Big Question Toronto-Ottawa-Boston-Kansas City

[NatashaH]

Originally Posted by Eduardo.Cordero

Natasha H, what is your field of study? I personally have my BSc from the University of Hong Kong (major Biochemistry) and M.Sc from The Complutense University of Madrid in Molecular Biology. I wish you the best with your studies and aspirations.

Thank you Eduardo.Cordero. I have my Bsc from the University of Toronto in Cell and Molecular Biology, my M.S from Tennessee State University in Biological Sciences (concentrated on Toxicology) and now I'm currently doing my PhD in Medical Science at McMaster University

Originally Posted by Eduardo.Cordero

Is the quality of life that inferior in Boston that it is worth turning down a position that pays more than 35,000 more than in Toronto? Thank you for your advice.

35K more. Toronto is a nice city but it's not that nice to lose out on that kind of money. I'm actually surprised that the Ottawa job pays more than the Toronto job, since the Biotech industry in Canada is centre around the greater Toronto area. This just give me some new insight.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Eduardo.Cordero

Acajack, I am accustomed to a Mediterranean Climate so ideally I probably would not choose either city based on climate, but the warmer the better if possible. That is why beaches in the Summertime are important to me. In the winter I would like to play as much indoor futbol as possible.

I enjoy big city life, but am satisfied with a moderately sized city as well. I am from Madrid and have lived in Hong Kong as well and I like the vibrancy of a big city over a small one.

Have you lived in either city? Or visited either one? If so what is life like in both?

Well, as you probably know neither Ottawa nor Boston offers a Mediterranean climate. When people in Ottawa go to the beach they generally go to lake beaches in the Gatineau Hills of Quebec, most of which are roughly an hour or so north of Ottawa. The water is warm and the sand is nice, but of course it is not the ocean. The nicest large beaches within striking distance of Ottawa are on Lake Ontario southwest of Ottawa at a place called Sandbanks Provincial Park. There, you almost have the impression of being on the ocean, because the lake is so big. Sandbanks is 3.5 hours from Ottawa.

Large ocean beaches are obviously a lot closer to Boston, all along the coast. Not just at Cape Cod.

I have lived in the Ottawa area most of my life. I am currently sitting in Gatineau, Québec, which is right next to Ottawa on the other side of the river. I have never lived in Boston but have visited there.

Life in Ottawa is slower-paced than Boston since it is a considerably smaller city. Though Ottawa is not a "hick" town either. It is a metro area of 1.2 million people and the capital of the country.

But it still sounds to me like Boston is the pretty obvious choice for you.

[ThroatGuzzler]

Originally Posted by NatashaH

Thank you Eduardo.Cordero. I have my Bsc from the University of Toronto in Cell and Molecular Biology, my M.S from Tennessee State University in Biological Sciences (concentrated on Toxicology) and now I'm currently doing my PhD in Medical Science at McMaster University




35K more. Toronto is a nice city but it's not that nice to lose out on that kind of money. I'm actually surprised that the Ottawa job pays more than the Toronto job, since the Biotech industry in Canada is centre around the greater Toronto area. This just give me some new insight.

There's probably higher demand for the position in Ottawa. Most new Canadians flock to either Vancouver or Toronto when they first arrive here.

[memph]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Second time this has been stated in this thread so I checked. Average summer water temperatures in Wasaga Beach, ON and Cape Cod are about the same, around 21 C or 70 F.

What part of Cape Cod? When I was there a few years ago there were two areas I swam in. One was similar to Lake Superior this year in late August and the other was like Lake Huron typically is midsummer but had a fair bit of jellyfish. This was in late July.

Here's what I found on NOAA's website for 2010 (warmer than average)... my guess would be small lakes are most similar to Lake Erie.

Superior: max 20.39C ; days above 17C = 36
Huron: max 22.38C; days above 17C = 66
Erie: max 25.48C; days above 17C = 134
Ontario: max 23.87C; days above 17C = 103

17C is what I consider swimmable since apparently that's how warm Lake Superior was when I went this summer. 17C sounds cold but even though it's supposed to be surface temperatures but that doesn't necessarily mean top meter, and my guess is it's across the whole lake, not just the shore and across the whole day, not in the late afternoon when it's warmest and most people swim.

Anyways... I'm not sure what Ottawa has on Boston based on the criteria. If the pay in Toronto is that much lower I'd go with Boston.

[Ottawa2011]

Ottawa doesn't have a huge biotechnology industry. Or even a mid-sized one! If you want better career and educational opportunities, I think Boston is your best choice.

I live in Ottawa, and I moved here from eastern Canada a few years ago. It is a lovely city, and not nearly as boring as some other people think it is, not in my opinion anyway. But it's better to live here if you are raising children (it's very clean and safe, with many young families), or if you already have a job with the government (Ottawa is basically a government city). It isn't such a fun place if you're young and single, if you are starting a career in the private industry, or if you want to get the best university education that you can -- I think I would vote Yes for Boston for you.