2013 Pre-Arrival webinar - Part 2

& UBC Graduate Student Society (GSS)
UBC Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies | Graduate Pathways to Success
JULY 23 & 24, 2013
CARLOS RODRIGUEZ, 2013 UBC GSS ORIENTATION COORDINATOR
Life in Vancouver:
Finding a home, settling in, getting
around and exploring the city

Graduate Student Society (GSS)UBC Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
Deciding where to live: Vancouver
neighbourhoods
Image from UBC Housing and Accommodations,
http://www.housing.ubc.ca/off-campus-housing/deciding-where-to-live

Deciding where to live: Vancouver
neighbourhoods
 Main St. divides the city into east and west
 Housing in western neighbourhoods tends to be pricier
 Neighbourhoods to the east are more economical
 The Downtown Eastside (just east of downtown surrounding
East Hastings St.) is not considered to be a desirable
neighborhood due to crime, drug use, homelessness, etc.
 UBC (end of the peninsula). Many areas on campus
http://www.maps.ubc.ca; info at http://www.housing.ubc.ca/ .

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

West Side neighbourhoods
(ex. Kitsilano, Point Grey, Dunbar-Southlands)
 Closest neighbourhoods to UBC
 Rent can be higher here than neighbourhoods to the east...
but the commute is much shorter
 Quick and easy access to campus and downtown by bus
 Safe
 Access to beaches and parks
 Basement suites and small, low-rise apartment buildings

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

Image from Google Maps

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

Metro-Vancouver area
 Cities surrounding Vancouver include:
- Richmond, Delta (south)
- Burnaby, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Maple Ridge (east)
- Surrey, Langley, Cloverdale, White Rock (south-east)
- West and North Vancouver (north, the North Shore)
 Rent can be lower in these cities, but the commute to UBC
will be much longer (1 to 2 hrs)

Image © Metro Vancouver's Vital Signs 2007
http://2007.vancouverfoundationvitalsigns.ca/?q=node/6

Housing: Online Resources
 Search options
- AMS Rentsline: http://www.amsrentsline.com/
- www.rentalhomes4students.com
- Craigslist
- Padmapper
- www.eslrent.com (International students)
 Lots of information in our forum:
http://forum.grad.ubc.ca/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=139

Finding roommates and rental
spaces
 Late July or August is the best time to look for a place for
September
- The turn around time for rental units is fast
 Try connecting with other graduate students through the
Graduate Studies online forum (forum.grad.ubc.ca)
 Current or graduating students in your program may know
about available rooms / apartments
 Be cautious and beware of scams: do not send money,
banking or personal information

Housing: Additional Costs
 Utilities (BC Hydro, internet, cable, cell phones, land lines)
 Laundry (Is it coin-operated or free? Do you have to go to a
Laundromat?)
 Renter’s insurance is highly recommended
 Furniture
-used: Craigslist, Kijiji, garage sales
-new: Ikea (2 locations), etc.

Housing: Protecting yourself
 Know your rights as a tenant: http://www.rto.gov.bc.ca/
 Get your rental agreement in writing
 Document all existing damage with photographs
 Vancouver Bedbug Registry
http://bedbugregistry.com/metro/vancouver/

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

Cycling in Vancouver
 Bike lanes/routes:
http://www.translink.ca/en/Cycling/Cycling-Routes.aspx
http://www.cyclevancouver.ubc.ca/cv.aspx
 Best Bike Trails in Vancouver and Beyond
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/06/08/best-bike-trails-
vancouver_n_3386973.html
 City of Vancouver Bike Projects http://vancouver.ca/streets-
transportation/separated-bicycle-lanes.aspx
 AMS Bike Coop
 Get a good lock and always use it
 Helmet and lights are required
 Do not ride on the sidewalk unless signs are posted allowing you to
 It’s easy to combine cycling and transit: buses have bike racks on
the front and the Canada Line has designated spaces for bikes

Grocery Stores
 Around campus:
– Small stores and food court in International Village
– Save on Foods; Safeway (10th Ave)
 Lower priced groceries around the city:
– Real Canadian Superstore, No Frills, Walmart, T & T,
independent fruit stands
 Organic and specialty items
- Capers/Whole Foods, Choices
 Fresh, local produce:
- Farmer’s markets
 Costco
- bulk foods

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

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

On Campus Attractions
 Museum of Anthropology
 Beaty Biodiversity Museum
 Rose Garden / Flag Pole
 Nitobe Japanese Memorial Garden
 Botanical Garden
 Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery
 School of Music
 Chan Centre for the Performing Arts
 UBC Library: Rare books and special collections

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

Resources / Tips
 The graduate student forum is a great place to ask questions.
http://forum.grad.ubc.ca/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=139
 Rent varies across the city, but our cost calculator can give you a
rough idea about how much living and studying in Vancouver will
cost:
https://www.grad.ubc.ca/prospective-students/tuition-fees-cost-living/cost-living
 Orientation events for Graduate Students
http://orientation.grad.ubc.ca/resources/

2013 Pre-Arrival webinar - Part 2

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2013 Pre-Arrival webinar - Part 2