The problem that you're going to run into is that nobody cares that you aren't living within your means. If you can't afford to live in Vancouver you can move elsewhere.
Employers right now are actually willing to look the other way when people don't have degrees rather than when they don't have experience for senior level positions (where the big bucks are).
The fact is there are plenty of people willing to work for 40-50k and you aren't worth a dime more than them until you earn it.