Pitt Meadows, B.C., is easy to miss. The city is tucked into its own little northeast corner of Metro Vancouver, hidden behind two rivers and backing into the coastal mountains. It’s in a pocket of the region that people don’t normally pass through.
That in itself is a major reason why the city manages to keep a sense of small-town life while being close to the larger bustling area of Vancouver. It’s a unique situation for a town with such a small population and it’s an aspect of life that residents often bring up when they talk about why the community is so livable.
On one hand, the commuter rail station in the centre of town connects it to downtown Vancouver in 45 minutes, and larger cities such as Surrey and Coquitlam are just across the river. On the other, Pitt Meadows is just 20,000 people, and 80 per cent of the town is designated as agricultural land where most forms of development are prohibited. A very short drive to the north is Pitt Lake and its surrounding recreation area with solitary mountain landscapes.
Solitude isn’t always easy to come by in Metro Vancouver, where going into the mountains is the de facto hobby for most people.
“In Pitt Lake you feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere,” said Travis Hopcott, a 41-year-old farmer who was raised in Pitt Meadows and runs a cranberry and beef farm in the community.
“At the end of the lake there’s actually a natural hot spring,” which he says remains quiet because of the challenging hike in, and it amazes his friends who visit.
Pitt Meadows ranked as the third most livable city in Canada overall, and the most livable out of all cities with a population lower than 20,000 in The Globe and Mail’s third ranking of the nation’s most livable cities. The city’s ability to feel small while being intertwined with British Columbia’s most populous region is a big reason why residents of this lesser known suburb agree with their community’s high rank.
Mr. Hopcott says he often jokes that he’s a city kid raised on the farm.
“You get to be more in tune with nature and wildlife, but you also get the benefits of being part of a metropolitan city to be able to access concerts and professional sports,” said Mr. Hopcott.
“It’s the best of both worlds.”
In The Globe’s data study, Pitt Meadows ranked among the top 50 cities across the country in climate, community, demographics and health care categories. Survey results found that residents in the community feel a strong sense of belonging, and mild temperatures in the city mean residents have more days of the year when temperatures are comfortable enough to forgo using heating or cooling in a home.
Lindsay Bissett is one of many transplants from other Metro Vancouver cities who didn’t fully grasp the benefits of life in Pitt Meadows when she first moved here with her husband a decade ago.
Originally, the couple was just moving further away from Vancouver so they could afford a detached home. But Ms. Bissett quickly realized she had stumbled into an ideal community where her family now raises her two daughters.
Unlike other small Canadian cities, Ms. Bissett says she’s able to walk to most of her local amenities such as the grocery store, the movie theatre and even her nail salon.
She works remotely, but she used to commute regularly to downtown Vancouver and the train station was a short walk from her house.
“It was super convenient for all those years. It was an easy four-minute walk to hop on the train that took me straight downtown,” said Ms. Bissett.
Lindsay and Scott Bissett have lived in Pitt Meadows for a decade. Their daughters are now 8 and 6.
The Bissetts’ mascot, a giant skeleton called Indiana Bones, stays on the lawn year-round. Today, he is dressed to celebrate the release of Taylor Swift’s latest album.
Her ability to choose walking over a car isn’t just unique to her neighbourhood. The residential portion of Pitt Meadows is relatively dense, especially for a city of its size. Mayor Nicole MacDonald says that’s because the city is limited in how much it can sprawl, as the majority of its land is part of B.C.’s Agricultural Land Reserve. A bustling regional airport in Pitt Meadows also keeps the city from being able to build vertically in some areas.
“We’re never going to be booming, which is a blessing in a lot of ways,” said Ms. MacDonald, who says growth is occurring, but remains at a level that is not overwhelming. “It helps us keep our character.”
For Ms. Bissett, the measured growth translates into a city that feels neighbourly, connected and safe. “We know all our neighbours, and we have little parties in the alley where people bring food or we order pizza,” said Ms. Bissett.
People on her street occasionally talk about moving. Pitt Meadows, like most of Metro Vancouver, is expensive. It ranked 395th out of 454 cities in the Globe’s housing category, which takes affordability into account.
“The reason so many of us don’t move is it’s a really nice feeling here,” said Ms. Bissett. “We know we have it good.”
Illustration by Kathleen Fu
Where you live: More from The Globe and Mail
Stress Test podcast
Moving to small towns with inexpensive housing was an attractive option during the pandemic, and while some were thrilled by the results, others were not. Last year, the Stress Test podcast checked in with guests from previous seasons to reflect on their decisions and the effects on their finances.
Real estate in depth
Canada’s rental market has gotten cheaper, but that won’t last
Downsizing? Four things seniors should ask when deciding to rent or buy
Economist sees subdued 2026 in the housing market as condos drag