Blueseed or Canada? | Hacker News Reader

Blueseed or Canada?

startupnorth.ca

4 pointsdavidcrow9 comments

Blueseed is close enough to Sand Hill to let companies raise from them easily, and near enough that investors will personally make the trip -- especially for demo days, although those could be held onshore too.

There is a clear quality of life advantage (aside from startups, living in Vancouver or Montreal would be amazing), but no bucks, no buck rogers, as the expression goes.

How is healthcare in Canada compared to the US?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_the_health_care_s...

"A 2007 review of all studies comparing health outcomes in Canada and the US in a Canadian peer-reviewed medical journal found that "health outcomes may be superior in patients cared for in Canada versus the United States, but differences are not consistent."[7] Life expectancy is longer in Canada, and its infant mortality rate is lower than that of the U.S., but there is debate about the underlying causes of these differences."

My question is less about the quality - which I assumed is more-or-less similar - but in the acquisition of and payment for.

Acquisition? Healthcare in Canada is managed provincially, so there are difference between each province. In Ontario, OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan) covers a wide range of health services; however, it does not pay for services that are not medically necessary, such as cosmetic surgery.

OHIP is paid for out Federal Transfer payments and Ontario taxes. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ontario_Health_Insurance_Plan

There is an external health premium (aka a tax) that maxes at $900 annually. OHIP generally costs about 10cents of every tax dollar spent in Ontario http://news.ontario.ca/mohltc/en/2012/05/a-real-wage-freeze-...

But it is accounted for in existing personal and corporate taxes.

My total medical bill for having a child: $0. My bill for visits to my doctor (checkup, prescription renewal, etc.): $0. My hospital bill for stitches after too much beer: $0.

The out-of-pocket cost of health care is not something we Canadians frequently consider. The national cost of health care is something we debate endlessly.

How are taxes in Canada compared to the US?

Depends on if you are talking corporate tax rates, personal income tax, etc.

http://slumbuddy.wordpress.com/2011/03/20/comparison-of-us-a...

Though it feels like some of the statistics are biased towards Canada.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxation_in_Canada provides a comparison of personal income tax with Canada being higher than the US.

Canada Single no kids - 31.6% US Single no kids - 29.1%

Canada Married 2 kids - 21.5% US Married 2 kids - 11.9%

My experience is that I have less disposable income in Canada (based on my living previous in Pennsylvania, Illinois and Texas), but I have more available services including healthcare.

Probably comparable or a lot better by the time you factor in the cost of health insurance (a "tax" for any sane person with a family or preexisting condition) and health care....

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