Burnsey Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 Hey there! Ok, basically I will try to keep this as short as I can but just wondering what the Canadian economy is looking like at the moment and future projections? I currently live in the UK (after moving from Vancouver area about 9 years ago). I took a 2 week vacation/holiday back to Vancouver in August and fell in love with it again. I have thus started to consider saving money and moving back for a few months to at least try and make it. I was thinking that maybe in early 2014 (March, April) I would take the risk and move back. I am still fairly young so my thought process behind moving back is that I do not want be an old man wishing I had moved back.... Just wondering how the economy is looking over there. I have heard that it's not great (like most places these days :S ) but still better than the UK at the moment. I have had a quick internet search but just thought I would post on here to try and get a better insight anyways. Thanks in advance for any help/suggestions, etc. PS. I did search for a similar topic but no luck, so if this is redundant I do apologise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nucklehead Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 It was booming, you just missed it. Why would you trade this for UK or any other place on earth???? Please stay where you are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dittohead Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 No jobs here we're full Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyril Sneer Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 If you have 3 of 4 appendages, can breath, and have a 60 IQ you can make 100k/yr in the oilfield. Most oilfield jobs work on a rotation, 2 weeks on 1 week off or something like that, you will make more than enough money to fly back to Van. If you have considerably more to offer than what I mentioned in the first paragraph then you could excel. You could find yourself working a 2 week on 2 week off schedule making 300k within 10 years of starting. It takes a doctor 7 years of school to make that money, plus, they have 100s of 1000s in loans to pay off. I'd sooner have oil and grease on my hands then poop and guts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpt Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 ^^^ life expectancy of oil field workers is significantly lower and addiction rates among oil workers are significantly higher. It's your choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyril Sneer Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 ^^^ life expectancy of oil field workers is significantly lower and addiction rates among oil workers are significantly higher. It's your choice. Life expectancy? Hahaha please explain? The oilfield is so fricken stereotyped its pathetic. I have worked in the oilfield for 14 years and have never seen anyone hurt or die. If you are a dummy you will die anywhere you work. It's just when something happens in the oilfield it's highly publicized. Addiction? If I catch anyone that looks tweeked or even hung over I run them the hell off. These are multimillion dollar operations with far too much in liability to risk on drunk roughneck fatality. You would be surprised how insanely safe a rig is now, it's like a factory or plant with procedure after procedure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sameer666 Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 Life expectancy? Hahaha please explain? The oilfield is so fricken stereotyped its pathetic. I have worked in the oilfield for 14 years and have never seen anyone hurt or die. If you are a dummy you will die anywhere you work. It's just when something happens in the oilfield it's highly publicized. Addiction? If I catch anyone that looks tweeked or even hung over I run them the hell off. These are multimillion dollar operations with far too much in liability to risk on drunk roughneck fatality. You would be surprised how insanely safe a rig is now, it's like a factory or plant with procedure after procedure. When he says life expectancy, I think he means the adverse effects working on the rigs has on your body. (Eg. Much greater risk of cancer) Maybe you personally have not felt the effects, but there is lots of concrete studies that reference what he is speaking of. Your not exactly breathing in the freshest air working there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
almo89 Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 My buddy worked in the rigs for one season and couldn't do it anymore. It's tough work. It's one job where they actually pay for your hard work unlike most entry level jobs. He got promoted in the first few weeks of working there because people keep quitting. It's a tough job with crazy shifts, but power to those who can endure it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warhippy Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 Ok Burnsey, The government will have you believing that the whole economy is booming. That's a lie. Saskatchewan and Alberta are sort of booming right now. But are running out of positions to fill as the lack of positions from around the rest of the country means they're drawing on a national workforce, not just Newfoundland and Labrador. Even then I am sure Cyril can attest to the fact that it is getting harder and harder as a green hand to find work on a rig as a rookie, added the ridiculous cost of living now outside of the Hat Grand Prarie and Fort McMordor (Fort MAcMurry) makes it very hard to find a place to stay or even eat. Jobs are opening up in North East BC but they're looking for specialists first off before labourers to secure and map fields. Best bet honestly at this point is either Manitoba for cost of living vs comparable wage or work in Vancouver live outside of the main city itself towards Abbotsford or Langley. If you've experience or a degree or trade it will be the same in any major city for you. The economy is quite shyte right now no matter how they cook the books. Welcome home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Ambien Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 Life expectancy? Hahaha please explain? The oilfield is so fricken stereotyped its pathetic. I have worked in the oilfield for 14 years and have never seen anyone hurt or die. If you are a dummy you will die anywhere you work. It's just when something happens in the oilfield it's highly publicized. Addiction? If I catch anyone that looks tweeked or even hung over I run them the hell off. These are multimillion dollar operations with far too much in liability to risk on drunk roughneck fatality. You would be surprised how insanely safe a rig is now, it's like a factory or plant with procedure after procedure. Very well put. I actually support these stereotypes, especially of Alberta, keeps many more jobs here for Albertans who know what that work is actually like instead of people from other provinces coming in and taking more jobs. In watching news and reading web forum posts, I get a weekly laugh at how stereotyped Alberta is, especially Calgary of all places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyril Sneer Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 Ok Burnsey, The government will have you believing that the whole economy is booming. That's a lie. Saskatchewan and Alberta are sort of booming right now. But are running out of positions to fill as the lack of positions from around the rest of the country means they're drawing on a national workforce, not just Newfoundland and Labrador. Even then I am sure Cyril can attest to the fact that it is getting harder and harder as a green hand to find work on a rig as a rookie, added the ridiculous cost of living now outside of the Hat Grand Prarie and Fort McMordor (Fort MAcMurry) makes it very hard to find a place to stay or even eat. Jobs are opening up in North East BC but they're looking for specialists first off before labourers to secure and map fields. Best bet honestly at this point is either Manitoba for cost of living vs comparable wage or work in Vancouver live outside of the main city itself towards Abbotsford or Langley. If you've experience or a degree or trade it will be the same in any major city for you. The economy is quite shyte right now no matter how they cook the books. Welcome home. I am a drilling consultant that lives in salmon arm and works in Pennsylvania, it costs me an average of 800$ to fly across the continent. I can't see it being more than that going from BC to AB you could live anyplace you desire on a rotation. It's awesome, I work 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off. As for working around carcinogens, our rules and guidelines are so strict on PPE that you would need to intentionally put yourself at risk. I know it's not for everyone, but I do know there are a lot of young guys out there that don't like school, love the out doors, love working hard, and love making lots of money. A roughneck which is where most people start is 30.70/hr x 14 which is 12 hrs + OT = 429.80 + 140 non camp = 569.80 a day, you work 21 days a month = $11,965.8 per month = $143,589.6/ year. I'm sure you can afford plane tickets and live comfortably in Vancouver. If you don't believe me here is the wage schedule http://www.caodc.ca/wage/wage_drilling.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpt Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 Life expectancy? Hahaha please explain? The oilfield is so fricken stereotyped its pathetic. I have worked in the oilfield for 14 years and have never seen anyone hurt or die. If you are a dummy you will die anywhere you work. It's just when something happens in the oilfield it's highly publicized. Addiction? If I catch anyone that looks tweeked or even hung over I run them the hell off. These are multimillion dollar operations with far too much in liability to risk on drunk roughneck fatality. You would be surprised how insanely safe a rig is now, it's like a factory or plant with procedure after procedure. Stats don't lie, I was a health care worker in Edmonton for a number of years. Research doesn't lie when stats show the addiction rate and life expectancy in Fort McMurray is significantly worse than the rest of the province. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surtur Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 I am a drilling consultant that lives in salmon arm and works in Pennsylvania, it costs me an average of 800$ to fly across the continent. I can't see it being more than that going from BC to AB you could live anyplace you desire on a rotation. It's awesome, I work 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off. As for working around carcinogens, our rules and guidelines are so strict on PPE that you would need to intentionally put yourself at risk. I know it's not for everyone, but I do know there are a lot of young guys out there that don't like school, love the out doors, love working hard, and love making lots of money. A roughneck which is where most people start is 30.70/hr x 14 which is 12 hrs + OT = 429.80 + 140 non camp = 569.80 a day, you work 21 days a month = $11,965.8 per month = $143,589.6/ year. I'm sure you can afford plane tickets and live comfortably in Vancouver. If you don't believe me here is the wage schedule http://www.caodc.ca/...e_drilling.html I feel like I am in the wrong industry thats only about 100 k more a year and I am a supervisor lolI know what I am doing if the new house construction industry dies out in the next couple years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burnsey Posted September 7, 2013 Author Share Posted September 7, 2013 Thanks everyone for the replies. Like I said nothing is 'set in stone' at the moment. Just considering my options. Great feedback that will definitely assist me in my decision Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyBoy44 Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 Life expectancy? Hahaha please explain? The oilfield is so fricken stereotyped its pathetic. I have worked in the oilfield for 14 years and have never seen anyone hurt or die. If you are a dummy you will die anywhere you work. It's just when something happens in the oilfield it's highly publicized. Addiction? If I catch anyone that looks tweeked or even hung over I run them the hell off. These are multimillion dollar operations with far too much in liability to risk on drunk roughneck fatality. You would be surprised how insanely safe a rig is now, it's like a factory or plant with procedure after procedure. Exactly. You can't so much as fart without a hazard assessment. Jokes aside I love oilfield life. I couldn't see myself working for weekends ever again. 100k a year with 6 days off every 15 is beautiful. The biggest injury I've seen is a rig hand got extreme heat exhaustion on a lease I was at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amish Rake Fighter Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 Stats don't lie, I was a health care worker in Edmonton for a number of years. Research doesn't lie when stats show the addiction rate and life expectancy in Fort McMurray is significantly worse than the rest of the province. My uncle was a boilermaker in Ft. Mac, that's where he got addicted to heroin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowest common denominator Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 If you are predisposed to addiction and surround yourself with loser addict "friends", then you will wind up a loser addict, no matter what part of the world you live in. Now, if you're making 100k/yr, you can enjoy a few years as a functioning loser addict before you become a full fledged junkie lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amish Rake Fighter Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 If you are predisposed to addiction and surround yourself with loser addict "friends", then you will wind up a loser addict, no matter what part of the world you live in. Now, if you're making 100k/yr, you can enjoy a few years as a functioning loser addict before you become a full fledged junkie lol The only thing wrong with your douchey hypothesis is that my uncle never did drugs before or after going to Fort Mac, he didn't smoke and nobody in the family had ever even seen him drunk. Hardly the markings of an addictive personality. In the end he chalked it up to homesickness, peer pressure and boredom, he said close to half of his crew were at least recreational users. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowest common denominator Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 What is so douchey about what I said? I've lost many friends to drugs and my own father ended up a loser addict, so don't take it too personally please. Everyone has their own choices to make, blaming something like heroin addiction on your geographical location is pathetic imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Ambien Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 What is so douchey about what I said? I've lost many friends to drugs and my own father ended up a loser addict, so don't take it too personally please. Everyone has their own choices to make, blaming something like heroin addiction on your geographical location is pathetic imo. Not to mention flat out stupid and unsubstantiated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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