Quote:
Originally Posted by Allison
Health care in Canada is extremely expensive and paid for via heavy taxes...it is no different than here in the states. We pay if we want and need it but in Canada we pay regardless if we want or need it. Therefore it is annoying to think that someone might want to retire there just to use the healthcare system. If you have contributed, well then, have at it but if you have not and expect to just come and grow old there while enjoying the prepaid system I doubt you will be successful.
FYI....Vancouver is one of Canada's most expensive cities.
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I don't know about the heavy taxes Allison. I lived in Texas for a few years and I didn't really notice a huge difference in the tax rates. Could have been the mid-income bracket I was in at the time because I definitely pay more now than many make in a year once I go over $100k/year.
Agree with you about the retiring to Canada for the health care if you haven't paid into the system. Although I read something recently that said that Canada's health care costs per person were 1/2 of that spent in the US. I think the numbers were around $5k/year in Canada vs. $8k/year in the US. So someone could just pay as they go and come out ok I think as long as they didn't have a major illness.
Vancouver IS expensive, Victoria is prettier and less expensive. I did a groceries comparison on a blog post recently between Alberta and Montana and our costs in Canada are somewhere around 30% higher.
I'd consider it if I was an American and the US dollar was a lot stronger.