Vancouver island living

[CapieCanadian 6]

Hi all you precious people!

With the very expensive house market in BC, specifically the Lower mainland, Vancouver Island looks like an option for first time home buyers.  It is a big island! Where do one start to look for areas, neighbourhoods and schools? I would love to hear from those of you who live on the island and have young children. Any tips or advise?

[Jules 1,391]

Housing prices tend to mirror the job market. As prices decline so does the job prospects. As far as I know, Vancouver Island is a very popular retirement destination more so than a place to carve out a career. 

[LidiaS77 193]

It is a popular retirement destination but there are also people of all ages living on Vancouver Island. Langford, for example, is one of the fastest growing cities in Canada with especially young families moving there. The little town of Sidney has an obvious older population but many of the other areas have people of all ages living there. From personal experience I would say there is no lack of job opportunities or space to grow a career, especially in the tech sector. Cost of living and housing prices are high, but in return you get to live in one of the most beautiful places in the world 🙂

[Jules 1,391]

On 10/24/2020 at 5:59 PM, LidiaS77 said:

It is a popular retirement destination but there are also people of all ages living on Vancouver Island. Langford, for example, is one of the fastest growing cities in Canada with especially young families moving there. The little town of Sidney has an obvious older population but many of the other areas have people of all ages living there. From personal experience I would say there is no lack of job opportunities or space to grow a career, especially in the tech sector. Cost of living and housing prices are high, but in return you get to live in one of the most beautiful places in the world 🙂

It is true that a lot of Canadians would love to live and work there. Definitely one of the most beautiful parts of Canada. Anyone living there with a good career is truly blessed. 

[CapieCanadian 6]

I've heard that the island has a very high rate of drug abuse and related deaths compared to the rest of BC and Canada. I also heard that there aren't as many opportunities for young children on the island as one would have on the mainland. I mean sure, the island is smaller and doesn't have big cities like Vancouver but do any of you with small children share this sentiment? Obviously moving so the children can have the best future was the reason for immigrating in the first place.