I had to leave Halifax because I could not afford to live there. I had a decent professional job with full benefits and pension. I worked in the arts sector and made about $50,000 a year—not bad for mid-level position with a non-profit in NS (my counterparts in Ottawa made $70,000 a year for the same job). No matter, I thought that I could start “Adulting”, stay in my home province and build a life here.

Well, after student loan payments, I realized that I couldn’t afford the hefty $1200 -and-up a month which most one-bedroom rental units costs in this city. That was almost half a month’s net salary. (The taxes are pretty high here!) Landlords are now Air BnB hosts. I realized in this context, I would never be able to live without roommates, afford a car (and park it!) or save for a down payment on a property of my own. I worked hard to gain a promotion—I made a case for a raise. But the job scene is tough here and no matter how talented you are, there are limited positions which pay well and there are Baby Boomers who aren’t retiring.

My only choice was to either find a partner who could share expenses with me (but you can’t rush love!) or move away. So now I live “out west.”

The extra money I earn and the lower cost of living have made a big difference in my quality of life. I no longer feel like I’m living like a dirt poor student with the responsibilities of a professional job. There are opportunities for career growth, promotions and lower taxes. Finally, I can enjoy the fruits of my labour. “Adulting” is nice—but I sure do miss my family in Nova Scotia. I don’t miss roommates and poverty and worry about having no financial future. What’s to be done NS?
—I don’t live here anymore!

Why would anyone want to stay in this province? You can't make enough to pay rent here. All the employers in this province want you to work for nothing, contract positions with no vacation, breaks or lunches.
You're not even allowed to talk to fellow employees or customers. Nobody has any social skills because all they want to do is stare at their crack phones. Shitty pay, no benefits, and then they expect you to go to not one but two interviews! I mean come on, I am not applying to do brain surgery

Honestly you didn't even mention the wage and you want me to do two interviews then I find out you pay minimum wage? Are you kidding me? Look at my resume! Why would you even call and waste my time for minimum wage? I am not starving yet!
—Heading out west

Where are the jobs in the city? I have been looking for six months now. All temporary contract SH__ jobs with no benefits and the gov't wonders why they can't keep people in this province. If you do take a contract job the permanent long term employees bully the crap out of you and expect you to work with no breaks or summer vacation while the boss emails you from the beach while they, you know, "work from home.” Fire the lazies and give the rest of us that want to work a chance. —Farewell to Nova Scotia

Holy Crap! Does anyone in this province know how to produce, manufacture, or mine anything anymore? It is amazing how many of you actually make a living in some obscure artsy fartsy field or in an academic venue that have no value except academic value. News flash! This is a have not province. If you want to do something meaningful with your life, then figure out a way to bring more money into this province through your blood, sweat, and tears. Stop living off the tax payer teat, and start producing. Start figuring out what this world really needs. Learn, produce, export, sell. Telling your children to get a good government job is most certainly good advice in this province, but it is unsustainable. This province needs GDP, it needs to export, and drawing revenue for outside the province. We need to innovate, not welfare create. We need to grow the economy, not bleed it to death with umpteen dozen different government and medical departments that don't actually contribute to the economy. —Just Saying

Omfg, if I hear one more goddamn sob story about these overpaid clowns coming back from the west without a quarter in their pocket, I think I'm going to lose it. You didn't have the qualifications to shovel SHIT before you got out there, but suddenly two years of overpaying you 150Gs to drive a truck in a circle entitles you to moan about compensation for the “lifestyle you've become accustomed to” after blowing every goddamn cent on man-toys, weed and ridiculous looking pickup trucks? Fuck off. One last thing: Remember that new philosophy you adopted out there? That pro-west, “Fuck you, I got mine!” attitude? Right back at you, cowboy. —Speck

I have a little math problem for Nova Scotians- Nova Scotia Finance Minister Randy Delorey issued his fiscal forecast today for the 2015-16 budget. The projected deficit is now $122 million instead of the $97.6 million predicted at budget time. Source CBC news Now; the Nova Scotian government has spent or will have spent $40 million on the NovaStar Ferry; which continues to lose money. Not to mention the tax payers dollars spent on the Bluenose II. They say the cupboard is bare (which they have been saying for the last few decades)and YET, yet there is money for money losing ventures. What is wrong with this equation? —Bluesnozer

I have heard and read a lot about people who keep stomping their feet on their way out of Halifax. Well don't let the door hit you on the way out. I bet you have also been through a lot of partners in your life based on your history of commitment issues. I am going to dig in my heals and nurture the grass on this side of the fence. Don't expect a red carpet if you decide to come back...don't care. —HERE TO STAY!

I am a slightly old award winning global recording artist. I live in the South shore in a house that was bought and paid for by music. Mostly when I was a busker in Halifax in the 80's. I don't need to busk anymore but for a lark I go out and see how it is out there on the streets. Halifax you suck way out loud. WTF you can't afford a quarter for a brilliant musician? You can't pull your head out of your ass or your Ishit to listen to real music? Do you now or are you slightly aware that most likely 20 to 35% of the population of Nova Scotia plays music and you dick heads can't reach in to your fat little pockets and shell out a quarter or a dime?...... maybe just because you maybe appreciate fucking music and you call yourself a Nova Scotian. On the other hand Thank you real people who give a shit and tossed a bit of your hard earned cash. The music world love ya.... a whole lot. You most likely attend concerts etc and have fulfilled life. Cheers. —Moving back to Europe where they give a fuck about music

This bitch is not aimed specifically at the film industry but at the general practice of payroll rebate. The problem with this practice is that once you offer it to one industry that is portable (could easily move to another province or country) then more and more companies start to see it as a way of making extra profit. They start blackmailing governments with threats of moving jobs in manufacturing, production, financial services, etc, to other jurisdictions. The governments usually feel they have no choice but to give in to this. The net effect over time is that we now have two classes of workers -those who contribute to the tax base and those who effectively contribute little or nothing because their taxes are refunded to their employer. The problem with this is that the latter group still uses health care, education and all other government services but is now not paying their share of the cost. Those costs get shifted to the remaining taxpayers - those in non-exportable jobs such as the service industry. The only answer is for provincial governments (and states as well) to stop refunding money to established companies and highly profitable industries. Otherwise, I fear we are on a slippery slope to greatly reduced health care, education and other services as the effective taxpayer base dwindles - all to the profit of corporations. —Not drinking the kool-aid.

Hey Halifax! I’m leaving. After 10 years of trying to make a go of it here I got tired of; being paid $20,000 less than I would receive for the same job in Ottawa, more expensive taxes than most anywhere else, costs of living (RENT) higher than Chicago, and in general your anti-intellectualism and mistrust of innovation. You’ve got smart and caring people here trying to build momentum around efficient and creative economic and social development policy change, but the people and intuitions that form the dominant culture don’t see what’s in it for them—so there you have it. I can’t wait to check out the coast line of British Columbia. I hear their ocean is beautiful too. Maybe I’ll bike to get there. I hear they have great bike lanes and public transit. Good luck! —Notaquitter