Great Canadian Van Lines

My daughter selected the company and received the initial quote. She handed over the move to me at that point. Everything from my first contact with Candace, second pick-up in Winnipeg, final invoice, to the delivery to our home went very well. I was totally impressed with how well organized the company was. They provided so much helpful information by email, telephone and short well made videos. The online method for recording the items we were shipping was well organized and user friendly. Communication was always polite, cheerful and timely. Questions were answered quickly. Our items, many that were fragile, were very well protected and delivered without damage. Our driver, Harry, and his assistant were very efficient and friendly. They were patient and helpful when we requested that a few pieces of furniture be re-arranged. Overall, we were extremely happy with the entire process. And the final price was less than our initial quote! Honest and upstanding service!

Move size: Partial Move Service cost: $4700

They are by far the worst company I have ever dealt with in all my career. They are dishonest and rotten to the core! Don't be fooled by this company that has a GREAT company name and presents themselves as Canada's best moving company. Their website says they have professionally trained staff who will lay down floor protectors and wrap your fine furnishings etc. and "place the pieces of furniture where you want them placed in your new home". WRONG!! NOT TRUE!! DON'T BE FOOLED by this! They don't deliver any of this!! NONE OF IT!! They are by far the worst company I have ever dealt with in all my career.

They have a professional with over 20 years experience come and give you a professional "firm quote" on what your move will cost. And, I gladly purchased insurance at around $380 understanding that things happen in long distance moves. But in the end they did thousands upon thousands in needless, reckless, damage and refused to file a claim for it after I spent all that money on insurance! This company is dishonest and rotten to the core!

The day of the move a different company shows up on behalf of Great Canadian Van Lines - their agent - RIVERBEND moving and these guys were doing drugs! They took all my quality furniture apart and could not put it together again upon delivery. It was damaged beyond repair. The day of delivery, a band of thugs and I mean real gruff, rough and tumble thugs, showed up threatening me, telling me unless I pay thousands $$ more than the quote they will not unload my furniture and belongings and they will charge me hundreds per day in storage fees!! My beloved service dog who picked up on their threatening, frightening, aggressive energy, had a grand mal seizure - first one ever, and these guys did not give a darn! They kept demanding the money or else.

Then they literally piled everything ceiling high, furniture in pieces until I could not move around and they put the heavy boxes on the top right to the ceiling. I am not strong enough to deal with this so I had to hire another company to come and help me. That is when I found out the full extent of the damages!! What a shock to realize they had damaged almost every piece of furniture that I own and that my HP laser jet printer was missing. My entire Sauder Heritage Hill office suite was damaged beyond repair, other furniture totally trashed. I could go on.

Then if all of that is not bad enough, they put through "unauthorized" charges on my credit card to the tune of over $3,000. There is much more but it would fill several pages so I will stop here. In short, DON'T HIRE THIS COMPANY! you will be traumatized for life! Zero customer service, dishonest, reckless, drug smoking, don't give a hoot about you, rip off company! I am so sorry I hired them and that they got any of my hard earned money!! They really should not be in business!

Move size: 3 Bedroom Home Service cost: $11052

Cross-country move from Ontario to British Columbia.

These guys totally saved my move! I called them with not even two days notice for a cross country move when another mover had failed me. Ed was beyond helpful in helping prepare my quote and told me his guys in my area had a few days off that week so he would call me back if they were able to do it.

Less than an hour later he called back to confirm.

Bill, Alanor and Matt were careful with all of our belongings, including my husbands motorcycle and my guitar ( which was just in a soft gig bag).
They delivered our things in 8 days! Everything was in perfect condition and the price was actually less than they had quoted me.

Thank you so much guys for taking so much stress off of our family!

Move size: Studio Service cost: $1946

A MOVING TALE WITH GCVL:

Great Canadian Van Lines (GCVL) is a British Columbia based moving company and seemingly well-reputed. However, my experience with GCVL was extremely bitter.

I arranged my move from Calgary to Montreal in Canada with GCVL as of July 10, 2016. To my surprise, the moving team (led by Amar Nijjar) did not arrive within the stated time of 3-5pm. I called up the driver but the driver sounded unapologetic and relaxed as if nothing has happened. Moreover, the driver was not sure about the load capacity in his truck to accommodate our stuff despite having our move on his list.

Kathy Dorland was my contact person on behalf of GCVL for many weeks. When I reported my experience with GCVL to Kathy via email, she replied and offered me an alternate date (after a long pause). However, based on my poor experience, I rejected my contract with GCVL and asked them to refund my $200 non-refundable deposit. Fortunately, Kathy processed my refund and we conversed over phone. Kathy sounded apologetic but I received no apology email from the GCVL management, further exemplifying their unprofessionalism and callousness in customer dealings. Till date I have no clue about why did the movers failed to arrive and companies like GCVL never disclose the exact cause to their customers (as one might speculate).

I will never recommend GCVL to anyone (owing to their below par service) and warn all prospective customers to be watchful and take lesson from my experience.

For more details about my GCVL experience, I have shared my emails below.

REPLY EMAIL FROM KATHY:

Hi Abhi,

I am so sorry for the delay in loading your goods! We have confirmation from the crew that they can load your goods tomorrow [Tuesday July 12th] in the early evening [5:00pm-7:00pm]. Please confirm if this will work for you?

We will be applying compensation to your Bill of $50./day for the 2 days we are late for the pickup.

Thank you so much for your patience and understanding Abhi, it is greatly appreciated!

Sincerely,

Kathy Dorland
Great Canadian Van Lines
#203 - 669 Ridley Place
Delta, BC V3M 6Y9
Office: 604-540-6683
Toll Free: 1-800-665-0055

MY EMAIL TO KATHY:

On Sun, Jul 10, 2016 at 5:26 PM, Abhishek Ghosh wrote:

Hi Kathy,

I am hereby updating you that the movers (Team: Amar Nijjar) did not arrive at my location today till 6pm today. Firstly, Amar did not arrive within the scheduled time (3-5pm) and said he will get back to me after 5pm (which he did not). Unfortunately, I called Amar again at 6pm but he now came with 2 options:

(a) He is open to come very late today as he is 10-15 mins. away from our address at that time.
(b) He is unsure about his load/space in his van to accomodate our stuff.

I had an unavoidable appointment at 6pm today which I had to defer until 7pm and have to leave soon. Thus, I was unable to accomodate Amar today. I mentioned to Amar to pick up our load by 5pm tomorrow. However, Amar did not commit any time but said someone will get back to me over phone tomorrow (July 11). Based on this situation, I would expect a compensation from GCVL on our move as it failed the first scheduled attempt due to lack of professionalism on GCVL's part.

Finally, please get back to me (by phone/email) as I need to move my stuff ASAP. I am leaving Calgary on July 14, 2016 by 4pm.

Best.
Abhishek.

MIRACLES DO HAPPEN:

Fortunately, my wife had quotations from other moving companies as a back up plan. Thus, I was rescued within 24 hours after the GCVL mishap by a Toronto based moving company (ARMOUR VAN LINES) and to my surprise their rates were reasonable compared to GCVL and provided excellent service.

Indeed, the whole process was a great learning experience for us. But at the end, I laugh at people/organizations failing to adhere to time and display professionalism and worry about their existence in the society. I am happy to reject these kinds from my list irrespective of their societal holdings.

Abhishek Ghosh
scientist.ghosh@gmail.com
ghoshabhishek.weebly.com.

Service cost: $3500

We went with Great Canadian Van Lines because their quote was approximately a thousand dollars less than the five other large moving firms we contacted. Mark Valliant was quick to reply to all my questions & an agent did come to our apartment to create a more realistic quote, which contained a more detailed breakdown of costs then the other companies were providing.
The movers that came were excellent, friendly and efficient. All our furniture was wrapped by them, then all our boxes & furniture was carried down 2 flights of stairs into a shuttle, then moved into the long haul trailer on the outskirts of Toronto. The same driver actually drove to BC, picking up moves along the way and helped unpack here, with another great local guy. These guys really work hard for a living!
There were no hidden fees, no missing items, no broken bits and no surprises, except the surprise of everything going so smoothly (especially after reading so many horror stories on the net).

Move size: 2 Bedroom Home Service cost: $5000

Moved from Vancouver to Montreal and went with GCVL because they quoted about $1000 less than the competitors. Well, don't be fooled by this - it's a total scam. They quoted me about $1900 for the move (I was living in a small 600sq ft apt in BC). Only AFTER they took all my belongings did I get an email with the final bill totaling just shy of $3500! How the f** can the quote and final be so far off?? Furthermore, they driver refused to unload or open the truck in Montreal until the balance was paid. So, as the client, you are stuck in this situation with no recourse and they hold your belongings hostage until you pay their inflated price. Also - I moved from Montreal to Vancouver a year before and I shipped MUCH more stuff on the way over and it was more than $1000 cheaper with the company I used to go there. Such a rip off and such terrible service - extortion. DO NOT USE THEM. I wish I had listened to the reviews before booking!

Move size: Studio Service cost: $3500

Moved from BC to Montreal. 2-bedroom apt but not much stuff, approx. 1500 lbs total stuff (about 50 boxes iirc). We took care of the packing and boxing, so all they did was move everything into the truck. They were organised and it went fine. Our estimate was in line with the actual; this is because we had a really good idea of how much stuff we had. They are a little more expensive than el cheapo and about half the price of Atlas Van Lines so we went with them. The movers were professional and didn't dilly dally. They got everything in and out of both places quite quickly.

Move size: 2 Bedroom Home Service cost: $2400

Our experience with these movers was a great one. We moved from Victoria to Ottawa, and not only was it cost-effective (a relative concept, and in comparison to other options), but these guys were considerate and reliable. They packaged everything directly from our storage locker, and delivered it and unpacked it right on schedule to our new home. They were careful with our stuff, and the one item they broke (a mirror) they had repaired and returned to us within a couple of weeks.
Strongly recommend this team and we'll be using them again when we head back to BC in a few years.

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $3700

I hired Great Canadian Van Lines to move furniture from my cottage in Ontario to my son's home in Alberta (plus a stop at hour home on the way). When I retained the company, I told them that I would be flying to Alberta to take possession of the goods and delivery had to be within the agreed-upon time frame. GCVL set six days within which they agreed the furniture would be delivered to correspond with my flight arrangements.

Several days before the move, I was asked if the pick up date could be delayed by one day. I agreed on condition that the delivery time frame would not be affected. I was assured it would not be.

On the moving date, with no previous notice to me, another moving company (#2) showed up telling me that they had been hired to pick up the goods and put them in storage until the driver from GCVL was able to pick them up. Moving company #2 said that because the driveway was not accessible and they needed to utilize a pick up truck (that we provided) to shuttle the goods, there would be an additional charge. GCVL charged an additional 2 1/2 hours(at a cost of $352) even though the entire pick up took only three hours.

The goods sat in storage for six days. After the driver from GCVL picked up the goods in Ontario he ran into weather problems that he advised me delayed him 24 hours. The goods did not arrive during the six day time frame promised - the time when I was scheduled to be in Alberta. They arrived 2 days late. GCVL said that the weather caused the delay, however if the goods had not sat in a storage facility in Ontario for 6 days there would have been no issue about the timing of the delivery.

I had to return to Ontario for a work commitment before the goods arrived. I explained that I would have to fly back to Alberta to accept delivery (no one was available on the day the goods were now going to arrive and there were family heirlooms that I wanted to inspect on delivery), and I would like to be compensated for the extra flight. After many emails GCVL said they would pay $50 a day for the 2 days the goods were delayed "as a courtesy". I explained that would not come close to covering the cost of my extra flight. GCVL told me they were already waiving the $505 charge for putting the goods into storage in Alberta, as no one was available to accept delivery on the day they were arriving. However, GCVL was aware from the time of booking months earlier that delivery had to be in a certain time frame. It is unreasonable to expect someone to be available beyond the agreed-upon delivery dates.

I returned to Alberta to accept delivery from moving company #3 - the third company now involved in moving the goods. A number of items were missing, including a brand new as yet unopened toolbox and a storage bin that included an antique coal oil lamp that was a family heirloom. An antique chest and other items of furniture were damaged.

Although the claims department was relatively helpful in dealing with compensation for the lost and damaged items, the whole experience was a nightmare. I would definitely never use this moving company again and would not recommend them.

Move size: 2 Bedroom Home Service cost: $2875

Do not use their service and here is why:

On warm month of Jan 2020 which I'm told it is not busy at all. Based on how their "GOOD" reviews, talks etc..decided use the full service package, signed contract on 14th and later fully paid on 25th of Jan of the amount 6100CAD, .. Move from Winnipeg to Montreal, in the email promised with good weather should deliver on Jan 27th after pack on 20th which is 7 days delivery period, at the end "with no snow no rain no terrible weather at all" conditions, arrival Feb 3nd, delayed 8 days, almost homeless count day by day.

Nearly 10 items partly destroyed or missing such as dining chair, shells, kitchen ware, office desk legs etc. After spend 2 weeks back and force, takes another 4-5 weeks to refund but refuse to admit their mistakes.

No such thing as response in 48 hours, every time takes more than 3-4 days until we call in.

Move size: 2 Bedroom Home Service cost: $6100

We had a great experience with Great Canadian Van Lines. It was our first time using a professional moving company, and we were moving from Ottawa to Calgary, so we had many questions about the process and Sara and the team answered all of them thoroughly. Ken and Dave handled our furniture with care and nothing was broken or scratched! Given the elevator in our new building needed to be booked in advance, they were very accommodating, giving us an approximate window for us to book the elevator for, then making sure to arrive at the small window. Also, after we noticed a small scratch on our wood floors, Great Canadian Van Lines was quick to reimburse us for the cost of the repair. We highly recommend this company - great service!

Move size: 1 Bedroom Home Service cost: $2980

I had the worst possible experience with Great Canadian Van Lines. I had experiences with other moving companies and this company sat as an example of the bitterest moving experience in my head. I used their service to move from Montreal to Vancouver. I received my furnitures with deep scratches all over , my TV frame was broken on side, many of my appliances were malfunctioned due to mishandling. Many of dishes were broken. The company does not care about wrapping your furnitures and are super ignorant.

HIGHLY NOT RECOMMENDED !!

Move size: 2 Bedroom Home Service cost: $2230

I can't say enough about how Emily, Kathy & Amarettos looked after us. These guys did an amazing job for us, they accommodated us with an earlier pick up date from what I had scheduled and stayed touch with us throughout the entire move, even giving us the driver's cell phone number so we could stay in touch with each other. Everything arrived in good condition and the guys delivering were great, even helping us with a couch reassembly which was not part of their agreement. The best part is, they are Canadian Owned which is hard to find and we love to support Canadian Owned Companies.

Move size: 2 Bedroom Home Service cost: $5016