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Where (and how) to make friends in Vancouver

Talk about Vancouverite problems.
vancouver friends
Vancouver can be a tough place to make friends. Here's where to find them.

This is for the Vancouverites scrolling social media every night and gloomily looking at endless photos of people they sort of know, or don't know at all, having fun with a big bunch of people they call friends. 

If this truth hurts, this one is for you, bestie. 

Vancouver isn't known for being an outgoing-ly friendly and easy-to-befriend city. It may be as cold as it's winter (perhaps not as cold as the rest of the country, but a smidge dreary at least) but, just as Vancouverites hope for a sunny weekend, there is also hope in making one or two friends in this city. 

If you're not sure where to look for a friend, here are a few pointers. Ironically, most of these (if not all) are found online. 

Creatives Vancity

Locals won't be surprised at the many content creators and influencers in this city. But those who partake in such may feel just as lonely too. This group is for content creators and friend-seekers alike to come together, meet other girls, create content and hang out. 

We Should Be Friends

Katrina Martin moved from Ontario and shared her thoughts and feelings on Vancouver's social life in a TikTok video that took off. Since then, she founded this meetup group which has gathered around 300 people at one point. You'll definitely make a friend here. 

Sober Babes Vancouver  

This meetup group is "for women, non-binary people & members of the LGBTQ+ community in so-called 'Vancouver' who are sober, sober curious, or want to drink less alcohol," says the group's Instagram bio. 

Mix and Mingle 

This friend-making initiative hosts fun events around Vancouver for meeting new people, from boat parties to group workouts to their signature Secret Soirée (but shh... the first rule of the Secret Soirée is do not talk about the Secret Soirée). Mix and Mingle events are an experiential way to make friends and always include activities and ice-breakers to make meeting new people a breeze. 

Vancouver Adventure Community

Started by travel photographer and influencer, Sebastian, the small Facebook group had only had two friend-making events so far. The first was a small-scale gathering of only five people who, thankfully, showed up. But the second was a bigger success (20 people showed up).

Extremely Shy Vancouver

Though this group does organize events for making friends while doing something fun, members can also organize their own events, because, though it can be hard, sometimes all it takes is putting yourself out there and making the first move. 

Bumble BFF

If worse comes to worst, give swiping a go. In a platonic way of course.