The magnificent capital of British Columbia, Victoria, stands out as a top-tier location for expats who want only the finest in everything. See how exciting living in Victoria, BC is!
One of the greatest cities to live, work, or retire in Canada is Victoria, which is situated on the southernmost tip of Vancouver Island (not Victoria Island). Victoria has excellent ratings for its economy, real estate, climate, attractions, and amenities.
Here are a few aspects of Victoria that contribute to its great quality of life:
British attitude
The city, which bears the name of Queen Victoria, is renowned for its cobblestone alleys surrounded with stone buildings from the 19th century and its old-world beauty.
Victoria has a long history of being a bulwark of British customs. Victoria received the Prince of Wales Prize in recognition of its perseverance over a 40-year period in protecting the City’s historic areas and buildings.
Wonderful weather
The weather in Victoria is some of the best in the country. This makes a living in Victoria the best!
It has what is referred to as a sub-Mediterranean climate, with summertime highs frequently reaching the 20°C mark and winter lows rarely falling below zero or resulting in snowfall.
According to official weather statistics, Victoria has the ideal climate for a very outdoor-centric lifestyle, with 2,183 hours of sunshine per year, at least half the rainfall of New York, at least eight months without frost, low humidity, and cooling offshore breezes in the summer.
Due to Victoria’s location in the rain shadow of the US Olympic Mountains, its annual rainfall is only half that of Vancouver. Because of how mild the winters are here, snowfall is uncommon and occasionally nonexistent.
Workplace possibilities
Victoria offers a wide range of employment options, as well as access to CFB Esquimalt, a naval facility, provincial and federal government buildings, and a burgeoning technology sector.
As a center for agricultural, forestry, and marine research, the area is expanding. The number of jobs in British Columbia is anticipated to increase by an average of 1.8% annually until 2019, adding up to 450,000 new positions.
Beautiful gardens
Gardeners in Victoria take great satisfaction in Victoria’s temperate environment since it allows them to produce a variety of plants that are unmatched in Canada.
Victoria, also referred to as “The Garden City,” is covered in blossoming flowers all year long. Every summer, the City of Victoria’s lampposts are decorated with about 1,500 hanging baskets.
The renowned Butchart Gardens, which debuted in 1904, are just 25 minutes’ drive from the heart of Victoria.
Fun and friendly city
Victoria is a significant center for art, culture, and history. You’ll never get bored living in Victoria because it is the site of numerous yearly festivals and has museums, golf clubs, yacht clubs, marinas, fitness centers, ice rinks, tennis courts, stadiums, arenas, a car race track, and a horse racing track.
Balanced age distribution
Both retirees and people just starting their careers in the workforce are drawn to the city.
In this region of British Columbia, the age distribution is very well balanced. The City Of The Newly Married Or Nearly Dead has been given that name. The proportion of people over 65 is almost 18%.
Victoria has a median age of 43.1 years, which is nearly four years older than metro Vancouver.
Superior education
Victoria has excellent educational standards and resources. There are both public and private schools, universities, and colleges to select from, and 72% of city residents have completed some form of tertiary education, which is significantly higher than the national average. The University of Victoria and Royal Roads University are located in Victoria. This makes a living in Victoria, BC, the best!
Best place for cycling
Living in Victoria can provide you amazing riding options whether you are an avid cyclist or like to ride with your kids on the weekends.
Canada’s capital for cycling, Victoria, is well-known for this fact. It has a robust network of cycling trails. In fact, a bike route runs all the way from the boat in Schwartz Bay to downtown Victoria. After that, you can carry on to Sooke as well. Additionally, biking is a convenient way to travel to the Cowichan Valley or the Gulf Islands.
Simple to travel
From Vancouver and Nanaimo, you can take a ferry (and then drive from the ferry station) to Victoria. There are other ferries from Washington State, including ones that sail between Sidney and Anacortes and Victoria and Port Angeles.
All everywhere, including routine flights from Vancouver’s downtown, float planes arrive. There is also an international airport, which is naturally quite convenient for flying into and out of.
Best diving location
People who live in Victoria have access to excellent diving and snorkeling. Victoria was named one of the top cold-water diving locations by National Geographic for its marine richness and water clarity. In fact, it is ranked second finest location by the prestigious Jacques Cousteau Society, just after the Red Sea.
Tips and things to know when visiting and living in Victoria BC
- Wharf Street, Government Street, Douglas Street, and Blanshard Street are Victoria’s main thoroughfares.
- With the exception of Butchart Gardens, most of the major attractions are within easy walking distance, but if you’d rather take the bus, local transportation options are good.
- Expect a distinctively British atmosphere in Victoria, where afternoon tea and red double-decker buses are commonplace.
- Victoria experiences warm, bright, and dry summers and chilly, damp, and overcast winters. In the winter, it frequently snows.
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