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Alternatives to Vancouver - for people who like(d) VC?

Alternatives to Vancouver - for people who like(d) VC?

Old Aug 16th 2018, 12:28 pm
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Default Alternatives to Vancouver - for people who like(d) VC?

Hello. We’ve been focusing on a move to Canada and have had VC in our minds from day one as the place most suited to us, but that’s not really coming from a place of knowledge!

We are largely location independent in terms of jobs, so in theory we could live pretty much anywhere, but we have a future business in mind that would work best in a city .

We are going to head over in a couple of months, and I’d like to plan visits to a few other locations so I’d love to hear from anyone who started off in VC, moved elsewhere and loves it, or thought VC was for them but found it wasn’t ... and of course anyone who swears that VC is the only place that ticks off all our wants

The key things we are looking for are:
  • Well populated area (city) - I’m quite a city dweller and I tend to work from coffee shops etc so for me being out in the sticks is a definite no. Happy to live in a suburb (I think!) as long as it;s quick and easy to get in and out of a city.
  • Friendliness of people - the warmer the welcome, the better! We also have a 7 year old child and want him to grow up in the nicest environment possible
  • Warm summers and (ideally) not blisteringly cold winters. I know VC fulfils this, but I’m a bit naive about the weather in other locations - oh and nowhere windy!
  • Scenery - again VC obvioulsy has this. We live in quite a picturesque city in the UK and if anything I want to upgrade!
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Old Aug 16th 2018, 2:10 pm
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Default Re: Alternatives to Vancouver - for people who like(d) VC?

Victoria might suit, similar, slightly warmer climate than Vancouver, Access to everything the Island has to offer.
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Old Aug 16th 2018, 3:01 pm
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Default Re: Alternatives to Vancouver - for people who like(d) VC?

I had to wonder where is VC?
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Old Aug 16th 2018, 3:15 pm
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Default Re: Alternatives to Vancouver - for people who like(d) VC?

Hi
If its any help
My original pre arriving in canada list was

vancouver or victoria or kelowna

eventualy it was to be vancouver due to better employment possibilities
cherrs
jerry
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Old Aug 16th 2018, 4:25 pm
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Default Re: Alternatives to Vancouver - for people who like(d) VC?

First priority is to keep an open mind and look at all the Provincial Nomination Programs, to see if you could qualify for one - or where one of you could find a job if necessary in order to gain PR..
After that, then you can start thinking specifics
As to the weather - well, it's Canada.. so yes, we get extremely cold winters pretty much everywhere, compared to the UK - although Vancouver does tend to manage to remain largely unscathed.. but it does rain a lot apparently! This might be helpful - it has the climate averages for some of the major Cities (if you click on each, there's a breakdown and a chart) https://www.livingin-canada.com/canadian-climates.html

Last edited by Siouxie; Aug 16th 2018 at 4:36 pm.
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Old Aug 16th 2018, 7:21 pm
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Default Re: Alternatives to Vancouver - for people who like(d) VC?

Originally Posted by Aviator
I had to wonder where is VC?
'Nam
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Old Aug 16th 2018, 7:38 pm
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Default Re: Alternatives to Vancouver - for people who like(d) VC?

Originally Posted by ZestyOrange

The key things we are looking for are:
  • Well populated area (city) - I’m quite a city dweller and I tend to work from coffee shops etc so for me being out in the sticks is a definite no. Happy to live in a suburb (I think!) as long as it;s quick and easy to get in and out of a city.
  • Friendliness of people - the warmer the welcome, the better! We also have a 7 year old child and want him to grow up in the nicest environment possible
  • Warm summers and (ideally) not blisteringly cold winters. I know VC fulfils this, but I’m a bit naive about the weather in other locations - oh and nowhere windy!
  • Scenery - again VC obvioulsy has this. We live in quite a picturesque city in the UK and if anything I want to upgrade!
Kelowna ticks 3 of the boxes. Kamloops is probably a bit too small for you.
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Old Aug 16th 2018, 8:06 pm
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Default Re: Alternatives to Vancouver - for people who like(d) VC?

FWIW ...............

coffee shops can be found in even very small towns and villages ...... and all the ones I've been in have WiFi, though some may limit your time occupying space if not partaking of food or drink. I have also noted that some coffee shops in Vancouver are going WiFi free, at least on certain days of the week ... largely because they are getting fed up of having most (or all) of their tables occupied by only 1 person each, and having to turn away other customers.

NOTE:- I am NOT talking Starbucks or any other chain ............... every small town that I've been in has those (or at least Tim Hortons aka Timmy's), but most have also had at least one very good independent coffee shop.


As far as weather, the Lower Mainland of BC (or Metro Vancouver, if you wish) and Vancouver Island really could be considered the Banana Belt of Canada ............................

warm summers, though 30C is becoming more common .......... note that over 19C at night and over 28C in the day time is now considered a heat wave in this area.

cool winters ............. usually lowest reached is -10C and that is overnight, daytime is usually between 0 and 10C

Rainfall ............ officially we are in a Temperate Rain Forest, and this means lots of rain, usually between October and April/May. We can have accumulated 50 cm of snow over the winter months, but the snow rarely lies for long ........ though again we have been having longer spells below freezing so ice and snow have lain for longer over the last 2-3 winters.

Vancouver Island is drier and sunnier along the south and east coasts, but the northern section and the west coast are VERY wet, with lots of rain even in summer

Winds ......... like everywhere, we can get high winds, sometimes almost up to hurricane strength, but there has really only ever been one hurricane hit the Lower Mainland, and that was Hurricane Freda back in ca 1963


You should be aware that the whole of BC, including Vancouver Island is in the Earthquake Zone that runs up the Pacific Coast from California all the way to Alaska and then down to Japan. We get small shakes very regularly in Vancouver .....usually realised only when you see that all your pictures on the wall are crooked! This area is also included in the volcanic region ..... we're in what is known as the Ring of Fire.

We get 1 to 3 tsunami warnings a year from large earthquakes elsewhere in the Pacific region, but they usually come to nothing. There has only been one that has caused a lot of damage, and that was back in the early 1960s, devastating Port Alberni on Vancouver Island.


The rest of BC north of the Lower Mainland and the rest of Canada get much colder winters, much warmer summers, usually much more snow, and may also be subject to earthquakes, but many areas get high winds and tornados, or the nor'easters on the East Coast..


We've lived in Vancouver since August 22 1968, and love it!
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Old Aug 16th 2018, 9:44 pm
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Default Re: Alternatives to Vancouver - for people who like(d) VC?

We've lived on Vancouver Island for a number of years now. As Scilly has said, the summers are warm and the winters are mild. I think I'm right in saying that our South East bit of the Island has about 50% less rain than Vancouver, but I can't be bothered to verify this. The problems I see with the Island are mainly logistical. All trips to somewhere else involve a boat or a plane at some point. Now this is not the end of the world; I left South Seattle in the States yesterday at around 3.30 pm and I was actually in my bed by 9.30 pm. That was driving and with no particular holdupsparticular holdups. I live about 40 minutes north of Victoria, so for anyone who knows where the Schwartz Bay Ferry comes in, I then had a 1 hour drive over the Malahat as well.

The big problem I see with the Island is the fact there is essentially one arterial road that runs the entire eastern spine of the Island. Any accidents (and they are frequent) can effectively cut the Island in two for sometimes many many hours. There a a few key weekends of the year when we will actually plan and make provision so we don't have to use the car on the Trans Canada Highway.

I suppose the other thing is the cultural and "liveliness" elementy - which to my mind is frankly missing - in spades. If you are happy with that then fine. My wife and I lived in London from Uni onwards and have had ample opportunity for fun and cultural games in our previous lives. Now, for us, a beautiful, safe, fun environment for our kids, a big house, big garden, ponds etc etc, are of more value than other considerations which may be of greater priority to others.

For us the Island is almost perfect, but I can see how it might not appeal to everyone.
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Old Aug 16th 2018, 11:46 pm
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Default Re: Alternatives to Vancouver - for people who like(d) VC?

If I could, I would live on Vancouver Island, doesn't seem as rushed as Vancouver. The province really should think about building a better highway though, seems the current highway is not capable of handling the traffic flowing over it?
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Old Aug 17th 2018, 12:03 am
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Default Re: Alternatives to Vancouver - for people who like(d) VC?

Incidentally, I've never EVER heard the phrase VC to describe Vancouver; has anyone else - until now?
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Old Aug 17th 2018, 3:10 am
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Default Re: Alternatives to Vancouver - for people who like(d) VC?

Originally Posted by rivingtonpike
Incidentally, I've never EVER heard the phrase VC to describe Vancouver; has anyone else - until now?

In 50 years here, I have never heard that abbreviation!

It's certainly a new one on me
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Re: Alternatives to Vancouver - for people who like(d) VC?We've lived on Vancouver Island for a number of years now. As Scilly has said, the summers are warm and the winters are mild. I think I'm right in saying that our South East bit of the Island has about 50% less rain than Vancouver, but I can't be bothered to verify this. ........

I don't know whether it is 50%, but the south end of the Island and all up the east coast get a lot less rain than the Mainland, and also a lot less than the West Coast, which basically is the outer coast .............. nothing between there except the Pacific until you reach Japan.

The reason is very simple ..... weather comes rolling in from the Pacific, carrying lots of moisture, dumps it as rain on the coast and west side of the mountains that run down the centre of the Island, and have little left to drop on the south and east side. Then more moisture is picked up as the wind and clouds travel over the Strait of Georgia, and dumps it over the Lower Mainland, where the north shore (North Vancouver, West Vancouver and up to Squamish) get quite a lot more than Vancouver and east.
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Old Aug 17th 2018, 5:50 am
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Default Re: Alternatives to Vancouver - for people who like(d) VC?

VC???

Vancouver??

Victoria City???

Also nothing wrong with Tim Hortons or Starbucks occasionally!
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Old Aug 17th 2018, 10:48 pm
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Default Re: Alternatives to Vancouver - for people who like(d) VC?

Thanks for all the replies - I'm going to go back through and read them all again now - some great info to digest!

Apologies for my use of "VC" - my French friend (who lives in Vancouver) calls it VC in our chats so I assumed it was common place, but I see that's not the case
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Old Aug 17th 2018, 11:31 pm
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Default Re: Alternatives to Vancouver - for people who like(d) VC?

I have never heard of VC.

What visa are you coming over on? This is all completely pointless if you don't already have a visa, or a viable strategy to get one. (and . . . a newbie mistake to the migration process. Before you get all excited about moving, make sure you can actually make the move, because the come-down can be devastating if you find out you have no realistic shot at a visa after you've already started picking out the realtors and the weekend holidays).
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