Q: If you live or have lived or spent time in Vancouver, what would you say make Vancouver a great city to live in? We're looking for immigration options. Please give me pros and cons. Thanks!
A: I'm pretty negative on the region right now, so this reply will be mostly "cons"... -It's EXPENSIVE. The cost of housing is through the roof, there are taxes upon taxes, transit levies, gas prices are some of the highest in Canada. And the cost of riding transit is officially the most expensive in Canada ($5.00 one way to go between Surrey and Vancouver). -The Olympics. A lot of people are really pro-Olympics, but I'm not. Essentially the people of BC are going to be paying for a two week party, a clam shell roof for an outdoor skating rink, etc etc all while the waiting list for surgeries and important proceedures grow longer and parents have to fund-raise an already over-tapped community in order to have a playground in their childrens' schoolyard. When the Olympics are over, we're going to owe a pile of money, and guess who is going to pay for it? -Crime. Vancouver/Lower Mainland has one of the highest crime rates in the country. Drug dealing, crack houses, gang activity, shootings, etc., are rampant and they aren't just in the seedy neighbourhoods. They're in upscale neighbourhoods, family neighbourhoods and across the street from schools. the police are working hard, but the judicial system is more keen on giving criminals house arrest instead of real punishments. Ok, just so I'm not just a downer, I'll add some pros to Vancouver/Lower Mainland... -Scenery. This is the obvious. But the Lower Mainland really is beautiful. it's also nice that our climate, while wet is not nearly as cold as much of the rest of Canada. If you can endeaur some serious rain, winters are mild and have minimal snow to drive in and shovel. -Because of Vancouver's location as an international port, we have access to a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables throughout the year. We also have fresh fish, etc throughout the year. In my trips to the east, I found the fresh fish to be lacking. And because we're the port city, these products are relatively inexpensive. -Multicultural. Vancouver and the Lower Mainland is quite multi-cultural in nature. There are small communities within the various cities which add to the atmosphere of the region, as well as the attractions (restaurants, parades and festivals, etc)