something you would consider?

^ That's what I get for not proof reading my message..............................D'oh!

I could live in one of the little leftist enclaves hugging the shore if I had the money but other than that, I think I'll stay in town.

We're talking totally outside of a commuter catchment area?

Hmm...

If if were close enough that I could go into town (preferably by commuter train, perhaps after driving 5-10 min) then that would be even better than suburbia. But to go to town no more than 1-2 times per month? I'll have to go with no. And I say that with experience having lived in a rural area for 2.5 years growing up.

A charming small town could possibly be ok though. Or perhaps if I had a small apartment (even just a room) in town that would allow me to split my time. That way even if the commute was too long for everyday, I could work in town 10-12 hr shifts 3-4 days/week and come home on my days off.

I could live in one of the little leftist enclaves hugging the shore if I had the money but other than that, I think I'll stay in town.

Better hope for your hydro bills though that you don't revert to candle light and a wood stove fire. 46% in 5 yrs. :ohno:

(I wouldn't mind it)

Dalton McGuinty ---->:bash:<------Ontarioians.

No I don't think I would, I'd much rather live in a city. I can understand the appeal for some, but it's not for me.

Better hope for your hydro bills though that you don't revert to candle light and a wood stove fire. 46% in 5 yrs. :ohno:

(I wouldn't mind it)

Dalton McGuinty ---->:bash:<------Ontarioians.

Those communities typically generate their own power with solar and wind so it doesn't affect them.

Energy prices are going up because demand is going up while supply goes down.

Never. Had enough of it when I was younger and get bored stiff out in the country. Too isolated for my tastes; I enjoy throngs of people and lots of action!
I am definitely not one who loves to "get out of the city". I am generally more excited about "getting back into it"! :D

You are such a city boy TB(me too:)),by the way why would you want to move away from White Rock?its such a nice place to live (well a bit boring I suppose).

country is only for old folks! :D

Depends what one considers country. There's a few small Ontario towns in which I wouldn't mind living if I had a job. But out on a farm with neighbours all a car trip away? Couldn't do it.

You are such a city boy TB(me too:)),by the way why would you want to move away from White Rock?its such a nice place to live (well a bit boring I suppose).

I remember White Rock as being a retirement destination! I'm not ready for that yet!! Not while I still have a pulse, anyway.....

there are lots of new developements in White Rock and more younger people living in there now but its still a boring place.

God NO!

Ottawa is bad enough...

The town of White Rock is still geriatric 101 but South Surrey is not and is growing very fast with mostly young families. The population down here is now 80,000.
As for Ontario, I'd rather live there than here.
Anyway back on topic..........

I lived on Salt Spring Island for 5 years and loved it although it's not to removed and is growing like wildfire and is very expensive. It's still a lefty island but is becoming more like Whistler all the time.
If in BC I would certainly consider Nelson but it, like the rest of the province, is expensive.

There is a lot to be said for a small town. When growing up in a small town the first thing you want to do is leave it. Whether for school, to see the big city, or just to get away from the attitudes and everyone knowing your business.
It is different when you are done your post-secondary and you move to an area where you know few if any and therefore everyone knowing your business is because, to an extent, you told them.
I just turned 46 two days ago and it's hard for me to contemplate that not only have big city people's attitudes have changed but so have small town attitudes. When I think of my growing up in Strathroy with the small red neck attitudes and gossip it is hard for me to acknowledge that their attitudes will have greatly changed in last 30 years.
Perhaps it's my narrow mindedness about them that is the real problem and not the other way around.
Maybe it's me that is the prejudicial one and not them.
Could it be that I am the one with the closed mind and not them? Have I become what I hated most........the one who judges others yet never have met them?
Makes one wonder if I have become the bigot.

Lived in Black Creek on Vancouver Island. It's pretty rural. It's in between Courtenay/Comox/Cumberland and Campbell River. It's really beautiful there and I love it a lot. My parents still live there.

I'd love to live there again actually. Or a small town. Where I'd like to live is Revelstoke or Golden.

Nope!

I would never live in the country, but I can totally see myself living somewhere like Eagle Harbour, West Vancouver. Somewhere that feels remote but is only 10 minutes from high-street retail in Ambleside and less than 20 minutes from downtown Vancouver, (closer to downtown than when I lived in Richmond). In the below pic, that mass of land jutting into the background is UBC.
https://images.marinas.com/med_res_id/124394

https://images.marinas.com/med_res_id/124395

God NO!

Ottawa is bad enough...

Lol, I get deer in my backyard there all the time, and I'm in the centre of Kanata. Ottawa is basically this big city surrounded by kilometres of absolutely nothing.

Those communities typically generate their own power with solar and wind so it doesn't affect them.

Energy prices are going up because demand is going up while supply goes down.

We're you get that from? They're going up because of Dalton's stupid idea of converting to solar and wind and ditching coal. (He should've invested in a way to make coal cleaner).

Clean coal [i.e. carbon capture] is just a bad idea. Its whole point is to trap coal emissions at the pipe and instead dispose of them underground. That's very expensive. At that point, what's the advantage of it over nuclear power?

Atikokan GS is replacing coal with wood pellets which is cheaper and employs local people. They've also found away to claim burning wood pellets is carbon neutral. Thunder Bay GS will run on natural gas, which is a little more costly but cleaner.

Clean coal is just as expensive as renewable energy sources. It's actually cheaper to renovate a coal power station to use gas than to start using clean coal processes, which is why OPG is doing that.

If people used renewable energy at a local level more, the demand for mass produced energy would drop and prices would go down, in theory. A new office building being built downtown here will actually generate so much energy that in the summer the building will be paid by the local hydro company for generating energy, instead of paying them to use it.

Ottawa is basically this big city surrounded by kilometres of absolutely nothing.

Thats pretty much every city in Canada that isn't Toronto or Montreal (or one of the cities that surround them).

Let's drop the electricity debate and stay on topic.
When I said a small town or rural I meant a small place of less than 5,000 and atleast 40km from the city or urban area. Kanata is not rural.
Have the lefties like myself become so urban oriented that we are willing to right off our rural areas?
Are we being fair to the people in small town and rural Canada when we generalize that they are all a bunch of hillbillies?

Ottawa is bad enough...

Try Sudbury, with its 49/sq km population density and fuck all for suburban transit.

I've lived in an urban area all my life....I hate the country. :cheers:

I don't even like the country music! :D

I'm sort of like your sister and husband, except I've been living in a small town all my life. But it's a lot bigger than Wardsville, my town of Mitchell has like 4,200, it's about 15 minutes west of Stratford.

But I am definitely not a total "country" person, but I do like getting a taste of it once in a while ;)

I wouldn't mind doing work in the country for a year. It's so isolated. I think that's what I love about country life. The people living there are a lot more personable than city folk too.

But alas, I don't think I could bring myself to live there forever. I need a certain intake of smoggy, city air in my lungs or else I get a head rush.

Have the lefties like myself become so urban oriented that we are willing to right off our rural areas?
Are we being fair to the people in small town and rural Canada when we generalize that they are all a bunch of hillbillies?

The thing is, Ontario doesn't have any rural areas like Nelson or Salt Spring Island (to my knowledge). Small town Ontario IS much more conservative and there are a lot of hillbillies. Obviously there are sophisticated and left-leaning people as well, but the ratio is lower.

I think you would have a hard time being gay in rural Ontario. If you're single you can forget about finding a partner and if you're coupled get ready to be the talk of the town. Your best bet might be Prince Edward County (I read an article about gays "flocking" there, which means 2 gay dudes probably moved there around the same time), or Stratford if you want a larger small town (the whole theatre thing means some gays must be kicking around).

In my experience, small town Ontario isn't really THAT much more conservative so much as the farms around small town Ontario are much more conservative. Could be just my take.

I can see enjoying Elora, Stratford, Fergus, Port Hope, Cobourg, Owen Sound, or Collingwood. Maybe some others I've forgotten.

I have a bit of a prejudice against pine trees/evergreens. Never did like them and couldn't live where there are tons of them. I like deciduous trees so much better. Weird that.

Ottawa is basically this big city surrounded by kilometres of absolutely nothing.

In all fairness, Ottawa is a small city. There are only about 1.2 million in the entire metropolitan area. I wouldn't even classify Vancouver as a big city.

The rural areas southwest of Thunder Bay (beyond the farm belt) are quite leftist. There are a lot of hippies and potheads living out there, and a nudist camp. It's a collection of basically every unusual person you've ever met. The whole area is basically a dead end too, so there is no through traffic. It's very peaceful. We camped out there when I was a kid.

Try Sudbury, with its 49/sq km population density and fuck all for suburban transit.

Doesn't Sudbury have the 7th biggest amount of land for a city in Canada? That probably explains the density.

I'd consider it:

Okanagan, BC
The Yukon
Annapolis Valley, NS

I have a bit of a prejudice against pine trees/evergreens. Never did like them and couldn't live where there are tons of them. I like deciduous trees so much better. Weird that.

You probably hate them because of the pricklies and the fact they attract thousands of mosquitoes like per tree.

No, it is aesthetically. They often look so gangly and straggly. Also, the pine needles on the ground are not nearly as comfy to lie on watching the clouds go by!

The thing is, Ontario doesn't have any rural areas like Nelson or Salt Spring Island (to my knowledge). Small town Ontario IS much more conservative and there are a lot of hillbillies. Obviously there are sophisticated and left-leaning people as well, but the ratio is lower.

I think you would have a hard time being gay in rural Ontario. If you're single you can forget about finding a partner and if you're coupled get ready to be the talk of the town. Your best bet might be Prince Edward County (I read an article about gays "flocking" there, which means 2 gay dudes probably moved there around the same time), or Stratford if you want a larger small town (the whole theatre thing means some gays must be kicking around).

Oh, there are tons of little artistic communities a person could move to where many of the population are people who have escaped the city. Stratford, Guelph, Collingwood, little towns around Niagara-on-the-Lake, pretty little towns in Prince Edward County (Bloomfield, Wellington), etc... Don't know if any are hippie-dippie, though. I wouldn't mind urbane little towns like Stratford or Niagara on the Lake but a "hippie dippie" place would be like going straight to Hell for me. No celebrating the Winter Solstice, or raising organic goats, or making jewellery out of pine cones, or eating placenta, or knitting poo coloured sweaters out of barbed wire for this cowboy. I would want at least nice old architecture and some theatre.

So you wouldn't want to attend to a crop of organic soy beans in a solar powered winter greenhouse?

Places without coniferous trees look dead and ugly in winter.

Gangly and straggly are strong words. I like to call them "free spirited" and "whimsical".

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cc/Pinus_banksiana.jpg/273px-Pinus_banksiana.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/86/Picea_glauca_Fairbanks.jpg/450px-Picea_glauca_Fairbanks.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e3/Abies_balsamea.jpg/480px-Abies_balsamea.jpg

Or maybe drunk is a better word?

Ewww.. those two top ones were the type I don't like. Maybe they have been drinking too much home made pine needle wine! hehe....The bottom one is cute because it looks like a Christmas Tree! I just don't like scraggly pine evergreens, even when I was a child. Give me deciduous, or at least beautiful, thick, nicely shaped Blue Spruce. Thick evergreen hedges are nice, though... especially Yew.

The rural areas southwest of Thunder Bay (beyond the farm belt) are quite leftist. There are a lot of hippies and potheads living out there, and a nudist camp. It's a collection of basically every unusual person you've ever met. The whole area is basically a dead end too, so there is no through traffic. It's very peaceful. We camped out there when I was a kid.

I suppose I should have specified rural Southern Ontario. Northern Ontario is totally different if voting patterns are any indication. Rural Northern Ontario is also complete wilderness, while Southern Ontario is mainly farmland.

Oh, there are tons of little artistic communities a person could move to where many of the population are people who have escaped the city. Stratford, Guelph, Collingwood, little towns around Niagara-on-the-Lake, pretty little towns in Prince Edward County (Bloomfield, Wellington), etc... Don't know if any are hippie-dippie, though. I wouldn't mind urbane little towns like Stratford or Niagara on the Lake but a "hippie dippie" place would be like going straight to Hell for me. No celebrating the Winter Solstice, or raising organic goats, or making jewellery out of pine cones, or eating placenta, or knitting poo coloured sweaters out of barbed wire for this cowboy. I would want at least nice old architecture and some theatre.

Guelph is hippie central, but at around 120 000 it's not really rural. And those people are concentrated in the beautiful historic core, which is still surrounded by ugly suburban areas full of small-town people. Unlike Toronto where you never see the suburbs if you live in the inner city, Guelph is small enough that the surrounding areas are a part of everyday life.

I don't have a lot of experience in those other places you mentioned, but my impression is that the progressive people who live there are outnumbered by a majority of narrow-minded, small-town people.

Are we looking at rural Canada with an unfair view point?
Their attitudes have changed just as much, if not more, than urban ones have.
The internet has connected the rural areas to the world far more than it had to in the big city where 30 years ago most didn't even have cable.
They get BRAVO, Showcase, and all the other relatively progressive stations just like anyone else. They see the churches and governments changing their views on homosexuality, They are just as concerned about the enviornment as urban folks. They no longer go to church every Sunday which is why church attendance has been plunging over the last 40 years.
They don't have large families and due to this they are far more mobile than they use to be. Their kids who left come back with new ideas and lifestyles.
In much of the urban areas there are huge areas of more conservative thinking. Recent immigrants to Canada almost uniformaly are more conservative in their social views than native born Canadians.
Du to the internet they are more educated than they once where due to being able to take courses on-line.
Are we to quick to judge that only urban areas have changed and not rural/small town ones have well?
What about the advantages? Cheaper housing allows for a far higher standard of living. No traffic problems which means, unless you are a one hour city commuter, you are home in 5 minutes. What's wrong with actually knowing your neighbour and caring about their well being? Have urban living made us so detached that these things are no longer considered relevant?
Crime rates are no lower in small towns but you don't have to worry about gangs.
Wouldn't it be nice to know your local banker so they actually care if you where to lose your house?
When a small business in the city goes under there is no fuss but in a small town or village it means something to the community and, potentially, the guy down the block, your kid's parents, the vitality of your downtown.
I like a city with a nightlife but only god knows why. I can't remember the last time I was out past 9:00 unless fo a late movie. I haven't gone clubbing for years.
The theater in the city's can be wonderful but I can't remember the last time I went.
Having galleries and museums are wonderful but when was the last time you went to ROM or AGO every month? People even 200km out of downtown can still get there is just 2 hours which is as much time everyone in the city spends everyday on their commute.
Yes, I would miss the city'r restaurants, and it offers far superior entertainment but those things are still in reach.
My sister and brother-in-law still go to London at least twice a month and are forever shopping and trying new restaurants and cafe's that London offers in abundance. Most major bands all play in London and it has good theater and good alternative flicks.
When they want to go to Toronto for all it's fun and festivals they are only 2.5 hours away.
Do we sell rural living too short?

Well, it is all a matter of personal taste. I had enough small town when I was young to last fifty lifetimes, and now prefer city life. Even in gorgeous little Victorian towns like Niagara on the Lake, I found the crowd in the pub to be noticeably more "small town". It is something you can sense intuitively when you have lived in a small town.

I moved to Hunstville for 5 years. After I sold my snowmobile each winter was hell. And after spending many winters in Whistler the one ski hill in town in my corner of Muskoka sucked! It cost almost the same to ski there as a lift ticket back in Whistler.

Here is the house I lived in for almost 5 years. Well the roof, it was built down the side of a hill.
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/whistlerinToronto/PA080001.jpg?t=1290891040

My street.
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/whistlerinToronto/PA080003.jpg?t=1290891148

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/whistlerinToronto/PA080004.jpg?t=1290891205

My nextdoor neighbours. We only had 4 houses on the entire street.
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/whistlerinToronto/PA080002.jpg?t=1290891274

The view from my backyard firepit area.
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/whistlerinToronto/PA080006.jpg?t=1290891339

My last car before my TTC days. When I moved up there I had a truck, by the time I left I was trying my best to distance myself from the townies, they all had trucks and were a bit too low brow for me. Yes I was a snob. So that's why I got the Volvo, yes it was 4WD for the winter. About a month after that shot was taken that road turns into a main trunk for the snowmobile trails, no car access.

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/whistlerinToronto/PA080013.jpg?t=1290891526

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/whistlerinToronto/PA080008.jpg?t=1290891615

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/whistlerinToronto/PA080010.jpg?t=1290891647


This is from the top of my street, a bit of a lookout.

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/whistlerinToronto/PA080007.jpg?t=1290891689

This is the highest point in town. lions Lookout (not the same as above). Lot's of Japanese tourists are in town around this time of year to see tha fall colours. These guys missed the peak by about 2 weeks however.

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/whistlerinToronto/PA080022.jpg?t=1290891781

The views.

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/whistlerinToronto/PA080024.jpg?t=1290891946

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/whistlerinToronto/PA080020.jpg?t=1290892030


The highschool Soccer field.
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/whistlerinToronto/PA080018.jpg?t=1290892102

The big box stores have made their way to Muskoka now.

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/whistlerinToronto/PA080034.jpg?t=1290892179

Found a pic of that crappy ski hill.
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/whistlerinToronto/PA080039.jpg?t=1290892240

Lake of Bays, it had the best beach in the summer. My dog loved it there.
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/whistlerinToronto/PA080041.jpg?t=1290892298

The water is nice and clear. the day I took this picture I found a dead horseshoe crab on the beach. I have no idea how it ended up in this lake.

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/whistlerinToronto/PA080044.jpg?t=1290892377

And finally after Hunstville my first pad in Toronto, I'm on the right.
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/whistlerinToronto/Picture113.jpg?t=1290892488

Are we looking at rural Canada with an unfair view point?
Their attitudes have changed just as much, if not more, than urban ones have.
The internet has connected the rural areas to the world far more than it had to in the big city where 30 years ago most didn't even have cable.
They get BRAVO, Showcase, and all the other relatively progressive stations just like anyone else. They see the churches and governments changing their views on homosexuality, They are just as concerned about the enviornment as urban folks. They no longer go to church every Sunday which is why church attendance has been plunging over the last 40 years.
They don't have large families and due to this they are far more mobile than they use to be. Their kids who left come back with new ideas and lifestyles.
In much of the urban areas there are huge areas of more conservative thinking. Recent immigrants to Canada almost uniformaly are more conservative in their social views than native born Canadians.
Du to the internet they are more educated than they once where due to being able to take courses on-line.
Are we to quick to judge that only urban areas have changed and not rural/small town ones have well?
What about the advantages? Cheaper housing allows for a far higher standard of living. No traffic problems which means, unless you are a one hour city commuter, you are home in 5 minutes. What's wrong with actually knowing your neighbour and caring about their well being? Have urban living made us so detached that these things are no longer considered relevant?
Crime rates are no lower in small towns but you don't have to worry about gangs.
Wouldn't it be nice to know your local banker so they actually care if you where to lose your house?
When a small business in the city goes under there is no fuss but in a small town or village it means something to the community and, potentially, the guy down the block, your kid's parents, the vitality of your downtown.
I like a city with a nightlife but only god knows why. I can't remember the last time I was out past 9:00 unless fo a late movie. I haven't gone clubbing for years.
The theater in the city's can be wonderful but I can't remember the last time I went.
Having galleries and museums are wonderful but when was the last time you went to ROM or AGO every month? People even 200km out of downtown can still get there is just 2 hours which is as much time everyone in the city spends everyday on their commute.
Yes, I would miss the city'r restaurants, and it offers far superior entertainment but those things are still in reach.
My sister and brother-in-law still go to London at least twice a month and are forever shopping and trying new restaurants and cafe's that London offers in abundance. Most major bands all play in London and it has good theater and good alternative flicks.
When they want to go to Toronto for all it's fun and festivals they are only 2.5 hours away.
Do we sell rural living too short?

You sound like you're trying to gain our approval to justify a move to a rural area...so, if it'll make you happy, do it. Does it matter what we think?

All I can say from my experience from small town living is that it's a great place to relax, get in touch with nature, and seems like a nice retirement option for some. However drug abuse, crime, and depression was very high with the youth. I would not want to raise kids there. Of the young people I did get to know many were drop outs with no long term goals in life. And yes, racism was never far under the surface with many people. The handful of level headed young adults I knew could not wait to get out of there. After living in suburbia, rural Canada, and now the big city I strongly believe that a large urban metro is the best place to have a family.

The bottom one is cute because it looks like a Christmas Tree!

The bottom is a Balsam Fir, it is the tree traditionally used for Christmas but I don't like it because it is covered in smelly sap, and they tend to look quite sparse. A well shaped pine makes the best tree. Spruce has too many needles and dries out too fast. Spruce and pine are easily confused--pine needles grow in bunches, spruce needles grow individually.

NWO Regional voting patterns:

2007 provincial election: City (http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/881/2007resultsbypollthunde.png), Towns (http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/1771/2007resultsbypollsmalle.png), Region (http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/5686/2007resultsbypollwholer.png)

2008 federal election: City (http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/8818/thunderbayelectionresul.png), Region (http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/2076/nwoelectionresult2008.png)

Provincially, conservatives only got votes in farming areas and seniors homes, with the exception of that giant blue area in the regional map where only 10 people live and they all voted Conservative. Federally Conservatives did a lot better, getting farming belts and upper middle class areas, plus some rural polls where a half dozen voters makes it look like they have widespread support. Otherwise they get less support here than Toronto. In both cases, the bush between the city and the Quetico Park is solid NDP. Both our previous and current Green Party candidate was based in that area, and I think the Pot Party candidate for this riding (when one runs) is also usually a resident of that area. Definitely not as sophisticated as Salt Spring Island. :P

All I can say from my experience from small town living is that it's a great place to relax, get in touch with nature, and seems like a nice retirement option for some. However drug abuse, crime, and depression was very high with the youth. I would not want to raise kids there. Of the young people I did get to know many were drop outs with no long term goals in life. And yes, racism was never far under the surface with many people. The handful of level headed young adults I knew could not wait to get out of there. After living in suburbia, rural Canada, and now the big city I strongly believe that a large urban metro is the best place to have a family.

Haha. My uncle lives on Lake of Bays. You may have lived on that street with him. I know he hardly has any other neighbours.

No. my street was Deerhurst Highlands Drive. Lake of bays may be the nicest lake up there. Shanaya Twain has a cottage on it.

Nice country pix, Andrew. Beautiful but probably a bit on the dull side.

After Thanksgiving all the stores close a 5pm weeknights and stay that way until the May 24 weekend. One of the local dives had Michelina's Pasta on the menu I kid you not. There were some nice pubs though that only new blood would go to. The not born there not gonna die there crowd.

Michelina's Pasta??? Ewwwwwwwwwwwww. My least favourite frozen food.

Up here at rural restaurants, if you order cereal, you get one of those little boxes, cut open with milk poured into the plastic bag. :D No one sold Michelina's though, pasta and things like meat pies and pizza were all home made, since that is cheaper.

Michelina's microwave pasta things are made in Duluth. :)

anywhere within an hour of vancouver i think - i like langley township - a lot of it is rural other than pot farms its pretty

http://vancouverisawesome.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/IMG_7001.jpg

i would love to move to the oregon coast though - i loved lincoln city

http://www.valuevacationrentals.com/images/memb1/prop8298_42978.jpg

http://www.petfriendlytravel.com/images/listings/1269/300_300_200707222018240.jpg

http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/24/3c/e7/lincoln-city.jpg

monkeyronin
No, I couldn't possibly care less what anybody would think if I moved to the country.
I brought up this thread because we all bitch about transit, cost of housing, crime, smog, traffic etc but then never discuss why we put up with it.
Also, in our liberal open minded little enclave we refuse to look at the other side.
There are still 6 million Canadians who live in rural areas or town of under 5,000. That's the GTA.
Have we become the close minded one's? We are make condescending comments about rural and small town Canada without ever even living in one.
I have always found it interesting how most city dwellers love to go to the country for the weekend and then telling their friends what a great time in an ever so urbane cafe but somehow if it's the other way around they are just a bunch of red necks for living more than 2km from a 50 store mall.

Yeah, I couldn't figure out either why Monkeyronin thought you were seeking anyone's approval. It is just a simple discussion.

monkeyronin
No, I couldn't possibly care less what anybody would think if I moved to the country.
I brought up this thread because we all bitch about transit, cost of housing, crime, smog, traffic etc but then never discuss why we put up with it.
Also, in our liberal open minded little enclave we refuse to look at the other side.
There are still 6 million Canadians who live in rural areas or town of under 5,000. That's the GTA.
Have we become the close minded one's? We are make condescending comments about rural and small town Canada without ever even living in one.
I have always found it interesting how most city dwellers love to go to the country for the weekend and then telling their friends what a great time in an ever so urbane cafe but somehow if it's the other way around they are just a bunch of red necks for living more than 2km from a 50 store mall.

In all fairness have you ever heard people in rural areas talk about us urban folk, not very flattering. The ignorance goes both ways.

For me, I am not sure if I will move to the country per se but I wouldn't mind being in an area close to the city which is more in touch with nature.

^^That's why I like compact european cities. One can live in lush and interesting landscapes at the fringe of the city and still be minutes from downtown. Like parts of Marin County in San Francisco... just 30 seconds off the north end of the Golden Gate bridge, and there's places like this:
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/9642/dscn7808.jpg
my photo

This is the best of all worlds IMO. Local retail, groceries, restaurants, ice cream shops, etc in a nice compact cluster of high streets at the bottom of the hill, and metropolitan life in downtown San Fran just 20 minutes away....

I don't know if I could survive without my msn cam to cam. :lol: :jk:

Nah... sounds a bit too "tranquil" for me. Give me downtown, or give me death. When I retire I'll move somewhere where social life revolves around ice cream and Starbucks! :D

But downtown is right there!
Another pic of the same palm tree:
http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/162/dscn7813.jpg
It's literally less than 10km away... only a fraction of Toronto residents can say that, lol.
I can safely say I would live in the middle of nowhere, as long as it's half an hour of a big city downtown, has good local food... and there's a gym nearby, haha.

LOL :ohno:

Only a fraction of people in San Fran can live like that as well. Unless google maps needs to be updated. LOL.

An even smaller fraction actually since SF's inner city is surrounded by giant bodies of water. I meant it as a big-city-suburb vs rural-feeling enclave thing...

Well if that's what you meant you're mistaken then. Quality of life in Toronto usually ranks higher then San Fran, and more people live on or near parks in the ravine systems that shape our city. And you don't need to drive 10km to get to them.

Back on topic, ssiguy2, where were you thinking of moving to?

I have often thought of moving to the Kootenays, Nelson to be exact. The problem is that even though it is 8 hours from Vancouver it is still incredibly expensive.
I would like to move back to Ontario and if I did it would be in the rural south west.
Cheap housing, moderate climate, pretty country, and still within an hours half hour drive of some city where I can go for my shopping or a movie.
My sister's location is perfect being mid way between London and Chatham and only 10 minutes from either the 401 or 402.
No matter where I would certainly have to be within an hour of a decent sized city or a at least a major town.
In the south west even lakeside land is dirt cheap.

Well my sister just moved to Sechelt, I like how it's seems really cut off from Vancouver but is only 30mins away as the crow flys. She's turned into a big nature freak and I've done the opposite. I have a few friends in Alberta that really want to move back to Ontario for the arts scene that have been looking at small towns just outside Hamilton. I hear it's still pretty cheap and feels a world away from Hamilton and Toronto. Honestly if there was a high speed train to Hamilton I might live there as well.

As much as I like big city living everytime I'm up at the cabin near Algonquin I never want to leave, no phones , no lights, no motor cars, not a single luxury and I love it.

As much as I like big city living everytime I'm up at the cabin near Algonquin I never want to leave, no phones , no lights, no motor cars, not a single luxury and I love it.

I can take that kind of seclusion for up to almost 36 hours without going bananas! After that I need to get back to civilisation and get some good old-fashioned CO2 into my veins.

I can take that kind of seclusion for up to almost 36 hours without going bananas! After that I need to get back to civilisation and get some good old-fashioned CO2 into my veins.

Snowmobiles, chainsaws, and outboard motors my friend.

Ever been on a portage through the interior of Algonguin, Andrew? Now that is fulfilling.
Pure tranquillity....until it starts raining.

chainsaws.

Should we be afraid? Very afraid? :D

Ever been on a portage through the interior of Algonguin, Andrew? Now that is fulfilling.
Pure tranquillity....until it starts raining.

Recently just back in October. We had a guide that did all of our cooking and cleaning for us.

Nope, I grew up in BFE and I have no desire to live there as an adult. Even living in Williamsport, a town of only 1,000 people was to much. I prefer living in the city where everything I need or want is either within walking distance or a 5-10 min drive.

Ever been on a portage through the interior of Algonguin, Andrew? Now that is fulfilling.
Pure tranquillity....until it starts raining.

There are better parks up here if you're looking for "tranquillity". You aren't isolated until you have been flown to somewhere you can't point out on a map by an insane man in a float plane, with your only connection to the world being a satellite phone that may or may not work. :yes:

Americans pay a lot of money for that.

Well I can tell you that in late October in norther Algonquin you don't see many people. We didn't see any other then an armada of students leaving the park as we were just starting out.

And in Northern Ontario you wouldn't even see them. In July.

It's weird though, go anywhere in the bush in Thunder Bay and no matter how far you are from something, you'll find someone in there.

Nah... sounds a bit too "tranquil" for me. Give me downtown, or give me death. When I retire I'll move somewhere where social life revolves around ice cream and Starbucks! :D

Seattle?

I mean it's the perfect retirement city, it's got Ice cream and it's the home of Starbucks.

Atleast, this is why my uncle tell's me!

When I retire it will be some place east like Quebec City or maybe Halifax! I love being by the water!

And in Northern Ontario you wouldn't even see them. In July.

It's weird though, go anywhere in the bush in Thunder Bay and no matter how far you are from something, you'll find someone in there.

same here,just wander into bush in Stanley Park at night you'll see a lot people in there too.:laugh:

Nature seekers, I imagine! :yes:

My favourite times are when they're clothed.

Those don't happen as often as I would like.

My favourite times are when they're clothed.

Those don't happen as often as I would like.

with this weather they better be clothed otherwise they will lose the purpose of going in there.:lol:

My favourite times are when they're clothed.

Those don't happen as often as I would like.

Try it in winter!! :yes: