To all Canucks: What is Vancouver like?

[Nev]

I've been thinking about visiting some other world cities to try to find someplace more to my taste than Los Angeles (which I'm a bit tired of).

Vancouver, at least on paper, seems pretty appealing to me for several reasons.

I like West Coast cities because of their "newness" and generally progressive outlook, which I've heard Vancouver is supposed to share. It's also supposed to be stunningly beautiful. In addition, the only sport I've truly enjoyed over my entire life is skiing (and snowboarding), and I've heard they have many ski mountains and a long season up there. Finally, the game industry is fairly well-represented there for some odd reason (probably due to geographic proximity to Japan and the U.S., the burgeoning film industry there, and the generally high education level in Canada).

Any Canucks here from Vancouver or have spent significant time there? I remember Kali did, but I haven't seen him around for months.

[Julius Seeker]

I lived in Vancouver for a few years. It's a nice city, but cities like Toronto, Calgary, and Ottawa are also very nice as well. All of them are very new looking cities in comparisons to most other cities in the world (Australia and Japan also have beautiful cities).


Vancouver is consistently ranked #1 most livable city in the world, sometimes tied with Zurich; but right now I think it is alone at #1. Speaking of Switzerland, I have never been there, but it is the place I want to go to more than anywhere else.

[Zeus]

I've been thinking about visiting some other world cities to try to find someplace more to my taste than Los Angeles (which I'm a bit tired of).

Vancouver, at least on paper, seems pretty appealing to me for several reasons.

I like West Coast cities because of their "newness" and generally progressive outlook, which I've heard Vancouver is supposed to share. It's also supposed to be stunningly beautiful. In addition, the only sport I've truly enjoyed over my entire life is skiing (and snowboarding), and I've heard they have many ski mountains and a long season up there. Finally, the game industry is fairly well-represented there for some odd reason (probably due to geographic proximity to Japan and the U.S., the burgeoning film industry there, and the generally high education level in Canada).

Any Canucks here from Vancouver or have spent significant time there? I remember Kali did, but I haven't seen him around for months.

Kali actually lives out there. Hopefully he'll see this.

Whistler is supposed to be one of the top places on the continent to ski and was instrumental in Vancouver getting the 2010 Winter Olympics. The city itself is supposed to be absolutely gorgeous and the weather is basically like Seattle. Costs are pretty high, but you live in California, so that shouldn't be much of an issue to you.

And, as a matter of principle, you'll have to hate Toronto :-)

[Julius Seeker]

Toronto is the highest living expenses, Vancouver is second. Both are lower than LA.

http://www.livingin-canada.com/cost-of- ... anada.html

[Nev]

87 compared to 44. Shit, I'll take it.

[Torgo]

Toronto is just below Boston, so it can't be that cheap

Vancouver sounds nice, though. I like the Northwest. I would also suggest Seattle, if for some reason you want to remain in the states. Just don't mind the dormant volcano looming over the city.

[kali o.]

I still read and pop in here and there (plus, I was in Egypt/Greece last month).

I am bias probably, but having visited quite a few places, this is my "Most desirable places to live" list:

1. Vancouver
2. Athens
3. Paris
4. New York
5. Seattle

What about Vancouver, eh, it has gotten a lot pricier lately. The 2010 should bring huge changes (lotta construction going on). It's is beautiful, situated between mountains and the Pacific - green everywhere. Notes off the top of my head:

- Whistler/Blackcomb resort, Seymour/Grouse/Cypress for local mountains (and then tons of smaller, remote runs scattered through BC). Great for hiking/biking in the summer.

- Stanley Park downtown

- East side and Burnaby still reasonably affordable (general rent rates 1br+den per month: 1100+ downtown, 900+ west side, 750+ east side, 650+ burnaby)

- Open populace (large gay district, largest ChinaTown in NA [basing this off info from a New York tour I took, which claimed NY ChinaTown was #2 in NA], muslims, rednecks, etc...you name it)

- Club scene is lacking a bit, imo, should improve (they are trying to centralise and develop the downtown clubs/bars to one main drag - Granville Street)

- Pretty damn good shopping for NA (it is no NY, but it's not bad).

- One of the best selection of cuisine/restaraunts in NA (including home groceries - ie: False Creek market area)

- Ummm...the Vancouver Canucks!? Don't care? You can't come then...I'm not kidding.

- It rains.

- It rains ALOT.

- lotta nature/open country outside of the city (camping, cabins, islands, small town scenes, deserts, lakes, hunting, etc)

I dunno what else to say, you didn't ask much of a direct question(s). Focusing on what you said though:

- Season varies. This season sucked. I swear global warming is real - if the local runs are my measure. They still manufacture the powder if it is an option. Northern BC has a bunch of great outlets though, if you are craving authentic neck high powder and heli drop boarding/skiing.

- In general, it is "progressive" I guess.

- Yeah, there have been a lot of new gaming additions to Vancouver over the last while (EA, Nintendo, Rockstar, etc.). Pretty high amount of Software devs in general (commercial apps, network, etc.). No idea why...

- Movie business goes up and down. Hollywood has been fighting pretty hard the last few years to fight the trend northward...fairly successfully (and unfairly). Still a growing industry here though.

There, I've done my civic duty. Want a better answer, ask a more direct question.

[Julius Seeker]

My top 10:

Vancouver
Toronto
Stockholm
Copenhagen
Dresden
Melbourne
Ottawa
Tokyo
Gothenburg
Vienna or Berlin

[Zeus]

- Yeah, there have been a lot of new gaming additions to Vancouver over the last while (EA, Nintendo, Rockstar, etc.). Pretty high amount of Software devs in general (commercial apps, network, etc.). No idea why...

- Movie business goes up and down. Hollywood has been fighting pretty hard the last few years to fight the trend northward...fairly successfully (and unfairly). Still a growing industry here though.

"Why" for the games industry is answered in your analysis of the movie industry. Not only is there an foreign exchange advantage (and some tax breaks, if I'm not mistaken), there's also the fact that you're right on the West coast, free health care (instead of the company paying), RIGHT beside Nintendo and Microshaft HQ, and the fact that Canadians are getting a pretty good rep for game development. That's why there's so many of them over here in Ontario and some parts of Quebec now.

[Nev]

I appreciate the responses. I don't have much time to post a long entry today, but either this winter or next I'm going to try to take an extended vacation up there - check out the city for a few days, and go skiing for another few.

Any ski runs to recommend?

[Julius Seeker]

and some parts of Quebec now.

That's a gigantic understatement. Quebec is home to dozens of development houses and thousands of videogame developers; including Ubi-softs development house which is responsible for Splinter Cell, the most highly rated game series of this generation in the English speaking world; as well as one of the best selling.