Five Years Ago I asked For Advice On Moving To Halifax- An Update
About five years ago I came to this forum asking for information and advice about moving to Halifax temporarily with my family. A few people were dismissive and one or two were a bit rude, but the overwhelming majority were incredibly kind and helpful.
You told me about the noon gun which I'm incredibly grateful for. You saved me from being terribly startled every day when I started working downtown. You kind people helped me retain a little dignity in those first awkward weeks in the office. Now the sound just means lunch and I'm pretty sure the sound of a cannon will forever induce a pavlovian response.
The grocery selection was pretty dismal in 2021 and I did, in fact, get used to it. I can say for certain that it has gotten better over the last few years with fresher produce and more variety. The prices are still terrible and going up every week. Folks *didn't* tell me about Gateway Market & Dave's. Those are two enterprises are absolute treasures in Dartmouth.
Several people filled me in about the many petty annoyances and headaches of Halifax. The traffic, and transit (not nearly as bad as advretised), and recycling scheme. I was not prepared for the horrors of an improperly managed green bin. I learned that one the hard way. Shout out to the folks who come around and clean them - you are so appreciated.
Housing is still expensive and hard to find, taxes are still high, but hey HST is down a whole 1% which is sooooo helpful /s. It took all 5 years to get a family doctor, but that is settled for now, or at least until they move or retire.
Nobody could have prepared us for the regional differences in pizza, Chinese and Thai food. It took some trial and error but we eventually found new favorites. Some of them are places suggested here. The selection of Mexican options is still a bit slim but has definitely improved over the past 5 years
A couple of people warned us that we wouldn't want to leave. You were right. Five years and reams of paperwork later we have made our way to permanent status and plan to stay. Halifax is a special and incredible city. My family has found a beautiful vibrant community and new friends that have become family. Our kids are thriving and succeeding in ways we couldn't have predicted. Moving here felt like coming home. We might be from away, but we landed in exactly the right spot. I'm so grateful for every bit of advice offered.
Tl;Dr - 5 years ago a bunch of folks gave a lot of really helpful advice on moving here and it was really appreciated.