Comments on: Vancouver: the only city in the world?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 20:24:00 +0000

Lived in Vancouver for about 5 years after immigrating from India. Loved it : wonderful city, beautiful, multicultural, cuisine, and above all, water. However, there're no jobs for professionals in Vancouver. Apart from the lack of demographic, I thin the other major fundamental weakness working against RE in Vancouver is lack of professional jobs. The paucity of corporate HQs really hurts. Anyway, I am a proud Albertan now. Sold my RE in Vancouver, and bought twice as big a place in Calgary for less than what I sold for in Vancouver. Got a high paying job at an evil oil company too. Having lived there, I understand the appeal of Vancouver. Basically, Vancouver and Toronto are the only two world class Canadian cities in terms of diversity, culture and overall quality of life. Montreal and Quebec are too racist for a brown dude like me. Calgary is just an overgrown village full of SUV driving suburbanites. I'm yet to see a more provincial-minded city in Canada. It's also the least diverse of all major Canadan cities. I hate Calgary and miss Vancouver a lot. But Alberta is an open cash register right now, so I gotta live here. Hopefully, I'll be back in Vancouver after the Olympics when post-bubble housing will hopefully be a lot cheaper.

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By: solipsist

solipsist — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 17:00:00 +0000

The only thing that would hold me back from Montreal is that fact that my only knowledge of the french language comes from cereal boxes:Gratuit! avec des guimauves!N'oubliez-pas les flacons de mais avec noix d'erable! C'est tres bon avec lait de vache.You can get by very well in Montreal with only a smattering of French. In fact, unless you speak it very well, it will be difficult to get a response en Francais. All you have to know is Bonjour, voulez-vous un flacon de Anglais? Quebec City can be another story.

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By: the pope

the pope — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 12:01:00 +0000

I visited Montreal for the first time last year - it's an incredibly beautiful city, and I have a feeling that dry cold snow is a lot more bearable that icy wet slush, but I don't have first hand experience living in that environment. The only thing that would hold me back from Montreal is that fact that my only knowledge of the french language comes from cereal boxes:Gratuit! avec des guimauves!

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By: aetakeo

aetakeo — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 23:03:00 +0000

I love Vancouver, but my husband and I have considered Montreal. (His company has an office there.) I'd rather live in Whalley, or possibly drill holes in my head, than live in Toronto - been there, done that, no thanks.However, friends and family will keep us in BC, and there's not a lot in our industry outside the GVRD.

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By: marksparky

marksparky — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 17:47:00 +0000

it's a mixed bag, but as a Seattleite with a condo in Vancouver, my friends and I all love the energy of downtown and actual 'street life'--the ability to walkmost every place in the West End once you've parked your car. I think lots of young adults want to feel they're in the center of things and close to opportunities to meet others--and downtown Vancouver fits the bill for them.

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By: prairiechicken

prairiechicken — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 15:39:00 +0000

Reality check Vancouver:Lifestyle ... forget the style part even, just life. I've been there in january and febrrrruary. Belive me, Vancouver is the only place I want to end up in this country. As soon as I can swing it, I'll be living in anything there - a bachelor-patio even (well maybe not patio). Try anywhere else in this country during the nov-apr period. You can't step out or go walking/shopping etc without creeping along slowly and carefully - oh, so carefully. You just don't know (or remember) what the rest of us put up with on a semi-annual basis.

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By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 04:29:00 +0000

richard - I would give a fairly reliable limb for a Taco Bell right about now... mmmmm

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By: richard

richard — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 13:11:00 +0000

Although it's true that I rarely go to chinatown, I still get the benefits of a multi-cultural city. I enjoy indian food, vietnamese pho soup, sushi, bubble tea.. I'd say the one thing I'd like to see more of in Vancouver is mexican food, but we've got some decent variety of options for dining.There are neighborhoods that tend to be one ethnicity or another predominately, but you don't have to visit them to get the benefits of variety it brings to the city as a whole.

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By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 12:57:00 +0000

I would consider moving back to Alberta in the next few years. If kids are in the future, they certainly won't be raised in this city. We don't believe in raising kids in a condo. Housing may be sky hi in Calgary too, but at least you still get a chunk of land for that $400K. I call BS on this whole culture argument - how often do you REALLY visit Chinatown if it's not in your own culture. I equate it to going to the PNE...

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By: richard

richard — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 10:31:00 +0000

There is a lot to be said for vancouver: a lot of outdoor activities all year round, its location, a lot of cultural influences in fashion and food keep it from being too mundane.The cost of living here is definately a negative though, particularly since we seem to have a lack of culture compared to a city like Toronto. The architecture here ranges from boring to appaling and the lack of history really shows. Vancouver is a bit like a gawky teenager - it hasn't grown into its own yet.That said, I'm staying for now. If it continues to get more expensive here then I would consider moving, but for now with the rent I pay the price is worth it.I don't think I'll be buying anytime soon though, I like to be able to travel and live a lifestyle that doesn't leave me broke or in too much debt.

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