As a newcomer getting settled in Canada, it’s normal to miss your home country and culture at times. What’s so special about Canada is that it welcomes all cultures and traditions. Regardless of where you are in the country, you’ll always be able to find things that remind you of China.
Vancouver, in particular, has a large Chinese population, making it easier to stay connected to your Chinese roots and community. We asked some newcomers from China who live in and around Vancouver about their favourite places to eat, shop, enjoy their culture, and find daily support. We hope this helps you quickly adapt to life in your new city while getting a taste of home.
In this article:
- Chinese Restaurants in Vancouver
- Chinese grocery stores in Vancouver
- Chinese shopping and culture in Vancouver
- Places to worship in Vancouver
- Find daily support across Vancouver
Chinese Restaurants in Vancouver
There’s no shortage of amazing Chinese restaurants in Vancouver. Here are just a few recommended spots to get you started, but you may also want to explore local Chinese restaurants in your neighbourhood.
- Old Xi’an (Try the noodles)
- Tasty Wok
- Happy Tree House BBQ
- Shine Valley
Chinese grocery stores in Vancouver
Vancouver has a large Chinese community, so it’s not difficult to find the items you need to cook meals at home. Here are some grocery stores where you can find Chinese ingredients:
- T & T Supermarket, multiple locations
- Walmart, multiple locations
- FoodyWorld, Richmond, BC
Chinese shopping and culture in Vancouver
When looking for Chinese events in Vancouver, Eventbrite is a good place to start. You’ll find cultural events of all sorts there, from cooking classes and free meditation classes to networking events where you can meet people from your community.
If you want to enjoy Chinese culture in abundance, then Vancouver’s Chinatown is your best choice. You’ll find restaurants, shops with Chinese clothing and other accessories, and cultural events all through the year. There are two new events in Chinatown that are growing in popularity: Light Up Chinatown celebrates food, live music and a visual display while Taste of Chinatown, which happens in conjunction with Light Up Chinatown, features 25 restaurants in the area. The Vancouver Chinatown Festival, which takes place in the summer, also showcases Chinese culture.
Places to worship in Vancouver
As a newcomer to Vancouver, you’ll find places across the city to worship in your religion. Some of these places include:
Buddhist
- Vancouver Buddhist Temple, 220 Jackson Ave
- Gold Buddha Monastery, 248 E 11th Ave
Christian
- Vancouver Chinese Presbyterian Church, 6137 Cambie St
- VCAC Knight Street Church, 3330 Knight St
Find daily support across Vancouver
As you first settle into your new life in Vancouver, you may need support to help you adapt. Below are organizations that offer services to help you settle into your new home, find community connections, and explore job opportunities.
- Vancouver Family Connections provides access to Chinese-speaking settlement workers and organizes group workshops on job searching, housing, education, healthcare, and more.
- Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver (CCCVAN) organizes Mandarin and Cantonese classes, community events, and seniors programs. (Some services might be unavailable during the pandemic).
- S.U.C.C.E.S.S is an organization that helps newcomers and their families get settled into the country and their neighbourhoods. They offer employment services—which include skill-building workshops—health education, and housing services through the 600 affordable housing units managed by S.U.C.C.E.S.S.
- Immigrant Services Society of BC (ISSBC) helps newcomers find work, learn English, and explore opportunities to become an entrepreneur. They also have more general settlement services for youth, families, and seniors.
- Vancouver Public Library’s NewToBC resource which helps newcomers find settlement agencies or specific immigrant services, such as employment services and English language classes.
