Moving to BC as an artist
 

hi there,
i hope i'm in the right forum, i don't use forums ever so excuse my lack of etiquette! I'm hoping to move to Vancouver/Victoria (haven't decided which) at the start of September, i've been waiting to move as a PR since March (i have my card), hoping that Covid would fizzle out but it hasn't so i'm just pressing on with the move now...starting here!

Are there any artists on here? I'm a self-employed professional illustrator who will be working from wherever I lay my hat once i get to BC and was wondering what would be the best area to move to that has a great positive/creative vibe, somewhere to meet other artists, whatever their specialty. I'm moving on my own and I don't know anyone over there! Once settled I may well start applying for full time creative employment somewhere which would help, but to start with i'll be self-employed.

Also, how have new residents here dealt with the 14 day isolation from arrival? Especially if you don't even know the area you're moving to yet!

Thanks in advance for any feedback :)

Re: Moving to BC as an artist
 

Good summary of whether you need to isolate or not from CBC here

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/tra...nada-1.5653964

All depends on where you are travelling from. If from SK MB or AB then no isolation, if from most of ON and driving, then you will hit problems in MBwho require 14 day isolation etc.

Re: Moving to BC as an artist
 

Well, i'm coming from the UK so yeah, isolation.

Re: Moving to BC as an artist
 

So you will need to produce a detailed plan on how and where you intend to self isolate.

follow the links from this link

https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/services...diens-eng.html

Re: Moving to BC as an artist
 

yeah, i've read all that before. as i said, i don't have friends or family. So was wondering how it's possible, how others in my situation have managed it.

Guess there are no artists on this site?

Re: Moving to BC as an artist
 

You stay in a hotel for 14 days or will be forced to quarantine by PHAC officials on arrival. We have lots of artists on this site but more of the drinking type of artists ;)

Re: Moving to BC as an artist
 

On arrival you'll be asked if you have any support. If you don't, someone will be assigned to carry out grocery shopping etc for you and deliver it to you. If you have somewhere to stay you can quarantine there. Someone I spoke to recently said they received 8 calls from CIC over the 14 day period to check on their whereabouts - they can trace your mobile!

As you're moving by yourself and you're an artist I suggest you consider Montreal instead of Vancouver. The cultural scene in Montreal is much better and the social side is more lively.

Re: Moving to BC as an artist
 

Hello and welcome to BE! :welcome:

congrats on gaining PR :)

There are a couple of artists on here - not necessarily living in BC.. you might be able to get some ideas from the Canadian Artists website (BC) or the BC Art guide to studios and artists website, there are a lot of artists in BC! I've heard that Vancouver Island is a place artists favour however, if you need to work then you may want to ascertain where the jobs are rather than which area you fancy the most .. :)

As to quarantine - yes you will have to (as you are aware) - if you can't make your own arrangements the government will place you somewhere (probably not the best choice if you have any options). There are some short term rental options for apartments (furnished) though they won't be cheap
https://hscr.com/find-accommodations/
https://stayinglevel.com/offers/?city=34&property=39
or
https://www.airbnb.ca/british-columbia-canada/stays
You could also look at some of these that have private suites for a cheaper option
https://www.homestay.com/canada/rich...rhood-richmond

or you could book a holiday home (you can change the parameters) there's a few that are under $100 a night.. (I've put down Vancouver Island as I thought that might be a nice place to quarantine! You can also change that to somewhere more central / potentially cheaper) https://www.holidayhomes.com/s/searc...ons=1&rating=1
https://www.home-to-go.ca/search/53f...45CAD&rating=1
https://www.vrbo.com/search/keywords..._source=aff_ph

Re: Moving to BC as an artist
 

Though there are more artists per capita in this part of BC: Vancouver Island - Art-BC & https://www.gobc.ca/southern-gulf-is...-art-artisans/ worth looking at.

Re: Moving to BC as an artist
 

Oh, thank you all so much for the info. Very kind of you. will gradually make my way through the links and see what i can figure out. Yeah, I was thinking Victoria, as I've been there on holiday already too, lots of comic shops too! I know Montreal is more favourable for artists...but I would not move somewhere thats actually colder than England if I can help it, haha.

They assign someone to do your groceries? Thats a free service? Its just so complicated, I could just pay over the odds for a Hotel or holiday home for 14 days but then how do i get food in (especially with my niche GF diet), or live off hotel food for 14 days (if they cater for my diet). It seems weird as well that you can quarantine in a hotel, surely the opposite place you need to be to do that!

it may be worth just waiting for the 14 day rule to end. Surely it can't go into 2021?!

Re: Moving to BC as an artist
 

Put it this way the way the UK has opened up and the potential for a 2nd lockdown I wouldn't be betting my house that it doesn't for some countries still having to quarantine for 14 days in 2021.

Re: Moving to BC as an artist
 

It may not be the same in every province, but in BC it seems that if you quarantine in a hotel, you are confined to your room most of the day. NO room service. Hotel staff will leave clean sheets, towels cleaning materials etc outside your room, you change your own bed and towels and put them outside the door for pick-up.

You may be allowed out for 1 or 2 short periods of exercise outside in fresh air, but at no other time. You will be expected to maintain the 2 m (6') spatial distancing at all times.

It is doubtful if the hotel will cater food, and a special diet may require you to pay for shopping and delivery. I would add that gluten-free diets can lead to a limited choice in many hotels.

The BC government is currently covering the costs of people in quarantine in hotels under the Federal order, and they are keeping in contact by phone and personal checks with people in quarantine no matter how or where in BC they are doing it..

But remember, you have to quarantine in the province in which you land, so you would have to fly direct UK to Vancouver for that little "benefit"

Re: Moving to BC as an artist
 

There are grocery shopping services - InstaCart etc., and stores that deliver.. plus many delivery options for restaurants too :)

Re: Moving to BC as an artist
 

yeah, this seems more like the reality. But it is interesting that the government pay for your stay. But i guess that would mean not pre-booking an hotel for your arrival and just turning up on their front door with a shrug and a, 'i don't have a plan, so help me' attitude? And even if you can order groceries, hotel rooms don't have utilities where you can prepare/cook your food anyway. So you'd have to order from restaurants, or pay loads extra to stay in a holiday home? Would the government cover the costs of a holiday home? At least then i could order groceries and sit outdoors in a garden.

I cant believe there's not a specific webpage that answers any of these questions.

Re: Moving to BC as an artist
 

The government will only supply a hotel room. But what would you have done if you were moving in 'normal' times? Presumably you'd have hired a short term Air BnB or similar so just do the same as you were planning, but get groceries delivered instead of going out to buy them.