Moving in the Lower Mainland? Here's Your Complete 30-Day Countdown

Moving in Metro Vancouver is not like moving anywhere else. You're navigating strata elevator bookings, parking permits in densely packed neighbourhoods, the city's infamous traffic corridors on moving day, and often a tight window where two tenancies overlap. Add the Lower Mainland's rainy season and you have one of the most logistically complex moving environments in Canada.

This 30-day countdown covers every step — week by week — so nothing catches you off guard on moving day. Whether you're relocating from a Kitsilano walk-up to a Coquitlam townhouse, from a Surrey new-build to a Langley detached, or anywhere across the Lower Mainland, this checklist has you covered.

Day 30–21: Book Everything That Has a Wait Time

In Metro Vancouver, the biggest moving-day disasters come from things that weren't booked early enough. Thirty days out is not too early — it's exactly right.

1. Book your moving company or Urbance moving crewWeekends and end-of-month dates (particularly the last day of the month, which is the most common Vancouver lease end date) book up 3–4 weeks in advance. Don't wait.
2. Book the elevator at your current buildingMost strata buildings in Burnaby, Vancouver, and New Westminster require you to reserve the freight elevator in advance. Contact your strata manager and book a 3–4 hour window. There are usually only 1–2 slots per day.
3. Book the elevator at your destination buildingSame principle. Contact the destination strata and reserve. If both buildings are on the same day, you need two elevator bookings — and you need them to align with your movers' schedule.
4. Notify your building of the moveSome stratas require a written move notice and a damage deposit — yes, a separate deposit from your rental deposit — to cover potential damage to the lobby and elevator during the move.

Day 21–14: Sort, Declutter, and Source Boxes

The Lower Mainland has some of the highest residential moving costs in Canada — primarily because labour costs in Metro Vancouver are high. The most effective way to reduce your moving bill is to reduce what you're moving. This is the week to be ruthless.

• Sort every room into Keep / Donate / Junk — be honest about what you haven't used in the last year
• Book a junk removal pickup with Urbance for items too big or heavy for the car (sofas, mattresses, old appliances)
• Drop off donations to Value Village (multiple Lower Mainland locations), Salvation Army, or local Buy Nothing groups
• Source boxes — BC Liquor Store boxes are free and excellent quality; Craigslist Vancouver "free boxes" section is consistently active
• Stock up on packing supplies: bubble wrap, packing paper, tape, mattress bags

Day 14–7: Administration and Utilities

This is the week of paperwork and phone calls. It's tedious but missing any of these creates real problems after you've moved.

• BC Hydro: Provide your move-out and move-in dates. Service transfer is usually seamless but requires a few days' notice
• FortisBC / gas: Same — schedule a transfer or cancellation based on whether your new address has gas service
• Internet/cable: Shaw/Rogers/Telus all require 2–3 weeks notice for connection at a new address; don't get caught with a week's delay
• Canada Post mail forwarding: Submit your forwarding request at canadapost.ca — service takes several business days to activate
• ICBC / driver's licence: Update your address in your MyICBC account within 10 days of moving — it's legally required in BC
• Bank and credit cards: Update your mailing address for statements and card renewals
• Strata or landlord: Confirm your move-out inspection date and time in writing

Day 7–3: Pack and Prepare

Start packing in earnest — beginning with rooms you use least (spare bedroom, seasonal storage, garage). Leave the kitchen and bathroom for last.

• Label every box with room destination AND brief contents — "Kitchen — coffee stuff and toaster" is infinitely more useful than just "Kitchen"
• Create a "first-night box" with essentials: phone charger, coffee maker, a few dishes, toilet paper, hand soap, one set of sheets per bed, and a change of clothes
• Confirm your Urbance moving crew booking, their arrival time, and the building address and elevator booking window
• Check the weather forecast and have tarps or waterproof covers available — this is Vancouver
• Photograph all pre-existing damage in your current unit before anything is moved

Day 1–2 Before: Parking Permits

This is what people forget. Moving trucks cannot legally double-park on most Vancouver streets, and parking enforcement is active. You need a temporary "no stopping" zone — a loading zone permit — from the City of Vancouver (or the relevant municipality).

• City of Vancouver: Temporary permit for moving trucks costs roughly $30–$60 and can be applied for online at vancouver.ca — allow 2–3 business days
• Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey: Each municipality has its own permit process; contact the relevant city engineering or permits department
• Lane closures: If the moving truck will block a lane, you may need a separate traffic management permit

Moving Day

A few things that make moving day smoother in Metro Vancouver specifically:

• Have cash on hand for a tip — it's customary in Vancouver and movers genuinely appreciate it
• Clear a path through both units before the crew arrives — they work faster and you get billed less
• Do a final walkthrough of your old unit and take timestamped photos of every room and closet
• Leave all keys, fobs, and garage clickers on the kitchen counter — strata replacements cost $100–$300 each
• Confirm someone is at the destination building to meet the truck if you can't be in two places at once

After the Move: The Week-One Checklist

Once you're in, these items need attention in the first 7 days:

• Book a move-in clean with Urbance to start fresh in your new space — or a move-out clean for your old unit to secure your deposit
• Test all smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in the new unit
• Locate the main water shut-off valve — you want to know this before there's an emergency
• Register with the new strata or provide contact info to your new landlord
• Update your address at Service BC if you haven't done the ICBC update yet