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Matchmakers, profile pictures and philosophy: How the pandemic impacted dating in Vancouver

It's been a tough couple of years for people looking to make new connections. CBC's Summertime Crush series looks at how things have changed, and how people are returning to the dating scene.

Dating is a part of most people's lives at some point — whether they like it or not

Jeremy Ratt · CBC News ·
A group of people dining at a restaurant.
CBC's series Summertime Crush looks at how the return to dating is going in Vancouver and how the pandemic affected people's ability to make meaningful connections. (Shutterstock/Monkey Business)

After nearly two years of pandemic restrictions requiring people to stay apart and making it difficult to form relationships, many are re-entering the dating scene.

In some cases, solitude encouraged people to make finding a partner a priority; in others, it's just part of the return to normal life.

"The first connection is a whole thing where you have to initially assess somebody for the potential to form a bond or connection," said author and philosophy professor Carrie Jenkins.

"We end up making these decisions really very quickly."

But has dating changed since the spring of 2020? Can it go back to the way it was pre-COVID? And what makes it so difficult to form connections in a city like Vancouver? 

The CBC's Jeremy Ratt explores the Vancouver dating scene in his radio series Summertime Crush.

Many people are returning to dating this summer as pandemic restrictions have lifted. (Rawpixel/Shutterstock)

How has dating changed?

COVID-19 restrictions over the past two years made it nearly impossible to meet up with prospective partners, and some people fell into the comfort of being alone. So, how are people getting back into meeting new people?

Making meaningful connections

Carrie Jenkins, a philosophy professor and author of Sad Love: Romance and the Search For Meaning, explains how to make new, meaningful connections and how to make old connections feel new and exciting again.

Matchmakers

It's not uncommon to hear from Vancouver singles that the dating scene is tough. A panel of matchmakers breaks down the challenges of dating in the city and how they help clients find "the one."

Online dating profile photos

Profile photos are the first thing people see on dating apps, and in some cases, they can make or break a possible connection. Photographer Justin Veenema takes photos specifically for dating apps.

Stock image of hands holding a smartphone with a heart on it, indicating a dating app.
Online dating is the most popular way to meet people, and having a good profile picture can make or break it when it comes to potential partners. (iStock/Getty Images)

Date Did What?

Vancouver writer Jill Sinclair says people are not "emotionally available," and they are this way because they're afraid of being hurt.

Sinclair chronicled her wild dating experience post-divorce in Vancouver in her 2016 book Date Did What?

Dating can be a rollercoaster, especially post-pandemic. (Allison Cake/CBC)

Listeners chime in

On The Coast listeners share their dating stories. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jeremy Ratt

Associate Producer

Jeremy Ratt is an associate producer with CBC Vancouver and the host of CBC's podcast Pieces. Follow Jeremy as he embarks on a journey of self-discovery on Pieces, now available on CBC Listen, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify. Twitter: @Jeremy_Ratt

    With files from On The Coast

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