Living in Windsor and working in Detroit. Good idea? (Atlanta: sales, rent)

[nycarrival]

All,

I read some very negative stories about Detroit and I started thinking of living in Windsor in Canada and going to Detroit for work daily. Does anyone know if commuting across the border would be a hastle and whether there are people doing this at all?

Thanks

[UKUKUK]

People do it all the time though the commute can be long. I've never had a wait at the border more than 40 minutes but also don't have a NEXUS card or any of that. Apparently these expediate the crossing. That being said, Windsor is a wonderful, safe, beautiful city that's incredibly diverse and friendly. You'll love it.

[Jwo85]

Here is the local news website of Windsor if you want to see what is happening aroumd town.
CBC Windsor

[leroythelion]

Originally Posted by nycarrival

All,

I read some very negative stories about Detroit and I started thinking of living in Windsor in Canada and going to Detroit for work daily. Does anyone know if commuting across the border would be a hastle and whether there are people doing this at all?

Thanks

I know several people that do it every day. They have been doing it for years. You will need some kind of immigration status in Canada.

[UKUKUK]

Originally Posted by leroythelion

I know several people that do it every day. They have been doing it for years. You will need some kind of immigration status in Canada.

He or she could be a Canadian citizen. If not, they could apply to the government for citizenship and rent in the suburbs while they wait

[SadieMirsade]

Originally Posted by nycarrival

All,

I read some very negative stories about Detroit and I started thinking of living in Windsor in Canada and going to Detroit for work daily. Does anyone know if commuting across the border would be a hastle and whether there are people doing this at all?

Thanks

If you have KIDS, it's a GREAT idea.

Canada has public French schools (the kind you have to pay $25 000 tuition for in Manhattan or Chicago).
Also, free French Immersion public school programs for kids who are attempting to become bilingual later on.
And then, it has exactly the same offerings for free, for Catholics. Ontario has parallel school boards for Catholics, both Francophones and Anglophones.

Excellent FREE HEALTHCARE.
I'm here to testify, that even with a few occasional glitches, the system WORKS.

It's SAFE. You don't need to think about safety, walking, why?, where? should I? It just becomes NATURAL to get up, and go anywhere, whenever you feel like. Because you FEEL like it.

University tuition is about $6000 throughout Ontario. And some Ontario universities have high rankings. None-comprehensive universities often have highly ranked faculties.
Colleges are about $2000.
Quebec tuition is much lower, around $1700 per annum.
Even McGill University, which ranks 17th in the world, only charges that amount.

By Michigan standards, housing is not as cheap. Neither is food, booze, furniture nor clothing. But a lot of that stuff you can pick up at the market on your way home.

The ESSENTIAL public services: transportation, health, safety, education are all very good, if not excellent.

I'm also considering doing the Detroit-Windsor run.

[nycarrival]

Originally Posted by SadieMirsade

If you have KIDS, it's a GREAT idea.

Canada has public French schools (the kind you have to pay $25 000 tuition for in Manhattan or Chicago).
Also, free French Immersion public school programs for kids who are attempting to become bilingual later on.
And then, it has exactly the same offerings for free, for Catholics. Ontario has parallel school boards for Catholics, both Francophones and Anglophones.

Excellent FREE HEALTHCARE.
I'm here to testify, that even with a few occasional glitches, the system WORKS.

It's SAFE. You don't need to think about safety, walking, why?, where? should I? It just becomes NATURAL to get up, and go anywhere, whenever you feel like. Because you FEEL like it.

University tuition is about $6000 throughout Ontario. And some Ontario universities have high rankings. None-comprehensive universities often have highly ranked faculties.
Colleges are about $2000.
Quebec tuition is much lower, around $1700 per annum.
Even McGill University, which ranks 17th in the world, only charges that amount.

By Michigan standards, housing is not as cheap. Neither is food, booze, furniture nor clothing. But a lot of that stuff you can pick up at the market on your way home.

The ESSENTIAL public services: transportation, health, safety, education are all very good, if not excellent.

I'm also considering doing the Detroit-Windsor run.

Yes, Canada is a great country to raise kids for sure. The only concern I am having is that Windsor may not have too many activities to keep our kids busy as opposed to what the big cities could offer. We are currently staying in Atlanta and there is tons of stuff to do with toddlers.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by leroythelion

I know several people that do it every day. They have been doing it for years. You will need some kind of immigration status in Canada.

That's what I'm curious about. If an American person is working in the U.S., would they be an immigrant in Canada to reside there?

[SadieMirsade]

Originally Posted by nycarrival

Yes, Canada is a great country to raise kids for sure. The only concern I am having is that Windsor may not have too many activities to keep our kids busy as opposed to what the big cities could offer. We are currently staying in Atlanta and there is tons of stuff to do with toddlers.

Tons of stuff for kids.
Newsroom (http://www.citywindsor.ca/000810.asp?id=5480 - broken link)
International Children's Summer Games
Recreation and Culture

The university got extra $$$ from the federal gov't, and the city is gearing itself for the post-industrial age by investing in education and infrastructure.
Unemployment is higher than average in Canada (automotive layoffs), but the federal, provincial and city gov'ts, are all on their toes, investing in and trying to figure out how to help the region adjust to the new reality.

I am in Canada right now, and the community centres here have been amazing. Both for kids, and the adults. A lot of services are really cheap, or free.

In fact, if you were to move to Windsor, you'd have the added advantage of all the nearby recreation facilities, from Cleveland to Upper Michigan, plus Toronto, Niagara, Quebec.
You've just gotta open your mind to all the possibilities, and the fact that Canadians, even the most conservative ones, aren't very right wing, by American standards.

The rich in Canada aren't freaked out by a slightly higher tax rate, because they are SAFE, SECURE, and they also enjoy free services that they help fund. Of course there's always a minority bitching and wanting more, more, more....on both sides of the political spectrum, but overall, Canadians seem committed to their free healthcare, safety, security and overall decent quality of life for the majority. They CAN SEE what they're getting for their higher taxes, every time they cross the bridges to US side of the border.

Racism is less acute than in the Detroit area, but then, Blacks in Canada aren't so alienated, or pissed off. I find them to be very "chez soi" in Canada, and a Black friend of mine from Toronto said to me recently, "This is home. I'm never feel like I somehow don't BELONG". He is British-born, of Nigerian ancestyr, raised in Canada and the MEast, also educated in France.
Like I said earlier, consumer goods are slightly more expensive than in the US, but you can always pick the stuff up on the way home.
Pyjamas, pantyhose and pillows all cost more in Canada than in the U.S. - Yahoo! Canada Finance (http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/Pyjamas-pantyhose-pillows-capress-907883106.html?x=0 - broken link)
If you want fancy brands for cheap, just wear your old clothes when you cross the border, buy your stuff on the US side, and drop the old clothes off at the nearest Salvation Army depot.
Nevertheless, Torontonians, and especially Montrealers, dress MUCH better than Americans.

ps. The Ontario gov't is funding "Parenting Centres" throughout the province, (and all-day daycares are currently being phased in, for 4 years plus.)
These parenting centres are basically spaces allocated (schools, libraries, community centres) exclusively for parents and caregivers with small children. A place where small kids can get together, any time of the year, and play, read, have snacks, activities, while the caregivers also get to know each other and exchange gossip, news and just hangout for an afternoon. They usually have tons of toys, a place space, seating areas for adults, computers, a small kitchen...etc.

I expect that the next step for Ontario will be some form of universal daycare services for the entire province. A lot of the middle and upper middle class want a more regulated and (ideally lower cost) better organized (if not fully funded) daycare system for toddlers and kids in general.
Something like in Quebec, where daycare is $5 per day. Quebec also has gov't provided car insurance. And they are soooo lucky. It's dirt cheap.
No wonder insurance and medical lobbies OWN Washington.

[leroythelion]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

That's what I'm curious about. If an American person is working in the U.S., would they be an immigrant in Canada to reside there?

They would have to apply for Landed Immigrant status to benefit from the healthcare and schools. Generally not an issue for educated people but it will take some time.

The downside is the taxes. Income taxes are a lot higher in Canada. Also, the sales tax is ridiculous. I don't know what it is in Ontario right now, but it is double digit. Most provinces are above 15%.