🛒 Stores

Where to buy things in Victoria, BC. Here’s a list of stores that a lot of locals use here.

🙇‍♀️ Hey! I’m new to Victoria and don’t have a car. How do I get to these stores? Yes, we thought of that too. We’ve covered getting around by bus, bike, taxi, car share and ferry in the transportation section.

🎨 Art Stores

For paint, canvases, pens & stationery, moleskin notebooks, coloured pencils, markers, paper, framing, etc..

Dollar Store / Dollarama $
Island Blue Print Co. $$-$$$$
Michaels $$-$$$
Opus Art Supplies $$-$$$$
Walmart $

🐻 Bear Spray (for hiking or camping)

Also called “bear mace” or “bear pepper spray”

A lot of newcomers are afraid of bears. We get it. But good news, bears want nothing to do with humans. A lot of us carry a can of bear spray while hiking in case the worst happens. It’s like pepper spray or mace, but stronger. It shoots a stream of liquid to hit a bear about 10-20 meters away. If you start spraying it at a bear, do not stop - keep spraying it until the bear goes away.
🇺🇸 Americans: In case you didn’t know = handguns are illegal in Canada. Rifle permits / licenses are very hard to get. No. We don’t carry guns while hiking or camping here.
Canadian Tire, Capital Iron, MEC, Robinson’s Outdoors, Walmart: Sells bear spray for around $40. You need to sign a piece of paper there to acknowledge you know the risk, and that you won’t attack someone with it as a weapon.

🛏️ Bedding, Sheets, Comforters, Towels

Bed Bath and Beyond $$-$$$
Canadian Tire $$-$$$
Costco: Out in Langford. They have great prices on almost-luxury bedding, like you’d find at a hotel. Worth the 20-minute drive from Victoria. $$-$$$
Winners: Like TJ Maxx or another mixed-goods store. $-$$$
Walmart $-$$

📘 Books

Bolen Books: Locally owned bookstore with a lot of author events, children’s events and is open pretty late at night, in the Hillside Centre (mall). $-$$$
Munro’s Books: Classic Victoria bookstore, featured in nearly every Instagram shot ever. Old, polished wooden shelves, beautiful downtown location and a great selection. $-$$$
Russell Books: Another old fashioned bookstore, with both new and secondhand books. Great for spending a weekend day in. $-$$$

📦 Boxes, Tape, Moving Blankets

For free moving boxes: Look on Facebook marketplace, UsedVictoria.com, Varage Sale app or ask a clerk at a liquor store or grocery store if they have free cardboard boxes.

Canadian Tire: Sells moving boxes and moving blankets from about $1 - $15 depending on size. $
Dollar Store: Sells moving boxes (cardboard) for $1. $
Home Depot: They sell moving boxes and sometimes moving blankets. More expensive than the Dollar Store or Walmart, but if everywhere else is sold out, they might have stock left. $$-$$$
UHAUL: Sells every imaginable kind of moving box, from tiny to lampshade boxes to mega boxes. Always has a lot of stock in. Sells moving blankets. Also rents trolleys, moving carts, moving blankets. $$-$$$
Walmart: Sells 3 sizes of moving boxes reliably. Also sells packing tape, bubble wrap, etc… $-$$

🚌 Bus Tickets

You can’t buy bus tickets online yet in Victoria

7-11
Country Grocer
Fairway Market
London Drugs
Petro Canada
Pharmasave
Save On Foods
Shoppers Drugs
Thrifty Foods
For all stores that stock bus tickets in Victoria, go to BC Transit’s website for where to buy: https://bctransit.com/victoria/fares/where-to-buy

🚗 Car parts & motorcycle parts

Plus things like car headlights, windshield wipers, motor oil, etc..

Amazon.ca $-$$$
Canadian Tire (car headlights, windshield wipers, motor oil, etc..) $-$$$
Lordco $-$$$
NAPA $-$$$
Sandy’s Auto Parts $-$$$
A car dealership for your brand of car (Honda, Lexus, VW, etc..) $$$-$$$$

📱Cell Phone Repair

If you broke your cell phone screen or if you dropped it in water, and need it fixed

Blackapple Cellular replaces screens for most cell phones, usually within a few hours. They usually charge $100. They can also fix water damage if you dropped your phone in the ocean (we do that a lot here). blackapplecellular.com

💻 Computers and Electronics

Like a MacBook charger, television, internet cables, laptops, etc…

Best Buy $$-$$$$
London Drugs: Yes, they also sell cameras, laptops and also DSL cables, dial-up cables and affordable replacement electronic parts. $-$$$
Simply Computing: No, we don’t have an Apple Store on the Island. Their staff are official Apple Store representatives, so if your Mac breaks, they can repair it with Apple’s blessing. They also rent laptops. $-$$$$

⚠️ Emergency Kits

For many newcomers, the possibility of an earthquake or a tsunami can be scary. We’re pretty chill about this. Get a kit, or make a kit yourself, and you’ll sleep better.

SUPER IMPORTANT: DO NOT USE A BBQ, CHARCOAL GRILL OR PROPANE STOVE INDOORS. This can fill your home with odourless carbon monoxide gas, which humans can’t smell, and carbon monoxide gas kills. Use that stuff outdoors.

What goes in an emergency kit? We have an Emergency Kit Checklist - with photos.

Capital Iron: Sells pre-made emergency kits for 2 or 4 people in a variety of sizes. Sold in their camping department. From around CAD $120-180. $$-$$$
MEC: Sells freeze-dried camping food - which only needs boiling water to be added and emergency supplies. Doesn’t normally sell “kits”. $$-$$$
TotalPrepare: They sell emergency kits. They have a new location near the Uptown Shopping Centre, in Victoria. $$-$$$

🔥 Firewood

For camping or for your home fireplace

Canadian Tire
Facebook.com Marketplace
Gas stations will stock this, like Esso, Petro Canada, Chevron, Shell, Peninsula Co-Op
Grocery stores, usually in the fall and winter
UsedVictoria.com

🛋️ Furniture

Looking for housing in Victoria, BC? Here’s a guide to the neighbourhoods in Victoria and the suburbs.

Canadian Tire: Pricier than IKEA, but not Walmart. $-$$$
Costco: Yes, they do have a guy who can deliver a mattress or furniture for $75-$90, that same day or the day after. Rare in Victoria. $$-$$$
Dodd’s Furniture: An older style of a furniture store, with all the sales, delivery, extras in one store. Think bigger leather sofas, lay-z-boy recliners, living room sets. $$$-$$$$
Facebook.com Marketplace
IKEA: No, there isn’t one on the island. There are two IKEA stores in Vancouver, a ferry ride away. $-$$
Monarch Furnishings: An eclectic furniture store downtown with a modern vibe. If you want blonde wood corner tables, a purple modern couch or lava lamps, they have most things you’ll need. $$-$$$$
Walmart: Where every student goes. Great value and they always have stock in. $-$$
UsedVictoria.com
VarageSale App: If you’re ok buying used, there are great deals on this app. Free-$$

🌱Gardening Supplies, Plants, Potting Soil, Succulents

You know, green things.

Canadian Tire: Free parking. Sells live plants, potting soil, garden soil, succulents, seeds, garden tools, sometimes bark & rocks, garden pots / plant pots $-$$
Capital Iron: In Downtown Victoria and Langford, with free parking. Sells live plants, potting soil, garden soil, succulents, seeds, garden tools, garden pots / plant pots. $-$$$
Dollarama: Occasionally they sell potting soil $
GardenWorks: Plants, succulents, garden pots / plant pots, potting soil. More of a nursery, and a lot of selection $$-$$$
Home Depot: Plants, succulents, garden pots / plant pots, potting soil $-$$
Home Hardware: Plants, succulents, garden pots / plant pots, potting soil $-$$
Lee Valley Tools: A very popular Canadian store - like Home Depot but better. $-$$$
London Drugs: Garden pots / plant pots, sometimes has garden tools, potting soil. $-$$
The Root Cellar: They’re a grocery store that has the best selection of succulents, house plants and cacti. Also sells potting soil. $$-$$$
Walmart: Free parking. Sells live plants, potting soil, garden soil, succulents, seeds, garden tools, sometimes bark & rocks, garden pots / plant pots $-$$

🍎 Groceries

Bulk Barn: Sells bulk nuts, grains, candies, snacks and a whole lot of other foods in bulk. $
Costco: Bulk. Savings. $-$$$
Fairway Market: Budget grocery store with great Asian ingredient selections as well. Their takeout Chinese food is a great deal. $-$$
Market on Yates: Some organic produce, a higher-end grocery store with fancier meats and bakery items. $$-$$$
Peppers: A smaller grocery store near the University of Victoria, with the best damn butcher shop/meat section in town, plus produce, dairy, bakery, etc.. $$$-$$$$
Quality Foods: In the suburbs. The best, cheap Chinese takeout food secret - it’s in their deli. $-$$
Red Barn Market: Their sandwiches are amazing. Worth a trip just for these. $-$$$
The Root Cellar: Farm fresh, organic and non-organic grocery store. Best known for their vegetables, fruits and meat selection. $$-$$$$
Save On Foods: Standard big supermarket, vaguely connected to the Kroger chain in the US. Great deals on roasted whole chickens. $-$$
Thrifty Foods: An upscale-ish grocery store, but used by most people. $$-$$$
Whole Foods: Nicknamed “Whole Paycheck”, still good for basics and their takeout food. It just opened a few years ago on the Island. Organic produce is still harder to find, so they make a big deal out of it. $$$-$$$$

💇‍♀ ️Hair Care & Beauty

Salon quality shampoo, conditioner, makeup, nail polish, etc…

Aveda: Salon-quality shampoo and conditioner $$-$$$$
Chatters Salon: Salon-quality shampoo and conditioner $$-$$$$
London Drugs: Basic and salon-quality shampoo, conditioner, personal care, makeup, deodorant $-$$
LUSH: Vegan and non-vegan soap, shampoo and conditioner $$-$$$
MAC: Higher-end makeup $$-$$$$
Save On Foods (grocery store that has basic shampoo, conditioner, soap, deodorant) $-$$$
Sephora: Higher-end makeup $$-$$$$
Shoppers Drug Mart: Basic and salon-quality shampoo, conditioner, personal care, makeup, deodorant $-$$
Walmart (has basic shampoo, conditioner, soap, deodorant) $-$$
West Coast Refill: A great option for zero waste beauty and hair products. Bring a clean container or buy them here, and they refill shampoo, conditioner, lotion and more. Reusable and affordable. $-$$

🔨 Hardware

Nails, hammers, paint, etc…

Canadian Tire $-$$$
Cook Street Castle $-$$
Home Depot $$-$$$
Home Hardware $-$$
Lee Valley Tools: $-$$$
Lowes $$-$$$

⛺ Hiking, Camping, Fishing

Because your coworkers just invited you on a trip this weekend. Where to buy tents, camping stoves, hiking boots, rain jackets.

Canadian Tire : Camping, fishing, hiking gear. $-$$
Capital Iron: Local family-owned store in Victoria & Langford. Camping, fishing, hiking gear. Also sells replacement plastic buckles for hiking backpacks, rope, tarps, etc… $$-$$$
MEC: A co-op that will ask you to buy a membership for around $10 the first time, and then you’re a member for life. Very popular for both basic gear and extra fancy gear. $$-$$$$
Robinsons Outdoor Store: A local family store, great for hiking and camping gear, and gives a lot of product demos. $$-$$$
Valhalla Pure Outfitters: Another local BC store, with a few stores both on the Island and in Vancouver. $$$-$$$$
Value Village: Not as good of as a thrift store as WIN, but has so much inventory. This is a good place to look for hiking jackets, ski boots, etc.. when you only want to go once or twice. $
Walmart: All the basics, for camping, hiking, fishing gear. Cheapest you’ll find. $
WIN: It’s a really popular thrift store in Victoria, and often you can get really good brands (North Face, MEC, Columbia) for a rain jacket, ski jackets, outdoor gear here for $5-$20. $

🍳 Kitchen

Electric kettle, toaster, frying pans, etc..

Bed, Bath and Beyond: Stocks knives, pots, pans, cutting boards, kettles, appliances, cutlery, plates— pretty much everything.
Canadian Tire: Great for essentials, and has some higher-end kitchen appliances as well, like KitchenAid. Has everything from cutlery, wooden spoons, frying pans, to rakes, hardware and camping gear. $-$$
Capital Iron: Another old Victoria store, has kitchen appliances, coffee machines, knives, pots, pans, canning equipment and more. $$-$$$$
Cook Culture: High-end kitchen store with the best knives, pots, pans, etc… $$$-$$$$
Cook Street Castle: Looks like a lumber/hardware store, but does have pans, cookie cutters, placemats, knives, etc… $-$$
Dollarama, Dollar Tree or Great Canadian Dollar Store: Great for a budget move! You can get all your kitchen essentials here, from spatulas to knives and forks to plates and glasses for $1-$3 each. $
Home Hardware: Another great store that has the most basics you’ll need. $-$$
Lee Valley Tools: A very popular Canadian store - like Home Depot but better. $-$$$
London Drugs: Another store that has appliances, electronics, cosmetics, garden stuff, and everything between. $-$$
Walmart: Great for basics like plates, glasses, towels and sheets. It also sells flat-pack furniture. $-$$

✒️ Office Supplies

Are you considering working remotely, or part of the time from home? Check out our guide to the coworking spaces in Victoria.

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Dollarama / Dollar Store: If you need cheap scissors, permanent pens, notebooks, stationery, the dollar stores are great for this. $1-$4 usually for items. $
Monk Office: A popular local chain of office supply stores. If you’re looking for specific folders, post its, accounting ledgers, or other things they have them in-store. Open decent hours, and incredibly helpful. It also has higher-end office chairs you can try out in the store. $-$$$
Staples: A “big box” office supply store that’s in both Canada and the US. Open late. Has everything from bulk printer paper to computers to a scanning/copying/printing set of machines to use. It also offers to ship packages. $-$$$
Walmart: Great for the essentials from pens, notebooks, scotch tape to things like shredders or fireproof safes at really low prices. $-$$

🐶 Pet Supplies

Did you know we have a lot of free parks, trails and mountains to take your dog to? Check out these top Instagram accounts to get some inspiration for things to do with your dog in Victoria.

Bone & Biscuit $$-$$$$
Bosley’s $$-$$$$
Costco $-$$$
Petsmart $-$$$
Walmart $-$$$

🌡️ Pharmacy

If this is an emergency, please call 911 on your phone for an ambulance. If you’re looking for a doctor / GP / physician, here’s a guide to our healthcare system. Where to get bandaids (plasters), contact lens solution, tylenol, cold medicine, basic shampoo, basic conditioner, soap, etc..

Shoppers Drug Mart $-$$
London Drugs $-$$
Walmart $-$$
Thrifty Foods, Fairway Market — these grocery stores don’t have prescription drugs but do have band-aids, Tylenol, cold medicine, etc…$-$$$

🖨️ Printer or Fax Machine (to use)

Where can I find a printer to use in Victoria? Where can I find a fax machine to use in Victoria? Most of us don’t have these at home, and a surprising amount of documents need to be printed or faxed still. Especially for rental contracts, employment contracts, child care and the like.

Greater Victoria Public Library: Has a printer.
FedEx (what used to be Kinkos): Has a printer. Has a fax machine.
Staples: Has a printer. Has a fax machine.
The UPS Store: Has a fax machine.

🌍 Stuff Expats Want or Need

My apartment washing machine or dryer needs loonies and quarters! Get a roll of quarters ($0.25), loonies ($1 coins) or toonies ($2 coins) at a bank by giving them cash, or if the banks are closed, at a grocery store - go to their customer service desk. Gas stations won’t normally do this.
British Food 🇬🇧: Marmite, British marmalade, kippers, and a lot of other snacks are at Save On Foods in the “British” section (we’re not kidding) and at Fairway Market.
Calgon: We don’t have calcium in our water, really, so you won’t need to treat your kettle, washing machine or dishwasher to prevent calcium damage. Yay!
Colour Catching Sheets: A lot of Brits 🇬🇧 ask about these. We don’t have them in Canada or the US. We never heard of them until we met you. We’re jealous you have these.
Dutch cookies, from The Netherlands 🇳🇱: Fairway Market has a Dutch section.
Flypaper: Yes, if you have fruit flies in your house you can buy these at a hardware store. You hang this sticky paper from your ceiling and it catches them.
German Food 🇩🇪: Oddly Walmart has some German snacks, German mustard and some other foods.

What do I need to transfer my driver’s license?

You need a few documents, which we’ve covered in the driver’s license section.

GETTING YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE