suzieg

Hey to all you ex Brits living in BC. My family and I are packing up our lives in dull, snowy, cold and depressing Montreal and moving to BC in the summer. I need suggestions as to where we could live outside of Vancouver but with commutable distance to amenities and coast. Also it would be nice to hook up with some contacts to show us around before and when it happens. Could use some info on all things worth knowing, although we have been in Canada for two years, the west coast is a completely new and exciting venture for us. Look forward to hearing from you guys.
Suzie, 36 year old Taff, married with 1 1/2 kids!

immichaelcaine

good luck with that...i hear the particular type of grass in bc is of a muc h greener sort.....

minimeeze

Maybe if you could define that a little better, you may get some more responses. Do you have jobs lined up? If so, where will you be working? Are you looking to live near Vancouver or out in the suburbs? Are you looking to be by the coast in particular or just a beach? (and yes, there are beaches that are not on the coast!). What amenities?

The Fraser Valley is a nice area to live, but not much cop if you want a 15 min commute into Vancouver!

Give us some more details

dboy

although having never been to montreal, I do hear that nightlife/culture etc is much better than here in Vancouver, if that is what you mean by dull.

As for weather, winter is much like the north west of the UK with a lot of rain and overcast skys but very, very little snow (except 30 mins from dowtown on the mountains), spring and summer are nice, summers are especially nice with very little rain, lots of sun and rarely any humidity (not like the north west).

BC does mean bring cash so expect to pay more than Montreal.

To of more use, we need more info. Montreal I imagine has more nightlife, while vancouver has more access to the outdoors, excellent access to the outdoors.

dboy

well that comment was about as much use as a condom in a nunnery. Can one say troll........................................

SarahBC

Hi there,

As Minimeeze said, commuting is the issue. In the Fraser Valley, it's the biggest benefit to live near your work. Hwy 1 (and some bridges over the Fraser) are under massive reconstruction, so commuting towards Vancouver is a barrel of fun for the forseeable future.

When we moved from Nanaimo to the Fraser Valley, my car insurance went up $60 a month. ICBC is the provincial car insurer which provides all the standard coverage (you can shop around for the extra non-essential add-on policies, but ICBC is the minimum coverage and unavoidable).

Hope this helps,

Sarah

CanadaJimmy

Haha, I've actually not heard that one before!

There was another thread recently about a similar topic here, you can also check this wiki page. Hope this helps If any area in particular catches your eye feel free to ask questions about it.

suzieg

Hi all, thanks for taking time to post replies. I have thought a lot about different provinces, but what appeals most about BC is the outdoors, recreation accessibility and warmer weather. Nightlife doesnt appeal to me - been there and done that, although nice restaurants, cinema and a theatre/concert hall would be lovely. Also Quebec has the highest taxes in all of Canada, so expecting to save on that aspect of cost. In amenities, I meant location to hospitals, schools and supermarkets. Job wise, my hubby will be self employed and I would like to be close to a thriving town, so Vancouver is not necessarily on the top of our list. Any positive suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

dboy

Sounds like BC would appeal then, expensive RE aside of course. I may be misreading your response, but Vancouver most certainly is a thriving town, and offers the most of anywhere in BC. It would tick all your boxes and has everything one would expect from a city. Vancouver has a very impressive range of restaurants and more than a few nice bars and lounges for a night out. There is certainly live music and theatre but not to the level that it defines the place. Contrary to popular belief we do have opera, ballet, a symphony orchestra, 2 civic theaters and numerous independent theatre scattered about the city. We also have museams and art galleries. And yes, cinemas, hospitals and supermarkets.

Outside of Vancouver proper things do tend to become thinner although a trip into the city is certainly doable for a night out etc. North Burnaby is nice and close to downtown (15 - 20 mins) even the east side of Vancouver is nice. It depends what you want apartment vs house etc

And the great outdoors is right on your doorstep with everything from cycling, sailing, kayaking, etc

kellydunning

Move to Vancouver Island!

You can take a 1.5 hour ferry ride to Vancouver anytime you want, past gorgeous scenery and little islands. You could live in one of the smaller communities on the island, or you could live in Victoria, the capital city of BC, which is a great city full of gardens, historical architecture, and a picturesque marina. It's very artsy and has lots of fun events.

http://www.tourismvictoria.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria,_British_Columbia

I've lived in Victoria for 6 years and I love it there. It's got everything you need, and if you want to venture to Vancouver for the day or the weekend you are only a ferry ride away. You also get to enjoy the more peaceful and laid-back lifestyle of living on the island.

dboy

Victoria is nice, i have to agree. It also rains less which is a good thing! I've always had a soft spot for the place.

fraser46

Victoria
Been kayaking today, wet but fairly warm, working in Nanaimo tomorrow, then Nordic skiing Monday, beer is good, rugby is good, life is good!! We have an active and happy bunch of expats that meet every few weeks to renew our sense of humour!


http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/g...04721019563682

Cheers!

suzieg

Hello all,

Good to be back. After a long decision making process and even longer drive, we made it to Nanaimo, settling in and loving it. The rain actually reminds me a lot like Wales, so I feel right at home here! Anyways, just wondering if there are any Brits here to show me around or to hook up for coffee and gossip or whatever to catch up with the local gen and any from back home. After 3 years in Canada, I'm starting to feel a tad homesick. Anyone else know how that feels? Give me a shout if you have a mo to chat and wanna share stories.... Suzie