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Hey everyone, I just found this website and it looks like it could clear some doubts of mine.
I'm Italian, and will most likely have the chance to move to Vancouver, thanks to an employer sponsoring me. This would be a HUGE change for me, and I'm looking for every possible bit of info about this wonderful city, which I heard many great things about.
So how cool do you think it would be living in Vancouver for a 31 years old Italian (and most likely his gf later on) who doesn't care much about night life, and loves quiet places / lifestyle. Could you suggest some areas in particular for living, are there areas with lots of Italian people / shops / restaurants etc.. ?
Any area one shall avoid because of crime and such (I never lived in such a big city so that's one of my concerns too)?
Also, I think that my place of work would be close to Burnaby and not knowing how long it would be until I'd be able to drive by car there, public transport would be crucial too I guess.
Van is really the only big city in Canada without much of a nightlife, I found even parts of the downtown core to feel pretty quiet. Burnaby is adjacent to Van proper and has a fair amount of quietish residential areas. I'm not so familiar with individual neighborhoods, so you'd have to get a feel of what you'd like and then take in to account the closest sky train stations or bus stops. Van is a pretty touristy city, but probably not anywhere near as bad as parts of Venice at peak seasons.
The population seems pretty in to fitness and adventure and you'll find lots of places to escape to within ten minutes of any direction. Check out Stanley Park and some of the trails, mountains, and inlets in North Van (minutes from downtown and parts of Burnaby).
I'm not so sure about Italian neighborhoods, but I'm sure there will be shops and almost certainly restaurants scattered around the city. I'm also not so sure about crime exactly, but I've never really felt unsafe anywhere in the country anyway. A lot of people say Surrey is questionable in certain places. I've never been to Surrey, and it's ways South of Van and Burnaby around the USA border anyway.
Thanks a lot for all the info Jesse!
The more I hear about Vancouver the more I think it would be an awesome place for me to live, definitely have my fingers crossed.
Also, I heard that cigarettes are even more expensive than in Italy, that would be a good incentive to quit before leaving
I just moved back here this winter, but I've been in this region most of my life.
Vancouver is a great city if you're a quiet outdoorsy type. In fact I'd say you can almost split Vancouver's big passions in two: the outdoors and food.
People-wise, I think you'll find a few differences here but not a huge shock. Canadians, especially big-city Canadians, tend to be very shy, introverted, and hard to get to know; it's easy for newcomers to mistake this for unfriendliness, but most people are polite and open to conversation if you start it. There is also a huge Asian population, specifically Chinese, though also a large segment from India and other East and South Asian countries. This is reflected in much of the food and some of the stores here. Also, compared to northern Italy you'll find people dress more casually here, and are less formal in their conversation than in other areas of the Anglosphere.
There are Italians here, but unlike the Asian groups, they're a fairly small grouping and are often second-, third-, or even fourth-generation Italians and most will likely not speak Italian, at least fluently. Historically we have a Little Italy here:
Expect to be able to find some foods you have in Italy from there, but it's not an Italian district in the sense Chinatown or Northern Richmond are Chinese districts.
Also, there is not much history here. You live in a very "rich" area in that sense, but almost all of Vancouver is younger than a hundred years, and two hundred years ago, wasn't here at all.
Nature is everywhere. Despite being a big city, the ocean, forests, and mountains are really at our doorstep.
Weather wise, winters will be about the same temperature as where you're from, but much rainier. Summers cooler and a bit drier. You'll find the air much cleaner, though, on the whole.
Cigarettes and tobacco are much, much pricier here than in Europe. If you like wine with dinner, then you may want to think about how much that will add to your grocery bill. Also, you wont find alcohol in most Supermarkets, unlike Europe - the laws here require it to be sold in separate Liquor Stores.
Crime in Vancouver is rather odd. Mostly it is very good for a city for its size, however there is a specific area downtown known as "East Hastings" that is a very criminal, and very dangerous. Oddly it's only a few blocks from a number of nice, safe, and fun neighborhoods, but often when looking at apartment rentals if you see something "Too good to be true" downtown in terms of price, it will be in that area.
I'd be happy to suggest areas for you. A few questions:
Are you seeking to own a car and drive to work?
Are you wanting to settle down and start a family?
Are there any things that are important for you to be near? ( Like hospitals, or parks, or good shopping, etc. )
For just the Italian factor the area around Commercial Drive is good. As it gentrifies rents are getting higher, but it's a pleasant area overall, sort of a bit of a hippie-alternative vibe, but good for a young couple, I'd say.
Thanks A LOT CairoCanadian! On a side note, it almost seems like you're describing me when you talk about Canadians
I'm not too concerned about the weather, while I'm not a fan of grey sky and rain, I love cooler temperatures on summer, and "clean" air. Not an alcholic either, but yes I'll find it odd to not be able to pick up wine or beer at supermarkets.
Thanks for the heads up about rentals!
I don't plan to drive a car initially: I do it all the time in Italy but if public transports are as good as they say (and if the area is well covered) I wouldn't mind to stick to them.
"Start a family" wouldn't be top priority: I'd probably be on my own at first, and then eventually have my girfriend join me, if things go well. I'm basically looking for a temporary solution at this time, and then we will see..
As I said I'd love to be in a pretty quiet place, with nature all around.. I love the mountains, even just seen from a distance. As for needs, I guess that it'd be crucial to have all sort of shops and supermarkets near, since I don't plan to have a car right away. Bu then again, as I'd be on my own at first and rentals are pretty expensive, these are not all mandatory..
Any additional advice is very appreciated.. thanks!!
I just moved back here this winter, but I've been in this region most of my life.
Vancouver is a great city if you're a quiet outdoorsy type. In fact I'd say you can almost split Vancouver's big passions in two: the outdoors and food.
People-wise, I think you'll find a few differences here but not a huge shock. Canadians, especially big-city Canadians, tend to be very shy, introverted, and hard to get to know; it's easy for newcomers to mistake this for unfriendliness, but most people are polite and open to conversation if you start it. There is also a huge Asian population, specifically Chinese, though also a large segment from India and other East and South Asian countries. This is reflected in much of the food and some of the stores here. Also, compared to northern Italy you'll find people dress more casually here, and are less formal in their conversation than in other areas of the Anglosphere.
There are Italians here, but unlike the Asian groups, they're a fairly small grouping and are often second-, third-, or even fourth-generation Italians and most will likely not speak Italian, at least fluently. Historically we have a Little Italy here:
Expect to be able to find some foods you have in Italy from there, but it's not an Italian district in the sense Chinatown or Northern Richmond are Chinese districts.
Also, there is not much history here. You live in a very "rich" area in that sense, but almost all of Vancouver is younger than a hundred years, and two hundred years ago, wasn't here at all.
Nature is everywhere. Despite being a big city, the ocean, forests, and mountains are really at our doorstep.
Weather wise, winters will be about the same temperature as where you're from, but much rainier. Summers cooler and a bit drier. You'll find the air much cleaner, though, on the whole.
Cigarettes and tobacco are much, much pricier here than in Europe. If you like wine with dinner, then you may want to think about how much that will add to your grocery bill. Also, you wont find alcohol in most Supermarkets, unlike Europe - the laws here require it to be sold in separate Liquor Stores.
Crime in Vancouver is rather odd. Mostly it is very good for a city for its size, however there is a specific area downtown known as "East Hastings" that is a very criminal, and very dangerous. Oddly it's only a few blocks from a number of nice, safe, and fun neighborhoods, but often when looking at apartment rentals if you see something "Too good to be true" downtown in terms of price, it will be in that area.
I'd be happy to suggest areas for you. A few questions:
Are you seeking to own a car and drive to work?
Are you wanting to settle down and start a family?
Are there any things that are important for you to be near? ( Like hospitals, or parks, or good shopping, etc. )
For just the Italian factor the area around Commercial Drive is good. As it gentrifies rents are getting higher, but it's a pleasant area overall, sort of a bit of a hippie-alternative vibe, but good for a young couple, I'd say.
I agree with most of what you said, but don't find downtown Eastside area dangerous at all.
It is run down and poor, probably with some petty crime, but I woudn't call it dangerous.
As I said I'd love to be in a pretty quiet place, with nature all around.. I love the mountains, even just seen from a distance. As for needs, I guess that it'd be crucial to have all sort of shops and supermarkets near, since I don't plan to have a car right away. Bu then again, as I'd be on my own at first and rentals are pretty expensive, these are not all mandatory..
For shops, really, anywhere in Vancouver proper and most of its local suburb cities ( Burnaby, New West Minster, North Vancouver, the denser parts of Richmond and Surrey ) will be near to the typical supermarkets, amenities, etc.
As for mountain views, no worry - basically everywhere in Vancouver you can see the coast mountains, on clear days into the US and the Island. Parks are fairly plentiful too, throughout the city, though Burnaby strikes me as having in particular a high amount of green space. In North Vancouver or West Vancouver you are literally on the mountains, but unless you live down near the Seabus terminal it can make a commute to downtown harder.
Living near a Skytrain station can make commuting and getting around easier. When you look for a place, check out Google maps for its proximity to a Skytrain station.
Awesome! Well my work place should be in the south part of Burnaby, so I'm thinking that my best option is to find a place in Burnaby directly. I saw many sweet looking spots via Google street view, near skytrain stations.
A couple quick questions.. Is padmapper.com good to get an idea of places for rent? Any alternatives?
Is TransLink.ca the official website for public transport info?
And one more if I can.. I'm seeing a lot of 'basement suites' for rent, and I don't think this is something you would find in Italy, at least not where I live. Are they a good option generally speaking? They kind of reminded me of a bunker at first :P
1. Padmapper is okay, but craigslist is really the website of choice for most people.
2. Translink.ca is the official website, yes.
3. Basement suites are fully separate apartments, usually with their own doors, in the basements of peoples homes, but there are usually some windows since Vancouver basements are not fully subterranean due to Earthquake codes. I have friends who live in them, they usually don't get all that much natural light and people prefer to live in regular apartments over basement suites, although regular apartments generally cost more for the square footage you get and you don't get the yard. Personally, I would recommend renting in an apartment building as I prefer not to live on suburban streets as they can be farther from commercial high streets and transit. But they are perfectly acceptable places to live and many people enjoy living in them, it's best to go see one and decide on an individual basis.
4. Since your job is in South Burnaby, I think a nice option would be downtown New Westminster which has many services in the city centre, isn't too expensive, and is only a few stops by skytrain from the area you'd work in. It's a bit far from nature though. Metrotown in Burnaby is nice as well. IT has a very big mall where you can do all your shopping, but has less in the way of retail on the street. Outside of the mall you have beautiful Burnaby central park, many residential building, and a few restaurants, but no real commercial high street as people go to the mall for shopping.
Thank you BIMBAM, that really helps. I will have a good look at those two areas, and Metrotown in particular, which seems to fit me the best.
Hopefully I can help out you guys one day
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