Living in Comox, working in Campbell river

cracked_ribs

Well-Known Member
I live in Vancouver most of the time right now and I am pretty fed up with it. I've been trying to get my work relocated to Nanaimo for about a year now, and that may work, but a third option has cropped up. I might be able to get a big chunk of it moved to Campbell River.

I can't see my wife doing Campbell River. And she might be able to get her job moved to the island, but it'd be more likely around Nanaimo or Duncan than Campbell River anyway. So I could maybe see Courtenay-Comox.

I thought there might be people here familiar enough with the traffic patterns on the island to give me a sense of how feasible commuting from Comox to Campbell River would be. On paper it looks like it would take an hour (which sadly in Vancouver just sounds normal to me). But locals would know better. I don't really mind a bunch of highway time, I just hate sitting in stop-go traffic for 45 minutes at a time.

I'm trying to decide if it's worth trying to get work in CR, or just keep on trying to get it all moved to Nanaimo.

I'm just sick to death of Vancouver and would really like to move back to Canada, preferably on the mid- or mid-south island, since I have a boat access place near Valdes. And any way I can do that is starting to look appealing, but I'm afraid that I'm getting to a point where I'm considering stuff that's unworkable just to get out of here.

Any thoughts?
 
Id live in Duncan and work in Port Hardy to not live in Vancouver. Sorry can't answer your question but I can relate.
 
It is 23 minutes from the Cumberland Exchange on Hwy 19 to the airport Jubilee Parkway in CR. Only delays are infrequent accidents and weather. So realistically 30-40 minutes tops depending where you are coming from and going to. CR is not that bad!
 
Campbell river is pretty spread out. If you work downtown cr and you pick a spot to live that is near the inland hwy in courtenay it will be faster than an hour . Traffic is not a concern. You can almost always do 120km. There is some very nice neighbourhoods in south cr so take the wife for a drive before settling in courtenay.
 
I can't see it being an hour commute from Comox to Campbell River but I live in Victoria,so not local knowledge.Anywhere north of Nanaimo would be like stepping back in time,in a good way.I don't know how anyone can live in Vancouver,I avoid it at all cost,although Victoria is getting near as bad traffic wise.
 
I live in Royston (South Courtenay), about 5 minutes to the Inland Highway and can get to the north end of Campbell River in 45 minutes. If you live further away from the Highway (e.g. Comox) it will take 10 - 15 minutes longer. The key is the length of time it takes to get from your house to the freeway - as Seawolf says it's about 25 - 30 minutes from the Cumberland Exchange to Jubilee which is at the south end of Campbell River.
 
Man, I must have been thinking of Parksville or something. Looking at it now on a map I don't get where I got an hour from - must have been a previous thought about being midway between Duncan and Campbell River.

In general, stop-and-go traffic hasn't really made it north of Nanaimo, is that fair to say? Even at commute times?
That is fair to say!! Pedal to the metal!!LOL
 
Another thing to consider is that Coutenay/Comox have frequent and at times long lasting boil water advisories. CR has none!
 
There are a number of people that live in Courtenay and work in Campbell River and many that work in Courtenay and live in Campbell River. The old Island highway takes little mors than a half hour to travel.
Campbell River is not spread out. 15 minutes will get you from one end to the other. Have lived in CR for 35 years.

Hunting, fishing,camping are more accessible in CR. On the new Inland highway, CR to Nanaimo is slightly less than 1 hour and 1/2. CR is on the ocean and very accessible. Courtenay is slightly larger than CR, the Canadian Forces base is in Comox/Courtenay and the Federal Govt. employs 1/4 to 1/3 of the population.

I was informed a few years ago that Courtenay/Comox was 1/3 Military, 1/3 retired military and 1/3 ordinary citizens.

There is not very much difference in the city of CR and C/C.
 
I lived in Courtenay 2 x first for 5 years, then 4 years, the rest (22 yrs) in Vic. I AM retireing very soon to CR fast easy access to all my passions. No long ramp lineups, no traffic jams, no fleet of boats like the head has. Drove the road Comox-CR 100's of times. An hour from anywhere in Courtenay/Comox to anywhere in CR is a good time to allow. Little less if its close to freeway access to freeway off ramps.

HM
 
Man, I must have been thinking of Parksville or something. Looking at it now on a map I don't get where I got an hour from - must have been a previous thought about being midway between Duncan and Campbell River.

In general, stop-and-go traffic hasn't really made it north of Nanaimo, is that fair to say? Even at commute times?

What do you do? What does wifey do? I live in CR and love my town but will tell you honestly our shopping and restaurants suck by comparison of courtenay / comox. Courtenay comox definitely a lot more stop and go traffic but still a ghost town by Vancouver standards.
CR real estate is cheaper ( for now ) but crazy booming right now. But having lived 8 years in Vancouver I feel your pain. I would rather live in a van down by the river than that place ever again. I even hate visiting there. Pm me if you feel more comfortable. I know a lot of people and have lots of resources and contacts.
 
When I said spread out I was talking about the distance from say storries beach to painters lodge. I would consider that entire area cr.
 
I grew up in Campbell River , lived in Courtenay when I got married and commuted to work at the pulp mill at Elk falls, now I live in mill Bay.
If I had to choose between CR and Courtenay, I would choose Courtenay. CR is closer to better fishing and hunting, but Courtenay as a community has a better feel. There is (or was 20 plus years ago anyway) quite a difference in the people and retail environment between the two communities. I wouldn't have said so until I moved due to my wife's work. I think it has something to do with one community being resource dependent and the other not so much. Either way the entire area is beautiful and I miss it..........except for the rain.......It doesn't rain down here like it does up there .......I don't miss the rain
 
What fish brain said. There are some nice areas south of Campbell River (Shelter Point/Black Creek) that are great rural areas but Courtenay has way more to offer as far as a community goes. Black Creek is a good in-between place. 30min each way.
 
And we have "cheap" Costco gas in Courtenay too!!! $1.15.9 here. $1.23.9 in CR LOL!
 
CR traffic is such that you can park within 1/2 block or better of the store you want. No boil water advisories. Better bang for your housing buck, for sure. Courtenay has more macchiato wappa frappa skim coffee shops. Great pool. Neither has a Jr A team. I feel your pain. Got out of N Van for Sayward in 2010.
 
No boil water advisories in Cumberland or Royston. Only boil water advisories for areas served by Comox Lake system - which is supposed to be upgraded sometime over the next few years.
 
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