1. Life in Vancouver:
Finding a home, settling in, getting around and
exploring the city
December 11 and 12, 2013
Graduate Pathways to Success

2. The Lower Mainland
 Cities surrounding Vancouver include:
- Richmond, Delta (south)
- Burnaby, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Maple Ridge (east)
- Surrey, Langley, White Rock (south-east)
- West and North Vancouver (north, the “North Shore”)
 Rent can be lower in these
cities, but the commute to
UBC will be much longer
(1 to 2 hours by transit)

3. Deciding where to live: Vancouver
neighbourhoods
Main St. divides the city into east and west
Western neighbourhoods tend to be more affluent; neighbourhoods
to the east are more economical
The Downtown Eastside (just east of
downtown surrounding East Hastings St.)
is not considered to be a desirable
neighborhood due to crime, drug use,
homelessness, etc.
For more information on Vancouver
neighbourhoods, check out:
http://www.insidevancouver.ca/tag/604neighbourhoods/
Image from UBC Housing and Accommodations,
http://www.housing.ubc.ca/off-campus-housing/deciding-where-to-live

4. Neighbourhoods: Know your “Wests”
Pay attention to these names, as they refer to very different areas!
West Side: (ex. Kitsilano, Point Grey, Kerrisdale, Shaughnessy)
- the western part of Vancouver that is not downtown
West End: the western, more residential section
of the downtown area
West Vancouver: to the north-west of Vancouver
on the North Shore; not a suburb of
Vancouver
- transit to UBC will be longer and require
transferring
…but “East Side,” “East End” and “East Van” both mean East Vancouver

5. West Side neighbourhoods
Kitsilano (Kits), Point Grey, Dunbar-Southlands, Fairview, Kerrisdale
 Closest neighbourhoods to UBC
 Rent can be higher here than neighbourhoods to the east...
but the commute is much shorter
 Quick and easy access to campus and downtown by bus
Safe
 Access to beaches and parks
 Many basement suites and small, low-rise
apartment buildings
 Mix of well-cared for older homes and large,
“April in Vancouver” by iwona_kellie;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwona_kellie/8663677472/in/photostream/
new homes

6. East Vancouver neighbourhoods
East Van neighbourhoods generally
feature lower rents and a more diverse
population.
Direct bus routes to UBC are available,
but the commute will be longer than in
western neighbourhoods (approx. 60
minutes)
Some neighbourhoods are:
 Grandview (incl. Commercial Drive)
-A diverse, bohemian area; home to many affordable restaurants
-Little Italy: Italian coffee shops, pizza, fresh cheese markets
 Mount Pleasant
- Popular with young professionals, first-time home buyers & artists
- Main St. is popular for vintage clothing shopping, restaurants
Photo by DennisSylvesterHurd
http://www.flickr.com/photos/den
nissylvesterhurd/2619116195/

7. Downtown neighbourhoods
Easy access to transit, including direct buses to UBC
Approximate time to UBC using public transit is 40 minutes
 West End
- Home to Vancouver’s vibrant
LGBTQ village
- Close to parks and beaches
- Densely populated; mainly
apartments and condos
 Yaletown
- High rent apartments and condos
- Trendy restaurants, bars, and
boutiques

8. Deciding where to live: Vancouver
neighbourhoods
Image from UBC Housing and Accommodations,
http://www.housing.ubc.ca/off-campus-housing/deciding-where-to-live

9. Finding roommates and rental spaces
 Try connecting with other graduate students through the Graduate Studies
online forum (forum.grad.ubc.ca)
 Current or graduating students in your program may know about available
rooms / apartments
 Online resources include: AMS Rentsline: http://www.amsrentsline.com/
- www.rentalhomes4students.com; Craigslist; Padmapper;
- www.eslrent.com (International students)
 Be cautious and beware of scams: do not send money, banking or
personal information
 The turn around time for rental units is fast
 Apartments and suites available to rent will be posted throughout the month

10. Housing: Additional Costs
 Utilities (BC Hydro, internet, cable, cell phones, land lines)
Some apartments or basement suites will include specific utilities
in the rent, others will not
 Laundry (Is it coin-operated or free? Will you have to go to a
Laundromat?)
 Damage or safety deposit: this should be no more than half a month's
rent and will be refunded when you move out if you leave the
apartment or suite clean and have not caused damage. Ask for a
receipt when you pay this.
 Renter’s insurance is highly recommended (minimal cost)
 Furniture
-used: Craigslist, Kijiji, garage sales
-new: Ikea (2 locations), etc.

11. Housing: Protecting yourself

Know your rights as a tenant: http://www.rto.gov.bc.ca/

Get your rental agreement in writing

Document all existing damage with photographs: This
could help you get your damage deposit back when you
move out.

Vancouver Bedbug Registry
http://bedbugregistry.com/metro/vancouver/

12. Public transit
 U-Pass is included in your student fees and is good for all zones. See:
http://www.upass.ubc.ca/
 Only exact change if paying cash on a bus (e.g. visitors)
 Translink: http://www.translink.ca/
See for schedules, maps, Trip Planner, Transit 101, etc.
- Google maps can also plan transit trips
 Major express bus lines: 99 B-line (express along Broadway), 44 (express
UBC to downtown on W 4th), 84, 480
 Skytrain: Canada Line (downtown to Richmond and airport), Expo Line
(Surrey, New West, Burnaby, Vancouver), Millennium Line (Coquitlam, New
West, Burnaby, Vancouver).
 Sea Bus: Connects the North Shore to downtown Vancouver
 Stand up / wave to stop bus at bus stop
 Red stop button / cord on windows to request stop

13. Cycling in Vancouver
 Bike lanes/routes:
http://www.translink.ca/en/Cycling/Cycling-Routes.aspx
http://www.cyclevancouver.ubc.ca/cv.aspx
 Best Bike Trails in Vancouver and Beyond
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/06/08/best-bike-trailsvancouver_n_3386973.html
 City of Vancouver Bike Projects http://vancouver.ca/streetstransportation/separated-bicycle-lanes.aspx
 AMS Bike Coop
 Get a good lock and always use it
 Helmets are mandatory and lights are strongly recommended
 Do not ride on the sidewalk unless signs are posted allowing you to
 It’s easy to combine cycling and transit: buses have bike racks on the front
and the Canada Line has designated spaces for bikes

14. Grocery Stores
 Around campus:
– Save on Foods; Safeway on 10th Ave
 Lower priced groceries around the city:
– Real Canadian Superstore, No Frills, Walmart, T & T,
independent fruit stands
 Organic and specialty items
- Whole Foods, Choices, Greens (these can be expensive)
 Fresh, local produce:
- Farmer’s markets, Granville Island
 Costco (requires a membership)
- bulk food

15. Grocery Stores
Best areas to purchase Ethnic/World Food:
Punjabi Market on South Main (Sunset neighbourhood)
Chinatown: just east of downtown
Kingsway: Asian and South Asian foods
Greektown: West Broadway
Little Italy: Commercial Drive
Richmond (Golden Village): Chinese
H-Mart (downtown, Richmond, Coquitlam) is a Korean grocery
store
T&T (downtown, Metrotown Mall) Asian foods
See also: http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2010/09/18/bestethnic-grocery-stores-in-vancouver-chefs-choices/

16. Clothes Shopping
 Brand-name clothing
– Downtown: Robson and Granville
– West 4th
– Malls: Metrotown (Burnaby), Park Royal (North Van), Richmond
Centre (Richmond), Pacific Centre (downtown)
 Boutiques
– Main St. (new and vintage)
– Commercial Drive
– South Granville
– West 4th

17. Local Attractions
Beaches: Wreck Beach (clothing optional), Spanish Banks, Jericho
Beach, Kits Beach, English Bay, 1 + 2 Beach
Mountains: Grouse, Cypress, Seymour, Whistler
Parks: Pacific Spirit Park, Stanley Park and the seawall
Museums: Vancouver Art Gallery, Telus World of Science, Museum
of Vancouver, Maritime Museum
Vancouver Aquarium (in Stanley Park)
Granville Island
Lots of free festivals: Italian Days on Commercial Drive, Greek Day
on W. Broadway, Khatsalano music festival in Kitsilano, Car Free Day
on Main St and Commercial Drive…and more

18. On Campus Attractions
Museum of Anthropology – world-renowned collection with a focus on First
Nations art and culture
Beaty Biodiversity Museum – Natural history museum
Rose Garden – beautiful view of the oceans and mountains; a great place to
eat your lunch when the weather is nice
Nitobe Japanese Memorial Garden – authentic Japanese garden and Tea
house
Botanical Garden
Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery – contemporary art
School of Music – check their website for events; some are free
Chan Centre for the Performing Arts – music and theatrical performances;
students under 25 can get discounted tickets
UBC Library: Rare Books and Special Collections and the Chung Collection

19. Resources / Tips
The graduate student forum is a great place to ask questions.
http://forum.grad.ubc.ca/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=139
Rent varies across the city, but our cost calculator can give you a rough
idea about how much living and studying in Vancouver will cost:
https://www.grad.ubc.ca/prospective-students/tuition-fees-cost-living/cost-living
Orientation events for Graduate Students – first week of January
http://orientation.grad.ubc.ca/resources/
 Other ideas for places to go and things to do:
http://www.tourismvancouver.com/
 Take a free workshop from Graduate Pathways to Success
https://www.grad.ubc.ca/gps

20. www.grad.ubc.ca