Lychee

This is a good reason as any to NOT to seek a commuting lifestyle in Vancouver. My recommendation? If you're going to live in Vancouver, live near where you work. Don't move to White Rock unless you can work near White Rock. Don't move to North Van if you aren't able to work near North Van. Etc.

laura.anne

Thanks everyone, will keep these places in mind!!

ExKiwilass

I agree, if you live near your work, life is good here.

Steve_

For the newly wed or nearly dead is the saying.

I prefer it to Vancouver, at least as a place to live, it's less crowded.

On the other hand I thought Hwy 17 going in and out of downtown is poorly designed, two major intersections that really should be overpasses. At rush hour everything grinds to a halt.

The main problem I think with it is that you are living on an island, and that is a pain. There is no car ferry to Seattle (although there is a foot passenger ferry), you have to go to Port Angeles and drive a long way to get there (including more ferries usually), or you have to take the ferry to Tsawwassen which takes an hour and a half (plus possible fighting through traffic around Vancouver, depending on where you are going) so you can't just flit across whenever you feel like it, it is a bit of an undertaking.

There has been talk about building a bridge from Nanaimo but it won't happen soon: http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/Publications...fixed_link.htm

So basically I wouldn't live there unless you're sure you can get a job there, which is the trick.

Steve_

It is if you need to have a car with you. If you're okay taking a float plane to Vancouver then renting a car all the time (or doing your shopping downtown), fair enough, but that's expensive.

Admittedly I don't live there so there may be tricks to the transport I'm unfamiliar with, but I thought even getting to the airport from downtown Victoria was a hassle compared to getting to YYC from anywhere in Calgary.

Hawk13

Huh? You make it sound like there's no shops in Victoria. It's kinda like saying you live on "the UK island" and you fly to Europe for everything.

Oink

Can you fly direct to Europe from Victoria?

Hawk13

Try rereading the post and I'll simplify it for you

"It's kinda like saying you live in England and you fly to Europe for everything."

Better?

Oink

Duh, fags and booze is cheaper in Europe.

Hawk13

Double Duh, they're even cheaper on Indian reserves

vkt22

The saying Victoria is for nearly dated or newly weds is so dated. It's a vibrant city with lots going on, with many families and youngsters, and it's becoming more and more multicultural. As for things to do on the island in general, there is just SO MUCH to do.. where do you start? You have everything from spectacular nature and landscapes to shopping at local boutique stores. Restaurants are abundant (highest per capita) and I love the fact that tea is major here. It has to be the only city in Canada to celebrate tea so much. And every place and business has it's own character..

ExKiwilass

It's not dated, it's accurate and only going to become more so. Your own Greater VIctoria Development Agency (where I got the quoted information from) says so. You (general you) can argue your faces off about whether it's boring or not, but you can't deny the fact that it's an older-age city, demographically, than other parts of Canada, BC or Vancouver.

Hawk13

So, are you basing your comments on statistics you trolled off the internet and a friend that lived with the dumpster divers or have you ever lived there?

If you made all your decisions, especially ones on where to live, based on statistics life would be pretty boring. You should always rely on what everyone says on these boards

ExKiwilass

Ah, the classic "i can't argue with your facts, so I'm going to attack you" argument.

Aviator

However statistics are based on a broader data sample than one or two peoples personal experience and opinion, I doubt any individual has counted the population age spread and see what they want to see or what they most readily associate with. They don't represent every person or scenario, however they are representative of the general populous.

http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-re...ustom=&TABID=1

http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-re...ustom=&TABID=1

http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-re...ustom=&TABID=1

http://guidetobceconomy.org/bcs_econ...land-coast.htm

The saying 'Newly wed or nearly dead' is even used by the BC Govt. although surprisingly Nanaimo has a higher seniors population.

Whether there is a lot to do or not depends on what one likes to do. If one likes clubbing, an urban lifestyle and ease of traveling, then the island is likely not for them. If one likes the outdoors and is content with being on an island and the restrictions that brings, it may work. Many island residents I know rarely leave the island. I fly there frequently and have no problem going back and forth, costs me less than a ferry ride each way and takes less than half an hour, but not something I would ever want to do if I had to go by road & boat more than once a year and not on a holiday weekend. Years back you could just turn up at the ferry terminal and could almost always get on, now, unless you get there at least an hour early and even pay to reserve a spot, then you could be waiting for one or two sailings to get on. The bridge has been talked about for decades and personally don't think it will ever happen, most island residents I know are against it, they like the isolation the island gives them.