Much has been talked about this topic in the past, on this forum and outside, about the opportunities outside Toronto/GTA area. I feel this topic needs much more attention and focus, as it may hold the key to finding the elusive break which so many are looking for and feel there is no hope in sight.

Toronto being the economic engine of Canada holds its magnetic attraction to most (over 60%?) immigrants, but there is an emerging trend in other cities, which should not be ignored. The rising cost of urban centers of Toronto/Vancouver is driving many large businesses away to other cities and even lesser known towns.
Many smaller towns and cities are wooing and attracting firms by tax breaks and other incentives and quite a few are obliging.

Here are some facts about some lesser popular cities:

Peterborough , Ontario : A small town of 125,000 people just about an hour north of Toronto. Some of the companies, which have recently moved there in the last few years and are expanding their existing facilities, are.... Siemens, General Electric and Pepsico (now the 2 largest employers there), Lufthansa, MCCI and Americredit have added another 1600 jobs in the city recently. The trend is growing. Peterborough has seen a 5% drop in unemployment rate in the past 2 years; this is the largest drop in unemployment rate in any Canadian city in the past 2 years. The cost of living index is 75 when compared to Toronto at 100.

A suggestion to those unable to get a break in GTA, spend some time in Peterborough and try your chances there, who knows what may click for you.

Edmonton , Alberta - Edmonton is also facing a crunch in availability of skilled manpower according to Canadian business news. With a cost of living index of 73 and highly attractive business environment (lower taxes, cheap downtown real-estate), many large business are moving into the city not just from within Canada but form US as well. The city has $70 billion expansion and development plans in the next 10 years. (According to Canadian business newsmagazine of this week)

Drawbacks - It gets pretty darn cold (so does Toronto) , but Edmonton is attracting a lot of new businesses and new immigrants should give it a try .

Other cities which are listed as the top places to do business in Canada, which are attracting large companies to move are

Moncton, NB -
Saquenay , Quebec
Winnipeg
Burnaby, BC - EBay and People soft recently moved here .

Toronto and Vancouver remain the top places for forecasted growth , but with most new immigrants ending up in Toronto , Vancouver area, the job market is fully glutted, maybe , other cities might hold a different experience for job seekers. Maybe...readers in those cities will give a better take on this .

One counter argument for going to smaller cities will be that the pool of target companies might be very limited, and if God forbid nothing clicks then one is left with no hopes, where as in Toronto Vancouver the target pool of companies is much larger.
Agreed, but then the job market is also fiercely glutted and if you have tried out the GTA market with no avail then why not give other cities a try.

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What can be imagined, can be achieved.

Another city worth checking out is Halifax.
There are certain pockets of opportunity there.

But again, one must be prepared to deal with the weather there.

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"Mah deah, there is much more money to be made in the destruction of civilization than in building it up."

-- Rhett Butler in "Gone with the Wind"

http://www.canadianbusiness.com/investing/article.jsp;jsessionid=NCNELCGIDCND?content=20041122_63868_63868


Yes, i have heard some good things about Haliax as well. Some of my colleauges who were posted to Haliax beore rave about that city. But they look at it rom a "Canadian" perspective.

The things they find better in Halifax compared to Toronto
- Friendlier people, relaxed pace of life with a feel of metro living.
-Much more afforadable housing comapred to toronto,25% cheaper cost of living , hence better affordability with same salary and better quality of life.
- Very beautiful countryside , rocky cliffs on the atlantic all around.

Disadvantages :
Very cold in winters, being on the coast ,Halifax is more prone to storms.

Halifax and Yarmouth are two twin cities way off on the east coast....with not much population around or no other large city around for about 1000kms.

but if a person finds a job there , it seems to be a great place to be.

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What can be imagined, can be achieved.

Yes, I have heard of these advantages as well.
It is also a University Town and there are lots of doctors (even desi) there.
So anyone planning a move there won't feel isolated because of that reason.
There is also a small tech industry there, for those who are in IT.

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"Mah deah, there is much more money to be made in the destruction of civilization than in building it up."

-- Rhett Butler in "Gone with the Wind"