If you are thinking about moving to Victoria BC for the first time, you might want to know what the pros and cons of living here are. In this episode, we unpack the 11 things I HATE about Victoria BC. Although I’m an expert in the Victoria BC Real Estate market, Victoria is also my hometown. I’m passionate about the things that make it great, but also want to be transparent about the cons of Victoria BC.

I moved away to pursue a university education and a dream of playing in the Canadian Football League, but once that dream came and went, I always knew I would return back to Vancouver Island. It’s a special place to live but there are reasons why people don’t move to Victoria BC. The weather in Victoria BC isn’t as nice as California, the downtown core experiences some crime issues, and more.

Here’s a recap of the 11 worst things about living in Victoria BC:

00:00 Intro

00:35 1) Rain

The weather in Victoria BC is quite mild but we do receive around 961mm of average annual precipitation. Neighbouring cities like Vancouver average more than 2000mm of rainfall and other parts of Vancouver Island like the coastal surf town of Tofino average over 3200mm of rainfall per year.

01:05 2) Stuck on the Rock

The only way to get off of Vancouver Island is on a ferry, boat, or on a plane. Most international flights still have to go through Vancouver. The BC ferries prices are a little exorbitant and are in excess of 83$ each way if you’re driving on.

01:38 3) Cost of Living

The benchmark price of a detached home in Greater Victoria was $1,130,000 at the end of 2022. Many homes in some of the more coveted neighbourhoods have stretched well beyond that figure. It’s expensive to rent in Victoria BC as well where we have the 4th highest median asking rents in the country.

02:13 4) Crime

According to Stats Can, The city of Victoria has the highest Crime severity index ranking of any municipality in BC. The index, which measures the volume and severity of police-reported crime, noted Victoria’s index was 148 (2021), a slight improvement from 2020’s 168, but still well above the provincial index of 93 and Vancouver’s 90.

The index also shows that combined, all of the region’s municipalities have an index of 71.5. Victoria BC homeless population has grown in recent years as a consequence of an ongoing drug epidemic.

02:50 5) Confusing Geography and Roadways

Because of the topography of the southern island, many of the roads and communities are built across meandering hillsides. Consequently, most of the roads are curvy and don’t run north/south or east west in straight lines.

03:23 6) Limited Rideshare Options

Although there are a few Canadian-based companies that are trying to crack into the ride-hailing category, we don’t have a widespread presence of Uber or Lyft. There are tons of cabs, but tracking one down on a busy night can be challenging and make planning a night in downtown Victoria BC more chaotic

03:43 7) 13 Municipalities

The governance structure in Greater Victoria can be difficult to understand. Especially when dealing with local bylaws and development processes, it’s important to grasp what your local bylaws say you can and can’t do with your property.

04:11 8) Growing Pains with Bike Lanes

Although new bike lanes (primarily in Downtown Victoria BC) are welcome to cyclists in greater Victoria, they have caused some friction. There has been a reduction in parking downtown, and the new signage/traffic lights have confused drivers and made some of the intersections dangerous.

04:34 9) Lack of Dining Options

Victoria BC restaurants are great, but they may fall short if you’re used to dining in Vancouver or Toronto. Here are some of my favourites: Pagliacci’s, Tapa Bar, Ferris’ Oyster Bar, Il Terrazzo, Cafe Brio, Boom & Batten, Little Jumbo, Wind Cries Mary, Stage Wine Bar, Deep Cove Chalet.

04:57 10) Seasonal Traffic

Busy summer months can mean that the roadways get packed. If you’re trying to get up Vancouver Island on the malahat on a long weekend, there’s little you can do to escape

05:17 11) Unprepared for Snowfall

Snow in Victoria BC is a rare occurrence. We average a little over 13cm in December, and there are years in Victoria BC where it doesn’t snow at all. The weather can be a little unpredictable and when Victoria BC residents are surprised with snow, the roads can be dangerous

05:47 Outro

Let me know in the comments below if you have ay questions about living in Victoria BC or moving to Victoria Canada. I would be happy to answer your questions about Victoria Vancouver Island and BC. Victoria BC Living is spectacular so don’t let this video scare you off.

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Alex Carroll is a licensed Realtor in Victoria British Columbia Canada

Alex Carroll PREC*
Engel & Völkers Vancouver Island
carrollgroup@evrealestate.com
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