Victoria Ranks Among Most Expensive To Live in Canada

According to recent data from Expatistan, it looks like Victoria is among the most expensive places in Canada to live. These days for a single adult living in Victoria the average cost of living is over $3,400 per month.

Thousands of new residents have been moving to BC and that means areas like Victoria and Vancouver have seen a significant jump in price for rent.

Previous reports have also suggested that many in BC are already spending much more than 30% of their income on housing which is widely deemed to be the affordability threshold by various housing affordability experts.

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Time to start building new affordable housing

Housing has been a big issue in certain parts of Canada for years now. While residents in places like Toronto, Vancouver, and Victoria, have seen prices continue to veer into unaffordable territory there are other areas that have also struggled to offer affordable rent too. Take Kelowna for example.

The issue of housing affordability is one that has caused many Canadians to give up already on the dream that they might ever be able to own a home.

There are over 5 million homes that are estimated to be needed to be built in Canada to tackle the affordable crisis in housing, most of this is reportedly needed in the Ontario and BC markets. There are multiple challenges in the way of trying to solve the problem of bringing about more affordable housing for Canadians.

Vancouver has frequently been deemed as one of the least affordable cities to live in the world.

For many Canadians they are struggling to establish a good standard of living for themselves and their families because they cannot easily find affordable and suitable housing, and this is an issue impacting many across the country.

Not only is this an issue that hits home for many Canadians but it is also a major voting issue, the cost of living, and Canadians want to know that politicians care about this issue and that they are working to try and make things better.

Province Sets Max Allowable Rent Increase For Next Year

The government recently announced that the rent hike freeze that had been introduced throughout the pandemic to help those who were financially struggling is going to be coming to a close at the end of the year. Starting in the new year the max allowable rent increase is going to be 1.5 percent for renters in BC.

Any rent hike in 2022 must also be preceded by a three months notice from the landlord too.

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Rent in Vancouver, Burnaby, and other BC cities, has become increasingly unaffordable for millions. There are many families and individuals who spend more than 50% of their income just on housing alone.

In Vancouver it had recently been estimated that a 1 bedroom cost at least $2,000 per month and that is a fee that many are unable to afford even if they are working full-time. The cost of living is on the minds of many British Columbians and for some families they have already had to look and move elsewhere because of things getting more expensive.

For 2022 landlords in BC cannot raise rents by more than 1.5 per cent.

The cost of living in Vancouver and throughout the Lower Mainland has continued to increase, meanwhile not everyone is seeing their wages rise along with it. The cost of living in BC and around Canada has gotten so difficult for so many that now politicians are floating the idea of banning foreign home buyers for a certain amount of time, to see if that doesn’t help to improve the market any. For now, there are a growing number of Canadians who are giving up on the idea of owning a home someday, as they are continually priced out of the market.

With the average 1 bedroom in Vancouver costing around $2,000 that doesn’t leave much room for other necessities, for those who are average earners.

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The recent real estate boom has also meant that more British Columbians are being forced out of their homes, as more rental properties are sold for redevelopment purposes. Those who end up being forced out of their homes might find that they are quickly being priced out of their own community when they go looking for available rentals, and sooner or later might have to face the notion of looking to relocate elsewhere because of the cost of living is too much to deal with.

At least for those renters next year who are worried about any rent increase coming from their landlords they can take a little comfort in knowing that this cap has been established for them. As for what might bring any significant solution to the housing market in Vancouver as far as affordability goes, it doesn’t look like anything is going to unfold on that front anytime soon that will have a meaningful impact for those who need it. Meanwhile, inflation is rising and cost of living continues to go up.

Gardens in Vancouver That are Worth the Visit

Now that spring is here and it is starting to get warmer outside it could be a great time to visit any garden space in the community.

There are thousands of different garden spaces around B.C. to visit. It could be a larger botanical garden space that you pay to visit or a free community garden that might grow vegetables.

There are many schools that have also set up their own garden spaces and vegetable growing patches. It is easy to find one in your own community no matter where you might be in B.C.

Spending time outside and near the garden and plants can be a great way to unwind from the chaos, to settle down, to find a little bit of peace and happiness. Not only that but making a trip to the garden is also just a good excuse to get outside.

Top Gardens in Vancouver

There are a variety of top gardens in Vancouver if you are looking to visit by yourself or with someone you know. Whether you are looking for a classical Chinese garden space, an open area like Stanley Park and their rose garden, or something over by the beach like the rose garden at UBC, there are many choices. When you are looking for top gardens in Vancouver it is true that there is no shortage.

You can find many gardens in Vancouver including the popular VanDusen Botanical Garden, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, Stanley Park Rose Garden, Bloedel Conservatory, Queen Elizabeth Park, Rose Garden of Queen Elizabeth Park.

Aside from these top gardens in Vancouver there is also the Park & Tilford Gardens located in North Vancouver, this is another popular garden to visit if you want to see some beautiful plants and flowers during spring or summer. Some of these garden spaces are going to require tickets and for others all you might need to pay for is parking.

There is no shortage of spectacular garden sights to take in when you are visiting Vancouver. It is a great place to plan a day if you are with family or friends, looking to have a coffee, or see something relaxing and breathtaking all at the same time.

Getting outside can be good for us and spending time in nature can help us to find that center again when life gets too busy. We can unplug and get outside and get back to basics, find something simple yet marvelously unique to become fully embraced by.

When looking for a little bit of peace and calm sometimes many find it in the garden and B.C. has many gardens to find and explore. If you are like me then you might find that the garden is your happy place.

Looking for top Gardens in Vancouver and other parts of B.C. ? You won’t run out of options because there are many different ones to visit.

One of the best gardens in Vancouver that I would recommend starting with is the VanDusen Botanical Garden. They have different events that go on during the year and it always looks festive during the holidays, but during COVID-19 of course things have changed a bit. They’ve still had some limited showings to the garden though and offered the chance to get tickets online.

If you want to visit then you can book and pay ahead online for a timed visit for one like VanDusen Botanical garden. They’ve usually got a cafe in the area too as well as a restaurant that makes it a lot easier to eat.

But changes to indoor dining have again just recently been announced in B.C., so things won’t be like you might normally expect when going out to visit places like that.

Gardening is a great activity that can bring a lot of new green exposure into your life, and also expose you to new plants and things that you have never seen before. Research has previously suggested that gardens might be beneficial to our mental and physical health more than we know. But for those who garden on the regular they might already affirm this and be well aware of the benefits, especially after spending time in the garden for decades.

There are researchers who have even recommended that health professionals encourage people to garden with what space they might have because of the benefits they believe are available.

When we get very stressed by everything around us and all of the noise and gadgets, sometimes taking a little time away from that can be a good thing and gives us the chance to get back and connect with nature.

There are many top gardens in Vancouver that have beautiful spaces to explore and it is still easy to stay socially distanced and safe while you do it. These offer great opportunities to see the city, your own community, and the beautiful plants that are being nurtured there.

You might be surprised to find out how much beauty there is in your very own city.

B.C. is one of the most beautiful places in the world, and there are many top gardens in Vancouver and around the B.C. region to visit if you are looking to get out and explore something new.

Anyone going out though is still encouraged to social distance personal bubbles, stay in their own communities, and try to avoid non-essential travel.

For many who cannot go to normal physical activity classes and gyms etc, getting out for a walk to the local garden might be their own opportunity to really get some good exercise and time outside. Last year many people turned to garden spaces and a walk in their nearby forest to try and get some outside time and a change of pace.

Going to a garden at certain times might also be a little less crowded then going to other areas that might be more filled with people also looking to get out in the good weather these days.

Visiting a garden in Vancouver is a great way to spend some time alone, or with close friends and family, but also stay distanced too. It gives that chance to get that time outside and be active but also support companies in the community as well, like those running the botanical gardens and other garden spaces in Vancouver as well.

Some garden spaces in Vancouver are temporarily closed, like Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden in Vancouver, but there are others that have been open for limited hours during the pandemic. For other smaller gardens in communities around B.C. it might be cheaper and easier to visit those ones than to make a visit anywhere else.