Well stop being lazy Angela...and get yourself in a coal mine...3500 ft below sea level, and hope it doesn't cave in...It's called the Yukon, lots of mining jobs up there
Vancouver is the nicest, but hardest place to live. Let's discuss this.
- Thread starter Dirksteel
- Start date
It's unfortunate that some have a real jaded view of my home town. It is a major metropolitan center with all the conveniences and bonuses that go with that, but also has a seedy side like every major city.
The real estate prices are extremely high for a reason. Everyone wants to live here. Basic laws of supply and demand.
But within the city is also affordable housing. Mostly in the form of condos. The workers in the city aren't coming in here from Hope. The employees at my workplace in the entry level jobs live local.
Vancouver has soul, and culture. There is a higher level of cross-cultural marriages in Vancouver than any other place I've been to, and I've travelled to Europe and Asia. Spend some time strolling down Commercial street, or Yaletown, or Lonsdale. I spend my weekends down Granville Island, or False Creek. People may think or say it is an 'asian' city, perhaps because one tends to notice people different from yourself more so than someone who looks just like you.
There are quite a few Europeans, East Indians, South Americans, and other non-pacific rim people here. My circle of friends include all those groups. People I run into are friendly, warm. I can start a conversation with a random stranger in any bar, coffee shop, or any public place without a hostile reaction.
As far as the employment situation goes, the last year or two have been slow economically. But I am seeing the economy picking up. The higher the level of training or education, the easier it is to get a job.
The real estate prices are extremely high for a reason. Everyone wants to live here. Basic laws of supply and demand.
But within the city is also affordable housing. Mostly in the form of condos. The workers in the city aren't coming in here from Hope. The employees at my workplace in the entry level jobs live local.
Vancouver has soul, and culture. There is a higher level of cross-cultural marriages in Vancouver than any other place I've been to, and I've travelled to Europe and Asia. Spend some time strolling down Commercial street, or Yaletown, or Lonsdale. I spend my weekends down Granville Island, or False Creek. People may think or say it is an 'asian' city, perhaps because one tends to notice people different from yourself more so than someone who looks just like you.
There are quite a few Europeans, East Indians, South Americans, and other non-pacific rim people here. My circle of friends include all those groups. People I run into are friendly, warm. I can start a conversation with a random stranger in any bar, coffee shop, or any public place without a hostile reaction.
As far as the employment situation goes, the last year or two have been slow economically. But I am seeing the economy picking up. The higher the level of training or education, the easier it is to get a job.
Who's providing druggies with a new pad? Where??
We can't expect you to be the one to give all of them some money for drugs or shelter. We'd have to convince a lot of ppl to hop into the trick-mobile and that's just not realistic! Those you aren't able to help yourself (to) will just have to turn to other means in order to find money or shelter.
You just can't help them all yourself, H. But how generous of you to try.
PS: You can repeat the same stereotypes about homeless people as if it were an accurate description of all homeless people (or even of a majority of them) and you can believe that it's true as much as you'd like but it still won't change the fact that many many people don't fit that description the least bit and aren't just going to suddenly disappear. Again, it may make you feel better about condemning any help given to homeless folks. Are there people who take advantage? Just like anything else, I'm sure there are. But that doesn't make all others any less deserving. I also find it hard to see how anyone could be considered to be riding the gravy train with the small amounts of money they are given. Seriously, they're not exactly jet setting across the world with their welfare cheque! They're lucky if they still have enough leftover for food once you've covered rent. Not sure where you would even get that idea!?
The weather might have a role in some of it but it hardly is the main problem. We also have the other extreme and there's a lot of money here -no one can deny that. And if you and others read some of the quotes I included you'd see that it's not like this province is doing as much as others on a variety of issues that are directly connected, BC is actually doing less than almost all of the other provinces. Add to that the housing markets (no affordable housing), the number of people working at minimum wage etc.. and the problem can only get worse. Because it's not just going to magically get better.
And the units that are reserved for low income families don't go to "homeless druggies", nor are they free or even really "cheap". The rent for these units are lower than the others but they are not by any means truly cheap. Those who get these units do have to work as the rents are definitely beyond what anyone could receive from welfare. They're not "riding the gravy train" by any means considering they still have to cover rents that are beyond what they can afford. It doesn't really help anyone to repeat all these misleading and untrue stereotypes. It just shows personal bias and lack of knowledge.
I guess it pays to be an escort...retiring before 50...
Sounds kinda lonely though...
No, it means you end up with a city were low income people live where they can afford to live and commute to work.
lol Do you really think it is that simple as moving outside of Vancouver? So that is your solution? Everyone who is not making large incomes just need to move out of Vancouver and only people making over x get to stay? That's essentially already happening in most cities, the gentrification is usually more gradual - you propose making it as an actual solution? Nice. I hope you make a lot of money because once you get this started there's no stopping, there will always be many who make more than you do (or most ) and you'll inevitably eventually end up at the bottom yourself and have the same thing happen to you and be told to leave. With all due respect, that's a pretty privileged way to see the world.
And you make it sound so simple, as if losing a couple of hours or more to commute every day, perhaps also being forced to move far away from a community you belong to, a support system or your family, school and friends your kids are forced to leave, etc... should just be the price to pay for being poor, for being disabled, old, sick, a single mother/father, ? You still have to pay to commute, if you're a parent you still have to pay for a babysitter - in the end, you probably aren't saving much at all, are you? And those are hours you would have preferred to spend with your kids.
That's just a few points - I could list a lot more but you get the idea. I'm not going to keep this argument going because it's pointless and people who see it the way some of you do will never be able to see it from a different angle. You're lucky to be priveleged and so am I and there's something to be said about realizing this, as well as the fact that not everyone is so lucky and that people, through no fault of their own, are sometimes dealt some crappy cards. I sincerely hope you never have to find out for yourself just how easily life events can unexpectedly leave you in struggling.
There's something called compassion and empathy. You should really try it, you'd be surprised not everyone has the luxury of being able to look down on other people who are struggling. I'm not sure exactly how making general assumptions about people and proposing elitist solutions is even supposed to resolve anything at all but I'm grateful that's not the world I live in..... not yet anyway.
Anyway, I'm not going to keep arguing. You're entitled to your opinion, as I am to mine, but I think it's a shame to see such complete absence of compassion or even slightest consideration for other people's struggles and blatant ego-centric view of the problem. It's pretty sad.
And besides... do you really think it's a problem only limited to Vancouver and there are no homeless outside of this city? Where are people supposed to move where homelessness doesn't exist?
http://www.straight.com/article-365...-shelters-sees-some-turned-away-say-operators
Thank you everyone for discussing this! A lot of you have made some great points and I really like to hear what other people think about this topic. I had no idea this would get as many replies as it has!
On a side note, Miss Bijou +100000000000 sexy points for what you have written in this thread. Intellectual AND good looking
On a side note, Miss Bijou +100000000000 sexy points for what you have written in this thread. Intellectual AND good looking
Thank you. I appreciate your post.
I can't believe all the whiney shit I'm reading here though.
If you think a city- any city- owes you anything you're a self-absorbed spoiled brat.
You get back from life what you put in. When you make the decision to believe something sucks, you will inevitably find all the reasons to make yourself right.
I find soul everywhere I go here. Spend a lot of time at Wreck Beach in the summer and tell me there's no soul. The reason you're not finding soul is because you're not participating. You expect great experiences to be handed to you on a silver platter?? You're just a bunch of lazy whiney bitches.
Yes it is expensive to live here. So the fuck what. If you can't make it happen for yourself here, find another place to live, or shut the fuck up. Take some goddamn responsibility for yourselves and realize it is YOU who chooses to live here.
You can choose to take charge of your life and relocate and be happier somewhere else.
Yes please! Get the fuck out! It would be good to rid Vancouver of your miserable attitudes.
Pretty much, yes. The marketplace will take care of wages. When it is no longer economical for people to commute in to perform the service functions in the city, demand for labor will increase those wages.
No one has the right to live where they want to, no matter what. If you can't afford to live in a particular location, then live somewhere else. If you can't afford to work in a particular location, then either negotiate higher wages or work somewhere where you can afford it.
I know everyone wants to live in Vancouver, because it is a kick ass city, but if you can't afford to live here then live somewhere else. It is simple as that.
Hey guys, you guys looking to relocated really need to look beyond north America, i have been in van for a year now on working holidays, what a sh*t hole, no good jobs except minimum wage ones. excuse my language and i do apologize if i hurt someones feelings, but i just want to tell the truth
I'm going back to Sydney Australia in 6 weeks, my old company is giving my old job back plus a raise because they couldn't find anyone else to replace me, not that I'm unique, its just that there are not enough people to fill the positions.
and i miss Sydney so much, the sun, the bondi beach, not to mention all that half naked beautiful women on the beach lol. Google bondi beach Sydney, yeah, tell me you still think Vancouver is that great, cheerio guys. Come to Australia I'll take you surfing
I'm going back to Sydney Australia in 6 weeks, my old company is giving my old job back plus a raise because they couldn't find anyone else to replace me, not that I'm unique, its just that there are not enough people to fill the positions.
and i miss Sydney so much, the sun, the bondi beach, not to mention all that half naked beautiful women on the beach lol. Google bondi beach Sydney, yeah, tell me you still think Vancouver is that great, cheerio guys. Come to Australia I'll take you surfing
Born and raised in Vancouver... I love it. I will never leave here, and if I do, my heart will always be here. All I here in the majority of these posts is a bunch of whining about how expensive it is, or how shitty the city is. I got a simple solution for those people, If you dont like it... move to Calgary.
Yes. I grew up there: it sucks. Had to go there for some business recently and was amazed at how dead it was.
The working holiday program between Commonwealth countries is about the cultural experience, travel, and fun and NOT the money. If the latter is your first priority in joining such a program then you will be extremely disappointed. Same as a young Canadian with a stable job going on the same holiday in Melbourne or in the UK for example, they will probably end up working in a hotel, restaurant, or coffee shop but they know why they are there for. :nod:Hey guys, you guys looking to relocated really need to look beyond north America, i have been in van for a year now on working holidays, what a sh*t hole, no good jobs except minimum wage ones. excuse my language and i do apologize if i hurt someones feelings, but i just want to tell the truth
I'm going back to Sydney Australia in 6 weeks, my old company is giving my old job back plus a raise because they couldn't find anyone else to replace me, not that I'm unique, its just that there are not enough people to fill the positions.
and i miss Sydney so much, the sun, the bondi beach, not to mention all that half naked beautiful women on the beach lol. Google bondi beach Sydney, yeah, tell me you still think Vancouver is that great, cheerio guys. Come to Australia I'll take you surfing
Vancouver might have recently slipped to # 3 in the Economist's " World's Most Livable Cities " standing after years of being first but Van remains # 1 to me. Vancouver Rocks!!! :thumb:
It's completely fine. You get a soulless city when poorer people can't afford to live in it. San Francisco is far suckier since Silicon Valley money priced the poor folks out.
