Vancouver's fall from grace in city livability race
Jul 24th 2012, 8:33 pm
#31
slanderer of the innocent
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 6,695
Re: Vancouver's fall from grace in city livability race
I don't get the big house obsession. Just means more to clean and more rooms that inevitably get filled up with crap.
Jul 25th 2012, 6:25 am
#32
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Looe, Cornwall
Posts: 674
Re: Vancouver's fall from grace in city livability race
Typical uneducated public seduced by the media and government propaganda.
I dont care for one minute if Hydro was in the public or private sector, makes no difference to me. Simple fact is I cannot recruit appropriate skills in the city whatever you think - if you know suitable candidates let me know and I will be more than happy to interview them (I get a bonus for every vacancy I can fill with external candidates and will only be too happy to oblige). I employ utility electricians not industrial electricians (please compare apples with apples when Ops post comments). Our direct competitors for skilled workers are the energy sector not Jo Blogs doing your local domestic wiring you can hire from the yellow pages. The simple reason to employ private sector workers is there is no requirement to report salaries, they can earn big $$$ and do as much OT as they like without public scrutiny - excellent value for the public.
Too many people in this place with rose tinted spectacles.
Jul 25th 2012, 6:29 am
#33
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Looe, Cornwall
Posts: 674
Re: Vancouver's fall from grace in city livability race
Some people value space - its why we moved to Canada (its got lots of it!!!!) Got fed up with living in a shoe box in the UK
Hated London and hate the city of Vancouver -just building up enough funds to retire.
Jul 25th 2012, 6:48 am
#34
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Looe, Cornwall
Posts: 674
Re: Vancouver's fall from grace in city livability race
Cause I do that's why I am trying to recruit people -der We are employing anyone we can get with the appropriate skills. Both public and private sector workers if that really makes a difference to you or that other guy - whatsisname???? Under investment by successive governments over many years caused the problem - not the workers. Wonderful to see the city spending tax $$ on bike lanes while Rome burns!The equipment is old and needs replacement - take a look at that lovely example of outdated equipment opposite Science world on Quebec St. Its got to be totally rebuilt somewhere else (due to seismic issues) along with another 2 brand new stations in the city. The remainder has got to be upgraded. Vancouver electrical system has the worst reliability in North America and is the only developed city in a seismic zone to have pole mounted oil filled transformers (big fire hazard).
We are employing anyone we can get with the appropriate skills. Both public and private sector workers if that really makes a difference to you or that other guy - whatsisname???? Under investment by successive governments over many years caused the problem - not the workers. Wonderful to see the city spending tax $$ on bike lanes while Rome burns!The equipment is old and needs replacement - take a look at that lovely example of outdated equipment opposite Science world on Quebec St. Its got to be totally rebuilt somewhere else (due to seismic issues) along with another 2 brand new stations in the city. The remainder has got to be upgraded. Vancouver electrical system has the worst reliability in North America and is the only developed city in a seismic zone to have pole mounted oil filled transformers (big fire hazard).
Jul 25th 2012, 6:56 am
#35
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Looe, Cornwall
Posts: 674
Re: Vancouver's fall from grace in city livability race
We advertise with other Utilities across Canada and International.
As I said in an earlier post we have to compete with the oil and gas sector - try complaining to them about how much they pay - dont see you guys squawking about the price of gas??????
Jul 25th 2012, 2:08 pm
#36
slanderer of the innocent
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 6,695
Re: Vancouver's fall from grace in city livability race
I do have kids.
Jul 25th 2012, 2:10 pm
#37
Banned
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,088
Re: Vancouver's fall from grace in city livability race
More relevant question is how long have people who live there spent living anywhere else in Canada and so are able to draw a comparison? Lost count of people from Vancouver knocking the weather for example in the rest of Canada, but how long have they spent in the rest of Canada during the winter?
One of my best friends grew up there and her opinion is the same as mine, mention Port Mann bridge at rush hour to her for example and she gets quite irate.
In fact that was another point I meant to make - the traffic there is made worse by the Fraser River and the harbour, you get funnelled into choke points at bridges and tunnels which makes the traffic there epically bad.
One of my best friends grew up there and her opinion is the same as mine, mention Port Mann bridge at rush hour to her for example and she gets quite irate.
In fact that was another point I meant to make - the traffic there is made worse by the Fraser River and the harbour, you get funnelled into choke points at bridges and tunnels which makes the traffic there epically bad.
Traffic is terrible (port mann will be gone by december and the new bridge will be in operation) and yes it rains a fair bit, especailly in winter...although i think that those not familiar with the seasons here and nature of rain, tend to over exagerate it.
Personally i hate C town....i know the place very well, bland, boring and depressing, despite the chinooks
Last edited by Boy d; Jul 25th 2012 at 2:15 pm.
Jul 25th 2012, 2:11 pm
#38
slanderer of the innocent
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 6,695
Re: Vancouver's fall from grace in city livability race
Cause I do that's why I am trying to recruit people -der We are employing anyone we can get with the appropriate skills. Both public and private sector workers if that really makes a difference to you or that other guy - whatsisname???? Under investment by successive governments over many years caused the problem - not the workers. Wonderful to see the city spending tax $$ on bike lanes while Rome burns!The equipment is old and needs replacement - take a look at that lovely example of outdated equipment opposite Science world on Quebec St. Its got to be totally rebuilt somewhere else (due to seismic issues) along with another 2 brand new stations in the city. The remainder has got to be upgraded. Vancouver electrical system has the worst reliability in North America and is the only developed city in a seismic zone to have pole mounted oil filled transformers (big fire hazard).
We are employing anyone we can get with the appropriate skills. Both public and private sector workers if that really makes a difference to you or that other guy - whatsisname???? Under investment by successive governments over many years caused the problem - not the workers. Wonderful to see the city spending tax $$ on bike lanes while Rome burns!The equipment is old and needs replacement - take a look at that lovely example of outdated equipment opposite Science world on Quebec St. Its got to be totally rebuilt somewhere else (due to seismic issues) along with another 2 brand new stations in the city. The remainder has got to be upgraded. Vancouver electrical system has the worst reliability in North America and is the only developed city in a seismic zone to have pole mounted oil filled transformers (big fire hazard).
Jul 25th 2012, 2:12 pm
#39
slanderer of the innocent
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 6,695
Re: Vancouver's fall from grace in city livability race
Try Craigslist mate! We advertise with other Utilities across Canada and International. As I said in an earlier post we have to compete with the oil and gas sector - try complaining to them about how much they pay - dont see you guys squawking about the price of gas??????
We advertise with other Utilities across Canada and International. As I said in an earlier post we have to compete with the oil and gas sector - try complaining to them about how much they pay - dont see you guys squawking about the price of gas??????
Jul 25th 2012, 2:14 pm
#40
Banned
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,088
Re: Vancouver's fall from grace in city livability race
Vancouver is a terrible place to live, not that I've lived there but I've spent enough time there to form an opinion.
Usually though I get a taxi to a windowless office so it doesn't really bother me but this last time, OMFG, how in HELL does anyone live there??? Took me two hours to drive from Horseshoe Bay to Surrey, ffs. It's only 50km or so.
I can kind of understand it if you're coming from the third world or somewhere else that is really crowded like Hong Kong but otherwise the only reason I can see to live there is hype.
Let me just make a few points here:
Population density - the GVA is 25 miles from top to bottom, i.e. the north edge of North Vancouver to the US border, and has a population of 2.4 million. GB is 630 miles from top to bottom and has a population of 60 million. The distance from the east edge of Chilliwack to the coast is about 70 miles - narrower than any part of GB. So population density there is GREATER than GB.
Admittedly a crude way of working out population density but it is a very crowded place and thus traffic is appalling and housing is increasingly tiny and excessively priced. Why anyone thinks they're better off moving from the UK to Vancouver is beyond my comprehension.
Weather - that Vancouver has better weather than the rest of Canada is total and complete bullshit, especially if you work in an office. As a practical matter you're far better off stuck in an office in Calgary in January looking at a bright sunny sky on a dry landscape that is -25 C than sat looking at endless rain pouring from a heavily overcast sky on a crowded landscape that is 2 C. At least in Calgary your home is physically larger, so either way you are trapped inside but at least you're trapped inside a larger space.
Cost/standard of living - expensive, and expensive for no apparent reason other than HST/PST. And of course crowding makes real estate far more expensive. Oooh, let me spend $400k on a townhouse 30km from downtown with no garden, no visitor parking, built as infill wedged onto the corner of a block. Lucky me. You can go shopping in Bellingham I suppose (which is a dump, certainly not as good as some of the places you can easily get to from southern Ontario/Québec). In fact I'd say Great Falls has some better shops.
My personal view is that Vancouver is largely a creation of bureaucracy, the border should have been drawn along the Skagit River, as it stands at the moment it can only really expand eastwards along the Fraser Valley, which isn't really tenable, not for any significant growth in population anyway.
Oh and if you're really lucky, there will be a massive earthquake.
Usually though I get a taxi to a windowless office so it doesn't really bother me but this last time, OMFG, how in HELL does anyone live there??? Took me two hours to drive from Horseshoe Bay to Surrey, ffs. It's only 50km or so.
I can kind of understand it if you're coming from the third world or somewhere else that is really crowded like Hong Kong but otherwise the only reason I can see to live there is hype.
Let me just make a few points here:
Population density - the GVA is 25 miles from top to bottom, i.e. the north edge of North Vancouver to the US border, and has a population of 2.4 million. GB is 630 miles from top to bottom and has a population of 60 million. The distance from the east edge of Chilliwack to the coast is about 70 miles - narrower than any part of GB. So population density there is GREATER than GB.
Admittedly a crude way of working out population density but it is a very crowded place and thus traffic is appalling and housing is increasingly tiny and excessively priced. Why anyone thinks they're better off moving from the UK to Vancouver is beyond my comprehension.
Weather - that Vancouver has better weather than the rest of Canada is total and complete bullshit, especially if you work in an office. As a practical matter you're far better off stuck in an office in Calgary in January looking at a bright sunny sky on a dry landscape that is -25 C than sat looking at endless rain pouring from a heavily overcast sky on a crowded landscape that is 2 C. At least in Calgary your home is physically larger, so either way you are trapped inside but at least you're trapped inside a larger space.
Cost/standard of living - expensive, and expensive for no apparent reason other than HST/PST. And of course crowding makes real estate far more expensive. Oooh, let me spend $400k on a townhouse 30km from downtown with no garden, no visitor parking, built as infill wedged onto the corner of a block. Lucky me. You can go shopping in Bellingham I suppose (which is a dump, certainly not as good as some of the places you can easily get to from southern Ontario/Québec). In fact I'd say Great Falls has some better shops.
My personal view is that Vancouver is largely a creation of bureaucracy, the border should have been drawn along the Skagit River, as it stands at the moment it can only really expand eastwards along the Fraser Valley, which isn't really tenable, not for any significant growth in population anyway.
Oh and if you're really lucky, there will be a massive earthquake.
But hey, in c town you have that rodeo!
Jul 25th 2012, 2:17 pm
#41
Banned
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,088
Re: Vancouver's fall from grace in city livability race
but you do live in maple ditch....great here in the south but yes, i could do with less rain...prefer it to the constant drizzle and grey clouds of the north west
but yes, i could do with less rain...prefer it to the constant drizzle and grey clouds of the north west
Last edited by Boy d; Jul 25th 2012 at 2:23 pm.
Jul 25th 2012, 2:22 pm
#42
Banned
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,088
Re: Vancouver's fall from grace in city livability race
I chose to live in Fraser Heights because it was were my work was when we arrived in BC i.e. Surrey/Langley area so I didnt have to commute (done that in London for far too long). We didn't plan on living in the LM but there was were the work was. Being flexible we took it but it doesn't mean to say we like it here (have plans to move on) and are lucky enough to have the funds to get out when we choose. I wouldnt want to bring my children up in the city in any case - can't stand the place. Unfortunately because of my experience of running a power system in a large cite e.g. London I was pressurised into taking the City job because we couldnt get anyone else with any experience to do it. My business competes with the energy sector not the transport sector as our dear Premier would like us to believe. $38/hr is very, very low for the energy sector (and one of the lowest pay rates in Canada for a Utility) so forget the seniority crap its not the issue. We are losing people to the competition (supply and demand) and being a Crown corporation cannot compete because of the politics involved. We have very good business connections on Fraser Heights with very successful local business people and they all same the same thing. The Vancouver area is a very expensive place to live in but it does not pay large city wages, period. Forget about what the rates are elsewhere in Canada (compare apples with apples) its about attractions and retention in specific areas. Talk to nurses. police, fireman and they will all say the same thing. If you cannot recruite from the local area you have to travel people in - what else do you do?
Jul 25th 2012, 2:25 pm
#43
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2011
Location: Somewhere between Vancouver & St Johns
Posts: 19,850
Re: Vancouver's fall from grace in city livability race
im a police officer....i found vancouver affordable on my income (150 k )...i doubt there are many cops with more than 3 years on the job earning less than close to 100 k a year.....something like 90 percent of Canada earn less than 100 k...outside of housing, vancouver is not that unaffordable
Is that as a DC or higher? or whatever the rank structure is.
Jul 25th 2012, 2:32 pm
#44
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 14,227
Re: Vancouver's fall from grace in city livability race
im a police officer....i found vancouver affordable on my income (150 k )...i doubt there are many cops with more than 3 years on the job earning less than close to 100 k a year.....something like 90 percent of Canada earn less than 100 k...outside of housing, vancouver is not that unaffordable
Jul 25th 2012, 2:34 pm
#45
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 36
Re: Vancouver's fall from grace in city livability race
I don't even understand why you'd choose Vancouver? If you want to live in a city, London and New York do it so much better anyway.