just_jen_1986

Hi Guys,

So further to our research of Kelowna we've found a few news articles naming Kelowna as being 4th on the list of high crime levels and as such an increase of 60% crime since 2019. Theres also a lot of talk about high levels of street homelessness and huge drug issues. We don't plan to live in the city centre, we were hoping to move to one of the suburbs suited to a young family but I wondered what any of you living in kelowna make of all this? We live in a suburb of Manchester UK and so petty crime, car crime and stuff being stolen from your garden isn't news to us but we don't have a huge drug/homeless issue in our town but have a huge drug issue within the city centre and a homeless population to match...is life in the suburbs of kelowna going to be suited to a young family or am I to believe the reports and potentially bringing my family to a hotbed of crime and drugs?

On a positive note, my other half received an email last night and has been asked to interview for a position he emailed a pretty big company about which considering they know we currently have no work permit and are based in the UK i feel is quite a positive achievement. Here's crossing our fingers he smashes the interview and we get a job offer so we can secure an additional 600points!

As always, thanks for any info x

scrubbedexpat091

Pretty much any city in BC has seen increase in crime over the years as well as an increase in drug addiction and homelessness and associated issues like petty crime. You really cannot escape it if you want to live in BC comes with the territory.

You probably wont be directly, chances are still in your favor, but there is always a chance you may get something stolen, especially if you leave items in your car. I wouldn't really worry about it. Our apartment in West Kelowna is pretty close to a homeless shelter and drug resource place, a fair amount of homeless hanging out 24/7 but most of them cause no issues, really the biggest hurdle is trying to keep them out of the heated underground garage as they try to stay warm overnight.

Homelessness is increasing in a good amount of BC city's as rents rise.

Phaedru5

How close are you to getting work permits? If very close I would tread carefully on how 'honestly' your other half answers the questions around it - I would think it highly unlikely to be offered a job if you cant confirm having a work permit yet, as the uncertainty just isnt worth if for employers. I recall before coming here the first time, having an interview, and answered honestly that I didn't have my visa yet but expected it any day now. They selected another candidate citing that uncertainty. The irony was my visa arrived in the post the next day!

Anyway, as for Kelowna, dont worry about it. The harsh reality is that its the so-called California of BC, its an attractive place so people want to be there, and wealthy people can afford to be there, and gangs and drug dealers are wealthy unfortunately. Sure there is crime, there are biker gangs and drug crime but the crime tends to be centered between the gangs. Hear about a couple of guys shot at a motel - that'll likely be a gang killing. Sorry to be blunt, but the sooner you accept that the sooner you can forget about it and not let it ruin your dreams. For the regular citizens its a beautiful place and nothing to be worried about if you dont hang in those circles. Sure downtown has a lot of homeless, the city park is kinda ruined you probably wont take your kids there, but as you say in the suburbs its perfectly pleasant. Dont let it put you off, its a great place with thousands of lovely people and enough space to spread out away from any areas you dont want to be. Also note that compared to England I find it way safer in many ways. In England i always felt you couldnt leave anything out the front of your house, and i lived in a nice middle class small town in the midlands. But leave a hose or a bucket or god forbid a bike or something on your driveway you can be sure it wouldnt be there in the morning. Leave your car unlocked and a cd on the passenger seat? Gone. But here people leave their garages open full of tools and bikes etc, not all the time but you do see it, and people leave trailers and boats and dirt bikes and quads on their drive ways, kids leave their bikes lying out the front of friends houses all afternoon, people leave doors unlocked, windows open when they go out, etc. So yea, theres organised crime which I feel pushes the 'crime figures' up but on the whole I feel safer and more comfortable here than I ever did living in the UK. My Dad, a usually nervous man, acknowledged when he visited last summer that even the street bums were polite, asked him for change and when he said no wished him a good day and went on his way. In London where he worked he'd get yelled at and verbally abused when turning someone down demanding money.

christmasoompa

That sounds as though you had the luxury of an open work permit without a job offer first i.e. you were a sponsored spouse or similar? That doesn't seem to apply to the OP, sounds like they need a job offer to get a visa.

We do all of that, and we're in the UK. I rarely lock my door or my car.

Danny B

The good thing about the gang violence in BC is that they only kill each other. It is VERY rare that a member of the public gets caught up in the middle.

Homelessness causes a lot of petty crime though. Lots of thefts from unlocked cars, drunks being threatening and abusive, begging etc. I have never felt threatened by the homeless in Kamloops or Kelowna, can't say the same thing when I walked through Hastings and Main in E.Vancouver. That was scary.

Phaedru5

To be fair when I lived in Swansea at the turn of the millenium I also never locked my car - but thats only because it would get broken into every single night and it saved me money in door handles/locks just leaving it open for the f&^%ers

BristolUK

I seem to recall dbd displaying a notice to say there was nothing left after the last thieves.

just_jen_1986

Ah guys you've all given great input thanks so much! So it wasn't actually me that was worried about this, it was my sister who brought it to my mums attention and so to settle my sisters mind I wanted to run it by the forum. I'm used to being around the homeless and drug users as I previously worked as a homeless outreach worker, in homeless hostels and as a substance misses specialist so it doesn't faze me anymore. You've all just confirmed what my explanation was to my sister with regards to BC and the weather etc. If I was street homeless I'd make my way to a warmer climate within canada than try and get by in some -28 town of Alberta in winter!

In terms of the upcoming interview, we were honest from the start via our covering letter because we wanted to not get our hopes up by dropping the bombshell at a later date that we don't yet have visa. My partners experience and years served within arboriculture for his age and the level that he is at are what i think has been appealing to this particular role he's contacted the director about. I'm hopeful that this guy isn't just trying to fill an hour or so of his morning by running a pointless interview with a candidate he has no intention of ever making a job offer too even if he was the best candidate for the role. They're quite a well known company within arboriculture and so I have a feeling we aren't the first people who have been in our situation that have then gone on to be given employment by them...like I say fingers crossed!

Phaedru5

Well I for one am wishing you and your partner the best of luck! I remember what its all like, a few days ago was my 3yr anniversary of starting my new job here in Canada and it feels like just yesterday. If you have any other questions about Kelowna and the Okanagan don't hesitate to ask. I also have a couple of trees that needs trimming and shaping so remember me when you get here

just_jen_1986

Hahaha I sure will! Thanks again and I shall keep you posted on here no doubt 👌

dbd33

That's true, I got the idea in NYC where many cars had signs "doors open, no radio".

I think the complacency over organized crime is misplaced. The bikers in BC aren't making their money in Costa Rica, they're making it in BC, and people are getting hurt in the process. My understanding is that no drug offences get prosecuted unless fentanyl is involved. That leaves a lot of scope to create faces of meth.

scilly

I don't believe that is quite accurate.

The police in Vancouver are not prosecuting people caught with small amounts of drugs in their possession, ie amounts that would be one person usage. This being part of the policy that drug takes need help.

Get caught with larger amounts such as would indicate a dealer, then look out. Dealers need to be put out of business.

The RCMP do not operate on the low amount no prosecution system, and the RCMP are the policing force over much of the province. ............. including Kelowna.

dbd33

Have a look at recent prosecutions, cases that make it to trial, see how many do not involve fentanyl. Granted that's not absolutely reliable as most drug charges are plea bargained away but it's prosecution policy, as well as policy action, that determines who winds up in the dock. There just aren't enough lawyers to prosecute any but the most important cases. Fentanyl is "most important" in this context because it kills so many people.

scrubbedexpat091

The homeless in West Kelowna seem pretty laid back, never see any issues, even when they are asked to move on they comply it seems, but Vancouver is another story, just look at the park that has been taken over, and the open market in the DTES full of stolen goods, always a running joke in Vancouver, have your stuff stolen go to the open market and buy it back, because the police wont do anything about it.

scilly

As always, what crime you see, or how much stuff you lose, depends a lot on where you live.

We've lived in Vancouver for over 50 years, had 3 break-ins at the house in all that time ...... one when a visitor left a door open and an opportunist walked in. Then someone else came home, and the thief ran out through an upstairs door on the sun deck, and jumped down into the garden, leaving the TV behind.

Then most recently, about 10 years ago, someone jimmied the back door, got 15 steps into the house and the alarm went off, so he turned tail and fled.

First time that alarm had been sounded since it was installed over 25 years ago

We occasionally see homeless men walking past the house, and more often when in the local shopping area. But they're no problem, most are really polite.

If we lived right downtown, or downtown east side, then I might have a different story to tell ............ although we do have friends living on the east side who also have no problems.