Im moving out to Victoria in august to attend camosun college. Im looking for some information on the different parts of victoria. Where is good to live, where's bad. Maybe a general synopsis of the city. I've never been to BC before so my knowledge is limited.

Thanks in Advance for Your Help!
:cheers1:

Hello Brett - I have the same task in August as well but I'm going to teachers college at UVic, not far from Camosum's Landsdowne campus. Keeping in mind Victoria's doesn't really have any serious no go areas - DISTANCE really is your major concern rather than area. I'm looking at Uplands - Oak Bay (in my dreams), on campus, Cook Street Village area or James Bay. Victoria has good transit so I'm willing to go out a little bit.

Vic West is an area you'll see advertised cheap. Ditto with Hillside. These areas I'd check first as there a mixed bag in my opinion (more based on the building and type of residents) but once again neither are hardly bad by any real urban comparison and both have very small homes and condo's too. Around Hillside Shopping Centre is pleasant & handy for Camosum. You'll also see Langford, Sooke, Colwood, Metchosin advertised for rooms but distance might put you off these areas unless you have a car or don't mind 30-60 minute each way. Ditto with Sidney and Central Saanich.

Camosum also have another campus - Interurban campus located towards Vic General Hospital way near Royal Oak. Now I don't know this area as well as its more suburban. Hopefully koz and some others here from Victoria will see your post. I don't know how Camosum works as far as what campuses offer what courses etc or whether you'll have classes at both?? If this is the case the area around Town & Country Shopping Centre or Tillicum Mall might be more central. Even blue collar Esquimalt isn't to be ruled out really.

Anyway, hope this helps a bit. Victoria does have good transit but nonetheless I'd just be careful not to pick somewhere too far out. Rents in Victoria are less than I'm paying in Kitchener so even Oak Bay looks affordable for me now.

Does Camosum have an accommodation board on its website like UVic? Another good source is to check Times Colonist online. I'm going the UVic Off Campus board myself. I think that will be way cheaper for me than on-campus. Anyway, good luck Brett!

Greg

hey! i'm going to camosun in september and i'm going to be living right beside hillside mall

I would say anywhere in Victoria is good to live. The farther south you are, the better the quality of life is for a student, in terms of being close to the city, buses, etc. The only place I would stay away from would be esquimalt, I wont list the reasons why until you see it for yourself. Also esquimalt is about as far away from camosun as you can get. Try living in fairfield, james bay, fernwood or oak bay. Downtown is nice but there isnt very much rental accomodation.

Rents in Victoria are less than I'm paying in Kitchener so even Oak Bay looks affordable for me now.

Greg

Can you figure why rents are so high in Kitchener?

Thanks for the info, i will be at the landsdowne campus for a university transfer course... as i tried to get into uvic and couldn't... so next year of uvic it is!

Can you figure why rents are so high in Kitchener?

I think the vacancy rates must be low with the 2 universities and the 8-9% population growth. The rents here are essentially Toronto rents (ok maybe North York rents) unlike provincial cities like London and Hamilton which are cheaper than Kitchener / Toronto. Also, KW has one of the highest average incomes of any Canadian city believe it or not which doesn't help. I was shocked to hear that too. Kitchener may not be an oil painting but its prosperous enough - or so it seems based on its high rents. I think another problem here is people buy homes and not flats - there just isn't the glut apartments unfortunately to drive the rents down. I'd probably stay here if the rents weren't so high. Victoria averages out around $100 less a month to share and $100-200 less a month for a batchelor flat. For a difference like that I'll go to Victoria.

Oh, I forgot to mention it - another big factor driving up Kitchener rents in relation to other Canadian cities. The hot job market and low unemployment probably drives up cost of living, well according to an estate agent I know -that's what has KW among the five dearest cities in Canada right now. I wish for my sake they were Sydney, Nova Scotia rental prices. LOL

Victoria is a beautiful city with clean air and better weather than KW. Even though I'm originally from Waterloo - and love some things about it - I can't fault you for going to Victoria. Especially when you consider the rent differential.

Those rents are crazy because real estate prices are certainly much higher in Victoria than in KW. Yet the rents are more in KW.

I have also noticed that motel rates are ridiculously high in KW. Anything under $100/night is a deal!

The thing about Victoria though is that it has a very low rental market. So Brett you may just have to take what you get and not be too choosy. I think I have heard that there is less than 1% rental availability in Victoria. And if you are trying to find a place to rent starting september 1st or august 1st, you might have a hard time as this is the busiest time of year for renting. Victoria is a college town, so there are alot of student who move into town this time of year looking for a place to live, meaning youll have alot of competition. I recommend that the earlier you move in the summer the better you will be to find a place close to school.

Victoria is a beautiful city with clean air and better weather than KW. Even though I'm originally from Waterloo - and love some things about it - I can't fault you for going to Victoria. Especially when you consider the rent differential.

Those rents are crazy because real estate prices are certainly much higher in Victoria than in KW. Yet the rents are more in KW.

I have also noticed that motel rates are ridiculously high in KW. Anything under $100/night is a deal!


Your so right about hotels here. They're all expensive dumps. The Valhalla turned Four Points Sheraton is still the best thing in town and even thats dated. Mind you hotels, like flats are another thing KW is short on.

Now as for home prices unless I turn to a career in organized crime I'm well aware I'll never be able to buy a home here. Either that or I need to marry someone with a bad heart and a fat bank account. Oak Bay here I come! Be lucky to get a trailor park in Langford I reckon. LOL Victoria leaves almost every Canadian city in the dust. I read somewhere it placed 2nd in Canada after Vancouver and ahead of third placed Toronto. God, lets hope the Torontonians don't read this or they'll go ape. LOL

oh and in case your interested the tower at Waterloo Town Square is just a day or two from coming totally down. Not much left of it now even. Its just waiting to drop.

Oh Brett - Forgot to post earlier - Good luck with UVic next year and Camosum this fall! Camosum's landsdowne campus looked really nice. I passed it on either the 14 or 4 bus en route to UVic two weeks ago. I did a brief trip out west two weeks ago to check things out. The campus has this big old building which gives it a rather stately look compared to the modern "bunny" patch this is UVic. Both were nice though.

I'm still waiting to hear from UVic but fingers crossed that my excessive brown nosing at UW has payed off. LOL Life in KW translates into pretty good marks at least. Gotta love KW for that at least. No life equals A's. LOL

Tri-city guy - im going to be doing a brief trip out to vic to check things out in the near future as well, im glad to hear that the campus looks nice. Where did you fly out from on your trip? with which airline?

Brett
I flew Westjet and managed to get $99 each way Out from Ottawa and back to Toronto TO VANCOUVER then the ferry over to Victoria. I had to go up to Ottawa and do the 'family thing' before heading west. Of course lets not forget those taxes!! All up it was just over $300 return.

It was a pretty good fare but I booked just before Jetsgo went under so the fares were really cheap from the competition. HMY sometimes have good fares over to Vancouver too.... and Skyservice. When I fly back I'm heading non stop to Victoria from Toronto with Air Canada. Are you a student currently Brett? Hey, either that or get some sort of proof of tuition payment etc and get a ISAC card from Travel Cuts ASAP. This allows you to travel cheaply with Air Canada. My fare back one way in August is $253 which is pretty good for HIGH SEASON and AIR CANADA. Also, because I'm moving I need that extra weight allowance that they offer.

Brett - Where is Carlisle? - Is that Hamilton way? Anyway if your in Ontario Toronto TO Vancouver return will likely be your cheapest bet and try to get a ISAC card as soon as possible. I'll will save you heaps. Either that or keep an eye out for charter seats sales. Just be careful when you move out that you fly a carrier that is generous with weight allowances ie Air Canada or Westjet. I got screwed over once by Skyservice as their not so generous with the luggage.

Anyway, you'll love Victoria. Its a good city to study and live. Beautiful and quiet enough you won't be too distracted. Enjoy your trip out there and keep us posted how you make out there.

Oh, another bit of advice - get one of those all day $6 transit passes when your visiting and tour the town. I'm a sad case but I love those double deckers!! At least when your a student at Camosum, like UVic - you get the cheap bus pass. (Royal Roads Uni pay more) Waterloo students get royally screwed for transit as we don't want to offend drivers...NO Here we think of the motorist first! We pay like THREE TIMES Victoria's student transit pass cost YET we only get three months and they get four all for a third of the cost. Still, every bit helps when your a poor student. LOL

Cheers,
Greg

Greg, your information was just what was hoping for when i started this thread, thanks again. Check out this map of where carlisle is... not far from you i have a lot of friends that went to waterloo, good times up there! (just to the right of the red arrow)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v112/brett420/camp03.jpg

Oh its near Burlington! Not far from KW at all really but I don't think I've ever gone there. Been on the 403 or 401 to either side but thats probably as close as I got. Been to the Carlisle in the UK though. LOL

Anyway, speaking of Burlington..Did you know Australia's Charles Stuart University (Wagga Wagga, NSW) is building their Canadian campus there. Its a first for an Aussie Uni. I think its going to be primary a teachers college or so I've heard.

No, i didn't know about the aussie connection pretty cool though, i know burlington is really pushing to get a post secondary institution, they have been in negotiation with McMaster as well. I think im going to wait until after i get registered as a student at camosun (supposedly next month according the letter) before i make i trip out then i should be able to take part those cheap student fares.