Considering a move to BC - got questions

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Considering a move to BC - got questions
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flag Dotprod
Posted: Dec 30, 2019 at 15:36 Quote
Think Ive had about enough of Toronto - personal shit. Considering a move to BC because Ive always wanted to go west especially loving biking n boarding since i was like 8. I want to be near Vancouver mostly because I grew up in Toronto and even tho Ive heard the cities are quite different I would still need some metropolitan in my life. I have family on the island and it seems riding is possible over there but not sure how I feel about that. Im also considering Squamish and or Pemberton just because of the relation to whistler and back towards Vancouver. Ive heard North Van is super expensive even tho that may be the most ideal place.

I know south BC doesnt get (much) snow in the winter - is trail riding possible with warmer gear in the winter? Winter has become pretty toothless snow wise over the course of my life so Im imagining thats a possibility.

Any help would be greatly appreciate boys as Im trying to figure this shit out.
flag BillyBoy0519
Posted: Dec 30, 2019 at 21:42 Quote
Yea, we don’t really get snow, you can basically ride year round but it does get wet in the winter. I think the dream location would be Squamish, epic local trails, close to whistler. West Vancouver could also work but again it’s pretty expensive.
Dotprod wrote:
Think Ive had about enough of Toronto - personal shit. Considering a move to BC because Ive always wanted to go west especially loving biking n boarding since i was like 8. I want to be near Vancouver mostly because I grew up in Toronto and even tho Ive heard the cities are quite different I would still need some metropolitan in my life. I have family on the island and it seems riding is possible over there but not sure how I feel about that. Im also considering Squamish and or Pemberton just because of the relation to whistler and back towards Vancouver. Ive heard North Van is super expensive even tho that may be the most ideal place.

I know south BC doesnt get (much) snow in the winter - is trail riding possible with warmer gear in the winter? Winter has become pretty toothless snow wise over the course of my life so Im imagining thats a possibility.

Any help would be greatly appreciate boys as Im trying to figure this shit out.
flag Dotprod
Posted: Dec 30, 2019 at 22:07 Quote
In somewhere like Squamish what kind of entertainment options n shit like that is there?
flag ddean
O+
Posted: Jan 1, 2020 at 9:51 Quote
I can help given that I lived in ON for almost all of my life (Ottawa and TO) and now live on the Shore (5yrs).

The obvious stuff is that the lifestyle things are amazing here. Mountains are so close. Incredible trails are so close. Water is so close. If your prioritize recreation (riding, hiking, skiing, etc...) over cosmopolitan you’re probably going to enjoy the move. It rains in the “winter” but only because it’s 5-10degrees everyday. And when it’s raining at home it’s snowing at the top of the local mountains which are super easy and close. They get 35feet if snow a year. Incredible. I ride my mtb and ski on the same day on the same mountain. Green on the lower levels - 0degrees and snow up top. It doesn’t get too cold usually.

But people who like the action of TO, the restaurants and big city atmosphere, don’t like it as much here in my experience. Things close early. It’s “slow” and the west coast vibe is real (and frustrating if you’re not used to it and expect different)

Cost of living is outrageous. Car insurance is about same as TO but gas is +20%, possibly more. Housing is terrible. Depending upon your job, the timezone can also be a problem. Salaries here are lower in general and certainly far lower relative to the cost of living. It’s hard to get “professionals” to move to Vancouver because of housing costs.

I’ve been here 5 years. It’s been an incredible move with significant benefits on some fronts. The cost of living stuff can be a stress however. If you’re younger and value the recreating stuff more than cosmopolitan stuff, I would strongly recommend that you give it a go. But make sure you come out with cash buffer and have flexibility in mind.

To me it sounds like you should consider North Van.
flag drdetail
O+
Posted: Jan 8, 2020 at 19:06 Quote
Dotprod wrote:
In somewhere like Squamish what kind of entertainment options n shit like that is there?
If you're referring to nightlife, to be honest not much, but the outdoor community is pretty vibrant and there are plenty of events going on most of the year. It's basically become a bedroom community for Vancouver.
I live in North Van and ride all year, and even when we do get some snow it's still pretty rideable until the melt. 3 ski hills on the Shore so no shortage of boarding places and a 1.5 hour drive to Whistler. Rents are high in NV but if you're used to TO it might not be that big of a deal. A good compromise area to live might be North Burnaby or East Van, which are close to the Shore relatively speaking. Like ddean said, things are slower out here, but far from lame. Good luck with your decision!
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