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Moving from Toronto to Vancouver

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Benefits of Moving from Toronto to Vancouver 

Whether you’re moving to Vancouver for work, family, or retirement, there’s one thing all movers can agree on:

Changing cities can be a life-disrupting experience.

You have to pack up all your things. You have to sort out the logistics of moving and settling in. And then there’s the culture shock involved with moving to a new neighbourhood in a different city. 

Moving from Toronto to Vancouver is a cross-country move that takes all the usual difficulties associated with relocating and cranks them up a notch. And to that end, we’ve written up a  list of ten reasons why many people enjoy living and working in Vancouver.

Atlas Vancouver
seafood
  1. The Seafood is Excellent

What’s the difference between good seafood and great seafood? Typically, the level of freshness. 

 

Vancouver sits on the Strait of Georgia and is also within driving distance of the Pacific Ocean. As such, the crab on your plate at dinnertime could very well have been caught and cooked the same day. 

 

Whether you’re grabbing a bite at top-rated restaurants like Blue Water Cafe or you’re buying salmon for a homemade sushi night, Vancouver has some of the best seafood in Canada.

sun-umbrella
  1. The City Has Several Amazing Beaches

In a lot of cities, going to the beach is a full-day or full-weekend affair that involves lots of planning and long-distance driving. When you live in Vancouver, however, the beach isn’t just a nice location for a vacation getaway — it’s a part of your everyday life.

 

Some popular Vancouver beaches include:

 

  • English Bay Beach;
  • Kitsilano Beach; and
  • Jericho Beach

 

You can go for contemplative evening walks. You can bring Fido for a run or hit the playground while building sandcastles with the whole family. If you love sandy beaches and waterfronts, you’ll love Vancouver.

transportation
  1. Fantastic Public Transportation

Even if you drive 99.9 percent of the time, there’s nothing worse than a public transportation system that just can’t be trusted. In Vancouver, the Sky Train is just as awesome as it sounds. Whether you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to downtown parking or you’d like a more efficient way to travel for the occasional concert, you won’t be disappointed by Vancouver’s extensive transit system.  

sport-equipment
  1. The Sports Scene

For many Toronto residents, catching a Raptor or Maple Leaf game is a magical experience. The good news for relocating sports fans is that between the NHL’s Canucks, the CFL’s BC Lions, and the MiLB’s Vancouver Canadians, Vancouver also has a fair share of professional teams across several sports. It doesn’t matter if you want to root for a new team, bond with colleagues and friends, or simply catch games because you want to keep cheering for your old team. Vancouver’s sports scene is a big part of the city’s overall appeal.

scenery
  1. The Natural Scenery

In Vancouver, you don’t have to leave the city to make the most of a sunny day. You can find all the greenery you need in the city’s local parks.

 

With its walking trails, totem poles, and tourist-attracting historic landmarks, Stanley Park is 400 hectares of everything a nature-lover could ask for and then some. And if you want to explore some of the lesser-known parks, Queen Elizabeth Park is known for its gorgeous seasonal gardens while John Hendry Park offers a nice lakeside experience.

 

From ancient trees to wildlife, Vancouver’s parks are great for picnics, walks, and simply hanging out.

sun
  1. The Weather

In some Canadian cities, the weather can go from hot summer to cold winter in the blink of an eye. And worst of all, if you’re not careful, a snowed-in house or garage is an all too real possibility. To put it bluntly, Vancouver isn’t one of those places.

 

On average, the city typically has three or four days a year where the temperature stays below 0°C. Plus, as a bonus to those who don’t like shovelling driveways and sidewalks, snow rarely gets a chance to accumulate too much in Vancouver.

 

If you’re used to Toronto’s mild winter conditions, Vancouver will give you more of the same temperate climates.

ski
  1. World-Class Skiing

The Rocky Mountains don’t just create stunning pictures and aerial views — they’re an excellent location for skiing. So if you love hitting the slopes, you’ll be thrilled to know that Vancouver is home to several world-famous ski resorts in Grouse Mountain, Cypress Mountain, and the Mt Seymour Resort to name a few. And when your skiing options are that good, no one would blame you for buying ski-related accessories ahead of next winter.

city
  1. The Nightlife

In some cities, it seems like everything shuts down at the end of the workday. But much like Toronto, Vancouver is known for its active nightlife. Whether you’re taking in a concert at Rogers Arena or living it up in Yaletown, Vancouver is a city where you can work hard and play hard in a different district every week.

store
  1. There’s Big-City Convenience

One of the best parts of living in Toronto is the convenience. In theory, you could buy anything from rare spices to specialty clothing and luxury skincare products without ever leaving the city. 

 

Vancouver is the largest city in British Columbia while also being based within the third-largest metropolitan area in the country. As a soon-to-be Vancouver resident, you won’t have to leave the city to find the things you need. If you love the accessibility and convenience offered by Toronto, you’ll enjoy many of the same amenities in Vancouver.

household
  1. There’s Big-City Convenience

There’s something about living in a clean environment that makes everything more pleasant. Vancouver routinely tops lists for being a green, environmentally conscious, and clean city. If you don’t like stepping over trash during your morning walks or breathing in toxic fumes when you go outside, you’ll enjoy the overall cleanliness of Vancouver.

 

Want to make your move to Vancouver go by quickly and efficiently? Request your FREE moving estimate today!

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Moving From Toronto to Vancouver Questions

When you’ve got a long-distance relocation on your plate, it’s easy to panic. In our experience, however, there are some steps you can take to simplify your move. Here’s our list of things to do right after you move to Vancouver:

 

1. Unpack and Settle In

 

Settling into a new house isn’t easy in the best of times. But nothing screams, “I’m not at home yet!” quite like living out of boxes and suitcases. When you work with a professional moving company like Atlas Van Lines, you don’t have to go through the effort of moving mattresses and putting together beds and kitchen tables by yourself.

 

Once you’ve unpacked your belongings and set up your main items, it’ll become a lot easier to start establishing your daily routine.

 

2. Update and Transfer Your Important Records

 

You might not need to see a doctor first thing and it might not yet be tax season when you move. But either way, it’s still a good idea to get as much paperwork out of the way as you can. Some of the tasks you may want to put on your to-do list include:

 

  • Medical record transfers
  • School record transfers
  • Address updates

 

You won’t believe how relieved you’ll feel when these major items are dealt with.

 

3. Find a Doctor

 

Do you know what’s worse than dealing with serious medical issues? Dealing with medical issues and not having a doctor.

 

Even healthy people can become seriously ill or suffer from unexpected injuries. Finding a primary care provider for yourself and your family can never be done too quickly.

 

4.Orient Yourself

 

For many people, the first few weeks that they spend in a new city can feel very disorienting. That’s why we always suggest that people spend a few hours getting a feel for their new neighbourhoods. 

 

From simple tasks like figuring out where the groceries are to discovering the shortest work commutes, sorting out these kinds of directional details can do a lot to help you feel more at home.

Moving across the street can be a difficult task. And things only become more complicated when you’re moving across the country. Here’s our list of top tips for planning a move from Toronto to Vancouver:

 

  1. Create a list of necessary tasks for your move 
  2. Give yourself more time to pack and plan than you think you’ll need
  3. Decide how you’ll move – for a cross-country relocation, moving trucks and storage containers are two options you may be interested in exploring
  4. Divide your overall move into a bunch of smaller tasks
  5. Be ready for moving day

 

Atlas Van Lines specializes in helping long-distance movers. Request your FREE moving estimate today! We’ll connect you with a nearby moving coordinator.

 

Vancouver is 3,361 kilometres away from Toronto.

 

Ready to plan your long-distance move? Contact Atlas Van Lines today!