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The west coast of Canada is a popular landing place for new immigrants. Are you thinking about moving to Surrey, British Columbia? Or perhaps another part of Metro Vancouver or B.C.? Moving is a huge life decision. The city you choose can determine your housing and job options, as well as your financial well-being. So, researching cities before you move is a vital step. Surrey is a great destination for newcomers. It is popular with immigrants from the Asia-Pacific Region. While mostly suburban, it is a beautiful part of the country with a mild climate and is close to Vancouver. Plus, you are never too far from the water and mountains in B.C.
Living in Surrey, British Columbia, allows residents to enjoy beautiful urban forests, clean beaches, golf courses, and great eco-tourism opportunities.
Surrey is the second-largest city by population in British Columbia and is only 23 km from Vancouver Centre. Housing is more affordable than in Vancouver. So, many people choose to live in Surrey and commute to Vancouver for work.
This city was incorporated in 1879. It was named after Surrey, England, because it had land that looked like the region. The Pattullo Bridge was completed in 1937. This allowed the city to expand. Surrey was granted city status in 1993 after large population growth in the 1980s and ’90s.
As of the 2021 Census, the population is 568,322. This is an increase of 9.7% and over 50,000 residents in five years. And it continues to grow!
The economy is rooted in agriculture. Today, about one-third of the land is dedicated to farming. Great business opportunities exist for international trade with Asia and the United States. Because of Surrey’s Pacific Rim location, combined with its growing and multicultural population, it’s a strong city for business.
Due to population growth, Surrey became one of the best places in B.C. to invest in real estate. Over the past five years, more than $6 billion of building permits were issued, and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation reported an increase in the number of housing starts.
The strongest growth industry is health. This is due to the rising need for medical services for Surrey’s aging population.
The top industries in this city include:
The health and education sectors are the main sources of employment. Some of the top employers include:
You can contact a recruitment agency when you arrive in Canada to help with your job search. The top recruiters in Vancouver are Recruiting in Motion, iLink Global, Robert Half, and Randstad Canada.
Living in Surrey allows you to rent or buy a home near the beach, in urban centres, close to parks, or on quiet farms. The city comprises six key neighbourhoods. Learn more in our guide, Renting in Surrey, BC, Canada: Best Neighbourhoods for Newcomers.
Surrey is more affordable than Vancouver, which is why many people move to Surrey and commute to Vancouver to work.
Renting is a common first step for newcomers to Surrey. The average rent for an apartment is $1,400 for a Bachelor, $1,463 for a 1-bedroom, $1,770 for a 2-bedroom, and $2,065 for a 3-bedroom.
🏠 Use Rentals for Newcomers to search for available rental units in Surrey. Here, you can also find current rental prices in Surrey.
When renting a home or apartment, it’s also important to buy renter’s insurance to protect your family, belongings, and finances. While renters’ insurance is optional, many property owners may require that you have it as part of your lease agreement. Read more about why newcomers need tenant insurance.
Buying a home in this city can be expensive. Prices have increased substantially over the past few years. According to data by Zolo, Surrey ranks as the 7th most expensive city in B.C. with an average home price of 1.2 million (as of April 2022). The average cost of a detached house is $2 million. A townhouse is $962, 000 and a condo is $577,000.
It’s common for residents to commute to work in other parts of Metro Vancouver. The city has a grid road system and several highways. Highway 1 is the main route to Vancouver and other cities in the east. Residents can also use Highway 15, Highway 17, Highway 99, and Fraser Highway to get around town.
Driving and parking in all City of Surrey streets are regulated by the Province of British Columbia Motor Vehicle Act. For maps and directions in Surrey, click here. As part of its efforts to increase awareness of high collision areas, the Surrey RCMP supplies traffic safety maps, to show the top collision locations in Surrey.
SkyTrain Expo Line connects Surrey to Vancouver. Buses are the main way of public transport for people living in this city. Currently, there are more than 1,300 bus stops. The fare system is divided into three zones. Passengers pay according to the number of zones they travel in. However, passengers pay one fare no matter how many zones they cross after 6:30 pm on Monday to Friday, and weekends and holidays.
You must have exact change when getting on a bus because the driver does not accept bills or give change. Make sure you receive Proof of Payment/Transfers. Transfers are valid for 90 minutes. If you travel often, you can buy a monthly fare Compass Card.
Get more information about driving in Canada:
Driving Test in Canada: A Full Guide
Tips for Winter Driving to Ensure Your Safety
Surrey supports newcomers through several immigrant support agencies:
Newcomers to British Columbia may also be eligible for the Introduction to British Columbia program through the Immigrant Services Association of British Columbia.
Newcomers can receive language support and take classes through community settlement agencies such as the Fraser Health Authority, DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society, and Options Community Services Society.
Getting your finances in order once you arrive in Canada is an important step you cannot overlook. You can open a bank account at any local bank or credit union. Most banks offer special programs for immigrants to open a bank account, get a credit card, or line of credit, and even qualify for a mortgage.
Get more banking tips for newcomers:
How Much Money Will I Need to Move to Canada?
Top 10 Financial Steps to Take Before You Leave for Canada
Move to Canada | Transferring Cash & Valuables
Open a Bank Account Before Arriving in Canada
In British Columbia, parents can choose to send their children to public schools, independent schools, or homeschooling. And because public schools are government-funded, many people choose to send their children to public schools.
Surrey School District has the largest student enrollment in British Columbia with:
For a list of public schools click here. Independent schools offer specific religious, cultural, educational, or philosophical approaches. For information about independent schools click here.
If you choose to teach your children at home, you must register them with the Ministry of Education. You will also have to follow the curriculum guidelines that the ministry sets.
Surrey is home to a third campus for Simon Fraser University (SFU). On this SFU campus, students can enroll in the following programs:
Kwantlen Polytechnic University has a Surrey campus that offers science, business, art, and health programs.
There are also several private post-secondary colleges such as Brighton College, Sprott Shaw College, CDI College, Western Community College, Sterling College, Stenberg College, Academy of Learning, Surrey Community College, Discovery Community College, and Vancouver Career College.
Read more about education in Canada:
Schooling in Canada | A Look at the Education System
Higher Education Offers Benefits to Newcomers
In British Columbia, there are two main health insurance plans: the Medical Service Plan (MSP) and PharmaCare. For those, who can not afford to pay the monthly MSP premium, there is Premium Assistance.
Three main hospitals serve Surrey residents: Surrey Memorial Hospital, Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre, and Peace Arch Hospital. In case of an emergency call 9-1-1. This number is the same no matter where you live in Canada. For prescription drugs and some services that British Columbia Health does not cover, you can buy additional health insurance.
Once you get medical insurance coverage, you should find a family doctor. You can refer to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia for a list of physicians accepting new patients. If you require specialized care, your family doctor will refer you to specialists.
But, if you are unable to find a family doctor, you can go to walk-in clinics until you secure your doctor. Get more information about health care in Canada: Steps to Access Free Health Care in Canada
Surrey is an outdoor lover’s paradise. It is often called the City of Parks because of its 600 parks and 277 trails and walkways. Living in this city provides opportunities for hiking, biking, bird watching, and outdoor sports. For more information on Surrey Parks click here. Surrey also boasts some of Metro Vancouver’s best golf courses for all skill levels.
Surrey hosts five annual city events. They are Tree Lighting Festival, Party for the Planet, Surrey Children’s Festival, Surrey Fusion Festival, and Surrey Canada Day, Western Canada’s biggest Canada Day celebration. Every year, thousands of people attend the Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair. And, this makes it the second-largest rodeo in Canada after the Calgary Stampede.
Every year on April 13, the Sikh community celebrates Vaisakhi, the largest parade outside of India.
This city is known as a great place to wine and dine. There are numerous local wineries in the area and many great restaurants with an international flavour. Be sure to try the iconic Old Surrey Restaurant. Other places to check out include Tap Restaurant, Afghan Kitchen, Vault Restaurant, and New York New York Greek Restaurant.
With over 600 parks and endless green space, it’s easy to get lost in all the surrounding nature. Some points of interest to check out include Crescent Beach, Surrey Bend Regional Park, Darts Hill Garden, and Historic Stewart Farm.
This city is not home to any professional sports teams. But it is host to the Canada Cup International Women’s Fastpitch Tournament. Cricket is a popular sport in the city. If you want to take in a concert, check out The Roxy, River Rock Casino Resort, Centennial Theatre, and The Cobalt.
It is a truly diverse community. 57.8% of the population identifies as a visible minority. This is about 300,000 residents. The biggest minority community is South Asian with 32.4% of the population. This is followed by Chinese (7.7%), Filipino (6.2%), and Southeast Asian (2.5%). 2.6% of residents are Aboriginal. With a large South Asian population, Surrey hosts the Diwali festival in British Columbia.
Christianity is the predominant religion in Surrey. 38.2% of the population identifies as Christian – Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, or other Christians.
The second-largest religious group, 22.6%, is the Sikh. Every year on April 13, the Sikh community organizes a big celebration of Vaisakhi. And this celebration often includes a Nagar Kirtan (parade). Surrey’s Guru Nana Sikh Gurdwara is one of the leading Sikh Temples in Canada.
There is a moderate, inter-coastal Pacific-Northwest climate that is appealing and comfortable. Winter in Surrey is mild with an average temperature of 5 degrees C. It rarely snows. However, getting many rainy and gloomy days or even rainy weeks in a row is not uncommon.
Spring is also wet. Summer is sunny with an average temperature of 22 degrees C, and autumn is cool. Surrey enjoys about 1848.3 hours of sunshine per year (an average of 5 hours per day).
Living in Surrey provides many great services and activities for families, making it a great choice for newcomers. It’s close to Vancouver with affordable housing, many schools, and a diverse community.
Surrey is a popular destination for Asian immigrants. The city has more affordable housing compared to Metro Vancouver. It has a great hospital system and access to nature. It’s a growing city that offers a great community for families.
Surrey is expensive compared to other large cities in Canada. Most people commute, so you’ll likely have to drive out of the community to work each day. Traffic can be an issue.
Public transit is one of the most convenient and affordable ways to get around Metro Vancouver. Whether you have just moved to Metro Vancouver or you are visiting there, you will probably have to rely on public transit to get around. In this article, you will learn all you need to know about Vancouver’s transit system and how to use it to get around Metro Vancouver quickly and cost-effectively.
Vancouver’s public transit system is managed by TransLink, the company that looks over Metro Vancouver’s transportation network. Vancouver Metropolitan Area, or simply Metro Vancouver is a group of municipalities that include the city of Vancouver and its surrounding cities such as Burnaby, Surrey, and Richmond.
There are 4 transit systems in Metro Vancouver. You will only need to use the first three to get around Metro Vancouver. The fourth is a commuter railway that connects Metro Vancouver with nearby towns and cities:
Let’s explore each of these systems below.
SkyTrain is Metro Vancouver’s rapid transit system. Launched in December of 1985, the SkyTrain system has helped Vancouverites and visitors get around the city quickly and efficiently. At an average speed of 35 km/h, the SkyTrain is a convenient way to meet your transportation needs in Metro Vancouver.
SkyTrain uses automated trains that run on both underground and elevated tracks throughout the city. Since it mostly runs on elevated tracks, the transit system was named SkyTrain.
Buses are the most common way of using public transit in Canadian cities. The SkyTrain system along with buses is enough to serve most of your transportation needs around the Metro Vancouver area. Buses run through neighbourhoods at frequent timings from 5:00 AM to 1:00 AM.
Buses connect different parts of the city to major destinations and SkyTrain stations. You can get almost anywhere in Metro Vancouver by using buses. However, the longer the distance, the more buses you will probably have to change, resulting in longer travel times. If you plan on using public transit often, you can open Google Maps and look at the best routes to get to your destination. Oftentimes, the best way to get to your destination could be by using both SkyTrain and the bus.
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REGISTER FOR THE WEBINARVancouver’s SeaBus is a ferry service that connects the city of Vancouver to North Vancouver by crossing the Burrard Inlet. The SeaBus system operates from 6 AM to 1 AM from Monday to Saturday and from 8 AM to 11 PM on Sundays and Holidays.
Throughout the day, you can board a passenger vessel every 15 minutes. However, on Sundays and evenings of the rest of the week, a vessel will only come every 30 minutes. This is because, during the day, 2 passenger vessels are in service while during the evenings and Sundays, only 1 vessel is getting passengers across the Inlet.
The West Coast Express is a commuter railway that connects the cities of Vancouver and Mission. It runs from Waterfront Station in Downtown Vancouver to Mission City Station in Mission. Between Vancouver and Mission, it stops at 6 stations. In total, the West Coast Express covers 8 stations, stretching over 69 kilometres. It takes approximately 1 hour 15 minutes to make the journey from Waterfront Station in Vancouver to Mission City Station through the West Coast Express.
Metro Vancouver is divided into 3 fare zones when it comes to its public transit system. If you are using either the SkyTrain or the SeaBus, the amount you pay is based on how many fare zones you cross. However, if you are on a bus, you will be charged for a one-zone ride no matter how many zones you cross.
If you are travelling on weekends/holidays or after 6:30 PM on weekdays, you will also be charged a one-zone fare. This applies even to SkyTrain and SeaBus fares. It is important to know how many zones you are going to cross on your trip and when so you know how much you will be needing to pay.
Fares zones divide metro Vancouver into 3 zones. If you are using SkyTrain or SeaBus, you need to keep these in mind because crossing one or more of these zones will require you to pay more for your ride. Keep in mind that the West Coast Express has completely different zones as it goes outside the Metro Vancouver region.
The fares listed below are for bus, SkyTrain, and SeaBus journey and are for each fare zone in Metro Vancouver:
1-Zone Fare – $3.05
2-Zone Fare – $4.35
3-Zone Fare – $5.90
Children/ youth between 5 and 18 years of age and seniors over 65 years of age are eligible for concession fares. Concession fares are a discounted version of the regular fare for each zone. Like the regular fare, the numbers listed below only apply to buses, SkyTrain and SeaBus.
Here are the discounted concession fares for each fare zone:
1-Zone Concession Fare – $2.00
2-Zone Concession Fare – $3.00
3-Zone Concession Fare – $4.05
Here, you will find TransLink’s guide to fare zones and the full fare pricing table. You will also find all your options for paying fares on buses, SkyTrain and SeaBus.
The fare system for the West Coast Express can get a little complicated. In this section, I will try to break it down. The West Coast Express line has 8 stations that are divided into 5 zones. Before I explain any further, let’s take a look at the 5 zones in the West Coast Express.
1 Zone: Waterfront Station (Downtown Vancouver) – Station 1
2 Zone: (No stations)
3 Zone:
4 Zone:
5 Zone: Mission City Station (Mission) – Station 8
So what do these zones mean for you as a traveller? If you travel from Waterfront Station (Downtown Vancouver) to Mission City Station, you would have to pay a full 5-zone fare. This is because there are 5 zones between Waterfront and Mission City. However, if you were to travel from Mission City to Pitt Meadows, you would only have to pay a 2-zone fare. This is because you will have to travel through 2 zones to get to Pitt Meadows.
In general, you will have to pay somewhere between $6 – $13 for a regular one-way ticket. The price would drop to around $4 – $8 for a concession ticket. Remember, the more zones you cross, the more your ticket will cost.
Click here for TransLink’s guide to learn more about the West Coast Express and its fare system. This guide also has the full fare pricing table so if you are planning to use the West Coast Express, make sure to check that table before you purchase your ticket.
Compass cards are the most convenient way to pay for fares in Metro Vancouver. Not only are they easy to use but they will also save you money. A Compass card is a fare card you can use to pay fares for buses, SkyTrain, SeaBus, and the West Coast Express.
There are two ways you can use your Compass card. The first is to add stored value to your card. Stored value is the amount of money you have added to your Compass card. You can use this money to pay for fares whenever you use the public transportation system.
The second way you can use your Compass card is by buying passes. There are 2 types of passes; day passes and monthly passes. As you may have guessed, day passes allow unlimited use of public transportation for a day while monthly passes allow unlimited travel for a month. Keep in mind that monthly passes expire at the end of the month, not after 30 days. Because of this, you cannot buy a monthly pass after the 15th of every month.
So why is a Compass card the best way to pay for fares. Compass cards will charge you less money than regular fares. You can compare how much it would cost to pay for adult fares by cash and by a Compass card.
| Zone | Cash | Compass Card |
| 1 | $3.05 | $2.45 |
| 2 | $4.35 | $3.55 |
| 3 | $5.90 | $4.60 |
If you plan on using the public transportation system a lot, you should consider getting a Compass card. Over time, paying by cash will really start to add up to your cost of living.
Whenever you enter a bus, you will need to tap your Compass card to the card reader inside the bus. This will automatically pay for your ride, as long as you have enough balance on your card. To use the compass card on SkyTrain, SeaBus, and the West Coast Express, you need to tap the card before you enter and exit so the card reader knows how many zones you travelled and charge you accordingly.
There are many places where you can buy and reload your Compass Card. The easiest way is to get one online. Visit this site to purchase a Compass card online. Once you have paid for the card, it will be mailed to your location in Canada.
Another way to buy and reload Compass cards is through Compass retailers and Compass Vending Machines (CVMs). Compass retailers are any stores that sell compass cards. You can find CVMs at every SkyTrain, SeaBus and West Coast Express station. For a map of all the CVMs and Compass retailers in Metro Vancouver, click here. You will have to pay a $6 refundable fee when you buy a Compass card.
You can also buy a Concession Compass card. Anyone eligible for concession fares is also eligible for a Concession card. Just like concession fares, Concession cards will charge you less money for each trip. Regular Compass cards are blue while Concession cards are orange. Note that you cannot buy a concession card at CVMs.
You can return the compass card and collect your $6 fee once you are done using the card. This is especially useful for visitors in Metro Vancouver as they will not have to worry about the $6 fee to purchase the card.
To learn more about Compass cards, visit TransLink’s guide to Compass Cards. If you want to learn how to use your Compass card, click here.
Vancouver’s public transit system is not that hard to understand. It might seem complicated online but once you start using it, everything will become clear and make more sense. Taking the time to understand how the public transit system works in Metro Vancouver will help you save time and money in the long run.