Want to be happy? Move to the North Shore
By Kelly Sinoski, Vancouver Sun -- When Andrew Naiberg and his wife Debbie moved back to Metro Vancouver from Texas, they wanted to live near the mountains and ocean but not be crammed into a tiny lot amid a slew of narrow homes.
They ended up on the North Shore, one of the happiest places in Metro Vancouver -- a region where most people say they are very satisfied with the quality of life, according to the Vancouver Foundation's latest report card on the region's vitality.
"We're really happy," Naiberg, 42, said as he sat on his second-floor balcony looking at the mountains. "The neat thing about North Vancouver is it has a village feel to it; we have our local market, a lot of family-run shops ... a lot of weekends we don't have a need to leave the North Shore."
The 2010 Vital Signs report, which grades Metro Vancouver on 12 key indicators of livability, surveyed 1,200 people on the economy, affordability, getting around, safety, belonging, learning, environmental sustainability, housing, children and youth, seniors, and health and wellness.
Of those surveyed, 87 per cent rated their quality of life as good or excellent, with 86 per cent agreeing Metro Vancouver is a "vibrant, lively and appealing place to live."
The reason? The region's "physical beauty" topped the list, followed by the weather, climate and year-round recreation. But it isn't scenery alone that makes people smile. Feeling connected and trusting neighbours also has an underlying effect on livability, with residents giving a B-to "belonging" -- defined as participating in community events, voting and volunteering -- in their communities.
This was likely a spinoff from the 2010 Winter Olympics, which brought people together and had them singing the national anthem in the streets, said Vital Signs director Lidia Kemeny. About 68 per cent of respondents feel they belong in Metro Vancouver, a higher number than in Toronto and Montreal.
"Strong social connections are not as tangible as beautiful mountains or a temperate climate or having a good job or nice house," Kemeny said. "But ultimately they are essential to our experience of our community and our personal lives ... and to making us feel enthusiastic about our region. In other words, connections are essential to community vitality."
The sense of belonging was strongest in Delta and Richmond, and among those 60 and older, the report found. Seniors also had more of a "bond of trust" with their neighbours than those aged 15 to 29.
Residents were more trusting on the North Shore, followed by Delta and Richmond, while those with ethnic backgrounds, such as Asian/Chinese, and earning less than $100,000 tended to have a lower sense of belonging.
Delta Mayor Lois Jackson credited Delta's ranking with residents' deep roots in the community. About 13.1 per cent of the area's 99,862 residents are also 65 or older. "There are still a lot of people who moved here in the '70s and '80s who are still here and a lot of their children have come back," she said. "That is a real strength to our community, the history."
Throughout the region, North Shore residents appeared to be the happiest of the lot, with 37 per cent saying the quality of life is excellent here, compared with those in the Tri-Cities and Maple Ridge who said it was only fair to poor. North Shore residents also made up a fair chunk of the 60 per cent of Metro residents who described themselves as "usually happy and interested in life."
Residents most likely to describe themselves as usually happy included women, seniors, people with a British/ European background and those in the top income bracket. Thirty-two per cent of Metro Vancouver residents, meanwhile, said they are somewhat happy and interested in life.
"People who described themselves as unhappy have the weakest sense of belonging and trust," Kemeney said. "If we're really trying to improve the quality of life for people in Metro Vancouver ... we have to look at how we can encourage a stronger sense of belonging in of 100 inhabitants, the community."
Darrell Mussatto, mayor of North Vancouver City, said he's not surprised to hear North Shore residents are a happy bunch, noting they have a vast recreational playground in their backyard along with amenities such as Lonsdale Quay, entertainment facilities and bright new recreation centres, libraries and numerous small parks. "You don't really have to leave," he said. "You've got these kinds of amenities over here, which are huge."
Naiberg and Debbie agreed. The couple has enrolled their children in skating, swimming and hockey and often take them for hikes or ski trips on the local mountains. Lynn Canyon Park is a short jump away along with the Seymour Demonstration Forest, where Naiberg and his six-year-old son Cameron go mountain biking.
"I feel very safe raising kids here," Debbie said. "You're close to everything yet you don't feel closed in."
But while people might clam-our to live in Metro Vancouver, some are drowning in the high cost of living here and getting around. Housing and affordability performed the worst in the report, with a D and D+ respectively. Getting around didn't fare much better with a C. "Because we appreciate the wonders of our region, we are willing to pay a higher price to live here, but home ownership increases our cost of living and puts people at risk of financial stress," the report states.
The number of people at risk of losing their homes increased 17 per cent from 2001-2006, which means "more people are living under tight budget constraints to keep a roof over their heads," the report stated.
At the same time, the richest 10 per cent of residents earn 10 times more than the poorest 10 per cent.
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