Van City - How two UBC students circumvent Vancouver's high rental costs
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- Опубликовано: 21 окт 2024
- The Canadian housing crisis affects people of all ages, and in this video, two young international students from Italy show us their innovative and cost effective housing solution that allows them to study Forestry at UBC in Vancouver, B.C., - a city known for its high rents.
#inflation #britishcolumbia #costofliving #pricedout
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CREDITS:
Joel Lee-Dodek - friend & musician
Jonah Lee-McNamee - Director & Editor
Derek Kwan - Producer
Shiun Okada - Director of Photography
Alessio Brandolese - student & van camper
Paolo Ferronato - student & van camper
I was forced to move into a van in Toronto a few months into the pandemic after losing my job (and home) at a hotel that closed when they shut everything down. Although I had no choice, in the end I’m happy to have discovered van life. I’m grateful that I have a home that I’m not paying through the nose for every month. I’m 43 years old and I’ve paid over $300,000 in rent in my life. I refuse to pay another dime even if it means homelessness. My biggest issue with van life by far is not having a place to park where l feel safe and have access to power, water, and other basic necessities like an address that mail can be sent to. It’s undeniable that our housing market has gotten out of control and in the year and a half that I’ve been living in the van I’ve met dozens of people forced to live in vehicles. Toronto (and Vancouver for that matter) try to pretend that they are progressive when all they do is target us. I park on skid row in Toronto and we were recently the target of a completely false smear campaign article written by the CBC the day before police came and tried to drive us all out of the area. I have a 20 year career in real estate prior to the hotel industry and I have actual legitimate ideas to build homes for homeless people that will be profitable for investors. I have gone to banks, brokers, venture capitalists, investors, low income housing providers, heck I even went to a psychic to try to get a name of a rich person that wanted to do a good deed. As soon as people with money hear “homeless” they shut down. It’s rather remarkable. If the CBC really wanted to help the poor they could push our politicians into finding us with a safe place to park instead of lying about us so the police can target us without justification.
what about shared accommodation? You can find a decent place for 700-800 a month
@@jaymatchen6574 I’m living on less than $1000 a month currently. I am completely unwilling to spend a single penny of it on rent. I’ve tried to get mortgages in the past and even on the years I was making six figures I was denied. I’m just not willing to give away the vast majority of the money that I make to a wealthy landlord anymore. It’s off the table. Government put me here and now I want accommodation for the trouble.
@@fishernate why are you living on less than $1000 a month you could make more at a minimum wage job
@@jaymatchen6574 The industry that I work in now is quiet over the winter. I’m not going to get some $#!tty minimum wage job just to make a bit more money so I can pay a rich person to put a substandard roof over my head. That’s a literally being a slave to the system. I’m not going to do it anymore - I reject it outright. The last apartment I lived in I paid my landlord more in rent in the 10 years I lived there than she paid for the apartment itself. Even when I was doing “well” because my income wasn’t stable I was never qualified for a mortgage so I just had to keep paying a landlords mortgage off instead. I’m not commenting just about my specific financial situation anyway - it was to make a point that people living in their vehicles is going to become more common and the government is going to have to start working with us at some point instead of targeting us. We’re not going away. As I said before I actually really enjoy van life now and I have no intention of ever renting again even if somehow I manage to find lucrative stable employment. So if I’m not going to ever qualify to buy a home that means van life is my new permanent solution and the government is just going to have to deal with that in a way that works for everybody. That will eventually mean accommodation. I have ideas to accommodate people living in their vehicles for free in a way that will still be profitable but no one will talk to me about it.
Human rights only matters outside of North America.
I spent a couple years in Victoria living in my 1977 VW van. I could not have been able to study there otherwise. To the millions of people who drove by me at night on Dallas Road and let me sleep in peace: thank you.
It was common knowledge that the staff working in Whistler were sleeping in vans and RV's because the rent up there was so high.
This story hides an uglier reality that most camper dwellers in Vancouver, and there are possibly hundreds parked around the lower mainland, are seniors or transient workers, not students. And camping on city streets is illegal - these students could be fined repetitively or have their home impounded. This news piece sort of celebrates insecure housing access in a city desperately in need of affordable housing for workers. While my sister's decade old lease is $1400/m similar units in her building are over $3000, to illustrate the issue a bit more.
read nomadland
Actually I saw their van on campus parkage before. I believe they had a permit to allow them parking and camping on campus.
Pretty sure this addresses most of that. They even say that they have the choice, but others may not.
@@vl2378 what does nomadland have to do with this video? Vanlife up here is different than the book where the lifers camp on BLM land for free. City bylaws prevent vanlife from staying overnight in many places.
A ton of RV folks are Meth addicts. They spend Nites rummaging through industrial areas flailing the Garbage Bins while parked in the immediate area. Unfortunately many of them are also Chronic Criminals who are dangerous and will steal your Christmas Lights right off your house while your sleeping. They give the majority of RV folks a bad rap.
Living life to the fullest. These guys will grow old and have amazing stories for their grandkids
What a well-made film. I was expecting to feel sad and depressed but it gave me a feeling of contentment instead.
I lived on that beach for a summer. Spanish banks 2011. Had showers 24/7 fresh coffee at 7 am and I’d pick up the nites beer cans strewn across the beach as a way to eat for the day. It got me off hard drugs and back on track in life. Way more deeper story than this and way more I had to overcome than this story Yet? It’s not Cute? So…
That’s great! I’m happy for them. I love van life, it’s so like camp, and trendy!
The problem for me is when this type of lifestyle is promoted as normality to our toxically over-priced housing crisis and inability to properly manage these issues on city council level and even provincial government. Watching Vancouver and other cities to destroy affordable housing in order to create “more housing” ended up being more housing for money laundering and rich people and no housing for the rest.
$3-4000 a month for an apartment?that’s not “affordable”.
We need real solutions, someone’s parents shouldn’t be living in a van because they can’t find housing under $1200.
Let’s resolve real issues
what about shared accommodation? You can find a decent place for 700-800 a month
I totally agree on you. The next would even find it harder to buy their own house. It is high time the government should doo something about it.
Very well said.....agree ....we need real solutions to this affordable housing crisis....see more and more affordable housing being torn down re developers building condos and townhouses...that are anything but affordable. Just investment opportunities for wealthy people. Disgusting.
The only logical comment here. Stop glorifying living in a van past what it is; an absolute necessity.
Amen to that, I'm all for "optimism" stories such as this, but it makes it look like that money launderers and tax evaders doing what they're doing and pricing everyone else out is totally acceptable, when it isn't, and never should be.
This was one ot the better stories reported that I've seen since having both lived and kept up-to-date with the news in the city of Vancouver. Nice job guys!
In the suburbs of Vancouver (my area) houses are going for 1.8M and up. Condos $700K.
Rent is 1K and up for a very small place. "Affordable" rentals are being built with rent starting abount 2K.
There are hundreds, if not thousands of people living like this. People with good jobs/careers.
It is beyond insane.
People come up with inventive ways to live and the city cracks down. Buy a boat and live in False Creek, city takes over management and runs you out. Live in a camper van and the city tries to impose street parking fees for everyone. Then they wonder why people take over entire parks.
Same problem in Toronto, what the city needs to do is designate land for apartment buildings not fucking luxury condos, we need to flood the market with batchler and one bedroom apartments until rent comes down.. But the politicans are fucking about doing nothing.
This was so awesome! I would love to see more content like this. The mini documentary style was so character focused and so well done. How awesome are these Italian guys making gourmet pasta and bread in this camper van and turning everything into a positive experience. Congratulations Jonah- you killed it on this project!!! 🙏🏻🔥🔥👍🏻
40 years ago a friend of mine lived the same way while going to UBC. There's more food and facilities these days for nomads
Is it awesome that the majority of young people cannot afford to live here? Sure these two are positive, but this is not an accessible option for every young person.
Loved this short doc. Would like a full feature on this same subject and look more closely at how more and more folks are moving to “Van City” life due to the unaffordable pricing in Vancouver. Well done Doc debut Jonah!
Yasss more docs glorifying suffering in the housing crisis yaasssss
Vancity Vanlife RUclips channel
This piece should win some kind of award. It was such a beautiful look into these people's lives, it almost seemed to good to be real!
Don't worry dudes, even people born and raised in Vancouver can't cover the high rent.
How true
But most of them own houses… 👀
@@PhuongLe-mz8uh Foreigners own all the houses, not legit born and raised in Vancouver people.
Awesome kids making the best of it. My neice is sharing a condo at UBC with four others and they each pay 950.00 per month. Someone is collecting the big bucks. I am in awe of these two. God Bless and best of luck in your studies.
I don't know if its just because they're Italian but they make van life look fun and charming. great job guys! the idea that you need to live inside 4 walls is outdated. I love the resourcefulness, while also disagreeing with the out-of-this-stratosphere housing costs. everyone should be able to come here, study, live, work, etc and afford housing. if you can't, these two illustrate a perfect acceptable alternative.
I wish it was possible to bottle these guys positive outlook cause I'd buy it. Gas is well over $2 on average now so these guys are probably feeling that extra struggle right now.
They have choice not drive all day long and they can find the parking nearby the place they desire.
The only cbc article I’ve actually liked in about 10 years
It is so wrong that our house prices and apt price s so high. We got so much land !!!!!
Awesome! Love these two guys and their upbeat attitude! And they sure know how to cook delicious meals!
These guys are finding the beauty in life and their situation. Much respect.
you both seem very happy n that's what counts. as a kid I grew up in Vancouver. I had to kids n in the early 1980.s moved out of Vancouver to buy a house. I cant believe the rent or cost of homes now yikes. glad you planned your lifestyle smartly
You guys are from Italy, such a beautiful country, with beautiful architecture, history, social life...Why would u like to came in a place like Vancouver, why?!
Nicely done, boys. I would have enjoyed that when I was younger. I suspect more and more people will be doing similar as the cost of housing continues to grow.
It’s not just the cost of housing there no housing.
These two young men are making the best of a situation that could be lived in much more worse ways.
Rent has become such a nightmare for many people. For my part, it is not about affordability anymore but about how much labour am I willing to actually provide to pay off someone else mortgage? None. I work hard, I hustle hard and it is to benefit me not anyone else.
Such a well filmed documentary! Great work.
Wonderful story. Two smart students making the best of their resources. An inspiration to leaving within your means.
"The owner didn't want to sell it and we didn't want to buy it, se we gave him $2,000 for one year.." Brilliant solution.
this is better than most films can't believe it's free
Great video. Glad you found your home on wheels. What a nice way to experience your college days. You will never forget this time of your life. Happy camping
I remember Guy Edwards legendary Rock Climber from Deep Cove would stay in a tent near UBC while studying Engineering. Circa early 90s... Thanks for sharing.
Love it. Way to Go you Guys are living the Life.. Enjoying the Simplicity an saving money... 🌿❤🌻❤🌿 Really Great Guys all the BEST.. Bravo 👏
I lived in a van for 2 years, this brought back some great memories! Cheers dudes!
I thought the city was trying to get rid of all the campers there at Spanish Banks. The last time I walked through there at night it was like "Camper-City". I had no idea.
Vancouver is such a beautiful place to have this kind of adventure!! 👍
Yes, housing scarcity is so romantic! 👎🏼
Yes where people can't afford to live in a house lol so beautiful 😂😂
Awesome storytelling Jonah!!
It is exactly as both Paolo and Alessandro say. It is from the challenges and even hardships that comes fulfillment and even adventure.. Yes there is the question of choice, but there is also something to be learned from 2 young men that faced their own problem and solved it in their own way.
Homelessness and high rent is directly related to Christy Clark
I would like to see a video on her sudden wealth as a politician
She went from renting to owning a multi million dollar real estate portfolio. I wonder how that happened 🙄
My guess about Miss Clark is that money launderers gave her a few dollars via shell companies. And that was to keep her and her politicians partners quiet about the money laundering. It is rather strange to me that we do not hear anything about it anymore. We all know it's happening... She's been bought and paid for.
@@niftydom Yup, bought and well paid
Cambodia has arrested more people for money laundering than Canada
All those videos or carrying hockey bags or cash and insider confessions and not one arrest or deportation
Is her real name actually clark or is it clarkstein?
The memories these guys will have will be priceless
Nice roomy van. Remember doing a bicycle trip from Ontario to BC back in the early 80s and ended up staying in Victoria and going to UVic. Bought an old paneled van that I ended up living in off and on. Nothing like this set up- sleeping bag, flashlight and bare necessities. An adventure, yeah. But, as I always say a big part of "adventure" is drudgery. Finding overnight parking even back then was a headache. Logistics of daily living are often difficult or cumbersome. Vehicle maintenance and finding a place to do it are a pain. And even though I had a girlfriend and friends there is a lot of alone time. These guys are doing it right making it a cozy place to be and staying positive. Now that I'm retired if circumstances allowed I could think of my wife and I selling up and living in a van. A comfortable van.
Maybe CBC should run a story on why Trudeau ran a campaign, just 5 months ago, on housing affordability- but has done NOTHING about it since! Housing prices have increased 70% since he took office, time to hold him accountable!
That will never happen!
the government should really do something about the house prices in Vancouver - but also lovely to see that the students are enjoying a different lifestyle. Interesting sharing of stories in the comment section, everyone should read this!
If the Government did something to drop housing prices the entire economy of this country would collapse. The main economy is real estate. As prices continue to rise there will be a point that no one at all will be able to afford to live in Vancouver. There will be no more nurses, teachers, janitors, mechanics, or anyone to service the needs of those who are able to remain, which will destroy the economy as well.
CBC romanticizing outrageous cost of living ... doubt the producers have ever been homeless here, felt like there was nowhere to turn .. I lived in a tiny car over a summer by the same beach with son and wife , , it had its beautiful moments and memories , but it wasn't by choice
Yet at the lowest point , this restored my faith in humanity .. I met a complete stranger , an Asian who hired me for construction work , saw my situation, he then lent me $5000 to get a place immediately , and I've happily worked for him ever since :) peace ✌️
CBC is government trash.
#vancityvanlife Great story. Definitely the real-real situation!!
I’ve been a student at UBC for 7 years and I see their Van parked all the time! Anyone know what these guys study ?
One thing not mentioned: the gas price reaches C$2 per liter 🌚
Wise. This is what I did. I bought class c RV. Lived in it on city streets , sinccee I pay tax this is my city as well. Homes and rent are ridiculous costs here. We need a collapse. Crash please. Burn burn burn. I lived by home Depot for over a year. Allways respect and keep area clean. I worked all day. Only sleep in RV at night time. I loved it. Such fun. Vancover is too expensive for rent even never mind buy a place ??
We need an epic earthquake!
@@murraymuntain3720 yes maybe an epic earth quake willl crumble vancover and send prices crashing ?? Something's gotta stop this CEASPOOL of CORRUPTION
It always pissed me off how the cbsa would take me in for secondary inspection and tear me apart while they blatantly would allow Chinese and foreign money launderers to walk right past them.
@@pn9959 anywhere in Vancouver industrial area around terminal Ave there home.depot has streets all-around it good.for over night no problem
I read there are some colleges and universities that allocate overnight parking for van dwelling students.
I grew up on West 13th near Lord Bing high school. My folks sold the house for $13,000. That was 1968.
I love to watching this kind of story! Awesome! 👍🇨🇦
Awesome! Adventure
Wow - a CBC segment I like
That makes sense 😀 I’m happy for them
1988 I moved out , I was 17 . I rented a one and a half with friend for 70 dollar s each . Montreal
I moved out at the age of 19 in 1987. Had roommates as well. First place was with one roommate in Vancouver West End on Robson Street. I think the 2 bed unit was $850.00 or $900.00 a month.
Second place we moved to was in the West End 2 bedroom around $750.00 I think. Got kicked out for too much loud partying.
Third place was near the beach around Denman and Davie. I think the rent for a 2 bed was $800.00 or $850.00. Next place we moved to was a small house in East Vancouver. This time there was a second roommate for a total of 3 people. I think the rent was $750.00 or $800.00. Then we let another person move in for a total of 4 people each with their own room.
Rent was quite high in certain areas of Vancouver even back in the day. If you wanted lower rent affordability in those days you had to go east like Surrey Delta, Langley ,Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows.
Areas like Burnaby, Coquitlam, Port Moody and New Westminster were a bit less than Vancouver but not much.
Which area is this in Vancouver?Im planning a trip to vancouver.I will do maybe a stealth camping but is legal to stay.I like this place you showed that close to the ocean. More power hope to hear from you.Goodluck man.
You guys are doing it right! I am moving to Vancouver in September as an incoming grad student. I'll be driving my camper van. We should link up.
The world needs people like you who live differently. Too much conformity and imitation makes life unbearable.
I am 38 and want to live like this for real.
Very clever young men
Good job guys. 👏 very interesting. Where do you park your rv in the campus? If possible can we drop by to say hi.
Canada is the second biggest country in the world with small population. It is sad to see people living in vehicles or being homeless in Canada.
I wonder how much a tank of gas is for them. Or how many tickets from parking violations they get. I wonder how they have insurance without a permanent residence, or provide proof of establishing permanent residence. They stated in the video that they ‘purchased 1 year of vehicle use for $2000 from a man who didn’t want to out right sell it.’ So his name must still be attached to the vehicle / insurance to some degree. So, they have external help. In the majority of cases in Vancouver people are on their own, they don’t have external help. Even from their government.
Beautiful💙💚 where is this at beginning of video?
Probably Stanley park area or west end area
Well done!!!!
For information on how to handle issues while living in a van, check out some of the RUclips channels on Vanlife. Some that tend to be in BC (but occasionally travel) are Vancity Vanlife, Cat Lady Van, and Sharing the Wild. The lifestyle lends itself to making a living as a digital nomad.
Genius move - and if you compare it to living in a student dorm it's not like you are really sacrificing on space lol. I wish I did this when I was in college, and specifically in Vancouver.
That pasta looked fire af
"We found the seller.. he didnt want to sell it, we didnt want to buy it." lol
Kudos to these two young men for circumventing the insane rent prices of Vancouver.
As a non-Canadian, I am curious why so many people choose to live in Vancouver when the cost of living is so obviously ridiculous. Logically one would think people would rationally move away from a city that exploits people for their rental income so harshly. Yet oddly, people are still choosing to live in Vancouver. Why is that?
jobs, good climate, arts, tourism
I see this van all the time while driving near UBC I wondered who lived in it
Capiltism is modern day salvery
My kind of people.
I RV boon docked for years and loved it. Thank you Wal-Mart parking lots.
The fact that young people have to resort to this is sad, glad they are taking it very sportive and are making memories. But as a developed nation we shouldn't have got to a stage where young people have to look at such alternatives.
That’s so cool, cheers!
Great little story. I'm gonna live in an RV soon.
This film might have been a bit too good! This may be my retirement plan!
"circumvent" really?
I wonder if they like the cost of filling up the gas tank
Probably dont go far, they live a few blocks from their university
@@paddington1670 not if they’re going skiing in Whistler. lol
Does anyone ? 🤣 Never dreamed it would go to $1.96/l !
Lot of love for your vanhome
Amazing guys, what an adventure. Sacrifice for a few years, invest if you can, and make that money work for you later and not the other way around.
Awesome guys! 👌
what a cool way to spend your youth!
Why does Canada allow foreign investment in the housing market ?
Good for them! 🏆
how were they able to get insurance and driving license as their not Canadian citizens??
My father lived in Vancouver in the 70's and lived in a VW beatle. He went to the YMCA to shower and they used to give him a free t shirt as well.
I foresee the caca hitting the fan soon, sounds like a good idea to me, remember the movie independence day, the convoy of campers, great emergency home
I live in Vancouver and this is my retirement plan who can afford 3000 for rent when they retire?
These guys rock - smart choice all things considered
Hope gas price stop rising and Camper is not lemon
Love it!!
Good on these guys! :)
Cities are really cracking down on RV's in Walmart parking lots. Or any big box store parking lots.
where can I find an RV like this for $2000 one year?
This is interesting and all but we can't all move in to campers to circumvent high rent, eventually they'll ban campers everywhere. We're gonna have to leave the Vancouver area altogether cause its baffling how rents are so high, but you can't even go downtown without wondering if you're going to be one of the random stranger assaults. Its called the no fun city and it rains constantly. The trees are nice and all but you spend so much time working to afford being here, or you're too broke to go enjoy any of it, so whats the point. Baffles me why people starting out their lives would want to come here and do it.
Guy Edwards use to stay in a tent to save up for climbing
at UBC.
Glad these guys are having fun and enjoying life but let's not forget Canadian real estate prices has completely detached from average income.
Oh I see. So the people lining the sidewalks of East Hastings aren't "homeless" they're just "circumventing Vancouver's high cost rental market." Glad I understand now.
Circumvent?!! This is shameful for a country like Canada
Very cool 😎
It’s a problem when big corporations buy houses for higher prices and then the rent goes up cause they want to strip us of the little money we have left.