Welcome Home

back in may, when we held our first meeting with Vanmag’s newly appointed advisory council (a few of whom happen to work in the real estate industry), they had one key piece of advice: enough with the real estate talk. It’s admittedly hard to get through any conversation in Vancouver without bringing up the housing crisis. (I guess I’m breaking our first advisory council rule already.) Affordability, low inventory, high mortgage rates... there’s certainly no shortage of issues to discuss. On top of that, our editorial team had already decided that this summer edition would focus on homes.

Still, as we started planning, we took their suggestion to heart and decided to look at housing from a fresh perspective: we flipped the script and formed this issue into one that celebrates how we live now.

So when we interviewed the four fascinating Vancouverites we’re featuring in this issue (starting on page 33), we didn’t chat about the foreign buyers tax, or the challenges of renovating amid supply-chain disruptions, or even how much their properties cost. (Although we couldn’t help but wonder: how do they afford this? It’s a local tendency, right?) Instead, we asked them to tell us about their favourite room in their house, and what makes it special. And one thing quickly became clear: what matters most is universal—designing a home that inspires you, having a safe space to make memories with your loved ones and feeling a sense of community.

Which, in the end, circles back to why we pay so much to live here (sorry, advisory council, I’m doing it again). The true value of Vancouver’s real estate lies not in its physical structures, but rather in the incredible people and neighbourhoods that shape our city.

I also want to take a moment to introduce myself, as this is my first official issue serving as editor-in-chief of Vancouver magazine. I’m one of those rare folks who was born and raised right here in the Lower Mainland (shout-out to Burnaby) and have lived downtown for more than 20 years. I look forward to sharing my lens on the city with you while also honouring the more than 50-year legacy of this magazine. And while I have worked at Canada Wide Media for more than 15 years on various publications and have sat beside my extraordinarily talented colleagues on the Vanmag team for the past five, this is my first opportunity to work with them. I want to express my sincere gratitude for the incredibly warm welcome—thank you for making me feel at home.

Coming Up Next Issue

So-Fun City

Let’s dispel the myth that Vancouver is a no-fun city: we’ll be sharing insider info on the coolest events and venues—and the people behind them—to show that Vancouverites do indeed know how to have a good time.

Vancouver’s Best Sammies

As Fred Penner sang, “sandwiches are beautiful, sandwiches are fine.” And, just in time for the backto-school season, we’ll be rounding up the tastiest bread-and-filling combos in the city—from bao to banh mi and more.

On the Web

Is There a Distinctly “Vancouver” Watch?

YVR has quietly become a major centre for buying watches. Writer Neal McLennan susses out three timepieces, at three very different price points, as candidates for the title of the city’s signature watch.