If you have children, one of the most advantageous features of a new home can be its proximity to green space and wide, open spaces for your children to play in. If you’re moving to Vancouver, you’re in luck, because they have over 200 parks and a wealth of recreational facilities to go along with them. Another very important factor is of course safety. If you are moving from Toronto to Vancouver, you may be tempted to move into the central business district to feel more at home; however, crime rates show that the downtown business district is significantly more dangerous than other areas of Vancouver. Though the commercial district has become a booming hub Vancouver’s thriving artistic community, it may not be the best place for children. You may decide its best to go with one of the many safer and family friendly neighbourhoods that Vancouver has to offer. Let’s listen in to what Vancouver residents have to say about their neighbourhoods and which are most family friendly:
Yaletown: A neighbourhood near downtown, Yaletown has lots of condos and apartments, but no houses. It also doesn’t have many schools nearby, so it may not be the ideal location for raising children.
Camas: There’s a lot of talk about Camas and, unfortunately, its paper mill. Many residents swear you cannot smell its paper mill, while others claim that the smell drifts outside of Camas altogether. But to put aside that (debatably!) smelly disclaimer, many find Camas to be a wonderful little Utopia. Acclaimed neighbourhoods in Camas to check out are: Sunningdale Gardens, Holly Hills,and Lake Heights. These areas are filled with beautiful old houses and loads of other kids. There are equally beautiful but newer houses up on Prune Hill and down at Lacamas Shores on the lake. The housing costs here are a fortune compared to houses closer to Vancouver, and unless you happen to work on that side of town, you will have a very long commute.
Kilsianao: This trendy area has recently become a hot spot for young families, but housing prices have recently sky-rocked while availability has plummeted. It’s bordered by two beaches and has mostly multi-unit housing.
Point Grey: A wonderful place for families to live, but is definitely one of the most expensive areas in Vancouver. Same goes for West Vancouver.
North Vancouver: A little less fancy than West Vancouver, but upholds strong family values. Residents find this to be a great place for kids.
Burnaby: The third most populated area in Vancouver, Burnaby has all the excitement of a fast paced city, but also has many great areas for families. It is around 20 minutes (or longer, depending on traffic) from Vancouver’s downtown core.
Surrey: Surrey is currently the fastest growing city in Canada, and is expected to take Vancouver’s place over the next decade as the largest city in the province. Like most areas in BC, it’s very multicultural, and is known as the City of Parks, with over 6,000 acres of parks and green spaces throughout its city. A 45 minute drive to Vancouver, but clearly for many it’s worth the drive! Places rumoured by locals to be the best Surrey areas are Cloverdale, Langley, and South Surrey.
According to The Globe and Mail, Toronto has only recently topped Vancouver as the most expensive place to live in Canada, so if you are moving from Toronto to Vancouver, I guess you’re in luck—but don’t get too excited; as you may have gathered from this article, housing prices in The Greater Vancouver area are still very high by Canadian standards. Happy hunting!
