Danny B

It's funny reading people's opinion of Vancouver.

I would have thought that given the opportunity, 99% of people living in the top 5 major UK cities (London, Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow & Sheffield) would do just about anything to live in Vancouver. Yet after a few years of living here, they change their mind and say it's a dump?

Shakyuk

If I had to live in a city (from visiting alone) I'd probably prefer Vancouver than those UK cities. I do think people are overly harsh at times. For those that are overly harsh I think if it was truly as bad as people make out then surely they'd do anything in their power to leave.

christmasoompa

It's rarely that easy though, as life is more complex than that unfortunately! Imagine that you and your partner move (as you plan to) and then she loves it and you hate it - do you leave her behind and return to the UK, or stick with her in Canada because your relationship is more important than your dislike of the country you've moved to? Just as an example.....

dbd33

I've visited Glasgow and Vancouver, haven't lived in either. Glasgow's more fun for a weekend and is much cheaper so it'd offer a better lifestyle if one were to move permanently. Birmingham, Leeds and Sheffield are pretty horrible so I'd rate Vancouver ahead of them.

London, of course, offers more of everything than Vancouver, it used to be much more expensive, which is why people emigrated, but I don't know that that's true anymore. By the time one has moved to Vancouver and paid the new head tax that's a lot of money out of the window for the sake of being able to stand on the roof of one's block of flats and glimpse a mountain through the fog.

JamesM

Once the Hooters closed it was only going to end one way.

Shakyuk

Very good and valid points with respect to partners.

I think with respect to work, some people show such displeasure with living in Vancouver then work or not I think if it were really so bad they'd take the risk.

christmasoompa

Possibly, but (just playing devil's advocate), if they have a secure job that pays them a lot more than they would earn in the UK, maybe that's worth sticking with for a few years so they can retire earlier and head back to their country of choice with more financial security than they would have if they'd returned there earlier?

I have no idea, but just trying to empathise and those are reasons that I can think of as to why somebody might be 'stuck' in Canada. Saying they should leave if they don't like it overlooks how complex those reasons can sometimes be, and whilst some might say they'd leave at any cost, for some that cost is too high and they just have to stick it out.

BristolUK

I'm in a small city and there's everything you need for day to day living. While there is not much in terms of scenery, I do have a nice big back yard, bordered by trees and there's a nice fir (of whatever type) too. It's nice on the deck and even inside looking out. And it's mine. We're also not far from a nice beach and there's more than a decent selection of places for dining out.

The downside is there's no major sport (not that I follow North American Sports) nor the other activities that one expects in a major city. And, of course, the excessive snow which gets you down a bit in February and March - either side of that is okay-ish.

The thing is, though, that for all the surrounding scenery in Vancouver (and even if you see it from your home, does the novelty wear off?) it appears to cost an absolute bloody fortune to live there.

It occurs to me that if I had a fraction of the resources generally needed to live there in terms of income and/or equity then I could more than make up for the differences between here and there in a number of ways.

Snowbirding for February/March or just breaking up the winter with a nice holiday somewhere for a couple of weeks; Having a week or two away somewhere every month or two in North America and/or Europe; Having a snow clearing contract so I don't even have to think about it let alone do it.

Of course I have no work responsibilities to get in the way.

Engineer_abroad

Never thought about it that way but I think I would agree.

Of course the same natural forces that make it so beautiful are the ones which will ultimately destroy it.

Partially discharged

Oh come on Moncton is beautiful

https://goo.gl/maps/oWRQig3U9bp

BristolUK

Here's a stunning shot. I'd have guessed somewhere in Europe.


Hard to believe that river is brown sludge.

Partially discharged

And quite a 'boring' place to look at

dbd33

Isn't that a classic, could be anywhere in Canada, picture? Wiring and fast food signs dominate the view across the country.

Partially discharged

No, I believe the Moncton architectural vernacular is quite dominant there

It looks totally different than Milton, Barrie, Bramalea etc. The trained eye can quickly figure out which urban hell it is.

MrHyperPants

This has to be the worst alley way in BC.

I'm working on a building that backs out on to this in China Town.