Rude people, horrible traffic
Vancouver is Canada’s rudest, most unfriendly big city and it is unliveable. It sports grandiose delusions of itself as above and beyond the rest of Canada; actually Vancouverites like to believe they’re not Canadian. Their delusions, narcissism and dissociation with the country they actually belong to, highlight their mass culture of mental illness. En masse Vancouver is mentally disordered and defective. It’s crime rate is more than double that of Torornto. Addiction to drugs and alcohol are also much higher comparatively, which is partly responsible for the higher crime rate. Ditto the higher rate of road rage. Vancouver has the worst traffic congestion in Canada and the anger mentality behind the wheel makes it worse. There are huge social problems on Vancouver’s streets, so bad, that it’s downtown is of 3rd World conditions, riddled with AIDS, Hepatitis and Tuberculosis, serious drug addicts, prostitutes and homeless people. It is UGLY. This is a haphazard city that expects tourists to enjoy Vancouver’s selfish values and inequality. Also, Vancouver has an outrageous obsession with hatred for Toronto, and a sadistic insolent attitude towards the rest of Canada (RoC). However, the majority of the time, it’s gloomy, depressing and raining on thier faces, as they smuggly sit atop their imaginary pedestal overlooking the rest of Canada with a frown of disdain. This is why Vancouver is the laughing stock of Canada, especially when the so-called ‘Best Place on Earth’ gets 350mm of torrential rain/week in the winter.
Vancouver has recently been displaced by Toronto, Canada’s only world class city, as the best place on earth to live by a growing number of organizations and magazines. Toronto is the most technological, diverse and multiculturally successful city in the country. It far surpasses anything Vancouver offers, including a vast transit system, world class medical facilities, top rated universities, festivals of all kinds, tons of nightclubs, the most theatre offerings behind London and New York, beaches, parks, very low crime and very friendly people. Toronto has also been very successful in resolving social problems and homelessness. Everyone is welcome to this city to enjoy what it has to offer. That includes disgruntled Vancouverites who are offered a Royal Toronto Towel to dry their rain soaked heads and turn those frowns upside down.
Vancouver has recently been displaced by Toronto, Canada’s only world class city, as the best place on earth to live by a growing number of organizations and magazines. Toronto is the most technological, diverse and multiculturally successful city in the country. It far surpasses anything Vancouver offers, including a vast transit system, world class medical facilities, top rated universities, festivals of all kinds, tons of nightclubs, the most theatre offerings behind London and New York, beaches, parks, very low crime and very friendly people. Toronto has also been very successful in resolving social problems and homelessness. Everyone is welcome to this city to enjoy what it has to offer. That includes disgruntled Vancouverites who are offered a Royal Toronto Towel to dry their rain soaked heads and turn those frowns upside down.
Vancouver's Dark Side
Vancouver is a beautiful and interesting city, but the Vancouver advertised by the tourism industry, is not the whole picture. It is a sad story, but like a lot of beautiful places, Vancouver has a dark side. The city has the highest population of drug addicts, and homeless people in Canada. During our visit to downtown, we encountered several homeless people, drug addicts, and beggars. Teenage girls younger than me, were standing at sky train stations, asking for money. A man was standing outside of a super market, hoping someone would give him food.
Homeless people and drug addicts, have resorted to selling garbage, and stolen property simply to earn a few dollars.
A homeless man was living in a tent, right in the middle of Yaletown.
Most of these people are harmless, and will leave you alone, but there are a few creeps who will follow you around, and harass you. We almost got jumped by a group of street vendors in Gastown, and I was followed by some creep at Granville Market.
If you do get harassed, report the incident to the police.
One time, a 17 year old kid asked my cousin for his phone, so he could call his drug dealer.
Maybe people from big cities are used to it, but people who live in smaller towns, might find this shocking, sad, and at times, even downright scary, as I did. This is not a side of Vancouver I wanted to see or document, but sadly, it is the reality.
Writing this is almost making me shed a tear. It is sad that there are people suffering like this, in a country like Canada. I don’t feel bad for the drug addicts, but I feel bad for the people who are homeless for another reason.
Fortunately, the city of Vancouver has enacted special program to try to help some of these people. We did our own part, by giving them some of them food and money, but you can't help everyone.
Most of these people hang out in Downtown, specifically in Gastown, Yaletown, and the infamous Eastside. It is not strange that someone like myself who is not used to the big city, might feel a little on edge. It really ruined my holiday.
But don't let all this deter you from visiting Vancouver. Once you get outside of downtown, Vancouver is the wonderful tourist destination you read about in the guide books, and everywhere else in the city, I've had a wonderful time, and like coming back to. But it's good to know that this stuff exists, so you are prepared. There are some areas of downtown, I would not bring your kids.
Homeless people and drug addicts, have resorted to selling garbage, and stolen property simply to earn a few dollars.
A homeless man was living in a tent, right in the middle of Yaletown.
Most of these people are harmless, and will leave you alone, but there are a few creeps who will follow you around, and harass you. We almost got jumped by a group of street vendors in Gastown, and I was followed by some creep at Granville Market.
If you do get harassed, report the incident to the police.
One time, a 17 year old kid asked my cousin for his phone, so he could call his drug dealer.
Maybe people from big cities are used to it, but people who live in smaller towns, might find this shocking, sad, and at times, even downright scary, as I did. This is not a side of Vancouver I wanted to see or document, but sadly, it is the reality.
Writing this is almost making me shed a tear. It is sad that there are people suffering like this, in a country like Canada. I don’t feel bad for the drug addicts, but I feel bad for the people who are homeless for another reason.
Fortunately, the city of Vancouver has enacted special program to try to help some of these people. We did our own part, by giving them some of them food and money, but you can't help everyone.
Most of these people hang out in Downtown, specifically in Gastown, Yaletown, and the infamous Eastside. It is not strange that someone like myself who is not used to the big city, might feel a little on edge. It really ruined my holiday.
But don't let all this deter you from visiting Vancouver. Once you get outside of downtown, Vancouver is the wonderful tourist destination you read about in the guide books, and everywhere else in the city, I've had a wonderful time, and like coming back to. But it's good to know that this stuff exists, so you are prepared. There are some areas of downtown, I would not bring your kids.
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