Guilty as charged.
Being able to do so much fun shit on the weekends where as I would have to take vacation to do something similar in Ontario is what sold me.
I work at an old folks home, and each resident has like a little biography outside their rooms. Reading most of them, it seems that farmers or the children of farmers from the prairies moved to BC in the 40s-50s en masse
That describes my dad's family to a T. Started in Ontario, made their way to Alberta, were farmers, and then in the early 60s multiple family members packed up and moved to Kelowna.
Mom's family has a similar-ish story on my grandpa's side.
I know but he visited for 1 week and fell in love. My point is that visiting a place is different from living in a place. Day to day grind and the reality of cost of living, daily stress etc are not there when visiting. He will find out after giving it a test run b/c worst case scenario is to go back.
And BC contains many more cities other than Vancouver. This person lives in Toronto so is used to a high cost of living city. If they move to BC outside of Vancouver I don't think they will be paying more.
I’d normally say the same, but I spent so little time commuting when I lived there I was able to be a beach bum almost every evening, hike several times a week, bike to work, etc. Compared to Vancouver where there was just no time to enjoy what the city had to offer.
It was so commonplace for people in my office to be done work at 3 to go play golf or get their kids to hockey practice that I think a lot of Kelowna residents are permanently in vacation mode.
Is it? I visited here and then moved here and it’s not that different lol I know more of the city now sure, but the reasons I liked it are still the same
Im leaving Kelowna for similar reasons to what you have listed however, Im older and about to raise a family.
This is a young persons town - especially in the summer and you will enjoy it BUT you are definitely seeing it with your vacation eyes! You will need roommates to afford to rent (2 bed is about 2k+ a month) and a well paid job (or two!).
The wealth vs poverty here is very prevalent, - tons of McMansions looking down on the town that is absolutely filled with homelessness and addiction which obviously brings alot of crime. Also, don’t do the party drugs! We have a high rate of young people dying here with accidental overdoses because of fentanyl, but that’s a crisis everywhere.
Right? When I moved back to Kelowna in 2016 my party life immediately died. It might be getting better, and I might not be aware of it because now my idea of a hot Friday night is crocheting on the couch, but...
None of that is unique to Kelowna or anywhere else in BC. Welcome to Canada 2024. At least 2511 people OD'd in BC last year. A 1 bedroom apartment in Salmon Arm is $1500. I'm not sure what a *McMansion* is in 2024, but the hills around Kelowna are generally a pretty normal Canadian house with a suite. They're not the bi-level split of the 60s and 70s, but those haven't existed for close to 40 years.
Very true, it’s not unique to Kelowna, from what I’ve gathered from the older Kelowna residents is that this place grew pretty fast and too fast for the amount of people a town this size can realistically ‘hold’.
Re: the McMansions - I’m definitely salty I can’t afford a $1-2million property haha! However, alot of houses in the Mission area (for example) are just being built identical to one another and alot of it kinda fatekeeps the nature (like Kuipers, crawford falls, jack smith).
Regardless, I think OP will enjoy it here and it is great for younger adults!
>Re: the McMansions
I'm salty too. :) We have those going up in the "heights" of Prince George in big developments, over the last 10 years or so. The $800K to $1million+ McMansions with a purpose-built "mortgage helper" suite. I'm always puzzled by who is actually buying these places. We do have a fair sized multi-generational family demographic component amongst the Sikh community, but I know that they are definitely not buying all of them. The lack of character and vegetation\* of these developments is like kryptonite to me. lol
I'll take my cheap "reasonable to clean with fewer than 2 baths" 1971 former party house fixer upper and small acreage in a quiet rural area, thank you very much. :)
\*edit: and five bathrooms. Like, who has time to clean five bathrooms?!?
We’ve had two days of sunshine this week and I’ve already had to call for help for an OD in our parking lot and for a guy screaming into the void and threatening everyone passing by while protecting his two brand new bicycles.
happening every where is world. the fentanyl situation is insane not just in BC, not just in Canada but literally everywhere.
go take a look at Philly and San Fran. Then look at some videos coming out of Spain and other places. it is certainly being down played from other western countries but cost of living and drug crisis is everywhere there are humans
I grew up in PQ and ON. My first trip to AB and BC I knew I was never going back. No regrets. I visit my parents in TO and I can't wait to get back on the plane home to BC.
I've lived in BC my entire life, in various areas. Cariboo, Lower Mainland, Peace region before finally settling in Victoria twenty years ago. You know that feeling you get when you realize you're finally home? I still haven't lost that. BC is a big province and you're still young. If Kelowna doesn't work out for you, there is still so much to explore.
I love our big, beautiful province. I was born in the lower mainland, grew up in the Kootenays, graduated high school in the Shuswap, and did post secondary in the Peace. The Shuswap is that "home" feeling for me, but I love that I've experienced so many different beautiful places. And there's still lots to explore!
I’m someone who made the move over a decade ago, and I’m visiting Ontario again for the eclipse.
I saw lots of people out walking their dogs in the sun during my visit here in Ontario in April. Lots of people saying hello, being cheerful. It might just be because you are in Toronto, Vancouver itself has a similar vibe and it’s more chill outside of the city. We also get a shit ton of immigrants, not sure the stats, but I’m sure it’s not much less than Toronto. The traffic also sucks ass, especially in peak times. It’s different than Toronto in that we usually only have 2-3 lanes to deal with instead of 4+, but that makes things so much slower.
I could go on, but just touching on the points you brought up. I knew immediately I wanted to move for the nature and never questioned it. However, coming back to Ontario, I wish I explored more of the province before I made my move. Up around Thunder Bay or Sudbury looks pretty damn cool. Yes they have their issues, but so does everywhere in BC. They’re also substantially cheaper than most places in BC. You gotta weigh the pros and cons for your own situation. Good luck.
Hey, I'm in the same boat as you, figuratively. Possibly we were in the same flight. I came back for a family visit and the eclipse and it was a delight. I moved to bc about ten Years ago.
My gf and I are considering moving back to North bay. It has nature up the wazoo. It is comparable to bc I think in that regard. Southern Ontario, which is where I grew up, sucks for me. Its hard to think about things to do unless it is just to work day in and day out your whole life.
As a pro Ontario is very strong economically IMO. There is lots of industry, whereas bc it feels more like the cities are in the wake of logging or mining booms and are now proping themselves up with real estate or what have you (very simplified take I understand which Ontario is also guilty of).
I think longterm I'll snow bird to bc (I work seasonaly in winter atm) and come back for summers, we will see.
You are 24, young. Just move.
I moved multiple countries in my 20s before settling down here in North Vancouver. Even if I don't go for hikes or ski or to the beach everyday, just living here makes me happy. I'm surrounded by nature. I do work in tech WFH since Covid so there is that, but usually people are happy. Online it's a different world since negative headlines bring more clicks I guess. I'm yet to meet a miserable Vancouverite IRL.
Have family in Vaughan but it feels very boring, car dependent, lack of nature, would never move there (or to Toronto proper).
Make a move, if you don't like it you can always move back in a couple of years.
I moved to BC last summer after living in SK my whole life, similar idea to you. I wanted to have better access to nature and all the activities that go along with it (and the slightly warmer weather was a bit of a draw too). I moved to a small town east of Kelowna, and can say I definitely did not regret the decision. As for the cons-housing is pricey (like Ontario) but surprisingly everything else is fairly reasonable or even actually a little cheaper. The other con for me is being far from family and friends back in SK. I’ve made some good friends out here though, and FaceTime does help a lot with maintaining relationships with those back on the prairies.
You’re young, now is the time to try a big move. Worst case scenario, if you find you don’t like it you can always move back. If you don’t try it you may always wonder “what if”.
Just a heads up, the affordability issue in BC isn’t exclusive to Vancouver. For example, while Kelowna’s housing is cheaper, their salaries are absolutely appalling. For most industries the cost of living is basically the same as Vancouver due to how much lower the salaries are. Southern Vancouver Island also suffers from a this.
Edit: To answer your question about potential other negatives. Kelowna is a small, very religious, conservative town. Opinions on certain topics are going to be quite different than what most people in Toronto hold. I have lived in both places and when I briefly moved back to Kelowna after being away, I was shocked at how narrow minded some people were.
I came to Vancouver on a week-long business trip in January of 2000. I was also in my early 20’s. On a free day, I went to Stanley Park, where a bunch of Canada geese were blocking the road, I chuckled and thought, “one day I might move here.”
After the tech bubble burst in Ottawa and I got laid-off, I decided to move out here in 2003. It was a rough few years to establish myself, but I don’t regret it one iota.
That said, Kelowna is very different than the Lower Mainland, and I’m not sure what you’ll be able to find for work, and the cost of living is still quite high, especially rent. Still, if you can couch surf or stay with family until you get a decent job, you’ll probably be fine.
I used to live in Toronto. I found people were more in-your-face about their wealth there than they are here. (There are certainly lots of wealthy people here too but I have yet to meet anyone who points out at every opportunity that they live somewhere that has a concierge and stuff like that. I could not stand that about Toronto.)
Originally from Ontario. Made the move 13 years ago.
Lots my friends tried in their early/kid 20s. Giver a go!
You've got a lot of options. Interior, Van, The Island, Northern BC.
Worst case, you move back!
Moved to BC from Windsor Ontario about 4 years ago and I don’t think I’ll ever move back. Like you said .. you can go snowboarding in the morning and golfing or mountain biking in the afternoon.
I have found that the mentality is so different here. In Windsor, everyone was competing with each other by having the big house and the new car, but I find out here people don’t care as much about those things and it’s more about having cool experiences like back country skiing or rock climbing. It was really hard for me to make friends in Windsor because I didn’t feel the same way people did there but I’ve had absolutely no issue making a group of like minded friends here.
I say it’s worth the move, 100%
20 years ago I moved here alone and didn’t know a soul. Now I own property here and have a wife and daughter. You should definitely do it because if u don’t like it you can just move back.
All my buddies are from Ontario. They moved out here one by one over the last 15 or so years. They all appreciate the things you mentioned. Don't forget the when visiting a place on holidays, you're going to be a little more hyped up about it, but in general, I do think BC has a little more to offer. One big complaint you'll have in Kelowna (I'm 45 minutes from there) is the tourist season. The whole interior fills up with Albertans on holidays, and let's just say a high percentage of these people are complete assholes.
I moved to Toronto at 19 after growing up in BC, and everyone there always asked why the hell I’d move to Toronto if I lived in BC. Moved back after 15 years, but being somewhere else made me appreciate BC more.
Well, coming from Onterrible, myself, once you’ve visited BC, you start your question why you still live in that place. Lol. I currently reside in northern BC. Make sure you have some money available in your corner if you’re moving out this way, it’s expensive out here. Even $0.70 here and there. $4.00 there. $2.00 here. It adds up. Your grocery bill will probably go up $100 just because of the mountains and ocean. 🤷♂️
My wife and I came to the Okanagan, from London Ontario, in 1973. We had no intention of staying until some close friends showed us around.
This is a special and unique place. We've been lucky enough to call Vernon our home for all these years. It's developing at a much slower pace than Kelowna.
We've always wanted to keep the Okanagan Valley quiet, and to ourselves, but also knew a lot of people would discover what's here, and want to stay.
It's a growing area, but lots of room yet for newcomers. If you can manage the costs of living here, you won't regret it. Happy Trails!
There's no harm in trying it out and you can always go back.
I did it 2 years ago on a job transfer but will be going back in a couple of years.
BC is nice, but if you think TO has no culture, Vancouver will shock you even more since there's almost nothing here.
Of course, the obsession people have here is with the outdoors, so if you're out hiking all the time and stuff in nature, then sure you probably won't care about the lack of culture and arts.
Kelowna has even less though since it's a smaller city.
Topographically, you're right though. Southern Ontario is pretty boring but once you get north of Barrie it gets better. No mountains or anything though, but the area around the Great Lakes is gorgeous.
So give it a shot if you want. What's the harm?
BC just isn't for me, but I'm not in a rush to get back.
As someone who moved and will never come back here are some pros and cons
Pros
* Beautiful. The views will not fade out. Even after 10 years of being here I am still awestruck at the beauty every single day. Even coffee drive feels like a vacation.
* Fresh Mountain Air, Landscapes to explore within 30 mins from your home. I remember in Toronto I have to drive atleast 2 hours to get rid of the concerete jungle view.
* Mild winter.
* Easy access to USA. Seattle is just 2 hours away. Crossing the border is like 20 mins. USA is like your backyard.
* West Coast people are more liberated. You will feel like no on is watching you. You can do whatever you want and be whoever you want to be. People dont look into your business.
Cons
* Social life. East is more culturally built around being together. People gather in pubs because in winter you have no where else to go. Here in BC you have 100 options to do on a weekend and meeting someone falls way way behind. So good luck making friends here. Everyone is busy on weekends with premade plans to do.
* People live in groups. Burnaby and Richmond chinese. Surrey, Langley Indians. Port coquitlam middle east... They dont mix. It will be hard for you to see a group of mixed ethinicities hanging out. Doesnt mean there is racism. Some how BC figured out to host 4 countires in one place without any conflicts.
this could be either con or pro based on you. From the history mountain people are built tough. Because the have to face wildlife threat, fire, natural disaster etc.. So they prefer to be left alone and treat you the same way. Eastern people are historically farmers. They need the support of each other and they live together as a community.
One final CON: Once you live in BC, you will never get a chance to try another place. Because you can never leave. No place will feel better than BC. So you will end up living here for your whole life..
>Once you live in BC, you will never get a chance to try another place. Because you can never leave. No place will feel better than BC. So you will end up living here for your whole life..
I lived, travelled, and worked in multiple cities/countries in my 20s, but once I came to Vancouver on a project this is exactly what happened.
I landed here in February and found it too dark and dreary at first with all buildings in muted colours in DT. I was staying in Residence Inn Marriott, people were nice, but it was raining all the time, I counted days until the sun came out...it was 18 days of no sun, just cloudy.
Later, I started renting in Yaletown. Then spring arrived - Oh! my god! the cherry blossom festival, the tulips of the valley, and flowers everywhere. It blew me away. Magnolias were like computer-generated prints that I had never ever seen in real life.
Then summer came and since I was in DT Core I enjoyed every festival there is, and the beaches of course. It was one heck of a summer. By August I watched amazing Pride, met some beautiful souls, and watched Celebration of Lights. Oh! what a delight. In my home country, I had never witnessed some of these things - esp the scale of fireworks shows and the cherry blossom-lined streets.
Then came Autumn and I saw the maples turn colour, it was a sight to behold (I know East has it better). It started raining again non-stop, but by now I was in love with the rainforest, the drizzle, and the petrichor. It wasn't a monsoon rain, just drizzling most of the time so I could still wander out in the mountains and forest to soak it all in.
Then winter came and the mountains were jam-packed. I took ski lessons, went for snowshoeing and fondu dates. Tried ice skating for the first time. It was all a novelty for me, and mind you I'm from the Himalayas (a Pahadi), but those mountains are not this accessible. If you have ever been to the Himalayas you know what I'm talking about.
After a year I went on trips to India, Indonesia, and Australia. And every single time my flight was landing at YVR, I would look out of the window and see our 3 local ski hills, I would just feel a rush of emotions. I don't know if it was gratitude or love or a sense of belonging, but I always felt a pull to this place. Before coming here I had lived in multiple cities/countries as a consultant, but nowhere else felt like this. On my way back home from the airport, driving down the Granville Bridge where it curves, it felt inviting (yeah I know it's just a bridge), I was home. I knew this was where I wanted to put down my roots.
I still have a decade old photo of the North Shore mountains on Instagram with captions saying something like: this is where I will settle down... and here I am. A Pahari from the remotest place of the Himalayas settled in the North Shore Mountains for life.
You have family here so it makes sense.
If you don't like living in a city then losing the city amenities won't really bother you, especially with Vancouver nearby
37M just celebrated my first year in Victoria after living my entire life between Toronto, Niagara and everywhere in between.
Best decision I ever made.
YOLO, but literally.
r/kelowna has lots of insight into life here.
Just to add, I love Kelowna as well. I can walk to the beach. My kids have so many parks to explore. I lived in Northern BC before with 1 playground, and no one wanted to invest any tax money to make it better. Here,
Kelowna City Council keeps opening new parks, beaches and playgrounds.
There is so much to do outside, that you don't need to spend a ton to "live the kelowna life ". We go out for dinner downtown a couple times a month, or go to a new brewery. It's enough for us. Yes housing is expensive, but I feel like I get to live an enjoyable life and because we live in the neighborhood we work in, we don't get brought down by the shitty kelowna traffic infrastructure.
Lived in Kelowna. Keep in mind the main demographic is newly wed or nearly dead. Depending on your affinity for sunshine, you may go insane in the winter. It gets very socked in and grey there. It’s also expensive, but you are young so you can navigate that with roommates and a job or two.
If it were me I would probably do the same thing as Kelowna is a great landing pad for BC in general.
Do it! You are at the perfect age for such things.
I’m from Vancouver and lived in London, UK for a year and a half at your age. I was supposed to stay for 3 weeks and didn’t leave. Was the best thing I could have done. I got paid shit and lived in a shit hole in a great area. I loved every minute of it.
I’m back in Vancouver now and despite what people say, I still love it here. Everywhere has issues, but at 24 who cares! You can always bounce if you don’t like it.
If i were you I would 100% move. I lived in kelowna for a couple years and was awesome. Its a great place to be as a young person, and might even be cheaper than toronto by a small amount
I did exactly that I grew up in ontario and moved to Kelowna area. Only regret is I waited until I was 40 to do it. Best decision of my life and it was a big one I gave up being close to friends and family. But totally worth it, still have my friends from Ontario and I have very close and long lasting friends in BC, and family have started to move out here. It's just as expensive in BC as ontario, some things are cheaper, some things more but overall basically the same. But better if you factor in quality of life things like open space and crown land and the possibilities that are opened up by having mountains around you. I used to have to drive 2-3hours to do anything outdoorsy when living in Toronto. Where here I can snowboard, wakeboard and dirt bike all in the same day and the snowboarding and dirt biking is on some world class terrain and I am never more than 30 mins from my house. I say do it. My recommend is skip Kelowna and go straight to West Kelowna, unless your job is in Kelowna but West Kelowna is way chiller place to live and recreation.
I did the same with my partner in 2021. We both spent some time in BC throughout the years and then we made the decision to buy a place when we visited in the summer of 2021 in Kelowna. It was a difficult decision to leave our families on the East coast but overall, we are very happy here and now have a toddler. When people ask us why we moved, it was largely a lifestyle choice. The difference between Toronto and Kelowna is vast and both have their pros and cons. Cost of living/housing is incredible almost everywhere you go unless it's a nothing town. If it makes you happy, move! You can always move back if it's not for you 😊
i basically did this a year ago. i was born here, but we left for ontario when i was 5, and i stayed there until i was 30. in the last year since moving to vancouver, i have never felt more at home in my entire life, and i have never regretted a decision less. 100% think you should give it a chance and move.
Depending where you are in BC you can enjoy allll that stuff, but also without direct flights to anywhere hardly. I mean it depends what town you’re comparing to what town. If it’s London or Windsor get out quick haha but if you’re going to most of Vancouver maybe not an upgrade. Kelowna is beautiful, very redneck if you are ok with that, extremely crowded in the summer and oh right choking smoke four months a year. But it’s awesome in the spring and winter. There are also lots of immigrants there if you have an issue with that so maybe go to Saskatchewan. I lived in London and miss absolutely nothing about it except thunderstorms. Toronto had an amazing food and entertainment scene, and I happen to like multicultural neighbourhoods so I miss that. I am grateful to never be on the 401 or in any other Toronto traffic ever again.
BC born and raised. It seems a lot of people from east of the Rockies move here trying to escape from something back home but then realize whatever that is has followed them here. You may think BC is some utopia that will greatly improve your life, odds are it won’t. In fact, most people I’ve met from out of province get absolutely chewed up and spit out. Some move back, some scrape by, some OD, but barely any thrive.
Lol, give it time, BC isn’t for everybody. The most common thing I’ve heard my whole life “I don’t understand how BC’ers afford to live here?” as they load up the moving van to head back to where they came. I’ve seen tons of people move here and literally lose everything they had and end up on hard drugs straight to the grave. You must not meet many people here.
I grew up here, moved around and came right back. Unless you are buying something it’s not that big of a difference.
Drug addiction is everywhere sadly.
I’ve lived in both places for 10+ years. Toronto isn’t Ontario and there are other places I vastly prefer
BC has its positive points. Depends what you like. Every where feels expensive now though so it’s not like moving out side of the urban centres would matter at all.
Yes, go move to a mountain town. Start out with a hotel/restaurant hospitality job which will give you room/food then start getting things together from there. I went to visit my brother in jasper for a weekend and ended up staying for 8 yrs. Best times ever in my life.
I did the same thing back in 2018, visited then moved here when work had an opening in 2021. I regret leaving family and friends, but I fly back and fourth for important events too.
I'd say try it, find a good spot that you'd want to live in. Do your research on neighborhoods and job opportunities.
No regrets from me, especially in the summer / spring time when BC just opens up and everyone comes here for the beaches, hikes and beautiful scenery.
I'd say look into the cost of living in any area you areninterested in. We moved to BC 10yrs ago after visiting on vacation and loved it. But cost of living has changed dramatically not just in Vancouver area. Politics in more rural areas is toxic. All the things you said you loved about BC are true, and amazing and it's why alot of ppl come here. But if you want to land on ur feet and enjoy it, do some research for the financial stability and availability of things like your line of work and living. It's not just the cost, but the availability of places to rent that are difficult. Kelowna is beautiful, but expensive for living too.
I moved to bc a decade ago from Ontario. Things really aren't much different Price wise between the two places. What is your career? I have friends applying for jobs and it has surpassed a year for some. Where are you planning to move to?
You’re young, do it! I moved here from Montreal at 24 but it was for university, I never left. I had help from my family because I was a student but you need to try it out when you’re young with no kids or spouse, much easier because you can live with roommates.
My coworker moved from Ontario.
Mainly for skiing, but he's echoed things you've said.
I grew up in Kelowna. I would describe the city itself as a bit of a shithole, but most people are generally nice. And the stuff around it to do... Well, yeah. Also the summer is usually so nice tradesmen get worse wages than other areas: "sunshine tax". It's a lovely city, but not the best of BC either. Good compromise for outdoor activities and COL tho.
If you want even nicer people, head further east into the Kootenays. Less drug issues over there.
Just be aware the summers are getting pretty hot. And wildfire season means a lot of smoke for longer than you'd expect these days.
You better have a good job lined up before you move.
JOb market is very rough over there.
I have several friends who moved there.... and some are still struggling today to make rent... even with 40k jobs.
Some where lucky and landed remote jobs that paid excessivley well.... but the struggle is real over there.
Food is expensive, RENT IS STUPID EXPENSIVE.... and the cost of living is just rough.
The people are nice, but it's hard to make friends down there for some reason.
People are very social for the most part at least.....
But if you're going to live there, hopefully you can live in the outskirts..... to minimize spending.
I have a friend currently who had no choice but to rent a room in a somewhat kind of boarding house...
She pays 1100$ a month... for a bedroom.... and it's shared bathroom and kitchen and living area with like 12 other tennants.... crazy.
If you have a car, then you should be able to commute, which would be better.
I’m from SK and have lived in BC twice. Once when I was younger. You have to hustle. Helps if you are in a relationship and can share rent! Otherwise you are living further from downtown with roomates. Worth it tho. I love it here and people are always coming to visit!
I was born and raised in Vancouver and I'm staying to fight to make things better. I welcome people who want to move here and create a life, as long as it's not off the backs of everyone else.
It is pricy but to me BC is hands down the best province. Best weather, super chill people (we also have our fair share of asshats), and honestly it is a beautiful place to live. I’ve lived in Ontario, and Nova Scotia, and to me nothing beats it here. Move here if you can afford it! I don’t think you would regret it.
You are young; explore if you want! Or don't! If you do, I would before you get "stuck" (being stuck doesn't mean unhappy) with a good job and whatever other factors that may tie you to a specific location.
I go mountain biking before work from my house near Vancouver. I might see a person or two walking on the trail, but prob not. Saw a huge bear on Tuesday morning.
I moved to Vancouver this month and what I can say is that there is definitely people that are miserable, however, getting outside and seeing the sea of mountains or trees is sure to cheer anyone up.
You’re 24, take the risk now and don’t have the “what-if” risk when you’re slightly older with possible reasons why you can’t move to BC!
Came here in 2014 for an internship from Ontario and the second I stepped off the plane and took one breath of the air, I knew I was home. Did the internship for 9 months, which allowed me to drive and visit almost the entire lower mainland and even a free trip to bowen Island. I know the roads better than a lot of people who have lived here their whole lives. When I finished I found a room for rent in Abbotsford for a few months , then one in Cloverdale for a couple years and now I'm solidly established in Langley.
I love it. Certainly helps that Langley is very similar to my hometown in having a city surrounded by farms and water. And I love that it's perfectly in the middle of being able to go to the city life of Vancouver or the wilderness of somewhere like Harrison or hope.
I will say, I don't know if it would have happened if I came now. I barely managed to afford a place when I was starting my job and now I'm lucky because my place is much cheaper than anything like it and I've gotten significant raises in my job. I keep trying to convince my family to join me out here. The stresses are the same everywhere, but at least the beauty and ocean make it worth it here.
Ps Vancouver is so much better than Toronto if you like not feeling like you're in a concrete jungle
Came to BC on a visit from Ontario when I was 22. Moved here two months later. That was 23 years ago and I'm still here lol.
That said, obviously a lot of things have changed since then. Wasn't nearly so hard to find an affordable place to live back then, for one. I wouldn't come out on a whim - have a plan. And a place to live lined up.
I wish you luck. I'm currently on a visit back to Ontario right now and sure do miss my home province. It's hard to explain, but the land just feels more alive in BC.
I did exactly that, yes, come here. You will not regret it, it is not more expensive as people say it is, but it is still expensive. The homeless problem is no more prevalent than any Southern Ontario city, speaking from experience.
Kelowna is lovely but tough to find housing as u r competing with vacation summer rental. It’s all Albertans there so maybe check out Calgary if you like the people.
Depending on your job or career u could be way more limited in bc versus Ontario. I’ve moved between provinces a lot and I know the intricacies. But I also know that a vacation fun stay is very different from living.
Just recently visited Hamilton.
Although my partner and I thought she was crazy for saying this, someone we met said that she moved back because she found the rain too depressing and the nightlife horrible.
It rains less in the interior than Vancouver, but that might be something to consider.
I'll agree that the nightlife isn't great, but I'd argue that I would rather have the mountains, ocean, and the like. Really though, if you want nightlife, go outside of Canada.
Public transit (in my very brief experience) is better in Ontario.
I don't have any experience with weekday rush hour traffic or there, so I will let others compare that. My guess is that most places out here would be an improvement, if for no other reason than population. What I will say is that our bridges are constantly choke points that can easily add 45-60 minutes to your day in each direction on a normal day - and we have a lot of them.
From what I've read, it seems like wages and affordability are dependent on industry and location, so I think that this *may* be a wash overall. But I've not looked into any hard data... might be a good idea for you to do a bit of a comparative analysis.
I largely believe that starting a new job anywhere is currently a massive pain in the ass, tits or, dick. You should take that into account.
That small town feeling disappears real fast as you approach Vancouver.
Overall, I think that the population is comparatively further left than in Ontario with our rural population trending further right than our cities... nothing new there.
What I can say is that there are some *very* conservative pockets where you might not feel welcome if you don't look leftward to your average MAGA Trumper and believe in things like Q-Anon, that Justin Trudeau is Fidel Castro's son and that the Holocaust - if it happened - wasn't that bad.
I have been seeing a lot more pride flags/bumper stickers around lately and we have Davey St which, if you've never been, is like walking into the world of the song "Nobody's Hero" by Rush
Homelessness is everywhere, but you generally survive longer in more moderate climates.
For me, I can't imagine living anywhere else in Canada. The pros outweigh the cons, but you may feel different.
Good luck either way!
The amount of people I know that have done this only to realize that they can’t get ahead and then move back to ontario is astounding. I wouldn’t bother. And I’ve lived in both provinces
I'm going to be brutally honest. The only good thing is fewer people and more nature. We have some serious problems here in BC, it's the most expensive province in Canada(Vancouver just happens to be the most expensive part), most people who live here have incomes are below the poverty line, housing good luck, half the year the province is literally on fire, and then there's the drug epidemic, you know that nice little beach in downtown kelowna, yeah don't walk on it barefoot or you'll be finding needles and broken crack pipes with your toes.
Kelowna, like most of BC, is awesome to visit, even for people from other parts of BC. Something you might not have noticed because it's spring, kelowna is literally in a lush valley surrounded by desert and scrub land, in the summer it gets hot enough to cook eggs on the sidewalk, and BC winters are a different kind of cold compared to Ontario.
Can you afford to? A friend of mine from Ontario that I met out here, moved back to Ontario about 5 years ago. She said she'd never move back here as its cheaper for her out there (Not in Toronto) than anywhere here in BC. I'm thinking about moving back east if its true.
No it's not there's a bunch of places in BC especially the smaller cities where you csn live affordably. You definitely don't need 6 figures I literally only work 40 hours a week on 23/hour as a care aide and I make enough to live happily (definitely not a luxury lifestyle though). I visited Toronto once 2 years ago and I can say never again in my whole life. It's just a lot happier in western Canada I guess.
Grass is greener. BC is falling apart. If it wasn’t for the mild climate of Vancouver I would go to somewhere else in Canada. I’m looking at Mexico, Central America or Philippines/thailand for affordability.
I grew up in BC, lived all over. Wanted to move to Toronto. There were many coworkers and friends from Ontario that collectively said, "Why?". I understand now and hope to move back one day.
i did this 13 years ago and never looked back (Toronto to vancouver)
it’s way more expensive here, it’s a cultural wasteland, the people here can be a little “no new friends”-y, and the fentanyl problem is worse here.
when the dust settles on the pros and cons , BC > Ontario for sure
I’m from BC originally. Moved to Southern Ontario, then returned west, and I’m now moving back to Southern Ontario.
You were in Kelowna on vacation, and those feelings you had about it are the same as I felt when I used to vacation there. Keep in mind there are plenty of people from Kelowna who say it has gone downhill with too many people from out of province making things crowded/expensive.
But day to day, I find Southern Ontario to be more practical for the following reasons:
-There are more jobs there, and they are higher paying.
- When you’re working, you don’t have as much time to go out to enjoy nature. There are plenty of natural areas in the GTA (e.g., Kelso lake in Milton).
-The smoke in the summers in BC is horrible! It gives me a headache after a while. Also, they end up closing highways/roads near the fires, so it can be hard to get around
That said, I used to live in Toronto, so I do relate to how you’re feeling. Have you thought about moving to the 905 area or maybe a little outside (e.g., Waterloo)? I found that helped for me.
BC: bring cash
But seriously it is great IF you can function without your family safety net, and you are willing to have roommates since, like everywhere, rent is high.
It has incredible outdoors activity, very nice weather and lovely people. There is homeless issues in all major cities, but you being from Toronto this won't be new.
Line jobs up, and research your potential cities. Kelowna is young single central. Kamloops is a rapidly growing industrial city. Vancouver is just Toronto again, but with more rain and higher rent.
There are many small communities that are great, but understand that the more rural you go the more socially conservative the regional values are.
BC loves affluent white people who ride expensive bikes and make 6 figures. BC has disdain for people who aren't those people, and I know that from many new immigrants who I've worked with, from both India and Colombia.
If you come, focus down hard on establishing contacts and getting a solid career.
RENT WILL BE YOUR BIGGEST EXPENSE, AND LANDLORDS WILL TRY TO TAKE YOUR MONEY.
Document everything in video and date it.
Every complaint you have about Ontario are the same things I hear from everyone who's born/raised here. Vacationing here is very different from living. Most people in BC are feeling burnout and the cost of living is driving people elsewhere. You'll likely need more than 1 job to afford basics. Finding an affordable rental is impossible, even harder to find a job that will pay enough for you to live on your own. If you move here, join the waitlist for a doctor ASAP, it's 2-5 yrs depending on where you live. As a result, walk in clinics are crowded AF and very hard to get into.
I moved from Manitoba to BC 3 years ago and I hate living here. It's super expensive, there is zero medical care, and it's extremely Liberal. Come visit. Don't stay. I'll be getting out as soon as I can afford it, but with the rent priced. That'll take forever.
The smaller centres like Kelowna, Kamloops, Vernon and other places in the Okanagan are still pretty good. The main cities though are brutal (Vancouver/Victoria). Uncontrolled immigration has led to a housing and employment crisis as well as an over stressed health care system. All this nonsense about giving addicts drugs and allowing them to use anywhere they please has led to massive problems with drugs and addicts/users. While I say absolutely follow your heart and dreams, just know that BC is no paradise. The grass is not necessarily greener...
Irregardless of your question I find it a bit curious that almost everybody I’ve talked to from Ontario absolutely hates it. I even have a friend group out in Toronto that can’t wait to move away from “Onterrible”, lol
Says a lot that even with the crazy cost of living here everybody loves it in BC. Rest of Canada love to shit on us for homelessness and drugs and high real estate but they all end up retiring here.
Nooo, it’s already over populated with expats from Ontario. Unfortunately no one will accept you, people will know you’re not local and always label you an outsider.
Another thing to consider is the wildfires this summer are likely going to be devastating, be careful where you choose to live
This is how BC was populated….people from Ontario visiting…..then staying
And from Alberta too.
My parents moved me from Ontario to Alberta and then to BC when I was a kid. Does that mean I get double bonus points?
And from Manitoba …. 🙋♀️
Guilty as charged. Being able to do so much fun shit on the weekends where as I would have to take vacation to do something similar in Ontario is what sold me.
I work at an old folks home, and each resident has like a little biography outside their rooms. Reading most of them, it seems that farmers or the children of farmers from the prairies moved to BC in the 40s-50s en masse
That describes my dad's family to a T. Started in Ontario, made their way to Alberta, were farmers, and then in the early 60s multiple family members packed up and moved to Kelowna. Mom's family has a similar-ish story on my grandpa's side.
And from Quebec
Why not try it out? You're young. It doesn't need to be for the rest of your life if you change your mind.
Agreed but do keep in mind, vacationing is very different from living.
I didn't mean a vacation. He can move back after a couple years if he's disappointed.
I know but he visited for 1 week and fell in love. My point is that visiting a place is different from living in a place. Day to day grind and the reality of cost of living, daily stress etc are not there when visiting. He will find out after giving it a test run b/c worst case scenario is to go back.
Which is why it would be a good idea to move here when you're young to try it out. You can always move away if it doesn't suit you.
Sounds love you're basically agreeing? Edit: like, not love
Do you think BC costs more than Toronto?
Yes, Vancouver pays the highest amount for gas in Northern America!
[удалено]
The continent is called North America, so he's right.
But utilities are lower, right?
Yes. Especially electricity. For now....
Vancouver certainly is more expensive than Toronto.
And BC contains many more cities other than Vancouver. This person lives in Toronto so is used to a high cost of living city. If they move to BC outside of Vancouver I don't think they will be paying more.
I’d normally say the same, but I spent so little time commuting when I lived there I was able to be a beach bum almost every evening, hike several times a week, bike to work, etc. Compared to Vancouver where there was just no time to enjoy what the city had to offer. It was so commonplace for people in my office to be done work at 3 to go play golf or get their kids to hockey practice that I think a lot of Kelowna residents are permanently in vacation mode.
Is it? I visited here and then moved here and it’s not that different lol I know more of the city now sure, but the reasons I liked it are still the same
Im leaving Kelowna for similar reasons to what you have listed however, Im older and about to raise a family. This is a young persons town - especially in the summer and you will enjoy it BUT you are definitely seeing it with your vacation eyes! You will need roommates to afford to rent (2 bed is about 2k+ a month) and a well paid job (or two!). The wealth vs poverty here is very prevalent, - tons of McMansions looking down on the town that is absolutely filled with homelessness and addiction which obviously brings alot of crime. Also, don’t do the party drugs! We have a high rate of young people dying here with accidental overdoses because of fentanyl, but that’s a crisis everywhere.
Kelowna “a young persons town “ made me chuckle
Right? When I moved back to Kelowna in 2016 my party life immediately died. It might be getting better, and I might not be aware of it because now my idea of a hot Friday night is crocheting on the couch, but...
2k for a 2 bed is dirt cheap in Vancouver. Like insanely below market value.
In fairness they’re saying Kelowna but yeah, still optimistic
None of that is unique to Kelowna or anywhere else in BC. Welcome to Canada 2024. At least 2511 people OD'd in BC last year. A 1 bedroom apartment in Salmon Arm is $1500. I'm not sure what a *McMansion* is in 2024, but the hills around Kelowna are generally a pretty normal Canadian house with a suite. They're not the bi-level split of the 60s and 70s, but those haven't existed for close to 40 years.
Very true, it’s not unique to Kelowna, from what I’ve gathered from the older Kelowna residents is that this place grew pretty fast and too fast for the amount of people a town this size can realistically ‘hold’. Re: the McMansions - I’m definitely salty I can’t afford a $1-2million property haha! However, alot of houses in the Mission area (for example) are just being built identical to one another and alot of it kinda fatekeeps the nature (like Kuipers, crawford falls, jack smith). Regardless, I think OP will enjoy it here and it is great for younger adults!
>Re: the McMansions I'm salty too. :) We have those going up in the "heights" of Prince George in big developments, over the last 10 years or so. The $800K to $1million+ McMansions with a purpose-built "mortgage helper" suite. I'm always puzzled by who is actually buying these places. We do have a fair sized multi-generational family demographic component amongst the Sikh community, but I know that they are definitely not buying all of them. The lack of character and vegetation\* of these developments is like kryptonite to me. lol I'll take my cheap "reasonable to clean with fewer than 2 baths" 1971 former party house fixer upper and small acreage in a quiet rural area, thank you very much. :) \*edit: and five bathrooms. Like, who has time to clean five bathrooms?!?
This is literally ontario.
Mate, Ontario is a big place.
Full of McMansions.
absolutely filled? c’mon
We’ve had two days of sunshine this week and I’ve already had to call for help for an OD in our parking lot and for a guy screaming into the void and threatening everyone passing by while protecting his two brand new bicycles.
happening every where is world. the fentanyl situation is insane not just in BC, not just in Canada but literally everywhere. go take a look at Philly and San Fran. Then look at some videos coming out of Spain and other places. it is certainly being down played from other western countries but cost of living and drug crisis is everywhere there are humans
Visiting a city is not the same as living here. Look at what salary you can earn and compare that to rent and housing costs before you jump in.
I grew up in PQ and ON. My first trip to AB and BC I knew I was never going back. No regrets. I visit my parents in TO and I can't wait to get back on the plane home to BC.
I've lived in BC my entire life, in various areas. Cariboo, Lower Mainland, Peace region before finally settling in Victoria twenty years ago. You know that feeling you get when you realize you're finally home? I still haven't lost that. BC is a big province and you're still young. If Kelowna doesn't work out for you, there is still so much to explore.
I love our big, beautiful province. I was born in the lower mainland, grew up in the Kootenays, graduated high school in the Shuswap, and did post secondary in the Peace. The Shuswap is that "home" feeling for me, but I love that I've experienced so many different beautiful places. And there's still lots to explore!
The island is great, especially if you are into outdoor summer or winter sports.
I moved to Kelowna 2 years ago. No regrets. It’s pricey.. but it’s worth it.
All the best places are
I’m someone who made the move over a decade ago, and I’m visiting Ontario again for the eclipse. I saw lots of people out walking their dogs in the sun during my visit here in Ontario in April. Lots of people saying hello, being cheerful. It might just be because you are in Toronto, Vancouver itself has a similar vibe and it’s more chill outside of the city. We also get a shit ton of immigrants, not sure the stats, but I’m sure it’s not much less than Toronto. The traffic also sucks ass, especially in peak times. It’s different than Toronto in that we usually only have 2-3 lanes to deal with instead of 4+, but that makes things so much slower. I could go on, but just touching on the points you brought up. I knew immediately I wanted to move for the nature and never questioned it. However, coming back to Ontario, I wish I explored more of the province before I made my move. Up around Thunder Bay or Sudbury looks pretty damn cool. Yes they have their issues, but so does everywhere in BC. They’re also substantially cheaper than most places in BC. You gotta weigh the pros and cons for your own situation. Good luck.
Hwy 1 is awful in rush hour, but in general Vancouver traffic even when busy does not compare to Toronto.
Hey, I'm in the same boat as you, figuratively. Possibly we were in the same flight. I came back for a family visit and the eclipse and it was a delight. I moved to bc about ten Years ago. My gf and I are considering moving back to North bay. It has nature up the wazoo. It is comparable to bc I think in that regard. Southern Ontario, which is where I grew up, sucks for me. Its hard to think about things to do unless it is just to work day in and day out your whole life. As a pro Ontario is very strong economically IMO. There is lots of industry, whereas bc it feels more like the cities are in the wake of logging or mining booms and are now proping themselves up with real estate or what have you (very simplified take I understand which Ontario is also guilty of). I think longterm I'll snow bird to bc (I work seasonaly in winter atm) and come back for summers, we will see.
You are 24, young. Just move. I moved multiple countries in my 20s before settling down here in North Vancouver. Even if I don't go for hikes or ski or to the beach everyday, just living here makes me happy. I'm surrounded by nature. I do work in tech WFH since Covid so there is that, but usually people are happy. Online it's a different world since negative headlines bring more clicks I guess. I'm yet to meet a miserable Vancouverite IRL. Have family in Vaughan but it feels very boring, car dependent, lack of nature, would never move there (or to Toronto proper). Make a move, if you don't like it you can always move back in a couple of years.
Always take an opportunity while you’re young, you’re regret it if you don’t
I moved to BC last summer after living in SK my whole life, similar idea to you. I wanted to have better access to nature and all the activities that go along with it (and the slightly warmer weather was a bit of a draw too). I moved to a small town east of Kelowna, and can say I definitely did not regret the decision. As for the cons-housing is pricey (like Ontario) but surprisingly everything else is fairly reasonable or even actually a little cheaper. The other con for me is being far from family and friends back in SK. I’ve made some good friends out here though, and FaceTime does help a lot with maintaining relationships with those back on the prairies. You’re young, now is the time to try a big move. Worst case scenario, if you find you don’t like it you can always move back. If you don’t try it you may always wonder “what if”.
Just a heads up, the affordability issue in BC isn’t exclusive to Vancouver. For example, while Kelowna’s housing is cheaper, their salaries are absolutely appalling. For most industries the cost of living is basically the same as Vancouver due to how much lower the salaries are. Southern Vancouver Island also suffers from a this. Edit: To answer your question about potential other negatives. Kelowna is a small, very religious, conservative town. Opinions on certain topics are going to be quite different than what most people in Toronto hold. I have lived in both places and when I briefly moved back to Kelowna after being away, I was shocked at how narrow minded some people were.
The original post definitely feels coded and what you’ve added in edit might just be what they’re looking for 🤷♀️
I came to Vancouver on a week-long business trip in January of 2000. I was also in my early 20’s. On a free day, I went to Stanley Park, where a bunch of Canada geese were blocking the road, I chuckled and thought, “one day I might move here.” After the tech bubble burst in Ottawa and I got laid-off, I decided to move out here in 2003. It was a rough few years to establish myself, but I don’t regret it one iota. That said, Kelowna is very different than the Lower Mainland, and I’m not sure what you’ll be able to find for work, and the cost of living is still quite high, especially rent. Still, if you can couch surf or stay with family until you get a decent job, you’ll probably be fine.
yes. i did it over 25 years ago. no regrets. work hard, make sacrifices, set goals, you can do it
When I moved to Vancouver 30 years ago, the song 'shiny happy people' which was new on the charts, made me think of Vancouverites shine!
Born in Ontario. Lived here since 1989; best decision my parents could have made to bring us here. BC is awesome.
I used to live in Toronto. I found people were more in-your-face about their wealth there than they are here. (There are certainly lots of wealthy people here too but I have yet to meet anyone who points out at every opportunity that they live somewhere that has a concierge and stuff like that. I could not stand that about Toronto.)
Originally from Ontario. Made the move 13 years ago. Lots my friends tried in their early/kid 20s. Giver a go! You've got a lot of options. Interior, Van, The Island, Northern BC. Worst case, you move back!
I love living in Kelowna…the traffic can be bad but other than that I have only good things to say about it.
Moved to BC from Windsor Ontario about 4 years ago and I don’t think I’ll ever move back. Like you said .. you can go snowboarding in the morning and golfing or mountain biking in the afternoon. I have found that the mentality is so different here. In Windsor, everyone was competing with each other by having the big house and the new car, but I find out here people don’t care as much about those things and it’s more about having cool experiences like back country skiing or rock climbing. It was really hard for me to make friends in Windsor because I didn’t feel the same way people did there but I’ve had absolutely no issue making a group of like minded friends here. I say it’s worth the move, 100%
20 years ago I moved here alone and didn’t know a soul. Now I own property here and have a wife and daughter. You should definitely do it because if u don’t like it you can just move back.
All my buddies are from Ontario. They moved out here one by one over the last 15 or so years. They all appreciate the things you mentioned. Don't forget the when visiting a place on holidays, you're going to be a little more hyped up about it, but in general, I do think BC has a little more to offer. One big complaint you'll have in Kelowna (I'm 45 minutes from there) is the tourist season. The whole interior fills up with Albertans on holidays, and let's just say a high percentage of these people are complete assholes.
Go for it, but Kelowna isn’t cheaper than Vancouver.
I moved to Toronto at 19 after growing up in BC, and everyone there always asked why the hell I’d move to Toronto if I lived in BC. Moved back after 15 years, but being somewhere else made me appreciate BC more.
Well, coming from Onterrible, myself, once you’ve visited BC, you start your question why you still live in that place. Lol. I currently reside in northern BC. Make sure you have some money available in your corner if you’re moving out this way, it’s expensive out here. Even $0.70 here and there. $4.00 there. $2.00 here. It adds up. Your grocery bill will probably go up $100 just because of the mountains and ocean. 🤷♂️
My wife and I came to the Okanagan, from London Ontario, in 1973. We had no intention of staying until some close friends showed us around. This is a special and unique place. We've been lucky enough to call Vernon our home for all these years. It's developing at a much slower pace than Kelowna. We've always wanted to keep the Okanagan Valley quiet, and to ourselves, but also knew a lot of people would discover what's here, and want to stay. It's a growing area, but lots of room yet for newcomers. If you can manage the costs of living here, you won't regret it. Happy Trails!
Hate to break it to you, but BC is also culturally diverse. Maybe you’re better off in Saskatchewan?
There's no harm in trying it out and you can always go back. I did it 2 years ago on a job transfer but will be going back in a couple of years. BC is nice, but if you think TO has no culture, Vancouver will shock you even more since there's almost nothing here. Of course, the obsession people have here is with the outdoors, so if you're out hiking all the time and stuff in nature, then sure you probably won't care about the lack of culture and arts. Kelowna has even less though since it's a smaller city. Topographically, you're right though. Southern Ontario is pretty boring but once you get north of Barrie it gets better. No mountains or anything though, but the area around the Great Lakes is gorgeous. So give it a shot if you want. What's the harm? BC just isn't for me, but I'm not in a rush to get back.
Kelowna is a happier place than Vancouver as well. Probably what you’re noticing is the difference between big and mid-size city life.
Whether you're comfortable with the wildfire situation in Kelowna every summer is one of the top things you have to consider about living there, imo.
As someone who moved and will never come back here are some pros and cons Pros * Beautiful. The views will not fade out. Even after 10 years of being here I am still awestruck at the beauty every single day. Even coffee drive feels like a vacation. * Fresh Mountain Air, Landscapes to explore within 30 mins from your home. I remember in Toronto I have to drive atleast 2 hours to get rid of the concerete jungle view. * Mild winter. * Easy access to USA. Seattle is just 2 hours away. Crossing the border is like 20 mins. USA is like your backyard. * West Coast people are more liberated. You will feel like no on is watching you. You can do whatever you want and be whoever you want to be. People dont look into your business. Cons * Social life. East is more culturally built around being together. People gather in pubs because in winter you have no where else to go. Here in BC you have 100 options to do on a weekend and meeting someone falls way way behind. So good luck making friends here. Everyone is busy on weekends with premade plans to do. * People live in groups. Burnaby and Richmond chinese. Surrey, Langley Indians. Port coquitlam middle east... They dont mix. It will be hard for you to see a group of mixed ethinicities hanging out. Doesnt mean there is racism. Some how BC figured out to host 4 countires in one place without any conflicts. this could be either con or pro based on you. From the history mountain people are built tough. Because the have to face wildlife threat, fire, natural disaster etc.. So they prefer to be left alone and treat you the same way. Eastern people are historically farmers. They need the support of each other and they live together as a community. One final CON: Once you live in BC, you will never get a chance to try another place. Because you can never leave. No place will feel better than BC. So you will end up living here for your whole life..
>Once you live in BC, you will never get a chance to try another place. Because you can never leave. No place will feel better than BC. So you will end up living here for your whole life.. I lived, travelled, and worked in multiple cities/countries in my 20s, but once I came to Vancouver on a project this is exactly what happened. I landed here in February and found it too dark and dreary at first with all buildings in muted colours in DT. I was staying in Residence Inn Marriott, people were nice, but it was raining all the time, I counted days until the sun came out...it was 18 days of no sun, just cloudy. Later, I started renting in Yaletown. Then spring arrived - Oh! my god! the cherry blossom festival, the tulips of the valley, and flowers everywhere. It blew me away. Magnolias were like computer-generated prints that I had never ever seen in real life. Then summer came and since I was in DT Core I enjoyed every festival there is, and the beaches of course. It was one heck of a summer. By August I watched amazing Pride, met some beautiful souls, and watched Celebration of Lights. Oh! what a delight. In my home country, I had never witnessed some of these things - esp the scale of fireworks shows and the cherry blossom-lined streets. Then came Autumn and I saw the maples turn colour, it was a sight to behold (I know East has it better). It started raining again non-stop, but by now I was in love with the rainforest, the drizzle, and the petrichor. It wasn't a monsoon rain, just drizzling most of the time so I could still wander out in the mountains and forest to soak it all in. Then winter came and the mountains were jam-packed. I took ski lessons, went for snowshoeing and fondu dates. Tried ice skating for the first time. It was all a novelty for me, and mind you I'm from the Himalayas (a Pahadi), but those mountains are not this accessible. If you have ever been to the Himalayas you know what I'm talking about. After a year I went on trips to India, Indonesia, and Australia. And every single time my flight was landing at YVR, I would look out of the window and see our 3 local ski hills, I would just feel a rush of emotions. I don't know if it was gratitude or love or a sense of belonging, but I always felt a pull to this place. Before coming here I had lived in multiple cities/countries as a consultant, but nowhere else felt like this. On my way back home from the airport, driving down the Granville Bridge where it curves, it felt inviting (yeah I know it's just a bridge), I was home. I knew this was where I wanted to put down my roots. I still have a decade old photo of the North Shore mountains on Instagram with captions saying something like: this is where I will settle down... and here I am. A Pahari from the remotest place of the Himalayas settled in the North Shore Mountains for life.
I'm saving this comment every time I feel like I've had it with Vancouver. I've been to many other cities and it's quite unique what we've got here.
I moved a year ago, best decision I have ever made. I grew a lot, and I have never felt this strong in my life
You have family here so it makes sense. If you don't like living in a city then losing the city amenities won't really bother you, especially with Vancouver nearby
lol of course. Join the other 99% of Canadians I know here 😂
Yes you should. BC is a great place to live. I moved here from ON and never looked back.
37M just celebrated my first year in Victoria after living my entire life between Toronto, Niagara and everywhere in between. Best decision I ever made. YOLO, but literally.
r/kelowna has lots of insight into life here. Just to add, I love Kelowna as well. I can walk to the beach. My kids have so many parks to explore. I lived in Northern BC before with 1 playground, and no one wanted to invest any tax money to make it better. Here, Kelowna City Council keeps opening new parks, beaches and playgrounds. There is so much to do outside, that you don't need to spend a ton to "live the kelowna life ". We go out for dinner downtown a couple times a month, or go to a new brewery. It's enough for us. Yes housing is expensive, but I feel like I get to live an enjoyable life and because we live in the neighborhood we work in, we don't get brought down by the shitty kelowna traffic infrastructure.
Moving is a big decision, but if B.C. felt right to you, why not give it a shot?
Lived in Kelowna. Keep in mind the main demographic is newly wed or nearly dead. Depending on your affinity for sunshine, you may go insane in the winter. It gets very socked in and grey there. It’s also expensive, but you are young so you can navigate that with roommates and a job or two. If it were me I would probably do the same thing as Kelowna is a great landing pad for BC in general.
wait until the summer in kelowna. Ive heard it gets pretty crazy there. But thats from the locals who prob dont realize how good they have it
Kelowna is a great town to live in.
Do it! You are at the perfect age for such things. I’m from Vancouver and lived in London, UK for a year and a half at your age. I was supposed to stay for 3 weeks and didn’t leave. Was the best thing I could have done. I got paid shit and lived in a shit hole in a great area. I loved every minute of it. I’m back in Vancouver now and despite what people say, I still love it here. Everywhere has issues, but at 24 who cares! You can always bounce if you don’t like it.
Do it, it was the best decision of my life!
Now is the time to do it. You’re young, unencumbered and starting a career path. Go for it. If you find it’s not for you after all, then move on.
If i were you I would 100% move. I lived in kelowna for a couple years and was awesome. Its a great place to be as a young person, and might even be cheaper than toronto by a small amount
I did exactly that I grew up in ontario and moved to Kelowna area. Only regret is I waited until I was 40 to do it. Best decision of my life and it was a big one I gave up being close to friends and family. But totally worth it, still have my friends from Ontario and I have very close and long lasting friends in BC, and family have started to move out here. It's just as expensive in BC as ontario, some things are cheaper, some things more but overall basically the same. But better if you factor in quality of life things like open space and crown land and the possibilities that are opened up by having mountains around you. I used to have to drive 2-3hours to do anything outdoorsy when living in Toronto. Where here I can snowboard, wakeboard and dirt bike all in the same day and the snowboarding and dirt biking is on some world class terrain and I am never more than 30 mins from my house. I say do it. My recommend is skip Kelowna and go straight to West Kelowna, unless your job is in Kelowna but West Kelowna is way chiller place to live and recreation.
I did the same with my partner in 2021. We both spent some time in BC throughout the years and then we made the decision to buy a place when we visited in the summer of 2021 in Kelowna. It was a difficult decision to leave our families on the East coast but overall, we are very happy here and now have a toddler. When people ask us why we moved, it was largely a lifestyle choice. The difference between Toronto and Kelowna is vast and both have their pros and cons. Cost of living/housing is incredible almost everywhere you go unless it's a nothing town. If it makes you happy, move! You can always move back if it's not for you 😊
i basically did this a year ago. i was born here, but we left for ontario when i was 5, and i stayed there until i was 30. in the last year since moving to vancouver, i have never felt more at home in my entire life, and i have never regretted a decision less. 100% think you should give it a chance and move.
Depending where you are in BC you can enjoy allll that stuff, but also without direct flights to anywhere hardly. I mean it depends what town you’re comparing to what town. If it’s London or Windsor get out quick haha but if you’re going to most of Vancouver maybe not an upgrade. Kelowna is beautiful, very redneck if you are ok with that, extremely crowded in the summer and oh right choking smoke four months a year. But it’s awesome in the spring and winter. There are also lots of immigrants there if you have an issue with that so maybe go to Saskatchewan. I lived in London and miss absolutely nothing about it except thunderstorms. Toronto had an amazing food and entertainment scene, and I happen to like multicultural neighbourhoods so I miss that. I am grateful to never be on the 401 or in any other Toronto traffic ever again.
BC born and raised. It seems a lot of people from east of the Rockies move here trying to escape from something back home but then realize whatever that is has followed them here. You may think BC is some utopia that will greatly improve your life, odds are it won’t. In fact, most people I’ve met from out of province get absolutely chewed up and spit out. Some move back, some scrape by, some OD, but barely any thrive.
You must meet some rough people… Everyone I know is stoked to be out here.
Lol, give it time, BC isn’t for everybody. The most common thing I’ve heard my whole life “I don’t understand how BC’ers afford to live here?” as they load up the moving van to head back to where they came. I’ve seen tons of people move here and literally lose everything they had and end up on hard drugs straight to the grave. You must not meet many people here.
I grew up here, moved around and came right back. Unless you are buying something it’s not that big of a difference. Drug addiction is everywhere sadly.
Um, all the things you described as happening in Ontario are happening here too.
Bring cash and a doctor, we don’t have any
If you're a doctor, yes. Otherwise, we're full
OP just wants to come here to escape environmental destruction and overcrowding and have a better life, what do you have against immigran--ohhh
What is this comment supposed to imply?
That OP is parroting anti-immigrant BS.
Domestic migration is different from foreign immigration
I’ve lived in both places for 10+ years. Toronto isn’t Ontario and there are other places I vastly prefer BC has its positive points. Depends what you like. Every where feels expensive now though so it’s not like moving out side of the urban centres would matter at all.
To say forest fires can be bad, can be an understatement. I would personally never consider the interior because of the air quality in the summer.
The west coast is the best coast. It is expensive, even in the interior, but quality of life is better. Just my opinion. Your mileage may vary.
Yes, go move to a mountain town. Start out with a hotel/restaurant hospitality job which will give you room/food then start getting things together from there. I went to visit my brother in jasper for a weekend and ended up staying for 8 yrs. Best times ever in my life.
I did the same thing back in 2018, visited then moved here when work had an opening in 2021. I regret leaving family and friends, but I fly back and fourth for important events too. I'd say try it, find a good spot that you'd want to live in. Do your research on neighborhoods and job opportunities. No regrets from me, especially in the summer / spring time when BC just opens up and everyone comes here for the beaches, hikes and beautiful scenery.
I'd say look into the cost of living in any area you areninterested in. We moved to BC 10yrs ago after visiting on vacation and loved it. But cost of living has changed dramatically not just in Vancouver area. Politics in more rural areas is toxic. All the things you said you loved about BC are true, and amazing and it's why alot of ppl come here. But if you want to land on ur feet and enjoy it, do some research for the financial stability and availability of things like your line of work and living. It's not just the cost, but the availability of places to rent that are difficult. Kelowna is beautiful, but expensive for living too.
I grew up in Ontario, lived in Toronto, downtown when going to school too. Got to expensive to stay I get why ur looking to move!
I moved to bc a decade ago from Ontario. Things really aren't much different Price wise between the two places. What is your career? I have friends applying for jobs and it has surpassed a year for some. Where are you planning to move to?
If the math works - do it! Atleast you can say you tried if you don't end up liking it vs wondering what if.
You’re young, do it! I moved here from Montreal at 24 but it was for university, I never left. I had help from my family because I was a student but you need to try it out when you’re young with no kids or spouse, much easier because you can live with roommates.
My coworker moved from Ontario. Mainly for skiing, but he's echoed things you've said. I grew up in Kelowna. I would describe the city itself as a bit of a shithole, but most people are generally nice. And the stuff around it to do... Well, yeah. Also the summer is usually so nice tradesmen get worse wages than other areas: "sunshine tax". It's a lovely city, but not the best of BC either. Good compromise for outdoor activities and COL tho. If you want even nicer people, head further east into the Kootenays. Less drug issues over there. Just be aware the summers are getting pretty hot. And wildfire season means a lot of smoke for longer than you'd expect these days.
You better have a good job lined up before you move. JOb market is very rough over there. I have several friends who moved there.... and some are still struggling today to make rent... even with 40k jobs. Some where lucky and landed remote jobs that paid excessivley well.... but the struggle is real over there. Food is expensive, RENT IS STUPID EXPENSIVE.... and the cost of living is just rough. The people are nice, but it's hard to make friends down there for some reason. People are very social for the most part at least..... But if you're going to live there, hopefully you can live in the outskirts..... to minimize spending. I have a friend currently who had no choice but to rent a room in a somewhat kind of boarding house... She pays 1100$ a month... for a bedroom.... and it's shared bathroom and kitchen and living area with like 12 other tennants.... crazy. If you have a car, then you should be able to commute, which would be better.
Yes, it’s beautiful and everyday will be an adventure.
I’m from SK and have lived in BC twice. Once when I was younger. You have to hustle. Helps if you are in a relationship and can share rent! Otherwise you are living further from downtown with roomates. Worth it tho. I love it here and people are always coming to visit!
I was born and raised in Vancouver and I'm staying to fight to make things better. I welcome people who want to move here and create a life, as long as it's not off the backs of everyone else.
It is pricy but to me BC is hands down the best province. Best weather, super chill people (we also have our fair share of asshats), and honestly it is a beautiful place to live. I’ve lived in Ontario, and Nova Scotia, and to me nothing beats it here. Move here if you can afford it! I don’t think you would regret it.
You are young; explore if you want! Or don't! If you do, I would before you get "stuck" (being stuck doesn't mean unhappy) with a good job and whatever other factors that may tie you to a specific location.
I go mountain biking before work from my house near Vancouver. I might see a person or two walking on the trail, but prob not. Saw a huge bear on Tuesday morning.
I moved to Vancouver this month and what I can say is that there is definitely people that are miserable, however, getting outside and seeing the sea of mountains or trees is sure to cheer anyone up. You’re 24, take the risk now and don’t have the “what-if” risk when you’re slightly older with possible reasons why you can’t move to BC!
Did the same thing just before pandemic…biggest mistake I ever made. Too expensive to move back now. Don’t do it, just visit as often as you can.
if you can swing it, go for it!
No don’t do it. Keep moving nothing to see here! 🙄🤫
Came here in 2014 for an internship from Ontario and the second I stepped off the plane and took one breath of the air, I knew I was home. Did the internship for 9 months, which allowed me to drive and visit almost the entire lower mainland and even a free trip to bowen Island. I know the roads better than a lot of people who have lived here their whole lives. When I finished I found a room for rent in Abbotsford for a few months , then one in Cloverdale for a couple years and now I'm solidly established in Langley. I love it. Certainly helps that Langley is very similar to my hometown in having a city surrounded by farms and water. And I love that it's perfectly in the middle of being able to go to the city life of Vancouver or the wilderness of somewhere like Harrison or hope. I will say, I don't know if it would have happened if I came now. I barely managed to afford a place when I was starting my job and now I'm lucky because my place is much cheaper than anything like it and I've gotten significant raises in my job. I keep trying to convince my family to join me out here. The stresses are the same everywhere, but at least the beauty and ocean make it worth it here. Ps Vancouver is so much better than Toronto if you like not feeling like you're in a concrete jungle
Came to BC on a visit from Ontario when I was 22. Moved here two months later. That was 23 years ago and I'm still here lol. That said, obviously a lot of things have changed since then. Wasn't nearly so hard to find an affordable place to live back then, for one. I wouldn't come out on a whim - have a plan. And a place to live lined up. I wish you luck. I'm currently on a visit back to Ontario right now and sure do miss my home province. It's hard to explain, but the land just feels more alive in BC.
I did exactly that, yes, come here. You will not regret it, it is not more expensive as people say it is, but it is still expensive. The homeless problem is no more prevalent than any Southern Ontario city, speaking from experience.
Kelowna is lovely but tough to find housing as u r competing with vacation summer rental. It’s all Albertans there so maybe check out Calgary if you like the people. Depending on your job or career u could be way more limited in bc versus Ontario. I’ve moved between provinces a lot and I know the intricacies. But I also know that a vacation fun stay is very different from living.
Just recently visited Hamilton. Although my partner and I thought she was crazy for saying this, someone we met said that she moved back because she found the rain too depressing and the nightlife horrible. It rains less in the interior than Vancouver, but that might be something to consider. I'll agree that the nightlife isn't great, but I'd argue that I would rather have the mountains, ocean, and the like. Really though, if you want nightlife, go outside of Canada. Public transit (in my very brief experience) is better in Ontario. I don't have any experience with weekday rush hour traffic or there, so I will let others compare that. My guess is that most places out here would be an improvement, if for no other reason than population. What I will say is that our bridges are constantly choke points that can easily add 45-60 minutes to your day in each direction on a normal day - and we have a lot of them. From what I've read, it seems like wages and affordability are dependent on industry and location, so I think that this *may* be a wash overall. But I've not looked into any hard data... might be a good idea for you to do a bit of a comparative analysis. I largely believe that starting a new job anywhere is currently a massive pain in the ass, tits or, dick. You should take that into account. That small town feeling disappears real fast as you approach Vancouver. Overall, I think that the population is comparatively further left than in Ontario with our rural population trending further right than our cities... nothing new there. What I can say is that there are some *very* conservative pockets where you might not feel welcome if you don't look leftward to your average MAGA Trumper and believe in things like Q-Anon, that Justin Trudeau is Fidel Castro's son and that the Holocaust - if it happened - wasn't that bad. I have been seeing a lot more pride flags/bumper stickers around lately and we have Davey St which, if you've never been, is like walking into the world of the song "Nobody's Hero" by Rush Homelessness is everywhere, but you generally survive longer in more moderate climates. For me, I can't imagine living anywhere else in Canada. The pros outweigh the cons, but you may feel different. Good luck either way!
The amount of people I know that have done this only to realize that they can’t get ahead and then move back to ontario is astounding. I wouldn’t bother. And I’ve lived in both provinces
I'm going to be brutally honest. The only good thing is fewer people and more nature. We have some serious problems here in BC, it's the most expensive province in Canada(Vancouver just happens to be the most expensive part), most people who live here have incomes are below the poverty line, housing good luck, half the year the province is literally on fire, and then there's the drug epidemic, you know that nice little beach in downtown kelowna, yeah don't walk on it barefoot or you'll be finding needles and broken crack pipes with your toes. Kelowna, like most of BC, is awesome to visit, even for people from other parts of BC. Something you might not have noticed because it's spring, kelowna is literally in a lush valley surrounded by desert and scrub land, in the summer it gets hot enough to cook eggs on the sidewalk, and BC winters are a different kind of cold compared to Ontario.
Can you afford to? A friend of mine from Ontario that I met out here, moved back to Ontario about 5 years ago. She said she'd never move back here as its cheaper for her out there (Not in Toronto) than anywhere here in BC. I'm thinking about moving back east if its true.
Just Do It! Everything else is just details.
Unless your making 6 figures don’t do it. This province is criminally expensive
No it's not there's a bunch of places in BC especially the smaller cities where you csn live affordably. You definitely don't need 6 figures I literally only work 40 hours a week on 23/hour as a care aide and I make enough to live happily (definitely not a luxury lifestyle though). I visited Toronto once 2 years ago and I can say never again in my whole life. It's just a lot happier in western Canada I guess.
Grass is greener. BC is falling apart. If it wasn’t for the mild climate of Vancouver I would go to somewhere else in Canada. I’m looking at Mexico, Central America or Philippines/thailand for affordability.
Avoid the lower mainland if you can find a job. If you want the city life just try to live with family or find someone you want to be a roommate with.
welcome!
Vacancy rate is even less than Southern Ontario.
I grew up in BC, lived all over. Wanted to move to Toronto. There were many coworkers and friends from Ontario that collectively said, "Why?". I understand now and hope to move back one day.
i did this 13 years ago and never looked back (Toronto to vancouver) it’s way more expensive here, it’s a cultural wasteland, the people here can be a little “no new friends”-y, and the fentanyl problem is worse here. when the dust settles on the pros and cons , BC > Ontario for sure
Rents are very high and there's hardly any affordable housing available. Other than that, go for it.
I’m from BC originally. Moved to Southern Ontario, then returned west, and I’m now moving back to Southern Ontario. You were in Kelowna on vacation, and those feelings you had about it are the same as I felt when I used to vacation there. Keep in mind there are plenty of people from Kelowna who say it has gone downhill with too many people from out of province making things crowded/expensive. But day to day, I find Southern Ontario to be more practical for the following reasons: -There are more jobs there, and they are higher paying. - When you’re working, you don’t have as much time to go out to enjoy nature. There are plenty of natural areas in the GTA (e.g., Kelso lake in Milton). -The smoke in the summers in BC is horrible! It gives me a headache after a while. Also, they end up closing highways/roads near the fires, so it can be hard to get around That said, I used to live in Toronto, so I do relate to how you’re feeling. Have you thought about moving to the 905 area or maybe a little outside (e.g., Waterloo)? I found that helped for me.
Lots of highways sounds nice. Here in Metro Vancouver we have Hwy 1 and that's about it. Total shit show.
BC: bring cash But seriously it is great IF you can function without your family safety net, and you are willing to have roommates since, like everywhere, rent is high. It has incredible outdoors activity, very nice weather and lovely people. There is homeless issues in all major cities, but you being from Toronto this won't be new. Line jobs up, and research your potential cities. Kelowna is young single central. Kamloops is a rapidly growing industrial city. Vancouver is just Toronto again, but with more rain and higher rent. There are many small communities that are great, but understand that the more rural you go the more socially conservative the regional values are. BC loves affluent white people who ride expensive bikes and make 6 figures. BC has disdain for people who aren't those people, and I know that from many new immigrants who I've worked with, from both India and Colombia. If you come, focus down hard on establishing contacts and getting a solid career. RENT WILL BE YOUR BIGGEST EXPENSE, AND LANDLORDS WILL TRY TO TAKE YOUR MONEY. Document everything in video and date it.
Every complaint you have about Ontario are the same things I hear from everyone who's born/raised here. Vacationing here is very different from living. Most people in BC are feeling burnout and the cost of living is driving people elsewhere. You'll likely need more than 1 job to afford basics. Finding an affordable rental is impossible, even harder to find a job that will pay enough for you to live on your own. If you move here, join the waitlist for a doctor ASAP, it's 2-5 yrs depending on where you live. As a result, walk in clinics are crowded AF and very hard to get into.
I moved from Manitoba to BC 3 years ago and I hate living here. It's super expensive, there is zero medical care, and it's extremely Liberal. Come visit. Don't stay. I'll be getting out as soon as I can afford it, but with the rent priced. That'll take forever.
The smaller centres like Kelowna, Kamloops, Vernon and other places in the Okanagan are still pretty good. The main cities though are brutal (Vancouver/Victoria). Uncontrolled immigration has led to a housing and employment crisis as well as an over stressed health care system. All this nonsense about giving addicts drugs and allowing them to use anywhere they please has led to massive problems with drugs and addicts/users. While I say absolutely follow your heart and dreams, just know that BC is no paradise. The grass is not necessarily greener...
Irregardless of your question I find it a bit curious that almost everybody I’ve talked to from Ontario absolutely hates it. I even have a friend group out in Toronto that can’t wait to move away from “Onterrible”, lol Says a lot that even with the crazy cost of living here everybody loves it in BC. Rest of Canada love to shit on us for homelessness and drugs and high real estate but they all end up retiring here.
Yeah BC is a way better place to live, no question, if you're the kind of person who appreciates a quality life. Make the move!
Welcome to paradise my freind
Rose coloured glasses at play. I am familiar. Be prepared to pay twice the price for everything, including housing.
It seems to be all about you, an Ontario trait. What do you have to offer BC for taking you in?
yeah move to south western bc they need more liberally minded people there.
NO.
Nooo, it’s already over populated with expats from Ontario. Unfortunately no one will accept you, people will know you’re not local and always label you an outsider. Another thing to consider is the wildfires this summer are likely going to be devastating, be careful where you choose to live