What is it like in Vancouver, Canada?

Question

If you live in Canada i need help from you. I am a british citizen and i live with my fiance in Britain. He has recently landed his dream job in Canada where his skills are greatly needed. I have never been to Canada and although i am looking forward to going i am still a little worried about the move. I have two dogs and a cat which will be coming with me and i just need to know what it is like living in there and if there are any things i should know about Canada to prepare me better. I really need to know what life is like in Canada.

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

I was born and raised in Vancouver, left 35 years ago, and came back for work last year. I work in Vancouver, have lodgings in Burnaby (next door to Vancouver), and I go home every weekend to a small island halfway to Victoria.

I will answer your question in a :The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly" format.

GOOD. Wonderful nearby access to outdoor recreation all year round. Mild climate compared to the rest of Canada--some years there is only minimal snowfall. Fabulous ethnic restaurants. Cosmopolitan, modern, world class city--one third of the population is Asian and more than 50% of school children don't speak English at home. New subway right to the airport.

BAD. Housing costs the moon here. The population of the city is rapidly growing, yet the school enrollment is declining because families are forced to move to the 'burbs. You will find it very difficult to find decent rental accommodation that will take your pets. Buying your own home requires an average of 66% of people's after-tax income. Traffic--commuting from the 'burbs is a nightmare. Weather--incessant winter rain gets people down. There are jokes about the ark starting to float after 40 days, and people with webbed feet. If it would just rain and get it over with, but drizzle and light rain day-in-and-day-out is hard to take. Winter--We don't get enough snow to be as well-equipped for snow removal as other cities, and you hear little moans and wails of despair when people look out of office windows and see the snow starting.
UGLY: Homeless mentally-ill and drug addicted people, needles and condoms in the street, aggressive panhandling, drug-related violent crime.

What the heck. The city where you live is like a spouse. Faults and all, you love the person anyway.

Email me privately if you have more questions.

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Asker's Comment:

thankyou everyone for your feedback. you were all very helpful but i can only choose 1 best answer. thanks again x

Answer 2

My partners cousin lives in Vancouver and quite likes it. It has many bars and is a very 'outdoorsy' country. However, everything closes at 11pm and he said the Canadians can be very serious and boring compared to where he used to live in California!

Answer 3

Do you like geese? Vancouver has geese as far as the eye can see. Turn any corner and there will be a goose. There is a reason why it was voted number 4 in Waterbirds Monthly's 'Top Ten Goose Cities' only last year.

Answer 4

Canada is a wonderful country,your fiance is very lucky!The quality of life in Canada is very high,the country is safe,the cities are clean,the weather is very cold in winter.The country is very modern as well,you' ll feel in the future!Vancouver is great!One of the most beautiful cities in the world,very young,clean,safe,there' s much to see and do,the weather is not so cold( for Canada )and you ' ll enjoy a lot.
In the beginning,you'll wanna come back,you'll feel a bit sad,perhaps will cry,it's normal,because everything is new,just be open to newnesses,you'll love canada,and perhaps will wanna live there forever.
Good luck.

Answer 5

Vancouver is beautiful. I've lived here nearly all my life.
It's a nice place for pets, especially since it doesn't get too cold, you can always walk your dogs outside. It does rain more than other cities, but you're from Britain, so you probably won't find it excessive. The weather in London is very similar to the weather in Vancouver.

Like any large city, Vancouver has it's share of crime, and places you shouldn't visit, depending on the time of day. However, it's not bad, and far better than many other big cities. Most neighbourhoods are quite safe. Housing is expensive, but again, you're coming from Britain, so you may actually find the housing to be cheaper than what you're paying now.

One of Vancouver's best features is how scenic it is. You can ski on local mountains, sail, participate in many sports teams. There are many parks scattered around. Traffic can be difficult, especially over the bridges, so you may want to think about that when choosing a place to live.

If you have more specific questions, let me know.

Answer 6

Vancouver g reat people climate etc You may have a problem with your pets Check first regarding shots etc For free info go to hellobc and tourismvancouver

Source(s):

Lived here 70 years