Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012

2012

Vancouver

Relocation Guide

An official publication of The Vancouver Board of Trade

Best of the West Our advantages: Tax edge, world-class skills Moving stars: Relocation professionals City spirit: Vancouver on its off-hours Inside real estate: Where should you live?

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION

PUBLISHED BY

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2012

Vancouver

2012

Vancouver

Relocation Guide

An official publication of The Vancouver Board of Trade

Relocation Guide

An official publication of The Vancouver Board of Trade

Best of the West Our advantages: Tax edge, world-class skills Moving stars: Relocation professionals

Our town, your new home—8 Canada’s spectacular western gateway

City spirit: Vancouver on its off-hours Inside real estate: Where should you live?

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION

PUBLISHED BY

Opening doors—10

51

The Vancouver Board of Trade is your key to the network

Innovation station—12 Tax incentives, know-how and supportive associations make Vancouver the place to set up shop

States of play—17 Where Vancouverites get their culture, sports and dining

Northwestern directions—20 Skilled labour, diverse population and international business

Movers, not shakers—22 Professional relocators reduce stress and help your company return to work faster

New leases on life—24 Furnished executive rentals ease the transition into your new city

To your health—26 What’s covered under B.C.’s Medical Services Plan and BC PharmaCare

Your insurance gaps—28

8

Why you need a private medical plan to supplement MSP

Looking out for number 2—30 In your new location, your career’s all set, but what about your spouse’s?

Maps Greater Vancouver—32 Downtown Vancouver—34

Area profiles

17

The communities of Greater Vancouver Vancouver—37 Burnaby, Richmond, New Westminster—41 North Vancouver, West Vancouver—44 Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows—47 Delta, Surrey, Langley—51 Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Mission—54

Publisher: Paul Harris Managing publisher: Gail Clark Editor-in-chief: Naomi Wittes Reichstein Design director: Randy Pearsall Proofreader: Baila Lazarus Writers: Lorne Eckersley, Rebecca Edwards, Noa Glouberman, Ingrid de Jong Joffe, Peter Mitham, Andrew Tzembelicos, Grant Wing Production manager: Don Schuetze Production: Carole Readman Sales manager: Joan McGrogan Advertising sales: Lori Borden, Corinne Tkachuk Administrator: Katherine Butler Sales assistant: Caroline Smith Senior researcher: Anna Liczmanska Database research: Grant Wing Controller: Marlita Hodgens President, BIV Media Group: Paul Harris Vancouver Relocation Guide is an official publication of The Vancouver Board of Trade, Suite 400, 999 Canada Place, Vancouver, B.C. V6C 3E1, 604-681-2111, fax 604-681-0437, www.boardoftrade.com.

Vancouver Relocation Guide is published by BIV Magazines, a division of BIV Media Group, 102 Fourth Avenue East, Vancouver, B.C. V5T 1G2, 604-688-2398, fax 604-688-6058, www.businessinvancouver.com.

Copyright 2011, BIV Magazines. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or incorporated into any information retrieval system without permission of BIV Magazines. The publishers are not responsible in whole or in part for any errors or omissions in this publication.

PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO: 40069240. REGISTRATION NO: 8876. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Circulation Department: 102 Fourth Avenue East, Vancouver, B.C. V5T 1G2 Email: subscribe@biv.com

PUBLISHED BY

Directories OFFICIAL PUBLICATION

Business associations—57 Education—57 Relocation services—60 SPONSOR

ACCOMMODATIONS

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A new waterfront community in Vancouver River District, a new community

a prestigious Vancouver address,

by ParkLane Homes, is Southeast

beautiful waterfront views and a

Vancouver’s newest and largest

central location within the region.

waterfront development. Located

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master-planned community with

is an undiscovered gem – it offers

unique sustainability features.

River District also has an online community.

Check out www.riverdistrict.ca to learn more.

We search the area for you. Here we list events and activities taking place at River District Centre and in the surrounding areas.

See what the future holds or tour River District without leaving your home.

Sign up for our monthly newsletter to learn about upcoming events and project initiatives.

PARTNERS IN COMMUNITY River District is focused on building community now and as the project unfolds.

There will be plazas, parks, schools, cafes, restaurants and communal gardens.

Already, the community is growing.

ParkLane has partnered with Polygon Homes.

Polygon is constructing the ďŹ rst apartment homes and townhomes on site. www.polyhomes.com

Urban Rec is a Vancouver-based lifestyles company that offers fun and social activities for people in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s. River District has partnered with Urban Rec to offer the ďŹ rst Urban Beach Volleyball league in southeast Vancouver. www.urbanrec.ca

A multi-purpose building that is home to a large scale model that showcases the project and a community space where people can join us for activities and events such as yoga, arts & crafts, and movie nights.

LONG-TERM VISION Âť Âť Âť Âť Âť

130 acres of land 7.2 million sq ft residential space 250,000 sq ft retail space 260,000 sq ft ofďŹ ce space 2 out-of-school child care centres (140 spaces)

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2 schools 4 daycare centres (256 spaces) 1 community centre 25 acres of new park space 1.5 kilometres of riverfront access

Âť There will be communal gardens, orchards and edible landscaping.

VANCOUVER

SE M A R

BURNABY MARINE DR

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There’s always something happening at River District There’s lots to see and do at the waterfront. Visit River District Centre to learn more about the project, participate in an activity or grab a bite next door at Romer’s Burger Bar.

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Âť Rainwater will be collected and cleansed on-site in vegetated bio-swales, rain gardens and permeable pavers.

KERR ST

Gourmet burgers, ďŹ ne wines and beers, all served on a patio overlooking the river – the only riverfront restaurant in Vancouver. www.romersburgerbar.com

Family Place is a not-for-proďŹ t charitable organization that offers programs and services to families with young children aged 0-5. They offer a family drop-in program for parents and caregivers with their children. River District has partnered with SVFP to offer the ďŹ rst Family Place program at River District. www.southvancouverfamilyplace.org

 Natural habitats such as Sanctuary Island – where birds and animals can live undisturbed – are being created.

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River District Centre Address: 8683 Kerr Street Vancouver, BC V5S 0A4 T: 604.431.5594

Cool breeze, warm welcome EASY NAVIGATION, RELAXED LIFESTYLE SPUR YOUR ACTIVITY

A

ctive. Green. Modern. Consistently voted one of the world’s most livable cities. If ever there was an ideal place to relocate, it’s Vancouver.

Canada’s third-largest city is known for many things: its stunning beauty, its laid-back lifestyle and its temperate marine climate. After all, it’s situated in a coastal rainforest, not what most expect of a major northern city. Yet it doesn’t get blisteringly cold temperatures, snow or unbearable humidity. Like its mood, its climate is generally cool and breezy. Here you’ll find great summers and stunning falls.

With Greater Vancouver taken into account, the population reaches some 2.36 million. You’ll hear Vancouver called the City of Glass because of the prevalence of the modern towers dotting its skyline.

Relocating here means many things.

You’ll probably eat fish and sushi if you didn’t before. Your collection of outdoor gear will 8

Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012/BIV Magazines

invariably expand. And as you become a Vancouverite, you’ll start spending your downtime in the spectacular outdoors.

Our fate to create Vancouver’s known for its edge. Many residents work in creative industries, including animation, special effects, video games and design. Meetings take place at coffee shops (they’re everywhere) as often as in boardrooms, while consultants abound.

There’s a wide choice of neighbourhoods, each offering its own charms. Downtown, you’ll find trendy Yaletown, historical Gastown and the compact West End. A short commute and a bridge away (they sound farther than they are) are cool Kitsilano, established Dunbar, easygoing Fairview and the hip SoMa (South Main) district. Farther The Granville Island Public Market offers the freshest produce, seafood, meats and baked goods

Photos: (top) Tourism Vancouver; (bottom) Tourism BC/Dannielle Hayes

By Andrew Tzembelicos

Vancouver city view

Photos: (centre right) Tourism Vancouver/Tom Ryan; (bottom) Tourism Vancouver/John Sinal

out, Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey and White Rock beckon.

Moving around Vancouver is easy with a clean, modern transportation system that includes light rail. Vancouver is exceptionally bike-friendly with more than 400 kilometres of routes both on and off the streets, including dedicated lanes downtown. Water taxis are a favourite with residents and visitors alike, while the SeaBus connects downtown to the North Shore.

The play’s the thing In Vancouver, people work hard. They play harder. Who wouldn’t, given Cypress, Grouse and Seymour mountains nearby, all favourites with skiers, snowboarders and hikers?

Golf courses are abundant; there’s ready water access for kayakers, boaters and standup paddleboarders; and almost 18 kilometres of beaches are right there in the city.

Vancouver also boasts 22 kilometres of seawall, including the Stanley Park Seawall, with separated pathways for cyclists/rollerbladers and those walking or running, in addition to a wealth of parks and gardens.

Indoors, Vancouver offers a panoply of programs through its 24 community centres, fitness centres (both public and private), skating arenas and and yoga studios. Overall, the ambience is very much about healthy, active living.

For those who prefer watching sports, we have an NHL hockey team, the

Vancouver Canucks; junior hockey, in the form of the Vancouver Giants; the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League; the Vancouver Canadians, a minor-league baseball club; and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, a Major League Soccer franchise.

Lovers of culture will appreciate the Vancouver Recital Society, the Vancouver Opera, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and the Arts Club Theatre Company, as well as annual events including the TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival, the DOXA Documentary Film Festival, the Vancouver International Film Festival & Centre and the Vancouver International Writers Festival.

They’ll also welcome the many offerings at venues including the Orpheum Theatre, the Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts and the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Amenities aplenty Granville Island is a popular hub whose public market offers the freshest organic foods, wares by local artists and restaurants with striking waterfront views. Beyond the island, Vancouver covers all your shopping needs with the fashionable stores of Robson Street, South Granville, West 4th Avenue, indoor malls and elsewhere.

What’s the best way to become acquainted with walkable Vancouver? In keeping with the city’s active lifestyle, don your runners, hikers or barefoot shoes, get out there and explore. Ą

Lighthouse Park, West Vancouver

Serenity at Deep Cove

BIV Magazines/Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012

9

The power of the network THE VANCOUVER BOARD OF TRADE OPENS DOORS FOR NEWCOMERS

M

10

The Vancouver Convention Centre year, The Vancouver Board of Trade has been a major force since a group of 31 merchants founded it on September 22, 1887, to organize the city’s rebuilding after the Great Fire. Since then, the organization has grown to 5,200 members and has spearheaded historic developments such as the laying of an undersea cable from Vancouver to Sydney, the establishment of a faculty of commerce at the University of British Columbia, the lobbying for fast border lanes resulting in PACE lanes and the NEXUS pass, support

Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012/BIV Magazines

for the bid for the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, the release of landmark research reports such as Kids ’N Crime and Reforming the Canadian Healthcare System, the laying of groundwork for Canada’s first airport authority, the salvation of the rapidtransit Canada Line linking the airport to Vancouver after it was voted down and the substantial reductions of business property taxes that continue today.

Information means business. As an established centre for “knowledge exchange,” the

Photo: Tourism BC

embership in The Vancouver Board of Trade, Vancouver’s “Accredited Chamber of Commerce with Distinction” and “British Columbia’s leading business group,” opens doors to a network of 5,200 business contacts. No other organization in Western Canada offers as many business-building activities combined with exclusive membership services and savings.

By making use of everything the Board offers, members gain access to a unique network of world-class business leaders, professionals from all industry sectors and, of course, potential customers and clients.

They can also access valuable information and resources for developing themselves and their employees professionally, strengthening business skills and raising their profiles to expand their markets: all vital components for success.

An estimated 200,000 business cards are exchanged each year at the Board’s 400 events, committee meetings and activities, which attract more than 24,000 attendees.

The Vancouver Board of Trade has an international division, World Trade Centre (WTC) Vancouver. Through membership in the World Trade Centers Association (WTCA), Board members automatically gain access to private clubs, office space, boardrooms and research centres in most major cities around the globe, as well as a range of useful tools including trade publications, software translation, global trade alerts and live chats with WTCA agents.

Celebrating its 125th anniversary this

Did you know?

The Vancouver Board of Trade offers: Ăaccess to a network of 5,200 business

Photos: (top) Kim Stallknecht; (bottom) Dave Roels

60 Minutes co-editor Lesley Stahl (right) questions B.C. Premier Christy Clark as guest speaker at The Vancouver Board of Trade’s annual general meeting

Board recognizes that staying ahead of business trends is essential to succeeding in the global economy. As the premier speakers’ platform in Western Canada, the Board hosts more than 60 major events headlining inspiring business leaders, renowned dignitaries and other influential people from around the world. Federal and provincial cabinet ministers are frequent guests at these events, which include opportunities to ask questions. Recent speakers include Bill Clinton, former president of the United States; Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee; Stephen Harper, prime minister of Canada; Christy Clark, premier, British Columbia; Greg Robertson, mayor of Vancouver; and business leaders such as Robin Silvester, chief executive officer of Port Greater Vancouver; and Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks.

The Board also hosts social events for first-timers to build their all-important initial networks. Intimate Networking Roundtables invite members to present their products and services to at least 30 new contacts.

Members and their clients can also unwind with Vancouver’s business leaders at the annual Members’ Boat Cruise and local sporting games. The CentreBoard Club in the prestigious Pan Pacific Vancouver hotel is the Board’s traditional luncheon club for members and their customers, offering panoramic views of the waterfront.

Access to publications exclusive to members, such as the annually updated Members’ Business Directory, are all valuable tools

to newcomers. In addition, cutting-edge technology is continually adapting to help members do business with one another.

The Board is Canada’s first chamber of commerce to offer an online e-marketplace where people can post requests for services and bid on contracts, connect on line and find new clients, build relationships, build profiles in the marketplace and, of course, do business with one another.

The Vancouver Board of Trade offers a comprehensive suite of online courses provided by a variety of renowned institutions such as the Forum for International Trade Training (FITT), eCornell, eConcordia and the Justice Institute of British Columbia, all available on the Board’s online portal, VIBEhome.com.

The Board is as relevant to doing business today as it was in 1887. As chair Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia comments, “It’s not very often that one is impressed by a group of business people so diverse in their expertise and areas of concern. I believe relevance is crucial to any successful association, and in 2012, in our world-class city and spectacular province, The Vancouver Board of Trade is and will continue to be the pre-eminent business voice.

“The City of Vancouver has just celebrated its 125th birthday, and The Vancouver Board of Trade is about to do the same. In over a century of storied history, the Board has never wavered in its mission: to enable and empower its members to succeed, grow and prosper in the global economy.” Ą

contacts exchanging an estimated 200,000 business cards every year; Ăan international division, World Trade Centre (WTC) Vancouver; Ăexclusive marketing opportunities to reach Vancouver’s business audience; Ămore than 150 savings and discounts, including an employee health-benefits program; Ăopportunities to have impact on policy of interest to members and their businesses; Ăthe ability to stay ahead of local and international business trends; Ăcutting-edge business technology, such as the unique e-marketplace Board Business Exchange (BBX); and ĂVancouver Board of Trade programs built for members, such as Leaders of Tomorrow, Women’s Leadership Circle and the Company of Young Professionals.

“Returning to the U.S. after the 2010 Winter Games, NBC anchor Brian Williams thanked Vancouver ‘for welcoming the world with such ease and making lasting friends with all of us.’ Vancouver offers the best in winter sports, summer coastlines and superb recreational facilities.

It was ranked one of B.C.’s Top Employers for 2011 in recognition of the policies and programs enjoyed by everyone here. As the prosperous Pacific Gateway, our port trades $75 billion in goods annually, yet we still have one of North America’s smallest carbon footprints of any major city. I truly believe it’s one of the friendliest, healthiest and most forward-thinking cities on earth.”

– Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia, chair, The Vancouver Board of Trade

BIV Magazines/Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012

11

Vancouver means business OUR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN FACTS AND FIGURES

By Grant Wing

W

ith a happy combination of beauty, brains and business know-how, Vancouver has all the ingredients businesses need to thrive.

Advantages include a favourable tax regime, an exceptionally skilled and educated workforce and an enterprising spirit.

Business tax competitiveness is one of the most powerful pluses. A 2010 ranking by KPMG found Vancouver to be among the lowest-taxed jurisdictions in the developed world. The ranking took into account the total tax burdens faced by companies in 41 major cities, combining income taxes, corporation capital taxes, sales taxes, property taxes, miscellaneous local business taxes and statutory labour costs. The calculation took the total taxes paid by businesses in each city and expresses each total as a percentage of total taxes paid by corporations in the United States. Vancouver scored 50.5, beating other cities by a wide margin.

British Columbia’s corporate income-tax rate of 10 per cent is among the lowest in jurisdictions among the G7 group of

Vancouver skyline from Stanley Park and Coal Harbour

countries. The current combined federal and provincial corporate income-tax rate will have dropped to 25 per cent in 2012.

Businesses in Vancouver don’t pay revenue or gross-receipts tax or input-sales taxes.

B.C.’s small-business corporate income-tax threshold is $500,000, the highest in Canada.

B.C.’s small-business income-tax rate of 2.5 per cent is one of the lowest in the country. continued on page 14

Take the credits British Columbia offers tax incentives to a wide range of industries and activities Book publishing tax credit This credit is for book-publishing corporations operating primarily in British Columbia. Recipients of Book Publishing Industry Development Program (BPIDP) contributions after March 31, 2002, and before April 1, 2012, are eligible for credits of 90 per cent of the BPIDP contributions received.

British Columbia interactive digital media tax credit There is a refundable tax credit of 17.5 per cent on eligible salary and wages incurred by corporations to develop interactive digital-media products in B.C. after August 31, 2010, and before September 1, 2015.

Film and television tax credit Refundable tax credits go to eligible corporations that produce eligible domestic film or video productions in B.C. with qualifying 12

Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012/BIV Magazines

levels of Canadian content. There are five distinct credits for basic film and television tax, regional tax, distant-location regional tax, film-training tax and digital-animation or visual-effects tax.

Foreign tax credit Canada Revenue Agency allows a corporation to claim a foreign tax credit for taxes paid to another country on foreign nonbusiness income.

tax, for grassroots exploration of qualified resources.

Mining exploration tax credit Corporations and active members of partnerships conducting grassroots mineral exploration in B.C. may qualify. The credit is

Deltaport

Logging tax credit A corporation that has paid a logging tax to B.C. on income earned from logging operations may claim a logging tax credit equal to one-third of the logging tax paid.

Mineral tax Numerous credits, allowances and exceptions are available that apply to the mineral Photos: (top) Picture BC/Josh McCulloch; (bottom) Port Metro Vancouver

Employment rates —Greater Vancouver Ą Labour force ◆ Unemployment rate

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calculated as 20 per cent of qualified miningexploration expenses less the amount of any assistance received or receivable.

Oil and gas royalties and freehold production tax Several provincial tax credits and exemptions apply to royalties and taxes for oil and natural gas production in B.C. Political contribution tax credit Businesses may claim contributions made to registered B.C. political parties, registered B.C. constituency associations or registered candidates for election to the Legislative Assembly of B.C. Production services tax credit Refundable tax credits go to accredited production corporations producing accredited film or video productions in B.C. Credits are available to domestic and foreign producers.

Canadian content not required.

Source: BC Stats

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Qualifying environmental trust tax credit A corporation that is a beneficiary of a qualifying environmental trust located in B.C. may qualify. Fully refundable, the credit first applies against total income tax payable.

ScientiďŹ c research and experimental development tax credit In addition to the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) federal tax incentive, B.C. provides a tax credit of 10 per cent to qualifying corporations that carry on SR&ED in B.C. Small business venture capital tax credit A corporation investing in shares of a registered venture-capital corporation or eligible business corporation may claim this credit.

Canada Line SkyTrain

Training tax credit The program provides tax credits for employers and apprentices engaged in eligible apprenticeship programs administered through the British Columbia Industry Training Authority.

Sources: British Columbia Ministry of Finance, Canada Revenue Agency

BIV Magazines/Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012

13

Aquarium and creek at Vancouver International Airport

In Competitive Alternatives 2010 Special Report: Focus on Tax, KPMG ranks total tax burdens faced by companies in 41 major cities in the developed world. ĂVancouver ranks number 1, with a total tax index score of 50.5. ĂAfter Vancouver come Monterrey (59.8) and Mexico City (60.0). ĂWithin Canada, Vancouver beats both Montreal (60.3) and Toronto (67.6). ĂVancouver beats major American cities like Baltimore (81.8), Minneapolis (86.5), Boston (87.9), Philadelphia (88.9) and Detroit (90.7) by a wide margin. ĂCompared to the lowest-taxed Euro Zone countries, Vancouver is ahead of the Hague (76.1), Amsterdam (76.7) and Manchester (77.4). ĂVancouver bests major Australian cities Melbourne (78.9) and Sydney (82.8).

Take a break B.C. offers your business the tax edge ĂIn January 2011, British Columbia’s corporate tax rate was reduced to 10 per cent from 10.5.

ĂB.C.’s combined federal and provincial corporate tax rate of 26.5 per cent is lower than the analogous corporate rates in any jurisdiction in the United States.

ĂThe federal corporate income tax is set to drop to 15 per cent in January 2012. ĂB.C. businesses pay no revenue or gross-receipts tax or sales-and-use taxes. ĂB.C. businesses pay no general corporation capital tax, no employer payroll taxes, no franchise tax and no tax on business inputs.

ĂBritish Columbians with annual incomes up to $119,000 pay the lowest provincial personal income tax in Canada.

Small-business haven ĂB.C.’s current small-business corporate tax rate of 2.5 per cent is Canada’s second-lowest. ĂThe small-business tax threshold in B.C. is $500,000, the highest in Canada, saving small businesses $20 million yearly. ĂThe B.C. government plans to reduce the small-business corporate tax rate to zero.

Source: British Columbia Ministry of Finance

14

Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012/BIV Magazines

Provincial tax incentives are available for eligible film, television, digital-media and research-and-development businesses, making B.C. and Vancouver prime jurisdictions for cutting-edge technology. Incentives for eligible international financial activities are available in B.C., with reductions planned for businesses in clean tech and carbon trading. B.C. residents with annual incomes up to $119,000 pay the lowest provincial personal income tax in Canada.

Vancouver offers businesses a deep, diverse talent pool: a highly skilled workforce with impressive collective brain power.

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Canada has the highest proportion of persons aged 25 to 64 with college or university certificates among OECD countries. And Vancouver is one of Canada’s best-educated places. Over one-third of its working-age population has university diplomas; onetenth has advanced degrees. In 2008, the Intelligent Community Forum named it one of the smartest cities in the world.

A magnet for creativity and innovation, Vancouver has Canada’s most entrepreneurial economy, with the highest proportions of self-employment, new-firm employment and growth in small-business formations among large Canadian cities.

Vancouver’s businesses find broad, helpful networks as trade associations and organizations represent most major industries here. Ą

Photo: Vancouver Airport Authority

continued from page 12

First in class, last in tax

Rich Harvey, CGA Hockey Finance Manager Bauer Canada

Certified General Accountants see more than numbers. When it comes to leadership, we see the impact and opportunity behind those numbers. That’s because, in this fast changing economic climate, innovative leadership is seeing how numbers impact our business – before they do.

CGA-more.org

s WWW JUDITHADAMICK COM Judith Adamick is respected as the industry leader in the marketing of Greater Vancouver’s most beautiful luxury real estate as well as commercial properties. Her impeccable reputation as one of the city’s top Real Estate Agents with over 21 years of experience is evidenced by her dedication and integrity. Year after year, Judith brings a wide selection of Vancouver’s most sought after & desirable real estate to the market and offers the most effective and successful marketing programs available in the industry. Call Judith for all your real estate needs.

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Leisure pleasures CULTURE, SHOPPING AND DINING GIVE CANADA’S WEST COAST ITS DISTINCT FLAIR

By Noa Glouberman

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Photos: (top) Tourism Vancouver/Dannielle Hayes; (bottom) Tourism Vancouver/Hayes

iven the thriving arts scene, coastal cuisine and shopping that suit a variety of tastes, it’s no wonder residents love to call Vancouver home. You will, too.

Variety shows Vancouver’s artistic offerings range from live concerts and theatrical performances to public festivals.

Among the latter: the international HSBC Celebration of Light annual fireworks display competition, the Vancouver Folk Music Festival and the Vancouver International Children’s Festival. The Illuminares Lantern Festival lights up the night with handmade paper lanterns and The Vancouver Chinatown Night Market runs from May to September fire-breathers.

The annual Bard on the Beach festival is visiting international companies. The numerous venues for music Western Canada’s largest professional Shakespeare festival, held on include the Orpheum Theatre, home to the Vancouver Symphony the waterfront under red-and-white tents. Theatre Under the Stars Orchestra since 1930, the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts and presents two summer musicals at Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park. stadium venues like Rogers Arena for international rock concerts.

Plays and musicals are staged year-round at the historic Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage, the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, the Centre in What’s in store Vancouver for Performing Arts and the Granville Island Stage.

Ballet BC performs regularly, and according to Tourism Vancouver, Shopping here means high-end boutiques, sprawling malls, big-box stores and mom-and-pop shops. there are more than 25 other professional local dance troupes and Vancouver’s Chinatown is North America’s second-largest after At the Pacific National Exhibition San Francisco’s. You’ll find medicinal herbs, rattan furnishings, jade urns, tai-chi swords and more. Try a Cantonese baozi (pork bun) or pan-fried pot-sticker; buy fresh, exotic produce and trendy cookware from Ming Wo; or attend the summer night market on Keefer Street for bargains and tasty take-out.

Gastown, in downtown Vancouver, is rich in history, galleries and native art stores. Specialty shops hock hand-knit sweaters, cigars, buttons and bottles of Canadian maple syrup. Elsewhere downtown, red bricks pave the way to Yaletown’s über-hip fashion boutiques, designer furniture stores and niche beauty-service providers.

Commercial Drive, a five-minute ride from the core, is Vancouver’s unofficial Little Italy: a clash of cultures, cafés and funky shops.

Farther west, Main Street is eclectic with antique sellers and independent fashion designers.

BIV Magazines/Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012

17

ABOVE: Anthony

and Cleopatra at Bard on the Beach RIGHT: Whistler

Geroy Simon of the BC Lions

Granville Island bursts with shops, stalls and galleries offering glassware, pottery, paper products, beads, wine, tea and hats. Its public market boasts the best in seasonal local seafood, pastries, produce, cheese, handmade pasta, homemade fudge and more.

Shopping districts and malls round out the offerings. From Park Royal shopBroadway’s trendy boutiques in Kitsilano to the Oakridge Centre, from ping centre in North Vancouver to Metropolis at Metrotown in Burnaby, you’ll find everything you A Relocate Canada Company could want.

“What we do, we do very, very well.”

We specialize in furnished accommodations and destination services including orientation tours, rental home searches and settling-in services.

Toll free: 1-877-841-8111 Tel: 604-739-2099 Fax: 604-739-1981 Head Office: PO Box 64557, RPO Como Lake, Coquitlam BC V3G 7V7 18

www.relocate.ca

Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012/BIV Magazines

Food fest From hand-rolled sushi to poutine pizza, dining in Vancouver is an endless adventure. Gathered from ocean, forests and valleys, the best of British Columbia’s bounty is sliced, skewered, simmered and sauteed to perfection. You’ll enjoy the fresh, local and environmentally conscious approach to food.

Case in point: Vancouver is the birthplace of the 100 Mile Diet and Ocean Wise, a program created by the Vancouver Aquarium that encourages restaurants to make sustainable seafood choices. C Restaurant, the founding restaurant partner in the Ocean Wise program, serves fresh fish netted in local waters, while Wild Rice and Raincity Grill feature 100 Mile menus sourced from local farmers and food artisans.

Vancouver is among the best spots outside Asia for that continent’s cuisine. Vij’s Restaurant has been hailed by the New York Times as “among the finest Indian restaurants in the world,” while at Tojo’s, master sushi chef Hidekazu Tojo is credited with inventing the B.C. roll, with wild salmon, cucumber and sweet sauce.

Go Fish operates out of a small wooden structure on the harbour in False Creek. The seafood comes straight off the boats and is – simply put – mouthwatering.

And as for the restaurant chain White Spot that originated in Vancouver, it offers the legendary Triple “O” burger and, for your kids, the Pirate Pak. Ą

Photos: (clockwise from top left) Tourism Vancouver, BC Place, BC Lions; David Blue; Tourism BC/Randy Lincks

Blackcomb ski resort

Destination Northwest

LOCATION AND ETHNIC DIVERSITY MAKE VANCOUVER IDEAL FOR INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Group tour with an Edible BC chef at Duso’s, Granville Island

ABOVE: Langley

Community Day Parade and Celebration

Dancers in costume at Caribbean Days Festival, North Vancouver

First Nations carving

At the Surrey Vaisakhi Parade and Celebration 20

Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012/BIV Magazines

Photos: (clockwise from top right) Tourism Vancouver/Tim Matheson; Tourism Vancouver/Coast Mountain Photography; Coast Mountain Photography; Tourism BC/Tom Ryan; Tourism Vancouver/Hayes

GREATER VANCOUVER Demographic characteristics Ą 0–17 Ą 18–64 Ą 65+ Ą all ages

Ethnic ancestry British Isles East and Southeast Asian Other North American Western European Eastern European South Asian Southern European French Northern European Aboriginal West Asian Latin, Central and South American Other European African Oceanian Arab Caribbean

3.5

Millions of persons

3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 1996

2001

2006

2011

2016

2021

2026

2031

2036

Source: BC Stats

00

0,0

10

00

0,0

20

00

0,0

30

00

50

00

0,0

60

00

0,0

70

00

0,0

80

Source: Statistics Canada

Immigrant and total populations Total population

00

0,0

0,0

40

Regions of origin

Immigrants Number

China, People’s Republic of India Eastern Asia (ex. China, H.K.) Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region Northern Europe (ex. U.K.) Philippines Southeast Asia (ex. Philippines) Eastern Europe West Central Asia and Middle East Southern Europe Western Europe Americas (ex. U.S.) Africa United States of America Oceania and other Southern Asia (ex. India)

Percent

1996

1,831,665

633,740

2001 2006

1,986,965 2,116,581

738,550 831,265

34.6 37.2 39.3

Source: Statistics Canada

0

,00

20

0

,00

40

0

0

,00

,00

60

80

00

0,0

10

00

0,0

12

00

0,0

14

Source: Statistics Canada

Educational levels Ä„ Immigrants Ä„ Total population

Parade in Vancouver’s Chinatown

! % ! ! % ! " # ! ! ! ! % ! " # !$ ! % !

#

Source: Statistics Canada

Languages spoken at home Ä„ Greater Vancouver Ä„ B.C. 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10%

g

En

On sp ly o ok ne en la bu ng t n ua ot ge En gli sh

ly

On

lis

en

ok

p hs

ne n n o ke ha e spo t re g Mo ngua la

Source: Statistics Canada

Photo: Coast Mountain Photography

Original languages English Cantonese Chinese, not specified Panjabi (Punjabi) Mandarin Korean Tagalog (Filipino) Persian (Farsi) Vietnamese Spanish

Immigrants

Per cent

328,635 91,440 77,370 64,520 53,385 26,405 20,415 17,100 12,225 10,670

41.8 11.6 9.8 8.2 6.8 3.4 2.6 2.2 1.6 1.4

Source: Statistics Canada

BIV Magazines/Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012

21

Smooth moves A PROFESSIONAL CAN ENSURE A DISASTER-FREE MOVE FOR YOUR BUSINESS

By Rebecca Edwards

Y

ou’ve signed the lease on your new premises and have a move-in date, but don’t think the rest of your business relocation will necessarily take care of itself. A professional organizer can help improve the logistics of your move, reduce its stress and make your new location more efficient and cost-effective.

“A lot of companies think that relocating is just a case of calling up the moving company and setting a date, ” says Jason Shanks of

22

Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012/BIV Magazines

Photo: Dominic Schaefer Photography

Kyla Rozman of In Order to Succeed challenges companies to consider how their relocations will support corporate goals

Photo: Creative Move Management and Design

Creative Move Management and Design, a specialist in commercial relocations to and within Greater Vancouver.

Shanks includes among his clients Health Shared Services BC, a division of the Provincial Health Services Authority and the governing body of the province’s six health authorities.

“We come in before the move day to prepare the staff, help pack up the old premises and make plans for the new premises, then oversee the move itself and deal with any problems that come up afterwards.

“Our focus is on business continuity, to keep the business operating for as long as possible before the move, for it to be down for as short a time as possible, and then to get it running again quickly.

“A lot of our clients have moved themselves before and realized it was so stressful and costly that it is better to hire a professional.”

Having a professional oversee a relocation allows senior staff members to focus on their normal jobs, says Shanks.

Professionals know the best ways to save clients time and money. They have local contacts in the field.

Shanks got one company back into production two days earlier than expected, after advising it to get some custom-made carts to move a large amount of flat glass between its old and new locations.

Professional organizer Kyla Rozman of Vancouver-based In Order to Succeed identifies several phases to an effective corporate relocation.

“First is the planning phase,” she says.

She identifies “what stage the company is in,” where it is going and “how to plan the move” to meet the company’s goals.

“Next is the education phase. It is so important to get the employees involved as they are the company’s best asset. I give them training on how to pack and how to label the boxes. This saves a lot of time in the unpacking stage.”

Rozman says, “It is important to free up time in everyone’s schedule” for purging and packing and to make sure everyone has the right supplies for proper packing to prevent breakage. She says, “The move itself should be carried out by professional movers to protect your staff against injury.”

Next come unpacking and organizing, which “will take longer than you think but if done right … will lead to increased productivity in the new place.”

Jason Shanks of Creative Move Management and Design (right) and a mover from First Canadian Logistics after a successful corporate relocation

Not least, Rozman budgets time for a “review phase, where we refine the business systems so that things are running as efficiently as possible for long-term productivity gains.”

Moving is a good opportunity to become paperless, streamline work systems and get rid of unneeded objects.

“More than 80 per cent of paper that is filed away never sees the light of day again,” she says. “Someone is going to touch every single object in that entire place. Why would you move things that you aren’t going to need any more?

“Only 25 per cent of the population are natural organizers, so most people don’t have the tools, the time or the will to streamline their work systems efficiently.

“Every object in your life takes time to clean or manage, and it takes up space. So

if you want to have the most streamlined workplace possible, you need to ask, Do you love that object? Does it support you in your business vision? If not, maybe you don’t need it any more.”

Shanks says that a relocation offers a chance to evaluate the layout of your premises and how it helps or hinders productivity.

“In the life of a company, often people just find themselves sitting in [offices] that [are] vacant. Often they are not even with the group of people they need to communicate with.

“Most companies store a lot of paper that they don’t really need, so if you can purge or digitize it or move it to an external storage facility, you can devote more space to the manufacturing and administration that actually [make] your company money.” Ą

IS YOUR BUSINESS MOVING?

Unlike moving companies, we don’t simply move your assets!

We engage and coordinate all the service providers required for your local or national relocation project • Property Management • Fire Safety Inspectors • City Inspectors

• Movers • Signage • Alarms

• Industrial Racking • Office Furniture • ...and more

Creative Move Management and Design http://creativemoves.ca

info@creativemoves.ca

604-540-1702

BIV Magazines/Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012

23

Temporary times FURNISHED ACCOMMODATION EASES YOUR TRANSITION FROM HOME TO HOME

By Rebecca Edwards

A

24

ABOVE: A

downtown executive residence LEFT: A furnished

apartment in Burnaby

more flexible than an unfurnished rental or a hotel. You can arrive any day of the week or month, and everything is here for you.

“If you are here for six to 12 months, a furnished rental will give you more space and help you to immerse yourself in the culture and the community, without having to spend time buying or shipping furniture.

Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012/BIV Magazines

“If you are coming to Vancouver permanently, it is great to rent furnished accommodation for up to three months and get to know the different areas and types of housing before you commit to buying a house or taking on a full 12-month lease.”

Most executive residences include a concierge or orientation service to help with

Photos: Mode Suites

fter packing up your old life, saying your goodbyes and travelling for hours, you’ll need a welcoming place in your new city.

Furnished executive residences are available across Greater Vancouver to help you feel immediately at home.

“Everything is included in our apartments; you only need to bring your toothbrush,” says Becky Bertoia, owner of Pacific Coast Accommodations.

“They are fully furnished; they have parking, cable, wi-fi, regular housekeeping.

It’s a more comfortable setting than a hotel when you are moving to Vancouver tempo rarily or to stay in while you are looking for a place to live permanently.”

Most furnished rentals have flexible check-in times, so you won’t find yourself killing time at the airport after arriving in the early hours of the morning.

Some furnished rental companies can also arrange airport transfers direct to your accommodation.

Bertoia believes that arranging comfortable accommodation for the first few days or weeks after an arrival can make a move less stressful. Her company’s aim, she says, is to get new employees to their desks and focused on their jobs as quickly as possible.

Paula Robinson, co-owner of Mode Suites, says that starting your new life in a furnished rental makes sense whether you intend to stay in Vancouver for a short time or permanently.

“If someone is just working here for up to three months, a furnished rental home is

Photos: Pacific Coast Accommodations

A suburban riverside apartment

everything from the washing machine to giving information on local culture.

“Our tours are not about showing newcomers the tourist sights,” says Bertoia.

Depending on clients’ needs, she says, “we can show them the nearest shopping areas, the hospitals or even arrange interviews with the principals of the local schools.”

What’s more, Pacific Coast Accommodations can help them transfer their drivers’ licences.

Relocation consultants use their local knowledge and understanding of overseas markets to help newcomers find their permanent homes in the city, Bertoia says.

“Sometimes companies ask us to show around their prospective employees before they have even accepted the [jobs], to help sell the city and the lifestyle to them.

“We know that a lot of people from Australia and New Zealand end up on the North Shore because that area has many familiar characteristics for them.

“I also know the local traffic patterns, so I can advise clients how long it will take them to commute from different parts of the city to their downtown [jobs].”

Renting accommodation through a reputable company helps you avoid Internet scams and unreliable landlords, says Robinson.

“Knowing that you are booking through a registered company gives you peace of mind that when you arrive you will have somewhere to stay.”

When arranging long-term accommodation from overseas, going through a furnished management company can make it easier to get accepted as a tenant in a competitive market, says Julia Brooks, owner of DB Relocation Services.

“We recently helped source accommodation for a student from Japan who had never been to Vancouver and had trouble finding a home as the rental market in Vancouver is so competitive that she stood no chance of

ABOVE AND LEFT:

A furnished apartment gives you a welcoming base with all you need for your first few nights, weeks or months

“For this particular client, we even paid the first month’s rent and security deposit as she didn’t arrive until a month into her lease agreement and hadn’t set up a local bank account.” Ą

getting a place from overseas.

“We will get the client to sign authorization forms, attend viewings on [his or her] behalf, take photos and, if the client decides a place is of interest, complete application forms.

www.shellysmee.com

Shelly Smee

Make Your First Move visiting the

(604) 763-2787Relocation Pages at shellysmee.com

Shelly Smee Shelly Smee

(604) (604)763-2787 763-2787 EMAIL: residentgenius@shaw.ca

Relocation Specialist Since 1995 BIV Magazines/Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012

25

Care talk MEDICAL SERVICES IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

By Lorne Eckersley

The Medical Services Plan is administered from Victoria as the provincial capital

N

ew to British Columbia or Canada overall? Here’s what’s on offer with medical care.

Canada has universal coverage governed by the Medical Health Act. As each province administers its own services, coverage varies with the province. All B.C. residents must enrol in the Medical Services Plan (MSP).

MSP insures such services as: Ămedically required services provided by a physician enrolled with MSP; Ămaternity care provided by a physician or a midwife; Ămedically required eye examinations provided by an ophthalmologist or optometrist; Ădiagnostic services, including x-rays and laboratory services, provided at approved diagnostic facilities, when ordered by physicians, midwives, podiatrists, dental surgeons or oral surgeons; Ădental and oral surgery, when medically required to be performed in hospital; and orthodontic services related to severe congenital facial abnormalities.

Obtaining Medical Services Plan coverage As a new resident of B.C., you’re eligible for coverage after completing a waiting period that normally consists of the balance of the month of arrival plus two months. To allow time for processing, you should apply for coverage immediately upon arrival in B.C. New residents from other parts of Canada should maintain coverage with their former medical plans during the waiting period.

New or returning residents arriving from outside Canada should purchase private insurance during this period. (For information on private insurance, see page 28.) ĂFor MSP coverage, enrolment forms and premiums: www.healthservices.gov.bc.ca ĂTo search for a physician: www.cpsbc.ca/cps/physician_directory/ search (College of Physicians & Surgeons of British Columbia)

The Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre, site of outpatient care at Vancouver General Hospital that benefits an estimated 600,000 patients annually

BC PharmaCare BC PharmaCare helps people afford eligible prescription drugs and medical supplies. One of Canada’s most comprehensive drug programs, it provides reasonable access to drug therapy through seven plans. The largest is the income-based Fair PharmaCare.

For most PharmaCare plans, active enrolment in MSP is required.

Once a person is eligible for PharmaCare, any portion of a prescription cost payable by the program is calculated automatically at purchase. Only the cost not covered by PharmaCare is paid by the patient.

26

Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012/BIV Magazines

ABOVE: Vancouver General Hospital,

B.C.’s largest, offering specialized and tertiary services. Affiliated with the University of British Columbia, it also provides training and advanced medical education LEFT: The Blusson Spinal Cord

Centre, one of Vancouver’s many institutions integrating care with leading-edge research

Greater Vancouver health facilities and agencies The area boasts many world-class institutions, including: ĂVancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Centre (VHHSC): VHHSC comprises Vancouver General Hospital, UBC Hospital, GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre and George Pearson Centre.

With 1,900 beds, VHHSC is one of the continent’s leading healthcare centres.

ĂBC Children’s Hospital: BC Children’s Hospital and Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children provide expert care for the province’s ill or injured children, including newborns and adolescents. ĂBC Cancer Agency: With seven other provincially mandated health-care agencies, this agency is a member of the Provincial Health Services Authority, which governs, manages and funds the group. Ą BIV Magazines/Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012

27

Health first THINK YOU’RE COVERED WHEN YOU’RE NEW HERE? THINK AGAIN. WHY YOU NEED PRIVATE MEDICAL INSURANCE AND WHERE TO GET THE BEST

By Grant Wing

C

hoosing the right private medical insurance protects new residents of British Columbia from unexpected medical expenses and provides peace of mind during their first months here.

New residents can wait up to three months before they are covered by the Medical Services Plan (MSP). A resident requiring medical care during such a period could end up stuck with thousands of dollars a day in medical expenses.

Fortunately, newcomers can choose from a wide variety of private medical insurance policies designed to reimburse them for emergency medical and other health-care expenses until MSP coverage starts.

Major Canadian insurance companies providing private medical insurance include the Co-operators, Manulife Financial, Sun Life Financial and Pacific Blue Cross.

B.C.-based Pacific Blue Cross offers visitors to Canada travel plans

28

Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012/BIV Magazines

that cover emergency health-care expenses.

Non-Canadians seeking permanent residency who face longer waits should buy six months of coverage to allow for longer waits for MSP, suggests Mark Gronsdahl, marketing and sales director at Pacific Blue Cross. Several levels of coverage are available, and policies can be refunded or extended as needed.

Buyers should also consider their needs for additional coverage like dental or prescription drug expenses, he says.

“They should look and see what the plan covers that isn’t covered by the government plan. So what other additional coverage are you looking for? We have different options available.”

Private medical insurance can also be purchased through an insurance broker who can help clients select the best policy from a variety of insurers.

An insurance broker can help a buyer understand the fine print and act as a third-party advocate in case of a claim, says Jason Cummings, general manager of David Cummings Insurance Services, which has specialized in health insurance since 1995.

“The value we would add is navigating the insurance language or steps in a claim,” Cummings says. He advises people relocating here to consider additional coverage such as insurance for trips outside Canada and renewal guarantees at prevailing rates.

Insurance brokers can also help clients choose the right levels of coverage, according to Carol Mills, financial services account executive at HUB International Ltd. Even Canadians moving to B.C. are only covered up to what their

TOP AND LEFT:

provinces of origin will cover, and they too need to supplement their coverage, Mills says.

For non-Canadians, visitors’ policies providing emergency coverage are fairly straightforward to set up.

A more comprehensive expatriate policy provides coverage for vaccinations, annual physicals and other procedures not covered by visitors’ policies. “I think the main thing is to consider what your needs are, and consider: What would you do in the event that something happened? The bottom line for us is that we try to be solution providers and customize the right solution, whether it’s an individual or a family situation,� Mills says. Ą

The Vancouver area is rich with recreational opportunities that boost health and ďŹ tness

(EALTH )NSURANCE "ROKER

Photos: (left) Tourism BC/Albert Normandin; (right) Tourism Vancouver/John Sinal

(ERE FOR YOU &OR YEARS WE HAVE SPECIALIZED IN )NSURANCE (EALTH 4RAVEL ,IFE $ISABILITY FOR PEOPLE RELOCATING OR TRAVELING OUTSIDE THEIR HOME COUNTRY „ 6ISITORS AND .EW 2ESIDENTS IN #ANADA „ )NTERNATIONAL 3TUDENTS 7ORKERS „ %XPATRIATES AND TRAVELLERS WORLDWIDE „ $ELEGATES OF INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES EVENTS 7E PROVIDE SOLUTIONS FOR PEOPLE FROM ANY COUNTRY GOING TO ANY COUNTRY

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BIV Magazines/Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012

29

Jiving jobs YOUR OWN CAREER’S SET, BUT WHAT WILL YOUR SPOUSE DO IN YOUR NEW LOCATION?

Cheryl Nakamoto, chief, people, progress, potential, at McNeill Nakamoto Recruitment Group

W

hen people relocate to Vancouver, how do their significant others navigate the city’s distinct employment culture to follow their own career paths?

“Vancouver’s way of doing business has a special flavour. We’re not like Calgary or Toronto or Winnipeg,” says Diane Voth-Stewart, principal and career strategist/executive coach at VisonPath Solutions Inc. “There is a resort-town attitude here on the West Coast.”

Accepting the city’s relaxed café style helps newcomers both fit in and stand out to employers. Here’s what local experts advise.

30

Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012/BIV Magazines

Photo: Dominic Schaefer Photography

By Ingrid de Jong Joffe

A helping hand Investing in testing Personality and assessment tests can help people choose new careers or evaluate their transferable skills. Career consultants can help them understand their work preferences, review their training and educational options and provide career coaching.

“When I have clients who have relocated to Vancouver, the first thing I do is ensure [that] their accreditations are up to date and [determine whether] they need higher learning to meet a related job’s specifications,” says Voth-Stewart.

“If people aren’t sure what career they want to go into, we’ll provide an analysis to help them choose [new careers]. Sometimes people from other countries need to upgrade their skill [sets] or learn new software,” says Cheryl Nakamoto, chief, people, progress, potential at McNeill Nakamoto Recruitment Group.

Old resumé begone Every applicant should take a fresh look at his or her resumé and cover letter, because the old versions on file may not do the job here.

For someone lacking work experience in Vancouver, says Voth-Stewart, “it’s important to stay away from a chronological resumé and include a personal profile. Recruiters are really into behavioural style for matching people to positions. They see 400 to 800 files and need to know that people have the traits their clients are looking for. Resumés also need to match the same keywords and phrases for a job description to be picked up by scanners. The most important thing is to have a great cover letter that highlights your accomplishments.”

Women Work is useful. This five-month program helps women determine career directions and supports their goals with group learning and personal coaching.

“Our mandate is for those with post-secondary schooling and mostly women in their 30s, 40s and early 50s. Women who are over 55 are the fastest-growing labour market,” said Karen LeClair, in her former capacity as program manager for the Minerva Foundation for BC Women.

“Vancouver is known as a cosmopolitan city, but from a working perspective, it is not a head-office town. Some executive positions people may be looking for are not available,” she said. “We also see job descriptions that include [wish lists] of skills and experience” for companies’ dream candidates. “These long lists are not realistic. It can be overwhelming to people who think they need to have all of the skills.”

At Minerva, clients learn to find work through networking rather than just applying to positions on line. “In Vancouver, it is not whom you know, but who knows about you,” said LeClair. The program has a success rate of 78 per cent.

Five pointers for finding work in Vancouver Developing elevator pitches: Candidates should talk about their experiences and goals in two or three sentences that people will remember.

Promoting oneself: People love to talk about their accomplishments and expect others to do the same.

Being positive: People want to work with those who are friendly and open.

Listening well: Gleaning useful information is just as vital as selling oneself. It also makes a great impression.

Joining clubs: For those with hobbies or special interests, joining groups can be fun and also help expand networks.

Finding work is never easy, especially in a new city where one may not know how business is done or where to look for support.

“The market is getting better; it’s a slow but steady increase in demand for services,” says Nakamoto. With the right skills and support, applicants can find work here. Ą

pure Welcome to the neighborhood.

It’s comforting to know there’s a beautiful resort nearby that

Getting out more Vancouverites love to connect in person. It’s part of our well-known “resort culture.”

“Three things I always recommend are ‘network, network, network.’ Go to your kids’ school or a community centre and get involved,” says Voth-Stewart.

“Use your spouse’s connections to lead to introduction meetings,” says Nakamoto.

“Be courteous and send a thank-you note in the mail or even hand-deliver it. It’s a very important but forgotten courtesy that goes a long way.”

takes you far away from the fast lane. Here you soak in natural hot pools. You heal in the spa.

And boat across the depths of Lake Harrison.

For you and a loved one, or the whole family. Welcome to Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa.

Call 866.768.4554 HarrisonResort.com

Minerva’s system Many women take breaks from working to raise families, and re-entering work may be intimidating. That’s where Minerva Helping BIV Magazines/Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012

31

Nelson Canyon Park

LYNN HEADWATERS REGIONAL PARK

Capilano Lake

Glenmore

Rice Lake

WEST VANCOUVER Dundarave

British Properties Pemberton Heights

t Poin

Atk

in s

on

no R pila Ca

Ambleside

DISTRICT OF NORTH VANCOUVER

North Lonsddale

Blueridge

i v er

Lighthouse Park

Capilano Suspension Bridge

Upper Lynn

Central Lonsdale

Capilano

Ambleside Park

West Lynn Lions Gate Hospital

CITY OF NORTH VANCOUVER Keith Lynn

Prospec t Po int Siwash Roc k

Capilano University

Lower Lonsdale

Lynnmour

Lonsdale Quay

Third Beach

Vancouver Aquarium

Stanley Park

E N G L I S H Spa nis h

W re

ck Be

Kits ilan oB

Old Hastings Mill Store Museum

ch ea

Nitobe Memorial Gardens

ch ea

s nk

Museum of Anthropology

h eac oB ich Jer

Loc arn oB

Ba

Brockton Oval

H.R. MacMillan Space Centre & Vancouver Museum Vanier Park Maritime Museum & St. Roch Granville Island

Point Grey

Marine Drive Foreshore Park

Arbutus PACIFIC SPIRIT REGIONAL PARK

Dunbar

IONA BEACH REGIONAL PARK Iona Island

Hastings Strathcona

Downtown

Pacific Central Station

Rogers Arena BC Place Stadium

Yaletown

Vancouver East Cultural Centre

MacKenzie Heights Quilchena Kerrisdale

Grandview Renfrew Heights

South Cambie Children’s Hospital BC Women’s Hospital BC/Yukon Red Cross Centre VanDusen Botanical Gardens

Burnaby General Hospital

Fraser Knight

Nat Bailey Stadium Bloedel Conservatory Queen Elizabeth Park

Cambie

Main

VANCOUVER Kilarney

Suncrest Everett Crowley Park

South Vancouver

Sea Island

Mitchell Island

Terminal Building

Burkeville

Thompson

Terra Nova

Blundell

Richmond General Hospital Minoru Park Richmond Arts Centre

U

Riverport Recreation Complex

32

Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012/BIV Magazines

Southgate London Farm

AS

RICHMOND

SO Steveston Museum

FR

East Richmond

Broadmoor

Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site

M

ER

RI

Big B VE

R

H

Richmond Nature Park

Shellmont Garry Point Park

AR

South

Cambie Kwantlen Poltechnic University

Kingswood

Seafair

TH

Bridgeport

BCIT

Richmond Oval

Champlain

NOR

VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

South Terminal

Central Park

Langara College

Marpole

B C G

Swangard Stadium

Fraserview

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LANGLEY CITY CLOVERDALE CHILLIWACK BIV Magazines/Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012

33

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Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012/BIV Magazines

Map: Translink

What business in Vancouver looks like:

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lthough Seaspanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vancouver Shipyards won its bid to build $8 billion worth of federal navy and coast guard ships, the work to revive B.C.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s marine shipbuilding industry is only just beginning.

John Shaw, Seaspanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vice-president of program management and the man behind the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pitch for the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS) noncombat vessel contract, said his company has yet to win anything. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have an $8 billion opportunity,â&#x20AC;?

Shaw told Business in Vancouver during an interview at his office next to the shipyard in North Vancouver.

Despite recent applause from the provincial government and a wide-range of B.C. business associations over Seaspanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s successful bid for the non-combat contract, Shaw said negotiations with the federal government have only just begun.

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If itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s happening in Vancouver business circles, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reported in Business in Vancouver. The only publication dedicated to exclusive coverage of business in Vancouver, BIV keeps tabs on the people, the companies, the products, the politics, and much more.

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YOUR WEEKLY SOURCE OF REGIONAL BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE SINCE 1989

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corporatio far. a $249 million â&#x20AC;&#x153;$5 billion by the Crown deferred thus operated at billion it has he never expenses (see off the $2.2 1-7). me for a plan;

fore deferred 1149; November â&#x20AC;&#x153;He never asked for a plan; Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never report, 2017â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; issue claims it my staff to its 2010 annual â&#x20AC;&#x153;If he had hit back at asked any of But, according $696 million in costs, Reid told BIV. Hydro has costs to billions in heard that before,â&#x20AC;?gone through every single the utility deferred of $447 has deferred net income I wouldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve him exactly to report a million line. allowing it in Van- asked our accounts and told province a $47 been pad its bottom with Business and how theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re million and pay the have in- one of work, the logic In an interview To me and soon-to-be would not otherwise how they all in the rates.

Hydro CFO dividend it Reid said the to be recovered couver, BC over. executive Charles accounts to expected able to fork BC terim chief plan.â&#x20AC;? a regarding use of 27 different the thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Doyleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s report g corporationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s doing business today is Last month, ated accountin of also shot back Hydroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s use of rate-regul defer the cost taxpayers. He claim that best deal for Doyleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s John at Auditor General

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and Exporters Association, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It can easily make the difference between profit and loss in a matter of days as the dollar jumps up and anadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s volatile dollar is adding yet an- down.â&#x20AC;?

But if the divergent currency forecasts of other challenge to the already embattled Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s big-five banks are any indication, B.C. manufacturing and export sector. is not about to subside any time Once every three days during the past two that volatility While each bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s report said the buyyears, the value of the loonie fluctuated more soon. power of the loonie will likely decline startthan half a cent compared with the U.S. dollar. ing in 2012â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second half, there remains nearly That daily level of unprecedented volatility has ing difference in where the dollar is promade it difficult for exporters to set appropri- a $0.10 to be in a yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time. ate prices for their goods and services, the bulk jected John Anderson is president of Vancouverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s of which remain sold in U.S. dollars.

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n addition to BC Hydro deferring billions of dollars in costs to pad its bottom line, the Crown corporation is also generating income out of thin air.

Auditor general John Doyle told Business in Vancouver that Hydro is using interest charged on its deferral accounts to effectively increase its net income. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a completely artificial transaction,â&#x20AC;? said Doyle. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve inflated their performance by $37 million out of interest thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appeared out of nowhere, paid by themselves to themselves.â&#x20AC;?

Doyle made his comments hours after he released his latest report focusing on the utilityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s use of rate-regulated accounting practices.

BC Hydro uses rate-regulated accounting to defer certain expenses to future years that would, under normal accounting practices,

show up on the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual financial statements. As of March 31 the utility had deferred a net total of $2.2 billion in expenses.

That number is expected to balloon to nearly $5 billion by 2017, a figure that taxpayers will eventually have to account for when BC Hydro begins to recoup the expenses.

The deferrals exist in 27 different accounts ranging from variances in electricity sales income to First Nations compensation and litigation costs and capital projects.

As the utility defers those costs, it also charges interest on them.

In fiscal 2011, the interest amount on 14 of the deferral accounts totalled $37 million.

Doyle said that figure stands to substantially increase in the coming years.

He added that the accounting practice not only means it will take longer for ratepayers to pay down the deferrals, but also that it increases Hydroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s net income.

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n this third instalment of a three-part series, Business in Vancouver examines how Metro Vancouverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recently adopted Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) will preserve industrial land, the loss of which is a huge concern to regional land management advocates like Bob Laurie. The seriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; first instalment examined how the plan could promote

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development via transportation and transit links (see â&#x20AC;&#x153;Banking on transitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s power to drive growthâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; issue 1145; October 4-10). Instalment 2 explored the additional layers of bureaucracy that will accompany the RGS and their impact on development and other business enterprise (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Red flags over red tapeâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; issue 1146; October 11-17).

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spectre from Boundary Bay Airportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s troubled past has re-emerged, creating a potential threat to its bottom line.

Seven years ago, Alpha Aviation entered into a long-term lease with the Corp. of Delta to operate the airport.

Since then, the company has built a new terminal at Boundary Bay, updated its heritage hangar and improved local infrastructure to help existing businesses and attract new ones.

But in July, the airportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s former leaseholder, Boundary Bay Airport Corp., filed suit against Alpha in B.C. Supreme Court seeking

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n the first instalment Business of a three-pa in ro Vancou Vancouver examine rt series, drive verâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that develop Growth Strategy recently adopteds how Met- and transit links. ment via transpo Regiona aims through rtation l to 2040 and to shape develop Parts ment regiona 2 and 3 in how the the series plan hopes will look to landâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s l bureaucracy and at the Lower shrinkin g industri al land base. Main

governm ent could dramatireview of BC Hydro that cally reduce of renewab le the investment power the utility buys amount uncertainty has tion commu among B.C. raised First Naponents and nities, small clean energy protheir financia At risk are l backers. tens of millions potential investm of original commun ent â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and the dollars in hopes of ities of abeconomic opportunities creating wealth and energy projects. through small-sc ale clean energy As the two-day Generate 2011 couver last conference wrapped week, delegates up in Vanelsewhere said investors if the look kills Hydroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s provincial governm ent review gives proponestanding offer program nts of viable , which under 10 hydro projects megawatts of a procurem ent agreeme guaranteed purchas e nt.

According to Cindy Alberniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Stern, CEO Tseshaht of Port First â&#x20AC;&#x153;is being seen by many Nation, the review trying to get involved First Nations who are or a risk, and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s concernare involved as being offer program about the standing or potentia l changes. % $!((! â&#x20AC;?

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irst Nations treaty negotiations in B.C. have slowed to a crawl, and unless the government and First Nations re-commit to accelerate the process, the provinceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chief commissioner believes it should be abandoned.

Last week, Sophie Pierre asked for a oneyear extension to her three-year term as BC Treaty Commission chief commissioner in an attempt to get negotiations back online.

Pierre told Business in Vancouver the â&#x20AC;&#x153;lack of urgencyâ&#x20AC;? in negotiations is â&#x20AC;&#x153;ridiculous.â&#x20AC;?

She said unless Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Premier Christy Clark and the First Nations Summit re-commits to the treaty process to hasten negotiations and implement treaties, then the process, which she criticized as being a â&#x20AC;&#x153;program,â&#x20AC;? should be shut down. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If it continues to be a program instead of negotiations, then when I leave Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll just be telling everybody, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Look, folks, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not working, forget it; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a waste of time,â&#x20AC;? said Pierre.

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n this second instalment of a three-part series, Business in Vancouver examines the additional layers of bureaucracy that will accompany Metro Vancouverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recently adopted Regional Growth Strategy and the complications that Maureen Enser, Urban Development Institute executive director, and other business leaders see in it. The seriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; first instalment examined how the plan could promote development via transportation and transit links (see â&#x20AC;&#x153;Banking on transitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s power to drive growthâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; issue 1145; October 4-10). In next weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s BIV, instalment 3 will look at the impact on business from the Lower Mainlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shrinking industrial land base.

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espite the Liberal governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decade-long rhetoric in support of the B.C. mining industry, the jury is still out as to whether it has done more harm than good for the multibillion-dollar sector.

As far as Gary Musil is concerned, things havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been going that well.

Musil, president and CEO of Vancouverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International Montoro Resources (TSX-V:IMT), told Business in Vancouver the Liberals have done little to reduce the red tape his company has had to cut through to explore for metal in this province.

On top of that, IMT has re-ignited a lawsuit it filed two years ago against the province for its ban on uranium and thorium mining. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was not like we were building a nuclear reactor in the province,â&#x20AC;? said Musil. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were going to mine this and take it out of the province.â&#x20AC;?

For temporary, permanent and contract staffing call today 604-694-2500 miles.ca

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ith municipal elections fast approaching in B.C., Business in Vancouver has taken stock of how effective Gregor Robertsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vision Vancouver regime has been in improving the business environment in the provinceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest city. While improvements have been made in continuing to close the municipal tax gap between residential and non-residential taxpayers, the cost of doing business in Vancouver continues to rise while entrepreneurs say city hall efforts to sharpen business competitiveness have lost out to such initiatives as installing separated bike lanes and allowing residents to cultivate wheat or raise chickens in their backyards.

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It further alleged that Alpha aviation should pay the former leaseholder another $450,000 for an additional 10 acres of commercial development space Alpha took over since the original 2004 agreement was signed.

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VANCOUVER

By Peter Mitham

Sweet streets A VANCOUVER NEIGHBOURHOOD FOR EVERY TASTE

Photos: (top) Josh McCulloch; Tourism BC/Dannielle Hayes

W

With its spectacular setting, shining towers and clean streets, Vancouver is home to many distinct neighbourhoods that constantly reinvent themselves with each new wave of development and immigration yet are knit together by a convenient network of transit and cycling routes.

Anchoring most neighbourhoods are clusters of shops and offices that foster community spirit. Miles of seawall offer cyclists, joggers and pedestrians room to roam, while new restaurants serve comforts. And it’s hard to go a few blocks without happening upon a park, whether with a playing field or just large enough for some benches on a green with a scenic view.

Gastown, where the city was born, has transformed into a trendy hotbed, while South Granville provides an alternative to Robson Street’s downtown shopping mecca. False Creek at twilight Throughout the city, older houses are being made over in ways that define and refine at the western edge of Point Grey. Officially separate standard notions of urban living. from Vancouver, the campus houses some of the city’s Indeed, the many neighbourhoods make the city cultural jewels, including Arthur Erickson’s Museum of seem more like a collection of walkable small towns.

South Granville, Anthropology and the Chan Centre for the Performing a glamorous Arts. Pacific Spirit Regional Park’s extensive trails provide Point Grey shopping a refuge from the daily hurly-burly. Also on campus, Perched on the bluffs above Jericho, Locarno and Spanish destination Wesbrook Village includes a supermarket and pharmacy.

Banks beaches, Point Grey (also called West Point Grey) counts among its Kitsilano denizens a mix of the affluent and the Kitsilano (“Kits” to locals) may be one of Vancouver’s intellectual, budget-minded students most hedonistic neighbourhoods. Kits Beach on English and self-made entrepreneurs and Bay is a place to see and be seen, while shops on West executives. Tree-lined streets are an 4th reflect the health and fashion of an image-conscious extension of Pacific Spirit Regional demographic. Students and old-school hippies inhabit Park just next door, while transit routes the area west of Macdonald Street, also home to a sizeplace residents close to the University able Greek community that operates delis and bakeries of British Columbia and not far from on West Broadway. Along West 4th and Broadway run downtown. Shops, restaurants and express buses that connect with SkyTrain. Older houses services cluster along West 10th Avenue throughout the area are gems for renovators. between Discovery and Blanca streets.

University UBC’s steady development of the lands with which the province endowed it in 1911 has created a growing community

Dunbar, Mackenzie Heights, Southlands Rising from the Fraser River, the expensive Southlands neighbourhood is a hidden corner of Vancouver harbouring riverside trails and horse stables. Dunbar and BIV Magazines/Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012

37

VANCOUVER HOME PRICES Area

Houses

$2,268,000

$591,000

Cambie, Oakridge and South Cambie Central (Main, Fraser, Knight, Victoria) Downtown

$1,708,000

$938,000

$475,000

$830,000

$619,000

$358,000

$618,000

$403,500

Dunbar, Mackenzie Heights, Southlands Fairview, False Creek, Mount Pleasant West Fraserview, Champlain, Killarney, South Vancouver Grandview, Mount Pleasant East

$2,063,000

$1,222,000

$500,000

$1,318,000

$608,000

$475,000

$900,000

$487,000

$439,000

$812,000

$634,000

$370,000

Hastings, Hastings East

Mackenzie Heights are two established neighbourhoods with singlefamily houses and manicured lawns and gardens. At the intersection of West 41st and Dunbar Street are shops, services and transit connections, while Mackenzie Heights offers quiet streets and city views.

Arbutus Ridge This affluent neighbourhood is short on apartments but familyfriendly. With swathes of parks, community centres and stunning views, it’s ideal for raising kids or living out a comfortable retirement.

Arbutus Shopping Centre is centrally located, while transit is largely east-west, connecting UBC with SkyTrain.

Shaughnessy, Kerrisdale, Quilchena A wave of moneyed immigrants is giving new life to this trio of neighbourhoods in the heart of Vancouver’s West Side. Bastions of the affluent, Shaughnessy with its mansions and Kerrisdale with its tony shops are trading their traditional Tudor for cosmopolitan modern gloss. Mandarin is now as common on the streets as English. Quilchena Park with its grassy knolls and playing fields is a popular picnic spot, while shoppers head to Granville Street and West 41st. Buses travel the key arterials.

n/a

n/a

$760,000

$556,000

$285,000

Kitsilano

$1,600,000

$800,000

$440,000

Marpole

$1,338,000

$613,000

$305,000

Point Grey

$2,180,000

$1,480,000

$515,000

Renfrew, Renfrew Heights, Collingwood Shaughnessy, Kerrisdale, Quilchena

$750,000

$470,000

$320,000

$2,560,000

$1,071,000

$629,000

South Granville, SW Marine University West End, Coal Harbour Yaletown

$2,560,000 $3,780,000 $1,564,000 n/a

$1,039,000 $1,122,000 $868,000 $945,000

$325,000 $698,000 $495,000 $555,000

Source: Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver REBGV median sales prices, rolling 12 months ended 31 October 2011 Collated with Ken Wyder, Re/Max Select Properties, .

and YVR make housing here appealing. A new city plan for the corridor is giving impetus to commercial and residential development. Queen Elizabeth Park, containing Vancouver’s highest point, is a focal point for the area and home to the Seasons in the Park restaurant and the fascinating Bloedel Conservatory. Students love the area for its proximity to UBC and Langara College.

South Granville, Southwest Marine A house in Vancouver’s south side offers the appeal of tony living and proximity to YVR at a lower price than in neighbouring Shaughnessy or Kerrisdale. Granville is the area’s high street, with an eclectic mix of restaurants, shops and services.

Riverside trails provide recreation. The neighbourhood is underserved by transit; having a vehicle is essential.

Fairview, False Creek, Mount Pleasant West Inukshuks on shore Sandwiched between Vancouver General Hospital of False Creek, with and the Athletes Village for the 2010 Winter Olympic Science World in view and Paralympic Games (now the Village on False Creek), these areas are popular with professionals of all stripes. Vancouver’s largest cluster of offices outside of downtown is here, providing jobs, while development along False Creek Marpole provides residences. A cut more expensive for home-buying than A former industrial area that’s home to aging walk-ups and also precincts further east, these neighbourhoods are within walking disknown for its 10,000-year-old First Nations midden, Marpole is tance of Granville Island and several transit routes including Canada enjoying new popularity thanks to the construction of the Canada Line rapid-transit service to Vancouver International Airport (YVR).

Line. It’s situated between downtown Vancouver and Richmond’s commercial areas. While new development is planned for the area, Cambie, Oakridge, South Cambie Marpole retains its down-to-earth character and community spirit.

The opening of the Canada Line in 2009 has made Cambie Street a YVR and highway connections to the United States complement hotbed of new development. Convenient connections to downtown transit, making Marpole convenient for people on the go.

38

Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012/BIV Magazines

Photos (top) Tourism BC/Albert Normandin; (bottom) Tourism Vancouver/Coast Mountain Photography

Boutique delights in Kitsilano

Townhouses Apartments

Arbutus Ridge

from downtown, where office towers and restaurants offer opportunities to work and play. Primarily residential, the area’s main shopping strips are Denman and Davie streets, the latter home to the city’s gay village.

Hamilton Street, Yaletown

Yaletown Seat of high technology and haute couture, the former industrial zone now known as Yaletown is a forest of condo towers and squat office blocks. The slender skyscrapers that define the Vancouver cityscape and local notions of urban livability flourish here, kick-started

by Concord Pacific’s redevelopment of the Expo 86 lands on False Creek. The neighbourhood now stretches south from the waterfront to Smithe Street, with shops, spas and restaurants at its heart, not to mention a stop on the Canada Line.

Downtown New office towers are rising and chic restaurants opening in Gastown and Chinatown, downtown’s core residential neighbourhoods. A cultural precinct is planned adjacent to Rogers Arena and BC Place, the city’s key sports venues. Gastropubs and galleries featuring the work of local artists and artisans make it a go-to place for trendsetters and visitors alike, while trains, buses, floatplanes and ferries make downtown a departure point for adventures throughout the province.

Central (Main, Fraser, Knight, Victoria) Stretching east of Queen Elizabeth Park, the neighbourhoods of Main, Fraser, Knight and Victoria form the heart of East Vancouver.

While trendier strips north of East 16th grab attention (such as the Latin-flavoured Commercial Drive), these four areas offer relatively affordable single-family houses adjacent to multicultural shopping strips featuring foods from congee to curries. Buses and SkyTrain routes criss-cross the area.

West End, Coal Harbour Stanley Park is the jewel in the West End’s crown. This 1,000-acre oasis serves as the backyard for million-dollar condos and one of Canada’s most densely populated neighbourhoods. Tree-lined streets and beaches are a short jog (or bike ride) along the seawall

Grandview, Mount Pleasant East East Vancouver’s working-class history is much in evidence in Grandview and Mount Pleasant East, where older single-family houses and walk-up apartment buildings rise above the warehouses, rail tracks and port lands to the north. Development along Main Street and the vibrancy

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39

VANCOUVER

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For more information on Lawson Lundellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business relocation services, visit us at www.lawsonlundell.com.

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Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012/BIV Magazines

Fraserview, Champlain, Killarney, South Vancouver While the north side of Vancouver gives views of the mountains and Burrard Inlet, houses in Fraserview, Champlain, Killarney and South Vancouver orient to the Fraser River and the shopping hubs of Burnaby.

As these neighbourhoods are isolated from most of Vancouver by a lack of transit, residence here requires ownership of a car.

Champlain and Killarney are popular with young families, while redevelopment of the East Fraser lands promises to entice a new wave of families and urban professionals (and better transit). The River District is being designed as a sustainable community with two schools, retail, daycares, a community centre and 25 acres of parks.

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40

of Commercial Drive are making these areas popular as places to live, and not just for students seeking cheap digs close to Vancouver Community College. SkyTrain, express buses and feeder routes to Highway 1 make the area one of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hubs.

Hastings, Hastings East Hastings Street offers a panorama of contemporary Vancouver, running from the downtown core to Burnaby. Skid Row and the working waterfront give way to small, family-run shops and ethnic food markets in Hastings-Sunrise, a modest and affordable area on the eastern edge of the city.

Hastings Park and the Pacific National Exhibition fairgrounds provide green space and amusements (and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget the hidden gem, New Brighton Park). A 15-minute drive from downtown, Hastings East hosts express buses to downtown, Simon Fraser University, North Vancouver and Port Coquitlam.

Renfrew, Renfrew Heights, Collingwood Two SkyTrain lines cut across this trio of east side neighbourhoods, where spacious if chunky Vancouver Specials (the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s modest contribution to architectural styles) dominate. Grandview Highway (East 12th) is a main route in and out of the city, so downtown Vancouver and Burnabyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office parks are never far away. Grandview is also the commercial heart of the area, with offices and warehouses providing jobs and big-box retailers keeping families stocked with groceries and household items. Ä&#x201E;

Photo: Josh McCulloch

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Stanley Park, a 1,000-acre oasis on downtown Vancouverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s western edge

BURNABY ĄRICHMOND ĄNEW WESTMINSTER

By Noa Glouberman

Border towns LIVING BEYOND VANCOUVER’S CORE

V

Vancouver’s suburbs offer more than easy access to downtown. Verdant parks, sensational shopping and community spirit make Burnaby, Richmond and New Westminster great places to live.

All bets on Burnaby SkyTrain rapid transit shuttles Burnaby’s residents to downtown Vancouver in 25 minutes or fewer. Yet parks, retail and cultural sites within city limits offer many reasons to stay.

British Columbia’s third-largest municipality boasts more than a 150 green spaces. Central Park is an urban forest of colossal old-growth trees, Burnaby Lake

Photos: (clockwise from top) Tourism Burnaby; Picture BC/Jon Pesochin; Tourism Burnaby

The Giro di Burnaby race

In Deer Lake Park, Burnaby: Hart House Restaurant (top); Shadbolt Centre for the Arts (left)

BIV Magazines/Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012

41

BURNABY ĄRICHMOND ĄNEW WESTMINSTER

Regional Nature Park serves as a wildlife sanctuary, and Deer Lake Park offers outdoor activities as well as concerts and theatrical performances at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts.

Chinese, Korean, Punjabi and Hindi are among the languages spoken by Burnaby’s 227,000 residents. Restaurants reflect the city’s multiculturalism, from Italian delis and Greek tavernas in the Heights neighbourhood to the Crystal Mall’s Asian food court.

Some of B.C.’s biggest and best shopping malls are here.

Metropolis at Metrotown, with more than 450 stores, has circus acts, talent competitions and other events in its Grand Court. Brentwood Town Centre and Lougheed Town Centre round out the retail mix.

Burnaby has a range of residential options, from single-family houses to highrise condominiums. It’s also home to two highly ranked post-secondary institutions: Simon Fraser University, atop Burnaby Mountain, and British Columbia Institute of Technology.

Asian cuisine, Richmond

Steveston Museum & Post Office

42

Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012/BIV Magazines

Richmond rocks Occupying a cluster of 17 islands at the mouth of the Fraser River, Richmond – home to the Vancouver International Airport – lies minutes south of Vancouver by car or SkyTrain.

Some of this seaside city’s earliest settlers arrived at the turn of the 20th century looking for salmon-canning work: history preserved in the fishing village of Steveston and in sites like the Gulf of Georgia Cannery and the Britannia Heritage Shipyard.

Today, many of Richmond’s 197,000 residents are immigrants. A section of No. 5 Road known as the Highway to Heaven reflects this diversity, with over 20 colourful houses of worship representing various faiths.

Single-family houses make up nearly 50 per cent of the residential mix; the other half includes low-rise and highrise apartments and

Photos: (clockwise from top) Tourism BC; Tourism BC/Dannielle Hayes; Tourism Richmond

Richmond Olympic Oval

HOME PRICES Area

Houses

Burnaby

$897,477

$500,075

$368,591

n/a $1,075,391

$657,760 $548,090

$304,783 $358,687

New Westminster Richmond

Townhouses

Apartments

Source: Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, benchmark prices October 2011

LEFT: A busy

riverfront alongside New Westminster’s historic downtown BOTTOM: Access

to major transportation routes: a New Westminster advantage

Photos: Picture BC/Stephanie Petrie

townhouses. Yet more apartments are being built, particularly in the City Centre neighbourhood.

Richmond is reputed for its exotic fare. Alexandra Road, nicknamed “Food Street,” boasts more than 200 Asian restaurants on three city blocks. Chinese dim sum, Japanese dumplings and Malaysian meat skewers are served from June to September at the Summer Night Market.

There’s plenty more fun to be had. River Rock Casino Resort presents concerts and comedic acts in its Show Theatre. The Richmond Olympic Oval features two ice rinks, sports courts and an indoor soccer field. And the Riverport complex includes a multiplex movie theatre, a bowling alley and a wave and slide pool.

Your nest in New West As B.C.’s first capital, New Westminster is steeped in history. Named

by Queen Victoria for her favourite part of London, this community of 67,000 is known for its heritage sites, public festivals and diverse neighbourhoods.

Situated on the Fraser River, New West is easy to access by highway or SkyTrain from downtown Vancouver. It has 13 districts with a variety of housing options, from large heritage houses in the Queen’s Park area to executive-style condos on the waterfront.

The calendar is packed with community events. Year-round, festivals showcase history, culture and cuisine. The week-long Hyack

Festival in May offers carnival rides, an antique fair and a May Day parade. July’s Summerfest includes a community picnic with live music and an outdoor movie screening. Artists on the River honours B.C.’s waterways with food, song and dance every September.

Between celebrations, New West distracts with ethnic eats in the Uptown and West End districts. Admire the hundreds of fragrant hanging baskets that adorn Queen’s Park, browse the pick-it-yourself organic garden at the refurbished River Market on the Quay or watch the New Westminster Senior Salmonbellies compete in lacrosse. Ą BIV Magazines/Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012

43

NORTH VANCOUVER ĄWEST VANCOUVER

By Andrew Tzembelicos

Heading for the hills ACROSS THE WATER, ANOTHER WORLD AWAITS

A

A short commute from downtown Vancouver, the North Shore – including West Vancouver (“West Van”) and North Vancouver (“North Van”) – offers community living with ready access to amenities and one of British Columbia’s best natural playgrounds. If ever a place was made for weekends, it’s the North Shore.

Mount Seymour Provincial Park

Photo: Tourism BC/Marlene Ford

Wonderful West Vancouver With bucolic charm, West Vancouver – “the waterfront community” – has a population of 46,500 and much to offer, including perfect views of Vancouver’s downtown and Stanley Park. Its many neighbourhoods include Ambleside, Dundarave Village and scenic Marine Drive.

By car, West Van offers ready access to downtown

44

Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012/BIV Magazines

HOME PRICES Area

Houses

North Vancouver West Vancouver

$952,809 $1,694,470

Townhouses

Apartments

$659,978

$384,990

n/a

$682,887

Source: Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, benchmark prices October 2011

LEFT: Twin Falls,

Lynn Creek, North Vancouver

Photos: (top) RCPhotography; (bottom) Tourism Vancouver, Cypress Mountain

BELOW: Cypress Mountain snowboarding

Vancouver (via the Lions Gate Bridge) and North Van (via Highway 1), while the West Vancouver Blue Bus Transit system connects to downtown Vancouver, the Village of Lions Bay and the University of British Columbia. Cyclists can take advantage of the Spirit Trail greenway between Horseshoe Bay and the Lions Gate Bridge.

West Van has all the necessary amenities, including more than 25 schools, a Seniors’ Activity Centre and plenty of shopping, including the stores of Main Street and the large Park Royal mall.

Outdoors, there are 138 parks, Cypress Mountain (a favourite with skiers and snowboarders) and more than 100 kilometres of urban paths and wilderness trails for walking and hiking. Boaters can use the West Vancouver Yacht Club or any of West Van’s beaches, including those at Whytecliff or Ambleside park. Golfers have an abundance of options, including two municipal courses. Those looking for indoor or cultural pursuits will always find something at the Ferry Building Gallery, the Kay Meek Centre for the Performing Arts or the West Vancouver Community Centre.

Neighbourly North Vancouver With a population of 51,200, North Van has equally stunning views, welcoming neighbourhoods and all the amenities and recreational options newcomers require, including more than 25 schools and a range of services.

Getting to and from there is an easy 12-minute commute by SeaBus water taxi. By car or bicycle, it’s straightforward across either the Second Narrows or the Lions Gate bridge.

Much of North Van’s action centres around Lonsdale Avenue.

“Lower Lonsdale” includes the SeaBus terminal, the hub for an extensive bus network, shops and the Lonsdale Quay Market, a covered BIV Magazines/Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012

45

NORTH VANCOUVER ĄWEST VANCOUVER

ABOVE: Stanley Park and Vancouver

skyline as seen from West Vancouver TOP RIGHT: A grey wolf in the

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Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012/BIV Magazines

market with more than 80 fresh food vendors, shops, restaurants and more. “Upper Lonsdale” offers even more shopping and amenities.

You’ll find Capilano Mall, Costco, Superstore and, for outdoor needs, Mountain Equipment Co-op.

For outdoors enthusiasts, North Van gives access to Grouse Mountain and Mount Seymour, more than 140 kilometres of trails and pathway systems, more than 100 parks, 37 sport fields, 39 baseball diamonds, 43 tennis courts, five sport courts, three skate parks and 53 playgrounds for kids. From North Van, it’s a quick drive or bike ride to Deep Cove, a charming little waterfront community that’s a favourite with kayakers, canoeists and stand-up paddleboaders.

Shore connections For newcomers wanting to explore beyond the North Shore, the Upper Levels Highway (which runs through West Van) serves as the major east-west connection to the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal and Vancouver Island (via Nanaimo), the Sea to Sky Highway (Highway 99 North) and Whistler to the north. For those travelling east into B.C., Highway 1 provides a gateway to the rest of the province. Ą

Photos: (clockwise from top left) Tourism BC; Tourism BC/Tom Ryan; Tourism Vancouver/Coast Mountain Photography

Grouse Mountain Refuge for Endangered Wildlife

COQUITLAM ĄPORT COQUITLAM ĄPORT MOODY ĄMAPLE RIDGE ĄPITT MEADOWS

By Noa Glouberman

Five alive CITY LIFE, COUNTRY CHARM

A Photos: (clockwise from top) Picture BC/Oliver Rathonyi-Reusz; Picture BC/Jon Pesochin; Picture BC/Douglas Williams

An hour from downtown Vancouver, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows entice residents by combining urban with rural life.

Tried and true: Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody Greater Vancouver’s Tri-Cities comprise three of the region’s fastest-growing communities. Coquitlam’s cultural diversity, Port Coquitlam’s rusticity and Port Moody’s seaside charm provide appealing living options.

Set at the top of the landscape over Burrard Inlet, Port Moody is 40 minutes by car from downtown Vancouver along the winding Barnet Highway.

Here, 34,000 residents enjoy water sports afforded by a crescent-shaped harbour, swimming in nearby Buntzen Lake and hiking in Belcarra Regional Park. Island sandbars in the Indian Arm glacial fjord offer opportunities for scuba-diving.

Known as the City of the Arts, Port Moody holds its film festival each March at the Civic Centre, which also showcases local artists year-round. The Golden Spike Days Festival in July celebrates the city’s early ties to the railway, while May’s Fingerling Festival releases thousands of young chum salmon from the Noons Creek Hatchery into the river system.

ABOVE: Idyllic

convenience in Maple Ridge LEFT: Port

Coquitlam offers lively activities and events year-round ABOVE: Attractive housing

in Pitt Meadows

BIV Magazines/Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012

47

COQUITLAM ĄPORT COQUITLAM ĄPORT MOODY ĄMAPLE RIDGE ĄPITT MEADOWS HOME PRICES Area

Houses

Townhouses

Apartments

Coquitlam

$709,242

$469,713

$298,784

Maple Ridge

$622,955

$306,660

$229,594

Pitt Meadows

$622,955

$306,660

$229,594

Port Coquitlam

$520,761

$410,055

$242,061

Port Moody

$751,443

$403,182

$307,891

Source: Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, benchmark prices October 2011

TOP: Running the Shoreline Trail in Rocky Point Park, Port Moody

ABOVE: In Maple Ridge, you can work where you live

48

Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012/BIV Magazines

Port Moody’s commercial district, NewPort Village, features gift shops, produce markets, bakeries and ethnic restaurants. Several highrises add to the housing mix, which includes family-friendly neighbourhoods like College Park, Glenayre and Harbour Heights.

Coquitlam, 15 minutes east of Port Moody on Highway 7, is British Columbia’s fifth-largest city. Heritage Canada named it a cultural capital in 2009. Many of this mountainside municipality’s 126,000 residents hail from China, Korea and the Philippines. Maillardville, once the largest francophone settlement west of Manitoba, is characterized by French-immersion schools and older, single-family houses.

Executive-class residences and two sprawling golf courses can be found in Westwood Plateau. For young families and first-time buyers, the duplexes of River Heights provide affordable choices.

Once strictly commercial, Coquitlam Town Centre now offers a blend of residential and retail developments, educational, cultural and recreational facilities and a quick connection to downtown Vancouver via the West Coast Express commuter train.

Farther east, picturesque Port Coquitlam boasts three rivers, more than 650 acres of parkland and an extensive network of trails. Several new cultural and commercial developments dot the rustic landscape.

The Leigh Square Community Arts Village hosts live musical acts and open-air markets, while the Dominion Triangle shopping hub includes big-box retailers, restaurants and professional services.

Port Coquitlam’s public events draw crowds all year. The historic May Day festival includes a week of outdoor concerts, amusement rides and parades. In September, the Terry Fox Hometown Run celebrates one of the city’s most beloved citizens.

Photos: (clockwise from top left) Picture BC/Paul vanPeenen; Tourism BC; Picture BC/Oliver Rathonyi-Reusz

At a river near Maple Ridge

COQUITLAM ĄPORT COQUITLAM ĄPORT MOODY ĄMAPLE RIDGE ĄPITT MEADOWS

RIGHT: The

Hikers in Indian Arm Provincial Park, near Port Moody

Biking the Traboulay PoCo Trail

50

Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012/BIV Magazines

On the double: Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows are located 45 minutes east of Vancouver on Highway 7. With a combined population nearing 95,000, these neighbouring communities offer a range of business opportunities, recreational activities and some of the lowest property taxes in Greater Vancouver.

Pitt Meadows is a golfer’s paradise, with more than 100 holes peppered across four scenic courses. It’s also prime agricultural land, with berries as the main bounty. Pitt Lake, a freshwater tidal lake stocked with trout, can be fished year-round.

A popular recreational resource, the city’s dykes form an extensive network of walking and cycling paths complementary to similar offerings in Maple Ridge, where dozens more trails weave through the University of British Columbia’s Malcolm Knapp Research Forest.

Logging is an important part of Maple Ridge’s past: a heritage preserved by the cottage-like houses of the Port Hammond district, which originally housed local millworkers. Several other neighbourhoods also reflect the city’s history, including Port Haney, which derives its name from an important settler, Thomas Haney. Today this area is a bustling downtown core, with some 600 shops and services.

Celebrations in both cities abound. Green spaces called “spirit squares” are popular gathering places for street fairs and festivals.

Theatres and art galleries showcase talent, and the cities are frequent shoot locations for Hollywood filmmakers. Ą

Photos: (top) Tourism BC; (centre) Picture BC/Oliver Rathonyi-Reusz; (bottom) Jon Pesochin

modern life in Maple Ridge

DELTA Ä&#x201E;SURREY Ä&#x201E;LANGLEY

By Peter Mitham

Southern sells BUCOLIC QUIET, MODERN OFFERINGS

M

Many in Greater Vancouver talk about the area south of the Fraser as if it were another world, and in many ways it is. Cross the Port Mann Bridge, and a different tapestry of industrial, retail, residential and agricultural land unfolds.

Growth here hinges on affordable housing, abundant jobs and a spectacular natural setting for sports and recreation. Charm makes it a favourite place for first-time homebuyers and young families, as well as for new immigrants. The result: a vibrant multicultural mix living within 45 minutes of downtown Vancouver via transit or highways and two hours north of Seattle.

Delta force Comprising Tsawwassen, North Delta and Ladner (the administrative centre), Delta borders the newly self-governing Tsawwassen First Nation, which plans significant industrial and retail development. Port activities and agriculture provide employment, subdivisions, a rural TOP: At the Surrey Vaisakhi Parade and Celebration

Photos: (top) Tourism BC/Tom Ryan; (bottom) Peter Mitham photo

RIGHT: Surrey lets

you live against the stunning backdrop of the Coast Mountains

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DELTA ĄSURREY ĄLANGLEY

RIGHT: Sendall

lifestyle and transportation, within minutes of one another.

North Delta, the municipality’s historic centre, is home today to diverse ethnicities. A high proportion of businesses are locally owned, for a strong, stable commercial core. Working-class roots place housing at a discount relative to that of upper-end Tsawwassen, where mansions overlook the Strait of Georgia.

Sandwiched between the two, middle-class Ladner is the heart of Delta and home to some of the province’s largest vegetable farms.

Buses connect Delta with the rapid-transit Canada Line in Richmond, while Highway 17 runs south to the BC Ferries terminal in Tsawwassen, where connections are available to Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.

Point Roberts, a Washington State exclave next to Tsawwassen, is a second address for a number of Greater Vancouver’s residents.

Gardens BELOW: Heritage

building at Fort Langley National Historic Site

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Hurry to Surrey While designated as Greater Vancouver’s second downtown by regional planners, fast-growing Surrey still offers rustic vistas that recall its historical roots. Home to the Cloverdale Rodeo & Country Fair and acres of riverfront industrial land, it is linked in past and future to the Fraser River and the rich soils of the surrounding valley.

The redevelopment of sites in Whalley (rechristened Surrey City Centre) and Guildford promise to establish the municipality as the premier commercial centre south of the Fraser.

Key residential areas include Surrey City Centre, linked to Burnaby’s Metrotown area and downtown Vancouver by SkyTrain; Newton and Cloverdale, both popular with families; and South Surrey, which competes with neighbouring White Rock for the upwardly mobile and prosperous.

Surrey prides itself on festivals that reflect its mix of cultures, with everything from Baroque to bhangra. Cycling routes and walking trails lead to farm tours and boat launches against the stunning backdrop of the Coast Mountains. While local farms yield seasonal

Photos: (top, bottom) Tourism BC/Dannielle Hayes; (centre) Picture BC/John Gordon

Langley’s Fort Wine Co.

HOME PRICES Area

Delta – North Delta – South Langley South Surrey – White Rock Surrey – Central Surrey – Cloverdale Surrey – North

Houses

Townhouses

Apartments

$551,440 $660,000 $517,530 $872,987 $548,132 $555,806 $507,330

*$363,000 $447,000 $324,219 $475,553 $325,512 *$329,900 $301,492

*$213,500 $338,000 $236,286 $310,636 $196,000 *$227,000 $245,128

Sources: Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, Fraser Valley Real Estate Board, benchmark prices October 31, 2011 * Median sale prices for October 2011

The warm, shallow waters and sandy shore of Centennial Beach, Boundary Bay Regional Park

North Delta’s Social Heart Plaza, inviting leisurely strolls and other outdoor activities

Photos: Picture BC/Tyler Garnham

produce, local restaurants spice up palates with exotic culinary delights from around the world.

Langley, outstanding in its field Though at Greater Vancouver’s far eastern edge, Langley is just a 45-minute drive on a good day from downtown Vancouver. A rolling landscape, lush foliage and glimpses of Mount Baker mean that local acreages are retreats despite the fact they’re located in the country’s third-most populous metropolitan region.

Langley is a hub for residences and retail (the latter defines the 200 Street corridor), but the Port Kells and Gloucester industrial areas generate jobs from cargo arriving at port facilities on the coast. A new toll-bridge has spurred further industrial development north of the Fraser River in Pitt Meadows, creating additional jobs.

The municipality is home to Trinity Western University, a private faith-based school attracting students from across North America.

Kwantlen Polytechnic University also boasts a campus here, with horticulture as a prime focus.

Transit connections are via bus, connecting to SkyTrain in Surrey, with highways connecting to the United States and the Tsawwassen ferry terminal. Ą

Kayaking the Fraser River, Delta

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ABBOTSFORD ĄCHILLIWACK ĄMISSION

By Noa Glouberman

Town and country PEACE IN PROXIMITY, QUIET IN CONVENIENCE

T

The Fraser Valley was once a gateway for prospectors who hoped to find gold in British Columbia’s north. Today, new prospectors flock there seeking the quiet of country living.

Abbotsford all the way Nestled between two mountain ranges just 70 kilometres east of Vancouver on Highway 1, Abbotsford is home to B.C.’s second international airport and close to the American border.

Much of the land is agricultural. Farmers grow berries, press wine and produce organic milk. They show their bounty each Saturday from May to October at the Abbotsford Farm & Country Market and year-round through the Circle Farm Tour.

South Fraser Way is lined with major retailers; big-box shopping exists along Sumas Way. One of the Fraser Valley’s biggest flea markets sets up in Abbotsford each Sunday. In the city’s historic downtown, specialty shops occupy heritage buildings.

Abbotsford’s ethnically diverse population of 138,000 celebrates throughout the year. Before the Abbotsford

Photos: (top) Tourism BC/Danielle Hayes; (bottom) Picture BC/Josh McCulloch

Outside in Abbotsford: keeping fit (left); Wisbey Veggies corn stand (above)

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Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012/BIV Magazines

HOME PRICES Area

Abbotsford* Chilliwack** Mission*

Houses

Townhouses

Apartments

$422,894 $345,000 $347,497

$268,487 $237,900 n/a

$209,252 $149,000 n/a

Sources: *Fraser Valley Real Estate Board, benchmark prices October 2011 **Chilliwack and District Real Estate Board/ Canadian Real Estate Association, median sale prices Q3 2011

Five Corners Plaza, downtown Chilliwack

Photos: (clockwise from top left) Picture BC/Ken Bramble; Picture BC/Ken Bramble; BC Parks/Kharen Hill; Picture BC/Josh Bramble

Chilliwack Provincial Park International Airshow takes flight in August, the Abbotsford Agrifair & Rodeo brings bucking bulls, barrel-racing and a demolition derby to town for five fun-filled days each July.

The municipality’s reputation as Sport Town Canada means there’s plenty to do between public events. The Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre hosts basketball, volleyball, wrestling, gymnastics and other sports and is home to the American Hockey League’s Abbotsford Heat franchise.

Check into Chilliwack From its beginnings as a boat landing on the Fraser River, Chilliwack has grown into a vibrant community of 78,000 blending urban comfort with rural charm. Located 100 kilometres east of Vancouver on Highway 1, it includes a range of affordable housing options in several distinct neighbourhoods.

Chilliwack boasts the warmest average daily temperature in the province and some of B.C.’s most stunning natural surroundings.

Lakes, rivers, beaches and mountains set the stage for hiking, rafting, skiing, skydiving and world-class fishing.

Thousands of artisans call Chilliwack home, sharing their work through exhibitions and craft fairs organized by the Chilliwack Visual Artists Association and Chilliwack Community Arts Council. The

At Cultus Lake Provincial Park

Family time in Abbotsford

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ABBOTSFORD ĄCHILLIWACK ĄMISSION

Chilliwack Cultural Centre hosts concerts and theatrical performances year-round.

Two malls and various retail plazas bolster the city’s downtown shopping district, with its mix of specialty stores, galleries and eateries. As much of the surrounding area is devoted to agriculture, dining in Chilliwack often means feasting on locally grown foods.

ABOVE: Nestled

on a coastal mountain slope, Mission offers hiking trails from easy to challenging RIGHT: Eagle over

Harrison River

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Mission works With mountains behind and the Fraser River below, Mission, with 37,000 residents, is an hour’s drive east of Vancouver via Highway 7 or a traffic-free ride on the West Coast Express commuter train.

Mission preserves its history with several heritage sites. The Xá:ytem Longhouse Interpretive Centre marks the spot where hundreds of native artifacts and a 9,000-year-old house were unearthed.

BC Hydro’s Power House at Stave Falls was an early generator of electricity in the province. And Westminster Abbey, a hilltop Benedictine monastery, embodies the beliefs of the 19th-century Catholic missionaries for whom the city is named.

The community’s cultural scene is thriving, with the galleries, dining options and festivals you’d expect to find in a larger city.

Outdoor activities include fishing, hiking and swimming at many parks and lakes. Nearby Golden Ears Provincial Park offers campsites, hiking, canoeing and windsurfing within its 155,000 acres.

The town itself is a treasure trove of antiques, jewelry and crafts, its boutiques rounded out by the Junction Shopping Centre. Restaurants provide tasty, casual fare in family-friendly atmospheres. In summer, the Mission City Farmers Market operates on a weekly basis.

Mission’s Fraser River Heritage Park hosts many public events.

The B.C. Ukrainian Cultural Festival in May offers polkas and perogies, while the Envision Twilight Concert Series, from June to August, features a diverse roster of musical acts. Canada’s biggest night parade, the Mission Candlelight Parade, occurs each December. Ą

Photos: (top) Picture BC/Bob Friesen; (centre) Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce; (bottom) Picture BC/Bob Friesen

Blueberry farm in Mission

BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS Business Associations Asia Pacific Foundation Canada (APF Canada) 220 – 890 West Pender Street, Vancouver BC V6C 1J9 604-684-5986 604-681-1370 www.asiapacific.ca Better Business Bureau Mainland B.C. 404 – 788 Beatty Street, Vancouver BC V6B 2M1 604-681-0312 604-681-1544 mbc.bbb.org BC Chamber of Commerce 1201 – 750 West Pender Street, Vancouver BC V6C 2T8 604-683-0700 604-683-0416 www.bcchamber.org British Columbia Council for International Education (BCCIE) 603 – 409 Granville Street, Vancouver BC V6C 1T2 604-637-6766 604-637-6765 www.bccie.bc.ca British Columbia Environment Industry Association (BCEIA) 400 – 602 West Hastings Street, Vancouver BC V6B 1P2 604-683-2751 604-677-5960 www.bceia.com

B.C. Road Builders & Heavy Construction Association 307 – 8678 Greenall Avenue, Burnaby BC V5J 3M6 604-436-0220 604-436-2627 www.roadbuilders.bc.ca British Columbia Technology Industry Association (BCTIA) 900 – 1188 West Georgia Street, Vancouver BC V6E 4A2 604-683-6159 604-683-3879 www.bctia.org British Columbia Trucking Association (BCTA) 100 – 20111 93A Avenue, Langley BC V1M 4A9 604-888-5319 www.bctrucking.com Building Owners and Managers Association of British Columbia (BOMA BC) 556 – 409 Granville Street, Vancouver BC V6C 1T2 604-684-3916 604- 68--487 www.boma.bc.ca Burnaby Board of Trade 201 – 4555 Kingsway, Burnaby BC V5H 4T8 604-412-0100 604-412-0102 www.bbot.ca

British Columbia Film 2225 West Broadway, Vancouver BC V6K 2E4 604-736-7997 604-736-7290 www.bcfilm.bc.ca

Business Council of British Columbia (BCBC) 1050 West Pender Street, Suite 810, Vancouver BC V6E 3S7 604-684-3384 604-684-7957 www.bcbc.com

British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) 1420 – 701 West Georgia Street, PO Box 10123, Pacific Centre, Vancouver BC V7Y 1C6 604-683-7702 604-683-8601 www.bcrea.bc.ca

Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia 100 – 1111 West Hastings Street, Vancouver BC V6E 2J3 604-681-2351 604-681-4364 www.chamber-of-shipping.com

British Columbia Restaurant & Foodservices Association (BCRFA) 439 Helmcken Street, Vancouver BC V6B 2E6 604-669-2239 604-669-6175 www.bcrfa.com

DigiBC 900 – 1188 West Georgia Street, Vancouver BC V6E 4A2 604-602-5237 604-683-3879 www.digibc.org

Economic Development Association of British Columbia (EDABC) 402 – 44550 South Sumas Road, Chilliwack BC V2R 5M3 604-858-7199 604-858-7345 www.edabc.com Ethno Business Council of British Columbia (Ethno BC) 1361 Robson St, Vancouver BC V6E 1C6 604-687-6631 604-687-5724 www.ethno.org Genome British Columbia 500 – 555 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver BC V5Z 1C6 604-738-8072 604-738-8597 www.genomebc.ca Greater Vancouver Gateway Council 800 Robson Street, Vancouver BC V6Z 3B7 604-682-5330 604-822-8423 www.gvgc.org Independent Contractors and Businesses Association of British Columbia (ICBA) 211 – 3823 Henning Drive, Burnaby BC V5C 6P3 604-298-7795 604-298-2246 www.icba.bc.ca LifeSciences British Columbia 900 – 1188 West Georgia Street, Vancouver BC V6E 4A2 604-669-9909 604-669-9912 www.lifesciencesbc.ca Mining Association of British Columbia (MABC) 900 – 808 West Hastings Street, Vancouver BC V6C 2X4 604-681-4321 604-681-5305 www.mining.bc.ca Mobile Muse 3771 West 15th Avenue, Vancouver BC V6R 2Z7 604-230-4154 www.mobilemuse.ca Motion Picture Production Industry Association of British Columbia (MPPIA) 555 Brooksbank Avenue, North Vancouver BC V7G 3S5 604-983-5980 604- 98--598 www.mppia.com

New Westminster Chamber of Commerce 601 Queens Avenue, New Westminster BC V3M 1L1 604-521-7781 604-521-0057 www.newwestchamber.com Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) 2433 Spruce Street, Vancouver BC V6H 4C8 604-730-3000 604-730-3100 www.rebgv.org Richmond Chamber of Commerce 101 – South Tower 5811 Cooney Road, Richmond BC V6X 3M1 604- 27--282 604-278-2972 www.richmondchamber.ca Shelfspace, the association for retail entrepreneurs 208 – 1730 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver BC V6J 1H6 604-736-0368 604-736-3154 www.shelfspace.ca Small Business BC 601 Cordova St W Suite 82, Vancouver BC V6B 1G1 604-775-5525 604-775-5520 www.smallbusinessbc.ca Surrey Board of Trade 101 – 14439 104th Avenue, Surrey BC V3R 1M1 604-581-7130 604-588-7549 www.businessinsurrey.com Tourism Vancouver 210 – 200 Burrard Street, Vancouver BC V6C 3L6 604-682-2222 604-682-1717 www.tourismvancouver.com/travel/ Vancouver Board of Trade, The 400 – 999 Canada Place, Vancouver BC V6C 3G3 604-681-2111 www.boardoftrade.com Vancouver Economic Development Commission (VEDC) 1620 – 1075 West Georgia Street, Vancouver BC V6E 3C9 604-632-9668 604-632-9788 www.vancouvereconomic.com

Canadian Business English Institute 1130 Pender St W Suite 400, Vancouver V6E 4A4 604-685-0291 www.cbei.com Tamwood International College Vancouver 909 Burrard St Suite 300, Vancouver V6Z 2N2 604-899-4480 www.tamwood.com UBC English Language Institute 2121 West Mall, Vancouver V6T 1Z4 604-822-1555 www.eli.ubc.ca Vancouver English Centre 250 Smithe St, Vancouver V6B 1E7 604-687-1600 www.vec.ca VanWest College 1016 Nelson St Suite 200, Vancouver V6E 1H8 604-731-5256 www.vanwest.com Western Town College 626 Pender St W Suite 100, Vancouver V6B 1V9 604-844-7660 www.wtccanada.com Zoni Language Centres 806 Homer St Suite 200, Vancouver V6B 2W5 604-687-7000 www.zoni.com

Academy of Learning Vancouver 604-876-8600 www.academyoflearning.com

EDUCATION Business Schools BCIT School of Business Burnaby 604-432-8581 www.bcit.ca/business Kwanten Polytechnic University, School of Business at Kwantlen Surrey 604-599-2100 www.kwantlen.ca/business Langara School of Management Vancouver 604-323-5255 www.langara.bc.ca/departments/langaraschool-of-management SFU Beedie School of Business Burnaby 778-782-5013 www.beedie.sfu.ca UBC Sauder School of Business Vancouver 604-822-8500 www.sauder.ubc.ca

Language Schools Canadian as Second Language Institute (CSLI) 188 Nelson St, Vancouver V6B 6J8 604-683-2754 www.csli.com Canadian College of English Language (CCEL) 1050 Alberni St Suite 450, Vancouver V6E 1A3 604-688-9366 www.canada-english.com EF International Language Schools Vancouver 929 Granville St Suite 400, Vancouver V6Z 1L3 604-633-0505 www.ef.com

Eurocentres Vancouver 815 Hastings St W Suite 250, Vancouver V6C 1B4 604-688-7942 www.languagecanada.com GEOS Vancouver Language School 1199 Pender St W Suite 298, Vancouver V6E 2R1 604-684-6407 www.geosvancouver.com Global Village English Centres 888 Cambie St, Vancouver V6B 2P6 604-684-2112 www.gvenglish.com Inlingua Vancouver 150 Water St Suite 300, Vancouver V6B 1B2 604-605-0960 www.inlinguavancouver.com International House 1215 Broadway W Suite 200, Vancouver V6H 1G7 604-739-9836 www.ihvancouver.com International Language Academy of Canada 688 Hastings St W Suite 300, Vancouver V6B 1P1 604-484-6660 www.ilac.com International Language Schools of Canada 555 Richards St, Vancouver V6B 2Z5 604-689-9095 www.ilsc.ca LSI Language Studies International 808 Nelson St Suite 101, Vancouver V6Z 2H2 604-683-7654 www.lsi.edu LSC Language Studies Canada 570 Dunsmuir St Suite 200, Vancouver V6B 1Y1 604-683-1199 www.lsc-canada.com Pacific Gateway International College 1155 Robson St Suite 300, Vancouver V6E 1B5 604-687-3595 http://pgicvancouver.com

ELS Language Centres Vancouver 549 Howe St Suite 600, Vancouver V6C 2C2 604-684-9577 www.elscanada.com

Pacific Language Institute (PLI) 1030 Georgia St W Suite 300, Vancouver V6E 2Y3 604-688-7223 www.pli.ca

English Bay College 321 Water St Suite 200, Vancouver V6B 1B8 604-639-9075 www.englishbaycollege.com

SEC - Studey English in Canada 549 Howe St Suite 500, Vancouver V6C 2C2 604-678-8148 www.sec-canada.com

Universities & Colleges British Columbia Institute of Technology Burnaby 604-434-1610 www.bcit.ca Emily Carr University of Art + Design Vancouver 604-844-3800 www.ecuad.ca Simon Fraser Unicersity Burnaby 778-782-3111 www.sfu.ca Trinity Western University Langley 604-888-7511 www.twu.ca University of British Columbia Vancouver 604-822-2211 www.ubc.ca University of the Fraser Valley Abbotsford 888-504-7441 www.ufv.ca

Ashton College Vancouver 604-899-0803 www.ashtoncollege.com Brighton College Vancouver 604-681-5608 www.brightoncollege.ca Canadian Tourism College Vancouver 604-736-8000 www.tourismcollege.com Capilano University North Vancouver 604-986-1911 www.capilanou.ca CDI College of Business & Technology 604-685-8585 www.cdicollege.ca Columbia College Vancouver 604-683-8360 www.columbiacollege.ca Coquitlam College Coquitlam 604-939-6633 www.coquitlamcollege.com Cornerstone International Community College Vancouver 604-687-5414 www.cornerstoneacademy.bc.ca Douglas College New Westminster 604-527-5400 www.douglascollege.ca Erickson College Vancouver 604-879-5600 www.erickson.edu Fraser Academy Vancouver 604-736-5575 www.fraseracademy.ca Great Northern Way Campus Vancouver 778-370-1001 www.gnwc.ca

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EDUCATION King George International Business College Vancouver 604-683-7528 www.kgibc.ca Kwantlen Polytechnic University Surrey 604-599-2100 www.kwantlen.ca Langara College Vancouver 604-323-5511 www.langara.bc.ca LaSalle College International Vancouver 604-683-2006 www.lasallecollegevancouver.com MTI Community College Vancouver 604-682-6020 www.mticc.com New Image College of Fine Arts Vancouver 604-685-8807 www.newimage.ca Sprott-Shaw Community College Vancouver 604-683-7400 www.sprottshaw.com Stenberg College Surrey 604-580-2772 www.stenbergcollege.com The Art Institute of Vancouver Vancouver 604-683-9200 www.artinstitutes.edu/vancouver University Canada West Vancouver 800-360-7213 www.ucan.ca Vancouver Academy of Music Vancouver 604-734-2301 www.vam.bc.ca Vancouver Career College Vancouver 604-915-9675 www.vccollege.ca Vancouver College Vancouver 604-261-4285 www.vc.bc.ca Vancouver College of Counsellor Training Vancouver 604-683-2442 www.vcct.ca Vancouver Community College Vancouver 604-871-7000 www.vcc.ca Vancouver Film School Vancouver 604-685-5808 www.vfs.com Vancouver Institute of Media Arts Vancouver 604-682-2787 www.vanarts.com VSO School of Music Vancouver 604-915-9300 www.vsoschoolofmusic.ca

Private Schools Aldergrove Christian Academy Langley 604-856-2577 www.rosbc.com Anchor Point Montessori School Vancouver 604-677-1958 www.lionsgatemontessori.org Archbishop Carney Regional Secondary Port Coquitlam 604-942-7465 www.acrss.org Az-Zahraa Islamic Academy Richmond 604-274-7861 www.az-zahraaacademy.org BC Christian Academy Port Coquitlam 604-941-8426 www.bcchristianacademy.ca Bibleway Christian Academy Surrey 604-576-8188 www.biblewayacademy.org Blessed Sacrament School (École St Sacrement) Vancouver 604-876-7211 www.ess.vancouver.bc.ca Bodwell High School North Vancouver 604-924-5056 www.bodwell.edu Boundary Bay Montessori Bay Delta 604-946-9814 www.bbmh.com Brockton Preparatory School North Vancouver 604-929-9201 www.brocktonschool.com Carver Christian High School Burnaby 604-523-1580 www.carverchristian.org

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Century High School Vancouver 604-730-8138 www.centuryhighschool.ca Childen of Integrity Montessori Academy Coquitlam 604-461-1223 www.childrenofintegrity.com Children’s Hearing and Speech Centre of BC Vancouver 604-437-0255 www.childrenshearing.ca Chilliwack Adventist Christian School Chilliwack 604-792-8344 www.adventistschool.ca Choice School for Gifted Children Richmond 604-273-2418 www.choiceschool.org Cloverdale Catholic School Surrey 604-574-5151 www.ccsunited.ca Collingwood School West Vancouver 604-925-3331 www.collingwood.org Cornerstone Christian Academy Richmond 604-303-9181 www.cornerstonechristianacademy.ca Cornerstone Montessori School Surrey 604-599-9918 www.cornerstone-montessori.ca Corpus Christi School Vancouver 604-321-1117 www.corpuschristi-school.ca Credo Christian Elementary Langley 604-530-1131 www.credoces.org Crofton House School Vancouver 604-263-3255 www.croftonhouse.ca Deer Lake School Burnaby 604-434-5844 www.deerlakeschool.ca Delta Christian School Delta 604-946-2514 www.deltachristianschool.org Eaton Arrowsmith School Vancouver 604-264-8327 www.eatonarrowsmithschool.com École Française Internationale de Vancouver North Vancouver 604-924-2457 www.efiv.org Family Montessori School Vancouver 604-224-2643 www.familymontessori.com Fraser Academy Vancouver 604-736-5575 www.fraseracademy.ca Fraser Valley Adventist Academy Aldergrove 604-607-3822 www.fvaa.net Fraser Valley Christian High School Surrey 604-581-1033 www.surreychristian.com Fraser Valley Elementary School Langley 604-533-5469 www.fves,bc.ca Gatehouse Montessori School West Vancouver 604-925-1437 www.gatehousemontessori.com Glen Eden Multimodal Centre Vancouver 604-267-0394 www.gleneden.org Highroad Academy Chilliwack 604-792-4680 www.highroadacademy.com Holy Cross Elementary School Burnaby 604-299-3530 www.holycrosselementary.ca Holy Cross Secondary School Surrey 604-581-3023 www.holycross.bc.ca Holy Trinity Elementary School North Vancouver 604-987-4454 www.holytschool.org Hope Lutheran School Port Coquitlam 604-942-5322 www.hopelcs.ca Immaculate Conception Elementary School Vancouver 604-224-5012 www.icschoolvancouver.com Immaculate Conception School Delta 604-596-6116 www.icdelta.com

Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012/BIV Magazines

Iqra Islamic School Surrey 604-583-7530 www.iqraschool.com James Cameron School Maple Ridge 604-465-8444 www.jcs.bc.ca John Calvin School Chilliwack 604-823-6814 www.jcss.ca John Knox Christian School Burnaby 604-522-1410 www.johnknoxchristian.org Khalsa School Surrey 604-591-2248 www.khalsaschool.ca Vancouver 604-321-1226 www.khalsaschool.ca King David High School Vancouver 604-263-9700 www.kdhs.org Langley Christian Elementary School Langley 604-533-2222 www.langleychristian.com Langley Christian School - Middle&High Langley 604-533-0839 www.langleychristian.com Langley Montessori School Langley 604-532-5667 www.langleymontessorischool.com Lions Gate Christian Academy North Vancouver 604-984-8226 www.lionsgateca.org Little Flower Academy Vancouver 604-738-9016 www.lfabc.org Maple Ridge Christian School Maple Ridge 604-465-4442 www.mrcs.ca Meadow Montessori School Maple Ridge 604-465-3492 www.meadowmontessori.ca Meadowridge School Maple Ridge 604-467-4444 www.meadowridge.bc.ca Mediated Learning Academy Coquitlam 604-937-3641 www.mediatedlearningacademy.org Mennonite Educational Institute Chilliwack 604-793-7997 www.meisoc.com Mole Hill Montessori Vancouver 604-677-1958 www.lionsgatemontessori.org Mount Cheam Christian School Chilliwack 604-794-3072 Mulgrave School West Vancouver 604-922-3223 www.mulgrave.com Noah’s Ark Preschool, Kindergarten and Elementary Richmond 604-277-4386 www.noahsarkschool.ca North Creek Montessori Vancouver 604-677-1958 www.lionsgatemontessori.org North Star Montessori Elementary North Vancouver 604-980-1205 www.northstarmontessori.ca Notre Dame Regional Secondary Vancouver 604-255-5454 www.ndrs.ca Our Lady of Fatima School Coquitlam 604-936-4228 www.fatimaschool.ca Our Lady of God Counsel School Surrey 604-581-3154 www.ourladyofgoodcounselschool.ca Our Lady of Mercy School Burnaby 604-526-7121 www.ourladyofmercy.ca Our Lady of Perpetual Help School Vancouver 604-228-8811 www.olphbc.ca Our Lady of Sorrows School Vancouver 604-253-2434 www.ourladyofsorrows.ca Our Lady of the Assumption School Port Coquitlam 604-942-5522 www.assumptionschool.com Pacific Academy Surrey 604-581-5353 www.pacificacademy.net

Pattison High School Vancouver 604-608-8788 www.pattisonhighschool.ca Purpose Independent Secondary School New Westminster 604-526-2522 www.purposesociety.org Queen of All Saints Elementary School Coquitlam 604-931-9071 www.queenofallsaintsschool.ca Regent Christian Academy Surrey 604-599-8171 www.regent.bc.ca Richmond Christian Elementary School Richmond 604-272-5720 www.richmondchristian.ca Richmond Christian Secondar & Middle Campus Richmond 604-274-1122 www.richmondchristian.ca Richmond Jewish Day School Richmond 604-275-3393 www.rjds.ca Roots and Wings Montessori Elementary Surrey 604-574-5399 www.rootsandwingsbc.com Sacred Heart School Delta 604-946-2611 www.shsdelta.net Seminary of Christ the King Mission 604-826-8715 www.sck.ca Sikh Academy Surrey 604-599-3828 www.sikhacademy.ca Southpointe Academy Tsawwassen 604-948-8826 www.spacademy.ca Southridge School Surrey 604-535-5056 www.southridge.bc.ca St Andrew’s Elementary School Vancouver 604-325-6317 www.sasvancouver.com St Anthony of Padua School Vancouver 604-261-4043 www.stanthonyofpaduaschool.ca St Anthony’s Elementary School West Vancouver 604-922-0011 www.saswv.org St Augustine School Vancouver 604-731-8024 www.staugschool.ca St Bernadette Elementary School Surrey 604-596-1101 www.stbernadetteschool.ca St Catherine’s School Langley 604-534-6564 www.stcatherines.ca St Edmund’s Elementary School North Vancouver 604-988-7364 www.stedmunds.ca St Francis de Sales School Burnaby 604-435-5311 www.sfdsschool.ca St Francis of Assisi School Vancouver 604-253-7311 www.sfaschool.ca St Francis Xavier School Vancouver 604-254-2714 www.sfxschool.ca St George’s School Vancouver 604-224-1304 www.stgeorges.bc.ca St Helen’s School Burnaby 604-299-2234 www.sthelensparish.ca St John’s International School Vancouver 604-683-4572 www.stjohnsis.com St John’s School Vancouver 604-732-4434 www.stjohns.bc.ca St Joseph The Worker School Richmond 604-277-1115 www.stjosphtheworker.ca St Joseph’s School Vancouver 604-872-5715 www.stjoesschool-vancouver.org St Jude’s School Vancouver 604-434-1633 www.stjude.ca

EDUCATION St Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Catholic School Chilliwack 604-792-7715 www.stmarysschoolchwk.com St Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s School Vancouver 604-437-1312 www.stmary.bc.ca St Michaelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Elementary School Burnaby 604-526-9768 www.stmichaelschool.ca St Patrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Elementary School Maple Ridge 604-467-1571 www.stpatsschool.org Vancouver 604-879-4411 www.spev.ca St Patrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Secondary School Vancouver 604-874-6422 www.stpats.bc.ca St Paulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s School Richmond 604-277-4487 www.stpaulschool.ca St Pius X Elementary School North Vancouver 604-929-0345 www.saintpius.ca St Thomas Aquinas Secondary North Vancouver 604-987-4431 www.aquinas.org St Thomas More Collegiate Burnaby 604-521-1801 www.stmc.bc.ca Star of the Sea Catholic School Surrey 604-531-6316 www.starofthesea.bc.ca/school Stratford Hall Vancouver 604-436-0608 www.stratfordhall.ca Surrey Christian School Surrey 604-581-2474 www.surreychristian.org The Global Montessori Schools Langley 604-534-1556 www.globalmontessorischools.com

The Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s School Langley 604-888-0969 www.thekingsschool.org Timothy Christian School Chilliwack 604-794-7114 Traditional Learning Academy Coquitlam 604-931-7265 www.traditionallearning.com Surrey 604-572-3441 www.schoolathome.ca Unity Christian Elementary School Chilliwack 604-792-4171 www.unitychristian.ca Unity Christian Middle & High School Chilliwack 604-794-7797 www.unitychristian.ca Urban Academy New Westminster 604-524-2211 www.urbanacademy.ca Valley Christian School Mission 604-826-1388 www.valleychristianschool.ca Vancouver Christian School Vancouver 604-435-3113 www.vancouverchristianschool.org Vancouver College Vancouver 604-261-4285 www.vc.bc.ca Vancouver Formosa Academy Vancouver 604-436-2332 www.vfa.bc.ca Vancouver Hebrew Academy Vancouver 604-266-1245 www.vhebrewacademy.com Vancouver Montessori School Vancouver 604-261-0315 www.vancouvermontessorischool.com Vancouver Talmud Torah Elementary School Vancouver 604-736-7307 www.talmudtorah.com Vancouver Waldorf School North Vancouver 604-985-7435 www.vws.ca

West Coast Christian School Vancouver 604-255-2990 www.westcoastchristianschool.ca West Point Grey Academy Vancouver 604-222-8750 www.wpga.ca Westside Christian School Vancouver 604-224-3030 www.westsidechristian.ca Westside Preparatory School Vancouver 604-687-8021 www.westsidehs.com White Rock Christian Academy Surrey 604-531-9186 www.wrca.bc.ca William of Orange Christian Elementary Surrey 604-576-2144 www.credochs.com York House School Vancouver 604-736-6551 www.yorkhouse.ca Zion Lutheran School Surrey 604-576-6313 www.zionlutheran.org

Public School Districts School District No. 034 (Abbotsford) 2790 Tims St, Abbotsford BC V2T 4M7 604-859-4891 604-852-8587 www.sd34.bc.ca School District No. 041 (Burnaby) 5325 Kincaid St, Burnaby BC V5G 1W2 604-664-8441 604-664-8382 www.sd41.bc.ca School District No. 033 (Chilliwack) 8430 Cessna Dr, Chilliwack BC V2P 7K4 604-792-1321 604-792-9665 www.sd33.bc.ca School District No. 043 (Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody) 550 Poirier St, Coquitlam BC V3J 6A7 604-939-9201 604-939-7828 www.sd43.bc.ca

School District No. 037 (Delta) 4585 Harvest Dr, Delta BC V4K 5B4 604-946-4101 604-952-5375 www.web.deltasd.bc.ca School District No. 035 (Langley) 4875 222nd St, Langley BC V3A 3Z7 604-534-7891 604-533-1115 www.sd35.bc.ca School District No. 042 (Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows) 22225 Brown Ave, Maple Ridge BC V2X 8N6 604-463-4200 604-463-4181 www.sd42.ca School District No. 075 (Mission) 33046 Fourth Ave, Mission BC V2V 1S5 604-826-6286 604-826-4517 www.mpsd.ca School District No. 040 (New Westminster) 1001 Columbia St, New Westminster BC V3M 1C4 604-517-6240 604-517-6390 www.sd40.bc.ca School District No. 044 (North Vancouver) 721 ChesterďŹ eld Ave, North Vancouver BC V7M 2M5 604-903-3444 604-903-3445 www.nvsd44.bc.ca School District No. 038 (Richmond) 7811 Granville Ave, Richmond BC V6Y 3E3 604-668-6000 604-233-0151 www.sd38.bc.ca School District No. 036 (Surrey) 14225 56th Ave, Surrey BC V3X 3A3 604-596-7733 604-596-4197 www.sd36.bc.ca School District No. 039 (Vancouver) 1580 Broadway W, Vancouver BC V6J 5K8 604-713-5000 604-713-5049 www.vsb.bc.ca School District No. 045 (West Vancouver) 1075 21st St, West Vancouver BC V7V 4A9 604-981-1000 604-981-1001 www.sd45.bc.ca

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BIV Magazines/Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012

59

RELOCATION SERVICES Accomodation Providers 910 Beach Avenue Apartment Hotel 910 Beach Ave, Vancouver V6Z 2W7 Ethel Wan-Sharp..... 604-609-5100 604-609-5111

sales@910beach.com www.910beach.com Best Western Plus Coquitlam Inn Convention Centre 319 North Rd, Coquitlam V3K 3V8 Tereza McDermid.... 604-931-9011 604-931-7298

info@bestwesterncoquitlam.com

www.bestwesterncoquitlam.com Best Western PLUS Uptown 205 Kingsway, Vancouver V5T 3J5 Dave Stevens ..... 604-267-2000 604-872-6072

info@bestwesternvancouver.ca

www.bestwesternvancouver.ca Coast Coal Harbour Hotel 1180 Hastings St W, Vancouver V6E 4R5 Paul Hasegawa..... 604-697-0202 604-697-0123

coastcoalharbour@coasthotels.com

www.coasthotels.com Coast Plaza Hotel & Suites 1763 Comox St, Vancouver V6G 1P6 Debbie Jager ...... 604-688-7711 604-685-7210

plazasuiteinfo@coasthotels.com

www.CoastPlazaHotelAndSuites.com Comfort Inn & Suites 1748 Capilano Rd, North Vancouver V7P 3B4 Maynk Toprani.... 604-988-3181 604-904-2755

info@vancouvercomfort.com

www.vancouvercomfort.com Comfysuites Rentals Inc 1010 Howe St, Vancouver V6Z 1P5 Alicia Chia ...................................... 778-855-2442

info@comfysuites.com www.comfysuites.com Delta Vancouver Airport Hotel 3500 Cessna Dr, Richmond V7B 1C7 Shannon Rivers ..... 604-278-1241 604-276-1975

srivers@deltahotels.com www.deltahotels.com Delta Vancouver Suites 550 Hastings St W, Vancouver V6B 1L6 Joanne Perschbacher ..................... 604-899-3082 604-899-3029 dvs.sales@deltahotels.com

www.deltahotels.com Downtown Suites Ltd 1174 Pender St W, Vancouver V6E 2R9 Nicholas Meyer .... 604-694-8801 604-682-5634

nic@downtownsuites.com

www.downtownsuites.com Eagles Nest Relocation Services 6431 Nelson Ave, West Vancouver V7W 2A5 Eve Meli ............. 604-921-8174 604-921-8873

eagleaccom@shaw.ca

www.eaglesnestaccommodations.helpminds.com Empire Landmark Hotel 1400 Robson St, Vancouver V6G 1B9 David Rowney .... 604-687-0511 604-687-7267

schan@empirelandmarkhotel.com

www.empirelandmarkhotel.com Executive Airport Plaza Hotel and Conference Centre 7311 Westminster Hwy, Richmond V6X 1A3 Doug Parcells ..... 604-278-5555 604-278-0255

gm.richmond@executivehotels.net

www.executivehotels.net/airport Executive Hotel & Conference Centre Burnaby 4201 Lougheed Hwy, Burnaby V5C 3Y6 Bruce Marks ....... 604-298-2010 604-298-1123

gm.bby@executivehotels.net

www.executivehotels.net/burnaby Executive Hotel Vintage Park – Downtown Vancouver 1379 Howe St, Vancouver V6Z 2R5 Andrew Karwowski ........................ 604-688-7678 604-688-7679

gm.vancouver@executivehotels.net

www.executivehotels.net/downtown Executive Inn Express 9020 Bridgeport Rd, Richmond V6X 1S1 Faraz Fareed ....... 604-270-6030 604-270-6030

execexpress@acncanada.net

www.executivehotels.net Executive Plaza Hotel & Conference Centre Coquitlam 405 North Rd, Coquitlam V3K 3V9 Pasha Sheikh ...... 604-936-9399 604-937-4577

pasha@executivehotels.net

www.executivehotels.net/coquitlam Fairmont Pacific Rim 1038 Canada Pl, Vancouver V6C 0B9 Helen Pratt ......... 604-695-5300 604-695-5301

pacificrim@fairmont.com

www.fairmont.com/pacificrim

60

The Fairmont Waterfront 900 Canada Place Way, Vancouver V6C 3L5 Ian Pullan............ 604-691-1991 604-691-1999

thewaterfronthotel@fairmont.com

www.fairmont.com/waterfront Georgian Court Hotel 773 Beatty St, Vancouver V6B 2M4 Laura Lee ............ 604-682-5555 604-682-5669

sales@georgiancourt.com

www.georgiancourt.com Golden City Rentals Inc 1200 73rd Ave W Suite 1100, Vancouver V6P 6G5 Mervyn Ee .......... 604-369-6299 888-800-1566

info@goldencityrentals.com

www.goldencityrentals.com

HighStreet Accommodations Ltd 325 6th Ave W, Vancouver V5Y 1L1 Terry Rodgers ..... 604-605-0294 604-605-0296

trodgers@hscr.com www.hscr.com Holiday Inn & Suites North Vancouver 700 Old Lillooet Rd, North Vancouver V7J 2H5 Charmaine Alam ..... 604-985-3111 604-985-0857

charmaine@hinorthvancouver.ca

www.hinorthvancouver.com Holiday Inn Express 2889 Hastings St E, Vancouver V5K 2A1 Wendy Groat ...... 604-252-2687 604-253-1234

dos@hievancouver.com www.hievancouver.com Holiday Inn Express & Suites Riverport 10688 No 6 Rd, Richmond V6W 1E7 Navi Dhillon........ 604-248-8201 604-241-1840

sales@hierichmond.com

www.hieRichmond.com Hotel Indigo Vancouver 500 12th Ave W, Vancouver V5Z 1M2 Margaret Haller.............................. 604-875-3305

mhaller@indigovancouver.com

www.hotelindigovancouver.com The Keefer Suites 133 Keefer St, Vancouver V6A 1X3 Maria Verdicchio ............................ 888-688-1983

reservations@thekeefer.com

www.thekeefer.com The Keefer Suites, central but discreet, is the ultimate address if you value design, privacy and access, including a penthouse with private rooftop deck and pool.

L’Hermitage Hotel 788 Richards St, Vancouver V6B 3A4 John Chao .......... 778-327-4100 778-327-4109

guest.services@lhermitagevancouver.com

www.lhermitagevancouver.com Lamond Properties 1755 Robson St, Vancouver V6G 3B7 Wendy Lamond ..... 604-684-4649 604-685-2510

info@lamondproperties.com

www.lamondproperties.com Lord Stanley Suites on the Park 1889 Alberni St, Vancouver V6G 3G7 Wendy Krasovec ..... 604-688-9299 604-688-9297

wendyk@lordstanley.com www.lordstanley.com MODE Suites Rental Services 1118 Homer St, Vancouver V6B 2W9 Paula Robinson ..... 877-501-6633 778-331-3846

info@modesuites.com www.modesuites.com Modern Accommodations 198 Aquarius Mews, Vancouver V6Z 2Y4 Mei Lee .......................................... 778-885-2888

info@modernaccommodations.com

www.modernaccommodations.com Our House Furnished Condos 4837 44A Ave, Delta V4K 1E3 Carol Dillman...... 604-946-2628 604-946-6869

info@ourhouse.bc.ca www.ourhouse.bc.ca Pacific Coast Accomodations Box 64557 RPO Como Lake Ave, Coquitlam V3J 7V7 Becky Bertoia ..... 604-931-2121 604-931-2122

becky@relocate.ca www.relocate.ca Pan Pacific Vancouver 999 Canada Pl Suite 300, Vancouver V6C 3B5 Brent Lavery ....... 604-662-8111 604-891-2861

sales@panpacificvancouver.com

www.panpacificvancouver.com

Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012/BIV Magazines

Park Inn & Suites Vancouver Broadway 898 Broadway W, Vancouver V5Z 1J8 Frank Mansson ... 604-872-8661 604-872-2270

sales@parkinn-vancouver.ca

www.parkinn.com/hotel-vancouverca Pinnacle Hotel At The Pier 138 Victory Ship Way, North Vancouver V7L 0B1 Christie McJannet..... 604-973-8007 604-986-7432

cmcjannet@pinnaclepierhotel.com

www.pinnaclepierhotel.com Premiere Executive Suites Pacific Ltd 1080 Mainland St Suite 200, Vancouver V6B 2T4 Cameron Rogers...... 604-569-0543 604-569-0186

crogers@premieresuites.com

www.premieresuites.com Ramada Inn & Suites Downtown Vancouver 1221 Granville St, Vancouver V6Z 1M6 Raxandra Radalescu....................... 604-685-1111 604-685-0707

reservations@ramadavancouver.com

www.ramadavancouver.com Sandman Hotel Langley 8855 202 St, Langley V1M 2N9 Mary Carey-Marshall ..................... 604-455-7263 604-888-7271 mmarshall@sandman.ca

www.sandmanhotels.com Sandman Signature Hotel & Resort Vancouver Airport 10251 St Edwards Dr, Richmond V6X 2M9 Bill Seeley .......... 604-276-1148 604-233-7733

bseeley@sandman.ca

www.sandmansignature.com Sandman Signature Hotel & Suites Langley 8828 201 St, Langley V2Y 0C8 Mary Carey-Marshall ..................... 604-455-7263 604-881-0225 mmarshall@sandman.ca

www.sandmansignature.com Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver 1128 Georgia St W, Vancouver V6E 0A8 Cynthia Wong..... 604-689-1120 604-689-1195

cynthia.wong@shangri-la.com

www.shangri-la.com/vancouver Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel 7551 Westminster Hwy, Richmond V6X 1A3 Ryan Soderberg .... 604-233-3951 604-244-3775

sales@sheratonvancouverairport.com

www.sheratonvancouverairport.com Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel 15269 104 Ave, Surrey V3R 1N5 Eric Towne .......... 604-587-6112 604-582-9712

eric.towne@sheratonguildford.com

www.sheraton.com/guildford St Regis Hotel 602 Dunsmuir St, Vancouver V6B 1Y6 Janet Thomas..... 604-681-1135 604-683-1126

info@stregishotel.com www.stregishotel.com The Sylvia Hotel 1154 Gilford St, Vancouver V6G 2P6 Ross Dyck ........... 604-681-9321 604-682-3551

rdyck@sylviahotel.com www.sylviahotel.com Travelodge Vancouver Airport 3071 St Edwards Dr, Richmond V6X 3K4 Regina Tam......... 604-278-5155 604-278-5125

sales@travelodgevancouverairport.com

www.travelodgevancouverairport.com Viva Suites 1311 Howe St Suite 200, Vancouver V6Z 2P3 Tamara Whittaker .......................... 604-669-6686 604-669-3688

tamara@vivatower.com www.vivatower.com Wesbrook Properties 5923 Berton Ave Suite 201, Vancouver V6S 0B3 .............. 778-945-5108 604-569-0954

www.discoverwesbrook.ca

Pacific Coast Accomodations Box 64557 RPO Como Lake Ave, Coquitlam V3J 7V7 Becky Bertoia ..... 604-931-2121 604-931-2122

becky@relocate.ca www.relocate.ca TRG Downtown Realty Group 849 Homer St, Vancouver V6B 2W2 Brian Ross .......... 604-453-6666 604-453-4966

brian@brianross.ca

www.Vancouver-Realestate.ca

Employment Agencies: Temporary & Permanent Staffing Ajilon Finance & Professional Staffing 505 Burrard St Suite 1150, Vancouver V7X 1M4 Joan Page........... 604-669-9096 604-669-9196

vancouveroffice@ajilon.com www.ajilon.com All Tech VanJobs.com 2906 Broadway W Suite 212, Vancouver V6K 2G8 Mark Strong ....... 604-739-1711 604-555-1212

info@vanjobs.ca www.vanjobs.ca Andersen Ryce Staffing Inc 5255 Central Ave Suite 1, Delta V4K 2H1 Geoff Whitehead............................ 604-719-1992

info@andersenryce.com

www.andersenryce.com AppleOne/Accounting Advantage 555 Burrard St Suite 1065, Vancouver V7X 1M8 Maury Laurino .... 604-638-8051 604-638-0144

vancouver-bc@mail.all-in-1.com

www.appleone.com BBW International Inc 999 Canada Pl Suite 404, Vancouver V6C 3E2 Lois Jackalin....... 604-984-0352 604-608-3510

vancouver@bbwinternational.com

www.bbwinternational.com Descheneaux Insurance Recruiters Ltd 570 Granville St Suite 503, Vancouver V6C 3P1 Pat Descheneaux .... 604-669-9787 604-688-2130

info@insuranceheadhunters.com

www.insuranceheadhunters.com Executive Waiter Resources Inc 1975 16th Ave W, Vancouver V6J 2M5 Chris Monk ......... 604-689-0640 604-689-3670

info@executivewaiter.com

www.executivewaiter.com Globaltech Recruiting Inc 2135 Argyle Ave Suite 303, West Vancouver V7V 1A5 Carene Morton ............................... 604-913-0006

cmorton@globaltech.bc.ca

www.globaltech.bc.ca Hays – Recruiting Experts Worldwide 1050 Pender St W Suite 2150, Vancouver V6E 3S7 Jackie Burns ....... 604-648-4297 604-648-0588

jburns@hays.ca www.hays.ca Hunt Personnel/Temporarily Yours 789 Pender St W Suite 760, Vancouver V6C 1H2 Greg Colborne .... 604-688-2555 604-688-6437

isabelle@tyhunt.ca www.hunt.ca Immigrant Services Society of BC 333 Terminal Ave Suite 501, Vancouver V6A 2L7 .............. 604-684-2561 604-684-2266

iss@issbc.org www.issbc.org McNeill Nakamoto Recruitment Group 1250 Homer St Suite 305, Vancouver V6B 1C6 Sarah McNeill .... 604-662-8967 604-662-8927

askme@mcnak.com www.mcnak.com Mercer Bradley Inc 401 Georgia St W Suite 1680, Vancouver V6B 5A1 Cliff Kanto .......... 778-331-7570 778-331-7578

info@mercerbradley.com

www.mercerbradley.com

Destination Services Coming to Vancouver Settlement Services Ltd Box 72047 Sasamat PO, Vancouver V6R 4P2 Mark Northcote .... 778-388-8372 778-373-5854

mark@comingtovancouver.ca

www.comingtovancouver.ca Executive Relocation Services Box 30025 Moncton St PO, Richmond V7E 0A6 Laileen Springgay........................... 604-275-4465

info@executiverelocations.ca

www.executiverelocations.ca Habitat For Humanity Greater Vancouver – ReStore 69 69th Ave W, Vancouver V5X 2W6 ......................................... 604-681-5618

info@habitatgv.ca www.vancouverrestores.ca

Nannies on Call 788 Beatty St Suite 302, Vancouver V6B 2M1 ......................................... 604-734-1776

www.nanniesoncall.com Olidan Search Partners Inc 890 Pender St W Suite 600, Vancouver V6C 1J9 Alex Kahng ......... 604-683-1705 604-687-1327

alex@olidan.com www.olidan.com

RELOCATION SERVICES The Personnel Department 595 Howe St Suite 1205, Vancouver V6C 2T5 Sepideh Motamedi......................... 604-685-3530 604-689-5981

info@goodstaff.com www.goodstaff.com Premium Staffing Solutions 1661 2nd Ave W Suite 101, Vancouver V6J 1H3 Brad Bates .......... 604-602-9193 604-734-8999

Brad@premiumsolutions.ca

www.premiumsolutions.ca

Home Reworks Home Staging and Interior Design 4011 Capilano Park Rd, North Vancouver V7R 4L2 Kim Anderson ..... 604-837-6456 604-987-8128

info@homereworks.com

www.homereworks.com

Government Agencies

Randstad Engineering 555 12th Ave W Suite 475, Vancouver V5Z 3X7 Ian McDougall .... 604-915-9333 604-915-9339

ian.mcdougall@randstadeng.ca

www.randstadeng.ca U-MAN Recruitment & Assessment Services Inc 4240 Manor St Suite 109, Burnaby V5G 1B2 Wendy Smith...... 604-568-7442 604-568-7448

info@u-man.ca www.u-man.ca Vertical Bridge Corporate Consulting Inc 890 Pender St W Suite 600, Vancouver V6C 1J9 Sandra Reder...... 604-682-2262 604-687-1327

info@verticalbridge.ca www.verticalbridge.ca ZSA Legal Recruitment 1055 Hastings St W Suite 300, Vancouver V6E 2E9 Siobhan Rea ....... 604-681-0706 604-681-0566

srea@zsa.ca www.zsa.ca

Financial Services Deloitte 1055 Dunsmuir St Suite 2800, Vancouver V7X 1P4 Ninu Gill ............. 604-640-3180 604-899-8417

nigill@deloitte.ca www.deloitte.ca Genworth Financial Canada ..... 800-511-8888

www.genworth.ca Macdonald, Shymko & Company Ltd – Fee-Only Financial Planners and Portfolio Managers 510 Burrard St Suite 950, Vancouver V6C 3A8 Gina Macdonald ... 604-687-7966 604-687-1830

gmm@msc-feeonly.com

www.macdonaldshymko.com Nicola Wealth Management 1508 Broadway W Suite 500, Vancouver V6J 1W8 ............. 604-739-6450 604-739-6451

tactics@nicolawealth.com

www.nicolawealth.com North Shore Credit Union 1112 Lonsdale Ave, North Vancouver V7M 2H2 ............. 604-983-4500 604-985-6810

www.nscu.com Pacific Spirit Investment Management Inc 800 Pender St W Suite 1100, Vancouver V6C 2V6 John Clark .......... 604-687-0123 604-687-0128

pacificspirit@telus.net www.pacificspirit.ca RBC Dominion Securities – Edward Teodoro 666 Burrard St Suite 2500, Vancouver V6C 3B1 Edward Teodoro ............................. 778-327-5481

edward.teodoro@rbc.com

www.edwardteodoro.com RBC Royal Bank of Canada 1025 Georgia St W, Vancouver V6E 3S5 Carmen Ryujin .... 800-769-2511 604-665-6985

carmen.ryujin@rbc.com www.rbc.com TD Bank Group 700 Georgia St W, Vancouver V7Y 1A2 TD Waterhouse ... 604-482-8400 www.td.com UBS Wealth Management 999 Hastings St W Suite 650 Box 24, Vancouver V6C 2W2 Wolfgang Harder .... 604-669-5570 604-669-7521

wolfgang.harder@ubs.com www.ubs.com

City of Coquitlam – Economic Development 3000 Guildford Way, Coquitlam V3B 7N2 David Munro....... 604-927-3442 604-927-3535

dmunro@coquitlam.ca www.coquitlam.ca City of Richmond 6911 No 3 Rd, Richmond V6Y 2C1 Neonila Lilova .... 604-276-4000 604-276-4132

www.richmond.ca City of Surrey – Economic Development 14245 56 Ave, Surrey V3X 3A2 Donna Jones ...... 604-591-4128 604-594-3055

econdev@surrey.ca www.surrey.ca District of Mission 34033 Lougheed Hwy, Mission V2V 5X8 Stacey Crawford ..... 604-820-3789 604-820-6738

scrawford@mission.ca www.mission.ca Invest Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Pl, Maple Ridge V2X 6A9 Sandy Blue .................................... 604-476-7319

sblue@mapleridge.ca

www.investmapleridge.ca Invest North Fraser c/o District of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Pl, Maple Ridge V2X 6A9 Sandy Blue .................................... 604-476-7319

sblue@mapleridge.ca

www.investnorthfraser.com Pitt Meadows Economic Development Corp 12492 Harris Rd, Pitt Meadows V2W 1K8 Kate Zanon ......... 604-465-9481 604-465-4986

edinfo@thinkpittmeadows.ca

www.thinkpittmeadows.ca

Health Insurance Providers: Extended Health Johnstone’s Benefits 3095 Woodbine Dr, North Vancouver V7R 2S3 Linda Gour .......... 604-980-6227 604-983-2935

www.jbenefits.com

Home Inspection Glenn Duxbury & Associates – Building Inspection and Consulting 125 DeBeck St, New Westminster V3L 3H7 Glenn Duxbury .... 604-542-2502 888-877-0630

info@glennduxbury-inspections.com

www.glennduxbury-inspections.com James Dobney Inspections 1833 Coast Meridian Rd Suite 63, Port Coquitlam V3C 6G5 .............. 604-942-8272 604-945-7114

admin@jamesdobney.com

www.jamesdobney.com

Home Staging

Vancouver City Savings Credit Union (Vancity) 183 Terminal Ave, Vancouver V6A 4G2 .............. 888-826-2489 604-877-8292

mediarelations@vancity.com www.vancity.com

Home Reworks Home Staging and Interior Design 4011 Capilano Park Rd, North Vancouver V7R 4L2 Kim Anderson ..... 604-837-6456 604-987-8128

info@homereworks.com

www.homereworks.com House to Home ReDesigns Leah J Armstrong ........................... 604-469-9324

info@realestatemakeovers.ca

www.RealEstateMakeovers.ca Ready Set Show Staging Inc Trisha Scott ........ 604-984-7469 604-984-7469

info@readysetshow.ca

www.readysetshow.ca

Furniture Leasing Services

HR Consultants

Home Ingredients 65 7th Ave W, Vancouver V5Y 1L4 ............... 604-876-9959 604-876-9951

info@homeingredients.ca

www.homeingredients.ca

The Personnel Department 595 Howe St Suite 1205, Vancouver V6C 2T5 Sepideh Motamedi......................... 604-685-3530 604-689-5981

info@goodstaff.com www.goodstaff.com

Vance Financial Group Inc 5811 Cooney Rd Unit 201, Richmond V6X 3M1 Andy Lau............. 604-233-0123 604-271-4863

andylau@vancefinancial.net

www.vancefinancial.ca

Vision Path Solutions Inc 808 Nelson St Suite 1735, Vancouver V6Z 2H2 Diane Voth-Stewart ....................... 604-328-3718

info@visiopath.ca www.visionpath.ca

Industry Associations/Chambers of Commerce Appraisal Institute of Canada BC Association 10451 Shellbridge Way Suite 210, Richmond V6X 2W8 ............. 604-284-5515 604-284-5514

info@appraisal.bc.ca www.appraisal.bc.ca Languages Canada 5886 169A St, Surrey V3S 6Z8 .............. 604-574-1532 888-277-0522

info@languagescanada.ca

www.languagescanada.ca Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver 2433 Spruce St, Vancouver V6H 4C8 Robert Wallace ..... 604-730-3000 604-730-3101

reachus@realtylink.org www.rebgv.org

Insurance Services (other than health) AC&D Insurance Services Ltd 1196 Marine Dr, North Vancouver V7P 1S8 Bryan Messer ..... 604-985-0581 604-984-3287

bmesser@acdinsurance.com

www.acdinsurance.com Affinity Insurance Services Inc 970 Seymour St, Vancouver V6B 3L9 Joan Jaffray ....... 604-609-4499 604-609-4490

info@insure.bc.ca All West Insurance Services Ltd 1807 Burrard St Suite 203, Vancouver V6J 3G9 .............. 604-731-6696 604-731-9210

info@allwestins.com www.allwestins.com

David Cummings Insurance Services Ltd 2083 Alma St Suite 350, Vancouver V6R 4N6 Jason Cummings .... 604-228-8816 604-228-9807

jason@david-cummings.com

www.david-cummings.com Independent broker specializing in insurance (health, life & disability) for people away from their home country:expatriates, visitors, workers and students.

Front Row Insurance Brokers Inc 1200 Burrard St Suite 604, Vancouver V6Z 2C7 David Hamilton... 604-684-3456 604-684-3437

www.frontrowinsurance.com Intact Insurance Company 999 Hastings St W Suite 200, Vancouver V6C 2W2 ............. 604-669-0595 604-682-6693

www.intactfc.com Jones Brown Inc 609 Granville St Suite 805, Vancouver V7Y 1G5 Bill Semrau ......... 604-608-6323 604-608-1174

van@jonesbrown.com www.jonesbrown.com Nicola Wealth Management 1508 Broadway W Suite 500, Vancouver V6J 1W8 ............. 604-739-6450 604-739-6451

tactics@nicolawealth.com

www.nicolawealth.com

IT Business Consulting & Support

Lawyers/Legal Services David Watts Notary Corp 675 Hastings St W Suite 1602, Vancouver V6B 1N2 .............. 604-685-7786 604-685-7796

www.davidnotary.com Larlee Rosenberg Canadian Immigration Lawyers 555 Georgia St W Suite 600, Vancouver V6B 1Z5 Ryan Rosenberg.... 604-681-9887 604-681-8087

ryan.rosenberg@larlee.com

www.immigrantlaw.ca/www.larlee.com Lawson Lundell LLP 925 Georgia St W Suite 1600, Vancouver V6C 3L2 Michael Lee........ 604-685-3456 604-669-1620

mlee@lawsonlundell.com

www.lawsonlundell.com Lowe and Company Immigration & Business Lawyers 777 Broadway W Suite 900, Vancouver V5Z 4J7 Jeffrey Lowe ...... 604-875-9338 604-875-1325

info@canadavisalaw.com

www.canadavisalaw.com Mir Huculak Law Office 938 Howe St Suite 807, Vancouver V6Z 1N9 Mir Huculak ........ 604-331-2505 604-331-2515

huculak@smartt.com Vivien Lee Notary Public 777 Broadway W Suite 900, Vancouver V5Z 4J7. .............. 604-875-1181 604-875-1325

vlee@canadanotary.com

www.canadanotary.com

Mortgage Brokers Dominion Lending – Macklem Mortgage 15388 24th Ave Suite 206, Surrey V4A 2J2 Bill Macklem ...... 604-684-4663 604-535-5517

billm@macklemmortgages.com Dominion Lending Centres (Downtown Financial Group) 1428 7th Ave W, Vancouver V6H 1C1 Michael Sato ...... 604-779-1517 888-351-9569

msato@dominionlending.ca

www.themortgagestrategy.com Dominion Lending Centres Inc (Head Office) 2215 Coquitlam Ave, Port Coquitlam V3B 1J6 Cindy Freiman................................. 604-939-8777

cindy@dominionlending.ca

www.dominionlending.ca Invis – Team Rob Regan-Pollock 777 Broadway W Suite 902, Vancouver V5Z 4J7 Rob Regan-Pollock ......................... 604-879-2772 604-709-9438

info@teamrrp.com www.teamrrp.com Pan-Canadian Mortgage Group Inc 333 Seymour St Suite 780, Vancouver V6B 5A6 Joel McLean....... 604-909-0300 604-909-0299

www.pcmortgagegroup.com

Move Management & Space Planning Creative Move Management & Design 828 Agnes St Unit 1405, New Westminster V3M 6R4 ......................................... 604-540-1702

info@creativemoves.ca www.creativemoves.ca Les Clutter Services 360 2nd St E Suite 404, North Vancouver V7L 4N6 Leslie Wilshire ............................... 604-813-1985

lesclutter@shaw.ca www.lesclutterservices.com Refined Design Inc 1370 Duchess Ave, West Vancouver V7T 1H6 Debora Bengtson............................ 604-922-6828

info@refineddesign.ca www.refineddesign.ca Transitions Moving Facilitators 1319 29th St E, North Vancouver V7J 1T2 Scott Morrison ............................... 604-209-4241

www.transitions-bc.com

Packing & Shipping Suppliers Allworld Packaging Supplies Ltd 1375 Odlum Dr, Vancouver V5L 3M1 Kim Johnston ..... 604-637-0179 604-254-4987

sales@allworldpackaging.com

www.allworldpackaging.com

Personal Goods Moving & Storage Sea to Sky Network Solutions Inc 455 Granville St Suite 300, Vancouver V6C 1T1 .............. 604-628-6970 604-628-6971

info@seatosky.com www.seatosky.com Sea To Sky Network Solutions Inc is a business IT support provider, focused on 24/7 managed services, monitoring, support, cloud services, consulting and auditing.

Action Movers & Storage Inc 273 1st Ave E Suite 110, Vancouver V5T 1A7 Mark Hirschi ....... 604-694-7777 604-694-7739

info@amovers.com www.amovers.com Astra International Moving & Shipping Inc 7830 Express St, Burnaby V5A 1T4 Gabryelle van der Molen................ 604-422-8001 604-422-8109 info@astrainternational.com

www.astrainternational.com

BIV Magazines/Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012

61

RELOCATION SERVICES Relocation2BC 5745 Westport Crt, West Vancouver V7W 2X9 Frank Gerryts ...... 604-613-3442 604-676-2556

frank@relocation2bc.com

www.relocation2bc.com

Canadian International Relocation 6580 Chatterton Rd, Richmond V7C 2Y7 Hans Martens..... 604-275-4280 604-275-4012

vancouver@cirelo.com www.cirelo.com Global Moving 677 7 Ave E Suite 111, Vancouver V5T 1N9 .............. 604-300-0408 866-353-9470

info@globalmoving.ca www.globalmoving.ca Great Canadian Van Lines Ltd 669 Ridley Pl Suite 203, Delta V3M 6Y9 Mark Valliant ...... 604-540-6683 604-540-6640

info@greatcanadianvanlines.com

www.greatcanadianvanlines.com Raincity Moving and Storage 995 Cordova St E, Vancouver V6A 1B8 .......................................... 778-316-1712

raincitymoving@hotmail.com

www.raincitymoving.com Salmon’s Transfer Ltd 9500 Van Horne Way Suite 100, Richmond V6X 1W3 Doug Kellough .... 604-273-2921 604-273-4963

salmons@salmonstransfer.com

www.salmonstransfer.com TR Westcan/Tippet-Richardson 8035 North Fraser Way, Burnaby V5J 5M8 ............. 604-324-5015 604-324-2047

trvancouver@tippet-richardson.com

www.trwestcan.com Vincent Moving Co 1222 Melville St Suite 3, Vancouver V6E 2Y1 Bruno Vincent ................................. 778-300-6592

www.vincentmoving.com Williams Moving & Storage (BC) Ltd 2401 United Blvd, Coquitlam V3K 5Y3 Zach Williams ................................ 866-967-6683

info@williamsmoving.com

www.williamsmoving.com

Property Management Harbour Management Inc 970 Burrard St Suite 240, Vancouver V6Z 2R4 Ron Jones........... 604-876-8895 604-731-1865

harbourmgt@shaw.ca SuiteLiving Furnished Accomodations 101 1001 Broadway W Suite 880, Vancouver V6H 4E4 Lisa Chan ............ 800-909-6088 888-505-5442

bookings@suiteliving.ca www.suiteliving.ca

Colliers International – Commercial 200 Granville St Suite 1900, Vancouver V6C 2R6 .............. 604-681-2655 604-661-0849

www.colliers.com Faith Wilson Realty Group Inc 2930 Arbutus St Suite 101, Vancouver V6J 3Y9 Faith Wilson ....... 604-224-5277 604-224-5279

faith@faithwilsongroup.com

www.faithwilsongroup.com

Remax Commercial 1060 Manhattan Dr Suite 340, Kelowna V1Y 9X9 .... www.commercial.remax-western.ca

Gotham Realty 224 Esplanade W Suite 300, North Vancouver V7M 3M6 June Richardson ..... 604-904-0440 604-904-0470

inquiries@gothamrealty.ca

www.gothamrealty.ca Lighthouse Realty Ltd 2655 Clearbrook Rd Suite 260, Abbotsford V2T 2Y6 Terry Mitterer ..... 604-807-0523 888-466-4868

info@homehunters.com

www.lighthouserealty.com

Macdonald Realty 2105 38th Ave W, Vancouver V6M 1R8 Shelly Smee ....... 604-263-1911 604-266-3514

residentgenius@shaw.ca www.macrealty.com MODE Suites Rental Services 1118 Homer St, Vancouver V6B 2W9 Paula Robinson... 877-501-6633 778-331-3846

info@modesuites.com www.modesuites.com

River District Vancouver 8683 Kerr St, Vancouver V5S 4V7 ... 604-431-5595 www.riverdistrict.ca A new sustainable waterfront community by ParkLane Homes in Southeast Vancouver.

Royal LePage Northshore – Mander Group 2407 Marine Dr, West Vancouver V7V 1L3 ............... 604-926-6011 604-926-9199

diana@mandergroup.com

www.mandergroup.com Sotheby’s International Realty 1672 2nd Ave W, Vancouver V6J 1H4 Frank Gerryts ...... 604-632-3300 604-608-0330

fgerryts@sothebysrealty.ca

www.sothebysrealty.ca Sutton Group Seafair Realty 9100 Blundell Rd Suite 550, Richmond V6Y 1K3 .............. 604-273-3155 604-273-8166

info@suttonseafair.com www.seafairrealty.com Sutton Group West Coast Realty 1508 Broadway W Suite 301, Vancouver V6J 1W8 Norris Phillippe... 604-714-1700 604-738-1888

norris@sutton.com www.suttonwestcoast.com

Real Estate Appraisal Niemi LaPorte & Dowle Appraisals Ltd 8678 Greenall Ave Suite 312, Burnaby V5J 3M6 ............. 604-438-1628 604-438-2886

info@nldappraisals.com www.nldappraisals. com Penny & Keenleyside Appraisals Ltd 319 Governors Crt Suite 202, New Westminster V3L 5S5 ............... 604-525-3441 604-525-9313

www.pkappraisals.com

Realtors Bruce Ward Realty Ltd 1525 Robson St Suite 400, Vancouver V6G 1C3 .......................................... 604-684-6182

bruce@bruceward.com www.bruceward.com CBRE Ltd 1111 Georgia St W Suite 600, Vancouver V6E 4M3 Mark Renzoni ..... 604-662-3000 604-684-9368

angela.hiebert@cbre.com www.cbre.ca CBRE is the #1 global commercial real estate firm with 450 offices in 65 countries.

Polygon Homes Ltd 1333 Broadway W Suite 900, Vancouver V6H 4C2 .............. 604-877-1131 604-871-4295

comments@polyhomes.com

www.polyhomes.com BC’s homebuilder of choice since 1980.

Prudential Sterling Realty 3355 North Rd Suite 226, Burnaby V3J 7T9 Randy Ryalls ....... 604-421-1010 604-421-5108

info@psr.ca www.psr.ca Prudential Sussex Realty 2996 Lonsdale Ave, North Vancouver V7N 3J4 Graeme Mulski ... 778-839-8685 604-984-3350

gmulski@telus.net www.graememulski.com RE/MAX Ridge Meadows Realty 22308 Dewdney Trunk Rd, Maple Ridge V2X 3J2 Jim Williams ...... 604-463-2200 888-728-0109

willja@shaw.ca

www.vancouverhousehunting.com

Here for life

Sutton Group West Coast Realty 5511 West Blvd Suite 200, Vancouver V6M 3W6 Judith Adamick ..... 604-351-4116 604-263-8402

jadamick@sutton.com www.judithadamick.com Sutton West Coast – Alan Vlemmiks 1508 Broadway W Suite 301, Vancouver V6J 1W8 ............ 604-714-1700 604-738-1888

alan@alanvlemmiks.com

www.alanvlemmiks.com TRG The Residential Group Realty 1965 4th Ave W Suite 101, Vancouver V6J 1M8 Jacob Krause...... 778-229-5000 604-629-6110

info@jacobkrause.com

www.vancouverspaces.com

Relocation Management Services Bruce Ward Realty Ltd 1525 Robson St Suite 400, Vancouver V6G 1C3 Klaus Rode ......... 604-684-6182 604-684-6185

jacy@bruceward.com www.bruceward.com

A new water fr on t communi t y in Southeas t Vancou ver by Par k L ane Homes

62 62

Vancouver Relocation Guide 2012/BIV Magazines

Creative Move Management & Design 828 Agnes St Unit 1405, New Westminster V3M 6R4 ......................................... 604-540-1702

info@creativemoves.ca www.creativemoves.ca DB Relocation Services Inc 1156 Millstream Rd, West Vancouver V7S 2C9 Julia Brooks.................................... 778-227-7456

info@dbrelocationservices.com

www.dbrelocationservices.com Friendly Planet Consulting Ltd 555 28th St W Suite 1005, North Vancouver V7N 2J7 Marian Ennis ........... 604-985-4304 604-984-8737

fplanc@telusplanet.net www.friendly-planet.ca

Macdonald Realty 2105 38th Ave W, Vancouver V6M 1R8 Shelly Smee ....... 604-263-1911 604-266-3514

residentgenius@shaw.ca www.macrealty.com Relocation2BC 5745 Westport Crt, West Vancouver V7W 2X9 Frank Gerryts ...... 604-613-3442 604-676-2556

frank@relocation2bc.com

www.relocation2bc.com

Tax & Financial Planning KN&V Chartered Accountants LLP 1285 Broadway W Suite 800, Vancouver V6H 3X8 Gordon Baldwin .... 604-736-2571 604-736-4280

gbaldwin@knv.com www.knv.com Morine & Co Chartered Accountants LLP 1959 152nd St Suite 312, White Rock, V4A 9E3 Kevin Schindler ..... 604-531-0982 604-531-0985

kschindler@morineandco.com

www.morineandco.com Nicola Wealth Management 1508 Broadway W Suite 500, Vancouver V6J 1W8 ............. 604-739-6450 604-739-6451

tactics@nicolawealth.com

www.nicolawealth.com

Visa & Immigration Services/ Consultants Best Place Immigration 1500 Georgia St W Suite 1400, Vancouver V6G 2Z6 Ron Liberman ..... 604-970-0629 604-608-4723

info@bestplace.ca www.bestplace.ca Lowe and Company Immigration & Business Lawyers 777 Broadway W Suite 900, Vancouver V5Z 4J7 Jeffrey Lowe ...... 604-875-9338 604-875-1325

info@canadavisalaw.com

www.canadavisalaw.com NIMARIA Immigration Consultants 678 Citadel Dr Suite 82, Port Coquitlam V3C 6M7 Afshin Sarhangpour ....................... 604-945-7456 604-945-7426

info@nimaria.com www.nimaria.com Sedai Law Office 10768 Whalley Blvd Suite 110, Surrey V3T 0G1 Marina Sedai...... 778-395-7810 604-909-4859

msedai@immigrationcitizenshiplaw.com

www.immigrationcitizenshiplaw.com Stevens & Associates Immigration Services 938 Howe St Suite 801, Vancouver V6Z 1N9 Don Stevens ....... 604-687-1871 604-687-3137

stevensandassociates@telus.net

www.stevensimmigration.com

Workforce Mobility Research TNS Canadian Facts 1140 Pender St W Suite 610, Vancouver V6E 4G1 Berkeley Scott .... 604-668-3344 604-668-3333

berkeley.scott@tnsglobal.com

www.tnscanada.ca

RiverDistrict.ca

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