Reacting to Comments About Where I Live | Victoria BC: Pros & Cons

[@warrenpeterson6065]

Dear Aloha'mily, I've lived in BC all my life and I am very old now so that is a very long time. When I worked I had an office in both Victoria and Vancouver and travelled between them almost every other daily. My business took me around the world and I spent considerable time around the world. I ended up in some pretty sketchy places where I was concerned for my wellbeing but the only place I was ever robbed was outside the Victoria Library in early evening in daylight ... haha.

[@EmmeSait]

Oh wow, that is crazy! :( I sure hope that doesn't happen to you again, Warren. Thank you for sharing your story!

[@warrenpeterson6065]

@@EmmeSait A follow up to the mugging story ... from my description the Police were sure they knew who the couple were ... they were from back east, addicted to drugs, and apparently migrated to Vic due to the nice weather. The same Officer I reported the mugging to caught up with the suspects minutes later and called me the next day to return my wallet with all the ID and cards intact ... of course the money was gone ... but it was the nicest outcome to a mugging I've ever had ... lol.

[@Dunkster23]

Great video. I’m a British expat as well living in Calgary. Eyeing up a move to Victoria/Nanaimo. I loved visiting there a few years back and a lot of aspects remind me of home.

[@EmmeSait]

Yes, it definitely reminds me of back home too! The landscape feels very similar (just with more mountains) and there’s a lot of British influence in Victoria :)

[@jameswhyte2404]

Stumbled on your post. Great content. I was born and raised in Sidney, B.C. and miss it a lot. I've lived in Melbourne, Australia for the last 21 years. Have made frequent trips back. All going well, the family and I will be moving back to the island in the future.

[@EmmeSait]

Thank you so much for your comment, James! I’ve never been to Melbourne, but I adore Australia! The island is something special though :)

[@dominicytc2103]

I aM in Victoria and im loving it here..felt so good i bumped into your channel

[@EmmeSait]

That’s so awesome!! I’m happy you found it too :) Thank you for your comment!!

[@landoc05]

Victoria is polite yet unfriendly, the sort of place where you go to retire and live away from it all, or when you're young and have solid means and can just "chill." Not for you if you're a high-strung over-achiever or someone who considers "friends" only people who talk of more than just the weather. Yes, cliquey and snobbish, but the right place to stay if you love nature more than people.

[@EmmeSait]

As with most places I think you get out what you put in-I’ve met some of the kindest and most interesting people I know here in Victoria, and lots of entrepreneurs! The city and demographic is changing, it’s a very exciting time :)

[@forgetthatgirl]

I just came across your video. I just moved to Victoria just over three weeks ago from Toronto. Its so interesting, i agree with everything that you said. One thing I wanted to add was that commuting from westshore (Langford) was a bit of a trek. I stayed in an airbnb for the first 2.5 weeks and found that you really need a car if you are out that way. It was super quiet though. Im now downtown which is much more my style, i like to walk and/or bike everywhere and my apartment is just a short walk to the ocean. After living in Toronto for more than 23 yrs on my own, I really got sick of the rushed lifestyle. Im still trying to get out of that mindset. Have you been to witty’s lagoon? Or gone on the galloping goose trail?

[@EmmeSait]

That’s awesome! Welcome to the island ☺️ Oohh yes, I went from Victoria to Langford the other day during “rush hour” and it was pretty sticky (traffic has certainly picked up again since I moved here!). I feel you there-it’s definitely hard to wind down into the relaxed pace of the island after being in Toronto, it will come though :) Yes, I’ve been to/on both! Witty’s Lagoon is lovely and the Goose is such a nice bike ride (really convenient to get to uptown from the main city, too)! I hope you’re enjoying Victoria anyway ☺️

[@TheDELE1960]

@forgetthtgirl. Did you stay in an Airbnb to enable you find an accommodation? How was your experience with finding an accommodation? I’m planning on living there.

[@forgetthatgirl]

@@TheDELE1960 hi, i did originally booked an airbnb but i ended up finding a place before i got here so there was some overlap. In my area, i see a lot of “no vacancy “ signs or “accepting applications for waiting lists”. But I have been told that the rental market is tight here. Check out usedvictoria for apartment rentals to see if there is a lot of choice. Also suggest that you find an airbnb around the location you want to stay. I stayed near Langford and it was nice but the public transit runs every two hours on some routes so it meant i was waiting around for buses a lot. In downtown, everything is walkable and very bike friendly so depending on what you are looking for (whether you drive) there are lots of options for areas. Good luck! I’ve really loving it here so far

[@paddington1670]

ha, you shoulda seen the highways on the island before they built the new super highways. They used to wind through the sleepiest neighbourhoods and were typical 1 way each way back roads like 30+ years ago probably when they started building them. I think ill retire on the island, but I have unfinished business in Vancouver. The island is just so much better for me, and i already know the entire thing back to front. I used to fish a lot in Port Alberni, but id probably settle in Courtney or Duncan, Sooke maybe. Something like that. close but far.

[@cristinarodriguez5417]

Hi, I will. Move to Victoria, and I am very nervous!

[@samiulislamdurjoy9416]

Hi..I'm from Bangladesh..and I want to study in UVic and can u tell me plz About that can international student get part time job in Victoria???

[@melaniestewart33]

Thank you for your informative video :) We are moving from a coastal town in Australia to Victoria, my children are 19 & 21 and im wondering if there is a decent nightlife. We dont expect big city night life and where we're from we dont have that either, but are there good options if they want to go out at night, also does the island get music festivals in the summer? Huge thanks this helps so much!

[@EmmeSait]

That’s so exciting! There’s definitely night life in the city (and lots of students around thanks to the university and colleges we have)! Not sure about the music festivals, events have only just started coming back so I don’t have too much experience with them yet!

[@MikeTXBC]

If you live in Victoria BC, don't expect to ever own a home. You'll need to spend a good one million dollars or more to even get a knockdown house, and that assumes the inventory is there (which it usually isn't). Even rentals are insanely expensive (~ $2000 per month for a small one-bedroom apartment) and the wages are unusually low, so just staying afloat is difficult.

[@islandapparel4225]

Yes. But it’s worse in say, Kelowna! So pick your battle.

[@MikeTXBC]

@@islandapparel4225 I don't think the actual prices are worse in Kelowna, but at least in Victoria you (generally) have better weather, so there's that. But yeah... it's not good anywhere.

[@paddington1670]

Vancouver has the richest municipalities in Canada, the worst crime and drug ridden area in Canada, worst traffic, the most STD infested municipality in Canada - Whistler, BC has the only Desert in Canada, Okanagen, largest isla.....etc

[@doihavetohaveachannel8289]

Haha. Vancouver does not have municipalities. It is a city but has districts. Whistler is not in the Okanagan. There is a desert in that area. I am not sure about the StD thing but I question all of your information. Maybe you meant to say dessert. There are many delicious desserts in Whistler, as well of a fantastic outdoor playground. You must be some kind of troll from somewhere else.

[@exposingproxystalkingorgan4164]

@@doihavetohaveachannel8289 Oh good, I like rich and creamy dessert foods as a treat.

[@theravyshow2570]

Nice to meet you! I'm another Victoria youtuber!!! lived on the island most of my life.

[@EmmeSait]

Ah, nice to virtually meet you! :)

[@ErfanMMS]

Thanks for your insight Emily :)))

[@EmmeSait]

You're so welcome! :)

[@mgkipper]

Bumper sticker, Relax This Ain’t The Mainland

[@aliciasmith1394]

That is actually from Mauibuilt, not here.

[@exposingproxystalkingorgan4164]

Greater Victoria now has more traffic jams and more crowds of people. It is the 15th largest Canadian metropolitan, major urban region.

[@one42chrisp]

I had to chuckle over Victoria coming to a screeching halt when it snows :) But in all honesty, even Edmonton has problems if it snows when the temperature is around the freezing point as the snow instantly turns to ice as soon as something touches it because it is so full of water. Once it gets a bit colder the snow is drier and is much easier to deal with, you know, it’s a dry cold :D

[@EmmeSait]

Oh gosh, I can imagine Edmonton has it’s fair share of winter weather problems! Experiencing “freezing rain” and driving on the highway without being able to see the lines on the road (or 20 feet in front of you) in Ontario was bad enough for me! Haha-dry cold vs wet cold is definitely a real thing, especially when it hits those minus numbers! :D

[@one42chrisp]

@@EmmeSait Freezing rain is the absolute worst, it makes me very nervous! My sister lives in Victoria and I have to listen to her tales of the flowers blooming in January and all that, it’s so annoying 🤣🤣

[@EmmeSait]

@@one42chrisp yes I agree-it can be pretty terrifying! Haha, I don’t think you can be classed as a “true” Victorian until you’ve sent photos of the cherry blossoms in January to family and friends in other provinces 😅

[@one42chrisp]

@@EmmeSait 🤬🤣🤣🤣

[@paddington1670]

I mean, in BC we have actual mountains and hills...

[@GoWestYoungMan]

I like hot southern Ontario summers. I know Victoria doesn't have that but is it still hot or more like a London UK summer? And I noticed bits of the Victoria area are classified as having a Mediterranean climate. Is that accurate in your opinion? Can you grow palms in all of Greater Victoria or is it really just small pockets where that is possible? I've been looking at real estate. The topography seems to vary quite abit.

[@EmmeSait]

The summers in Victoria are wonderful, but it doesn’t get as hot and humid like it does in Toronto. The thing I miss most are the warm summer nights, though. (Because it’s dry heat the temperature drops once the sun goes down.) I would say it’s in between a London summer and an Ontario summer heat-wise. Our climate is classed as “Sub-Mediterranean”, but there are a lot of microclimates across Victoria and the island in general. For example, it’s usually warmer in Nanaimo in the summer but colder in the winter (closer to an Ontario climate). But yes, we have palm trees all over Victoria! :)

[@GoWestYoungMan]

@@EmmeSait Thank you so much for taking the time to explain that. I'm thinking of moving my mother to VI but never been there myself. I only made it as far as Vancouver for 10 days during November. I guess I'll have to fly there with my Mum so we can have a look for ourselves. Optimally, I'd like to find her a house with a giant palm outside. or plant one for her. I think she'd find that amusing. Congratulations on your move, btw.

[@EmmeSait]

@@GoWestYoungMan my pleasure! If you can’t find a place with one already, I think there are actually companies that you can purchase different kinds of palms from and they come and “install” them for you! 🌴

[@GrowWithSupreet]

Excellent video, thank you for your perspective :-)

[@EmmeSait]

Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it :)

[@jamesnorton7949]

Hey Emily - My partner and I are looking to move to North Park Victoria in less than a month, its all come quite quickly and we are trying to figure it all out asap. From what I’m reading North Park has a high crime rate and I was wondering if you could shed any light on this for us please. Any info would be greatly appreciated!?

[@EmmeSait]

I’m not familiar with North Park to be honest! Sorry 😞

[@jaimep395]

I just found your channel and I really like it ... I'm an international student from latin America and I hope to arrive in Victoria at the end of the year ... keep the good work up!!

[@EmmeSait]

Thank you so much for your comment, Jaime-I’m so happy to hear that! That’s so exciting, Victoria is a beautiful part of Canada and definitely a great place to be :)

[@mgkipper]

Spent 2 weeks in Victoria recently unfortunately it was in the Royal Jubilee hospital!

[@EmmeSait]

Oh no! I hope things are better for you now. :(

[@dougb100]

Got flown down from Nanaimo in a helicopter & had heart bypass surgery, recovered now!

[@nikolaybugrym224]

Thank you! Keep going. It's been interesting

[@ansarullah3444]

Hi this is relly fine vidio so i like it

[@Holdfast1812]

Regarding Safety - the cops will tell you the city changes at about 02:00 from a safe friendly city to one where the thugs come out. Because most people aren't walking around then, it is considered a safe city. Regarding animals in the city - Marmots are fun, but not all of 'em. Do a search or two for cougars running through downtown - one through a woman's apartment. Regarding cold - Goldstream park gets wind all the way down Saanich Inlet - it IS cold, with wet, ocean saturated winds.

[@EmmeSait]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! :)

[@davidwatters3977]

Colwood Crawl...

[@natuh4425]

I have been looking for information about moving to Vancouver Island for quite some weeks and I was so happy to see your video! Have you ever visited Nanaimo? I am thinking on moving there from Ontario and I am just a little scared about the life in the island and employment and things like that. Any tips would be immensely appreciated!!

[@EmmeSait]

That’s so awesome, I’m so happy you found the channel! Lots of people seem to be moving out here from Ontario. I have, it’s a quiet little town with lots of boats :) I think it depends on your industry and drive, I know a few people who have arrived without a planned job and found something pretty quickly. I’d recommend looking and applying before you come if you can though, lots of places do video interviews now which is super helpful when moving from other places :)

[@natuh4425]

@@EmmeSait Thank you! I just came back from a trip to Nanaimo (indeed lots of boats!) and Victoria last week. I felt in love with the island and will start looking for a job before doing anything else, it seems to be a little slow. Thanks for your advise!!

[@RR-jz9pq]

Victoria seems super chilled based on all the videos I've seen of it + some online research. Its truly a little slice of sunshine on a rainbow. A moving company's blog, of all things, put it quite well when they called it a "Small city with big city amenities". I can see myself living there in the near future and I'm awaiting the last word regarding my PR application, so if all goes well I'll mostly move to either Victoria or Vancouver. The beauty of Victoria is that it's full of Canadians, so it'll help me get a feel for my new home if I live in Vic. Besides, I'll never be able to get on the landed property ladder in Vancouver but with a job I'll be able to buy a house with a yard in Victoria- even close to downtown. But Alo, I'd like your impression on what it would be like living in downtown Victoria. I've heard different things, so your impressions are welcome. Thanks if you made it this far😊

[@braydengregory9922]

It’s like 800k for a house in fernwood victoria probably modestly renovated but langford is cheap too it’s a bit smaller lots of people live there and commute downtown for work. Lots of morning traffic down the freeway but it’s only 15 mins away by car

[@JohnLoughney1]

Hi Aloha'mily, thank you this a great video 😊 Question for ya. I am moving to Vancouver island soon. What city/town would recommend? Anywhere with arts/culture and okayish night life would be ideal. Thanks!

[@haider_khan]

Thank Alohamily for the video. Please if you can make a video for newcomers from other provinces? Some advise/suggestions?

[@EmmeSait]

Hi! I’ve only lived in Ontario and BC so unfortunately they’re the only ones I can speak about from experience!

[@samridhikaila2676]

Hey! Can you also make a video about the job opportunities in Victoria for immigrants

[@EmmeSait]

Hi! If I can pull some information on that topic I certainly will :)

[@samridhikaila2676]

@@EmmeSait thanks

[@henryagassi203]

I have a TEDx Talk in Victoria in 2017. Fun but feel it’s too small coz I’m used to Toronto life.

[@EmmeSait]

I understand that! It’s not for everyone, really depends on what you like :)

[@warrenpeterson6065]

Dear Mr. Agassi, I fully understand your opinion. I'm a born BC'er and I have the webs between my toes to prove it. I used to oversee several national/international companies before retirement and understand the differences between regions very well. A common joke in BC is: When you ask someone from Toronto what do you do they commonly answer with "I'm a Doctor", "I'm a Professor of ... ", or "I'm an Accountant". But when you ask someone from Vancouver or Victoria what do you do they commonly answer with "I Ski", "I Mountain Bike" or "I Hike in the Mountains".

[@EmmeSait]

@@warrenpeterson6065 That is brilliant!

[@henryagassi203]

@@warrenpeterson6065 😂😂 This is so funny “I’m a doctor, I’m an accountant ... Vancouver “I ski” I love that ... We have this idea in Toronto that people from BC and other parts of Canada are not fund of Torontonians coz we take too much pride in our city.. Anyways, thank you Warren for the information and for making me laugh this morning. :)

[@henryagassi203]

@@EmmeSait That’s true. 👍🏿

[@baileysmith971]

I live in Victoria bc have my whole life lived in fern wood,cook st, dt and other places

[@EmmeSait]

That’s awesome! Victoria is so great :)

[@TravelTherapy022]

Very informative 👏 video. I m a new subscriber

[@EmmeSait]

Thank you so much!! :)

[@kimc555]

Victoria is nice. It’s small but pretty spread out. I’m in North Van. Lived in lower mainland all my life … it’s so incredibly pricy here but I don’t think I’d want to live and raise kids anywhere else.

[@EmmeSait]

It’s great, and so easy to get around :) North Van is lovely! I really like that area too.

[@mandidragland1730]

My husband and I are moving to Victoria this fall from Toronto! Worried about being able to make friends - would love to be friends with you! :)

[@islandapparel4225]

You will make friends easily if your a decent person, Victoria is very warm and inviting, not doosh bag like Kelowna at all.

[@tomsawyer2768]

Watched your videos blog 3 times now and Love it! You are very personable and your slight accent is appealing?!?! :-)

[@countroshculla]

Ok, you may have heard this before, but you remind me of Kate Beckinsale. Not the accent really but you look like a little bit.

[@EmmeSait]

I haven’t heard that before but that’s definitely a compliment! 😅

[@hamed6711]

Thanks for this informative video. I suggest you to make some outdoor videos too. You can make some footage in nature , near the ocean or anywhere else except home. This will be more attractive. Good Luck 👍

[@EmmeSait]

Thank you so much for your feedback, Hamed! I’ve been a little limited with when I can film which is why a lot is at home, but I’ll definitely be uploading more varied content (my next video is actually vlog style!) :)

[@anag.p.869]

Hi Aloha Mily! I am from Mexico, and My Husband and I are planning to move to Victoria the next January and study a post degree and raise our two little kids there . In base of your experience, is Victoria a good place to raise a family? Has Victoria job opportunities? Many thanks! 🙌🏼

[@EmmeSait]

Hi Ana! Wow, that's so exciting!! I see lots of young families around Victoria (especially in the outlying neighbourhoods). I think for jobs it really depends on what you want to do, for example, the city has a great Tech and Tourism industry :)

[@jonidaist]

stay far far away from Shirley Zailo

[@islandapparel4225]

You are beautiful. I will be back In Vic soon and we should go out. ;)

[@Finly052]

Hmm.... You can call yourself a Victorian if you want, but plane and simple your not an islander. It just shows. Take care.

[@EmmeSait]

Thanks for your comment! Although I don’t necessarily like labels, I’m a ‘Victorian’ in as much as I live here, but no, I’m evidently not from here! However, the definition of ‘Islander’ is “a native or inhabitant of an island.”, since I’m both of those I would certainly class myself as one, so I’m not too sure what you mean by that :)

[@Finly052]

@@bradb7342 I was born on this island in the 60's. Islanders know their own. It's a bit presonus for a Brit to automatically assume they are our culture. Their not. We are respectful us islanders, but don't presume.

[@Ban00]

@@Finly052 no one asked boomer. Way too entitled if you don't like it click off

[@aidanknight]

@@EmmeSait I was born here too, you're welcome to call yourself a Victorian 😊