This document provides information to help students settle into life in Vancouver upon arriving for graduate school at UBC. It discusses factors to consider when deciding where to live such as neighborhoods, housing costs, and commute times. Recommendations are provided for finding housing, roommates, and rental spaces. Additional details cover transportation options, grocery stores, cultural attractions, and other resources. The goal is to equip students with essential knowledge for establishing themselves in the city.

1. Life in Vancouver:
Finding a home, settling in, getting around and
exploring the city
July 11 and 13, 2016
Graduate Pathways to Success

2. Metro Vancouver
http://www.metrovancouver.org/about/PublishingImages/MetroVancouver-Municipalities-Population.jpg
UBC

3. Deciding where to live:
Vancouver neighbourhoods
Main St. (red line) divides the city into east and west
Western neighbourhoods (Kitsilano) tend to be more expensive than
those to the east (Renfrew) and south (Marpole)
For more information on Vancouver neighbourhoods,
check out: http://ubyssey.ca/blog/find-place-live-vancouver604/
Image from UBC Housing and Accommodations,
http://www.housing.ubc.ca/off-campus-housing/deciding-where-to-live

4. Neighbourhoods: Know your “Wests”
Pay attention to these names, as they refer to very different areas!
West Side: the western part of Vancouver that is not downtown, e.g. Kitsilano,
Point Grey, Kerrisdale, Shaughnessy
West End: the western, more residential section of the downtown area
West Vancouver: municipality to the
north-west of Vancouver proper on the
North Shore; public transit to UBC
significantly longer due to traffic and
transferring
…but “East Side,” “East End” and “East Van” all mean East Vancouver
Image by UBC Housing
http://vancouver.housing.ubc.ca/ot
her-housing/off-campus-housing/

5. West Side neighbourhoods
Kitsilano (Kits), Point Grey, Dunbar-Southlands, Fairview, Kerrisdale
 Closest neighbourhoods to UBC
 Rent can be higher here, but the commute is much shorter
 Quick and easy access to campus and downtown by bus
 Access to beaches and parks
 Many basement and garden suites and small,
low-rise apartment buildings
 Mix of well-cared for older + large, new
homes
“April in Vancouver” by iwona_kellie;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwona_kellie/8663677472/in/photostream/

6. East Vancouver neighbourhoods
 Lower rents
 Direct bus routes to UBC
 Longer commute (~60 minutes)
Some neighbourhoods are:
 Grandview (incl. Commercial Drive)
- An active artsy and community-
minded area with vibrant outdoor life
(marches, festivals); home to many
affordable restaurants and cafes (spoken word performances)
- Home to 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
Photo by DennisSylvesterHurd
http://www.flickr.com/photos/den
nissylvesterhurd/2619116195/

7. Downtown neighbourhoods
Easy access to transit, including direct buses to UBC
Approximate time to UBC using public transit is 40 minutes
 West End
- Vibrant LGBTQ2IA village
- Close to parks and beaches
- Densely populated
- Mainly apartments and condos
 Yaletown
- High rent apartments and condos
- Trendy, expensive restaurants,
bars, and boutiques

8. Deciding where to live: Vancouver
neighbourhoods
Image from UBC Housing and Accommodations,
http://www.housing.ubc.ca/off-campus-housing/deciding-where-to-live

9. Finding roommates and rental spaces
 Try connecting with other graduate students: http://community.grad.ubc.ca/
 Current or graduating students in your program may know about available
rooms / apartments
 Online apartment-hunting resources include:
- Craigslist; RentHello; Padmapper
- UV Rentsline
- ESL Rent (management company w/ Korean, Japanese, Chinese text,
but renting many months in advance)
- Walkscore (assessing how close a potential apartment is
 Be cautious and beware of scams: do not send money, banking, or
personal information
 The turn around time for rental units is fast – prepare ahead of time and expect
to send a lot of emails
 Apartments and suites will be posted throughout the month

10. Housing: Additional Costs
 Utilities: Electricity (BC Hydro), Natural Gas (FortisBC), internet, cable,
cell phone. Some apartments or basement suites will include specific
utilities in the rent, others will not
 Laundry: In-suite, in-building, or will you have to go to a laundromat?
Coin-operated or free?
 Damage or safety deposit: Should be no more than half a month's rent
and will be refunded when you move out if you leave the apartment or
suite clean and have not caused damage. Ask for a receipt when you pay
this.
 Renter’s insurance: Highly recommended (minimal monthly cost),
otherwise you are liable for things like fire, theft, flood, etc.
 Furniture: Used via Craigslist, Kijiji, garage sales, or new via Ikea, etc.

11. Housing: Protecting yourself
 Know your rights as a tenant: http://tenants.bc.ca/
 Get your rental agreement in writing
 Document all existing damage with photographs on move-in;
this will help with recouping your damage deposit when you
move out
 Vancouver Bedbug Registry
http://bedbugregistry.com/metro/vancouver/

12.  Taxi
There is 24-hour taxi service from the airport. Fare to UBC is ~$45 CAD.
 Public transportation
You can also take the Canada Line, a rapid-transit system that runs
frequently from the airport to downtown Vancouver. There will be signs
within the airport directing you to the Canada Line. It will cost $5 + regular
fare to take the train from the airport.
 Car shares
If you join before arriving in Vancouver, Car2Go, Evo, and Zipcar all have
vehicles accessible from the airport. Companies may have different
policies on membership re: international/out-of-province drivers licences.
These companies also have cars on campus.
Getting to UBC/Vancouver from the
Airport

13. Public transit
 U-Pass / Compass Card included in your fees; good for all zones
 Translink for schedules, Transit 101, etc. Google Maps can plan transit trips
 Major express busses that travel East/West to/from UBC:
99 B-line – To/From Commercial Station along Broadway (9th ave)
84 – To/From VCC-Clark Station along 4th ave
44 – To/From Waterfront Station (downtown) along W 4th ave
43 – To/From Joyce-Collingwood Station along 41st ave
258 – To/From West Vancouver
480 – To/From Bridgeport Station (Richmond)
 Keep these busses in mind when looking for housing: E/W travel is generally
easier than N/S; if you’re not near one of the main E/W roads or a Skytrain
station for transit, you’ll have to transfer. Use Trip Planner or Google Maps to
assess potential commutes to UBC, downtown, peak vs. off-peak hours, etc.

14. Public transit continued
 3 Skytrain lines:
Canada Line: downtown to Richmond + airport along Cambie St
Expo Line: Surrey, New Westminster, Burnaby, East Van + Downtown
Millennium Line Coquitlam, New West, Burnaby, East Van + Downtown
 Sea Bus: Connects the North Shore to downtown Vancouver
 Stand up / wave to flag the bus to stop at your bus stop; once on the bus, use
red stop button / cord on windows to request next stop
 Only exact change if paying cash on a bus (e.g. visitors)
 This map will give you a sense of the main roads and areas serviced by
transit: http://infomaps.translink.ca/System_Maps/123/V-Jun%202016.pdf

15. Cycling in Vancouver
 Bike lanes/routes (Google Maps can also plan bike trips)
 Best Bike Trails in Vancouver and Beyond
 City of Vancouver Bike Projects
 UBC Cycling Tips
 Get a good lock and always use it. A U-lock is best.
 Helmets are mandatory and lights are strongly recommended
 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

16. Grocery Stores
 Around campus: Save on Foods; Safeway on 10th Ave
 Lower priced chain groceries around the city: Real Canadian
Superstore, No Frills, Walmart
 Local produce: farmers markets, Granville Island, fruit stands
 Bulk food: Costco (requires a membership)
 Many chains are starting to provide grocery
delivery services; keep an eye out!
Granville island berries by jordan junck, https://www.flickr.com/photos/fairviewcondo/

17. Specialty Grocery Stores
 Organic/vegan/gluten-free: Whole Foods, Choices, Greens
 Punjab Food Center
 Chinatown
 Many East and South Asian foods along Kingsway
 Parthenon and Minerva for Mediterranean
 Various Italian bakeries, grocers, delis on Commercial Drive
 Chinese groceries in Richmond (“Golden Village”)
 Korean H-Mart (downtown, Richmond, Coquitlam)
 T&T (downtown, Metrotown Mall) for various Asian foods
 Filipino groceries/bakeries along Joyce Street
 Caribbean Market in New Westminster
See also: http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2010/09/18/best-
ethnic-grocery-stores-in-vancouver-chefs-choices/

18. Culture of Vancouver
 Get outdoors
Go for a hike, lounge on the beach, take a walk…
 Explore
So many things to see and do!
 Be prepared for the rain
A quality umbrella / rain jacket is a beautiful thing
 Reduce, reuse, recycle
Be eco-friendly
 Embrace other cultures, share your own
Vancouver is a multicultural city on the
territory of First Nations including
Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh
 Be open!
Celebrate what makes people unique
First Nations House of Learning at the First Nations Longhouse
on campus: http://aboriginal.ubc.ca/longhouse/fnhl/

19. 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
 Vancouver Aquarium (in Stanley Park)
 Granville Island
 Museums: Vancouver Art Gallery, Telus World of
Science, Museum of Vancouver, Maritime Museum
 Free festivals in the summer: Italian Days on Commercial Drive,
Greek Day on W. Broadway, Khatsalano music festival in Kitsilano,
Car Free Day on Main St and Commercial Drive…and more
Vancouver Science World by Franco Ng,
https://www.flickr.com/photos/franco_ng/

20. On Campus Attractions
 Museum of Anthropology – world-renowned collection with a focus on First
Nations art and culture
 Beaty Biodiversity Museum – Natural history museum
 Rose Garden – beautiful view of the oceans and mountains; a great place
to eat your lunch when the weather is nice
 Nitobe Japanese Memorial Garden – Japanese garden and Tea house
 Botanical Garden
 Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery – contemporary art
 School of Music – check their website for events; some are free
 Chan Centre for the Performing Arts – music and theatrical performances;
students under 25 can get discounted tickets
 UBC Library – Rare Books and Special Collections + the Chung Collection

21. Other Resources / Tips
 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:
www.grad.ubc.ca/prospective-students/tuition-fees-cost-living/cost-living
 Orientation events for Graduate Students: http://orientation.grad.ubc.ca
 Other ideas for places to go and things to do:
http://www.tourismvancouver.com/
 Take a free workshop from Graduate Pathways to Success:
https://www.grad.ubc.ca/pathways
 UBC’s off-campus housing guide: http://vancouver.housing.ubc.ca/other-
housing/off-campus-housing/
 Ubyssey (student paper)’s guide to student housing (useful stats and
infographics): http://old.ubyssey.ca/features/ubc-housing-numbers-573/

22. www.grad.ubc.ca