Good pork belly in Lower Mainland - BC

[ExpatCanadian]

Hey everyone! I've now relocated from the UK to Richmond, BC...  soon to be sunny Tsawwassen if all goes well.

The first thing I've noticed is how difficult it seems to be to find whole pork bellies for making bacon and Pancetta....  but then again I simply don't know the area I'm in yet.

Can anyone help me out by pointing me in the direction of a good independent butcher that can hook me up with a few whole pork bellies...  ideally from a rare or less intensively raised breed with a decent amount of fat. I am happy to travel anywhere within the Lower Mainland for the right place...!

Thanks!

[cathouse willy]

expat I'm in new westminster and my favorite butcher is Webster at the Uptown Market on 6th street new west. Master butcher ,nice fellow. Gets me bellies and briskets, you need to order them a week or so in advance.A meat counter in a small market that sells lots of flowers, you'd never guess it was there. A real gem.
Bill

[Shuswap]

Expat, I'm in the BC Interior but any meat store can bring in bellies for you.  In my experience they have to order skin on bellies but often carry skin off bellies.  In Salmon Arm I only need to give 2 days notice.  Good luck and welcome back.

[BC Smoker]

I'm also from Richmond, having said that there is large Asian influence here. Normally I would suggest to wait for pork bellies to go on sale, so far I've come across a number of Chinese grocery stores that do stock / sell them,if you don't see what you like simply ask the butcher..... Stores that I've dealt with are:
Chinese grocery store on park rd. Behind ihop, Pork belly 3.99lb.  /   8.77 Kg on sale
Pricesmart foods on Ackroyd,Pork belly 2.58lb. /5.69Kg on sale
Steveston grocer, Pork belly  (thin cut ?) ask for regular 2.99 lb. /  6.59 kg on sale
China world   on  Odlin rd.,Pork belly boneless  3.39 lb. /  7.46 kg on sale
Keep in mind that these prices are from around December 2014, only cause I've been smok'n more back bacon than belly recently. Just another point, Rona hardware in Richmond, when on sale 15% off, have decent prices on flavoured pucks.... Also check out Barry's bait and tackle, I've read they too have good prices on Bradley stuff ?. Hope this helps ya, good luck and happy smok'n  !!!!!

[ExpatCanadian]

Hey that's great, thanks a bunch for all the replies!

[BC Smoker]

Great price on now till Monday, whole (skin on) belly at Steveston grocer ($1.99 Lb)

[ExpatCanadian]

Great, I'll pop in! Although I don't really need any at the moment, got a couple of bellies at a butcher down near Kitsilano... Butcher Pete. I definitely paid more than $1.99/lb though  :-[