Where should I live in Victoria?

Category: Local Questions & Answers

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9/21/2009 anne-marie s. says:

Hey Victoria!
I'm hoping to move there from Oregon.  But I need more local information to make up my mind.  1.  It seems hard to find cheap homes for rent that allow you to bring children (I have 2 boys).  Is this true?  Do landlords discriminate against families?  2.  Where do the hippies live?  I want 1/2 an acre with a garden and a place to put a goat and chickens but not be surrounded by rednecks.  Where is that place in Greater Victoria?  3.  How much does a gallon of Organic Whole Milk cost in Victoria?  What about a block of cheese?
Thanks!
Looking forward to answers.  Don't let me down my future people!

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   9/25/2009 Mark H. says:

   If you want half an acre, you will likely have to find a place on the Saanich Peninsula, or else west of Victoria towards Sooke. Victoria is a pretty progressive place though. Not many rednecks here...except perhaps in Langford.

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   9/29/2009 Katie B. says:

   Hi Anne-Marie
   
   If you'd consider living in city limits with a smaller lot size, then Fernwood would make you happy - it's family-friendly and hippie-colonised, with gardens, backyard chicken coops, and lots of neighborhood spirit.  Fernwood is like one big cooperative.  It's also one of the most affordable parts of the city.  In general, Victoria is an expensive place to live.  If you really do want a half-acre, as Mark said, you'll have to look in the outer Langford, northern Saanich Peninsula, or Sooke regions.  Keep in mind that it is very difficult to find cheap homes for rent period.  Victoria has one of the lowest vacancy rates in Canada, there is high demand for rental housing, and housing sale prices are very very high.  I don't buy milk, but I remember being deeply disturbed by the price of cheese on Vancouver Island when I first moved here.  Canada fixes its dairy prices, and puts high tariffs on imports.  See this opinion piece for more perspective: http://network.nationa...
   Good luck!

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   9/30/2009 Beth "never bethany" C. says:

   Hi Anne-Marie, I was going to second the suggestions of Sooke (about 45 mins to an hour outside town) if you really want the land/space, and Fernwood (in town) if it's not a must. I lived in Fernwood for 5 years, and just loved it. The community is so strong. There's a composting center, a few community gardens, parks, great little businesses, a good daycare, a great high school, near a swimming/pool recreation centre, a nice pub, and a vegan cupcake shop! All within walking distance of downtown, and near major bus routes. It's pretty wonderful, but despite its hippie-funk, it IS urban, so if you're wanting more rural, I would investigate Sooke.
   
   A block of cheese is hard to quantify, since they come in different sizes, but for a block that's about  6 inches long, 4 inches high and 2 inches deep, you're looking at about six bucks, probably. I rarely buy milk, and never buy the gallon, so I can't help you there. :)

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   9/30/2009 Matthew L. says:

   A gallon of Organic Whole Milk would probably be in the range of $12 Canadian if bought at one of the Neighborhood markets, though I don't think I've ever seen Organic Milk sold in the Gallon size before (but I do know that a half gallon .  Superstore and Costco (and possibly WalMart) may have gallons of Organic Milk at lower prices.  A gallon of non-organic milk costs roughly $5.

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   10/1/2009 Patrick "Om Nom Nom" R. says:

   Hello Anne-Marie,
   
   For locations, the above posters have covered it. Not really much in the way of rednecks around here and the hippies tend to stay on the gulf islands (The real ones at least. Most people around here, myself included, have at least one part granola in their mental make-up. It's kind of a regional requirement ;)  )
   
   You should know that if you are planning on starting a garden of any scale, that the local deer are a huge garden pest. While you need to take measures to protect your garden regardless of location (The deer have been spotted in and around the downtown core and I've seen them dining on the landscaping at UVic; nowhere is safe), the problem is worse in the rural municipalities (my roommate's family in Sooke has given up trying to protect their perennials). So for a garden, Fernwood is likely a better location, despite the lack of space.
   
   For a block of cheese, I pay roughly $10 for a big stick of cheddar which is 540g(19oz) (I think), though sales will come up so I can get quite a bit more for that same $10. I've never looked at the price of organic milk. Ordinary milk is ~$3.50 for a 2L jug, so I'd guess around $8-9 for a 4L jug of organic, but that's a guess being conservative about the organic mark up.

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