# Vancouver Island - 2nd Time Lucky?



## CampbellsRComing (Apr 15, 2009)

Hi,

Hope someone can help?

We are planning to come out to the Island in August for a month to have a good look around with a view to making a decision about maybe giving BC another go later next year?

Being honest about this, it will be our 2nd attempt at emigrating i.e. we moved over to BC (Van Mainland / Okanagan) in Spring 2003 with our eldest (then just 12 mths old) and it fell apart horribly.

I won't go into the reasons for fear of boring you, but funnily enough we made exactly the mistake that I've just been reading about in the 'I'm so sad' thread - we sold up everything and as a result it took us a good 2/3 years to get settled back in Chester.

Long story short, but life moves on so quickly and by the time No. 2 and No. 3 appeared we now realise that its been nearly 5 years since we came back and the irony is now that we have kids, we want to bring them up anywhere other than the UK - though no doubt when they are teenagers they will hate us for it 

Hence the trip.

We are looking to spend a week or so looking around Victoria (Sannitch Peninsula, Western Communities etc.) and another week looking around Cowichan i.e. Cow Bay, Cobble Hill, Ladysmith up to Naniamo etc.

That will leave us with 2 weeks to do a bit more digging in any locations / communities that give good first impressions and / or maybe travel further up the East Coast if worthwhile?

In terms of advice, we'd would really appreciate comments about where might be a good central place to base ourselves in respect to looking around Victoria and its communities and equally a good base for looking around Cowichan.

Obviously with the kids, we can't just be a car each day driving from one place to another (doing the adult research bit) without a break so we need to try and find a happy mix where perhaps one day we can kick back and relax (as far as the kids are concerned this is a holiday and given the last 3 years of UK summer weather they're actually very excited about doing stuff 'outside') but equally when we do get out & about to look around (adult time - but again with kids) we are not in for a 5 hour road trip each day.

If anyone could help with suggestion for the 2x bases we're looking for / offer any other practical advice (nice places you've found to live / places you would avoid like the plague) we'd really appreciate it.

We're bit older and wiser than we were 5 years ago but we could still learn a hell of a lot from people who have ' ... been there and done it ...'

Thanks


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## Raymapleleaf (Nov 1, 2008)

*going back to canada 2nd time*

Hi,
hello 
vancover island is beautiful but is it the right place to live unless work is not that
important why there ? we have been to canada 3 times i think calgary is the better choice for famliy work and play if not vancover is more to do .
the main reason we like calgary is the people so friendly,helpful and with the can 
do thinking .What was wrong with the frist time area i have heard itis beautiful there what about work and the people?
regards 
ray[/B][/B]
Hope someone can help?

We are planning to come out to the Island in August for a month to have a good look around with a view to making a decision about maybe giving BC another go later next year?

Being honest about this, it will be our 2nd attempt at emigrating i.e. we moved over to BC (Van Mainland / Okanagan) in Spring 2003 with our eldest (then just 12 mths old) and it fell apart horribly.

I won't go into the reasons for fear of boring you, but funnily enough we made exactly the mistake that I've just been reading about in the 'I'm so sad' thread - we sold up everything and as a result it took us a good 2/3 years to get settled back in Chester.

Long story short, but life moves on so quickly and by the time No. 2 and No. 3 appeared we now realise that its been nearly 5 years since we came back and the irony is now that we have kids, we want to bring them up anywhere other than the UK - though no doubt when they are teenagers they will hate us for it 

Hence the trip.

We are looking to spend a week or so looking around Victoria (Sannitch Peninsula, Western Communities etc.) and another week looking around Cowichan i.e. Cow Bay, Cobble Hill, Ladysmith up to Naniamo etc.

That will leave us with 2 weeks to do a bit more digging in any locations / communities that give good first impressions and / or maybe travel further up the East Coast if worthwhile?

In terms of advice, we'd would really appreciate comments about where might be a good central place to base ourselves in respect to looking around Victoria and its communities and equally a good base for looking around Cowichan.

Obviously with the kids, we can't just be a car each day driving from one place to another (doing the adult research bit) without a break so we need to try and find a happy mix where perhaps one day we can kick back and relax (as far as the kids are concerned this is a holiday and given the last 3 years of UK summer weather they're actually very excited about doing stuff 'outside') but equally when we do get out & about to look around (adult time - but again with kids) we are not in for a 5 hour road trip each day.

If anyone could help with suggestion for the 2x bases we're looking for / offer any other practical advice (nice places you've found to live / places you would avoid like the plague) we'd really appreciate it.

We're bit older and wiser than we were 5 years ago but we could still learn a hell of a lot from people who have ' ... been there and done it ...'

Thanks[/QUOTE]


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## mikecwm (Jun 18, 2008)

A place for kids eh?
Parksville just north of Nanaimo has a beautiful big beach, as does Qualicum Beach - a few kms further north.
You don't say what sort of work you would be looking for, which can make a big difference to where you live on the Island. I've lived / worked further north in Courtenay and Campbell River, so know the situation there better.
For Victoria and the Western suburbs - Metchosin has good beaches and interesting spots like Witty's Lagoon. 
Hotels in nearby Langford.
Good luck. I've emigrated to Australia, New Zealand and now Canada (from UK). Just give it time and an open mind. You wouldn't get me back in UK either.


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## spekegirl (Jan 14, 2009)

I am living in Australia, but I am from Vancouver Island. You don't say what kind of work you will be looking for, how big of a town you want to live in or if you are looking for city life? Victoria and suburbs are the city. You will deal with city traffic and the Malahat which is the only road connecting Victoria with the rest of the Island. Duncan and surrounding area (the Cowichan Valley) has many options, but once again it depends on what you are looking for. Nanaimo is the next biggest centre and other than Victoria is where the ferry docks from the mainland. There are some great suburbs in the Nanaimo area. I lived in Nanaimo for 5 years. 

If you are looking for a "laid back" lifestyle you may want to head farther up towards the North Island. Courtenay is where you will find a larger population of retired folk. Campbell River is a very cute community and probably a good place to invest. The Comox Valley has many small towns dotted throughout. Keep driving farther North and you are in a whole new world. Small towns and a huge outdoor playground. I lived in Port McNeill for 30 years. 

Another option for a great place to raise children is one of the Gulf Island. The Gulf Islands run up the East Coast of Vancouver Island. Most of them have small ferries that connect them to Vancouver Island. They are small town and remote. You will probably never have to lock your front door, but finding work can be a real issue. You also have to remember that you will be relying on a ferry for transportation.

If you have any questions about specific places on the Island, I would be happy to try to answer them. I am an Island girl through and through! 

I also want to say that you will find the friendliest laid back people on Vancouver Island. There is a reason why it's called "Island time". I believe it is one of the most beautiful places in Canada and a great choice to offer you a wonderful lifestyle and place to raise your family. You can golf, sail and ski on the same day!


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## CampbellsRComing (Apr 15, 2009)

Hi SpekeGirl (Speke Liverpool?)

I'm amazed that anyone has actually replied to me on this website - its been a week or so and to be honest I also registered on Britsh Expats and my inbox is full everyday - don't know why???

Persoannly I'd love to live on Salt Island etc. but as you said I do have a family of 5 (3 kids aged 7, 4 and 18 months) to support - so that may have to wait a while but equally if I coudl find something approximating that lifestyle but with the option to at least commute to work I'd probably jump at it - hence my thoughts about Cowichan.

I'm currently in Chester and commute to Liverpool City centre (previously commuted from Chester to Manchester and from Chester to London) so if history is anything to go by my choice, given the option, has been to have my family live somewhere as nice as I can afford and I suffer the commute - and that will probably hold for Van Island too

Your post asked the right 'location' question and in answer its about lifestyle ... but with a practical edge (I need to make a living) i.e. I really want my familiy to live in a community /neighbourhood that is beautiful but I sometimes worry that perhaps everyone who is so practical i.e. ' ... find a job and then move there ...' perhaps know something I don't and perhaps its my head that is in the clouds??

But that said if living somewhere great means doing something totally new / for less money I'd be up for it as long as it gave us what we need to survive on.

I'm interested in your views on Nanaimo and Duncan i.e. I understand that Nanaimo is a work option but I was told that it (and Drunkin' Duncan as it was called) are ... and I quote 'ugly holes.'

What about Ladysmith / Chermainus, Mape Bay, Genoa Bay, Cowichan Bay, Cobble Hill, Mill Bay etc.

Also interested in any info you have on those communities north of Nanaimo i.e. we're hoping to rent an RV for a week or so after looking around Victoria / Sannich Peninsula and Cowichan etc. - are Campbell River Courtnay and Comox worth the trip???

To sum up, we're considering this move primarily for the kids i.e. we want them to grow up with a whole wide world of different opportunities (other than going to work in an office in Liverpool) so if I can find that 'ideal' neighbourhood / community (and afford it) I'm more than happy to commute.

If you coudl help I've listed (in no particular order) the Victoria neighbourhoods i.e. Oaklands, Fernwood, Jubilee, Rockland, Gonzales, Fairfield, James Bay, Harris Green, North Park, Hillside-Quadra, Burnside and Victoria West.

Do you have a view on them i.e. I understand that some neighbourhoods will simply be too expensive / exclusive, some too rough (for a family at least) but hopefully some might be just in the middle. 

Without getting into specific house prices - we're probably middle of the road - at least in UK terms) ... though ask me again next month ... which, if any, of the above, might be 'just right' as Goldilocks may have put it, given the rather vague criteria:

Pretty / Attractive
Older / Heritage style
Sense of community (not too large)
Schools
Local Amenities / Shops
Access to Nature (Trails / Beach etc.) if any?

Same question about the Peninsula towns / communities in general i.e. they're listed as; North Saanich, Sidney (sounds nice) Centra Sannich, Highlands, Saanich, View Royal, Oakbay, Victoria (we covered that I think) Esquimalt, Langford, Colwood (again thanks for your comments) Metchosin and Sooke??

Appreciate any help you might be able to give


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## CampbellsRComing (Apr 15, 2009)

mikecwm said:


> A place for kids eh?
> Parksville just north of Nanaimo has a beautiful big beach, as does Qualicum Beach - a few kms further north.
> You don't say what sort of work you would be looking for, which can make a big difference to where you live on the Island. I've lived / worked further north in Courtenay and Campbell River, so know the situation there better.
> For Victoria and the Western suburbs - Metchosin has good beaches and interesting spots like Witty's Lagoon.
> ...


Mike - thanks - dare I ask why so many moves - do you work in natural resources, gold etc??

As for me I'm primarily offiec based i.e. Operations Director for a Business Services / Consultancy firm but as I note dto SpekeGirl on thsi forum I'm happy to do whatever it takes (within reason) to give get my familiy to a place that offers a new set of opportunities for our kids


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## mikecwm (Jun 18, 2008)

CampbellsRComing said:


> Mike - thanks - dare I ask why so many moves - do you work in natural resources, gold etc??
> 
> As for me I'm primarily offiec based i.e. Operations Director for a Business Services / Consultancy firm but as I note dto SpekeGirl on thsi forum I'm happy to do whatever it takes (within reason) to give get my familiy to a place that offers a new set of opportunities for our kids


Why so many moves? Good question. I used to do construction, which made moving almost anywhere easy. The main reason was mountains - Australia doesn't have any - so NZ called.
I only came to Canada (in '88) to climb in Alaska, and stayed. (No kid 'til I was 47 helped).
I think your first priority on The Island is to find a job, and if you have office skills then Victoria is going to give you more options.
BC is not suffering the recession as much as other areas - unless you are in logging, but jobs are still hard to find. 
The Western suburbs probably have lower prices than 'old' Victoria, but not by much.
Small towns on The Island would be lower prices, but MUCH harder to find work - the locals get first go at any unskilled work (minimum wage is only $8.50 hr). You can't raise a family on that. 
I'm assuming you still have a work permit etc.
ALL of Vancouver Island is beautiful. There are no 'ugly' holes. Just some places more perfect than others.
Good luck.
Good luck


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## spekegirl (Jan 14, 2009)

CampbellsRComing said:


> Hi SpekeGirl (Speke Liverpool?)
> 
> I'm amazed that anyone has actually replied to me on this website - its been a week or so and to be honest I also registered on Britsh Expats and my inbox is full everyday - don't know why???
> 
> ...



You mentioned that Nanaimo is a work option for you. I personally would not work on one side of the Malahat and live on the other. If you are working in the Victoria area, then live on the Victoria side. Langford is a great up and coming suburb of Victoria. You will find that all of the suburbs out of Victoria are much pricier than the other side of the Malahat. Housing prices may be quite a shock to you in those areas.

If you do work out of Nanaimo you have lots of options that are great places to live. I lived right in Nanaimo and loved it. The Departure Bay area is beautiful if you are looking for something with a water view. If you are looking to live a more "country" lifestyle there is Cedar and Chase River area. Another nice area of Nanaimo is North Nanaimo, but I would stay away from the high schools there. Funnily enough the North end of Nanaimo is the more affluent end, but the high schools are not near the quality as the South end high schools. 

Ladysmith is an option for a smaller town evironment for raising the kids. It is very easy to live in Ladysmith and work in Nanaimo. 

If you are looking to live in the Drunkin Duncan area, you have the entire Cowichan Valley to choose from. Maple Bay, Mill Bay are beautiful areas, but again will be quite pricey. Chemainus is a very cute town as is Cobble Hill. It all depends on whether you want to live in rural smaller town or nearer the city life.

Yes, I suggest you rent an RV and tour around Courtenay and Campbell River. Don't be afraid to keep driving past Campbell River. Two hours North of Campbell River you will find Port McNeil, 20 minutes after that you will be in Port Hardy. You will be awestruck by the drive and the beauty of the North Island. It is a long drive, but well worth it. I suggest you go whale watching out of Port McNeill when there. 

As for settling down somewhere, I recommend the South Island (Nanaimo and South) if for nothing else, for the weather. You will experience the most beautiful summers there. Also check out Parksville and Qualicum Beach, but once again you may be shocked by house prices in those areas. Certainly a beautiful place to live and raise children though! 

One thing you will find about Vancouver Island is that it is relatively easy to find something with a water view. The weather is wonderful and in the summer the beaches are spectacular. In winter you are not far from Mount Washington in the Comox Valley where you will find some of the best skiing in the country. Living on Vancouver Island is like living in an outdoor playground. Any and all of the places listed above or in fact anywhere on Vancouver Island you will find many walking and hiking trails. 

Sorry I couldn't help more with the Victoria area, I don't know it as well as the rest of the Island. Some things I do know are Metchosin and Sooke areas you must watch for heavy traffic. In the winter you can get stuck and not be able to get to work. Also in the winter the Malahat can be closed as often as it is open. Also, as soon as you are in the Victoria Peninsula you are paying much more for housing. If you can afford it, the lifestyle is great there. Sidney is beautiful, but not very affordable.

Pretty/Attractive - most of the Island. Stay away from area's that have pulp mills if you don't want the smell. Port Alberni, Crofton.

Older / Heritage style - Courtenay South. I lived in a house in Nanaimo that was built in the mid 1800's. It was right downtown which is not for everybody because it is the rougher part of town, but I loved it and loved the area. Ladysmith has that old worldly feel to it as does Chemanius. 

Sense of community (not too large) - anywhere other than Victoria. It is the only fairly large city. 

Schools - All schools will be fine. You may find some schools better than others, but for the most part they will be great. Education in Canada is a very high standard. Because your children are young, I recommend trying to get then into a french immersion school. Great education and they end up with a second language. These are public schools, not private so it does not cost you anything. 

Local Amenities / Shops - All depends on where you end up. There is a lot of rural living on Vancouver Island so you may want to keep your search closer to town centres. 

Access to Nature (Trails / Beach etc.) if any? - No shortage of nature, trails or beaches. The nice thing about Vancouver Island is that nature or beaches are never far away no matter where you live. 

Just let me know if you have additional questions, I will be happy to answer them even if I do get a little homesick! It is still nice to think of home! Good luck.


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## CampbellsRComing (Apr 15, 2009)

spekegirl said:


> SpekeGirl,
> 
> Thanks so much for your reply - as comprehensive as I could have hoped for.
> 
> ...


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## mikecwm (Jun 18, 2008)

CampbellsRComing said:


> spekegirl said:
> 
> 
> > SpekeGirl,
> ...


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## CampbellsRComing (Apr 15, 2009)

Hi Mike,

I guess thats one way of looking at it ... another, of course, is that I'm trying to avoid exactly the mistakes that we made last time ... which for us was simply pitching up hoping everything would be OK

I totally agree with you that we need to get to there and enjoy ourselves, see a few sites, meet a few people and have good look around but equally I don't have 2 months off, I don't really fancy buying an RV right now and have 3 kids in tow who won't want to sit in a car everyday whilst mum and dad 'bumble' from one location to another in the hope that its not '... arrrr another s**hole ...'

So given the reality of our situation i.e. that we can only see so much in a limited amount of time (it is a reccie after-all) I am actually really interested in the fact that everyone will have their own opinions of their township / or someone elses - becuase that's exactly what I'm looking for ...

For the record, I've no problem with with other people having their opinions as to the best way of emigrating and yep, we're all different, have different circumstances and different ways of doing things; but I guess I do object to someone effectively trying to psycho-analysing me based solely on a social network thread and coming to a conclusion as to why our first attempt at emigration didn't work based on absolutely no knowledge of our circumstances ... either then or now.

So, do I need everything 'tied in a bow' ... no, but I do have a responsibility to make sure that whatever decision I make its in the best interests of all my family and form that point of view, yeah schools, amenities, housing, work etc. is kinda important.

Andy


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## spekegirl (Jan 14, 2009)

CampbellsRComing said:


> spekegirl said:
> 
> 
> > SpekeGirl,
> ...


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## mikecwm (Jun 18, 2008)

CampbellsRComing said:


> Hi Mike,
> 
> I guess thats one way of looking at it ... another, of course, is that I'm trying to avoid exactly the mistakes that we made last time ... which for us was simply pitching up hoping everything would be OK
> 
> ...


To quote a 700 year old proverb - 'the proof of the pudding is in the eating'. Part of it's meaning is don't trust what other's tell you, find out for yourself.
You'll know if and when you have been sucessful in your 2nd attempt.
I do wish you luck anyway.
Just one piece of useful advice - keep paying each year towards your Brit pension. You only need 30 years paid up now to receive a full Old Age Pension.
It will freeze on the day you first start receiving it - no inflation updates if you live in the colonies. 
The Canadian pension needs 40 years for a full payout, and no way of back-paying lost years.


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