Hi all,
I'd like to get your expert suggestions on affordable, progressive, LCOL towns in Canada where I could retire. A good ski hill nearby is mandatory as that's my big passion in life. :)
I'm a Toronto-based new wannabe Mustachian. Recently I've made major changes to my life to reach FIRE within 10-15 years. I'm making around 73K/year pre-tax (which doesn't go far in Toronto). Unfortunately my job isn't in demand outside of Toronto (maybe Montreal), so I can't presently move to a LCOL city.
As a 35 year-old progressive gay male, I find Toronto is a safe and welcoming city for in which I can meet like-minded, interesting, progressive people (and the occasional date). I grew up in a small city in Ontario, was badly discriminated against in my high school years; I'm so beyond living somewhere where people would want me to feel badly about myself because of their insecurities or prejudices.
My dream is to live near a ski mountain, in a progressive small town with a LCOL and pleasant weather (somewhere like Longmont, Portland or outside of Seattle would be amazing). Vancouver or Montreal would be awesome, but they're out of my price range unless I give up on ever owning a plot of land (not even a condo in Vancouver as they're over 300k).
Can any Mustachians recommend any LCOL cities in Canada that I might like? For that matter, is there a way I could move to Longmont/Portland as a Canadian? (My job isn't on the "in demands" list, and Canadians seem to be excluded from green cards. No husband prospects, and I wouldn't want to marry someone for that reason anyway (if ever). I don't intend to make money in the US, but it might be nice to retire there and own property.)