[gabe]

Let me guess, Nelson?

He moved to Vancouver island, probably Tofino. I was on the island last summer, lots of strange folks there.

Years ago i wanted to retire and live in BC. Beautiful scenery, great food, mild winters, it rarely dips below 0 in Vancouver and on the Island, summers are rarely humid, Just perfect. But I've changed my mind on that for now. I visited BC last year, just about every city and town i visited had tent cites full of large homeless communities and people strung out on drugs. Not saying we don't have problems with homeless folks here, we do, but they don't seem to be as visible here in Ontario's smaller towns and cities compared to BC. Could be the mild winters out there attracting them? And same with hitch hikers and beggars, they are at every intersection and highway entrance. I rarely see that hitch hikers in Toronto or anywhere else in Ontario these days.

 

[PL1]

He moved to Vancouver island, probably Tofino. I was on the island last summer, lots of strange folks there.

Years ago i wanted to retire and live in BC. Beautiful scenery, great food, mild winters, it rarely dips below 0 in Vancouver and on the Island, summers are rarely humid, Just perfect. But I've changed my mind on that for now. I visited BC last year, just about every city and town i visited had tent cites full of large homeless communities and people strung out on drugs. Not saying we don't have problems with homeless folks here, we do, but they don't seem to be as visible here in Ontario's smaller towns and cities compared to BC. Could be the mild winters out there attracting them? And same with hitch hikers and beggars, they are at every intersection and highway entrance. I rarely see that hitch hikers in Toronto or anywhere else in Ontario these days.

I've seen no encampments in Ucluelet or Tofino, and we were most recently there in November (we go roughly every 18 months or so). That's not to say they aren't there, just not when we've been (shoulder season). Also, Ukie and Tofino just are not cheap places to live

 

[gabe]

I've seen no encampments in Ucluelet or Tofino, and we were most recently there in November (we go roughly every 18 months or so). That's not to say they aren't there, just not when we've been (shoulder season). Also, Ukie and Tofino just are not cheap places to live

I have seen lots in Nanaimo, Victoria area, and of course Vancouver and on the mainland. Lots of crime out there too.

BC has some the highest crime rates in all of Canada. Using data from the 2024 Crime Severity Index (CSI), this article lists the most dangerous cities in Canada.

Surprisingly, half of the cities in the top 10 spots are are located in British Columbia.

7 BC Cities Rank In Top 20 Most Dangerous Places in Canada

Can you guess which British Columbia cities have made Canada's top 20 most dangerous cities list for 2024?

604now.com

 

[lenaitch]

He moved to Vancouver island, probably Tofino. I was on the island last summer, lots of strange folks there.

Years ago i wanted to retire and live in BC. Beautiful scenery, great food, mild winters, it rarely dips below 0 in Vancouver and on the Island, summers are rarely humid, Just perfect. But I've changed my mind on that for now. I visited BC last year, just about every city and town i visited had tent cites full of large homeless communities and people strung out on drugs. Not saying we don't have problems with homeless folks here, we do, but they don't seem to be as visible here in Ontario's smaller towns and cities compared to BC. Could be the mild winters out there attracting them? And same with hitch hikers and beggars, they are at every intersection and highway entrance. I rarely see that hitch hikers in Toronto or anywhere else in Ontario these days.

Both of our financial guy's daughters live in Tofino and he visits them semi-regularly. Apparently they are both essentially hippies; one daughter makes soap or something to sell to the tourists. I've not heard him mention homelessness or tent cities. It's a pretty small community and quite out of the way. If I was differently housed, I'm not sure what would attract me to go there.

As far as the rest of the Lower Mainland/Greater Victoria area, all that temperate climate is a distinct advantage for the homeless and drug addicts. I haven't been out west in years, to the Island in many more years, and its hard to imagine what I remember as the genteel places like Victoria and Oak Bay as having some of the worst crime rates in Canada.

 

[Towered]

I have seen lots in Nanaimo, Victoria area, and of course Vancouver and on the mainland. Lots of crime out there too.

BC has some the highest crime rates in all of Canada. Using data from the 2024 Crime Severity Index (CSI), this article lists the most dangerous cities in Canada.

Surprisingly, half of the cities in the top 10 spots are are located in British Columbia.

7 BC Cities Rank In Top 20 Most Dangerous Places in Canada

Can you guess which British Columbia cities have made Canada's top 20 most dangerous cities list for 2024?

604now.com

Why is Kamloops the 1 number city on the crime index?? Seems like a pretty vanilla place, but what do I know?

Also, I'm surprised to see KW on there. It's always struck me as a pretty benign, fairly well run city. I would have guessed gritty Hamilton for sure, but it didn't even make the list...

 

[just east of the creek]

Heck, they even have a Starbucks, albeit inside the Walmart. But the housing stock on realtor.ca is pretty weak. Especially if you want a proper, masonry-built structure rather than a trailer park type clapboard thing.

Yes, they do have a Starbucks, and like the Timmies in town, it is always busy.

Both of these franchises (amd a couple of the hotels) are mainly staffed, operated, owned by our recent immigrant community. When I was a small boy in Northern Ontario, it was the Chinese run laundry, the Chinese Restaurant, cab service etc where those people found there feet and financed succeeding generations into other white collar occupations. And so many people of post war immigration from Slavic countries working the mines and providing housekeeping and child care services. I have vivid memories of our Ukrainian housekeeper (Timmins I think) making me do my homework (and checking!) before i could go out to play shinny.

As to housing, Thompson reminds me of Elliot Lake in many regards. Planned town, built to service investment in mining (nickel here) and of a predominant 1960/70's era. Trailer parks and that type of housing I see little of to be quite honest. Although (and unfortunately this is something common to Canada) within some of the First Nations settlements I have been in, the quality of the housing decreases.

 

[just east of the creek]

Retirement (the starting theme of the thread) is a little different, but anyplace you can earn a living and have a decent lifestyle is a good place. When I lived in Algoma District, one of the guys had a lovely camp (cottage in southern Ontario parlance). Waterfront, about 5km off the highway. The land lease was $75/year.

We had a family member living in Atikokan for years, another of those planned communities. They used to turn left at the bottom of their driveway, the paved road was gravel in about 3 or 4 minutes, it was about a 15 minute drive to the pull out at the lake, a short putt-putt to the island, and you were at the cottage. Now that is a lifestyle that is very attractive!!

 

[lenaitch]

Yes, they do have a Starbucks, and like the Timmies in town, it is always busy.

Both of these franchises (amd a couple of the hotels) are mainly staffed, operated, owned by our recent immigrant community. When I was a small boy in Northern Ontario, it was the Chinese run laundry, the Chinese Restaurant, cab service etc where those people found there feet and financed succeeding generations into other white collar occupations. And so many people of post war immigration from Slavic countries working the mines and providing housekeeping and child care services. I have vivid memories of our Ukrainian housekeeper (Timmins I think) making me do my homework (and checking!) before i could go out to play shinny.

As to housing, Thompson reminds me of Elliot Lake in many regards. Planned town, built to service investment in mining (nickel here) and of a predominant 1960/70's era. Trailer parks and that type of housing I see little of to be quite honest. Although (and unfortunately this is something common to Canada) within some of the First Nations settlements I have been in, the quality of the housing decreases.

One problem with trailer parks (mobile homes, etc.), particularly back when these towns were being developed, is the structures were not built for the northern climate. When you have 2" thick walls, there's not a whole lot of insulation you pack in to keep you and your pipes from freezing. Also, back then, these were 'company towns' and they wanted to attract workers. Is it is only relatively recently that northern climate 'engineered' homes have become a thing.

Especially if you want a proper, masonry-built structure rather than a trailer park type clapboard thing.

If you mean like brick or brick veneer, that is very much a southern Ontario style, even to this day although there is more variation now. In order to make brick you need clay and a fairly large plant. With isolated, scattered towns, each individual one would likely be large enough to support a plant and they would have cost too much to transport. It is notable that there are more brick houses in the Timiskaming area and you typically find in the north - because of the Clay Belt.

It's less critical now with better transportation but, back then, you built houses with what you can source, and there is lots of wood that can be milled locally into all sorts of shapes and sizes, including board siding. If you build with brick, you need bricklayers. Even in more modern builds, at least in northern Ontario, brick isn't all that common. Aluminum has fallen out of favour, vinyl is popular (which I dislike) but so-called 'colour-lock' wood siding is gaining popularity.

 

[Admiral Beez]

One problem with trailer parks (mobile homes, etc.), particularly back when these towns were being developed, is the structures were not built for the northern climate. When you have 2" thick walls, there's not a whole lot of insulation you pack in to keep you and your pipes from freezing. Also, back then, these were 'company towns' and they wanted to attract workers. Is it is only relatively recently that northern climate 'engineered' homes have become a thing.


If you mean like brick or brick veneer, that is very much a southern Ontario style, even to this day although there is more variation now. In order to make brick you need clay and a fairly large plant. With isolated, scattered towns, each individual one would likely be large enough to support a plant and they would have cost too much to transport. It is notable that there are more brick houses in the Timiskaming area and you typically find in the north - because of the Clay Belt.

It's less critical now with better transportation but, back then, you built houses with what you can source, and there is lots of wood that can be milled locally into all sorts of shapes and sizes, including board siding. If you build with brick, you need bricklayers. Even in more modern builds, at least in northern Ontario, brick isn't all that common. Aluminum has fallen out of favour, vinyl is popular (which I dislike) but so-called 'colour-lock' wood siding is gaining popularity.

I remember when we bought in Fredericton and remarking that all the houses were made of plywood. My inner “three little pigs” narrative had trouble with that, especially when in the winter winds the house would flex and shake. In Charlottetown there are many brick houses downtown due to repurposing brick ballast from incoming ships.

 

[just east of the creek]

One problem with trailer parks (mobile homes, etc.), particularly back when these towns were being developed, is the structures were not built for the northern climate. When you have 2" thick walls, there's not a whole lot of insulation you pack in to keep you and your pipes from freezing. Also, back then, these were 'company towns' and they wanted to attract workers. Is it is only relatively recently that northern climate 'engineered' homes have become a thing.


If you mean like brick or brick veneer, that is very much a southern Ontario style, even to this day although there is more variation now. In order to make brick you need clay and a fairly large plant. With isolated, scattered towns, each individual one would likely be large enough to support a plant and they would have cost too much to transport. It is notable that there are more brick houses in the Timiskaming area and you typically find in the north - because of the Clay Belt.

It's less critical now with better transportation but, back then, you built houses with what you can source, and there is lots of wood that can be milled locally into all sorts of shapes and sizes, including board siding. If you build with brick, you need bricklayers. Even in more modern builds, at least in northern Ontario, brick isn't all that common. Aluminum has fallen out of favour, vinyl is popular (which I dislike) but so-called 'colour-lock' wood siding is gaining popularity.

I am back in Thompson next month and given some time, will do some further research.

 

[lenaitch]

I remember when we bought in Fredericton and remarking that all the houses were made of plywood. My inner “three little pigs” narrative had trouble with that, especially when in the winter winds the house would flex and shake. In Charlottetown there are many brick houses downtown due to repurposing brick ballast from incoming ships.

Many people don't realize that the vast majority of so-called brick houses built since probably the mid-1950s is only brick veneer. A single layer of brick over a standard wooden frame.

 

[gabe]

Just gonna slot in this article here about an 1840s building in Elora that has been restored and turned into a boutique hotel

https://torontolife.com/style/elora-1840s-heritage-building-restoration-boutique-hotel/

What a deal at her hotel. $980 to $2100 a night!! Those two along with the new owners of the Elora Mill have really yuppified the downtown in recent years. Elora was always a touristy little town, but it was a lot more affordable and hip. I used to have family there in the early 2000s. Back then most of the downtown shops and cafes were owned by hippy artistic type folks. It was a completely different vibe than it is today. It's become a playground for wealthy GTAers. Those indie cafes and shops that are left, will probably be pushed out soon as rents skyrocket, and will be taken over by Kat and Don and become another high-end boutique.

Kat who is acting like a rich Karen, is now trying to evict a long standing ice cream and burger joint from the property she owns. I think this type of low end joint doesn't bring in the yuppie influencer crowd. So she wants them out!

Court rules downtown Elora ice cream shop doesn't have to move

Justice rules in favour of Remi's Place as it didn't find its landlord Kat Florence Canada's allegations of breaching an agreement to be substantiated

www.guelphtoday.com

On March 1, 2022, the ruling said the landlords delivered a document titled Elora Mews Rules & Regulations and since April 13 of that year issued a series of notices to the tenant they were in breach of various and “often undefined lease terms” set out in the document with escalating letters from their lawyer following.


Alleged breaches noted in the ruling include: failure to stay open year-round, allowing a squirrel on the premises, aggressive verbal confrontations towards visitors, customers or tenants, playing loud music and placing patio furniture in the common space of the Elora Mews after having permission to do so revoked.
“Some demands were simply not reasonable. At one point the landlords declared that ‘one squirrel is too many squirrels’ while asserting that the tenant was in breach of the lease as a result of a squirrel gaining entry into the premises,” the ruling said.
After a particularly “vitriolic” letter from the landlord’s lawyer, the ruling said the tenant’s counsel called out the landlords for “trying to create a false record in an increasingly transparent effort to evict the ice cream shop for financial gain.”