I’m moving to Vancouver BC in September for one year, with Ms. Attack, Attacklass and Attacklad. I’ve lived on the west coast before (California), and spent a bit of time in Victoria, but the rest of the crew have have mostly not been out west much. I’d very much appreciate any tips, hints or bits of advice about relocating there. In particular, housing (Oh my, it seems expensive.) How much ought I pay for a place that will handle the four of us? I have to be reasonably close to Vancouver General. Any tips on elementary schools? Any local customs of which I should know? Any do’s ‘n’ don’ts?
Sometimes these types of thread get a better response in IMHO.
Moved from MPSIMS to IMHO.
I live about an hour East of Vancouver.
Are you wanting to rent or buy? A house? An apartment?
Many, many people commute from my area to Vancouver to work. It is an hour commute at least and there is no transit on the South side of the river. There is a commuter train on the north side.
Unless you are pretty rich you will not be able to afford a house near Vancouver General or in Vancouver at all, I’m afraid. The average house price in Vancouver is $531,000 – and that’s an average. The average price in the province is $402,000.
Houses in Abbotsford, the nearest town to me, are lower in price than Vancouver and as I said above, thousands of people commute from there (or further east) every day.
I don’t know much about Vancouver schools, but schools in the suburbs are very good.
I have enabled my PM feature, so please pm me if there’s a particular question you’d like answered. I’ll do my best.
I’m a Limey so wont be much help but I HAVE been to Vancouver and loved the place.
When I was there there were lots of goodlooking women,nice beaches,sailing,a planatarium,good restaraunts.
I’ve travelled a fair amount around the world and like many places but Vancouver is the only place that i’ve been where I’d consider emigrating to permamently.
The only fly in the ointment when I was there was the bloody Chilean Pan Pipers who seem to be stalking me whereever I go in the world.
Here’s a search for Vancouver rentals which would be more sensible since you are here for a year. VGH is in pretty much the geographical centre of town and there are no freeways through the city itself so it’s all surface streets to get there. Due to the number of bridges and (one) tunnel to factor into traffic, rush hour is from about 6-9 am and 3-6 pm. I moved into Vancouver proper from an outer suburb last month because my bus commute was 1.5/2 hours each way. Ech.
Schools- I don’t know, but there is a high proportion of students from homes where English is not the primary language so this can affect classroom education. Generally, the west side of town is more affluent and the east end less so. Try looking in Burnaby (city immediately east of Vancouver) for accommodation-probably better schools and slightly cheaper housing.
Local customs? We let people in in traffic, but run yellow lights and usually someone sneaks though on the red. Not everyone skis, but if you do you can get to local hills on the city buses. We queue at the bus stops. When driving in Vanc, left lanes are to be avoided since you can be trapped behind someone trying to make a left turn for a yonks age. Learn to love Asian food. Don’t buy veggies at Safeway, go to the veggie markets that are always across the street from grocery stores and about 30% cheaper. Men actually grow beards in support of the Canucks during the playoffs. Women laugh at them for doing this. 
Rent, since its only a year. Anything that will keep off the rain will be fine with us, apartment or house. Long term plans are going to be determined during the year in Vancouver.
Thank you. I appreciate the thought. As questions arise I may have to avail myself of your kind offer.
Thanks for the website. Burnaby may be the call. Got the asian food thing down. I married into a family of Habs fans, but I’m willing to consider converting. The beard thing I have no problem with, and I am used to being laughed at by women.
Your comment about queuing reminded me of the last time I was in Vancouver: There had been a nasty accident downtown, a sedan had t-boned an ambulance and flipped it. The intersection where the accident had occurred was blocked off, as were the oncoming streets in all four directions at the next intersections along. As a result, all the streets coming into the intersection were totally devoid of traffic, and the wreckers, other ambulances and cops had all come and gone. Nonetheless, I and all of the other hundreds of pedestrians lined up and waited for the walky man before we crossed the street- within the crosswalk. Made me proud to be a Canadian .
Driving in from Burnaby (or Abbotsford!) would be a mistake. Commuting in Vancouver proper takes much, much longer than you would expect given the distance covered.
If you are working at VGH or the CDC or anywhere near there, it’s actually pretty damn easy to commute by bus. http://www.translink.bc.ca/
Your best option may be renting a Vancouver special (ie. a house) near Queen E. park, or just getting a large apartment near Granville and Broadway (my first west coast neighbourhood). You’ll be able to bicycle to work year-round, by the by. Just make sure you get a hefty Kryptonite chain to ensure your $50 beater bike is still there when you get back.
Kitsilano (west of VGH, north of broadway) is popular with the student crowd. Downtown/Yaletown/Coal Harbour is uber-pricey, but it would let you take a bathtub boat to work.
Forget about going to North Vancouver, Richmond, Surrey, Burnaby etc… You really don’t need to be that far away to find an affordable place.
I loved the place when I visited, although I was only there about 36 hours and didn’t experience the workaday frustration of commuting, obviously.
I was amused by a pub near the harbor called “The Jolly Taxpayer”.