TL::DR Thinking of moving to coastal BC, suggestions please. Details follow so anyone who wants to can respond based on some concrete information.
In the last MMM post there were comments from Kristina, Rocketpj, and KwikPete about life in BC. They got me thinking.
We just went through a traditional winter here in southeastern Ontario (= cold and snowy), and now that it is warmer black fly season has started. And mosquitoes, of course, time to start the heartworm meds for the dog. Plus I am in farm country, and it seems more forests are getting cleared for fields every year.
So the thought of living somewhere where the winters are milder, the summers don't have bugs (Rocketpj, don't tell everyone or most of rural Ontario will move your way), and life is generally a bit more treed sounds nice.
So BCers, what are the areas of BC west of the Rockies where it is not too rainy (I don't want to trade cold sunny winters for gloom and more gloom), the rain is moderate (my average precipitation here is about 85cm/year, but more than half of that is winter snow, we can be quite dry in the summer), and the land formation is such that I wouldn't get nailed by heavy Pacific storms (why trade one winter nastiness for another?) or nailed by earthquakes (yeah, right) or tsunamis.
COL - I looked on my cheap gas prices web site and BC gas is right up there with Quebec, way higher than Ontario, so I would need a place where I didn't have to do a lot of driving. What I need - some room for gardening (I am on an acre right now, but less than that is fine, say 10,00-15,000 sq.ft.), a good library system (most of my driving right now is to the library in Ottawa), gardening clubs and spinning/weaving/knitting guilds. Water close by is nice (this is the coast we are talking about) but I am fine with fresh-water versus salt, I don't need ocean access. I would have about $250,000 to spend on a house.
If things sound good, my time line is not rushed - get the house in good shape over the summer (outside) and winter (rest of inside). Put it on the market early next spring - say mid-May. Then whenever it sells, sell most of my stuff, find a rental in my tentative new BC home, and stay there for a year at least to be sure I like it there. If I really like the rental as well as the place, I might never bother buying. But I would want to experience one winter before committing.
Rocketpj gave a lot of info, and the Sunshine Coast sounds really nice. I worry a bit about the isolation (ferry or air is the only way out) but I am not commuting to work, so I don't see it as a big issue. Parts of Vancouver Island also look very nice.
So, any suggestions about what areas to explore further? At 63, I am OK with a community that has an older demographic (hey, more retired people for me to hang out with during the day) but that is not necessary. I am more concerned about the library and social groups mentioned above.
I have just killed 6 mosquitoes while typing this (I'm inside, they came in last night)- so feedback please!