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My wife and I are planning to move from outside the province to Gatineau, and I've found this forum very helpful, there are so many warm-hearted people contributing, I already appreciate simply by reading those existing threads.
Our major concern is that since my wife is about to deliver very shortly, and Quebec medical system requires a three-month waiting period, we won't be able to get the health card on time. On the RAMQ website it says vaguely quote" free services may be available relating to pregnancy". I want to know what does "may" mean? Is it a sure thing or maybe thing? Does my wife have the right to just walk in the clinic or book with an obstetrician immediately after we settle down Gatineau? And what does services relating to pregnancy include ? Does it include all the prenatal checkups and treatment for complications if there is any?
About the neighborhood choice, I'm thinking Plateau, Aylmer or Cote-de-Azur. Since we are primarily English speaking, I have certain level of proficiency in written French , but never have working knowledge of speaking French. Will language be a major issue if I choose the Cote-de-Azur side instead of the somewhat Anglo Aylmer side? or there will be issues on both sides any way, just no big difference?
- Gatineau is right next to Ottawa. You might want to check out what the situation is there as rules may be applied differently in Ontario.
- Can't this move be postponed a few months? Pregnancy at this stage is not the best time to move. Not being judgemental, just logical.
Thank you very much Acajack! I will read this page carefully. Ontario policy is more rigid, no exceptions for 3 months waiting. things on the Quebec side are relatively more of human touch. Because I have a new semester for graduate school coming up, That's the reason we're in a hurry to move here. But, you're right, moving around in the meantime is such a rush. I need to either make 100% sure she get service in Quebec or postpone school, Sometimes people do encounter these dilemmas in life.
I know that Gatineau has a cheaper home price and better quality social services. Do you have any detailed suggestions for choosing between these three areas i mention above? thanks!
I know that Gatineau has a cheaper home price and better quality social services.
Gatineau (Quebec in fact) tends to be more generous and extensive in social services than Ontario but quality is not necessarily better. This can depend on the type of service you are talking about. Specifically there can be delays in accessing certain services in Gatineau due to shortages of some professionals (like nurses).
You'll have to deal with French to some degree wherever you live in Gatineau, but the Aylmer area is about 35% anglophone which means a higher degree of bilingualism. The Plateau is probably about 15% and Côte-d'Azur is probably 5% or maybe even less.
Lots of non-anglo people are bilingual all over the city though.
You'll have to deal with French to some degree wherever you live in Gatineau, but the Aylmer area is about 35% anglophone which means a higher degree of bilingualism. The Plateau is probably about 15% and Côte-d'Azur is probably 5% or maybe even less.
Lots of non-anglo people are bilingual all over the city though.
Yes, I guess all the three regions have French as their first language. Survival French can not be a problem, but demanding people switching to their second language to have a meaningful conversation is not a desirable situation anyway. Since neither English is our native language, I don't expect to automatically have profound communications with neighbors even if we live in a somewhat Anglophone community. Eventually maybe we have to be satisfied with a nodding acquaintance with the neighbors no matter where we live. It's sad, most of an adult's social relations will be limited to his/her workplace, especially for new immigrants like us.
It's the kids I'm a little worry about, Côte-d'Azur seem to have the best schools, close to city amenities, while Plateau is a little remote, but has its own shopping center within walking distance. Aylmer is a superb community, multinationals including most of my Chinese folks tend to live there, but they don't seem to be close to city amenities either, and housing price is the most inflated of the three.
Acajack, I just want to know, in all these three regions, consider the following scenario: When I take my kids to school, or civic center to have activities with other kids, and other kids' parents, will the majority of conversation take place in French? or maybe we can enjoy more activities with English as the primary language if I live in say, Aylmer?
Yes, I guess all the three regions have French as their first language. Survival French can not be a problem, but demanding people switching to their second language to have a meaningful conversation is not a desirable situation anyway. Since neither English is our native language, I don't expect to automatically have profound communications with neighbors even if we live in a somewhat Anglophone community. Eventually maybe we have to be satisfied with a nodding acquaintance with the neighbors no matter where we live. It's sad, most of an adult's social relations will be limited to his/her workplace, especially for new immigrants like us.
It's the kids I'm a little worry about, Côte-d'Azur seem to have the best schools, close to city amenities, while Plateau is a little remote, but has its own shopping center within walking distance. Aylmer is a superb community, multinationals including most of my Chinese folks tend to live there, but they don't seem to be close to city amenities either, and housing price is the most inflated of the three.
Acajack, I just want to know, in all these three regions, consider the following scenario: When I take my kids to school, or civic center to have activities with other kids, and other kids' parents, will the majority of conversation take place in French? or maybe we can enjoy more activities with English as the primary language if I live in say, Aylmer?
Based on what you've told us about yourself, your kids will have to go to school in French if you live in Aylmer or anywhere else in Quebec. So that settles that. Some of you kids' teachers may speak English and be able to communicate with you at parent-teacher meetings, but some may not. It depends. All school communications (letters, emails, calendars, lists of supplies, etc.) will be in French only though.
In Aylmer in terms of community life there is a lot of bilingualism but stuff tends to be in French first. A lot of the anglophones in Aylmer speak French also and so use that language a lot, or use a mix of English and French.
Just to give you an idea, here is the web site for kids' soccer in Aylmer.
As far I can see it is in French only. This does not mean that around the soccer field do not speak in English. A lot of people do. But it's going to be primarily in French.
It has an option for English in the front pages but if you dig down deeper a lot of the content is in French only when you get to pages for team and their schedules and information.
Based on what you've told us about yourself, your kids will have to go to school in French if you live in Aylmer or anywhere else in Quebec. So that settles that. Some of you kids' teachers may speak English and be able to communicate with you at parent-teacher meetings, but some may not. It depends. All school communications (letters, emails, calendars, lists of supplies, etc.) will be in French only though.
In Aylmer in terms of community life there is a lot of bilingualism but stuff tends to be in French first. A lot of the anglophones in Aylmer speak French also and so use that language a lot, or use a mix of English and French.
Just to give you an idea, here is the web site for kids' soccer in Aylmer.
As far I can see it is in French only. This does not mean that around the soccer field do not speak in English. A lot of people do. But it's going to be primarily in French.
It has an option for English in the front pages but if you dig down deeper a lot of the content is in French only when you get to pages for team and their schedules and information.
Yes, your info kinda confirms my imagination, I guess activities are going to be taking place in French in all these areas, so doesn't make much of difference how big an Anglophone community there is. The language issue settles here. Everything boils down to the quality of the community itself. As for the formal communications between the school and parents, I think I'll muddle through that, since they are mandatory, no one will see me like a Guignol. They'll just have to put up with my broken French and witness me improve over time.
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