The High Cost of Paradise

I heard on the radio that the gas in Vancouver is the most expensive in North America at $1.33/litre (a litre = .2642 gal or 1 gal = 3.785 litres). Apparently the most expensive place to get gas in the US is Los Angeles and that still equates to only $0.75/litre Canadian. $0.17 of every litre goes to pay Translink for the transit which the majority of us are not able to use due to a lack of network and efficient schedules.

Combine that the super high cost of real estate and it's surprising how any of us can get through the year (and maybe we're not). I have many friends who are "house rich and cash poor".  I wonder how long it will be before we all have to leave this town and soon it will be taken over by tourists and foreign investors. If I lived anywhere else I'd have 3x the house I have now and probably money left over to travel. Here's a Cost of Living Calculator - see if you could afford to live here.

It's no wonder my community apparently has the highest number of problem gamblers in the province. People are becoming more desperate everyday. Where will it go? Will we all move away? Will we all move in with each other? Higher crime rates? Looting ? Pillaging?

Oh and I didn't even mention alcohol - we have very costly booze too (no Costco wine for us)

Why do I stay? Because this is where I grew up, because Jp's son is here, family is here. It's home. But I'm starting to wonder if 'home' is over rated. How much can wonderful, mild weather and amazing scenery and an abundance of amazing wildlife trump the costs of living?

Next time someone says they are from Vancouver - will you say "poor you"? (because they probably are) or "lucky you" (because they are able to survive in the most beautiful super expensive place)? Do you think Vancouver will be like New York - if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere?