"If things ever return to normal in Vancouver, maybe I'll move back. Until then, count me as one of the many professionals who left the West Coast for greener pastures..."

Vancouver Ex-Pat writes via e-mail to VREAA 21 Apr 2010 -

“I’m born and raised in Vancouver. Grew up in the lower mainland and went to UBC. I was a big booster of my City. I was one of those folks who would tell anyone who asked, and even those who didn’t, how great Vancouver was.  Real estate and the free money was never part of my thinking back then in the 80′s or 90′s, I just knew I loved the town. I also knew I hated eastern Canada, the eastern media, and really hated Toronto. Typical Vancouver stuff….
Then I came to see no future for myself in the area. Salaries were low, industry was stagnant, and houses were expensive. An “average” middle class life with a detached house seemed like a pipe dream back then. Now? Fantasy… That equation didn’t work for me, so I left.
I moved to Toronto. I completed an MBA, found work at a bank and make some good coin.
You know what? Vancouver isn’t that great after all… All those years watching Tony Parsons brainwashed me to think how great my hometown was… Well, its not.. I moved here with that chip on my shoulder. Funny thing is, people here in Toronto actually like Vancouver. People here think BC is a great place. They like the Island, love the Okanagan etc… I was shocked to see how my hatred of all things eastern wasn’t matched by a hatred for all things western. Locals here in TO would ask me why Vancouverites hated Toronto. I couldn’t really answer. I very quickly came to realize how brainwashed I was. Living here, I now realize that Vancouver isn’t really all what it’s cracked up to be. Sure I miss my family, friends, the Canucks, Douglas Fir.  Other cities have even more to offer their citizens. TO has an amazing theatre scene. Tons of festivals and cultural events. Imagine, the police don’t tell the citizens to stay home on New Years… And Sports? Pretty sweet… I have Blue Jays season tickets for $100. How is kool is that? I have season tickets to the Buffalo Bills for $450. Awesome. There are real things to do here, and I mean things that don’t include gore-tex. Real activities, not just the mythical ski, sail and golf on the same day crap we get fed from kindergarden onwards. But, Toronto is a fantastic city. Not only is the city alive with people and culture, but the standard of living is much higher. The salaries are better, and RE is lower. That’s an equation I can live with. Other cities in the area… Chicago? Awesome. Montreal? Fun. Ottawa? Great. Who knew there was a whole world outside of the “Greatest place on earth”?
If things ever return to normal in Vancouver, maybe I’ll move back. Until then, count me as one of the many professionals who left the West Coast for greener pastures…”