Work in Bothell - Live in Canada - Commute once a week (Vancouver: vehicle registration)

[wilsondavid]

Hello everyone. I work in Bothell (WA) and plan to move to a Canadian town and live there. I plan to work from home and report to work (in Bothell) once a week. I am looking for a Canadian town where the standard of living is not high and nearest to Bothell. Please let me know if you know of any such town and also the driving distance from Bothell. Many Thanks!.

[RodFarlee]

Pardon me for asking, but I am curious... do you have permanent residency or citizenship in Canada?

Also, would I be correct in assuming that you do realize that housing costs and living expenses are significantly higher in B.C. than in WA (and were, even before the exchange rate rose, making this proposition even more expen$ive)?

[wilsondavid]

I have a PR status in Canada. I want to live in BC to complete my 3 years physical presence obligation in Canada to be eligible to apply for canadian citizenship.
I am not much worried about the living expenses in BC. Any idea which is the nearest Canadian town to Bothell.

[RodFarlee]

Surrey is the nearest major suburban city to the I-5/BC-99 border crossing. It has thousands of new apts & condos, but housing costs there have skyrocketed since the light rail commuter service to downtown Vancouver opened.

Langley is immediately east of Surrey; it is a bit more suburban (more homes than apts/condos) but also growing rapidly and is expensive.

Abbotsford is the next border crossing about 10 miles east; the 2 lane roads to it on the US side are much slower, but the border crossing is much less busy. Chilliwack is 25 minutes east of there on the Trans-Canada Hwy 1. There are several towns between them; the Frasier valley is well on its way to becoming one long extended suburb. The further east (and out of Vancouver), the lower the housing costs. This area has a variety of housing and may better fit your requirements.

Expect a 2.5 hour trip each way, plus a 10-30 minute wait at the border crossing, plus 30-40 minutes during rush hours.

Minor notes: US passport will be required for entry at these border crossings in 2008, and has noticably facilitated crossing since 9/11.

The Interstate 5/B.C. 99 border crossing has been closed for hours at a time about once every 3 months by walk-offs of Canadian customs employees protesting inadequate security, and once or twice a year by incidents (e.g. fugitives, fence-crashers, etc). This can cause I-5 to backup for most of a full day. It's been perhaps 3 years since the Abbotsford crossing was affected by anything like this. Both border crossings are open 24 hrs/day.

As a Canadian resident entering Canada, expect to have your car searched occasionally for undeclared (untaxed) American merchandise (right down to the tires on your car - if they look new and aren't a Canadian brand, carry the receipts!). As an American entering the US in a vehicle with BC plates, I'd carry a passport, vehicle registration and at least a photocopy of the vehicle title in your name. I'm afraid you can expect more than average scrutiny going both ways, but won't have a problem most days. Best wishes, eh?