Some questions about visitors (RV parks, to rent, how much)
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In September, I will be visiting Vancouver. I'll be staying there for about 4-6 weeks. I have a small class C RV (it is a camper that I can drive -- not a trailer), but I'm not looking to stay in a campground.
How do the authorities treat someone staying in an RV? When I went to Los Angeles, the authorities were so hostile with anyone they considered to be homeless. Will the Vancouver authorities treat me as if I am a nuisance? Can I park my vehicle without being harassed?
You are going to have truly major difficulties if that is your plan. Yes, you will definitely be harrassed daily by authorities and even certain members of the public and will have your vehicle towed away within a couple of hours if you try to park and leave your RV unattended in any unauthorized place. You may even stand a good chance of being harrassed and having the RV vandalized or burned out by other homeless people, or even of having it stolen by RV thieves the first day you arrive. These are very common occurences in Vancouver with respect to RV's.
There is no place anywhere in Vancouver to park an RV that you would be living in unless you rent a space in an RV park and there are only 3 RV parks in all of the greater Vancouver regional district. They are listed at this link: https://www.google.ca/search?hl=en-C...08.YmJoS3oRxrA
If you aren't prepared to pay rent for a secure, protected parking space for your RV you are at great risk of losing it very quickly. If you have friends in Vancouver who have a secure driveway on their property that you can park it on, that may be an option. Even so, if you park in a friend's driveway be prepared to be approached by authorities anyway because they (and your friend's neighbours) will want to ensure that it is only a temporary arrangement while visiting on vacation for a defined period and that you aren't an indigent renting permanent living space on a driveway (which is illegal here).
So just like Los Angeles. Why are authorities so aggressive about RV's?
I am insured fully, and I don't mind paying for parking. I chose an RV because I like to travel with my dog, and many hotels do not allow dogs. I won't just leave her in a car, which can heat up quickly. But with an RV, I can leave the air conditioning running for her without worrying that she might bump into the controls.
The RV I would be driving would also double as my transportation around town, so parking it in a stationary spot is not going to work. This is a small RV. Can I not just pay for parking? I just need to be able to move around the city. I won't be leaving the RV for any lengthy periods of time (I don't want to leave my dog alone for very long).
In September, I will be visiting Vancouver. I'll be staying there for about 4-6 weeks. I have a small class C RV (it is a camper that I can drive -- not a trailer), but I'm not looking to stay in a campground.
How do the authorities treat someone staying in an RV? When I went to Los Angeles, the authorities were so hostile with anyone they considered to be homeless. Will the Vancouver authorities treat me as if I am a nuisance? Can I park my vehicle without being harassed?
Thanks for your help!
Like any city and lot of cities in US and Canada you can't just park a RV or camper in front of some one house, store or restaurant and camp out. You need areas set out by city for RV or camper or find a campground or trailer park.
Some stores and restaurant could have no big vehicles parking or no parking for more than 15 minutes or one hour if you in the restaurant or fast food eating.
Otherwise you will get police or parking enforcement officer giving you a ticket or even trying to tow it away. They could even go for trespassing if you are parked there over night and sleeping there.
It does not better of you are poor or homeless or some rich person like Bill Gates. They could get you for trespassing a lot worse than a ticket or or even trying to tow it away.
So just like Los Angeles. Why are authorities so aggressive about RV's? ......
It's not just RV's, it's anyone who is transient and doesn't have a place to stay at night. Because, just like LA, Vancouver is an attraction for homeless transients from everywhere in North America, the majority of whom aren't familiar with Vancouver laws or the way Vancouver and its metro areas are laid out.
Vancouver and metro areas have more homeless people without vehicles living on the streets than any other city in Canada. They come to Vancouver with the delusion they're coming to the land of milk and honey and free hand outs and healthcare, and because of the milder west coast climate and the higher chance of homeless people surviving Canadian winters while living outdoors.
Many transient people arrive with RV vans, trucks and campers / trailers thinking they can just park their vehicles at the parking lots of beaches or at public parks or on residential side streets, or else if they have some kind of income they think they will park overnight at pay parking facilities in town and sleep in their vehicle overnight and then select another parking place the next night.
It just doesn't work that way though, which is a good thing, because if it was allowed then Vancouver and lower mainland resources would be even more over-run and exhausted with more and more homeless and transient people than it already is. It would be a disaster, especially considering how many of them are drug addicts, desperate thieves and people with very serious mental health issues.
Quote:
Originally Posted by screwygirl
I am insured fully, and I don't mind paying for parking. ......
In Vancouver city the pay parking facilities are at a premium and there are no pay parking places where you can park overnight to sleep in your vehicle. Public transit is encouraged, the use of cars in the city is strongly discouraged so when nightly inspections of parking facilities are being done at night by security guards or police anyone caught sleeping / living in their RV at night will be rousted and booted out faster than you can say Jack Robinson. That goes for parking lots at travellers rest areas, gas stations, shopping centers too, and the Walmarts in Canada don't allow travellers to park overnight in their Walmart parking lots the way they do in the States. It is NOT safe to allow that.
Seriously, if you want to visit Vancouver with your RV and dog and you can pay for it you are better off and safer to find secure, protected campgrounds or RV parks away from the metro core areas and further out in the lower mainland where you can pay to rent a space there at nights and then use your RV in the daytimes to travel around visiting Vancouver and surrounding areas and attractions. Doing that will be a lot less costly than staying nights at hotels or motels and less costly than having your RV impounded or stolen, or vandalized or burned up with you and your dog in it.
So the laws are that strict to deter the homeless? I can understand that, but it really does not encourage those with limited means who want to vacation.
So the laws are that strict to deter the homeless? I can understand that, but it really does not encourage those with limited means who want to vacation.
Thank you for the advice!
It's to deter homeless as well as people who are attempting to immigrate illegally.
I don't know about other countries' policies but I can tell you that both USA and Canada try to discourage visitors with limited means or who might be entering the country in the hopes of finding work illegally and may have no intention of returning back home to their own country. Neither country wants to encourage visitors with little funds who might pose a risk of becoming a financial burden to the host country while they're visiting or who might actually be trying to immigrate illegally by using the pretext of vacationing.
You haven't said whether or not this would be your first visit to Canada. If you've never visited Canada before you will need to be prepared for the reception you'll get from both the Canadian and American border authorities. They'll want to know exactly how much money you're bringing into the country and if they feel you don't have enough money to properly support yourself for 4 - 6 weeks vacation they may deny you entry into the country.
If you're coming in an RV your RV and possessions inside it will be searched for contraband, drugs and firearms, they may also want to do a recent history search on your cel phone or computer. Since your visit in Vancouver will be for 4 - 6 weeks, well for that unusual length of time it will automatically be assumed that you will be an attempting illegal immigrant looking for work illegally in Vancouver, so you'll need to be prepared to offer verifiable proof of your own permanent residence and your employer and place of employment in the USA. The authorities will want verification of where you'll be going in Canada, they may also ask for proof of reservations at accomodations or the names and contact telephone numbers of people that you'll be visiting so they can contact them to confirm that you are expected.
Your dog will have to be up to date on all of her innoculations (especially rabies shots) for travelling and you'll need collar tags, documentation and medical records from your vetrinarian that confirms it. Otherwise the dog won't be allowed into the country if you aren't prepared for all that. You will need those same records and tags at hand to get your dog back into America on your return trip too. Your RV will be searched again by American border authorities on your return trip and you will need your passport to cross the border both times. The American border authorities are more antsy and paranoid than the Canadian authorities about having a passport and other credible documentation.
So the laws are that strict to deter the homeless? I can understand that, but it really does not encourage those with limited means who want to vacation.
Thank you for the advice!
Both countries are strict to deter homeless people or people that could be homeless.
People on vacation for a month or more need visa a temporary pass that lets you enter and remain there for a specific period of time.
You have to prove you have money and have a job.
If you going to school in US or in Canada on school program to study normally a year there in that country you have to prove you in school and have the money to support your self.
If you want to work in country you need green card a permit that does not only allow you to enter but also lets you stay there and work for set time.
Again you have to prove you have money and have a job.
People who have money, good job and education are more likely to get visa or green card.
Some one working at Walmart and living paycheck to paycheck and no money in bank will not get visa or green card. Some one working at Burger King with only $500 or $1000 in the bank may only get visa for month or two and no more.
Some one like school Teacher, Doctor, Nurse, Police officer, Firefighter, EMT, some one who got a master or PhD and $5000,000 or 1,0000,000 in the bank be lot more easier getting a visa or green card. This also applies to people who also want to get immigration status.
Some one that is school drop out and no high school and little to no money is not going to be allowed to get visa or green card. This also applies to people who also want to get immigration status.
People vacation for days or a week or two week not a month. If you want to be there for month or say two months or more you need a visa. If you have little to no money, little to no education, not so good job you are going to have very hard time to get visa. Same thing for people who want to get immigration status.
This is too weed out homeless people or people who could be homeless in the US or Canada.
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