Is Vancouver the LONELIEST City? 

The cost of living has stripped the city of its soul. Everyone has their nose to the ground trying to make it.

Grew up here in Vancouver, and all my life I thought I was the only one who thought it was the most mind numbing place in the entire world.

I m italian living in Vancouver. 3 years of loneliness. I ve never expierenced something like that before. This city is a beautiful postcard without soul. Sorry Vancouver :(

I moved to Vancouver to be with my fiance. When I first came here I'd say hello to people and she thought i was nuts, people would give me weird looks. Eventually I stopped. I've never felt so miserable in a city in all my life. I convinced her to leave and she's the happiest I've ever seen her. Life is too short to live in a city like Vancouver.

I'm born and raised in vancouver. People are shocked when I'm willing to talk to them further than the standard small talk. I sold my ps3 to a guy who just got out of jail and we talked for almost 3 hours and it was extremely fulfilling. I got a different perspective at life and so much more from that guy.

That’s why Vancouver has the Lowest covid cases, nobody talks to each other so here we were rehearsing social distance before it happened. 😂

Increasing pace of life and cost of living is tough on social lives. People also cherish their freedom, privacy and personal space. The balance is tricky. Digital lives overriding real lives these days too.

its lonely because a lot of people here slowly realize money does not buy happiness

Having been born and raised in Vancouver I agree with most of what these people in the video say. Vancouver is definitely not a warm place, both figuratively and literally. Yes sure, people are polite when you ask them for directions... but that's as far as it goes. I moved to the states 10 years ago and noticed a drastic difference in the way that people interact with each other. A lot more talkative and personal. Many years ago my mother described her experience when she moved from New York to Vancouver. after being in a place that's full of character, her reaction was that it seemed like she had moved to a city that's full of zombies. You'd make a joke, no reaction (she doesn't tell bad jokes always). Combine that with the fact that it's among the least affordable places in the world (2nd to Hong Kong last time I checked), gloomy weather most of the year... It's a pretty depressing place...

I completely agree that many cities / humans around the world feel the same way. For someone born and raised here in Vancouver I definitely understand what the feeling is like. I remember biking through English bay in the summer, seeing groups of people hanging out, having fun and I always wished I could just join one. Until one day, I mustered up the courage to approach a group. They welcomed me whole heartedly and I made some pretty incredible friends. It just takes going the extra mile, pushing your comfort zone and making the first move. All insecurities aside. We as humans need one another, we need community, that is how we were created to operate! Thank you for creating this video, beautiful perspectives. God bless!

Never had that problem when I lived there, THIS being said, every time I had a cookout, an outdoor activity or a house party, the only people that showed were foreigners and immigrants, people born and raised in Vancouver do not make the effort to spend time with friends

I've lived in Van for 8 years, moved here from Alberta. The best way I can explain the attitude in Van vs. Alberta is a 'Pioneer' attitude vs. a 'Prospector' attitude. In Alberta you get to know your neighbours because you might need help surviving the winter so you go out of your way to make connections. But in Vancouver (and all of BC) there is this attitude that I've found my gold and I'm NOT sharing it. Everyone moves here for the dream of living here, if they are lucky enough to stay and succeed they have to work hard and spend lots of money to live here, so they don't want to share because of the fear of losing that tiny foothold.

Born in raised in van. Whenever I travel I'm blow away how friendly people are. Not vancouver

I've been living for 2 years in Vancouver. People are so polite and respectful. But they are numb like they don't have emotions. So you can't talk deeply and connections are shallow and insincere. No emotions.

This conversation came up with a friend 30 years ago with another native Vancouverite. His take was that Vancouver is a place where Canadians come to heal or seek change in their lives after a tragic shift in their lives, like a big break up or trying to overcome addiction. He said that Vancouver is full of emotionally injured souls looking for escape. The more I live here(since birth) the more I agree.

I gave it three solid years and then had enough. Never had a solid group of friends. At one of my jobs the entire room I worked in would go for coffee, but never was invited out once. Driving/traffic is absolutely the worst in the country which I'm sure doesn't help anyone's stress level. The biggest shock was after having left the province and stopping in Calgary overnight, the warmth and genuine kindness from our waitress at Earls was the polar opposite of every social interaction I had in Vancity. My life has drastically improved since I left. It's a fantastic city to visit, but not to live in.

I moved here 13 years ago and I have 3 friends who I met through a work hockey team. I found it near impossible to make friends. They have their own clicks and groups and it’s very difficult to get through that. I’ve been at bars and pubs and hanging out for a few hours having a good laugh and the other persons friends walk in and say see ya later, in other towns I’ve lived in the person would have invited you to hang out with their friends and help introduce you to their group. I agree with the loneliness in the video.

It’s been almost 2 years since I moved to Vancouver from Calgary. There are many things I love about the city. At the same time, I can see why some of my friends in Calgary moved there from Vancouver. I can now also relate to my ex, who went to 4 years of school at UBC, has not made a single genuine friend while studying here.

Many years ago when we bought our first home, I baked pies to take to the neighbors to introduce ourselves. Yes we married very young, I was 19 at the time my husband and I bought our first home. I was so excited, being from another country where neighbors are very friendly. First and only door I knocked with one of my freshly baked apple pies, I was very rudely told no, we do not want it, and he shut the door on my face. I was really sad and crying and went home. I never did that again. When I think about it, I'm sure that if I had the courage to knock at other neighbors doors the reaction would be different. At least that's what I want to believe. We lived in that area for 3 years, never met a neighbor.

One reason I didn't feel lonely when I moved to Vancouver was the improv community. Improvisers are so welcoming and friendly.

Awww I moved here 1.5 years ago. I felt so accepted so many people reached out to go to concerts, go hiking, you have to push yourself out your comfort zone and make an effort to make friends though.

I moved here to Vancouver 13 years ago from Sydney Australia. I should say, I'm not from Australia, but lived there for a few years. As a measure of comparison, I've lived in a few different places around the world, and have made a few intercontinental moves. When I landed here originally, I found the city to be welcoming to immigrants, compared to other places I've been to. It was just a nice vibe in the air, I found myself less stressed about the fact that I wasn't born here, and racial differences didnt seem to matter much... FANTASTIC! That attitude changed, very fast. A few days later on the bus, I tried to make small talk with a lady sitting next to me, and the response blew my mind. "I dont know you, why are you talking to me? Are you hitting on me? I'm not interested" The funny thing is, I wasn't even flirting, I was talking about weather. You'd think this would be just one example right? WRONG! Truth be told, the MAJORITY of the population are not rude, most people are very polite, but that's kinda where it all stops. That was my first brush with Vancouver life... Over the years, I've experienced this type of thing over and over in different contexts, and different places throughout the city. Never in my life, have I come across a population that is so shielded and guarded and so consumed by their own life (I should say survival than living life) and the few people they already know, and the unwillingness to bring anyone new to the mix. I visited LA for a week a few years ago, and in that short time, I made more friends and had more laughs and conversations with random people, than a decade of living in Vancouver. The back breaking cost of living in Vancouver no doubt plays a part. The constant stress of massive cost of living, the falling real wages, and the insane cost of a decent house/condo, makes one wonder, why are we paying so much to live in Vancouver? What's so special about Raincouver? I even tried to connect with my neighbours, and thought maybe invite them over for dinner... the same cold shoulder. I'm not even gonna get into all the issues about dating in this city. I'm sure some will disagree, and some have a bustling social life here, but that's certainly a smaller population of Vancouver. The saddest part is after so long being here, I'm now sometimes finding myself giving the same treatment to others, and THAT depresses me more. I came across this video because I'm actually trying to figure out where to move to, and the reason is two-fold: The stupendous cost of living, and the loneliness I've experienced ever since moving here - Cant wait to leave this place.

I was born and raised in Vancouver. I left for Toronto at 20 even though I had a tight group of friends (looking back, they really weren't that great) and a "secure" job (a mind-numbing government job that many aspire to). The analogy I use is the movie Pleasantville. I was trapped living in black and white but after I left, I see the world now in technicolor. Have now spent more than half my life living in big cities in Asia as well as NY where I've forged amazing friendships that now span multiple continents. I go back to visit YVR regularly and am stunned by how many people only travel in the same social circles that they had in high school. I will never move back. My next stop is Australia.

god i thought i was the only person who felt like this about van. i’m only 18 but i have noticed this even in teenage life in vancouver. people don’t speak to each other unless if they need something from you. it’s such a cliquey city in every aspect and everyone is cold or feels awkward. i think living here for a few years is nice because the city is beautiful but for a life commitment it’s miserable. my parents are from europe and they pointed this out as the biggest shock when they came here.

Live in Vancouver for 4 years and I'll conclude my experience for three words: polite, quiet and distance. We may smile to each other with appropriate greeting but cannot feel anything.

I lived almost my entire life in Toronto and moved here about 8 years ago. I find Vancouver much friendlier and open than Toronto. I never knew any of my neighbours in Toronto and never said hello to strangers in the street. In Vancouver, I know almost all the neighbours on my street, we have yearly block parties and our children play together. There’s a real sense of community. We hike a lot here, and we frequently smile and greet people we pass on the trails. In Toronto, the second question people always ask after “what’s your name?” is “what do you do?” I felt like you were defined by your job there. When I first moved to Vancouver, I was struck by the fact that no one ever asked me what I do for a living. They would instead ask me, “What do you like to do?” It gave me the impression that people in Vancouver valued your interests more than your job. Moving to Vancouver was a great decision for me and I feel like my kids are growing up in a friendlier environment here than they would have in Toronto.

Vancouver people are always late, they flake on plans, and they are soft. The best way to make friends here is to meet people from other places. The problem is that everyone ends up leaving because it is not that good of a place to live.

I was living there and was a ghost amongst a sea of ghosts

Bro at 4:34. “You know, I think I just kind ah, stay lonely at the moment.” Ah, man. I feel ya. 🙏🏻

I love this youtube channel and what you guys are doing with it. I wish you could post more videos but I understand it takes time to produce this quality work. Keep it up!

Moved to Vancouver from Russia 9 years ago. Contrary to popular opinion, I found people here being waaaaay friendlier and warmer than back home. I felt like my personal boundaries were respected for the first time in life. People talked in non-invasive ways, showed a relatively good grasp of non-violent communication, which made me feel safe around them and more open to share. Overall, I made lots of good friends here! I guess the experience of Vancouver is in the eye of the beholder.

I've lived in Vancouver for about 10 years and I find it incredibly lonely. I've tried going out of my way to meet people and have been rejected at almost every turn. The loneliness has gotten so bad I've become depressed, even started having suicidal thoughts. I don't even bother trying to go out now because there's no point.

Social media killed our abilities and instincts to be able to communicate in real life and make connections. I find it hard to make friends in Vancouver as a Van native and after moving away for a few years and losing touch with all my old school friends, it's a struggle to find new ones.

There's something about all of the big cities in the Pacific northwest. Its hard for people to connect on a human level and lots of people suffer from loneliness. Portland here

I always wanted to move to Vancouver so bad, to be in a cultural city, to be next to the mountains and surrounded by nature. However when I moved here two years ago to study at UBC, I was completely shocked at what I found. Now I spent most of my time at UBC, which is sort of like its own micro city so im not sure if you can extrapolate what I experienced to the city as a whole. But I found it to be filled with snooty, stuck up, and competitive people. Im a very extroverted person and I usually dont have a hard time making friends. However when I tried to talk to people in lectures, everyone just looked at me like I was crazy. Like I was trying to cheat off their homework or something. Till this day I still dont have a solid group of friends. I have acquaintances from class, but it seems like that's the most they want to be. I think the issue is at UBC is that its such a competitive school, that people generally stick to themselves and become self absorbed. Their only interest is being the best. Also its a very multicultural school. but I have never seen a multicultural friend group. I have lived around the world, from England, to ecuador, to the US, and the caribbean. My friend groups have always been mixed. This is the first place where it seems I only talk to white people, and this isn't by my choice. I guess when everyone is so unfriendly, you stick what's familiar and that's your own culture. I find immigrants to be extremely uninviting most of the time (usually because they dont speak good English) and I find most native vancouverites super b*tchy and snooty and dont let people into their friend groups.

Great video Brad! Love how open the conversations feel, it’s refreshing. In regards to how I feel about my own town- I live in Tulsa Oklahoma right now, I’m a college dropout living with my parents so I don’t have many connections besides everyone I knew in high school. I don’t live in the downtown so I can’t exactly talk about that area specifically (downtown is pretty small though btw), but from what I’ve gathered from the city as a whole in the 8-9 years I’ve been here is that everyone’s just kind of doing their own thing. It kind of feels the same way as Vancouver like you’re talking about here, a bit lonely and a bit disconnected. Im actually working on a Disconnection short film script rn. Anyways one time I saw a quote that said “Tulsa is full of lurkers”. There are a lot of people watching things happen but not very many getting out and doing things and making things happen. That’s not to say there aren’t creative people here, there is definitely some of that energy but not a lot. Just lots of people tryna make it. With that said I hope I can build a community and connection with people here through my ideas, the main struggle I’m seeing is that people are more falsely connected to things through their phones than they are to what’s going on in the physical world.

Yeah, I was considering moving there after university. Visited Montreal and actually got to see what an actually warm city looks like. Moved and never looked back.

It's fuck ass expensive. That's why. All I'm focused on is work. It's sad.

I'm a Spaniard who moved to Vancouver in 2015. This is a friendly city. Maybe it's my neighbourhood, the West End, but I often strike up conversations with strangers, I know and get along with my neighbours, have made good friends...

Thank you for the Honest accounts highlighting some of the struggles we face behind the picturesque cities we live in. Keep up the quality and refreshing content!!

I was starting to feel like it was just me... this is both reassuring and sad. Life long Vancouverite and yes this city is really tough to make friends in.

Rain. It's depressing every winter.

I grew up in Vancouver in the '70's and lived in Toronto for 8 years in the '80's. I moved back to Vancouver in 1993. Vancouver is not the friendly town that it used to be. I travelled a lot too and apathy exists in all world class cities.Whenever I am in Vancouver, I still smile at people on the street. "Be the change that you want to see in the world." Be friendly and people will reciprocate.

I got very emotional watching this. I moved here in 2007, and I did the norm for meeting people - joined multiple groups, was a volunteer for a non-profit, got married, invited my neighbours for a dinner party, friends over for BBQs, etc. ALMOST NOBODY returned the favour. it was soul-crushing. And half of the few lasting friends I made back then have moved away, and now we rarely email each other. I don't know what is wrong with people here. Most Vancouverites I've met are paranoid, just plain mean, and socially awkward. They are not polite; they are INHIBITED. I've literally had people scream at me when I've given them directions downtown and on transit. Don't even get me started on working here. I worked all over the US and have never met such dysfunctional co-workers. If my son were not in school, I would head back east. maybe it's all the empty condos and homes, or the high rate of transience. Vancouver may be beautiful, but it has NO SOUL. it feels like everyone here is just out to take advantage of as many people as they can. My remaining Vancouver friends are recent American immigrants.

I spent a year in Vancouver, from Scandinavia originally, and it was the loneliest time of my life. I sometimes now get nostalgic over my time there as I do like the nature and other things but being reminded of this seriously depressing loneliness was rly good. To basically not look back with rose colored glasses

Am from Montreal, lived 5yrs in France and now Van for past 5yrs. And yep, human warmth is scarce here.

Another great video mate!!! Camera Quality is looking realllll sharp too!!!! PS ill be back in town in a month! lets get up to the ski resorts soooon

I'm watching this in 2021. I love how genuine this video was made

Born in Vancouver, raised in Burnaby, and currently living in Surrey, but I gotta say majority of the people I've met in each area have been welcoming. There's definitely the outliers but I have lasting connections from everywhere I've been here, despite the new areas :)

Cities in general are the loneliest places. Has to be mentioned that in Vancouver people are kind, helpful and polite like in no other city I've ever been to.

I've been living in Vancouver for ~10yrs and Vancouver is by far the least social and friendly place I have lived in (and this includes Europe, latin america, South America and USA). It is very easy to make a shallow/casual connection because the people are very nice, BUT it stays there.

I'm from Victoria and when ever I've gone to Vancouver I have deffiently felt that friendliness... like she was saying in victoria people will smile at you as they walk by or like when you take the buss you say thank you to the buss driver as you get off. Lol every time that I get of the skytrain I littlerly yell thank you to the air haha. I'm also a cashier and I've had so many people tell me about the huge difference in the way people act from there compared to here.

When I moved to Metro Vancouver in the 1st year, I literary made myself accepting of the unfriendliness and it really sucks! Meeting strangers on the streets almost feels like a violation. I've seen many good people here and I love all of my international friends (which I don't have a lot of opportunities to make friends with on Vancouver island) but I still find it intimidating to seek connection, like an invisible force that keeps me away from them.

I recommend you to look for research papers about loneliness, it's becoming epidemic.

I moved to Vancouver from Wales in 2017, I left for good in 2020. I miss the mountains, but not the city and the people.

I think it’s honestly a matter of perspective and personal experience. Any big city will have issues like this in my opinion... I live in São Paulo and people are always so busy with their life and getting to places that they will hardly interact - or even look at you - on the street, but at college, school, work or even a restaurant things may be different because you have more time to connect. I’ve spent a month living in Vancouver 2 years ago and It was honestly the most pleasing experience of my life, the people were extremely incredible to me. Loved this video! It’s always so cool to see different perspectives and opinions from different people :)

Great video. I lived in Vancouver from 2007-2011 and have worked there many times over the past 28 years. Van is one of my favorite cities in the world, but it is definitely the loneliest place I have ever lived, by far. Having lived in Los Angeles and New York, I was used to strangers casually interacting with one another on subways, in restaurants or just making eye contact and saying "hi" while walking down the street. It creates a wonderful sense of community and extended family; like "we're all in this together". Vancouverites do not interact with each other as a rule. Nobody makes eye contact on the street, nobody talks to you when you're on line at the supermarket, nobody says "bless you" to someone when they sneeze on the Skytrain (I said, "bless you" once to someone after they sneezed and everyone looked at me like I said the "N" word). It sounds trivial, but it adds up after awhile and it makes it very difficult to make friends. Also, there is zero vibe there, very little "joie de vivre". Like "fun" has been outlawed. I later discovered that, for some reason, Vancouverites are afraid of casual human contact but once you break the ice, most will join in. I did find that Vancouver is at its most friendliest when the weather is nice and sunny, which unfortunately is only a couple of months a year. Having come from Southern California and used to year round sunny, warm weather, I was shocked at how the 5-9 consecutive months of dark, cold, overcast, gloomy, wet weather depressed the hell out of me. During these months (which is sadly most of the year), Vancouver changes and the city is at its loneliest, saddest, angriest, most violent, filthy and isolating. I saw more fights, more arrests, more open drunkeness and meth using during those months. Having said all of that, I love Vancouver and have fantastic friends there that I will have for the rest of my life. Also, there is no better sushi ANYWHERE; not even Japan. No city is perfect, but Vancouver is too schizophrenic a city for me to live full time, but I go up to visit every year during it's "happy" months.

As a non-white, non-North American who has lived in many towns and cities in USA, I find Vancouver is not as warm and open as Austin, TX--not even close. But to live in, it beats most small towns or Vegas. I think the reputation of loneliness comes from more people migrating here than born locally/regionally. In Austin, most folks are white and Texan, and in a very open frame of mind to have fun with strangers, who are typically like them from other parts of TX/OK. A cool brown stranger can easily insert himself into that warm mingling context. Also Austin has cultural activities--especially downtown drinking and listening to music; Vancouverites just keep climbing hills.

another quality video ! come up to Iqaluit too see how connected people are ! congrats on 1K mate

Some very insightful answers.

Excellent. Excellent. Video content explains why many feel disconnected here and want to leave. I’m one of those ones too.

I remember going to Vancouver few times during my early teens staying with my Aunty. She lived in North Van. I loved the scenery there and when it was snow I was so excited as I’m from Australia. I had a great time cause relatives would take us around. But she often mentioned Vancouver people being cold and how she missed living in the US.

Great vid with solid points chosen to round out varied opinions. It took me several years to so called make it here from Toronto, and have a great life here now.

I've lived the states, to Ontario, to Vancouver. Vancouver is absolutely beautiful. The city is full of tourists, foreigners, and business people. Everyone is polite just keep to themselves and I don't think that's a bad thing. Vs New Yorkers who yell at each other. Finding local groups on Facebook is the best way to meet people. There's a group for everyone! I'm also the type to be a lone wolf all I need is me and my family kind of used to living far from family. I can see weather causing this as well its mostly gloomy which cab be depressing. I wish it were sunnier like California!

I just moved to Vancouver a month ago and it's definitely been an tough adjustment. Luckily I had friends here already, but it's definitely hard to meet people (but honestly it's kinda like that in any city). I defs agree that going out is crazy pricey here. It was different in Montreal, where everything was cheap and people weren't afraid to strike up a convo. But also, people are just terrible at starting conversations nowadays. Making friends requires effort. Love all your videos btw!

I moved to Vancouver 28 years ago from Ontario and I have to say I was really impressed with the answers people gave in the video. The one thing that stood out for me in the video is how many people came from other places. With such a massive influx of new people to a city it's not surprising it takes time to make connections.

Insightful video. Thank you

Just finished your Hitch hike series. Love it man. Love this channel. Keep doing you

Vancouver is the city in the Matrix. Hard to explain, there's just something odd or fake about it. Its almost as if people here are AI walking around to make it seem like a real place. Sometimes you're driving down a block or something and you dont see a single soul. As if the AI didnt load. Drive around a corner and suddenly you see cars and people. Moved here from LA. People aren't unfriendly, it's almost as if people here aren't really interested in much human interaction with strangers.

i've lived in Vancouver for ~7 years, initially coming to UBC. It was easy to make friends when I lived in residence but as soon as I moved off campus and later got a job, I felt very isolated. I honestly don't think the people are the problem. Vancouver is full of diverse people but there are little to no community events, parades, or festivals to facilitate connection. Even the Canada Day celebration here is lame. The events that do exist often sell tickets at least $25 a pop. I was also shocked at how early everything closes. It really kills the nightlife.

Great insights from some amazing people around in Vancouver. Wish I' d started talking to these people without any preconceived notion..this explains it.. We are the change ..starts with me!

You ! The 2 guys in the begining of this vlog ... you`r happy living peoples , with guy`s like you I would connect instantly , you alive , smilling and full of energy ! Take care fellows !!!

I'm born and raised in Vancouver. I've noticed the cliqueness of vancouver since high school. I've realized that for some reason my group of friends in highschool did not like meeting others that they don't know. Like when I would invite them to another friend's party. They would comment that they don't know anyone there and don't want to party with randoms.... And that struck me on how vancouver has this clique culture of people being comfortable within their own circle and refuse to meet others or incorporate others into their life. They experience had made me change schools. I'm naturally a social able guy. Knowing that my group of friends refuse to meet new people did not sit well with me. Especially in highschool when all you want to do is meet people and have fun. I changed school so I can meet other kids in the vancouver school district. And when I did I made new friends who introduced me to more people. At a point it really is a certain type of people in Vancouver who are clique. There are others here that would like to meet others. However, it is still hard to break down the initial wall and get into the circle. I really do believe it has alot to do with the fact that there isn't much to do in Vancouver. Not much to do as in socialable events/places. We do have your bars and clubs. However, drinking here is expensive and also those places are not necessarily the ideal place to form new friendships but more a place to flirt. It also doesn't help that people will go as groups with friends creating a vibe that they are there to socialize with their group and not others. Alot of my friends that are not originally from here always ask me. What is there to do in Vancouver. And I honestly can't answer them. Other then hikes, parks, snow sports, bars and clubs.... There's honestly not much of anything else in this city. It's really sad and depressing. We don't have any places for people to connect and have fun... No wonder why we're called the no fun city. I'm hoping to change that.

For me, the only good thing about Vancouver was the nature factor, the proximity of beach and mountain close by. About the people, I found them superficial and distant. As for taking the initiative, even when you do, their reaction was always "oh, yeah, you must be lonely," and they didn't have the time then, suggested to "hook up some other time for sure" but they never came back with that promise. It was hard to make friends, some level of connection. After 7 years, I moved to Montreal over 12 years ago. Here the entire energy I feel is different. On top of being much more a diverse cultural mix, people are more tolerant, exhibit more of a 'solidarity' spirit. In general, they allow others to be human (eg. much less car honking on the street at the immediate second of change of traffic light) and also expect the same kind of understanding. Things move more smoothly and warmly.

such a cool video! I'm moving to Vancouver soon and it's nice to see content like this! Can you make one for post-pandemic?

Some really great points made here. I moved here almost 6 years ago (my spouse is from here) and after living in several other cities in Canada, I did find Vancouver the hardest place to make friends/connections. Both my husband and I agree that the city seems to have a behaviorally conservative tone to it. In Toronto, our friend group was pretty diverse in background, but there was still a strong sense of social cohesion, which I find lacking here. Several people mentioned the cost of living/lack of affordable and quality housing - which is a huge challenge and does absorb a lot of one's time and energy to find, maintain, thus leaving little time for leisure fun.

It's painful!!! Moved from Montreal a couple of years ago, and still can't digest how anti social Vancouver is despite its magnificent beauty!!!!

I feel that way in Toronto. And for that reason I want to move to Vancouver. When I visited it just felt like people are way more friendlier. But it could be different when you live there. At least you get the scenic view.

Great video full of insight, thank you! I'm in the process of immigrating to either Vancouver or Toronto from Cape Town, South Africa. In my city it's also quite difficult to make new connections as people tend to stick to their social groups. But as mentioned a couple of times in this video, it's up to you to put youself out there and work on making new connections. At least I'm a creator, so i'll be out and about all the time. Creators also tend to find one another, and it's a strong similarity which you can then use to start building on your new connections. Also, I lived in London UK for 2 years, and I'm sure Van can't be as lonely as it is over there.

“Sorry, do I know you?”

I lived in Vancouver for years it's so unfriendly. I was born in Nova Scotia extremely friendly place. I have moved back to NS feel way more at home here ❤

Several things keep people apart or discourage reaching out to people in Vancouver, mostly having to do with economic pressures of housing hyperinflation and stagnant wages. Keep in mind that these things can work subconsciously as pressures to AVOID the disappointment of reaching out to make new friends, keep up friendships, keeping people further apart. 1. High housing costs limit recreational spending -> less ability to follow through on meeting and less opportunity for meetings 2. High housing costs, SMALL units only thing affordable to vast majority -> less space for entertaining, fewer people invited over (if any), must choose intimates and exclude others. 3. High housing costs -> live farther from job, long commutes -> tired out and unwilling to commit to significant additional travel to meet prospective friends or even old friends. 4. High housing costs, stagnant wages -> many people working long hours/multiple jobs -> less free time for anything but necessities or recuperation. 5. Cultural misunderstanding due to lack of cultural education, leads to people feeling awkward and uncomfortable, or unsure as to signals. There are many small ways that folkways (what is polite vs impolite in everyday interactions) can make people consider others rude when they were actually trying to be respectful. 6. High burnout: high cost of living causes people to work too much, then "go dark" periodically due to burnout because of bad working conditions, etc 7. High mobility: constantly moving from neighbourhood to neighbourhood seeking lower rent or better quality of life combine with long commutes to periodically break developing bonds

I have been living in Vancouver for a little over 6 years and this video resonated with me. When the individual said that "outsiders here have to always initiate" I thought "YES!" There is also a lot of flaking and ghosting here. And the connections you make never last or run deep. People are looking for connection but Vancouverites have to understand is what people are truly looking for is genuine friendship, their "Tribe" and not "moments" of connection here and there. I also once worked at a furniture store at the corner of Granville and Broadway for two years where the management/staff were two-faced and judgemental without ever getting to know you. Flat mates who you have cooked dinners with, spent Christmas' together, worked with, and babysat their kids, would eventually ghost/flake you and abandon your friendship for hypertrophy friendships. I believe it s easier for those that are born and raised here to connect with others easily. But, as an outsider, it is a challenge.

People are saying TORONTO has culture and is friendlier than Vancouver? 😳 I've never been there (Vancouver), but it sounds like hell...

...I experienced the worst depression of my life in Vancouver.

I've had a number of friends over the years remark about how Vancouver was a tough city to figure out on a first go... But, eventually it clicked for them when they understood the "activity culture". They started skiing, running, cycling playing volleyball, climbing... Whatever. It doesn't matter. But, finding your active jam is what Vancouver's 'culture' is all about IMHO. That's how these people found the friendly in the city.

I absolutly loved this vid guys made me tgink how i can better my community in the small town i live in its not just big cities its everywhere just saying hello to a person walking by means so much i believe thank you for the content keep going

Great video, Brad!

What the guy in the white shirt at 08:40 is saying is actually kind of interesting. That different countries have different things that help them bonding (patriotism, culture, etc). But the more different cultures and languages and so on a country and its people welcomes, the bigger the influence of that on loneliness could be. That our longing for harmony and welcoming other people and their cultural differences to our country and our lives may actually promote our loneliness (and theirs, too!). Because it gets harder to connect over something we have in common. That's kinda scary. A scientific paper on whether that really has influence on loneliness would be interesting to read.

As the line goes about Thomas Crown in the movie, "The Thomas Crown Affair", talking about the main character's persona, "a self involved loner". This describes Vancouver perfectly in my opinion.

I often tell people that some of the most wholesome conversations I've had were with complete strangers at a bus stop or on the bus. I live in Arizona but as someone who used to be a loner my whole school career I found it easier to talk with older people. During my Junior year of high school I would take public transit back home instead of the school bus because I had no friends in school but on the public bus I noticed the adults tended to stick to themselves and that made me feel comfortable enough to approach people. I always found it kinda surprising that they'd react surprised when I'd talk with them. As a teenager I had this silly belief that ALL adults had a fulfilling social life but I quickly learned that I was wrong. Many times the strangers would welcome my approach with a smile after appearing kinda unapproachable at first. A simple conversation about the bus being a few minutes late could turn into a conversation about alcoholism, the universe, our personal struggles or a laugh about something. And when the time came for one of us to leave the bus it felt nice saying goodbye as i or they left the bus. Occasionally I'd see the same people on the bus again so we'd become bus buddies. The public bus helped me develop my social skills because I was no longer the outcast like on my school bus......no instead we were all strangers on public transit. Approaching a group of friends was harder for me than it was to approach an individual. Those experiences on the bus made me realize that I could do something similar the next and final year of my school career. I realized that although I was a loner and had been one for all that time, I could apply the skills I developed on the bus towards other loners at school. So on my first day I befriended some freshman dude who couldn't find a place to sit. Our spot outside sucked because there was no shade but we didn't mind so much because we weren't loners anymore. Over the next few weeks I had approached another dude sitting by himself and then we became friends. This new guy knew some other dude and then eventually there were 4 of us. By the end of the school year there was 8 of us. We went from "weirdos", "loners", and "outcasts" to a group of friends.

Love this video. I lived in Vancouver for 3 years, and at the beginning before you meet people and make friends, it can be a very lonely city. But once you make those connections, it becomes an incredible place to live in. At the beginning it was a lot easier to create friendships with people who were also expats as they were much more open, and in the same situation, but making friends with Vancouverites is possible, it just takes a bit more time :)

A reason why people aren't as connected can maybe be explained by the Maslow's hierarchy of needs, Connection and sense of belonging comes after basic needs like having a place to live (rent). So when people can barely keep a roof over their heads, it's hard to spend a lot of time and energy trying to form connections. I moved to Hong Kong( one of the most expensive places to live in the world) from Toronto a few years ago and I've hardly made any genuine friends, language barrier, and also, I feel like the connections that I do have feel artificial somehow

Vancouver is one of the most rapidly changing cities in Canada and perhaps around the world. The human psyche and behavior cannot change as quickly to the pace of the economic and cultural change that is adhered to this small city. Hence, people become resentful to others due to wealth, sad due to lack of affordability and frustrated with the rapid change in economic success reflected by others. The politicians are simple, they look at any policy from the standpoint of economic success, sadly, abandonment of social-cultural growth is not in their narrative. Fear, frustration, anger and depression - are the factors leading to loneliness and the people who live in a highly populated and expensive city as Vancouver - will continue to suffer this plight.

I am from Germany and i think this is a real Problem everywhere. For some people it might be easier to overcome those burdens. These videos of yours and other outgoing people and groups have shown these issuse and even ways to connect to people anyways. All we need to do is use these methods. I don't think anybody needs to tattoo somebodys face on their leg to do so but just go out discover connection seek discomfort and Do what excites!! Thanks a lot for your work and videos. they have helped me and probably many others a ton

I would like to see you attempt a challenge in a known rough country to connect to strangers in like Sweden, but I think that's a bit of a high budget plan for now maybe. Up here in northern Europe we practically ignore others while walking around cities and so on. Making quick connections is probably one of the hardest things to do there

I'm from Calgary and when I lived in Vancouver for 4 years I didn't make any friends with anybody from Vancouver I ended up making friends with everyone from Calgary that lived in Vancouver. Calgarians are way cooler and fun to hang out with✌️😎

oh wow I can't imagine Vancouver during covid...

wow this is eye opening for sure, its been my dream to move here for years now mainly because of the weather but i also forgot important things like that feeling of connection, after reading the comments and watching the video i'll def rethink this especially since i wanted to raise kids here, i always said id move here when i had a lot of money but i guess money goes farther than rent, cuz if everyone's just trying to scrape by ofc people dont have time to make connections

So interesting.. I live in Vancouver, many years, and I love it everyone is so friendly. I moved here 5 years ago and have made sooo many friends, and everyone in my neighborhood is so nice. I do live downtown, maybe their talking about outside of downtown?