Alex_electrician

Hi, I'm looking to finally take the plunge to apply for Canadian residency however I'm still quite unsure about where I'd like to live there. I've travelled BC and Alberta in the past and loved them both but not sure which would suit me better to live.
Has or does anyone live in Calgary or Vancouver island? If so what are their experiences ?

Thanks, Alex

rivingtonpike

I live on Vancouver Island

Yorkiechef

I looked at both and decided on Calgary based on employment opportunities, sun and the mountains..then the downturn happened. My employment situation has now sorted and I have gainful employment, this should be a consideration in your choosing.

Secondly, the weather.....sun sun sun in Calgary but cold sunny winters. Do you like rain?

Despite being on an island, you are closer by time and distance to the US by being on VI. Calgary really is nowhere close to anything except the mountains.

Calgary is a sprawling city, but everything you need is in close proximity, not sure about VI, I didn't like Duncan or Victoria, but did like Nanaimo and Sooke.

If you can work out what is important to you....education for kids, weather, seaside, mountains, gainful employment, winter sports....you will quickly realise which is best for you (and family). I don't know your situation, so it's up to you.

Aviator

748,937 people

Siouxie

Hello, and welcome to BE!

I would ask yourself the following questions.

Where is it most likely that you will find employment?
Where is your skillset most in demand?
Where can you afford to live?
What kind of climate / temperatures can you tolerate?
Do you need Provincial Nomination in order to get Permanent Residency?

Yorkiechef

That is a surprise, though quite a big island, I would have guessed less than half that figure tops. Does that include the beggars and the tourists?

Yorkiechef

Yep, you can't eat the view.

Alex_electrician

Thanks for the feedback everyone 👍🏻 I'm a 33yr old single guy who would be going over with just my dog 😊 I love the outdoors going hiking, climbing, camping, snowboarding, surfing, kayaking etc. I don't mind the cold if there's sunshine. Rain in small quantities I could bare, does it really rain that much on Vancouver Island? Worst than England 🙈 What draws me there is as well as the ocean it seems to tick a lot of my boxes in such a small area but close to big Citys also. However Calgary is true wilderness.
My job (electrician) may dictate where I live anyway but would be nice to aim for somewhere.
Housing is obviously important I would like to be fairly close to amenities but not in the thick of it. Would rent to begin however cash budget maybe around 300,000 CD If I decided to buy eventually.

Londonuck

Its rained twice since mid June in Van. It does pour in winter but everyone else is freezing

BristolUK

What are their names?

Aviator

October to March, Mostly grey and wet. This year it rained into April. London 592mm - Nanaimo 1165mm
https://www.currentresults.com/Weath...al-average.php

https://www.currentresults.com/Weath...cipitation.php



You may want to take a visit. It is a long way from Vancouver, wilderness it isn't.

Alex_electrician

I have travelled from Calgary to Vancouver before it was long but stunning. What I meant was your surrounded by Alberta Wilderness, mountains etc in contrast to a small island.
That's quite a lot of rainfall in VI then not sure if I could handle that 🤔 As you say though the price you pay for mild weather I guess.
Don't here many people talk about Calgary all I tend to here is Toronto, Toronto, Vancouver, Vancouver.

Yorkiechef

True, you need to travel 20-25 minutes for wilderness. Bragg creek,kananaskis,into Canmore, Banff is about an hour or so.....Calgary is metropolis and 5th best city in the world to live in according to national geographic? With culture preventing the city rising higher in the stakes. If you need or want culture move to Vienna.

rivingtonpike

Vancouver Island is hundreds of kilometres long. It's the 42nd largest island in the world. I'n not sure I'd describe it as small. The Isle of Wight is small.

Aviator

Having flown over many parts of Canada, I can assure you every city in Canada has some wilderness close by. Less than a 10 minute flight north of Vancouver and you may never be found again, same on the Island, lots of wilderness that you could get lost in. Calgary has more 'civilization' around it in the form of developed ranches than Vancouver.

There are no mountains surrounding Calgary, stand on a grain elevator and you can see the CN tower! The nearest mountains are 80km away to the west.

At 32,000 sq km/12,355 sq mi Vancouver Island is the largest North American island in the Pacific Ocean. It is 460km/285mi in length and 100km/62mi in width at its widest point. The majority of the Island is undeveloped.

If you are deciding where to move to based on geography and meteorology, you may want to spend some more time traveling around.