From King West to West Coast: A Toronto to Victoria move

Last year, Stefanie Knox and her husband Jonathan went from annual visitors to full time residents of Victoria, B.C. The decision to go west was motivated by impossible Toronto real estate prices and the relentless pace of 416 living. Now a full-on B.C. girl (she hikes after work!), Knox says her new home is more sophisticated than the hippy-dippy stereotype would suggest. Here, she talks Victoria's thriving tech sector, flip-flops at the office and why the rat race is overrated. 

Six months ago you were living in downtown Toronto, walking distance from work, restaurants, night clubs. Sounds like a pretty urban existence?  

Oh yeah. I had been living in downtown Toronto practically my whole life. City is what I know. It's what I live and breathe. I love that there is always something going in Toronto, so much energy.

So what happened?

Well my husband and I had always gone to Victoria every summer — that's where he is from and where his family lives. It was always such a nice getaway — the beaches, the ocean, the air just smelled so clean and crisp. My husband wanted to end up there. We had discussed how when we decide to have kids, that's where we wanted them to grow up. It's where we planned to retire. I just didn't think it would be so soon.

And then bing, bang, boom — you move across the country?

We had been trying to buy a house for probably three years and we kept getting outbid — by more every time. It was getting really discouraging. I was working at the Toronto Region Board of Trade in the First Canadian Place building, surrounded by the most ambitious people in Canada and feeling that ambition and drive. It's really inspiring, but it never stops and it can get to you. I was getting tired of the constant grind that comes with working in the financial district and still feeling like I wasn't moving forward. Then this past June while we were visiting, we went up to Tofino for a holiday with a bunch of friends. It was just the most magical place and I think that kind of pushed me over the edge. When we got back to Toronto, I just had this feeling like, I'm done. We decided to just go for it. We started looking for jobs and within a month we had that sorted out, we had somewhere to live.

Was it easy to find work in your industry?

I found a position at the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce. Victoria has such a large small business community. People have this perception that Victoria is this tiny island town where there's not a lot going on, but it's really evolving. The tech sector is growing rapidly and it seems like a lot of younger people are moving out west. I think people in Canada are realizing you don't have to live in Toronto to grow your business. It's funny though because in Toronto, I lived in a bubble. I never went east of Yonge Street or North of Bloor Street. Here I have an entire island to explore, and I do.  

The rest of Canada thinks that everyone in B.C. sits around talking about nature and smoking weed. How true or untrue is the stereotype?

Well especially coming from the financial district in Toronto, I have definitely noticed a difference. Everyone is just more laid back at heart, people are on island time. You don't have to wear a suit or any corporate clothes, really. In my first week, I had to go to a conference and I saw someone wearing flip-flops. My mind was blown. When I was in Toronto—working and going out on King West, I spent a lot more time thinking about what I was wearing. It's not that people here don't care. They're just not as caught up with it.

Were you always outdoorsy or does moving to the West Coast convert even the most committed city slicker?

It is impossible to live here and not want to be outside all the time. Being on the island, surrounded by water, the beaches, the incredible parks. Beacon Hill Park is just down my street. Mount Finlayson is only a twenty minute drive. I can go hiking after work!

You sound like you've definitely drunk the Kool-Aid. Do you ever feel like — ugh! — I wish it weren't so beautiful here so I could just veg on my couch and watch Netflix without feeling guilty?

I don't know if you've heard, but it does rain here on occasion. Those nights are perfect for Netflix and wine.

Victoria was recently ranked one of the best cities for women. Is that something you have noticed?

I have. There are a lot of female CEOs and business owners here.  I think it's a great place to live and work for women. As I was saying before — the work/life balance here is incredible.

Here I have an entire island to explore, and I do.

So it sounds like a pretty dreamy transition. Is there anything you miss about your old life?

Well I miss the Jays. I'm a diehard fan and it's hard knowing that I can't just walk to a game and sit in the nosebleeds, drinking beer in the sun. When we moved here in September, the Jays were still going in the playoffs. I was surprised to find out how many Jays fans there are in Victoria.  I asked around to see if I was going to be able to find a bar where they would be playing the game. People thought that was hilarious. I miss my family and friends and the people I used to work with. One thing about my work life in Toronto is that there is that real work hard mentality. Everyone knows they're going to be there around the clock, so we had a lot of fun at lunches or going for a drink after work. Here, there's not as much of that — or I haven't found there to be.

Maybe everyone just wants to get home and go for a hike!

Right. Maybe that's it.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.