I got a taste of what life is really like in Canada's most livable city, and might be ready to pack up and fly West... again.
I've done my fair share of moving around, calling five different Canadian cities home and enough neighbourhoods that I've lost count. When it comes to what makes a spot "livable," it's generally up for debate.
While I don't love a bustling downtown — preferring to take a deep breath that's not full of car exhaust — others love the pace of a big city like Toronto, trying to live out their NYC dreams without having to actually go to the U.S. (fair enough).
My "one man's trash is another's treasure" perspective on what makes a city perfect, though, has changed recently.
It started when North Vancouver was ranked the most livable city in Canada. The ranking broke down all the reasons North Van landed above every other city in the country, raising solid points and data to back it up. But I actually had lived in Vancouver — right across the water — and while I loved many parts of life there, I ended up moving away a year later. It was difficult to imagine that things were all that different living a 25-minute drive away.
Fast forward to now, and I'm staying in North Vancouver for a visit, getting to see what a day-to-day here is like. The long and short of it — I'm now questioning how bad constant rain could actually be for my mental health (very bad) and if I could work $3,000 rent into my budget (no, I cannot).
Here's how North Vancouver — despite its moody weather and hard-to-swallow rent prices — has convinced me that it does deserve the title of Canada's "most livable" city.
It is, in fact, better than Vancouver
My main gripe with the ranking was that I lived in Vancouver, and it was not without its issues. A lot of them were just based on my personal preferences, but that just speaks to how hard it is to nail down an overall "best" when it comes to livability.
If there was a place that could be universally loved, though, it might just be North Van.
I stayed in Vancouver for a couple of days to start my trip, before heading to North Van for a longer stint. Crossing that bridge, I felt the stress leave my body. It's more wide-open spaces, separated from the anxiety-inducing pace of the bigger city and with just more room to breathe.
You wouldn't think it's all that different from Vancouver, but surprisingly, it is. The vibe is less "running to my next meeting" and more "let's grab a coffee after our hike".
This wasn't exactly new to me because I'd visited many times before, but after a few days of actually staying in North Vancouver, I could really feel the benefits of being less stimulated. Life moves at a slightly slower, more enjoyable pace.
You get the space but keep the convenience
My partner was commuting to Downtown Vancouver while we stayed in North Van, grabbing the SeaBus in the mornings. It goes to show how even though the cities feel distinctly separate and their own, you don't have to go without if you live in North Van. It's one quick boat ride over to all of Vancouver's amenities, shops, offices, and restaurants.
North Van still is a city in its own right, though. It's less skyscraping and more spread out, but you still have everything you need. There's good food, cute coffee shops, and shopping without having to cross back over the bridge.
There's no other way to put it except quoting one of the greats — it's the best of both worlds.
The nature without the traffic
You think West Coast, and you think mountains, hiking, natural beauty, head-to-toe Arc'teryx and Salomon trail runners — and that's all pretty spot-on. The thing is, though, most of that stuff happens on one side of the bridge.
Yes, Vancouver has Stanley Park, beautiful trails, and beaches — but nothing compares to North Vancouver. The North Shore is where you have the mountains, so much green space that you feel like you can escape any and all signs of city life in a quick after-work walk, and endless trails to explore. It puts the great outdoors quite literally in your backyard, and there's nothing like that.
When I lived in Vancouver, I took advantage of the surrounding nature, but my hikes usually ended with waiting in traffic to get back across the bridge, which I always dreaded.
It's not just the weekend adventures, though; it was also the day-to-day beauty that sold me. Staying in North Vancouver, my morning started with a walk along the Spirit Trail to grab a coffee.
Trail in North Van.Morgan Leet | Narcity
It was stunning, serene, uncrowded, and the exact opposite of how I started my days in downtown Vancouver.
Then, after work, you pop over to the Lynn Canyon Park to find some extra peace and quiet after a day bopping around town.
So yes, it still has the rainy vibes and prices that reflect how in-demand it is, but it's hard to imagine someone spending a few days in North Van without wanting to move there.
This article's left-hand cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.