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I lived in Toronto for more than a decade and def thought it was a wonderful place esp through the 2000's and early 2010's. I noticed a huge downturn around 2013-2014. It was getting harder and harder for normal folks to get by even back then, and that people were becoming very frustrated. I ended up leaving in 2017 in order to have a higher quality of life elsewhere - tbh when I left I thought I was just getting old, and I wasn't cool anymore, but I moved to a different larger city and went back to having a great time, and the folks around me were happier. I can't say I'm surprised that it's gotten worse since.

You are spot on! (And far too polite/politically correct - sorry to say lol).\n\nToronto is the WORST city to live in. I look forward to leaving. I regret moving here 17 years ago - don't know how I've managed to stay this long. Toronto has changed me... and not for the better. This place will make you bitter, you'll have no friends (or shallow, money-hungry ones) and there's no sense of community. Your workplace will be toxic, you'll work long hours for a boss that treats you like crap and pays you less than you're worth. You'll be underpaid, and not valued or appreciated. You'll wake up in the dark to go to work in the freezing cold and come home in the dark, in the freezing cold. You'll live in an expensive tiny box in the sky with disrespectful neighbours (and their barking dogs). The 'unhoused' and addicts will hang outside of your building, begging you for money and smoking crack/weed. The stench of urine and poop on a hot summer's day (the 3 months of it that there is) will make you want to heave.\n\nAnyone thinking of moving to Toronto should seriously think twice and do LOTS of research. There are so many BETTER cities in the world - choose wisely. Don't choose Canada.

I moved to Toronto in 2021 in search of a better life but only found poverty, crime and hopelessness. Just like hundreds of thousand of immigrants, I was lured into the idea of a first world country, and spent my life savings to move there. As a highly skilled worker, I am barely able to make ends meet working a job I’d be making at least 3 times more in my home country (Brazil). I am moving to the US now as cost of living is far lower and average pay is much higher.

I immigerant to Canada 2008 and lived in Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver. I realized I was in the wrong place. 2013, I ran from Canada and never regretted it.\nShe is 100% right. DO NOT go to Canada if you are poor with limited money.\nCanada is a beautiful country. It is a shame the cruppt Canadian GOV makes it so hard for people to live.

Very interesting. I have really enjoyed listening to your views and why you are doing what you are doing. I too am very concerned about what is happening to the world and I’m an atheist. I lived in Toronto 40 years ago and I’m sure it was a very different place to what it is now. Very good luck to you both and your girls.

Great video! Here's my 2 cents: The Social scene is a Western thing. Difucuty meeting friends is a well-documented thing about Vancouver. I think it's because Vancouver has three large ethnic monocultures, and they're all preoccupied with money. West Coast is lifestyle over the social scene. At the same time, Toronto is much more diverse culturally and economically, and culturally, it has a more outgoing social norm. The housing crunch is partially driven by supply and demand, at least not here in greater Vancouver, where I can see hundreds of brand-new condominiums and townhomes empty or for sale. The real issue is the lack of affordable housing. I've lived in Canada my whole life, and im also considering leaving.

So how would Toronto compare to a city like Chicago? Seems all big North American cities have major problems with government and crime as the biggest obstacles to a better living.

Move out of Toronto and you'll love Canada! I immigrated last year and like everyone else I went straight to Toronto to find a job. I did find a well paying job but even after that, the city was not affordable. I liked the part that it's easy to find new people and settle in the city because everyone's very open minded and welcoming but the rent al market is absurd! Public transport need a major upgrade! The only thing apart from social life that I liked was toronto's biking culture and community. But taking ttc, specially the subway is scary! Road rage is becoming a norm, no respect for pedestrians or cyclists. The city is broken.\n\nI am now living in London, Ontario, and I feel a lot safer. Fortunately, the renting is still not as bad here but you need to own a car (well, that's just North America) and then you can life a comfortable life.

I lived in Toronto years ago. It was nice in summer but in reality the weather is only warm 2 months of the year and the winters are very cold. I moved to the US and have lived in Manhattan, Ft Lauderdale, Atlanta, Las Vegas, and Seattle. Each place has its own special things and negatives. Nothing is perfect but I do prefer a longer warmer climate.

I grew up in rural Ontario and experienced extreme racial violence since childhood. I moved to Toronto at 19 to attend university and have been here for 15 years. I still enjoy the outdoors, but have continued to experience racial attacks when I visit small towns across Ontario. So while the cost of living here is outrageous, sadly, Toronto is the ONLY place I have not been called an N-WORD!! ?

still, Toronto is a lot safer and better than the USA, Latin America, Europe, and Asia, Of course, it is not like Japan or Singapore but the immigration crisis is everywhere and worse. can be a cleaner, can be cheaper, working as a waitress and expecting to live downtown does not add up. it just reminds me of when I used to work in a motel, I paid for a motel room and expected 5-star hotel.

I lived in Toronto from '95-2000, 2003-2004, and finally from 2010-2019, and watching its slide has been terrible. But I'm old enough to remember what it was like in the late '70s when it was still functional and people had no yet become miserable. It's astonishing what greed and stupidity can do. Having lived in Calgary and on both coasts as well as Australia and Japan (where I'm on my second stint) I now see Canada as no longer designed as a home for citizens but rather a holding pen for the fleecing of inmates.

When I contemplated moving to Canada I really wanted to move to Toronto because a friend of mine who lived there really hyped it up and I was extremely impressed with its diversity. but as I got to know Toronto via talking to my friend every day and seeing how she struggled to pay rent and her bills I became more and more turned off by the ridiculous cost of living. Also, the fact that they don't even have unlimited data plans just boggles my mind.

Toronto is just an expansive shit hole to live in. So many problems with the city and country and yet no signs of improving.

Every time I go back to Toronto, I see how dead all my old friends are inside. They should've followed my lead and gotten the fuck outta there a decade ago (when things were already pretty bad). No amount of therapy can help you if you're living in a rat cage. You want to improve your mental health? Start with a healthy environment. (I believe it was a black latino psychologist who first said that, though, which might explain why said advice is \ngenerally ignored in mainstream culture. Also, keeping people stressed and hopeless means more money in psychologists' pockets. ?)

Canada Is a mess. I won't even visit Toronto anymore, and I only live about 50 minutes south.

You want to live in Toronto, the third largest city in North America on average salary? I think that’s an unrealistic expectation when you compare the rent to cities like New York and Miami. I think given its current size and growth trajectory, Toronto is still on the affordable size and it will get much more expensive in the future. I visited Toronto and the GTA area, all you can see is new construction, businesses packed with people. May be Canada bit more than it could chew and the economy has not grown since COVID making inflation pinch even more. My only problem was due to the rapid expansion, the city seemed to lack a soul which comes through organic growth. All I could see was broad highways, residential areas packed with housed and large shopping complexes.

People have to stop using rental prices in cities like Toronto and Vancouver. That's like Americans using rental costs in Bel-Air California or Manhattan as an example of what rent costs in America. It's not a realistic portrayal of rental costs. \nHere in Quebec the the annual tax rate is between 26.53% and 53.31%, depending on income. Then you have to consider all the socialist programs that you are forced to pay into, which also sucks up a significant amount on your weekly salary. After that, you must consider that you pay 15% sales tax on almost everything. It's safe to say that half of your yearly earnings, give or take, are taken in taxes and socialized programs. As for salaries, less than 20% of the Canadian population make a 6 figure salary. We're not talking about household income. I am talking about individual income. You're not going to become rich here in Canada! The majority of people who do become rich leave Canada to avoid taxation. Canadians live a life of debt. You will live just balancing your debt to make sure it doesn't get out of control Few Canadians have money in savings without debt. The ones who do have money saved, most of them have debts on top of their savings which is counterproductive in my opinion.

I use to live in Toronto in the 90s I loved Toronto

I've been living in Toronto for 2 years, and I would say Toronto is one of the most overrated cities. I'm from Japan, Osaka and lived in Tokyo awhile as well. I lived in San Jose and Seattle for a while. I'm convinced that Toronto is the worst city TBH or probably Canada is perhaps not as cool as people expect. People say Canadian health insurance is pretty decent compared to American health insurance, but I think Canadian medical system's getting broken, and sooner or later it's gonna be like American medical system unless they pay extremely high taxes.

I used to live in toronto and i actually liked it there, people are ok not as friendly but ok, the lifestyle was good with so many different things available to do, u never get bored there, good nightlife, good sceneries, good malls, good parties, hot looking girls everywhere, the food is amazing with so many options to choose from all around the world, all good...... but the big problem was that life was so damn expensive, i had 2 jobs and was barely making enough money to survive, that's why i left.

As a citizen or Toronto who moved here 30+ yrs ago. The country has changed and is slowly going broke. Their main source of income is to milk the citizens. Anyone thinking of living here is being scammed. Go to Alberta or Quebec. Ontario is raping its citizens under the watchful eye of Commrade Truduea and his dildo labeled as carbon tax.

We loved and still love Toronto, and we miss certain aspects of living there. But yeah we did the math and it just didn't work out in our favor to stay there anymore. We looked at my hometown (San Diego, California) and my wife's (Calgary), and went with Calgary. Just put in an offer on an inner-city townhouse in Calgary that would be at least double the price in Toronto. Like I said though, I still miss Toronto a lot.

Toronto and Canada claim to be inclusive and diverse. I know many gay men who have been beaten up on the TTC. One buddy was beaten to a pulp, and no one helped him. People just sat there are let it happen, didn't even call the police.\n\nI would never live in Toronto, I'm leaving Ontario because this province is going downhill fast. In Windsor alone dependence on food banks and homeless ness has increased 500% in the past year. And their solution? To continue to raise taxes and give millions away to China and Ethiopia. What about Canadians? It's really sad.... I don't see China or other countries giving us foreign aid.....

Wow I am so amazed how Toronto has changed! I used to live there for 6 years and it was amazing, Toronto has a special place in my heart I had a great time I met wonderful people and learnt a lot, however, the city has changed in a very bad way which is sad to hear at some point I was seriously considering going back but I suppose I will have to let it go.

I left Toronto in 2017 (born and raised there, lived in Toronto for 35 years about). I moved to London Ontario, the cost of housing here is basically half of what I was paying in Toronto. I even took a $10k per year paycut for a new job and I still live better in London Ontario than I did in Toronto because in Toronto nearly my whole salary went towards living in squalor.. whereas for half of what I paid in Toronto got me a comfortable home in London. Unless you are wealthy, living in Toronto is lunacy.. you can live much more comfortably by just leaving the big cities like Toronto and Vancouver, even if it means taking a lower paying job.

Toronto has become a big injection center for drug addicts, that's one of the reasons I left Canada. It was so depressing to see that everyday downtown Toronto or pretending not to see them but the fact is, it was way too depressing and I didn't want to see them anymore. Also, places such as Moss Park have become a shooting place at night for no reason so taking a walk in the park' without taking big risk wasn't an option anymore. Not to mention the cost of living for such a bad quality of life, barely being able to afford buying some basic products such as milk or vegetables. Canada has become so bad. So glad I left and I don't regret it for one minute. There are so many better and friendlier countries out there.

Hi Alina, If you can stand the quietness, relaxed lifestyle, cold weather , cheaper rent, and friendly people, live in the maritimes, Manitoba or Saskatchewan. There is a share of rude people (more like drivers)in Calgary and Toronto. Both are still considered fast-paced!\nPeople in Calgary used to be very friendly in the 90s, not as friendly anymore! No where in Canada is perfect though.\nI will really choose Lethbridge and Medicine Hat over Calgary or Edmonton. Calgary is getting more busy and people more in a rush!

I lived in Toronto with my wife between Oct. 2021 and Oct. 2023. Despite earning six figures as a software developer plus my wife earning more or less the minimum wage and despite being very lucky to have a ridiculously low (for Toronto) rent of $1350 for a 2-bedroom apartment we decided to move back to Poland. We wanted to stay in Canada for longer, but with everything around being so expensive we weren't able to get a similar standard of living that we can easily afford in Europe. The fact that we didn't feel particularly safe in the city didn't help.

As someone who has been in Canada my entire life (except the odd travels), I would leave Canada if I could. Unfortunately I have family circumstances that require me to be available for my family in a short timespan (so I've bought a house within one hour drive from my parents with my partner). But if my life circumstances were different (and I can convince my partner) - I'd be out of Canada within a few months, once I find a job overseas. It's quite depressing here and I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel. \nNote: I do not live in the Toronto area or the Vancouver area but still a pretty medium/large city.

But what are the better options out there? I currently live in Toronto. I don't necessarily LOVE it, but I haven't found any other places that I find more suitable.

What confuses me about this is that living in NYC is about 26% MORE expensive than Toronto...and Chicago, which is considered a bargain in the U.S. is 6% MORE expensive than Toronto...so immediately it seems that Canada, for a progressive young couple, would be the better choice than the U.S. at present, no?

My wife and I used to live in Toronto. We moved to the United States in 2018. We've literally saved more money in the 5 years we've lived in the U.S. than our entire lives in Canada. Everything in Canada is way too expensive, taxes are heaped upon taxes, and the price is inflated even more. Toronto is even more crazy than the rest of Canada in terms of expenses. There is no way young people will ever be able to afford a home or save for retirement.

After living in the GTA for 36 years, I moved back to the Ottawa area and it was the best decision I've ever made. My son moved to Ottawa and lives right downtown in his own 1.5 bedroom apartment paying only 1600. He can walk to all the amenities that he needs. I'm in a small town just outside of Ottawa, where everything I need is only a 4 min drive away. I can walk to most places. Within minutes, I'm out in the countryside surrounded by farms and forest. TO was great for my career, but not a good place to be retired. Unless you and your partner make over 150K, Toronto is not affordable.

I live in Canada and it's a strange place. You work so hard and never seem to get ahead. Wages are low and cost of living is really high it's so hard to save and build towards a future. Not to mention the cost of housing is crazy. Two bedroom one story house in Toronto will cost 1.5 million. Cost of living is out of control.

How DARE you talk about the one of the best cities in the world to live in. Toronto has been very good to our family. Get out and STAY OUT! GOODBYE AND GOOD RIDDANCE!

It’s because everyone thinks they must live in Toronto and Vancouver. That’s like saying I want to live in London, or New York with low income.\n\nTry smaller towns which are more affordable.

I lived in Toronto for a year and I said , no thanks to Winter.

Very good objective video. I grew up in Toronto and had many great experiences in the city as well as commuting from west Toronto into the city for five years of high school (grade 9 to grade13). At an very early age I used to fearlessly ride buses, street cars and the subway system with no concerns of crime or potential violence in my mind. I wouldn't suggest this now for a young person unless you have 2 or 3 marshal arts black belts in your resume! The very same circumstances exist in Vancouver...quite possibly x's 2. My family and I now live a short distance east of Vancouver, but the city has changed about 10,000% since I lived there from the late '70's to the late '90's. I don't mind saying that I believe most of the problems/issues in Toronto, Vancouver and many other cities in Canada have been accentuated by poor policy decisions at all levels of government...municipal, provincial and federal...particularly since 2015 aka the J Trudeau era. I would like to share this video with MP Pierre Poilievre is that is OK with you. JV.

The weather and no possibility to make new friends made me leave Canada back in 1986. And believe me, there was already a lot of povery in Toronto, people were not living on the streets, that was the only difference. Criminality was very low and cost of living was much better than nowadays.

I am not from North America. But I too think Toronto is a fine city. Once upon a time maybe back in the 1970s,80s 90s and early 2000s would have been one of the best cities in the world to live in but these days not anymore. Still looks the same like in the past but it has changed the high cost of living and other changes mean standard of living has dropped in the last 10 years. Still a nice city though but hopefully it will bounce back to how the city was in the distant past 2 decades ago and earlier.

It's not Toronto but you! Do not point at the city since you the only person complaining. A lot of people do not have any complaints, if so there would not be millions and millions that live in the city

I live in Toronto since 1999 and witnessed the decline of the city due to higher crime rates, poor car racing on highways, more selfish people parking at the fire lanes, legalization of pot (thanks to stupid Trudeau govt), more traffic congestion, more homeless taking up the parks etc since 2005. It gets worse and worse each year.

I think that a lot of people who seem to hate Canada in this comment section are either from Toronto and Vancouver, the two most expensive cities in the country, but these two cities don't represent Canada as a whole. \n\nPersonally I live in a smaller city in Québec (Saguenay) and life quality is super good, there are a lot of job opportunities and housing is very cheap, and it is an amazing place for outdoor lovers\n\nI saw many comments saying that the US is cheaper than Canada... Those people simply don't compare what's comparable. If you compare Toronto with comparable cities in the US like New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, Toronto is in fact MUCH cheaper. If I compare my city with comparable cities in the US, well it turns out that Saguenay is much cheaper\n\nSo before wanting to move to another country, you can simply think about moving within Canada. If however you hate winter, then there's no reason to stay here ?

I had 2 men on go to Toronto try and steal my bag ,off duty officer from uk said he saw it I moved so fast he didn’t get my bag and police officer tried to grab him white guy and black guy 29’s working together ,sit in handicap section safer ,I’m born in Toronto ,it’s the worst mess ever ,nothing like home ,Canadians born in Canada are just staying home ,look at union station dec 31 ,we were all scared \nWho are all these. Men ?\nWhat have we done crime is high I’m 70 getting picked in on a transit train at 2 om ,well I carry tasers now ,crime is out of control ,I know ,no where have I been more attacked since 10 yrs old ,all by immigrants strangely enough but union shows how many. Non men we had there mean men crowding and fighting ,well enough is enough ,we can’t even afford a place to live now. Because 65 per cent investors own all our housing ,you can have it ,I’m leaving

Be living in Toronto for over 20 years. I feel it is getting worse every year.\nCanada is well known for high salary, good benifit and health card. That attracts immigrants from all over the world especially third world countries. \nBut the living cost is insane compare to early 2000s. If government can't handle the housing problem, they should not open border for more immigrants. More ppl squeezed in a city will get rental higher and higher. If you don't have a good job with decent pay, what gonna happen? Homeless or crime rate increase.....\n\nThe government officials are so dumb no matter which party, they are selfish and stupid, they dont give a f about true tax payers and hard working ppl.

Be living in Toronto for over 20 years. It is getting worse every year. You can leave your front door open qhole day back in early 2000s. Not anymore. Why? Because the crime cost is too low.

As forth generation Canadian I left years ago and never ever want to return .\nGrowing up Canada was the greatest place to live but with years of Canada being flooded with a million new bodies a year it’s become a horror show .\nSure many coming are great people but they won’t stick around once they see with their own eyes the realities there .\nSo anyone loving to come to Canada are obviously from third world hell holes and are coming for the free stuff .\nCanada has new migrants from the worst countries in the world countries you would never ever dream of visiting but now those people live next door.\nI watched a YouTube stream from Toronto on New Year’s Eve and did not recognize my old Toronto the good anymore .\nRight at Yonge and Dundas the main intersection in Canada 95 % of the people were South Asian and 80% were male .\nThere was no Christmas decorations in Toronto just one sad looking tree they call a remembrance tree .\nDon’t know what we are supposed to remember what Toronto use to be when they celebrated Christmas and it was a White Christian country ?\nIf you can believe it Toronto doesn’t even have a New Year’s party concert celebration anymore ,just lame fireworks over Lake Ontario.\nMontreal doesn’t even have fireworks anymore lol \nTake my advice get the heck out of Canada move to Thailand where housing is cheap ,food cheap and people are nice .\nYou only live once don’t waste it in miserable Canada

I am a resident with Muscular Dystrophy in a wheel chair. I am exhausted! I work 5 days a week 8-10 hours a day and I do not feel well at all. I have no choice but to work because I cannot afford to move - What I pay for rent in his city is insane already. There is no where for me to go and there is no way I can find a cheaper place. I feel like I am living a nightmare to be honest. It just getting harder and harder and it seems like the people in Toronto are getting colder and colder. There are no social programs with enough funding and disability income is impossible because it doesn't even scratch the surface of rent costs. Food is completely out of control too. It just feels like I am circling the drain and the will end up homeless eventually. People with disabilities are treated very poorly in this province but in Toronto it is especially cruel and cold.

Four generations of my family have lived and been born in Toronto but I feel zero ties to what it has become. I see many videos now listing the serious issues with living there but the icing on that cake is the crushing taxes on everything from income to groceries to every service. Yes there are other western cities with problems, but the taxes you pay to for the privilege of living with those problems in Toronto are extraordinary.