Prince Edward Island is one of Canada’s most spectacular Islands. Vancouver Island is also a beautiful place, but  has become increasingly expensive and populated in recent years. The west coast also boasts the Gulf Islands that sit between Vancouver Island and the mainland. These islands command enormous real estate prices in exchange for a peaceful enough existence. A small hobby farm on Mayne Island was recently advertised in Harrowsmith Country Life Magazine for well over 2 Million. Big Bucks! Another unfortunate aspect of the west coast Island lifestyle is that surrounding waters are incredibly cold for swimming- even in mid-July. That said, the sailing culture of the west coast islands is a great lure, but even the elite can find these prices a bit O.T.T!

It is hard to compare Prince Edward Island to Vancouver Island and the other Gulf Islands. They are very different, but the once peaceful, affordable, and underpopulated west coast seems to have lost much of its lustre for those seeking an idyllic seaside lifestyle. A trend is afoot, as BC residents of  Vancouver Island, and elsewhere, pack up the car and head east to places like PEI, where one can still find peace, a healthy lifestyle, and affordable real estate, without a burgeoning population. And let’s not forget PEI’s vibrant arts, theatre and cultural scene.

PEI deserves the Title of Canada’s Island Paradise for obvious reasons. Although Canada boasts magnificent Islands from coast to coast t coast, Prince Edward Island allows us to revisit a more simple time, when people smiled more and helped their neighbours, and  young families or retirees could afford a house near the sea to call home.

Canada’s Island Paradise is a registered Federal Trademark belonging to Hamish Redpath, the owner of this website.

Go East Young (Older) Man/Woman

Moving to Prince Edward Island from Canada’s west coast seems to be the trend these days. It might have something to do with the out-of-sight real estate prices, especially BC waterfront and water view land. And the cost of living in Alberta, especially in the North where the good ‘oil’ jobs are, is getting out of hand. It’s no wonder people are packing up their cars and trucks and heading for Canada’s Island Paradise…PEI! For the longest time people have headed west to carve out a new beginning, discover new opportunity, and enjoy the laid back western lifestyle. How times have changed!

The BC population just grows and grows and grows, leading to high housing costs, more stress, and making it hard to get away from it all. Try to find a private spot on a river just outside of Vancouver during the salmon run. It’s impossible to find enough room to cast a line, let alone find some solitude. There are simply too many people competing for the ‘healthy BC lifestyle’.

PEI offers the affordable dream to anyone who truly seeks a healthy laid back lifestyle in one of the few North American seaside paradises that isn’t overcrowded. It’s actually like traveling back 30 or 40 years to a simpler time, although the new Starbucks in Charlottetown still reminds you that a Latte is close at hand, if you so choose to indulge after your few hours of fly fishing on a quiet, undisturbed stretch of river.