Welcome to MobileRead
Bird, from another Vancouverite.
I haven't heard of any whispernet alternatives coming North of the boarder any time soon. It's amazing, isn't it, how Mt. Baker can sit there in the sky and you can't get a signal to your Kindle.
I hope you can get all those research books you need in a format for your Kindle, or learn how to do it along the way.
Think of it as a learning experience.
WDE