Vancouver, BC

[LOLCat]

We are looking for apartments. I have been accepted to UBC and am 99% sure it is the place. However, the problem is I cannot part with our cat. So that restricts our search greatly. Any tips for places that allow pets?

[puddle]

We are looking for apartments. I have been accepted to UBC and am 99% sure it is the place. However, the problem is I cannot part with our cat. So that restricts our search greatly. Any tips for places that allow pets?

Some basement apartments (i.e. private rentals) will allow pets (cats more often than dogs) but no matter where you go you will have to pay some sort of pet deposit (often as much as $500). Try Kits and if you can't find anywhere there... I know there are places that allow pets out in the Main/Commercial area.

[civicblade]

Hi Vancouverites, Is it plausible to cycle to UBC from places like Richmond or Burnaby?

Edited April 2, 2012 by civicblade

[Sparrowing]

I grew up in Vancouver so I thought I'd offer a few tips.

1. Despite what others have said in this forum, public transit in Vancouver is TERRIBLE. I can say this because I've travelled extensively and have lived in various cities in North America and Europe. So if you don't have a car and want to avoid long commutes, try to live near one of the major transit corridors. Also consider cycling if you're going to UBC.

2. For people planning to attend UBC, the West Side of Vancouver is beautiful but expensive, so allocate lots of time for apartment hunting. I wouldn't recommend cycling from Burnaby, but Richmond is perhaps doable if you don't mind a bridge. There are express buses up and down Granville st., so connections from the downtown/West End areas are fairly easy, as are Skytrain connections on the Canada line. Millennium line and Expo line routes will take longer; they seem direct, but once you're on that long bus ride on the 99 you'll wish you lived closer. If you don't like commutes but don't want to pay Point Grey/Kitsilano/Dunbar prices, look in South Vancouver -- Marpole, for instance -- or further east towards Cambie or Quebec st. You can probably go as far east as Main without TOO much discomfort, but further than that and you're looking at a very tiring commute. Richmond is close if you're ok with suburbs.

3. For people heading up to SFU I'd heavily favour the Hastings-Sunrise, Commercial Drive, or Main st. areas. New West, Burnaby, or Coquitlam will wear you down if you enjoy more urban environments, and truthfully aren't much less expensive. Hastings-Sunrise/PNE would probably be my first pick since you can take the 135 express bus straight up the mountain (I'd say about 30 mins from Hastings & Nanaimo). It's an up-and-coming neighbourhood with lots of great eateries (check out the Red Wagon diner, Roma, and Moccia's deli, for starts). There are many nice houses to be found between Hastings and Renfrew or north of Hastings toward the inlet. Many were built between 1910 and 1945 and offer reasonable rents for a partial house. Strathcona is also close to the 135 route and offers a nice community in one of Vancouver's oldest neighbourhoods. However, nice houses/apartments in this area are scarcely on the rental market; people tend to nab them and hold on for a long time. If you really must live in Burnaby, look around Deer Lake.

4. Vancouver really is an outdoorsy city. It's not as culturally interesting as Seattle, Montreal or Toronto and not even in the same league as SF, NY, or Chicago, but the surroundings are incredible. I miss them almost every day.

5. There are no truly dangerous areas in Greater Vancouver. Even in the downtown eastside you're probably more of a threat (esp. in a car) to the addicts than they are to you. Still, don't live there.

[rabbabari]

I applied for UBC housing (studio/1bdr) in Thunderbird and Marine Dr last week for a move in on August 1st. I guess I am probably on some massive waiting list. Does anybody know if I have a realistic chance of being accepted?

I live in Europe and have no chance of visiting before school starts so I don't really like the thought of blindly renting some random basement. :/

[MakeYourself]

On 4/2/2012 at 12:02 AM, civicblade said:

Hi Vancouverites, Is it plausible to cycle to UBC from places like Richmond or Burnaby?

Vancouver and the greater Vancouver area have terrible bike lanes compared to other major cities. It's probably possible if you're an experienced biker.. but it will also probably take a while depending on where you are coming from (I'd say at least 30 mins for even the closest parts of Burnaby and Richmon, and that's being lenient).

 

On 3/26/2011 at 11:09 AM, Deadwing said:

I will be going to SFU Burnaby Campus for my classes but my lab and my thesis adviser will be at SFU Surrey. Can someone suggest me places to stay considering the fact that I would be needing to go to Lab everyday but only 2-3 days in a week to attend classes?

Also how is Surrey in general? Is it a pleasant place to stay?

Thanks for your replies!

To be honest, you don't even need to stay in New West or Surrey. You could stay in Burnaby and still skytrain to Surrey Central Station (Where SFU Surrey is located) in about 30 mins. I would recommend that because New West and Surrey are not the 'safest' areas to stay and are also not the most 'fun' area.... things in Surrey are very spread out and it's hard to get around without a car. Public transit sucks and if you're taking a bus be prepared to be pressed up against a lot of terrible smelling and sketchy looking people for the entire ride.

[nbouevit]

Hello!

I recently got accepted to SFU for their Resource and Environmental Management Master's program. I am really excited but also nervous because I know the program is quite small and the campus is secluded away from downtown Vancouver. Does anyone know what the student life at SFU is like?

Also, I hear that Kitsilano is a great place to live for young people. Would it be reasonable to commute all that way for school? I just want to make sure that I have a good school/life balance and figure a smaller program might not be as social... I don't know anyone in Vancouver so meeting new people in a great setting is really important. Any advice/suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Thanks

[Anupam Srivastava]

Hi,

I recently got into UBC for Master for CS. I found a good housing deal in Kerrisdale. Can someone tell me about the area ? How's the area for social life etc. ?

[MakeYourself]

Hello!

I recently got accepted to SFU for their Resource and Environmental Management Master's program. I am really excited but also nervous because I know the program is quite small and the campus is secluded away from downtown Vancouver. Does anyone know what the student life at SFU is like?

Also, I hear that Kitsilano is a great place to live for young people. Would it be reasonable to commute all that way for school? I just want to make sure that I have a good school/life balance and figure a smaller program might not be as social... I don't know anyone in Vancouver so meeting new people in a great setting is really important. Any advice/suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Thanks

Kits is a nice place to live but it's a bit of a commute to SFU (over an hour). If you want to live close to downtown Vancouver but also close to campus, check out the North Burnaby area (Burnaby Heights), there are a lot of basement suites available there, and it's close to the main bus route on Hastings St. that goes back and forth between SFU and downtown Vancouver. The area itself is nice, and has lots of close public transit and shopping options.

[Guerilla Grad]

Also, I hear that Kitsilano is a great place to live for young people. Would it be reasonable to commute all that way for school? I just want to make sure that I have a good school/life balance and figure a smaller program might not be as social... I don't know anyone in Vancouver so meeting new people in a great setting is really important. Any advice/suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Howdy! I've done the commute from Kits to SFU for a couple of years now. It takes me about an hour from stop to stop- and that goes for pretty much every time of day. I avoid the 135 as much as I can, since it runs along Hastings St, and there's a 35km/h speed limit through the Downtown Eastside, and traffic slows to a crawl around busy times.

My route generally includes the 84 (an express bus) and the skytrain and the 145. The only time I've had difficulties finding a seat is on the 15-minute 145 bus up the hill. Everyone else is heading into the city or to UBC, so I always have time to read or pull out my laptop and work.

I chose to live in Kits because it's vibrant, quieter than the city, socially fluid (you see all types out here), safe, and everyone has a garden. There are quite a few places for $500, and there are so many little produce markets that make the grocery bill easier to swallow. I think it's worth the commute for the payoff when I come home from the Grey Mountain of SFU. Some of my fellow grads have lived in beautiful Burnaby apartments, but are moving because, in their own words, it's a "social wasteland" of highway and shopping malls.

Also- I've cycled from Kits to the foot of the hill and it's been a pretty nice 30-45 minute bike ride (I just put my bike on the 145 and ride up). Then I don't have to find time to get to the gym.

[Eyerusi]

even though this room was last active in 2009, figured to give it a shot! I'm a new undergrad student at UBC and will arrive in Vancouver on September, but housing is really expensive and I was wondering if anyone is interested in renting a place together.

please let me know if you are

good day!

[Winteriscoming]

Hi! 

 

I have been accepted to UBC for my PhD and I got a stipend of 19K (bruto). I think I'll have to pay for tuition as well. Do you think I'll have to live very frugally??

 

Your opinion would be really helpful!!

Thanks!   

[dye-another-day]

Hi! 

 

I have been accepted to UBC for my PhD and I got a stipend of 19K (bruto). I think I'll have to pay for tuition as well. Do you think I'll have to live very frugally??

 

Your opinion would be really helpful!!

Thanks!   

In short, yes.

 

Vancouver has the second highest cost of living in the world.

 

I made about $26K last year and had to be budget conscious. Housing alone, in a two bedroom in the cheaper part of town was $675/month. You can find cheaper if you are willing to live with more people, but living closer to UBC will be more expensive.

 

Grocery prices vary wildly depending on where you shop, but it is definitely possible to eat quite cheaply.

 

If you have specific questions I can probably answer them.

 

And congratulations!

[selecttext]

UBC accepted here. So is $21000 (tuition is covered) per year enough to live comfortably in Vancouver?

Edited February 14, 2013 by selecttext

[dye-another-day]

You'll have to be pretty conscientious re: budgeting, but you should be fine. I'm happy to answer questions about neighbourhoods, restaurants, etc. And congrats!

[bedmas]

I'll be attending SFU in the fall and it looks like I'm going to be very, very poor after tuition. I guess I'll have to live with roommates which I don't mind, but I'm looking for cheap rent, other female students, plus who don't eat meat... is this wishful thinking? Craigslist and Kijiji aren't much help.

[TakeruK]

I'll be attending SFU in the fall and it looks like I'm going to be very, very poor after tuition. I guess I'll have to live with roommates which I don't mind, but I'm looking for cheap rent, other female students, plus who don't eat meat... is this wishful thinking? Craigslist and Kijiji aren't much help.

 

My experience in Vancouver is that the people there (especially students) are generally more vegetarian / wholesome food friendly than many other places I've been to. It would also be a lot cheaper to not eat meat I think it's pretty easy to find other non-meat eaters in the city and due to the higher population, it might be easier to find vegetarian friendly restaurants, grocery stores, etc.

[bedmas]

My experience in Vancouver is that the people there (especially students) are generally more vegetarian / wholesome food friendly than many other places I've been to. It would also be a lot cheaper to not eat meat I think it's pretty easy to find other non-meat eaters in the city and due to the higher population, it might be easier to find vegetarian friendly restaurants, grocery stores, etc.

Vancouver's definitely great for that which I'm looking forward to! Especially considering I'm moving from the land of Alberta beef.

[cellerdoor]

Hello, I am most probably joining SFU this Fall and have been scouting suitable places for residence as well. I am willing to share rent with vegetarian girls   @bedmas , have you considered on campus housing? I found it a tad expensive given my stipend (~15k).  I was looking more at listings in Burnaby though, which would be closer to campus and cheaper. Great to know of someone attending as well!  

[bedmas]

Hello, I am most probably joining SFU this Fall and have been scouting suitable places for residence as well. I am willing to share rent with vegetarian girls   @bedmas , have you considered on campus housing? I found it a tad expensive given my stipend (~15k).  I was looking more at listings in Burnaby though, which would be closer to campus and cheaper. Great to know of someone attending as well!  

I haven't been looking at campus housing, from what I've read in this topic it's really best to live off campus if you go to SFU. I'll probably start looking for somewhere more seriously in July/August (depending on when I want to move)

[cellerdoor]

Okay. Yes, Off-campus seems the better choice. Well all the best with the appartment hunting , hope to see you there also, let me know if you are interested in having a roomate , even if temporary (~2weeks) while looking for a suitable place to board.

[TakeruK]

Hello, I am most probably joining SFU this Fall and have been scouting suitable places for residence as well. I am willing to share rent with vegetarian girls    

 

I just want to let you know that because of anti-discrimination laws in BC (I don't know about the rest of Canada), if you post a "roommate wanted" ad on something like a school newspaper or bulletin board, it usually comes with a disclaimer that "All references to a single gender in this ad should be read as either gender". This is to protect the publication from being penalized for discrimination. Ads (for jobs or housing) cannot discriminate against gender (or about a dozen other things) in BC. "Vegetarian" isn't though ! Some places might even edit your ad to remove the references to "girls only" but most will leave your text intact and just publish a disclaimer above it.

 

I understand that some people might prefer to live with a certain gender and most other people will respect that. But I'm just letting you know to avoid a potential culture shock / misunderstanding if you post an ad and see that the text has changed or see that disclaimer, or if you get responses from male students! You still have the right to choose who you want to live with, of course, but it would probably be a good idea to not say something like "You're a male so I don't want to live with you" -- you should just politely decline them. I don't think you even need to give a reason -- but if you do, make sure you're not saying it is because of their gender or any of the other protected discrimination statuses by law! For example, you can't say "Girls Only", nor "Heterosexuals only", nor "No Chinese applicants". Good luck

[cellerdoor]

oops! @TakeruK , Thanks! I come from a different kind of society where mixed gender occupancy is not just frowned upon but almost borders on scandal so I would like to clarify that I didn't mean to discriminate   I wish they had some culture orientation events that refrained others like me from making some silly (well in this case , illegal!) remarks . If there are other things you wish Indian people didn't do or should know, do share !

[TakeruK]

oops! @TakeruK , Thanks! I come from a different kind of society where mixed gender occupancy is not just frowned upon but almost borders on scandal so I would like to clarify that I didn't mean to discriminate   I wish they had some culture orientation events that refrained others like me from making some silly (well in this case , illegal!) remarks . If there are other things you wish Indian people didn't do or should know, do share !

 

I didn't mean to say you were discriminating! I think it's almost universal that pretty much everyone understands that some people prefer to live with a certain gender only! I don't think posting ads for a single gender is "illegal" in the sense that stealing is illegal, and it's mostly publications and schools that post ads have to protect themselves. I really do not think many people will frown upon you if you post an ad that shows a preference for female roommates. I just wanted to let you know so that you are not surprised if your ad doesn't appear the way you wrote it, or if you get contacted by males! Hope you will enjoy Vancouver and Canada

Edited March 25, 2013 by TakeruK

[cellerdoor]

Thanks for the heads-up ! from what i have "googled" , BC seems like a really awesome place to stay. My other option was Chicago, and I based my admission decision solely on my desire to come to Vancouver. I might take up your offer of readily available advice as joining day nears

Edited March 25, 2013 by cellerdoor