THE MOVE WAS EXPENSIVE. Professional moving works out at roughly $1 per pound weight from Windsor to the Island. We disposed of lots of books, some furniture and all appliances, and it still cost us $7-$8,000. Boxes sent ahead saved a little and arrived the same day as we did. The furniture truck took almost two weeks.
It cost us almost as much to drive across as it would have to fly; but we were able to visit friends en route, and we had a car when we arrived. INSURING THE CAR IN B.C. should have been simple, as private companies sell government insurance and also handle license plates, so it's one-stop shopping. But we didn't know that a letter from our insurance company in Ontario regarding our driving records would earn us a substantial discount 10% for each claims-free year up to four years. We paid out $1300. in all, and are still waiting for our refund! We had six months to convert to B.C. driving licenses. They tested our eyesight and asked a few questions regarding details of the highway regulations which are a bit different in B.C.
HEALTH COSTS: OHIP covers our basic health costs for the balance of the first month here and two more months, then B.C. Health Services kicks in. Premiums are graded according to income, regardless of age. A couple on a university pension can (currently) expect to pay $768. p.a. This is, for us at least, more than offset by the homeowners' and seniors' grants which cut our municipal taxes in half.
COST OF LIVING: Victoria is pretty expensive. The government is trying to prevent further encroachment onto agricultural or forested areas, so land anywhere is costly. This is keeping housing prices up. Most goods and appliances have to be shipped in, keeping prices up. Average sale prices in September were $210,967 on 18 sales of single-family dwellings; $193,682 for 10 sales of condos (in Sidney a small city in the north of the peninsula near the Ferry terminal; $169,667 for 3 town houses/strata duplex houses sold in Central Saanich (roughly in the centre of the peninsula), and $182,817 for 12 sold in Sidney. Average price for a single-family home in Victoria in September was $240,617; the average condo price was $149,421.
NO MAJOR HEAVY INDUSTRY. Instead there are all kinds of highly competent professionals who can advise you, or take care of your health, or investments and many relatively affluent government officials and well-to-do retirees who consume these services.
THE REWARDS? The scenery on a clear day is unbelievable, and on a misty day it's still quite romantic. The air is wonderfully fresh and clean and the weather is, well, equable. A seemingly unending succession of sunny days went right through September, with dry warmth and cool nights. Since then it has rained for maybe part of every other day (we get only about half as much rain as Vancouver). A degree or two of frost is expected about as cold as it gets all winter. All in all, in spite of all the hassles, we feel we have made the right decision. From Tom and Barbara Carney on Vancouver Island.
Tom Carney, 7645 Wallace Drive, Victoria, BC, VOS 1M0.
Maurice Powley, Tel: 966-0646 (Sorry, Maurice, hope it's finally right!)
David Wearne, Retirement Year: (Ed'n. '93)
NOTE: The April issue will contain an updated list of members' names, addresses, etc
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