Alberta is calling, and people are flocking to Alberta in droves. Many of which have made the move solely based on the financial benefit, and don't really know what to expect. Here are a few things that might surprise new Albertans, and would be good to know about if you're thinking about relocating.

1.  If You Don't Like The Weather, Wait 5 Minutes  

     If you're not from here, you likely wouldn't know how drastic of a change our weather systems have. The joke is you can see all 4 seasons in a day, and in reality, that wouldn't surprise me. We can see massive temperature fluctuations each day. 

     Our weather is directly affected by the mountains. We have Chinooks, and while they occur throughout the whole year, they are mostly known for bringing warm temperatures in the dead of winter. These are strong, warm westerly winds, coming down the mountains from the Pacific, and are accompanied by massive temperature and pressure fluctuations. Chinooks can increase temperatures as much as 22 degrees Celsius within an hour or less, and the change in pressure can cause headaches and body pains for some. During a Chinook, it's common to see some people wearing shorts and sandals in January. 

     Alberta has a dry climate. We don't have the humidity that people from other parts of the country are used to. The lack of humidity helps keep the high and low temperatures tolerable here. The humidity found in the other parts of Canada makes the hot summer temperatures unbearable, and the cold winter, the moist air and wind will chills you to the bone.

2.   Air conditioning

     When house hunting in Alberta, you'll find that A/C is not very popular. Even on the hottest days of the year, the temperature drops significantly every night. It's common for shorts and t-shirts during the summer days, and sometimes track pants and sweaters that same night. In the last couple of years, A/C is becoming more and more popular as people from other provinces come to Alberta, but you'd really only need the A/C for a couple of weeks each year.

3. Calgary is the Sunniest Place in Canada

      Not only is Calgary the sunniest place in Canada, with an average of 333 sunny days per year, the sun stays out far longer than it does in other parts of the country. Here in Cochrane, the sun sets just before 10 pm, and it is still not fully dark out until sometimes 10:30 pm.  In the winter, on the shortest day of the year, the sun sets at about 4:30 pm. 

     Since we don't have humidity, our winters are not gloomy and depressing. Ontario often makes the news for the most consecutive overcast and cloud-covered days in December and January, but in Alberta, we almost always have blue skies and the sun shining.

     If you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, Alberta might be a great option for you!  That vitamin D does wonders.

4. Different School System

     The way your school system runs in your home Province or country will likely differ from how it is here. For example, schools in Calgary and Rocky View County (which make up Cochrane, Airdrie, Chestermere and the rural areas) only offer kindergarten for one year, at age 5, and for only a half day. Select schools will offer full day kindergarten, but on alternating days. If you're coming here with young kids, it's important to know how the schools operate in the neighbourhood you're considering. 

     A link to kindergarten in Rocky View County can be found HERE, and for Calgary, HERE.

5. Taxes

     If you're reading this, you may know that we don't have Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) in Alberta, just Government Sales Tax (GST). GST is the 5% Federal Sales Tax found throughout all of Canada, and HST is a combination of Federal GST and the Provincial Sales Tax. Alberta does not have a provincial sales tax. 

     HST varies across the country because the provinces have a different PST rate. Nova Scotia pays a whopping 10% Provincial Sales Tax, so with the GST, that's a total of 15% HST added to your purchases. The HST in Ontario comes in at 13%, B.C. is 12%, but Alberta is only 5% GST. 

     In addition to those tax savings, Alberta does not charge a Land Transfer Tax for home purchases. Every province, except for Alberta and Saskatchewan, includes an additional tax based on the purchase price of your home. Here we have a small registration fee of a few hundred dollars, whereas a home purchase in other provinces, Land Transfer Tax adds thousands to tens of thousands of dollars to your mortgage.

 6. Driving in Alberta

     If you're coming from Ontario, forget EVERYTHING you know about driving. (Especially if from the GTA). People follow the rules of the road here, so remember what you learned in driving school and lose your current driving habits. The left lane is for passing, and the right lane is for driving. Be mindful that there are speed and red-light cameras everywhere. 

     In the colder months, out roads are not salted like in other parts of the country. We use a sand/brine mix, and there are a ton of rocks in it. If you plan on doing any moderate amount of driving, prepare to have a cracked windshield. Everyone does. The trick is to get rock chips filled right away because the temperature fluctuations cause windshields to crack.

     Side streets are often not plowed until days after the snow stops falling. The primary focus is the main roadways, so winter tires are a must and having a car with all-wheel drive or 4X4 is highly recommended.

7. The Beauty

     Yes, we've all seen pictures of the stunning Rocky Mountains and the iconic, glacier-blue lakes. But what you might not have known, is that the Calgary area is also treated to the Northern Lights! They are out a couple dozen times per year, and every-so-often, we are treated with a breathtaking display of the Auroras, in all colors, dancing in the sky. 

8. Lakes and Trees

     If you are a lover of water sports and cottage country, Alberta might not be for you. The lakes that Alberta have are mostly glacier-fed and are very, very cold. We have some small lakes and a few beaches in the Calgary area, but for the most part, the natural beaches are rocky. After all, we are in the Foothills of the Rocky Mountains, so it should come as no surprise. 

     We have a totally different climate in Alberta.  The red, yellow, and brown fall colors you love in other parts of the country are not here. However, we are treated with a vivid yellowing of trees in the fall. It is beautiful, but I do miss the fall foliage sometimes.

     This is just scratching the surface of things to know about living in this great province. Reach out to me anytime with questions on how to get started with your relocation. 

    For access to the most up-to-date database of homes for sale in Alberta, click here, and register. 

     I look forward to helping your dream of living in Alberta a reality!