Retiring Abroad: Client Spotlight series

Milestone's Client Spotlight series

As we announced in our innaugural post, we are launching a series within our Retiring Abroad category called Client Spotlight.  This will be a series of responses from our very own clients who are retired and living in Canada and around the World.  We have asked our clients to comment on the same five topics: climate, sports & recreation, cost of living, ease of access and health care.  We hope this will provide some great insight into what it is truly like to retire and live in cities abroad.  

 

Client Spotlight #1:  Qualicum Beach, B.C. - by Harry

This post comes to us from beautiful Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island, BC.  Just outside of Parksville, Qualicum Beach is a 150 km drive up the coast from Victoria and 50 km from Nanaimo.  We asked one of our long time clients to comment on life in this small, idyllic town.

www.qualicumbeach.com

www.visitparksvillequalicumbeach.com

CLIMATE: "QB has a very temperate climate and the best place to live in Canada with respect to being active outdoors all year round.  One can basically play golf throughout the year with disruptions due to more persistent rain showers and cooler weather beginning in November and basically ending in February.  The summers are warm and sunny but not hot which is very pleasant.  It typically will snow for a couple of days in winter but usually melts the same day or a couple of days afterwards - but snow can accumulate for a few weeks with limited driving condition problems."

SPORTS & RECREATION:  "There is limitless recreation in and around QB ~ all kinds of ocean sports; swimming, deep sea and fly fishing, boating, paddle boarding, kayaking, sailing, windsurfing, scuba diving and very nice beaches for summer outings.  Other recreation activities include hiking, golfing, cycling, great walking nature trails, bird watching, senior baseball leagues, curling, lawn bowling, swimming at the QB Ravensong Aquatic Center (including steam and I.R. saunas) and fitness clubs in QB and Parksville.  Parksville is only a  ~10 minute drive from town center to town center.  There are lots of senior centres and clubs that offer social activities and also a New Comer's Club and QBANA Organization in QB to welcome a new visitor with information and access to the various clubs right in QB ~ like a golfing association, mixed bridge, ladies bridge, dining out group, dinner with friends group, discussion group, dominoes, ladies lunch, scotch appreciation group, singles group, tea cozies, wine appreciation, walking group, book club, fishing club, Mah Jong, men's pub lunch, motorcycle riding group, snow sports group and wine tasting.  QB Newcomer's Group Website: www.qbnewcomers.org."

COST OF LIVING:  "The cost of living is slightly higher overall than in Alberta, I would hazard a guess at around 5% overall.  Vehicle insurance is significantly higher, food and entertainment is only slightly higher, QB property tax is very reasonable as is home insurance.  There is truth to the saying; Welcome To B.C. ~ Bring Cash!" 

EASE OF ACCESS (transportation to and from):  "QB has its own airport with two small carriers, KD Air and Orca Airways with daily reasonable cost flights to Vancouver.  Other access off the Island from QB is via Ferry Terminals located in Nanaimo and Comox as is air travel, with Comox having direct West Jet flights to Vancouver and Calgary."

HEALTH CARE (quality and access):  "Parksville just opened a new Oceanside Health Care Facility and there are limited doctors in both QB and Parksville.  The nearest hospitals are in Nanaimo, Port Alberni and Comox approximately 30 to 45 minutes away.  There basically is a shortage of doctors in QB but that situation seems to be getting better and the overall quality of health care is good and no different from Calgary as I recall."