Yeah I don't understand the Vancouver situation. It seems to be full of $30k/year millionaires. Some physicians I know who have had opportunities to work in Van turned them down. Sure it's nice to live within driving distance to a beach, but the salaries, taxes, cost of living - it became an easy choice to stay in Alberta or go to Ontario. I know two of them who have moved back to both Edmonton and Calgary recently who said it's not worth making a go of it. I suppose they could practice in satellite towns around Van, but most physicians (unless you're a GP) need to go where the resources, patients, and jobs are - and often it's not Vancouver.
What's interesting to me is that some physicians can make a killing up in Yellowknife apparently. Rotate in and out every two weeks or a month. Living in Yellowknife would be seriously cool but obviously not for everyone.
Back to the original point - when you have high-earners avoiding Vancouver, it should be obvious that people that earn less should be more mobile if the COL and pay just isn't there. Everyone is different though.
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