Close Reading

Vancouver has nice scenery but it's overpriced and there's no community

Vancouver smells like rotten fish!...loll....

Having lived in Vancouver for 20 some years, I have to say that they pretend the economy is doing great and they base it on the housing market which is unnaturally inflated. The economy hasn't been doing well for several years. $800 000 house median is hard to believe. I think most houses are over $1 000 000. Also, the weather is iffy. You don't get super cold temperatures in the winter but you get super wet weather.

My wife, my 3 kids and I used to like Vancouver but not anymore!!! The weather is why we plan to leave for good but also the expensive rents! I also heard about horror stories at many hospitals (and yes, I have worked in Africa and to be honest, Africans hospitals are way more functional than the ones in Canada in terms of human aspect… there they care, Canadians do not give a shit about anyone!!! And I am saying this as a Belgian!!! I have some African colleagues at work here and at least 80 percent of them either want to go back to Africa (one is actually going to start an Afro business there and build his own house) or move to Europe (one of them plans to live to my homeland Belgium and two others in France as apparent the pensions there are way better than the Canadian one) as soon as they get enough experience in canada! None of us at work , including me, want to retire or get old here in Canada! For me personally, it is the Canadian extreme loneliness and lack of willingness to open to others that really shuts me down… I am fed up and and tired of paying taxes in a country where some (not all) hospitals and some retirement homes treat patients like … objects, not human beings! I now understand (as before I did not) why even some of my African colleagues are looking forward to go back to Africa or to some of them, immigrate to Europe! .. none of us want to be left alone and depressed in this so highly individualistic and unfriendly, falsely “cool” country called Canada… a country that claims America and France are racist countries when not even one CEO in Canada is coloured! I am also fed up of Canadians being cool!!!! Cool???? Yes, their humour is crap and they are all too serious… not astonishing why so many end up being depressed or on meds to be able to function! \nLast: I am fed up with 1. The stupid credit score system which makes North Americans anxious and frustrated!!!! Stupidity does not even exist in France or Belgium where I am from! 2.food is Canada is … not good…lol… really close to being bad! 3.the country is boring… reason… people are so disciplined and nothing happens!!! I just miss Europe even if we are far from being perfect and I prefer our imperfections to the Canadian perfect society which end up making people boring and annoying!!! 4. Canadians are shallow compared to us Europeans 5. Their transit system sucks if compared to Europe 6. Health care system is nothing comptable to what we got in Europe!!!! \nResult: I leave Canada years before retirement as The last thing I want for me is to remain in a country and get “sunk” Into Canadian depression, Canadian loneliness and Canadian “coolness”. \nOhh just as an indicator, it is really rare to see someone who is happy in Vancouver BC these days… the city just looks like a factory to make people work, make Canadian banks richer and pay taxes! Apart from that, I do not give a damn about the beautiful scenery and lakes as long as everyone around gets scammed with unjustified and ridiculous high cost of living!!!

I spent a summer working for Tourism Canada. (I'm a U.S. guy, by the way.) It's amazing that the average\nAmerican is so ignorant of Canada. If you ask one to name the ten Provinces, they can name about three.\nP.E.I.? Never heard of it. Nunavut? What on earth is that? I really enjoyed P.E.I (before the bridge) and\nNova Scotia, Alberta's Rockies, Vancouver, the Alaska Highway, Gaspe, Quebec City, the Montreal Expo\n(1967) and Olympics (1976).

Anyone for jan 2020 intake in Vancouver or near by cities??

This video is so Canadian that even your tour dates are the most Canadian thing ever. WE ARE TOURING CANADA! REALLY?!? GREAT WHERE YA GOING? TORONTO!....... and maybe Vancouver and Montreal if y'er lucky

It’s not just Vancouver…. I know how is Great Montreal (where I live) and Toronto (where a worked). Definitely every city and province is different each other but basically a lot of people have same feelings about living in Canada.

I find the point about language rather interesting because from my POV in the GTA i can't escape foreign language. For example, at my gym I'm hearing multiple languages being spoken to the point it really hits home that Canada is truly diverse. But this may not be the case in Vancouver.

Bad things about Saskatchewan:\n-A LOT of snow, A LOT\n- negative 30c is the norm in winter, summer usually plus 25c (It's COLD)\n-housing prices aren't as cheap as the video says... sure you can buy a place for $280,000 :) ...an apartment. \nA new family house made in 2012 costs $550,000, an old one made in 1980 costs $330,000.\n- Not a lot of bang for your buck. Yes, there are jobs in the major cities but the pay isn't so great unless you are a nurse or work in health care. (Best province for upcoming nurses btw) Minimum wage for the win! \n-As I said previously, minimum wage for the win! There are jobs but you don't get paid enough to live without a roommate or almost be constantly broke.\n-Rent is okay. If you DO manage to get a decent paying job, like a teacher, plumber, doctor, etc, rent is cheap.\n-Expensive retirement. Thinking the healthcare is great for seniors? It is. But, get ready to give every last penny to your senior home. A neighbour got a quote from a local seniors home for him and his wife, $65,000 per year (MINIMUM) for the 2 of them. That's how much the old folks home costed.\n-You need a car. If you want to visit outside the major cities, you need a car. In the cities you can survive traffick by bus, but it is better with a car.\n-You can't see northern lights a lot. Not from the cities. You have to go north, north, north, out in the middle of nowhere.\n\nGood things about Saskatchewan: \n-No cougars. Bears and wolves live here, mainly in the north.\n-People are friendly. There isn't as much crime in the 2 major cities, Prince Albert does have a lot though just like the video said, so I'd steer clear of that place.\n-Great education. Good place to raise a family.\n-Great healthcare. Has most covered in universal healthcare I think out of every province. Seniors like to move to Saskatchewan for retirement. It's a great place to retire if you have the money to move.\n-Lots of local stuff to see. A lot of local shops, parks, camp grounds, etc.\n-Rent is cheap. It's cheaper than Vancouver or Toronto.\n-Food prices are alright. Not good, not bad, just okay. Even a poor single mother can buy some food I think.\n-Lots of land. There is lots of flat land here. Not that you could own it all lol But it is pretty to look at.\n\nHighlights/Best people to move here:\n-nurses\n-immigrants for fast food jobs\n-rich seniors\n-rich families (good place to raise a family)\n\nPeople not good to move here:\n-single people\n-poor seniors

Great points! How is the car scene in Vancouver ? Are there meetups, events, race tracks ? is it easy to import a car ? Also interested where is the best job market for software engineers if anyone knows ?

Hello, I studied in Europe and grow up in Canada. Born abroad.\n\n1) First, Vancouver is not Canada. Life in Eastern Canada (Quebec and Ontario) is way better. \n\n2) Weather : rain during winter is really a BC thing, the rest of the country : is SNOW and cold for 4-5 months\n\n3) Again, the cost of living is super expensive in Vancouver and Toronto. Here, in Montréal, it’s affordable.\n\n4) The more taxes you pay means you are making good money. 50% of taxes is \n\n5) Canada is beautiful, but if you don’t like our country, why did you came here in the first place ? \n\n6) Covid : Mmm it was maybe extreme, but Canada is one of the country that manages the best the pandemic in the world \n\n7) Rules ? Try coming to South America where I was born. There’s a lot more rules there and good luck for your safety \n\n8) Politic ! We are actually one of the most democratic country in the world. People fighting about politics? Ahahah I grow up here and never saw this ever and I saw the 1995 referendum.\n\n9) Status chasing is a really Vancouver thing, probably Toronto too, but the country is huge.\n\n10) Isolated place, mmm again Vancouver is not Canada. Most of the Canadian population live in East Canada where the majors cities (Toronto, Montréal, Ottawa, Québec) are. It’s true a lot of places are isolated, but it’s a choice living in those areas.

Most of your points was complaining about Vancouver, but Canada is a very large and diverse country

every single reason you have talked about is so slow.. you are gay, you stayed for gay culture. our weather is not bad.. you're just depressed.. need a reason for it. Vancouver is expensive, and you legit just complained and said you make enough to be comfortable. You want gay friends with houses, and Vancouver is not that. Healthcare, you're a silly person.. of course it isnt fully free.. we pay as a whole for it, so that its easily accessible to everyone here. So if you hurt yourself, you dont have to worry youre going to die. ALSO, 50%? wow. you're silly. \n\nyou say that 35$ isn't alot but then complain how it's 50% then brag how you make alot of money, get youre story straight

I'm a white minority in Vancouver BC. There is no sense of community, too many different nationalities that culturally don't blend which has created clearly divisive neighbourhoods. I'll be retiring early and leave communist Canada

Canada, country of homeless and trash. I'm so sorry for Canada. Most things about a good Canada are not true, Including clean cities - beaches, and forests. It's a big lie. The first time I arrived in Vancouver in 2018, I was shocked. As soon as I left the airport door, I saw tissue, disposable glasses, and other garbage left in the city. The further I went, the more I saw them. Before I moved to Canada, I lived in Georgia, Armenia, Turkey, Serbia, The United States, and for a short time in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Netherland, Germany, and England, but I have never seen the amount of garbage that people leave in different Canadian cities. Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and Quebec are no less than Vancouver. Canadian and Canada Governments don't care about this tragedy. I think everything that says about Canada as a clean and powerful culture is not true. You don't need to travel to Canada to see this. Just watch some videos about walking in downtown Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and Quebec. You will find the truth. Impossible for you to walk in a Canadian city and you don't see the dark side of that. Everywhere you will see garbage. You will never see this in Europe, Australia, the United States, Japan, and Korea. This amount of waste is not even seen in Malaysian, Indonesian, or Thailand cities. It is impossible for you to use public transport and not see a lot of garbage at stations or on the route. You will be surprised to find a lot of garbage even in the woods - by the rivers and on the beaches in Canada. I wish the Canadians woke up and had no enmity with their country.

Vancouver is not Canada. You should be more specific

Im Asian and I love Vancouver! The weather is beautiful and mild! I enjoy the rainy days cozying up with nice jazz music on gorgeous cafes and restaurants Vancouver has. It is expensive yes, however if your Asian its not, you just havent explored the Asian market place, cheap housing are also available in the outskirt cities and the best part of it is you are near the beaches and outdoor recreation and fun! Taxes are high yep thats true however with three different surgeries my family had from Apendicitis, to Gall bladder stone removal and stent angioplasty that could have cost us millions but got it for free, also the Free education, Child support, CERB, etc, taxes doesnt seem to matter anymore. British Columbia's mountain ranges, ski resort, hot springs, also Albertas Banf, Jasper, and Canmore for me are truly majestic safe and beautiful! Ive been all around South east Asia Europe and even the middle east however the welcoming nature and culture of Canadians and the power of a canadian Passport for me trumps all other cities in other countries. If you want to learn extreme news go to Asia like, China, North Korea, and the Philippines, also the USA the most extreme of them all! Rules are indeed frustrating but Canadian rules are nothing compared to Singapore, if you want freedom try India, try to walk in sexy clothing on the streets. In the Philippines everybody drives drunk specially on Friday nights. The Canadian mindset of a Multi cultural communinty and the welcoming athmosphere of their thinking for me is the reason why Canada is truly the best place to live.

How much does someone have to make to pay 50% taxes? I like to think I have a rough idea of how taxes work in Canada and unless you owned an incredibly expensive house (very possible in Vancouver) I don't understand how that would happen. I'm genuinely curious.

I don't know if you are a Canadian or not if you are a Canadian then you got the last three completely backwards Ontario is the highest crime rate the worst place to live the most pedophiles diddler's and much more it is the coldest place to live the jobs suck the roads will bash your cars in in 3 months it is British Columbia number one it is Halifax or Nova Scotia due to the country Quebec Ontario and all that area I born there and I won't live there I'd rather live in Vancouver and pay you know 5,000 a month for rent compared to $250 on a house with the mortgage in Ontario and and that's your land tax and your water your heat and everything else for a nice house that goes about 2,23,000 ft with half acre of acre of property and nice Bush ATVs bowling what not British Columbia you know can't drive your boat can't drive your quad can't do anything unless you go way out cost a lot cost but the average you're not broke here if you're not least in Vancouver so Ontario number one worst number two the best or number number two BC the best so number one the worst number one the best Ontario the worst BC the best and from there everything else is way better than Ontario Ontario said that the worst place you ever want to move Vancouver is awesome and the crime rates picked up in Canada 1,000% murders murders murders compared to America though do it to the population of what 27 million our murders are high and yeah Canadians don't mess around they're getting to shoot you now

I hitchhiked from PEI to northern BC I lived In Quebec, for me the 4 best cities are Halifax, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. Now I live In Seattle for 15 years, if I had to move back in Canada I would move to Montreal, no where else.

You video should be called why I'm leaving Vancouver. Other languages in Vancouver? Cantonese, Mandarin or other Asian language is widely available.

In Vancouver there are places you can drink in public now, some parks have zones that are designated for drinking. And the summers are getting hotter.

Vancouver is beautiful it’s not ugly

Your reasons leaving vancouver\n1. Not happy\n2. Weather\n3. Expensive\n4. Tax\n5. Ugly\n6. Covid\n7. Rules\n8. Politics\n9. Mindset\n10. Isolated

The one thing that stops Canada being a great country is the French langauge. I have been to Vancouver many times since 1990 and the real second language of Canada is Manderin Chinese. It is only federal staff in BC who have a smattering of French.

We're seeing you guys in Vancouver ??? so happy you set up a second show!! We're so stoked about it ????

oh ... I'm moving to Vancouver in some months to study college for 3 years... did I made a mistake? aaaaa

Im a Canadian citizen and feeling the same way as you number 1 is the weather im from Vancouver island l left in 2005 and moved to Thailand im still living in Thailand and love every minute of it.17 years later I am happy beautiful weather beautiful beaches great culture .

Good video, Chicago has pretty nice architecture way better than Vancouver or Toronto. It has soul and flavour, very nice outside of the South side. \n\nCouldn't agree more about Covid, it's all the news talks about covid wave covid wave..mask mask.

curious why you chose Victoria over Vancouver? \nVancouver is very large & multicultural. Victoria is smaller & less multicultural. Just curious……….

Vancouver is just fine, but definitely not the most beautiful City. Maybe in Canada. \nVancouver is hyped by the local media.

I've been living in Vancouver for about 10 years. I love the city with all my heart. Just can't afford it anymore.

All Canada not only Vancouver it’s very isolated.\nPeople can’t afford to buy a house because the house marketing is 3 times the price compared to USA. The houses have shitty materials compared to my original country, and you simply can’t built by your own and that’s why every price rises.\nAnother issue you didn’t mention it’s there is no scholarships, it’s incredible expensive to get a proper education like university, and even so, they no offered scholarships. In Mexico almost everyone can reach the opportunity to study to be anything (lawyers, doctors) AND there is why you can get professional services everywhere. Here in Canada the business never have profesional services (like a real Human Resources, who studies for 5 years to be the best influence in a company, or a real engineering taking care of the machines in a plant. Canada only hire the cheap hand to avoid paying and I can understand it, but if more people could study more money moves in the country.\nAnother issue is there is not any public transportation into the cities or provinces, so if you don’t have a car, a driver license (it’s not easy to get one) and pay the super expensive insurance (it’s incredible 10 times more expensive than in Mexico) your can’t move from the place you are. Because of the weather you simply can’t move in a bike.\nPeople live just for pay rent, buy some groceries and buy some pre owned cloths in the thrift store.\nAnother problem it’s many rules to open a small bussines (like selling some food) \nHealth care it’s not exactly free: you need to pay for your prescriptions out of the hospital or if you never been hospitalized. And it’s very expensive to pay for them. You have to wait (to be true emergencies are different, they are good on that) you have to wait like 12-24 months to get an appointment with a specialist (gynecologist, etc) dental is not covered. \n\nExcuse my English I know it’s not very good but I love your video and I had to left my comments

did he just blame housing construction ? Condos and expensive housing is being built at an all time high in Vancouver cant go anywhere without running into housing construction

I left 22 years ,I'm was from Vancouver too.

I hope you don't underestimate Europe's existing problems when i went to London 4 years ago i was shocked that it wasnt the place i imagined it to be no need to explain im sure you understand what i mean. Im an Asian immigrant, but i wasnt expecting that i couldnt even see a caucasian in London mostly arabs, blacks, indians, some asians i do not hate it but im just confused i worked in the middle east for 10 yrs and i was hearing arabic speaking everywhere, also asian language its like im in Vancouver or Surrey area. I thjnk its not an isolated problem probably your new to that place thats why you do not see the problems yet but i hope you made the right decision. All the best. The tax is really quite high but the Canadain government though with some flaws is still better than most countries believe me i have lived in Asia, middle east and been to places and met all kinds of people. One thing that seperates Canadian from most other nationalities despite the different ethnicities and races Canadians are generally nice and less violent and id rather have my kids grow up here than any part of the world. Oh yeah you should have tried luving in other provincea each one has a different experience ? i have lived in BC and Saskatchewan it was like living in another continent different culture and different environment but still most great people ?

I was born in Ontario, Moved to Manitoba when I was 16, also lived in Alberta and Saskatchewan. As a long haul trucker I've been to Newfoundland to Vancouver. Canada does have many beautiful parts but I chose Manitoba over them all until I retire to Thailand.

Oh man, this all sounds very worrisome...\n\nI've been working together remotely with one of Sony Pictures Imageworks's supervisors and she's been super happy with me and my work. She's switching companies soon since she found an even better opportunity elsewhere and is already making steps getting me on the team. She starts the hiring process in August.\n\nShe said I should fix a holiday visa and that if the company is still happy with me after 12 months they would most likely sponsor my stay. So yeah, everything seemed pretty solid!\n\nBut now that I'm watching this video I'm getting scared that I might be missing something that wouldn't allow me to work there. Could anyone perhaps share there view on my situation?\n\nBy the way, not sure if this is handy to know but I would be moving to Vancouver. \n\nMuch appreciated, thanks!!

Capetown also has the mountains near the ocean, so Vancouver is not unique in that regard.

vancouver is a depressing place to live

I left Vancouver 32 years ago, bought a one way ticket to Asia as I was sure I was never gonna move back. Don't miss it at all, especially the rain and taxes. I can retire pretty much anywhere in the world and Canada is not in my list. Maybe just visit Van during the summers to see my old friends from time to time but that's about it.

Honestly, I don’t know how to describe and definite my experience. I came to Canada for my university education by the end of 2013 after I finished my high school in my hometown. That was my first time to go abroad, and living in a totally strange country all alone. New surroundings. New friends. New culture. English speaking. Everything is new for me, and I cannot figure out how I feel at that time, because it’s so complex. Both excited and afraid. In the next few years, I traveled among several different cities. Winnipeg. Vancouver. Toronto. I met many people and experienced lots of things. Some were good and warm, and some were not, and the worst thing was I found I cannot get used to my life in Canada. I don’t mean bad, but I still feel I’m an outsider. I cannot get in. Neither my life nor my schoolwork. So much loneliness. I left Canada and go back to my hometown by the August of 2017. There was nothing strange for me at first 2 years. Everything looks normal, but by the flying of time, I found myself cannot stop missing the old days and experience in Canada. Even the worst part looks so beautiful. I have no idea how could that happened.

7:00 No, diversity is not strength, it is weakness. The non-European immigrants see Canada's open door immigration policy as a weakness. I live in Vancouver and large parts of it, including my suburb, have become Sinified (Chinese) because they have used real estate to park their funds in this city. The properties are left unoccupied or Chinese-occupied as the prices are too high for the born and raised to afford. It is a type of Chinese colonialism which the Canadian government has allowed. And there is a huge South Asian cluster in Surrey, Vancouver. Neither assimilate and why would they, because they see there is not much of a Canadian culture to assimilate into. So you end up with a mosaic of cultures that mostly remain separated from eachother and foreign ownership has become excessive.

Don’t come to Vancouver Canada to study unless your family is rich. I run a rental business here and LOTs of international students either live in basements or struggle hard to come up with rents. I don’t blame them cuz this city is hell EXPENSIVE. Also even if you get a degree from UBC you are gonna get a job as a bank teller that pays like $16/hr if lucky. People suffer from seasonal depression for about 4-5 months/year. Better just stay in your country if it is not in the war zone and has relatively good health care system. If you can succeed in Canada you can do it in your home country. Not trying to discourage anyone but just wanna help people make rational decisions?

Vancouver often tops the best cities in the world…. so BC is number 1

I guess I'll be the one to keep it real...\nWhile geographically, Canada is the most beautiful country on the planet, full stop.\nThe people are not as friendly as the stereotype would infer...housing is criminally overpriced. Taxation is laughably bad. Seriously do the math its approaching 40-45% tax. Meaning after income taxes(23-28 cents on the dollar) then you got sales taxes, excise taxes, provincial sales taxes(another 10-15 cents on the dollar, after tax income on every purchased product). The economy was not that great before trudeau, now trudeau and his bullshit have decimated our national economy and is spending Canada into generationally deep federal deficits of 100s of billions of dollars. Don't believe the hype surrounding Toronto or Calgary or Vancouver, there are catches and trade offs for every plus.\nBtw, I'm born and raised in Toronto and live in Calgary. Canada simply as not as good as the rhetoric would try and sell you

I have family who live in BC. It is very very expensive to live in this province. Beautiful but expensive. If you are not wealthy expect to exist not live in BC. Moving to Atlantic Canada can equal the difference between existing and truly living. Halifax has warmer summers cooler winters than Vancouver. A super fun hot, dare I say sexy waterfront. I'd take Halifax with its five universities and rapidly growing downtown. Saying BC is most beautiful means that you have not seen Western Newfoundland. Like the best of Norway.

Too much fentanyl money check Vancouver and Toronto

Let's be positive, here: Manitoba has a balanced climate; -35°C in winter, +35°C in summer. Hard to beat. Québec has some of that too, but it has much more snow. The city of Québec receives almost as much precipitations as Vancouver, 950mm vs 1100mm for Vancouver, but in Québec it falls as snow and everything gets buried. People in Vancouver do not tan, they rust!