zuumed

just found out that the company that has offered a position may need me to live in victoria for a year or so until security clearance is through !

whats life like in victoria , schools , weather , people etc.

not very impressed as we had been told it will be one move to ottawa so all planning was for that area , now wondering if i should simply ask to stay over in victoria.

are flights from the uk a pain ? need to think about family coming and going.

as with all these things i wait for an eternity from the hiring company and they want an answer for a major change in a couple of days, starting to wonder if this is all worth it

laura.anne

I did a thread on Victoria recently which got quite a mixed response, if you want to read it it should be a bit further down.

But from what I read I think it seems a great place for families, just doesn't seem to appeal to the young singles :-)

laura.anne

Just bumped it back to the top for you !

Aviator

There are no direct flights from the UK to Victoria. Fly into Vancouver and get a connector or get the boat. there are also flights from other Canadian and US cities.

This is the other thread on Victoria http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=770558

It is pretty much like every other city to live, with the ocean nearby, relying on ferries or air transport to get to the mainland if you wanted to.

I would not get too hung up on what's it like to live there. It is a city, has stores, schools hospitals and the like. If you need to leave the island frequently, go by air and it's a breeze!

Largo

I agree.

I have been been in Canada for 55 yrs. , but only the last two in Victoria. I love it here. There is nothing that I need or want that I cannot get here. There are even 'British ' goods , which are available which are no longer of any interest to me.
My sister - in- law has visited for many years from the UK. she likes to come because she says she can be sure of good, sunny weather during the Summer months . She takes a plane from the N.E. of England to Heathrow and then on to Vancouver. At which point she takes the ferry because she enjoys it ( although the commuter plane to Victoria would probably be quicker)

Being on an island is not a problem. There are ferries to the U.S. The 'Como' runs between Victoria and Port Angeles in the U.S several times a day , depending on the season, and 'The Clipper' runs between Victoria and Seattle also on a daily basis
I have found people to be very friendly here..

Having lived in Ontario for 37 yrs before coming here. I appreciate the much milder climate and the easier Winter driving conditions.

I would think that a transfer from Ottawa to Victoria , at least from a weather point of view would be a plus.

Boy d

id happily take victoria over Ottawa. It's a wonderful place. Great climate, some of the sunniest summers in Canada, little to no humidity, low rain fall, no snow. lots to do and see, not too far from Vancouver if you need a big city fix (although the ferry is a pain and a bit expensive).

Victoria itself is very quaint with lots of character. A surprising amount of restaurants for a city its' size. Decent pubs. Everything you need is availible.

General negatives over Ottawa would be cost of housing and less jobs. In one sense they are similar with respect to the focus on goverment jobs. Oh and according to some on here old people

I'd move their in a blink if i could.

Lychee

I too would say, coming from the UK, you'll likely find Victoria more familiar than Ottawa, if not solely for the climate and access to seaside.

Victoria's green year round like the UK (a factor most don't even consider until they get here and realize the landscape elsewhere in Canada is brown and barren for half the year!), similar climate to the UK but sunnier, spring begins in March and lasts until June, etc. Ottawa has a climate similar to Moscow.

Vancouver isn't the only large city nearby either; Seattle can be accessed from Victoria directly via a catamaran (the Victoria Clipper). As a result, you can choose to fly into Vancouver or Seattle, and then ferry or fly over to Victoria. I would not worry about this move.

rivingtonpike

We live just north of Victoria but we're always somewhere in the city at least once a week. I think it's a great place - especially if you have a family. The floatplane lands right in the inner harbour for travellers from Vancouver airport (a little shuttle bus takes you to the water in Richmond). Feel free to PM me if I can offer any specifics.

Hawk13

Don't go. It's a very boring place to live and full of old people - they put all the old people on the island 'cus they can't figure how to get off. Haha.

Oink

Its the difference between a nice massage and a colonoscopy.