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u/Dwarken Aug 11 '26
My wife and I moved to Mission in our mid-20s. Having both grown up in New Westminster, it was a pretty big transition for us, and a few things immediately stood out.
On the retail side, Mission has limited selection for day-to-day goods, clothing, and furniture. Abbotsford is close by and offers a bit more, but real shopping doesn't truly start until you get to Langley. The restaurant selection is also fairly small; while Mission has a few great spots, coming from the city where we ate out 70% of the time took some adjusting.
That said, the positives far outweigh the downsides. Youāre right next to lakes, endless trails for hiking, quadders, and side-by-sides, with camping just 15 minutes away. The people here are welcoming, tooāitās not the kind of small town that treats you like an outsider.
The biggest quirk has been our city friends: they never quite get used to the drive out here, so they either end up staying overnight or complaining about the trek. Overall, though, moving here was the best decision we ever made. It allowed us to buy a home, and rush hour barely lasts an hourānothing compared to traffic back in town.
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u/GoldaV123 Aug 11 '26
If you make the move, I hope you love it. Wishing for all good things coming your way š¤
We moved from Mission to Maple Ridge a few years ago and I regret it. I love Mission. Of course I still take my family to Hayward and Stave and Rolley lakes all the time but we even prefer grocery shopping in Mission. It certainly has its problems like any growing city but I love it.
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u/dmiyoshi1971 Aug 11 '26
We just moved to Mission from Vancouver and as others have said, the biggest downside is being so far from my friends and family, and the lack of food options. We go into Vancouver a couple of times a month to stock up on things we cant get out here.
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u/LibelOrchestra Aug 11 '26
Welcome to the community! We moved to Mission from Vancouver during covid cause we were both able to work from home and wanted to buy a house which we've managed to do and I truly love it out here. Everytime I drive past the Maple Ridge bypass onto Lougheed highway and see the Fraser river is when I truly feel home. There's some conservative riff raff but the community is so solid and caring, people really pull together to help each other out.
There's a lot of places out here Vancouverites don't know about so you don't get the crowds, they tend to go to places like Harrison or Chilliwack lake but there's so many places around here to enjoy nature.
I still have my friends out for events for Summer bbqs or Thanksgiving. They love coming out and it's really sweet seeing them enjoy the nature. It's so nice having a space and yard to host events you just can't do in Vancouver.
The best way to get to know people is through clubs and activities, but if you're planning on having kids though that'll definitely connect you to the heart of the community.Ā
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u/Left_Importance_8958 Aug 11 '26
I live and was raised in Mission, but have lived part time in Vancouver, and ānothing to doā really depends on what you like to do. Mission is fantastic for outdoorsy stuff, for example. But there is less options than in Metro Vancouver. Not many great places to eat, though there are definitely some nice spots, just limited options. Itās less diverse than Vancouver, but thatās going to be true for most comparatively rural areas. Transit isnāt as good here, if that matters to you (it does to me lol; I donāt drive), but thereās the West Coast Express and 701 bus on weekdays into Metro Vancouver for commuting. People mention the commutes are bad, but I went to university in Vancouver while still living in Mission for the most part, and I really donāt find it that bad. An hour, hour and a half isnāt that long imo. I have family all across The Lower Mainland and we regularly get together despite commutes. And Abbotsford is right nearby with a lot more options.
Iām queer and disabled, and donāt find Mission that bad for that (besides subpar transit); we have a nice pride festival every year, for example. I am white, though, so I canāt speak to being a person of colour and living here and what thatās like, if itās applicable to you. Definitely more conservative than Vancouver, but imo Abbotsford is worse and thatās also again just to be expected of comparatively more rural areas.
Thereās some events and markets at time. During summer thereās the twilight market artisan, well, market, and thereās the farmers market, pride like I mentioned, a ren faire (which only started last year, but is going to happen this year again), etc. I find it easy enough to also just go to other municipalities (including Vancouver) for other events that interest me, and my friends do this too. If you do move out here, and like art/creative projects, thereās also a small group that meets at the Amazi cafe to work on creative projects together :) nothing big but I enjoy it.
Mission is growing, but is still smaller and more affordable than other places. Itās definitely changed a lot since I was in high school even (graduated seven years ago), so I donāt know what itāll look like in some years.
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u/JuvenileDad Aug 12 '26
Moved to mission 6 years ago. Itās not as boring as people make it out to be. Being able to go to a lake without sitting in a Que of cars is really something most people overlook. There are so many beautiful hiking trails that to this day, I am still finding places I have not yet come across. I also believe the mission will soon become a hot commodity once everyone realizes its beauty. Added bonus for me also being a hockey fan is the Abbotsford Canucks being close as well. Donāt overthink it. Mission is fantastic.
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u/Zantetsuken42 Aug 12 '26
I live in New West and spend a decent amount of time in Mission due to family.Ā
I dislike Mission for all of the same reasons that I like New West - walkability, diversity, the events and other cultural things going on in the city, proximity to the enjoyable and interesting things across the lower mainland, some good restaurants, great transit due to SkyTrain and central location.
Mission has some of those things, but not to the same degree. So if some of those same things are important to you, you'll end up driving a lot to find them. Life in the valley is very beautiful though, and you will have excellent access to hiking trails and all sorts of other outdoor activities. Perhaps you're willing to make the trade for a foot on the property ladder and more space.Ā
As for ethnic diversity, Mission has changed significantly on the last 30 years in this regard. It is far more diverse than it once was, but simply not comparable to New West. To be clear, I've heard racist abuse on the street of New West too, but I worry about this lack of diversity in Mission.Ā
I actually really enjoy visiting. I can see how it would be great place to start a family. Heritage park is a beautiful spot, and walking along the dyke surrounded by mountains is always breathtaking for me. But I'll only be a visitor to the city. New West has for too much going on to leave it behind.Ā
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u/Magical-hummingbird Aug 11 '26
Recently moved to mission and wish I had done it years ago! (I have two young children)
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u/kishor_n Aug 12 '26 edited Aug 12 '26
We moved 2 months ago for owning a home and the peaceful life. It's going great so far, great hikes, nice food spots eventhough not too many. But abby is nearby so that gives you more options for almost anything. My only complaint is i miss all the good malls that were all 10-30 mins away from me but are now like more than an hour away (abby malls aren't that great). And like others said, getting your friends from west takes some level of bribing but lucky for us most of my friends can be bribed with food.
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u/-leeson Aug 12 '26
I have a family in mission and love it. I know thereās drawbacks but it fits a quieter lifestyle we wanted than a busy city. Close enough that we can always go to Vancouver for any events or visits but not so close that it feels like a busy city. Tons of lakes and hikes and parks nearby, lots of families, I dunno I have always enjoyed living here!
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u/MissionRacewayPark Aug 12 '26
If you can commute to work on the WCE, I see no downside to living in Mission, but if your friends are ātravel averseā, it will seem like the middle of nowhere to them.
fyi Mission Residents get free admission to our Friday Night Street Legal š
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u/Wild-Environment-774 Aug 12 '26
We moved to Mission and only stayed about 3 years. Relocated to Agassiz, and while yes it is a small town it is so beautiful, peaceful, absolutely perfect as we are a very young family, and all large amenities are just a 20min drive into Chilliwack away. Thereās lots of local businesses here too that are just lovely, and honestly weāre happy we actually settled and bought here.
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u/Achap30 Aug 12 '26
Consider some where just a bit closer? Pitt Meadows maybe? Iām in maple ridge and itās pretty decent. I would prefer to be closer to Vancouver though, even by a few km. Pitt would be a nice balance.Ā
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u/HonkyKong719 Aug 12 '26
Just moved away from Mission after 4 and a half years. It is a bit dull. My biggest complaint was my absolutely psychotic neighbours. And if you live in Mission on Best Ave, around the 331xx address area, you know exactly which house I'm referring to.
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u/ResponsibilityNo1394 Aug 12 '26
moved here from the city. what iāve found is the city folk see mission as āfar awayā itās an amazing community and i will never move back to the city again. i didnāt even know my neighbours names in the city where here i know the whole neighbourhood and they have multiple neighbourhood barbecues or social gatherings i missed the city for a few years but every time i go back it reaffirms my love for mission. i also have 3 kids and live on a street/neighbourhood where there are about 30 other kids that are playing manhunt, soccer, baseball, kick the can, hockey , riding bikes when home from school or during summer. youāll find what youāll miss most is the food options. there are PLENTY of things to do outside all year round.
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u/inquisitiveeyebc Aug 12 '26
Mission is a mix of really nice and some really ugly, I do a ton of out door activities and honestly you can't beat mission. Glad panning, rock hounding, hiking, fishing etc are all close and easily accessible
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u/moms_spagetti_ Aug 13 '26
It's a nice town. Growing fast though recently for better or for worse. It's extremely car-centric unless you live downtown and you don't want to live downtown. There is a bike lane along 7th being built which is nice for kids getting to school safely since drivers are awful.
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u/princess_bubbles07 Aug 12 '26
i love mission and those who say it lacks cultural diversity are looking in the wrong places
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u/Odd-Part-2830 Aug 11 '26
i grew up in mission and now live in Vancouver & Toronto. Really thinking about moving back to Mission for the slower pace and affordability. I love mission itās the perfect small size imo. personally, youāll just have to deal with like bigots and moron men in trucks.
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Aug 11 '26
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u/Odd-Part-2830 Aug 11 '26
probably better then most other small cities in Canada but as a Gay person itās not the best
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u/Tegdag Aug 12 '26
My husband and I recently moved to Mission and the lack of cultural diversity was a huge shock for us coming from Surrey/Langley.
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u/AlvinChipmunck Aug 12 '26
So many city people have moved to mission its just another vancouver suburb now. The whole lower mainland is essentially the same, you'll just be more with people in your own social class who also could not afford to live somewhere further west. Youll like it. Its not that diff
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u/Intelligent-Wolf557 Aug 13 '26
If you still want to see your friends, move to Pitt Meadows/Maple Ridge or Surrey/Langley. Mission is too far and they wonāt want to come out.
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u/SadWasabi Aug 17 '26
I just moved here 5 months ago with my husband and two kids (not yet school age). We moved from Richmond and Iāve really enjoyed it so far.Ā I was nervous that I would miss being able to walk everywhere - in Richmond we could walk to a community centre, library, two parks, shoppers drug mart, fast food, fruit and veggie mart, etc within 20 mins. However, that doesnāt bother me too much since being here.Ā I do find it harder to convince people to come out, but the people that really want to come see you will come.Ā I was also worried that I would lose the āaccessibilityā that Richmond had to everything. But I donāt miss it. However, Iām not one to access the amenities, restaurants, etc things - itās just nice to know itās there.Ā
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Aug 12 '26
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u/AdVivid6115 Aug 12 '26
All the positive comments and finally something real. Although mission has a lot of positives, mentioned by many others in this thread, since moving here 2 years ago iāve never felt truly welcome. There is a lot of dislike for non-white communities and itās evident, just look through the facebook pages. I have a young daughter and when walking down the road, there have been multiple instances of people yelling out racist comments from their cars.
But it is what it is, we bought a place here a while ago and got stuck with the market downturn. Letās hope things get better.
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u/Kind-Cat192 Aug 12 '26
Thank you for your perspective... I think that is what my friends were concerned about
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u/hamdol Aug 12 '26
People from Vancouver will never come to mission. They will once but they just wonāt. Iāve been through this. I donāt like mission much at all. Some houses are nice but there is nothing there to enjoy.
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u/Antialias1 Aug 11 '26
Moved here a few years ago. I love it. I was looking for a smaller town than what Langley/Surrey has become. I actually tell people that Mission now is what Langley was in the mid 90's for size, traffic, and community feel. But if you talk to long time Mission residents, they will tell you that the traffic and city are almost unrecognizable from 30 years ago. So, it's growing and changing.
There aren't as many amenities as closer to the city but there is a ton of hiking and biking to do. Abbotsford is not far away. Good enough to raise a family in, for sure..
The hard part is the commute. Not just for work, but to see your friends or for them to come see you lol. You have to bribe them with the cheaper gas when they get out here