5 Stereotypes About Vancouver That I Think Are Just Flat-Out True

The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.

It's not hard to make a list of popular grievances people have about Vancouver. Even before moving to the West Coast, I heard them all. While some make my eyes roll to the back of my head, others actually hold up.

It's easy to brush off warnings, but you might want to take some notes if you're thinking of making the move to Vancouver. Every city has some pros and cons, and this place is no exception.

Big disclaimer: I do think the good outweighs the bad here. Just look around at the mountains, the sparkling ocean, and the surplus of nature. So keep your chin up, Vancouverites!

Still, you have to admit these stereotypes (mostly being dished out by Ontarians IMO), are pretty on point.

The rain is unbearable

Locals aren't in denial about the weather completely — it's pretty obvious it rains a lot here. BUT (and it's a big but), they'll try to downplay it for sure.

I've heard one too many people say things like "it's not that bad," or "spring comes early" — which it never really does.

The few months of summer the city gets are unbelievably beautiful, but overall Vancouver weather can be summed up in three words — grey, gloomy, and wet.

Road rage is real

Vancouver is known to have rude drivers, and unfortunately, I've found this to be all too true.

While I found that people on the East Coast tend to let others into their lanes and pass friendly waves back and forth — I'm usually getting solely honks driving here. Could it be that I'm a bad driver? Yes, definitely, but it's not just me.

Even when I'm in the car with considerably better divers than myself, people rarely show us any kindness. Merging in the city is brutal and if you get stuck in afternoon traffic, good luck getting away without seeing at least a few middle fingers fly up.

It's tough to make friends

This city is notorious for being lonely, and I get why. I moved here with friends, so didn't have the same experience as others, but it's definitely not easy to meet new people.

The most common thing I hear people who moved around here talking about is how tough it is to make friends compared to other cities.

It's expensive

"B.C. stands for Bring Cash."

The phrase that haunted my dreams months before making the move and for good reason. While I think people do exaggerate a bit, since other Canadian cities are also expensive as hell, it's definitely not cheap here.

Rent is absurd and trying to find a place to live is next-level hard. Even then, there are the jaw-dropping grocery prices and $17 cocktails to really push your monthly budget to its limit.

Weed is everywhere

Enough with the negativity — here's a positive stereotype about the city: It's known for its pot enthusiasts (#1 being Vancouverite Seth Rogen).

The province has long been known for its cannabis support and I could tell as soon as I moved here. At least compared to my home province of New Brunswick, people are just more open here about smoking. There's more access to it, stores, and even events around it.

At least we're ending on a high note (get it?).

Narcity does not condone the overconsumption of alcohol or other substances. If you're going to drink alcohol or consume cannabis, please do so responsibly and only if you're of legal age.