BC help

[Del]

I have been reading with interest as I am looking to move to the BC area from the UK and have been looking at what areas to consider. I desperately want clean air and secenary plus vegan places to eat etc but find the drug stuff a little worrying. I want to live somewhere that is not too sleepy but not in the city either but realise that being out of the city limits vegan eating. Does anyone here have any advice they could give me? (I would really appreciate it) Thanks

[lulu]

Hey there!
Not sure if you are still looking to make a move, or if you have already done so, but if you would like some information just post back and I can offer a pretty good opinion (if i do say so myself ;)).

[Del]

Hi!

I am a bit late in responding to this!!! :eek: I don't know if you are here anymore either. Thanks so much for your offer of help which I am still in need of a little. Haven't moved yet but am going to look at areas this year.

[Roxy]

Hi Del

Are you looking to move to somehwere in the lower mainland, or Vancouver Island or somewhere else in the province?

[Yoggy]

I highly recommend Victoria!!! It's not a huge city, but there are plenty of health food stores and lots of vegan-friendly restaurants. And you mentioned being worried about the drugs problem, and Victoria unfortunately has its share, but the crime rate is pretty low. I'm a 25 year old woman living alone, and I'm not afraid to walk anywhere in town at night by myself. It's quite a lively city, really fun to live in. And the real big city, Vancouver, is just a ferry ride away. Good luck making a decision!!

[Roxy]

I visited Victoria once, about 4 years ago and thought it was really lovely.

I highly don't recommend Vancouver or any of it's surrounding cities (Burnaby, New Westminster, Surrey, Richmond etc), if you are concerned about pollution, drug and crime problems and personal safety.

[Yoggy]

Yes, I've lived here for 7 years, and I still find it a lovely city to live in. I've visited Vancouver a few times, and I really like it, but I suppose it's because I was only there to visit for a day or so :) . Once, someone walked up to me and my friend while we were walking to a sushi place, and asked us if we sold pot :eek: . But I know that happens lots in Victoria too, just never to me LOL.

[Roxy]

LOL

I once had a homeless guy walk up to me in downtown Vancouver and stand right in front of me and shout "BUY ME A HOT DOG".

In hindsight, I might've bought him a veggie dog, but he scared the hell out of me, so I just said "no" and had to walk around him as he was blocking my path. :rolleyes:

[Tigerlily]

Beware of Vancouver. The Roxy Monster lives there.

She has a thing for toes.

[Del]

Oh wow!! Thanks so much for the replies,they are most helpful.
I am looking at the Squamish area and Vancouver Island. I really would love to live in a place that has a small town feel with great scenary but not too far away from getting healthy vegan food. I like quiet but enough restaurants and local shops to keep me from having to go too far regularly.

So I need to be careful of Roxy Monster? lol

[Tigerlily]

Very!

[Del]

:eek:

[Yoggy]

If Victoria's too big a city for your liking (it's about 300,000 total), Sidney is an absolutely beautiful town of 10,000, and it's about a 25 minute drive from Victoria. It's right on the shore, with a beautiful view of the Gulf Islands, and it has a reputation for having more bookstores per capita than any town in Canada. I've visited it several times, but only for a few hours each time, so I'm not too sure about health food stores and vegan friendly restaurants. But since it's only 25 mins from Victoria, which is full of vegetarian restaurants and health food stores (including the largest health food store on Vancouver Island), it's like having the best of both worlds - small town, but close enough to the city that you always have access to the amenities you need :) .

[Roxy]

Yes, look out for that Roxy Monster ;) :D

Squamish is in a very beautiful area on the way up to Whistler. I've only been to the town once myself and I remember being a little bit frightened of the people in the pub where I had lunch lol!!

I do remember that for the last 2 years in a row, there have been some terrible flooding problems in Squamish. When we've received a lot of rain, the river has up there has overflowed with a large chunk of the town having to be evacuated because of rising waters :(

I've never been to Sidney, but it sounds lovely Yoggy.

[Yoggy]

Yes, Sidney is a great town, only 5 mins from the ferry terminal too, so it's a really quick ride over to Vancouver.

I sure wish I could have visited the lower mainland more during the last 7 years. The only place on the mainland I've ever been is Vancouver about 4 or 5 times, and for less than a day each time. I've heard great things about the area North of Vancouver, like Whistler, but never got the chance to visit. Actually, I've really never visited many places on the Island either, except for a few towns outside of Victoria. It's funny that when you live in a place, you never care to "play tourist" and visit all the attractions - until you move away, then you'd give anything to go back for a visit so you can see all the things you missed when you lived there :rolleyes:

[Del]

Thank you so much Yoggy and Roxy! It really is most helpful with what you have suggested. I did not know about the flooding in Squamish and that is something I really want to avoid. I had not heard about Sidney and I have to say that it sounds like just what I am looking for.
I am going to check out Sidney for sure!

[Roxy]

You're welcome Del - let us know if there's anything else we can help you with. I immigrated here myself 5 years ago. :)

[Del]

Thanks Roxy! :) :) I appreciate it very much.

So wow...Can I ask which country you were from before you moved?