Why We RETIRED to PARKSVILLE 😍 British Columbia  

In 1994, I left Ottawa, where I spent nearly half of my first 30 years. For me, winters were tolerable if I wore the right clothing, but Ottawa summers were horrid: far too hot and humid for me! I still needed to work for another 30 years, and the most temperate climate (read coolest summers) in urban Canada are in southwest B.C. I spent one year in Vancouver before moving to Victoria, where I've been ever since. In April 2022, I took early retirement, and still glad to be on the coast.

We did the same . Lived in Ottawa 35 years retired in 2005 in Parksville/French Creek. We also found a wonderful Strata no regrets.

We moved to Parksville 12 years ago. It was the best thing we ever did! We are now fully retired and think we are in Paradise.

We love it here too. Ah ha, I see you discovered Silver Meadows. We prefer the yellow corn but feel blessed to have such great produce grown here. I never miss the Qualicum Beach Farmers Market. You've done a great job on the video.

I go to Parksville often, my sister lives there, it is like the south of France where I lived for many years but Parkville is must cheaper and close to family

Great video! Nicely done!

Parksville is a marvelous place to retire. A beautiful place to explore all of the different sites. Love your little garden in the backyard and your little froggy pond. Looking forward to your future retirement videos.

It looks idealic! peacefull and worries of the world seems that have not reached this area! Beautiful!

I FEEL MORE RELAXED BY THIS VIDEO .THANKS FOR SHARING A LITTLE SLICE OF HEAVEN IN CANADA.

Thanks for posting. It brings back memories. I used to travel from the east coast of the US to Seattle then drive to Vancouver to catch the ferry to Nanaimo. From there drive to Nanoose where we did testing. It’s definitely a beautiful area with Bald Eagles everywhere. That is quite a sight since we don’t have them where we live. I am hoping when we drive the west coast in out motorhome next year we can take the ferry to Victoria. That is a beautiful city reminiscent of places in the UK.

looks like you found an awesome place to live - thanks for sharing - looking forward to hearing more about your boat search :)

Retired here 5 years ago from the mainland.

Small world... I retired in Parksville in May 2022, from Ottawa where I lived for 50 years!

Hi from Calgary, I am round and round for corn on the cob. Thanks for the informative video. Much appreciated. I used to live in Campbell River and Victoria. The west coast has always a fond place in my heart.

Hi! I just found your channel. Welcome to Parksville (from a local youtuber) 😊

Honestly, we enjoyed your loop episodes so much that I didn’t expect such interesting land videos. We have really loved watching the last few weeks and thank you for sharing. Your retirement area looks perfect and we wish you both many happy memories. Merry Christmas!

We are planning to retire to the Oceanside area within a year from Vancouver. I can hardly wait.

Thank you for another interesting and enjoyable video.

Kindly...shhhhhh. Our island is already becoming like Vancouver and NYC with traffic now, insane grocery, gas and real estate prices, no ability to find a doctor, lack of timely medical care with closed clinics and 8 hr waits in emergency, and over inflation on everything. We local Islanders are now unfortunately paying the price to live, exist or buy where we and our families were born. 😢

Hi guys. The island is truly a nice place to retire to. Gaylene and I enjoyed your video and your garden. We look forward to following this next chapter of your life from here in Calgary. We like Taber corn when we can get it and eat it like Malcolm does. Keep up thew great videos!

Great episode! We are spending the winter just south of you near Ladysmith and then will be back to Ontario to our boat and start the Loop (having just retired this Fall). Love Vancouver Island and so it will be hard to leave and I can see us returning. Doing lots of hiking here as well so anxious to hear of the places you have found as we are travelling all over the island and have been to Parksville area a few times already. From the corn perspective - typewriter style but the other way sounds interesting - may have to try it.

Typewriter method is the best way!

Mark and I flew to Nanaimo several years ago and explored all the Vancouver area. Very beautiful!!! Can't wait to see what's next!❤❤

Great video! I've been thinking of moving to Vancouver Island as well, either Nanaimo or Parksville or possibly the Hudson district in Victoria. Haven't decided. I like being able to walk to do errands but having to use a car wouldn't be a deal breaker either. When eating corn you're supposed to eat one row across, then eat the rest around. That way you get your face all greasy and then you can wipe it off and not get it greasy again until the next cob. Or you can also just eat them all across. Once the first row is eaten it's six or two threes.

Thanks for the great video.. Ive watched a few of yours these days as we are planning our 2nd trip out to VI.. My husband and I honeymooned on Vancouver Island way back in 2011 and I am guessing a lot has changed. We will be staying both in Victoria and Qualicum beach. When we were there last, we stayed at Parksville. Now we get to show our son this wonderful place. I eat my corn like a typewriter as well! And we grill it with butter, salt and pepper, garlic powder, and paprika! Its very tasty this way! We leave just enough of the husk on to protect the seasoning while grilling. We will be there in June this time vs the Fall when we were there last. How rainy is it in June?

Another travel Canada video. The only thing wrong is that you may increase the size of your neighborhood very quickly. The berries looked delicious and the corn did also. We usually fix ours in the micro for 3 minutes and then just shuck and eat. Enjoy

We Tennesseans love Victoria on Vancouver Island! Oh, there is nothing "proper" about eating corn on the cob, Rachel has it right! Merry Christmas :)

Looks great and would consider it IF my kids and grandkids would follow us! We just couldn’t move away from them

Looks like a nice community glad you are enjoying the land ! As to the corn : I prefer small ears and sweet. Well as an ex-brit I have a hard time eating with my hands (I can still remember the head master instructing us at school lunches) so Im a little unusual that I'll remove the corn using my knife and fork then use the fork to place them in my mouth. Last time I was in the UK I still saw people in restaurants eating pizza with a knife and fork, although Ive mastered the fold and bite technique here in the US (probably because of eating with my kids). Im close to retirement and have been looking at the southern states, close to water in FL, TX, GA, SC. Have lived in MA for a long time so no stranger to cold, but would like to be warm all year round.

We love the Jubilee corn from CHilliwack BC. It’s all yellow and the yellow kernels are huge and juicy. Best corn ever!. If you can find it is GMO. Most corn is GMO’d

You look too young to be retired lol, what a beautiful place!!! From Edmonton snd want to live in bc so bad, but waiting for the right moment!!👍🇨🇦

Parksville is paradise. Craig street Parksville has a Tuesday night summer time market with fabulous food and artisans. Coombs, Cuckoo Italian restaurant (behind Goats on the Roof market) has Truffle oil mushroom pizza that is my favourite. Errington has a wonderful summer Saturday outdoor market.Back to Parksville: Pacific Brim on Craig st is a great brunch location. Brazen Poppy bakery has wonderful soup and fresh bread sandwiches (entrance on Shelly Rd, Parksville). If you just want a food store there are: Eat Fresh, Choices, Thrifty Foods, Quality foods and Save On Foods to chose from, each with a deli and bakery. You did chose a great place to call home, except if you want to see a physician. BC is the only place in Canada that has not hired back professionals, even though Moderna admitted, in UK courts, that their injections caused strokes (blood clots). The truth eventually came out.

One has to have lots of money to retire anywhere in BC. especially on the Island . My son live in Nanaimo for 2 1/2 years. Could not find a Dr.plus the housing cost is insane . We are both retired and our pension is more than above average but still way too expensive for us. Plus my husband needs to live close Dr and hospital which are not on the Island or anywhere else in BC. Also we both love the Island and my husband is BC boy.

Welcome to the island. I am retired in Maple Bay- some of the best places in the world to retire. If you are down this way and want to connect, let me know. Originally from teh Maritimes.

Hi nice to have found your channel. We are thinking about moving to Victoria from Ottawa as well. A video or suggestions would be helpful.

You guys do a great job on your site. One thing you forgot....NO MOSQUITOS. lol Are you going to buy another boat and do Desolation Sound etc? Sidney, BC

Welcome to the island. You seem to be blessed with sunny days. What are your thoughts of November to February? Let me know how your doctor search has gone.

Hah, we’ve had this debate many times in our house. There is the right way - like a typewriter - and the wrong way - only done by maniacs 😂

I lived in parksville in the 70's.I'm retired in abbotsford now and plan to move to sannich soon.is there still an old theatre downtown?

Beautiful area. Any chance of another trawler and heading to Alaska?

hi there, would you say parksville would be suitable for a young person/family in their early 30s late 20s? seems like a fantastic place with reasonable housing prices (compared to vancouver) would we struggle to find friends our age? how is the crime? do you have any websites you recommend to track real estate prices? thanks!

How's the health care there? Any better than Ottawa?

Does your community have a tsunami preparedness plan?

has crime increased along with the homeless people like it has everywhere else? Do you feel safe there?

Typewriter. Anything else is a little suspect.