Raise the Hammer

I'm a bit surprised by your experience, as most people I've talked to who have visited recently seem to love Vancouver. It could depend on what you're looking for in a city.

If you want low density, free flowing traffic, and neighbourhoods of single family houses with front gardens you'll not be happy with the downtown core and adjacent neighbourhoods. (Many people also hate the long, dark, rainy winter, but planners can't do much about that;)

But if you like a dense lively city with shops, businesses and accommodation mixed together, combined with easy access to beaches, parks and views of the mountains, then I don't think you can do better. Note that overall, the population of the City of Vancouver (603 000 in 2011 and 514 000 in 1996) is similar to Hamilton, but growing faster primarily due to densification.

I'm not sure what you meant by Vancouver's "cement producing past". The main concrete plant is still operating where it always has, on Granville Island http://www.oceanconcrete.com/, and Vancouver's traditional industry was not cement, but its port, lumber, pulp and paper, fishing and mining services.

Buying a house or apartment is very expensive in Vancouver, but rent is actually a bit lower than Toronto (average apartment rent is $989 compared with $1045). http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Mer...

The per capita income in CMA Vancouver is actually slightly lower than in the GTA: 37k versus 38k:

http://www.tableaudebordmontreal.com/com...

and the household income in in the downtown bia is actually significantly lower than in the City as whole, or Metro Vancouver ($56k, $68, $73k respectively). http://www.vancouvereconomic.com/userfil...

Vancouver has built far more social and geared to income housing than Hamilton, and there has been a long standing policy of requiring a certain proportion (20%) of geared to income accommodation in new buildings. The Mayor also has initiated a taskforce on how to increase the supply of affordable housing: http://vancouver.ca/your-government/mayo... http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Cou... Downtown and the City are not reserved for rich people!

Comment edited by kevlahan on 2013-04-05 15:32:57