Quote Originally Posted by Helene2013 View Post
We are thinking getting out of QC. We were looking for either Ontario or Alberta. But no big towns, nor suburbs. Like you said, mid-size towns, even smaller ones (but not small that they don't even have a store or gas station, or require a car to get anywhere hihi). Like where we live now. About 8,000 people, but the city is so wide-spread that we are 8km from a grocery store, etc. We have only 1 bus in the morning and one back from Montreal downtown in the evening - week days only. So we need better services when we're retired.

Only thing that scares me is that if we decide to move into a condo. You truly need to love your neighbours are they are very close. In a motorhome, if you don't like them, you can ask to move to another spot, or just leave and go to another campground. haha Not so easily done if you bought the condo.
So what is the appeal of Alberta? Keep in mind in Canmore foothill town outside of Banff, was partially flooded in 2013 by the massive river disaster that also impacted Calgary. I wouldn't buy real estate there if you don't know the floodplain area. There is Red Deer, Airdrie....which well, are just prairie small cities. Except for Calgary and Edmonton, there are no other big urban centres. The towns are far apart and very car dependent in the prairies.... Cycling infrastructure does exist in Calgary and Edmonton, but it's a huge ongoing battle.

I'm here in Calgary because I was offered a good job. Not because I like the lifestyle, milieu here.... That's all.

Prairies, the politics, etc. is quite different in Alberta compared to Ontario. It's not as pleasant in my opinion as Ontario cities of Kingston, or a place just outside of Ottawa, Niagara on the Lake, Stratford, Guelph, London.... I grew up in Kitchener-Waterloo. I lived first 40 yrs. in Ontario and also biked within Toronto and outside in some other (no transit) areas, Perth, Merrickville, etc. Going north towards Goderich there are some pleasant towns but very little to do in cold seasons. So feel free to PM me, Helene, since I still visit Ontario with friends and family.

I've named Ontario cities/towns with some older, historic cores with cultural, outdoor activities, universities/colleges (good for interest courses) and services where they aren't dying off.