Welcome Nathan & Jennifer,
We're in Cambridge as well. Prepping in Ontario can be challenging, but not impossible. It does take some detective work, but stick to your goals, ask questions and things will come up. So far we've found Cambridge to not be as open to preppers as some places Stateside, but gradually, minds are opening; especially as more people are seeing economic hardships in their immediate futures. The best advice we can give is to start small with a list of attainable goals, wether that's for prepping or self sufficiency. Have the two of you compiled a skill set list yet? A fellow prepper suggested it to me, and it's turned out to be a great idea. It's good to know what you know, as well as a guidepost to discover what you need to learn.
Any questions, don't be shy.

Hi,
No we have not done a skill set list yet...my wife is doing trades and I have had a 13yr plus in security and administration with some loss prevention. We plan on getting started shortly, as we have a very low income, and prices at the stores are just getting nuts, so we are looking. Perhaps we can start chatting more and get to know each other-we moved down here last year...

Welcome to the forums.
You watched the show and now you're in panic mode... please go back in time and get that tin foil hat crap out of your head. Then start with the basics.
This guy at the survival podcast says it better than I can. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzbmgVlFxjQ&feature=plcp&context=C39e4ddfUDOEgsToPDskIA0EDqLIjDf_rmpKi4mOSV
That was a couple of years ago. A more recent interview http://www.freetalklive.com/content/podcast_2012_02_25 scroll ahead to 1:24 or so.
I highly recommend you download his podcast daily, find a time you can listen. If it works for you, start getting the older ones.

Don't panic.

I would say that we are not panicking...we would just like to prepare. I was caught in Sudbury that one summer that there was the big black out. With things going on in the world today, things can go from one extreme to another. We would just like to get ready in case something happens...we can be ready for it

Good.
I think a lot of foolishness is going to come from this show. People will do foolish things like put $2000 worth of freeze dried rice on their credit card.
A lot of these big kits are way too heavy on starches with not nearly enough veggies or protein.
Grains like rice, wheat you can store yourself. Containers with oxy absorbers. Glass jars, pop bottles, lined paint cans, mylar bags.

I think everyone should work on a deep pantry with 30 days supply, then 60 days etc. etc. first. Once I got near a growing seasons supply I though of long term.
The only freeze dried stuff I bought are vegetables. They'll last a long time - 25 years.
The most likely disaster I can think of for most of us is job loss. A month or two of food will go a long way to cushion your finances.
Second most likely ... maybe power loss. No big deal except for winter. Some kind of heat. Or a way to run your furnace.
Lights? I have quite a few solar lights, LED flashlights and LED solar powered lights of all kinds. Dim but better than nothing.
These are pretty useful, one of my favourites
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90154371/ #

Someone else on this forum said this "Start with the basics, food and water, and then go from there" It's great advice. We're on a tight budget too, who isn't these days, so we apply the prepper rule every shopping trip, one is two and two is three. Every month we take a look at the main groups of need, food, water, heat and morale. What do we need? What can we improve on? What will make our lives easier? With the exception of an EMP, heaven forbid. We haven't even the heart to start on that yet. But, when someone looks at us funny for getting 5 cans of tuna and three big jars of peanut butter, we explain that we have 3 growing boys. When people ask why we make our own bread, I simply point them to the price tag. They nod and stop asking questions. When they ask why we want a butane stove, I rattle off stats about the big black out you mentioned.
Now, our first concern and fall back explanation is financial collapse. Price of groceries has skyrocketed, and that is foremost in our minds when we get extra groceries. I stockpile water keeping in mind our own needs, a dog and cooking. I also taught myself how to get water when the tap stops flowing, and I'm in the process of learning how to purify that water that I might have to get from the river.

I mentioned the butane stove for heat, but I also have a fire striker too, and know how to use it. My next step there is to teach the boys how to use it and teach them the value of waxed jute as fire starter.

Once you've learned how to provide one need for yourselves, learn how to provide a backup. In all things, provide a back-up.

Looking forward to sharing some ideas

I would say that we are not panicking...we would just like to prepare. I was caught in Sudbury that one summer that there was the big black out. With things going on in the world today, things can go from one extreme to another. We would just like to get ready in case something happens...we can be ready for it

i am new to group and in cambridge area looking to connect with other preppers.

I'm in Brantford and relatively new to prepping. Starting with the basics is a good idea. Storing food and water is important. I recently had my first go at sealing dried food in mylar bags with oxygen absorbers and it went relatively well. Documented here:
http://rednecksurvivalist.com/index.php/entry/my-attempt-in-sealing-food-in-mylar-bags-for-20-years-storage

Those 8 kilo bags of rice I got at a grocery store, one was $6.99 and the other $8.99. For $16 (plus the bags and o2 absorbers I got 60 of those for $26 off ebay) you can store 16 kilos of rice (plus a lot more, I have LOTS of mylar bags left). I'm going to buy some bulk pasta, dried beans and a few other things next to seal up and that kind of thing can get you through a nasty winter.

Any questions, please ask.

Hey there,
Im in Kitchener area and would also love to meet more people in the area with the same mindset.

Tegan

Hey everyone. Just joined here tonight. I'm from Cambridge and I'm glad to see I'm not the only one in town who is awake. It sure seems that way sometimes. Anyone I try to talk to about prepping or SHTF starts treating me like I'm a few bricks short of a load and should maybe seek professional help. Or I get the "Oh that'll never happen here." "I wouldn't worry about that stuff too much." or my favourite "I'll just grow a garden if that happens"