Regarding parking, my advice is to ditch the car before you get to Vancouver. You don't need one here, parking is expensive, and the city has the second highest rate of auto break-ins in North America, last time I checked. That's because there are thousands of intravenous drug users in this city, and many of them need to feed their habit. It's quite safe here, except for cars - I see broken auto glass along the streets of Coal Harbour, where I live at least once a week.