ABC News reports that:
The number of U.S. citizens who moved to Canada last year hit a 30-year high, with a 20 percent increase over the previous year and almost double the number who moved in 2000. In 2006, 10,942 Americans went to Canada, compared with 9,262 in 2005 and 5,828 in 2000, according to a survey by the Association for
Canadian Studies (hat tip: Kevin Stolarick).
August 1st, 2007 at 11:27 pm
Richard- does this make you a follower? haha!
August 1st, 2007 at 11:28 pm
With a rising currency vis-à-vis the US Dollar, universal health care, and a democratic government that actually supports peace – why wouldn’t more Americans move north?
August 2nd, 2007 at 8:42 am
Pls. tell us all about universal healthcare. I know that you all are just arriving there and it is a bit off topic, but it would be nice to hear about how it works?
August 2nd, 2007 at 9:14 am
I just returned Tuesday from a trip to Canada (Nova Scotia) and I can see the appeal of relocation. I have had great experiences every time I have been to Canada. The people have been incredibly nice, the attitude is positive, the cities are clean and well kept (for the most part) and the vibe has been positive. But Canada has their problems too, and I know a lot of Canadians that have moved here for a better life and a change of pace. Besides being an easy way to live in another country and the universal health care, what else is a draw for Americans moving north?
August 2nd, 2007 at 1:34 pm
I suspect the shift in the past few years is mostly due to Canada’s economy, particularly in the West, going so strong. There are talent and even low-skill labor shortages in almost every industry in places like Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver.
It would be interesting to see where these Americans are moving to (see if I’m right and its the West).
August 2nd, 2007 at 2:35 pm
DJM, on health care.
How it works in Canada is the government is the insurer and all citizens and residents automatically receive coverage. Health is run by the individual provinces, so each one is slightly different.
In BC, if you can afford it, you pay a small premium — it’s about $108 a month for our family of three (and we’re definitely in the “can afford it” category so I’m sure this is the max). When I was a student, I paid $7 a month. Some provinces have no premiums — everyone gets coverage for free.
However, note that this is basic medical coverage. It covers routine doctor visits, emergencies, necessary surgery, etc. In BC (and this varies by province) it does not cover physio therapy, massage therapy, private hospital rooms, most eye exams, etc. — However most workplaces offer extended medical benefits that cover these types of things, and sometimes you pay part of the costs in deductions from your paycheque (I pay about $500 per year through my employer for this)
You can choose your own family doctor or walk into any clinic with the government insurance card. To see a specialist, you need a referal from a one of these places.
The downside of government run insurance and much of the health care provisioning is wait times for many procedures. ALthough I hear with some HMOs in the US the situation is just as bad. The main difference is that in the USA you can always pay the money yourself and go to a private hospital, bypassing your HMO. In Canada, theoretically, you’re not allowed to do that (there are some private clinics challenging the law on this one), although Canadians can and do go to the US or elsewhere abroad for speedy treatment if they can afford it and don’t want to wait.
August 2nd, 2007 at 3:37 pm
Wendy,
Aren’t the wait times for elective procedures predominantly? You’re not going to have to wait two months to have surgery on an aneurysm or something like that, right?
August 2nd, 2007 at 4:18 pm
Well, it depends upon your definition of “elective.” Emergencies get handled first, certainly. And although the media makes a big deal out of every case, my sense is that delays in real emergency procedures are generally rare (at least delays that threaten a patient’s life).
But, in Canada you can run into situations like multi-month waits for a hip replacement or ACL knee repair surgery or even non-emergency heart surgery that have a significant impact on your quality of life. This is where the legal battle is taking place — should Canadians have the option to skip the wait line and pay for their own procedures at clinics in Canada.
August 2nd, 2007 at 11:22 pm
Thanks Wendy, that makes it sense. Whatever the wait times are, I doubt too many Canadians would swap health care systems with the US.