Residents of Vancouver, British Columbia, have the distinction of living in one of the world’s most livable cities, as well as being ranked one of the best cities to live in North America. The city is culturally diverse and is known for being extremely welcoming of foreigners who wish to relocate. But what are the residents of the city really like?

In this article, we’ll provide a brief overview of what you can expect when you tour the city, either for vacation or for possible relocation. If the latter, you’ll want to search homes for sale in Vancouver to see what the city can offer you as a potential resident.


Rich Diversity

The city of Vancouver was only established in 1886, which means it’s still fairly new when compared to other cities of equal size. As such, the city doesn’t have any issues with intolerant groups trying to claim ownership or refuse foreigners. This has helped Vancouver grow to become the culturally diverse city that it is today.

While the city was originally settled by people of English, Scottish, Irish, and German descent, it has become increasingly diverse over the years. Currently, around 52 per cent of the population doesn’t speak English as their first language and about 30 per cent of people come from Asian countries.

There is also a large LGBTQ community in Vancouver, and the city hosts one of the biggest annual gay pride parades in Canada. In 2003, British Columbia become the second Canadian province to legalize same-sex marriage.

Healthy Living

As a city, the people of Vancouver value living a healthy lifestyle. The residents are passionate about eating well and staying fit, so it’s no surprise to learn that the city has one of the lowest obesity rates in North America. It’s rare to see someone smoking, especially in public, as city laws have made it illegal to smoke in bars, restaurants, and even most parks.

Social Life

When it comes to living in Vancouver, their focus on healthy living is certainly a positive feature, however, it does come with one negative side effect. Due to the city’s very strict licensing and health and safety laws, the abundance and liberties of bars are drastically limited. Some locals even prefer to skip the bars and clubs altogether and just join friends for a few drinks in a low-key setting.

While few people choose to smoke cigarettes, possibly due to smoking being illegal in most public settings, it’s interesting to note that marijuana has become widely accepted in social circles since it was legalized in Canada.

Great Dining

As people from around the globe have come to settle in Vancouver, they brought with them the tastes and delicacies of their homeland. The city is frequently voted as one of the best places to dine in North America and competes with the likes of New York, London, and Paris when it comes to receiving awards and honours for its dishes. With such a large Asian population, it’s no surprise that Vancouver is regarded as one of the best places to enjoy Asian cuisine, outside of the respective homeland countries.