Port Alberni has plenty ideal qualities when it comes to relocating and diving into a new life in a new community. Located mid-Island, Port Alberni is the perfect middle ground between other communities, just an hour or two in either direction can bring you to a whole different world. Two hours west and you are storm watching in beautiful Ucluelet or surfing on Long Beach, Tofino. Just 40 minutes up Island, you could be sitting on another beach in Parksville or Qualicum, a bit further and you have the ‘big city shopping’ of Nanaimo and our capital city is just an hour or so further. All surrounding towns and cities are wonderful in their own way, but Port Alberni truly is the ‘somewhat’ hidden gem of our Island.
Affordable Housing: Port Alberni’s real estate market has in the past trended more affordable than other areas of Vancouver Island. With various desirable neighbourhoods at a lower price, this is a great option of relocation for new families starting out, young people wanting to get their foot in the door with the market and the perfect place for investment opportunities.
Community: Port Alberni, the community with a heart! The Alberni Valley has always been one to outpour support into their residents, businesses, projects and charities. Organizations like the Salvation Army, Sage Haven and Mamas for Mamas to name a few, hold events throughout the year to fundraise money and donations to put directly back into our community and resources. Families enjoy the array of family friendly locations in town such as the Harbour Quay, Sproat Lake Provincial Park, Canal Beach and programs such as Strong Start and nature groups for even our tiniest residents. Living in the Alberni Valley, you will get to know people simply by being out and about as the majority of residents are friendly and happy to welcome new people into our community. There are several New to Port Alberni groups on facebook where members can set up hikes or mingles to get to know one another. Moving to this community you can be rest assured you’ll find your group here and people will welcome you with open arms.
Shopping: The business sector in Port Alberni has been drastically booming with new businesses opening up monthly and members of our community offering lots of support and encouragement to new businesses opening up. Of course bigger shopping centres are going to be in a bigger city such as Nanaimo, but here in the Valley we do truly have everything we need. Multiple hardware stores, gift stores, grocery stores all with their own niche of product and produce, locally owned fashion and clothing stores and most things in between. When a new business opens up in town, our community supports them like it’s a big deal, because it is! If you are relocating and looking to open a business, Port Alberni is a great location to do so!
Outdoors: Of course we save (arguably) the best for last. You could quite literally take a dip in Sproat Lake and be at the top of Mount Arrowsmith playing in snow all in the course of a couple hours. The diversity when it comes to outdoors here is unmatched with the magnitude of trails that take you to different little pockets of our charming town. We have several lakes ranging from swim and boatable – Sproat Lake and Great Central Lake, to smaller ones that freeze over in the winter giving people a fun place to ice skate such as Loon Lake. You can hike many different lookout locations to view the beauty of the Valley from what feels like the top of the world.
Not too big, and not too small, Port Alberni really is a little oasis here in Vancouver Island. If you are thinking of relocating, this is the place you want to be!
