Hi forum, wanted to get any info on Vancouver. Has anyone visited, moved there or thinking about it
Would like to find out what life is like there.
I ve been on the Discover Vancouver forum - but many yahoos frequent that site - youngsters ranting and swearing away etc it s difficult to make heads or tails about that city. Most bash Vancouver etc and I m looking for a more serious and balanced dialogue on the pros and cons of living there. Somebody there mentioned I should try here to get more serious responses and info! Much appreciated :)
Hi Paul
I was born and raised in Vancouver, but as I no longer live there, I may not have the best perspective. But this is what I know. Vancouver housing prices are high....to purchase or to rent. It has it's 'big city' problems like everywhere else. It's beautiful and has much to offer no matter what you're into. There are a number of people on this forum who live in work in Vancouver who will probably be able to give you better insight.
Welcome to Vancouver!
The first thing to consider is housing. You will find the rents rather high, but if you have a decent job lined up, that may not be a factor. There are many different communities, each with their own lifestyle. There is a lot to like about the city, and a lot to do here. If you are into sports activities there are plenty of opportunities to join groups of like-minded people. If you could list a few of the things that interest you, I'm sure there are a lot of people here that could help you.
thanks pc and kittie ;)
I have some questions but gotta head out right now - in the meantime, please keep your replies coming!
I was born and lived in Burnaby for years. I guess the first thing I would have to ask is, what do you want at this time out of your life?
Vancouver is a very cool city in many ways. It all depends what you want?
Paul, if I were you, I would do a search on the internet.
Google, Metacrawler, Teoma, Vivisimo - take your pick ! Search engines enough.
You may get a few personal opinions from people trying to be helpful here but in my view, that's limited. I am sure there are plenty sites out there with tons of factual and useful information.
Yeah, DV really sucks as far as any point of view towards Vancouver..Canada..the world...universe goes so, you are best to take mutilated's advice.
There is plenty of factual information on the Internet, but to get a true idea of what it is like, asking the residents for their opinions might provide a more subjective view.
it all depends on what lifestyle you have and what activities you like to do.
it is an very expensive city to live in, but there is no shortage of activities/entertainment. the weather is a little wacky at times. you could go skiing/snowboarding and then play golf on the same day.
Paul, what's your age group? late teens, mid 20's, late 30's?
It depends on the lifestyle you prefer. What kind of job you're looking for. The type of area you prefer.
I live in Vancouver for almost all of my life. It's a very expensive city if you don't know how to budget. Making friends may take a while depending on how social you are.
So, I can't really answer your question because I don't know what you're looking for or want out of Vancouver.
What do you know so far about Vancouver?
Hi ppl. Thanks for your replies :)
Purelife, I am 40 yrs old. I ve been to Vancouver a handful of times - most recently last summer for holidays. As for what I am looking for, kind of hard to explain really. Originally, I m from Ottawa- lived in Toronto for many years (12)- self-employed there but decided the city was getting to big and stressful so moved back to Ottawa where I ve been for the last 5 yrs. Problem with Ottawa is that aside from having family here, the city s missing something... not very exciting. It s a government town really therefore it s attitudes is very conservative and provincial. The winters are horrible, very cold and damp and ugly.
It s nice in the summertime but that s about it. As I m an entrepreneur, I can pretty much set up shop where ever i like it s only a matter of choosing a product or service a given market will go for...
I fell in love with Vancouver from day 1. I like the setting, the mountains, ocean, the urbanization of downtown- some people hate lots of condo and office towers etc but i still as a 40 yr old man get a charge from it :) I like the fact the city is compact enuf to get around quite easily. the place has a cosmopolitan feel to it- a city large enuf to feel like you live in a big city but not really. I always viewed Vancouver as being an in between Toronto (too big) and Ottawa (too small) sort of place.
I also like the fairly laid back west coast, laid back attitude and lifestyle.
The only drawbacks I see so far are the following: 1. it s way out there away from family in friends back in Ontario. 2. cost of real estate (would have to rent instead of buy) 3. i hear employment is a problem (only low-paying service industry jobs) although this may not be an issue for me as i would think about setting up some type of business. 4. the long RAINY season (they say, load up on anti-depressants- the place is dark and gloomy from October to April- very little or NO SUNSHINE- is this true)
As for sporting activities: i like the outdoors
Bars, clubs... i don t really care if the place is hopping or not- i m past that bar-hopping clubbing phase.
Anyway, just a few things for you to advise me on- thanks all for your input!
Does it really rain non-stop in Vancouver in the winter time
or is there some of :) from time to time
Paul wrote:
Does it really rain non-stop in Vancouver in the winter time
or is there some of :) from time to time
Yeah, in the winter, if it is not raining, it is drizzling..or you might get that one day where a hint of blue sky peeks at you and a huge sky of grey follows. Summers can be very sunny and dry though.
It's not all that bad, although there is a fair amount of rain in the winter. But it keeps the place lovely and green, and usually it doesn't snow much, if at all. If you like snow, the mountains aren't that far away.
Vancouver isn't Seattle when it comes to rain. Me on the other hand come alive when it rains.
I too am focusing on moving to Vancouver. Its going to take me longer to get there since I'm an american. But someday I will be there.
Its the healthiest city in Canada and one of the healthiest cities in North America. Its obesity rate is much lower then the average rate in North America. That has to do with it being a walkable city and so many outdoor things to do. I come from the midwest and I cannot imagine life without a car. In Vancouver if you live near skytrain (there also building two new routes a north south route that connects YVR to downtown and a Burnaby- Port Coquitlam route) and work downtown you don't ever need a car. I find that awesome and amazing.
The housing markets high but then again every single city on the West Coast is high. People want to move there. From San Diego to Vancouver prices are the same no matter where you go. Purelife is right though, if you want to live a comfortable life on the west coast you are going to have to learn how to budget money. Its a way of life on West Coast. But once you know how to do that its not so bad.
Vancouverites have a reputation of not leaving the B.C. area for travel and such. And my response is why would they want to. B.C. is an amazing place, so big. Who needs to travel when you've got it in BC? lol.
Vancouverites keep to themselves but then again people in Portland and Seattle do the same.
Its cold in the winter but not freezing cold like Rest of Canada. Like the Canadian actor/comedian Dave Foley said about Vancouver: "Its the only place in Canada that doesn't freeze over in the winter"
Its laize-faire in attitude and a lot more liberal then oh its western counterpart Calgary. So I don't know what your political affilaition is but its definately not like Ottawa. Plus I don't know how polarized politics have become in Canada. But in general Pacific Northwest has an attitude live and let live. Which I like, you're free to be yourself.
Hey Paul,
Good on you for thinking about moving to Vancouver.
It's a lovely city - both good and bad points. If you like hiking, general laid-back kinda lifestyle, beautiful city then Vancouver is for you. I fell in love with the city the first time I came here. It took a lot of getting used to but in the end, this is a city you appreciate all the more as you live here longer and longer.
The bad points - obviously the general housing market. I've never seen market prices the way it is right now. It's so bad that a million dollars for a decent home in Vancouver isn't enough. You might have to go all the way to Surrey or Delta or Langley to get a house and even then the market is rising for these places. It's insane and I hope it'll stablized somewhat down the road but we'll have to see after 2010.
Anyways, good luck and hope you'll have a great time here in this city.
PS: Totally agree about DV when it comes to asking about Vancouver. Nothing good can come outta there.
Hi Paul,
This year, there was a period of almost 31 days of non-stop rainy days. Yes, it does rain often but not as much as Seattle. The winters aren't as cold as TO and summers are not that hot. I'm really used to the rain and I much prefer it at times. There's something about the rain that I feel really relaxed about. I love walking in the rain. Anyways, in time, you'll get used to it.
You say that you love the outdoors. Oh, you'll love the great outdoor choices Vancouver can bring to you. A few hours drive will take you to Interior BC, to Squamish, to the Islands, to Cultus and to all the beautiful lakes in Vancouver/BC. There are plays, operas and concerts. There are networking events.
I do like living in Vancouver. The only drawback that I feel is that you have to make so much money just to afford the cost of living here. I hope to own my own home after the 2010. I'm pretty sure that there will be a plunge in housing prices at around 2013.
I hope that I've helped. Feel free to ask if you have more questions.
Flowers bloom in February...the only place in Canada where this happens i am sure! Right now in Alberta it is 1 degree, here it is 16 degrees. I was on the beach yesterday and it was frickin snowing in Alberta! Yes, it rains, but there are also sunny breaks, and yes, everything is green so it doesnt look like winter. Summer is non-stop sunshine between 23-30 degrees, its quite glorious! The scenery is amazing and there are so many neighbourhoods to tour around (unlike places like Edmonton where you have 1 main street!). As someone else mentioned, you are merely an hour or so from some of the best places in BC...and my gawd, Long Beach is just over there (gestures to the west)!
You didnt mention how much you expect to pay for rent, or whereabouts you would like to live. But if you want to live in the thick of it, (downtown, west end, kits, city hall areas) expect to pay between $800-$1500 in and around downtown, even Kits has some decent 1 bedrooms that arent too bad (go to craigslist to see what you can afford).
The housing market has gone crazy here too. I sold my puny little condo in Burnaby a year and a half ago. Bought a nice heritage house in an older neighborhood in Calgary and had money left over for a vacation. Now, your small Burnaby condo will only buy a slightly larger condo here.
The stuff I don't miss about Van,
The rain,
the rain,
the rain,
the rain...
did I mention the rain.
Yes, flowers in February, but don't really care.
Stuff I do miss,
some friends, other than that, I doubt I will ever move back.
Not crazy about Calgary weather either, +30, -1, +15, -10....changes by the hour. But I find, if you are into skiing, there are almost triple the choices in the Calgary area rather than just Whister..or Baker.
Personally, sick of cities in general. I find outdoor winter and summer sports such as snowboarding and waterskiing much more exciting than anything in the city has to offer. I don't want to have to drive every time I want to do these activities. The city life was fun when I was single, now I am approaching my 30s, its a drag.
^ I dont' mean to be too negative. Vancouver does have a lot to offer. It is all about individual likes and dislikes. I think you would have to live there to really know what it is like.
Another thing I miss...the Canucks!! (life long die hard...don't care if they lose every game..they rule...)
Hey guys - appreciate your input about Vancouver. I would expect to pay about $1000 in rent. I know that s about the going rate for 1 bdrms downtown esp. in the west end. 2 bdrms would be my preference but a. they re not readily available in the west end and when they do come up they re way more than i can afford. Perhaps it might be possible to find a larger space in Burnaby, New West etc.
As for the RAIN, I m still undecided whether it would bother me enuf or not. My thinking now is it sure beats the Ottawa -20c, winds and snow which is where i currently reside. But I ve heard some say they would take the cold and snow over the perpetual rain and grey skies in Vancouver. I would welcome more input on this from you guys :)
I ve gone on the Discover Vancouver forum and there are more people on that chat system that HATE Vancouver and I don t know why. They complain just about everthing from the cost of real estate to the drug and homelessness problem, the list goes on.............
Thanks again to all for your opinions
;)
I lived in Vancouver for 10 years, the rain didnt bother me until the last year - it just also happened to be one of the longest rainiest months on record at that time too...plus other stuff was going on that helped me decide to move to Alberta (of all places). So then i live in alberta, its cold, its miserable, everything is dead...and no, it wasnt always that sunny either, mainly cold and overcast. So i moved back here and didnt find the winter to be too bad last year...we will see how i feel this winter. I am kind of looking forward to it though, a good time to hole up and work on my artistic endeavours. When its sunny every day i feel compelled to go outside and not do anything! Anyway, i absolutely hate the freezing cold of the rest of canada, getting into your vehicle and having to warm it up, scrape off the ice and snow, drive down dangerous, slippery streets etc. Its miserable. Here....its green and doesnt feel like winter at all.
greycat wrote:
Here....its green and doesnt feel like winter at all.
Yeah, I have to call your bluff...in December and January, it feels bloody cold in Vancouver. When it hits 1 or 2 degrees, with the cold breeze and sidways rain...brrrrrrr!! It DOES feel as cold as Alberta. Its a drier cold there. Vancouver cold chills to the bones.
I've lived in places with cold winters, and 1 or 2 degrees is definitely warmer than 25 or 30 below. A raincoat , umbrella and jacket takes care of the winter out here, whereas elsewhere in Canada you have to pile on so many clothes you look like the Michelin Man.
I'll say one thing. When I will eventually move to Seattle I'll learn to layer myself. Because when I went to Seattle. There was a cold I never felt before. I was a cool cold. Wet. I liked it a lot, just need to learn to layer. A tshirt and coat won't cut it anymore.
stay away from cottons, they will freeze you to death. buy clothes that allow breathing..fleece works.
From the sound of these postings, it looks like Vancouver has a climate much like the North Sea coastal area of western Europe. It's a strange similitude, if you know that the relatively warm climate here is mainly caused by the Gulf Stream, without which we would probably have a climate like New York City has.
Maybe simular weather?
I am sure though, there is more culture in one European city block than all of Vancouver.
Wet cold, dry cold. -25 is bloody freezing, big difference! You dont have to wear a sweater and a down filled jacket, mitts, scarf etc. here...not even close! 1 or 2 degrees is childs play!
...childs play! Your eyelashes freeze, your skin freezes, your toes unless you are wearing wool socks and Sorels...its sickening cold like you have never felt before! Trust me.
greycat wrote:
...childs play! Your eyelashes freeze, your skin freezes, your toes unless you are wearing wool socks and Sorels...its sickening cold like you have never felt before! Trust me.
You sound like a wuss!
just kidding grey! its all personal preference...I hate heat and cold..Vancouver is nice and mild.
Purelife, I am 40 yrs old.
Just a note, many people try to move OUT of Vancouver once they are done with their single and partying stage. Once you get into your thirties in Vancouver, maybe sick of roomates, or struggling to get ahead, not caring about being part of a "scene" anymore..Vancouver isn't that great anymore if you want a house, kids and family. Who wants to raise their kids in an apartment or condo? The interior, Alberta, or many other parts of Canada or the USA look pretty sweet when you feel stuck in Vancouver and feel like you will never get ahead due to such an expensive living situation. (ok, maybe no Alberta anymore). Overall, even without the prices, Vancouver is not a "kid friendly" city.
I beg to differ when it comes to kid friendly places. Apart from the problems concerning housing prices, Vancouver is a great place to bring a kid up. There are tons of things to do with kids, eg. Granville Island, The Vancouver Aquarium, Greater Vancouver Zoo, The Art Gallery every 3rd Sunday... not to mention another great resource like the local community centres.
if you look at housing prices today, Alberta has gone through the roof. Just ask CK. About the only 'cheap' place to live in the west is Winterpeg and who wants to live there?
Lise wrote:
I beg to differ when it comes to kid friendly places. Apart from the problems concerning housing prices, Vancouver is a great place to bring a kid up. There are tons of things to do with kids, eg. Granville Island, The Vancouver Aquarium, Greater Vancouver Zoo, The Art Gallery every 3rd Sunday... not to mention another great resource like the local community centres. [/DIV]
I guess we can agree to disagree..in a polite way..wow! not like DV at all! haha!
Its not the worst place in the world for kids, but not the best either. So many gangs, drugs! OMG the drug scene in Van is huge! But, with good parenting and family values, you can raise kids there and they can turn out great!
Yep, we take drugs pretty seriously here.
Well, Joe... I've been in places where the drug/prostitute problems are a lot worst so I can say with certainty that Vancouver is not all that bad when it comes to that. We still need a lotta work but it's still safer than certain parts of the world.
I would agree that 1 or 2C is better than -20 to -25C- certain days it gets to be -35 with the windshield- damn it!!
For those who complain about Vancouver and all the rain etc- just think for a moment how those temps. must feel!
As far as I m concerned, it s NOT fit for human consumption- even if you re into winter sports! Anything below
-10C is uncomfortable- who cares that we have the longest skating rink in the world.
As for the drug problem and homelessness- yes, I noticed that more than ever when I visited last summer. It s true the problem has become quite serious now. It s hard to imagine a city like Vancouver with all its positives having such a severe problem with drugs, poverty etc. You would think the politicians would get serious about fixing it esp. as the city gears for 2010 Winter Olympics when the whole world will be watching.
I ve also heard there a huge car theft problem there and at some point you re sure to experience it! So ya some of these things concern me and this is why I d like to get as much info from other people on here- weighing the pros and cons.
Keep your replies coming- I enjoy reading them ;)
Paul wrote:
As far as I m concerned, it s NOT fit for human consumption- even if you re into winter sports!
I personally like winter between -10 and -25 for snowboarding, back country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, ice fishing. Its all about personal preference. I am sure Ottawa doesn't have decent mountains for true outdoor sports (winter) anyways, so I agree, winter would suck there. I love the seasons. Vancouver has 8 months of rain, then some cloudy periods and a 2 months of sun.. But if you like it, that is cool.
Not sure whose chain Lise is trying to pull, but yes, Vancouver HAS A MAJOR DRUG PROBLEM! Maybe Lise closes the eyes and pretends it doesn't exist?? But who are you trying to fool?
Do a search on the drug problems Paul, you will be overloaded with information on Vancouver, and not just East Hastings.
Yes Paul, you would think politicians would take "cleaning up a city" seriously. But its kind of like waiting for a tobacco company to take care of a lung cancer patient.
I think the car theft problem has been reduced with more bait vehicles on the road. It still happens, but if you have adequate protection such as steering wheel or gas pedal locks the probability is much less. They don't want to waste their time on something difficult when there are easier targets. And it's just common sense to leave nothing of value in the car.
As for drug addicts and homelessness people, I think they are trying to come up with a solution. The trouble is that when it starts getting colder in the rest of Canada a lot of them move here so there is no way to keep up. When the government in its wisdom decided that the mentally ill would be better off in the community, there weren't enough workers to keep track of them and they fell between the cracks. They weren't equipped mentally to cope with life outside an institution and a lot of them became homeless as a result. This will continue to be a problem until they can find enough people to help them. I still think this is the nicest place to live, and hope that you will enjoy it here, should you decide to move.
Have you thought about Seattle instead?
Better coffee shops, music scene, clubs, and sports.
But with the same problems as Vancouver.
I've seen really bad. North Saint Louis man. Urban ghetto, urban decay. For entertainment you get gun fights in your backyard. Granted its no City of God in Rio but its the closest thing we've got.
Saint Louis I think prides itself in being the most dangerous city in the country. (no joke)
What is this 8 months of rain thing? I have been living out here since last October and dont recall 8 months of rain. And ppl make it sound like its steady...as if. Yeah, i am a wuss (re: previous comment on my constitution), spent almost my whole life living in Alberta and dealing with that shit weather, so i think i am an expert on that topic! Anyway, i live in an area where i dont see any drug addicts and havent had my car stolen (knock wood)...so it doesnt feel like a huge problem (city hall area)...you have to decide on a decent area to live, then move there right?
greycat wrote:
What is this 8 months of rain thing? I have been living out here since last October and dont recall 8 months of rain. And ppl make it sound like its steady...as if. Yeah, i am a wuss (re: previous comment on my constitution), spent almost my whole life living in Alberta and dealing with that shit weather, so i think i am an expert on that topic! Anyway, i live in an area where i dont see any drug addicts and havent had my car stolen (knock wood)...so it doesnt feel like a huge problem (city hall area)...you have to decide on a decent area to live, then move there right?
8 Months of maybe not hardcore rain, but grey clouds, drizzle, and YES! some rain..who cares? its all personal preference! Why are you comparing Alberta anyways? Paul is from Ottawa. And YES, some people love Alberta weather!!! You are an expert? The only thing you are an expert on is your own personal preference. Whatever you dig right? To each their own. I wish I lived there.
Maybe Vancouver wouldn't have such a major drug problem if people like greycat and Lise didn't just turn their backs on the issue and pretend it doesn't exist!?
Vancouvers drug problem is overrated. As somone said the homeless people come to Vancouver in the winter because its the only place in Canada that doesn't freeze.
Winterpeg has more of a crisis with homeless people then Vancouver does.
..wrong again sportsdude..
Sportsdude wrote:
Vancouvers drug problem is overrated. As somone said the homeless people come to Vancouver in the winter because its the only place in Canada that doesn't freeze.
Winterpeg has more of a crisis with homeless people then Vancouver does.
Whoever gave you that info is misguided! In fact, its opposite. Vancouver's drug and homeless population has overflown to the breaking point (on its own), and in fact, a lot of people from Vancouver have been moved to Calgary and Edmonton. Now the drop in centres and shelters in those cities are overflown. Calgary, not only took in a major Vancouver overflow, has also a housing crisis that brought many people into the shelters. All major cities are now in crisis mode. So whoever told you, homeless people move to Vancouver because of winter coldness is full of sh*t! I know people that work at AADAC in Alberta that may beg to differ.
Listen people will always come out to the west coast. Look at LA in California for example. People move there even if they are homeless.
Homeless don't bother me, heck druggies don't bother me. Its a fact of life really. Now when you get druggies with guns like we have here in america or guns with the poor in general, then you have a problem.
Sportsdude wrote:
Listen people will always come out to the west coast. Look at LA in California for example. People move there even if they are homeless.
I meant the heroin addicts and such, not just homeless. They haven't moved to Calgary for jobs either, they were put there as there used to be more resouces available for them. Not anymore.
Murmen Thurmen wrote:
Maybe Vancouver wouldn't have such a major drug problem if people like greycat and Lise didn't just turn their backs on the issue and pretend it doesn't exist!?
Ah - pretending, pretending....
If I do decide to move to Vancouver, I m thinking about opening a business (pet related), but not sure what the business climate is like right now. I hear people are cash strapped because of the high cost of real estate and they have very little left to spend on anything else except for necessities. If most people are house poor- this might not be a favourable situation for someone new starting out. It s interesting but some people say it s a great place for new entrepreneurs and business in general - yet others say there s no way in heck you can make it in Vancouver. I remember in the early 90 s the city was just starting to make a mark- lots of new construction, new businesses sprouting up everywhere etc- somehow, it now seems to be a very saturated market and to boot the cost of living or doing business has skyrocketed! I m kicking myself for not making the move 15 years ago when all things seemed more reasonable.
What do you guys think or know of the market in Vancouver
Vancouver has a nice science centre.
...and a mediocre hockey team...has CFL Football too! also a WHL team and the night life is there, just pretty mellow compared to a city like Seattle. vancouver is rather sleepy in comparison. But sleepy is good too...Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....
If you are into nightlife and stuff like that, Vancouver is not a place for you, it is quite boring in this sense. But if you like the outdoors and being surrounded by likeminded people, it's a paradise. Also, if you are thinking about moving here, you have to be extremely culturally tolerant, because probably around 90% of the population here are Chinese.
Dummy wrote:
If you are into nightlife and stuff like that, Vancouver is not a place for you, it is quite boring in this sense. But if you like the outdoors and being surrounded by likeminded people, it's a paradise. Also, if you are thinking about moving here, you have to be extremely culturally tolerant, because probably around 90% of the population here are Chinese. [/DIV]
...you ARE a dummy!
Sportsdude wrote:
Listen people will always come out to the west coast. Look at LA in California for example. People move there even if they are homeless.
people move to California because of weather and generous welfare system
49er wrote:
Sportsdude wrote:
Listen people will always come out to the west coast. Look at LA in California for example. People move there even if they are homeless.
[/DIV]
people move to California because of weather and generous welfare system[/DIV]
Also, to study earthquakes. Seismologist?? (sp?), I think they are called?
49er, must be in the Bay area? beautiful place!
49er wrote:
people move to California because of weather and generous welfare system
Lots of them are Mexican immigrants who move to California with hopes of getting California back.