Thread for outland Buffalo applicants!

[eletyl]

so, some progress.. weird progress!

Buffalo emailed my lawyer on Friday and notified her that they tried to physically mail her something in regards to my application, but it was returned undeliverable.  they listed the address they had on file, and asked her to correct it.  HOWEVER - the address was perfect.  it was just fine.  ugh.  maybe it had something to do with the Canada Post strike.. but they just gave us a generic error message.

also, I used to have an "F" file number from my AOR, and now they sent a new "B" one on the subject line.

I wonder how much time I lost (and will continue to lose because of this)... if I could somehow get a PPR by Wednesday, I won't have to file for any extensions.. (my work permit/temporary status here expires July 1)

[buffalo-toronto]

everyone seems to be dull here, waiting for that elusive email

[sparkle]

everyone seems to be dull here, waiting for that elusive email

LOL ! Tell me about it !
I waited for a month to finally email Buffalo specifically asking for the status of my file. The last time I contacted them was to send some information across. But unfortunately, I got the same usual reply " Your file is in process....at this point we do not need any action from you!"
Soooo............looks like a long long wait

[kayan]

Once we get our PPR (hopefully soon, fingers crossed  ), my husband will be moving across the country with our stuff (Seattle to Toronto). I am wondering if anyone else will be doing the same, and what is the best and most affordable way of doing that?

[QCSunshine]

Once we get our PPR (hopefully soon, fingers crossed  ), my husband will be moving across the country with our stuff (Seattle to Toronto). I am wondering if anyone else will be doing the same, and what is the best and most affordable way of doing that?

I used ABF U-pack in 2009 to move from the US to Canada and was pleased. I would use them again, if I needed to move again:
http://www.upack.com/

At the time, I also checked the prices of U-Haul and Pods, and ABF U-pack ended up being the best, most economic option for me.

[doctorkb]

Once we get our PPR (hopefully soon, fingers crossed  ), my husband will be moving across the country with our stuff (Seattle to Toronto). I am wondering if anyone else will be doing the same, and what is the best and most affordable way of doing that?

Having just travelled on a road trip between Canada and the US and back, I can say that the cheapest and best way will be to stay in the US as long as possible.  Gas is consistently 20% cheaper in the US and the Interstate system works a lot better than the TCH.

[kayan]

QCSunshine: Thanks for the info! Did you find their original quote correlated well with the price you ended up paying? We did a cross country move 4 years ago, and ended up paying almost triple of what they originally quoted us.

doctorkb: Thanks for the tip! I agree with you on all points.

[buffalo-toronto]

Thats why its more important that more people move to canada and increase their population so that more capitalism seeps in and there is more competition between the companies and which eventually will drive down the prices.

[QCSunshine]

QCSunshine: Thanks for the info! Did you find their original quote correlated well with the price you ended up paying? We did a cross country move 4 years ago, and ended up paying almost triple of what they originally quoted us.

Did you use ABF on your move or another company on that move?

Yes, I found their quote was pretty accurate. However, I did use more space in the truck than I had originally estimated I would need, so I had to pay more because of that ($100-ish extra per foot extra). But I knew in advance how much each square foot beyond my initial estimate would cost. So, even though it cost a few hundred more than I expected it would, it still ended up being the least expensive option for me by far, and they had good, helpful customer service.

[kayan]

Did you use ABF on your move or another company on that move?

No, we used another company, cannot remember its name, but it was a large reputable company. They came to our house, looked at the stuff we wanted to move and gave us a quote.

[QCSunshine]

 @ kayan,

U-pack is a DIY move. You pack your stuff into their truck and they drive it all the way to the destination. Then you unpack it yourself (or hire your own movers at either end of the trip to help load/unload). I like packing my own things, so it worked well for us. Thankfully (and surprisingly!), almost nothing got damaged in transit.

Good luck finding a way to get your stuff to Canada!

[puzzle69]

Hey QCSunshine,

I wanted to ask you a question about your move. Was there any issues with the moving company getting your stuff over the border? Did you need to be at the border when they arrived?

[QCSunshine]

Hey QCSunshine,

I wanted to ask you a question about your move. Was there any issues with the moving company getting your stuff over the border? Did you need to be at the border when they arrived?

Hi puzzle69,

I moved my stuff in 2009, when I first moved to Canada on a work permit. It was not necessary to be at the border when the stuff crossed, but I was still a little concerned about any potential problems with my stuff crossing the border without me. Thankfully, there were no problems at all. Possibly because the moving company was used to doing US-Canada moves? I had to cross the border first with the list of goods to follow. The company had given me the right form (B4) and I filled out everything (and the moving company's contact information and was also on there, along with my freight reference number/information). This link explains more about prep work to do before moving: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/newcomers/before-border.asp

I crossed into Canada a couple of days before the truck. I came in with my car and what was in it, and declared everything, including all the stuff coming later in the moving truck. When the truck arrived in Montreal, I was notified. I had to go to the customs office downtown and claim it and they gave me a paper showing I had declared my stuff and its worth. The moving company needed a copy of that paper before they would bring the truck to the apartment. (I think we took a photograph of the paper and emailed it to them, and then when they came with the truck, we gave them a real paper copy.) We scheduled the time for the truck to come. Before move-in day, we discovered that it is necessary to pay and get a permit in Montreal to park a big truck on residential city streets, and we had to rent the "no parking" signs to reserve street space. So that was a last minute surprise for us, but it all turned out well in the end.

[puzzle69]

Thanks for the link and info QCSunshine. We're debating whether to hire someone to move our stuff or do it ourselves. Finances are weighing on our decision, but if the price is reasonable (and the border won't be a hassle) I may go with ABF U-Pack. Thanks again! 

[QCSunshine]

You're welcome. I wish you a smooth move when the time comes!