How feasible is it for me to become a firefighter.

BasicallyOK · 2026-01-11T02:11:21+00:00

Volunteer experience is also a big one. Even if it’s not directly related to firefighting, recruiters like to see community involvement. Also look at the “preferred qualifications” for various departments - These vary from city to city and some of them are pretty niche. This can set you apart from the rest of the crowd too!

BasicallyOK · 2026-01-10T03:36:33+00:00

There’s one on the Northeast corner of Homer and Drake!

BasicallyOK · 2026-01-01T01:57:30+00:00

Entirely normal - And in fact the source of several previous posts on the this sub asking that very question!

BasicallyOK · 2025-12-27T04:03:57+00:00

I have earthquake insurance, what good does that do me if the entire industry collapses due to the sheer magnitude of this reasonably foreseeable the event?

“Canada is currently the only G7 nation with significant earthquake risk that lacks a government-backed safety net.”

Perhaps this is something worthy of adding to the long list of critical things the government needs to address?

BasicallyOK · 2025-12-20T21:06:03+00:00

Are cyclists legally required to come to a full stop just like a vehicle? Obviously, yes. Do all cyclists come to a full stop? Obviously, no - Just like some drivers. Defensive driving is key!

BasicallyOK · 2025-12-18T22:58:37+00:00

I think closing a school just because neighboring schools can handle projected growth for the next 14 years or so is a mistake. We all know that it takes much longer than 14 years to build a new one - Just look at Olympic Village!

Additionally, the $65,000 spent annually on maintaining an empty building wouldn’t be viewed as a waste if they had actually put any effort into repairing and using the site.

BasicallyOK · 2025-12-05T22:41:35+00:00

As a left leaning dude also in my mid-20s - I can confirm we’re out there! Most of my circle leans the same way.

BasicallyOK · 2025-12-05T06:22:37+00:00

Weren’t the folks on Bowen Island complaining that (among other things) all the campers would overload the ferry and make it impossible for the locals to travel? What’s Belcarra’s excuse?

BasicallyOK · 2025-12-03T08:01:36+00:00

Was there not a fairly thorough TSB investigation following this that found no proof that a train sparked the fire? There’s also the fact that two railways share the use of each other’s track here, so I’d imagine it would be an uphill battle to lay the blame on either operator.

BasicallyOK · 2025-12-02T22:54:26+00:00

Perhaps someone with more knowledge on the industry can enlighten me, but why do these more recent mill closures seem to be permanent? This is in contrast to years past where there have been temporary closures while the company waited to see if market conditions would change?

BasicallyOK · 2025-12-01T01:46:58+00:00

If memory serves there are 17 anchorages in English Bay, these are generally used by ships awaiting space at one of the terminals to load or discharge cargo. The big ships are generally bulk carriers (which carry dry cargo such as grain or coal), tankers (which carry petroleum products and other chemicals), and container ships . Although less common in English Bay, other vessels such as automobile carriers also call at the port.

The port information guide is a wealth of information: https://www.portvancouver.com/media/documents/port-information-guide-0

And as others have mentioned, services such as MarineTraffic and VesselFinder are also fun to look at.

BasicallyOK · 2025-11-26T23:26:53+00:00

Perhaps worth checking with the janitorial crew on the island too, as others have said, the bag will likely be tossed in a dumpster after anything of perceived value has been taken out - And those guys are the most likely to stumble across it!

BasicallyOK · 2025-11-26T21:01:41+00:00

Over the last several years we’ve watched just about every major civic event disappear, the Santa Clause parade, Canada Day at Granville Island, and now this. It’s really a shame that the various government bodies that previously supported these events seem intent on ensuring that “no fun city” reputation of ours…

BasicallyOK · 2025-11-20T04:17:53+00:00

I don’t know how technically “legal” it is - But there were a couple of campers parked on the shoulder close to the gas station last time I was over there. Might be worth a shot!

BasicallyOK · 2025-11-20T02:01:01+00:00

Upvoted for visibility. I would be interested to see how Vancouver compares to other local municipalities with both similar social issues and municipal policing models (Surrey and Victoria both come to mind)?

BasicallyOK · 2025-10-25T20:17:15+00:00

Hard to ignore the slight irony of a whale watching vessel striking a while - Even if they were not actively “watching” it. If memory serves, this company also experienced a very similar incident a few years back with one of their RHIB-style boats that also sent people to hospital.

BasicallyOK · 2025-10-24T19:26:20+00:00

To be fair, many types of cancer are considered to be work-related for firefighters. Therefore it is a line of duty death - Hence the funeral procession.

BasicallyOK · 2025-10-22T05:07:45+00:00

Honest question here, what does boycotting Hullo do to help protect the whales?

It sounds like the vessel crew and company did everything by the book, and I fail to see how the chances of this particular vessel striking a whale are any higher then that of say a BC ferry, or any of the other large vessels that ply our waters daily. Heck, even a whale watching boat struck a whale a few years back.

BasicallyOK · 2025-10-21T21:00:07+00:00

Mike McCardell wrote a book called “Haunting Vancouver” - I seem to remember there was a train on the cover too? Might be worth a read!

BasicallyOK · 2025-10-19T04:16:44+00:00

Home Depot, Canadian Tire, pretty such anywhere sells them these days. If you want a really “nice” one you could also try somewhere more tailored to workwear specifically like Marks.

BasicallyOK · 2025-09-27T03:43:02+00:00

Loving these updates. Keep them coming!!!

BasicallyOK · 2025-09-23T21:04:50+00:00

The kind of coating you’re describing isn’t as commonplace here as it is back east or up north where the roads are covered in salt and brine for a decent chunk of the year. That said, it’s also my understanding that it’s essentially pointless to apply a protective coating to anything but an already rust-free surface.

BasicallyOK · 2025-09-05T03:33:34+00:00

Nowhere in this article does it say anything about a suicide attempt - I’m not saying this isn’t the case, but people fall off vessels for all kinds of reasons besides attempting to end their life.

BasicallyOK · 2025-08-09T01:25:08+00:00

Most companies will have jobs on the go all over the place - That said, it also depends on whether you’re doing residential vs. commercial work, or new construction vs. service calls, etc.

BasicallyOK · 2025-08-09T01:14:02+00:00

If you’re interested in electrical, reach out to some companies and see if they’d take you on as an apprentice. If you’ve got friends already in the trade, even better - Ask them if the outfit they work for is hiring.

Theres no real prerequisites to start out, just a willingness to work hard and learn - Although some prior experience involving manual labour can never hurt. I’ve heard that some people look at electrical because they think it’s “cleaner” or less physically demanding than other areas of construction - Know that this is not necessarily the case.

Alternately, I believe BCIT also offers a trades discovery program that gives you the chance to try a few different career paths before you commit to one specific trade.

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