Teaching and Living in Ontario versus Quebec
Recently, a comment came up on a related post (Teacher pay scale across Canada). I think it's worthy of it's own posting. Here it is:
I moved to Ontario from Quebec City three years ago.
Taught full time high school in Quebec, now teaching full time grade 6 FI in Ontario.
If anyone is still interested, here are some of the main differences as of 2011:*Retirement factor (years experience + age for full pension) Ontario:85 Quebec:90
That means I can retire with a full pension 2 or 3 years earlier in Ontario*Taxes: Ontario/Canada income tax is significantly lower than Quebec's.According to our Canadian income tax software, we are paying about 3000$ less a year in tax (combined), even on a much higher salary.
*Salary: Ontario: Next year we will earn 94300 gross. My wife (teacher)and I clear an average of 4500$ every two weeks and should be up to 4700$ next year. Quebec: I think top of scale is up to around 76000$. I cleared 12-1300 every two weeks, my wife 1000-1100 for a total of appx 2300$ every two weeks. This is not an exaggeration. I couldn't believe it myself, but other Ontario teachers here can confirm these numbers. We are earning nearly TWICE as much here. Granted, our salaries would have increased over the last 3 years in QUebec, but would still be FAR FAR lower.
*Experience ladder. Ontario: Top of scale after 10 years Quebec: Top of scale after 17years (that may have changed since I left)
*Pay scale: Ontario recognizes all universities and colleges in Canada. Simple to take AQ courses and reach top of scale: A4 Quebec: Developed a list of eligible instititutions that excludes many Canadian colleges and programs.
*Sick Days Ontario: 20 bankable/year Quebec 6 bankable/year. My board allows 200 days banked and payable upon retirement (one year of bonus pay). A colleague just retired and received about 40000$
*Benefits. Wow. Ontario: Dental, Lasik eye surgery, Board subsidized health, disability and life insurance, full physio, chiro and massage when prescribed by doctor, etc, etc. Quebec: CRIMINAL. I was paying 175$ every TWO weeks for family/disability/life that gave me 2/3rds of Ontario benefits and NO dental NO board contribution.
PED/PA days. Ontario: 5 official PA days. Teachers apply for conferences. Most professional learning the teacher books a supply for the day. I am out of my class 15-20 times a year for projects and courses. Quebec: 20 PED days. A pet peeve of mine, but appreciated by some.
Summer holidays: Ontario 15 fewer PA days= two weeks more vacation in the summer. Last year my friends in Quebec went back on August 25th, we went back on September 8th. Many teachers at my school are in the school the week before school begins to prep, but there are NO meetings, and they come and go as they wish.
Cost of living. Outside of downtown Toronto, Quebec has closed the gap in C.O.L. We paid 225000$ for a house in ONtario that would have cost double that in a comparable neighbourhood in Quebec. Gas, food, all bills except electricity are the same.
CAVEAT: If you are going to move, do so soon!!! The Ontario government recognizes how much more teachers are worth here, and will now do an actuary assessment of your Quebec pension value. You will receive 1/3 to 1/2 of your Quebec years and pay 20000$ a year to buy back pension years not awarded. You will receive a significant RRSP adjustment reversal though. Ours totals 35000$ of extra contribution room.
Even with the pension hit, their is an incredible, nearly unbelievable benefits and salary advantage to working in Ontario. We chose to live in a smaller community, and are truly living an upper middle class existence. We have a sense of financial freedom and security that we NEVER had in Quebec.
It's really a shame. Quebec has great people, great nature, great leisure - but the government is CRAP! I am moving back to Alberta in the summer. SAD but TRUE!
Further Reading:
Hope you liked the post. Please do me a favour ...
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Comments
This is an excellent
on Sun, 01/23/2011 - 03:22
This is an excellent analysis, and great comments, but if compensation and benefits are important, why be a teacher in the first place?
Even thought teachers become
on Mon, 01/24/2011 - 19:32
Even thought teachers become teachers not for monetary reasons, there is still life that costs money. And if it means moving to Ontario for the sake of having an easier go, then I say I should move.
Plus, this analysis doesn't only apply to teachers - it applies to many jobs, especially the government funded ones. I have some doctor friends, and they say that life in Ontario is much easier than Quebec, in terms of personal and professional finances.
Well teaching is a good job
on Thu, 03/22/2012 - 13:24
Well teaching is a good job but requires lots and lots of patience which i haven't got it in me. I prefere another jobs such as software or others but teaching, not my cup of tea.
Hard to read
on Sun, 02/20/2011 - 17:30
I teach in Quebec and am well aware of the differences between us and Ontario but it's still hard to read. Unfortunately, the job market for teachers is over-saturated in Ontario and nepotism fills most of the openings. I'm thinking of changing careers so that I can make a decent living.
I see that there are only 2
on Fri, 03/11/2011 - 00:13
I see that there are only 2 columns in the quebec pay grid and that there is a huge difference in pay between someone with 19 years of schooling and under compared with schooling category 20 only. If I have completed several additional post grad degrees and I have a total of 20 years would I begin in the later column. It seems to be a huge difference jumping from say 44 000 to 57 000.
Impossible to find a job in
on Wed, 04/13/2011 - 08:06
Impossible to find a job in Ontario these days as a teacher.
Not impossible, but a
on Fri, 08/12/2011 - 18:51
Not impossible, but a challenge for sure - there are some boards out there that will hire a teacher for a permanent position from outside, though those boards are getting fewer and fewer, and unions are protecting their occasional teachers and subs. TVDSB, Halton will hire you direct. Of course, French is a an easier path in - especially west of Toronto. Being bilingual in Quebec and being bilingual in Ontario are two different things. the test for the FSL qualification in Ontario is graded not as severely the further west you go (ie do an FSL test in Windsor if your French is so-so.