chanceUK

i havent posted in a while but would love some advice. I am a PR that has lived in Guelph, Ontario for the past 3.5 years.

i started a fantastic new job last october which is based in Etobicoke. Unfortunately, this means 3 hours of my day is spent on the 401 commuting I do get to work from home 1-2 days per week and summer hours which is making it bearable but not ideal.

I am reluctant to move closer to work since I love the community feel of guelph, with its many trails, farmers market, sports clubs and friends etc. I dont want to live in etobicoke, missisaugua, brampton etc

However, my employer has offered me the chance to transfer to a position based in a major city within Western Canada. I would be primarily working from home but would need to live within a 1hr (ish) of a major airport since the position would require regular travel between the various western provinces (e.g. 1 week per month).

I have never traveled out west. I will be going to Calgary for work in a few weeks but doubt i would want to live in Calgary. Vancouver does appeal but i have no idea where to start in terms of where exactly I would move to.

I'm single, early thirties, no kids, love to road cycle (100-200km), trail run, mountain bike. I want to spend my spare time doing these types of outdoor activities and dont want to spend too long cycling in the city to get to the real outdoors/countryroads etc. I will also be starting from scratch in terms of making friends etc so dont want to be anywhere too isolated. There needs to be sports clubs etc i can join.

Any suggestions for places to research? - 1hr of a major airport with a community feel and lots easy access to great roads for cycling and trails to run on. I will be looking to rent a 2 bedroom place with a budget of $1200-1800 per month

thanks!

JonboyE

Does it matter how close to the mountains you are? What is your tolerance to rain?

My first thoughts are the towns of Ladner or Tsawwassen in Delta. Smaller communities with a good feel, sports clubs, access to roads for cycling, running trails on the beach and river bank. Not the most exciting night life but there are buses to downtown Vancouver.

If you want mountain biking and trails that go up and down rather than along then North Vancouver is the place.

adele

North Van sounds like it would fit the bill nicely

chanceUK

Thanks for the suggestions!
With respect to the rain, i do enjoy the warm, mostly dry summers here in Ontario. So less rain would be a bonus. However, it probably isnt a total deal breaker. Which are the rainiest and which are the driest areas? Are we talking days on end of miserable, cold rain?

I have never lived near mountains and have only skiied once so proximity to mountains isnt essential if there are plenty of trails and good roads elsewhere

scilly

North Van is right up against the mountains ............ gets more than double the rain as the suburbs south of Vancouver

and Vancouver gets a lot less than the North and West Vancouvers


check this site out

[url=http://jeffjantzi.ca/lower-mainland-rainfall.html]

and google Rainfall Vancouver and area

ExKiwilass

North burnaby (burnaby mountain) has good mountain bike trails, beaches etc and less rain than North Van.

Londonuck

Its not the weather that's the problem with Vancouver, Its the residents.

Siouxie

Kelowna.

Danny B

I second Kelowna, the cycling is fantastic in the BC interior.

Oink

The west end in Vancouver. Get yourself a kayak.

chanceUK

ooooh lots of places for me to check out.

Kelowna sounds nice. I may ask my boss to see if it's an option. He did say an hour from a major airport but the work will involve time traveling to major cities in the western provinces so it may be preferable to live closer to one of the big ones.

I am hoping they will fly me out for work reasons/reccie to see if i like it enough to move there (fingers crossed) and I can take a look at these places while i'm there

Lychee

Consider Steveston, which is a 20 minute to the airport and a 40 minute drive to Downtown Vancouver. Alternatively, rent a condo in Yaletown or the West End when you first arrive and enjoy life without the necessity of a commute. Why move from one hellish commute to another if you don't have to. If you must live in North Van, look at Lonsdale.

chanceUK

Thanks, it wont be a commute as such. I will be primarily working from home.

However 5 days per month i will be on the road with sales reps from the company. 3 of these are based in the vancouver area (including vancouver island), 1 in manitoba/SK, 2 in alberta. Therefore i will be flying or driving to meet them. I wil also need to fly to conferences held at various places in western canada at several times during the year so need to be within close proximity to an airport. Vancouver probably makes the most sense.

Lifestyle for the parts of the month where i wont be travelling is the most important aspect of the move

Siouxie

There is an airport at Kelowna, flights daily to Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Fort McMurray and Victoria. You can read others here: Destinations

They don't appear to have flights to MB or SK, but I'm pretty sure you could fly to Calgary/Edmonton and get an onward flight from there.

I have 2 friends that live in Kelowna, both are into ski-ing, walking, trail running, biking, canoeing etc. and go to Vancouver every month for a night out on the town.

http://www.hellobc.com/kelowna/things-to-do.aspx

chanceUK

Ok thanks! Kelowna sounds great and probably a lot more affordable