Moving to Vancouver and very confussed!
Jul 29th 2014, 6:44 pm
#46
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Location: Vancouver
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Re: Moving to Vancouver and very confussed!
When it comes to driving, I don't honestly know what people complain about. Sure, there are some busy periods but its no different than anywhere else. The traffic always seems to flow ok Downtown. Unless one of the bridges is out, then it can be tedious!
Jul 29th 2014, 6:56 pm
#47
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Re: Moving to Vancouver and very confussed!
The city's planning would have been great had the city kept up their city planning with that in mind and not created mini-suburbs within the city and of course if transit kept up, but now transit is not capable of handling the current volume of people, let alone new volume, and since most routes are still run by bus, these buses get stuck in the traffic making them unreliable.
Its great if you can live and work in the downtown area, or along the small area's the sky train runs, but live elsewhere in the city, and transit sucks. I am not talking suburbs like Burnaby and commuting to Vancouver, I am talking about Vancouver itself but in area's not served by sky train, driving is still more efficient from these areas then transit is unless something drastically changes.
Unfortunately the area's where you really truly don't need a car to live and work, are out of bounds unless you have a high income.
I worked in Yaletown as well, myself along with many co-workers would have loved to live and work in the area, but rents are so sky high and more then most of us made in a month, so we all commuted, I had the closest and only transit user coming from E Pender and Renfrew (no sky train service in this area) and the bus took 45 minutes to 1 hour, sometimes longer. Everyone else commuted from Burnaby, New West Coquitlam where they could afford an apartment.
Its great if you can live and work in the downtown area, or along the small area's the sky train runs, but live elsewhere in the city, and transit sucks. I am not talking suburbs like Burnaby and commuting to Vancouver, I am talking about Vancouver itself but in area's not served by sky train, driving is still more efficient from these areas then transit is unless something drastically changes.
Unfortunately the area's where you really truly don't need a car to live and work, are out of bounds unless you have a high income.
I worked in Yaletown as well, myself along with many co-workers would have loved to live and work in the area, but rents are so sky high and more then most of us made in a month, so we all commuted, I had the closest and only transit user coming from E Pender and Renfrew (no sky train service in this area) and the bus took 45 minutes to 1 hour, sometimes longer. Everyone else commuted from Burnaby, New West Coquitlam where they could afford an apartment.
Jul 29th 2014, 6:59 pm
#48
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Re: Moving to Vancouver and very confussed!
Vancouver is congested, slow, and tedious when it comes to driving far worse then it should be.
Jul 29th 2014, 7:36 pm
#49
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Re: Moving to Vancouver and very confussed!
This is not based on my experience, this is a friends from Scotland, who has just had her 5th child, so she knows what she's talking about. She was only seen once untill well into her 3rd Trimester, despite being an older mother. She was swollen, and could smell the keytones in her urine. This is regularly tested in UK, but was not here! Instead of having everything done in the same location, she was driving all over the place to different locations, heavily pregnant and with other small children in tow and there was little cohesion between the different elements. The post natal care was again along the same lines. In UK the midwife visits regularly for 2 weeks. Here, she had to go to her! Yes, she has insurance. In fact she has actually had 2 children in this country, one paying privately and one with insurance. Both experiences were in her opinion not comparable to the UK.
An OB won't normally see someone until the 3rd trimester because they would assume that care would be provided by the client's family doctor. If she didn't have one, the OB would normally see them earlier if they're made aware. Midwives see clients from around 6-8 weeks onwards, and then for 6 weeks afterwards. Again, an OB will pass you over to your family doc or midwife after delivery, except to do a 6 week check following a c-section. And yes, you have to go to them for the appointments, why wouldn't you? It would cost more money for home visits (although with a midwife, you do get some home visits after the birth, we did each time). You would still have to go to other places for an ultrasound and some tests in the UK too.
With symptoms like that, any half decent midwife or family doc, or even walk in would have referred her to be seen very quickly I would have thought.
Jul 29th 2014, 8:04 pm
#50
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Location: Vancouver
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Re: Moving to Vancouver and very confussed!
I've had 3 children here now, and this is the complete opposite to my experience. I had to pretty much beat them off with a stick they wanted to test for this and that, and see me all the time.
An OB won't normally see someone until the 3rd trimester because they would assume that care would be provided by the client's family doctor. If she didn't have one, the OB would normally see them earlier if they're made aware. Midwives see clients from around 6-8 weeks onwards, and then for 6 weeks afterwards. Again, an OB will pass you over to your family doc or midwife after delivery, except to do a 6 week check following a c-section. And yes, you have to go to them for the appointments, why wouldn't you? It would cost more money for home visits (although with a midwife, you do get some home visits after the birth, we did each time). You would still have to go to other places for an ultrasound and some tests in the UK too.
With symptoms like that, any half decent midwife or family doc, or even walk in would have referred her to be seen very quickly I would have thought.
An OB won't normally see someone until the 3rd trimester because they would assume that care would be provided by the client's family doctor. If she didn't have one, the OB would normally see them earlier if they're made aware. Midwives see clients from around 6-8 weeks onwards, and then for 6 weeks afterwards. Again, an OB will pass you over to your family doc or midwife after delivery, except to do a 6 week check following a c-section. And yes, you have to go to them for the appointments, why wouldn't you? It would cost more money for home visits (although with a midwife, you do get some home visits after the birth, we did each time). You would still have to go to other places for an ultrasound and some tests in the UK too.
With symptoms like that, any half decent midwife or family doc, or even walk in would have referred her to be seen very quickly I would have thought.
with my last one, I was first seen by the OB in first trimester!Glad you've had positive experiences too.
Jul 29th 2014, 8:10 pm
#51
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Location: Port Moody
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Re: Moving to Vancouver and very confussed!
There is obviously mixed opinions about canada, but them again same with all places I suppose, at the moment iv got no choice Iv been here since Friday so will have to get to grips with it all!
Iv taken into consideration all of the comments people are leaving, and looking to live a bit out of the city now, my partner had said the traffic seems better than Central London but not exactly quiet either! Somebody suggested Port Moody to me if anyone knows anything about there?
With the healthcare it just seems very confusing at the moment, in england it's very straight forward ( but keeping in mind I have always lived there!!)
Since being here I have women up with a swollen face, itchy all over and a rash on my face and chest, I havnt eaten anything I wouldn't normally though and not allergic to anything as far as I'm aware?! This happened yesterdAy and hasn't gone, I don't know what to do? I'm covered by my partners healthcare insurance but do I just turn up at a hospital or what? It is going slightly as taken an allergy medicine , I'm just scared it's going to cost a bomb, I don't know my way around and whT if it's something trivial like prickly heat?! On the others hand I don't want to risk any harm to my baby! Xx
Iv taken into consideration all of the comments people are leaving, and looking to live a bit out of the city now, my partner had said the traffic seems better than Central London but not exactly quiet either! Somebody suggested Port Moody to me if anyone knows anything about there?
With the healthcare it just seems very confusing at the moment, in england it's very straight forward ( but keeping in mind I have always lived there!!)
Since being here I have women up with a swollen face, itchy all over and a rash on my face and chest, I havnt eaten anything I wouldn't normally though and not allergic to anything as far as I'm aware?! This happened yesterdAy and hasn't gone, I don't know what to do? I'm covered by my partners healthcare insurance but do I just turn up at a hospital or what? It is going slightly as taken an allergy medicine , I'm just scared it's going to cost a bomb, I don't know my way around and whT if it's something trivial like prickly heat?! On the others hand I don't want to risk any harm to my baby! Xx
Jul 29th 2014, 8:15 pm
#52
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Re: Moving to Vancouver and very confussed!
Do I need to have a doctor to have a midwife here like in uk? I can't really get one yet as I don't know where il be living, is it best to just go to the hospital do you think?
Jul 29th 2014, 8:21 pm
#53
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Re: Moving to Vancouver and very confussed!
I would go straight to a doctor, it's probably just the heat, but better to be on the safe side, and settle your worries too. You probably don't have a doctor so go to a Walk in clinic, google it and you'll find them. You may have to wait, but it will be worth it. As for Port Moody, I live here, if you want somewhere quieter and out of town, it's a great choice, very family orientated and still with good links. (Skytrain is coming)! 
Jul 29th 2014, 8:25 pm
#54
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Re: Moving to Vancouver and very confussed!
I would go straight to a doctor, it's probably just the heat, but better to be on the safe side, and settle your worries too. You probably don't have a doctor so go to a Walk in clinic, google it and you'll find them. You may have to wait, but it will be worth it. As for Port Moody, I live here, if you want somewhere quieter and out of town, it's a great choice, very family orientated and still with good links. (Skytrain is coming)!
Yes that's what the other lady said I spoke to about Port Moody so that sounds promising, il look more into it
Thanks again very helpful
Jul 29th 2014, 8:27 pm
#55
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Re: Moving to Vancouver and very confussed!
If you dont have provincial coverage will your partner/husband's coverage through work even cover you? Usually the coverage from work is just supplemental covering things not covered by the provincial health plan.
If its not serious and an emergency you can go to a walk in clinic, even if having to pay cash they usually charge a reasonable amount, anywhere from 80 dollars on up, the one I go to charges 120 if your a legal resident of Canada without provincial coverage.
Hospitals wont deny you based on not having coverage, but you will get a bill at some point for it most likely but not always although assume you will.
Walk in clinics are not hard to find, google your area + walk in clinic and some should come up.
Port Moody is okay if you want a quiet area and lower housing costs, but the commute can get old after a time, its not as bad as some commutes though and if working downtown and the times jive with work, the west coast express is a good option for stress free easy commute.
If its not serious and an emergency you can go to a walk in clinic, even if having to pay cash they usually charge a reasonable amount, anywhere from 80 dollars on up, the one I go to charges 120 if your a legal resident of Canada without provincial coverage.
Hospitals wont deny you based on not having coverage, but you will get a bill at some point for it most likely but not always although assume you will.
Walk in clinics are not hard to find, google your area + walk in clinic and some should come up.
Port Moody is okay if you want a quiet area and lower housing costs, but the commute can get old after a time, its not as bad as some commutes though and if working downtown and the times jive with work, the west coast express is a good option for stress free easy commute.
Jul 29th 2014, 8:34 pm
#56
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Re: Moving to Vancouver and very confussed!
If you dont have provincial coverage will your partner/husband's coverage through work even cover you? Usually the coverage from work is just supplemental covering things not covered by the provincial health plan.
If its not serious and an emergency you can go to a walk in clinic, even if having to pay cash they usually charge a reasonable amount, anywhere from 80 dollars on up, the one I go to charges 120 if your a legal resident of Canada without provincial coverage.
Hospitals wont deny you based on not having coverage, but you will get a bill at some point for it most likely but not always although assume you will.
Walk in clinics are not hard to find, google your area + walk in clinic and some should come up.
Port Moody is okay if you want a quiet area and lower housing costs, but the commute can get old after a time, its not as bad as some commutes though and if working downtown and the times jive with work, the west coast express is a good option for stress free easy commute.
If its not serious and an emergency you can go to a walk in clinic, even if having to pay cash they usually charge a reasonable amount, anywhere from 80 dollars on up, the one I go to charges 120 if your a legal resident of Canada without provincial coverage.
Hospitals wont deny you based on not having coverage, but you will get a bill at some point for it most likely but not always although assume you will.
Walk in clinics are not hard to find, google your area + walk in clinic and some should come up.
Port Moody is okay if you want a quiet area and lower housing costs, but the commute can get old after a time, its not as bad as some commutes though and if working downtown and the times jive with work, the west coast express is a good option for stress free easy commute.
Do you know where the toll bridges are? Are there any areas that will avoid him having to cross them on a daily basis? Or are they unavoidable?
Iv googled a walk in clinic and going there shortly,
Thanks for your help
Jul 29th 2014, 8:59 pm
#57
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Re: Moving to Vancouver and very confussed!
That's great thank you I shall look into the west coast too.
Do you know where the toll bridges are? Are there any areas that will avoid him having to cross them on a daily basis? Or are they unavoidable?
Iv googled a walk in clinic and going there shortly,
Thanks for your help
Do you know where the toll bridges are? Are there any areas that will avoid him having to cross them on a daily basis? Or are they unavoidable?
Iv googled a walk in clinic and going there shortly,
Thanks for your help
Golden Ears in tolled from Maple Ridge to Langley but its avoidable and not needed to get into Vancouver.
If you stay on the Port Moody side of the river, no tolls on any roads to/from Vancouver. North Shore bridges are also toll free.
Jul 29th 2014, 9:01 pm
#58
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Re: Moving to Vancouver and very confussed!
Port Mann on Hwy 1 is toll so avoid Surrey, Langley, Abbotsford and such along Hwy 1 if you don't want to deal with tolls.
Golden Ears in tolled from Maple Ridge to Langley but its avoidable and not needed to get into Vancouver.
If you stay on the Port Moody side of the river, no tolls on any roads to/from Vancouver. North Shore bridges are also toll free.
Golden Ears in tolled from Maple Ridge to Langley but its avoidable and not needed to get into Vancouver.
If you stay on the Port Moody side of the river, no tolls on any roads to/from Vancouver. North Shore bridges are also toll free.
Jul 29th 2014, 10:03 pm
#59
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 12,830
Re: Moving to Vancouver and very confussed!
Three cars went down our road last night, one after the other, that's our rush hour!
Jul 29th 2014, 10:06 pm
#60
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Re: Moving to Vancouver and very confussed!
Lionsgate to YVR takes me about 40 minutes, sometimes about an hour. (18km)
When it takes nearly as long to go 18km as it does to travel 60km, there is a congestion issue.