Beautiful BC: Great to visit, impossible to live in

I am one of the lucky people who can count themselves a resident of British Columbia. Arguably the most naturally spectacular province in Canada, BC is known as the stereotypical home of mountains, hippies, outdoor-minded, left-leaning and laid back individuals. Hmm, what does that say about me?

Natural resources and tourism drive our economy. Like many others, I travelled here and fell in love with the idea of a mountain lifestyle. If you’ve never seen the rugged Rockies, the soaring Selkirks, the intimidating Coast Range, then you won’t understand. The mountains, like the prairies and the North, haunt your very being.

Recent reports name BC as the most expensive province in which to live. Well, obviously. I purchased a house over three years ago for less than $100,000 that is now worth more than triple its value in the current market. Even so, the original mortgage payments, taxes, and maintenance eat up over 65% of my monthly income.

Why? Because, in a small mountain town, a highly educated person is very unlikely to find a career that will meet their financial requirements.

Revelstoke wasn’t listed on the “hot” cities list that made headlines this week. It probably isn’t even on the radar. However, this town has very rapidly become unaffordable through the development of our local ski hill.

While tourism is a boon to BC, it doesn’t pay well. I’ve worked in tourism related business for the last six years; I can attest to it. Minimum wage is low, cost of living is high.

But we live here for the lifestyle, right? Okay, we don’t make a lot, but we have a roof over our heads and food on the table. We have time to mountain bike, swim, canoe, and ski. That’s why we sacrificed the high salary jobs in other places.

Not for me; at least, not any more. In order to make ends meet, I need to work 50 hours or more a week at my current job, and I am considering a second one to keep afloat. The last time I hit the slopes was before Christmas. This, for a person with a staff pass to the resort and free heli-skiing on her days off, is utterly ridiculous.

The façade has faded, peeled, and fallen off this life. To the average tourist, BC may seem like heaven; in reality, though, it’s just as much a hell as anywhere else. A two week vacation is much cheaper than trying to live the dream.