Speech pattern and typographical variations across Canada

[lio45]

Originally Posted by Pinion

Not taking away anything from Ft Lauderdale, I'm sure you're right about it, but this absolute refusal to believe Quebecois would come to Vancouver is baffling. My condo's maintenance guy is Quebecois. The closest tire store is owned by a Quebecois. My wife works with a few - it's not an exotic thing to run into one and I hear tons of people speaking French on public transit.

You really missed the point...

Originally Posted by Pinion

My condo's maintenance guy is Quebecois.

By definition, he's not retired.

Originally Posted by Pinion

The closest tire store is owned by a Quebecois.

By definition, not retired.

Originally Posted by Pinion

My wife works with a few

By definition, they're not retired.


I said (and Acajack happened to second it) that I have not ever heard of a single person from here who has chosen to RETIRE to such an expensive, rainy, cool, faraway place.

I also said that I knew plenty of people, mostly kids, who decided to try life on the West Coast.

I said that that group even included my own sister. (Whom I visited while she was living in Vancouver.)

So... young adults, sure. Plenty of them. Retirees? Never heard of even a single case. I'm sure there are some, but it's far from typical. On the other hand, Florida...

[ue]

So where do people retire to in Eastern Canada if they want to stay within Canada but don't want to be stuck in the big city? I know Peterborough and apparently the Maritimes, but is there anywhere else? What about within Quebec?

[lio45]

Originally Posted by ue

What about within Quebec?

Plenty of retirees in Townships resort towns like Bromont, Magog, Orford.

Or else, they just stay where they used to work and live. (And their kids and grandkids are likely nearby; or if they aren't, they might decide to get closer to them, just because they can.)

"Not wanting to be stuck in the big city?" There's actually no reason to want to flee Montreal upon retirement... I'd even say the contrary, there are a lot of things to enjoy in the city when you have free time and spare money.

[ue]

Originally Posted by lio45

Plenty of retirees in Townships resort towns like Bromont, Magog, Orford.

Or else, they just stay where they used to work and live. (And their kids and grandkids are likely nearby; or if they aren't, they might decide to get closer to them, just because they can.)

"Not wanting to be stuck in the big city?" There's actually no reason to want to flee Montreal upon retirement... I'd even say the contrary, there are a lot of things to enjoy in the city when you have free time and spare money.

You're looking at this from an urbanist perspective, though. Not everyone likes living in the 'big city' and only do so for jobs or better schools for the kids and many like to escape the chaos to a more serene environment. Otherwise, Manhattan would be crawling with the 65+ population. But instead, it's places like South Florida, Arizona, Vancouver Island, and the Maritimes that are.

[ozonemania]

Originally Posted by lio45

You really missed the point...



By definition, he's not retired.



By definition, not retired.



By definition, they're not retired.


I said (and Acajack happened to second it) that I have not ever heard of a single person from here who has chosen to RETIRE to such an expensive, rainy, cool, faraway place.

I also said that I knew plenty of people, mostly kids, who decided to try life on the West Coast.

I said that that group even included my own sister. (Whom I visited while she was living in Vancouver.)

So... young adults, sure. Plenty of them. Retirees? Never heard of even a single case. I'm sure there are some, but it's far from typical. On the other hand, Florida...

Hah... interesting this subject came up. I have two different neighbours (within a block) who have moved here (Vancouver) from Quebec City and Montreal respectively for retirement within the last year. Also, my boss is from Saguenay and his mother just moved to Chilliwack BC to retire. I also have a family friend who moved to Vancouver last year from also Montreal to help her son start a restaurant in East Van. Technically she's not retired I guess but she's retirement age and doesn't work like a regular worker.

From what I can see, they are settling in quite well as they have their own network of Quebecois expats that they socialize with. Maybe they are a little different as they all seem to be quite bi-cultural and comfortable with English.

I know it's anecdotal but no more anecdotal than other claims made in this thread.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by ozonemania

I know it's anecdotal but no more anecdotal than other claims made in this thread.

I'd tend to think anecdotal evidence from the place of origin is somewhat superior in reliability... Let me explain:

You know a few Québécois who retired to BC, okay, but for that number, there's probably 10x more who retired to Florida, which you have no way of knowing about. On the other hand, people like Acajack and myself have vast personal (anecdotal) samples constituted of everyone of retirement age we've heard about over the last decades; retirement to Florida is quite common, retirement to BC is unheard of (not to say it's unexistent, just nowhere to be seen in those samples. If they were bigger, then maybe we'd start to see some BC in there).

I will say though that I don't care, you can believe what you want. I was just answering ue's question about typical Québécois retirement behavior to the best of my knowledge. FWIW, Acajack happens to have observed the same behavior over the decades, and he lives in a different area of the province.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by lio45

I'd tend to think anecdotal evidence from the place of origin is somewhat superior in reliability... Let me explain:

You know a few Québécois who retired to BC, okay, but for that number, there's probably 10x more who retired to Florida, which you have no way of knowing about. On the other hand, people like Acajack and myself have vast personal (anecdotal) samples constituted of everyone of retirement age we've heard about over the last decades; retirement to Florida is quite common, retirement to BC is unheard of (not to say it's unexistent, just nowhere to be seen in those samples. If they were bigger, then maybe we'd start to see some BC in there).

I will say though that I don't care, you can believe what you want. I was just answering ue's question about typical Québécois retirement behavior to the best of my knowledge. FWIW, Acajack happens to have observed the same behavior over the decades, and he lives in a different area of the province.

As far as retirement destinations go, I even know a few couples (well off of course) that have retired in the south of France. And they aren't people originally from France. And oddly enough we were actually discussing this very idea with a few friends of ours around the pool the other day: a few families buying a place together that we could share in the south of France.

But France is still way down on the list.

Of the people I know and know of, Florida is a million miles ahead as a retirement destination.

I also know of others in Mexico, Dominican Republic, Arizona, and south Texas. Also Guadeloupe and Martinique.

I don't know anyone who, after living in Quebec their entire lives and not knowing a soul in BC, took their pension and moved out there to live out their old days.

Not saying it doesn't happen but most of the examples given so far seem to be people who had a working life in BC and decided to stay (very common as I said: it happens in Winnipeg and Sudbury too), or who retired and then followed their kids who have made their lives in BC (happens with K-W and Halifax too).

I might do that myself if my two kids ended up in BC or Calgary or Denver, as I am very attached to my kids.

But at this point, when I think of a place to retire these places aren't top of mind and probably wouldn't ever be if there weren't other factors like family involved.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by ue

So where do people retire to in Eastern Canada if they want to stay within Canada but don't want to be stuck in the big city? I know Peterborough and apparently the Maritimes, but is there anywhere else? What about within Quebec?

As lio said, there are many in the Eastern Townships (for Montrealers anyway).

Mostly it's in the areas that tend to be the cities' cottage country. People got used to going there on weekends and in the summer during their working years and then decide to sell their digs in the city and live there year-round once they retire.

For Gatineau, it's the Gatineau Hills north of the city and the Petite-Nation northeast of the city.

Montreal it's the Townships, and also the small towns between the Townships and the south shore of Montreal (places like Farnham, St-Paul-d'Abbotsford. And of course the Laurentians and areas around them to the north of the city.

Quebec City people go to Charlevoix, Portneuf, Lotbinière, Côte-de-Beaupré.

And some people who worked in the cities of Quebec but who are originally from areas further out like Gaspésie will sometimes sell their house in the city, make a bit of cash and buy something nice and cheap in their old hometown and move back there.

Often these "retiree rural resettlements" are combined with a period of a few months spent in Florida during the harshest part of the winter.

[SignalHillHiker]

The pattern here tends to be for people to retire in their hometowns. They may downsize their home, or move to an assisted living complex, but it's completely normal to retire where you've always lived.

There are two main exceptions:

1. People returning home from lives lived working on the mainland. Most of them tend to be from under-serviced rural areas and choose instead to relocate to the largest service centre in their region (to be close to hospitals, activities, etc.). So, for example, someone from Jean-de-Baie who spent 30 years in Ontario would probably retire to either Marystown or Clarenville.

2. People who have spent their lives working in under-serviced rural areas. Someone who has never left Jean-de-Baie would still probably retire in Marystown or Clarenville.

In both these cases, suburban St. John's is also a popular option, no matter where in the province they are from.

On the west coast of the island (Trevor3 will have to confirm/contradict), I expect retirement to the Maritimes - though uncommon - is certainly present enough to know someone who did it.

And then, after all that, you have Florida, winter vacations down south, etc.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Pinion

Well hmm, who's going to know more about what's going on in BC, you and Acajack, or someone actually in BC who checks IDs all day?

I wouldn't presume to know more about your home town than you do. Your stubbornness on this is strange.

Vancouver and Victoria are barely anything more than retirement resort towns like Ft Lauderdale. A lot of Canadians want to stay in Canada, and when they do, they often come here.

Not taking away anything from Ft Lauderdale, I'm sure you're right about it, but this absolute refusal to believe Quebecois would come to Vancouver is baffling. My condo's maintenance guy is Quebecois. The closest tire store is owned by a Quebecois. My wife works with a few - it's not an exotic thing to run into one and I hear tons of people speaking French on public transit.

Oh and I am a Desjardins member myself.

As lio said, your sample size is small.

There were probably more Québécois people in my pool at one point last Sunday than you've known (not checked IDs only) in your entire life.

[SignalHillHiker]

It'd be interesting to look at inter-provincial migration broken down by age. Might give us a better view.

[north 42]

Originally Posted by ue

So where do people retire to in Eastern Canada if they want to stay within Canada but don't want to be stuck in the big city? I know Peterborough and apparently the Maritimes, but is there anywhere else? What about within Quebec?

Windsor and Essex County have been very popular the last few years as a retirement haven for people from across Canada. Most are lured here by the very affordable housing options, the relatively good weather ( for Canada ) world class shopping and sports right across the border in Detroit and great waterfront real estate, being we are on a peninsula and surrounded by water. Once they come down to check out the area, they are usually blown away by what is offered here!

http://www.retirehere.ca

[SignalHillHiker]

Originally Posted by Pinion

Well hmm, who's going to know more about what's going on in BC, you and Acajack, or someone actually in BC who checks IDs all day?

I wouldn't presume to know more about your home town than you do. Your stubbornness on this is strange.

Vancouver and Victoria are barely anything more than retirement resort towns like Ft Lauderdale. A lot of Canadians want to stay in Canada, and when they do, they often come here.

Not taking away anything from Ft Lauderdale, I'm sure you're right about it, but this absolute refusal to believe Quebecois would come to Vancouver is baffling. My condo's maintenance guy is Quebecois. The closest tire store is owned by a Quebecois. My wife works with a few - it's not an exotic thing to run into one and I hear tons of people speaking French on public transit.

Oh and I am a Desjardins member myself.

It could be like American/European retirement here.

Every other town in Newfoundland has a large, heritage home that's been purchased by an American or European (usually German) family. There are certainly dozens of examples within a 30-minute drive of me.

But that doesn't mean we're a common retirement destination for Americans or Europeans. Most of them would never have even heard of us, let alone considered us in that way.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by north 42

Windsor and Essex County have been very popular the last few years as a retirement haven for people from across Canada. Most are lured here by the very affordable housing options, the relatively good weather ( for Canada ) world class shopping and sports right across the border in Detroit and great waterfront real estate, being we are on a peninsula and surrounded by water. Once they come down to check out the area, they are usually blown away by what is offered here!

http://www.retirehere.ca

That's definitely a "thing" in Ottawa and Eastern Ontario. I've heard from a few people I know about parents, grandparents or in-laws who are from the 613 but who've chosen the Windsor-Esssex-Sarnia region as an "in Canada" retirement destination.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Acajack

That's definitely a "thing" in Ottawa and Eastern Ontario. I've heard from a few people I know about parents, grandparents or in-laws who are from the 613 but who've chosen the Windsor-Esssex-Sarnia region as an "in Canada" retirement destination.

When I was down in Amherstburg, south of Windsor, last year all I could think of was "why is this not one of Canada's best known retirement communities?". It looked perfect.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

It'd be interesting to look at inter-provincial migration broken down by age. Might give us a better view.

Here is a table from the Quebec government.

Does not specifiy the provinces though.

Entrants = inbound
Sortants = outbound

http://www.stat.gouv.qc.ca/statistiques/population-demographie/migration/610.htm

Does not show much movement in either direction for the older age group.

Keep in mind the snowbird migration to Florida is a temporary sojourn so is not a migration per se. But it is in the hundreds of thousands every year.

Also keep in mind that we seem to be mostly talking about Québécois francophones here but that 70% of outmigrants from Quebec across all age categories tend to be anglophones or allophones more "oriented" towards English.

Inmigrants especially of an older age would likely be more predominantly francophone - people who have worked in other provinces but go back home to Quebec upon retirement. There is quite a bit of that that goes on as well.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

When I was down in Amherstburg, south of Windsor, last year all I could think of was "why is this not one of Canada's best known retirement communities?". It looked perfect.

And if you do want to go to Florida, it's (almost) a day's drive less to get down there when compared to Eastern Ontario.

And if you grandkids in Eastern Ontario or the GTA it's only a day's drive to get there.

[SignalHillHiker]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Here is a table from the Quebec government.

Does not specifiy the provinces though.

Entrants = inbound
Sortants = outbound

http://www.stat.gouv.qc.ca/statistiques/population-demographie/migration/610.htm

Does not show much movement in either direction for the older age group.

Keep in mind the snowbird migration to Florida is a temporary sojourn so is not a migration per se. But it is in the hundreds of thousands every year.

Also keep in mind that we seem to be mostly talking about Québécois francophones here but that 70% of outmigrants from Quebec across all age categories tend to be anglophones or allophones more "oriented" towards English.

Inmigrants especially of an older age would likely be more predominantly francophone - people who have worked in other provinces but go back home to Quebec upon retirement. There is quite a bit of that that goes on as well.

Nice, I figured as much.

BTW, I assume this wouldn't show anything to do with Florida if it's inter-provincial?

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

Nice, I figured as much.

BTW, I assume this wouldn't show anything to do with Florida if it's inter-provincial?

Quebec's numbers for people in their 30s are also negative overall (due to outflow of anglophones and francophones), but there is also an observable migration back into Quebec of francophones in that age cohort. These are the wanderlust people who went to the ROC in their younger days, and come back to Quebec when their kids are of school age.

They say stuff like: "When our kids started to talking to each other in English in the rec room, we knew it was time to move back to Quebec".

[SignalHillHiker]

At a cousin's wedding, my father did the Screech In. One of my cousins, born and raised in suburban Halifax, got up to participate. He's been here a lot, but technically not a Newfoundlander and never Screeched In. You should've heard the mumbling.

When my father was Knighting the CFAs with the oar, he cracked my cousin on the head pretty hard.