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Home        Vol  VII    Issue 4          January 17, 2012         Previous Issues

For Retirees in Search of a Part-Time Retirement Spot, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Boasts a Rich Maritime Heritage, a Sophisticated Flavor, Historic Architecture and a Stunning Waterfront Setting

Cost of Living:  Above the U.S. National Average (except where noted, prices below are in U.S. dollars )

There are 196 communities in the HRM, all within a short drive of each other, and the cost of living varies greatly from one to the other.  Located in the Nova Scotia wilds or along the coast, many are small and rural with low living costs (and livelihoods that depend primarily on fishing and farming).    Rustic cabins and lakefront residences can be found for less than $100,000.  In more civilized Halifax proper, which includes several close in communities that were once called suburbs, the average home price is $245,000.    Condominiums start from around $125,000, and single family homes start from around $185,000.   Apartments are available from approximately $650 per month for a studio to $1,200 per month for a three bedroom unit.  Neighborhoods are varied, but the ones on the southern end of town are generally the nicest.   Dartmouth, with 23 lakes, Eastern Passage and St. Margaret's Bay are some of the neighboring communities also worth a look.

There are no restrictions on foreigners’ buying Canadian real estate.  The closing costs for resale properties include the lawyer's fees (starting at about $1,000) and a deed transfer tax (usually 0.5%  to 1.5% of the purchase price).   Agent fees are paid by the seller and average 6%.   Generally, U.S. banks will not offer mortgages on property outside of the United States, but Canadian banks will finance 65% of a property purchased by a foreign buyer.  A 25% to 35% down payment is usually required.

 This is an interactive map.  Click on the arrows in the upper left hand corner to move the map to the East, West, North or South, and click on the +/- signs (more than once if necessary) to zoom in and out.

For most U.S. retirees, Canada can only be a part-time retirement option because to emigrate to Canada and live full time as a permanent resident, one must fall into one of six categories (skilled worker, business investor, etc.).  As a retiree, Family Class Immigration is the only viable option for gaining permanent resident status, but this means having a relative who lives in Nova Scotia act as a sponsor, even if the emigrating retiree has enough income to support himself or herself.   People who do not have sponsoring relative may, however, stay in the country up to 180 days at a time with a valid U.S. passport (no visa required).  They may not, though, participate in any Canadian social services (government health care, etc.).   Such visitors should carry personal health insurance to cover medical care (or pay out of pocket) and may want to add evacuation coverage to their health care insurance in case transportation to the U.S. is needed.   

Halifax is still an important naval port with ships and submarines from across the globe coming and going throughout the year.   During summer months, luxury cruise ships dock and unload tourists who come to stroll the historic waterfront, dine in rooftop restaurants, browse elegant art galleries and museums, relax in cafes and pubs and buy the goods of various merchants.  Historical landmarks and European architecture, as well as a New England kind of charm, create a welcoming ambiance.

Cultural amenities are impressive and include the Symphony Nova Scotia, the Nova Scotia Opera Society, The St. Cecilia Concert Series and the Atlantic Jazz Festival Halifax.  The massive hilltop Halifax Citadel is the spot where historic military re-enactments are performed (three military bases call Halifax home), and numerous theater groups attract attentive audiences.    Halifax also boasts Dalhousie University, the Nova Scotia university system's flagship institution (13,000 students), and the University of King's College, Canada's oldest university.

Outdoor enthusiasts love the area's unspoiled natural beauty and the crisp tang of salty sea air.  Small beaches, lighthouses and working fishing villages dot the craggy coast (the province of Nova Scotia has 4,600 miles of coastline and is almost an island).  Residents enjoy canoeing, kayaking and fishing in the many picturesque coves and inlets throughout the region.  Halifax proper is home to dozens of parks and 22 golf courses  as well as ice rinks, tennis courts and the Trans Canada Trail, a 4 mile bicycling trail through beautiful countryside.  There is even a nearby downhill ski area, Ski Martock.

Seven senior centers, plus two more in neighboring towns, provide services for Halifax's mature residents.   The Spencer House, named after the late Princess Diana, offers hot meals, a referral program, blood pressure clinics, recreational activities, a "grandfriends" program and more.   The Dartmouth Senior Services Center offers computer training.  The Northwood Community Centre (in business more than 40 years) has many education and social programs, as well as the opportunity to work as a volunteer in the garden or at a variety of special events. Northwood also provides housing, including independent living apartments and "enriched living" apartments that include meals and laundry service.  

The Halifax Public Libraries system has fourteen branches, most of which are full service (unfortunately, the mobile library program will be closing this year).   Interlibrary loan programs, books by mail and home delivery of books, bridge games, computer classes and free wireless internet access are a few of the available services.

Halifax is hilly and walking can be a workout. Luckily, the Metro Transit operates an extensive bus and ferry schedule within the HRM.   Rates are $2.25 (CAD) for adults and  $1.50 (CAD) for seniors, with transfers available anywhere on the system.  The Halifax/Dartmouth ferry departs every 15 or 30 minutes from each side of the Harbor on weekdays and half-hourly on Saturdays and holidays.   It is possible to travel nearly anywhere within the HRM on a bus.  Halifax Stanfield International Airport is just outside of town and is serviced by Air Canada, United Airlines and U.S. Airways, among others.

Medical care in the HRM is quite good.  The Queen Elizabeth II  Health Sciences Centre, a teaching hospital associated with Dalhousie University, has several Halifax locations and is the area's largest and best medical facility, providing nearly all types of care.   Six other hospitals, all part of Capital Health and the Division of Nova Scotia Health Care, are located within the HRM.

This area does not generally experience the same weather extremes as does inland Nova Scotia or much of central Canada.  Spring is wet and cool and arrives in April, but as summer moves in, conditions warm up and balmy ocean breezes lessen the humidity.   Autumn is beautiful, with warm days and cool nights. Winters are cold and wet, with rain and some snow.   January and February temperatures hover in the teens and 20s, and mid-summer temperatures range from the 50s to the high -70s.

So while retirement on the northern Atlantic coast is not everyone's cup of tea, people who have a bit of an adventurous spirit, a love of history and a taste for culture should very much enjoy this historic port as a part time retirement spot.

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