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Originally Posted by Top Shelf
Thanks for all the replies everyone. I've heard that Halifax is the call center capital of Canada, any truth to that?
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Nope, it's Moncton
Sydney actually has quite a number as well, I never thought of Halifax as having a lot of call centres.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Top Shelf
Q-scout, what is the drive time from Truro to Halifax?
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About an hour, two of my old roommates actually used to do the reverse, Halifax to Truro to work. It's all highway, if your commute takes that long currently in Calgary the Truro-Halifax drive would be a welcomed change. It's a decent stretch of highway and enough landmarks to make the drive seem fairly quick.
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There's also the factor of what you're used to. As March Hare correctly points out the highest level of sports you will get to see is Major Junior. Halifax does attract some big tournaments (World Juniors, In'tl Lacross, Mens and Women's Hockey Championships, The Briar is rumoured to return in 09) but you won't get to see the NHL except for exhibition. Mind you I grew up not knowing what it's like to have a professional sports team near by so I don't feel like I'm missing anything.
CFL will probably end up in Halifax if they get a stadium, which won't happen in the short-term future.
Taxes are higher.
Halifax has some great resturants, I'm not saying it's on par with Calgary, but without looking at statistics it might be on par per capita. In terms of bars, lounges, pubs, eateries, theatre, etc Halifax does have all of those, but granted in less quantity of a city of about 1 million.
Halifax is not a well planned city in terms of roads/driving. It's not difficult to get around if you know where you're going, but the fact there's a national park in the middle of the city that's a big hill, and Halifax itself is a peninsula doesn't help matters.
As for concerts most Canadian tours, if not all stop in Halifax. If U2 was doing a tour in Canada, it probably would stop in either Halifax or Moncton (2 hours or so away). So while there's no gaurantee like there almost would be in Calgary, don't rule out the fact they won't be there. Hell only recently the Rolling Stones were in the Maritimes twice (Moncton/Halifax), Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are in Moncton this fall, last year cat Dolls and Black Eyed Peas (BEP IIRC) were in PEI, this year Aerosmith is . . . big bands do stop by just not as frequent as Calgary. And if you're not Top 40 rock you probably don't see them (Tool comes to mind).
Local music scene in Halifax is top notch. The East Coast is filled with an insane amount of tallent. I enjoy a Joel Plasket, Sloan, or Gordie Sampson concert that much more if it's $5 or less because they're playing a small bar in their hometown or some fringe festival because it's home rather than paying $20-$50 to see the same show in a big venue or elsewhere. For the most part the musicians that hit it big still play the holes in the wall here as a way of saying thanks to their fans, those who supported them, and to play for friends and family. In fact if you don't do that you'll be shunned (ala Sarah MacLaughlin)
It's a really awesome place to live, if you've got decent a job. If you do make it this way prior to me leaving (which I hope I don't have to do) then make sure you let us know. We'll show you around, that's how we roll out here, haha.
Oh the biggest downside to living here is NOT, I repeat IS NOT, the job opportunities or pay or taxes . . . everyone's a frickin' Habs fan or worse Leafs fan, some days you'll want to kill them both and explain to the judge how annoying those fans are, the only thing keeping you from doing it is the fact the judge will either be a Habs or Leafs fan. If you're in Saint John you'll get some Flames fans, and in Sydney some Oilers fans (yeah not only do I have Leafs and Habs fans but the ones that aren't are Oilers fans, no wonder I'm insane). If you can live with that you'll be fine.
Cheers