Close Reading

I am a Canadian and I have seen the sharp decline of Canada over the past decade which makes me very sad. According to many 'experts' they paint a dire picture of the nations future as the rate of inflation spirals out of control and we are buried beneath a mountain of debt. On the ground level, homelessness is an epidemic that the powers that should not be seem to want to sweep under the rug, while they race bait and spout off about woke ideology. They are more worried about transgender rights and castrating children while with anyone with eyes to see are witnessing the very breakdown of their society around them, people are dying in the streets from fentanyl overdose. My wife volunteered at our old church which catored to the homeless and I have known many that are no longer with us, nobody wants to acknowledge it because they do not want to face the fact that they are fellow human beings. In the end no one is better than any one else, it is all vanity.?\nIt would seem like we are run by lunatics with severe cognitive dissonance by the fact that we have mass immigration while are own \npopulation is suffering, I admit that mental health and addictions are potent variables that constitute the crisis, I am not niave to those facts. I myself have had long term Sobriety. But it is odd that only a decade ago, homelessness /addiction were problems confined to major cities like Vancouver and Toronto, and now we have tent cities in almost every town with a population of more than 20 thousand people. It would seem like utter stupidity to keep pouring water into a bucket that is overflowing. I suspect that their is an agenda and the destruction of our nation is a part of it, it is a well known fact that the Trudeau government is in bed with Klaus Schwab and the World Economic Forum. I don't care if you call me a racist, that is a luxury for those who live in gated communities, who create the problem and want to muddy the waters. These elites like to accuse others of what they are guilty of, they are anti human bigots, eugenicists who are ideologically captured, any one who bandies the around words like racist and homophobia, Islamophobia etc. are either those operating with an agenda or a useful idiot.

i lived there as economic immigrant in Toronto for 4 years back in 2009 to 2013, i loved the city it was vibrant, beautiful, multicultural, people were nice polite, rent was ok , house prices were affordable, i loved every inch of this city, yonge and bloor, Dundas, Chester greektown, high park, north york , Yorkville with the fancy restaurants bars and houses, spadina mansions, harbourfront, were all my favorite places, i have so many beautiful memories in this city, i studied and worked there, but unfortunately i came back in 2015 then 2018 for few days, it was changing gradually to the worse more homeless, more crimes, more mentally sick people, very expensive housing rent food, am so sad fo rthis wonderful city

Born and raised in Toronto so sad to see what has happened to the city,

I am speaking as an Indian, who lived and worked in Thailand for 2 years, and now will be moving to Europe on a specialist skills visa. Indians as immigrants have been a productive addition to any country worldwide, compared to other nationalities. But the only exception case is in Canada. \n\nThe reality is, in Canada, the majority of immigrants are only from a specific part of India (Punjab), and most of these people are deluded, uneducated and unskilled. You are 100% right, they are not there to upskill or even contribute. I can bet these people have not even lived in big cities in India itself, they come from villages and small towns and have never seen how modern societies or even cities work.\n\nI feel sad for Canadians because most of this is their government's fault. It is the leading example of a failing society, which attracts the most obnoxious group of people from around the world. This is a complete political agenda.\n\nAll being said, even if they pay me I would never come to Canada.

holy crap. Sorry but as a Nova Scotian I have to strongly disagree . Our housing costs both renting or buying has gone crazy in the last three years . We have people living in tents even in the winter. Homelessness is in crisis. I personally have a friend in her 60s and sick and will be homeless in 3 days as she cannot find an apartment much less afford one Prices in everything has gone sky high. While salaries stay low. Every where you look now you see garbage just thrown. Last year we had devestating floods and wildfires. University students get her and cannot find housing. One international student is paying $400 a month to sleep on a hallway floor. I know housing in all our provinces is a problem. Tent cities are everywhere. People poyring in without us having the means to house them has caused terrible sufferring for all. People shoukd not come to NS at this time. Wait until there are places built to house people. Also our healrh care system is in crisis. I love my province but I dont even recognise it anymore. It is so sad what is happening here. People come here from away and some start youtube channels to tell people from their home countries Not to come here.

Wow! Canada is going the way of California and New York City...sadly!

The housing crisis is unbelievable. Last 5 years house prices went up dramatically. Cost of living; our grocery bills doubled in the last year! Health care system is crippled. We moved to another city and still waiting for 2/3 years to be assigned a family doctor! Safety is becoming more and more issue. People used to keep their doors unlocked. Now? No way josey. It is sad. I m looking for a change. Next election, definitely will vote for the opposition party.

That is exactly what Trudeau wants, replace Canadians with those that feel beholden to Trudeau and will vote for him. So sad that city is in that state. Anyone who comes to Canada to live here needs to adapt to Canadian values, morals and way of life. If they do not want to they can go back to the country they came from. We do not want our culture over written by another.

You think Brampton is bad, what about Surrey BC. There are some parts of Surrey you can't tell what country your in, then you got to mention Vancouver where we are quoted as the most Asian city in Canada. All sad but true. What happened to this country is beyond weak. Thanks 1997 UN immigration agreement with Canada!

If we moved to any country you would live by their rules. They move to Canada they do and wear what they want. We have our RCMP that look like India police with turbans. They get to carry their religious knives, they don't have to wear helmets while riding a motorcycle. Then you get women wearing the full garbage bags. The beach is funny to go to and look at their bathing suits. We are a minority in our own Country, just go to any major city in Canada, it's pretty sad to see our Trudeau Canada. Close the border we're full.

I'm so fucking sad everything in this video is true and for my own sake I have to leave the city I love to ever have a shot at a stable career and home. Toronto was where I grew up and my family set down all its roots but it's a nightmare now. Over half of my young 20 to 30 year old friends only managed to move out of their parent's via some combination of couch surfing or cramming themselves into small spaces with other friends\n\nIt's not only NIMBYs, the zoning regulations are ridiculously restrictive and make developers waste land on giant mazes of single family homes that will inevitably be bought up to cram 40 students into each.

I grew up in Malton (borders Brampton) in the 1980's and it was all Western European and Canadian folks and it was great. Such a sense of community and everyone knew everyone. Us kids would stay out until the street lights came on and played in Parks. It was really safe. We moved away in 2006 because the area had gone such down hill by 1999 and the crime was horrible. Stolen cars, alcohol and drug abusing Punjabi folks and the domestic partner violence of the Indian men beating the crap out of their wives was insane. (I had a friend that was a Peel Region Police officer who ended up leaving because she couldn't take seeing it any longer). I have nothing against Immigration, because my dad was an immigrant, but I do have a problem with the amount of any one country we let in, and the types of people that we let in that contribute to crime and area degradation. It's so sad the slums that have become in Brampton and Malton since we left. I'm glad we got the heck out of there when we did. I feel sorry for all those that are stuck there still. Furthermore with such an influx of immigrants into one area it has driven the house prices and rent through the roof because the pace of immigration was nowhere near the housing starts, and cities think that everyone needs to be packed in like sardines and when you have that many people living in close proximity and you have such expensive living costs it's a disaster waiting to happen and it brings along with it tons of crime and drugs. The Trudeau government really messed up this country and the GTA Cities like Brampton are a shining example of that. It's sick that we pay as much as we do for government at all levels that are this idiotic. It's time we protested in the street and made the government at all levels fear the public again or it's never going to change.

The whole country is turning into a Brampton. You hardly saw these people in my city in the past, but now you see them everywhere. It's just sad what's happening to this country. Thank you so much Harrison for making this video. You are doing a great job.

Why’s the white population declining in cities like Brampton where immigrant populations are soaring? Go to an immigrant owned business, they don’t hire white people. Go to immigrant owned rentals, they don’t house white people. So why would white Canadians move to a city or area that won’t house or employ them? Even canadian universities are turning down more and more Canadian born students in favour of international students because they pay more. It’s sad to see Canadian born youth being rejected by their own country institutes. You would never see this in India or China or Pakistan.

It’s sad what the liberal government has done to Canada. All the cities are are now turning into liberal havens and it’s starting to resemble the democrat cities in the US. Crime ridden and homeless everywhere.

Stay out of this place its trash. Unless you are a millionaire you will be poor no matter what. And if u are a millionaire you wont be for long. The taxes are crazy, the cost of living is crazy. You will never own a home unless you are very very rich, the weather is horrible, if thats not enough for you all the above problems are getting worst by the day. Im an engineer making 130-140k a year and couldnt afford a house in even the cheaper cities such as halifax... toronto or vancouver? Forget about it. I forgot to mention the healthcare, people are dying in waiting rooms and from cancers that could be treated if detected early, but they are often stage 4 before even being diagnosed. Very sad but very common

sadly this is happening in every Canadian city.

Living in Toronto, I've seen this city degrade year after year in so many aspects and no-one seems to give a damn to offer anything but platitudes. \n\nIt's sad that the apathy from politicians and people has brought us to this point.

Thanks for making this video and spreading the truth of what's happening in Toronto. As someone born and raised in this city, I would sadly have to say to stay away from here now. In the past I would have said this is one of the best cities to live in. It was a great city and now it's a dead city.

I’m surprised you never saw me. I’m homeless in a shelter and I hate this city.. well I hate all the cities like this. The people are heartless and sacred. The homeless are high and sad… I wander the streets like all day every day. When I have money I try to help the street people. Or I end up smoking weed on occasion. But there’s a lot of garbage and garbage people out there. I’m basically the rat king. I wander round doing anything I can. I’m pretty crazy tho I have bpd and doctors don’t really help anyone. I just live in the shelter and during the day I wander the streets trying to learn the city and help people. Sometimes I’m rude and angry and insane due to the state of the city and all I’ve seen. I yell and sing as I walk around just to hate everyone who is the average scumbag citizen. You know who I mean.. and I call them out on their bs. But only during my bpd episode or whatever. Otherwise I try to help all the street rats. But lots of them are helpless addicts like it’s hard to find the proper way to help. You gotta be careful who you help I suppose, because your good intentions of helping can lead to harming them. They end up buying drugs I guess sometimes. I am very easy to spot. I’m zooming down the streets. I usually walk so fast and everyone is so brainwashed brain dead slaves of society for real… they don’t care or help no one. I mean some do but it’s extremely rare…. I’ve probably walked literally everywhere you were. That park on Jarvis. I see those security guards lol they were dicks to you and definitely lied about not being on camera. I see them like almost every day. And all the other places. I slept outside a few times not often. I’ve been to all these spots I walk by them all the time it was crazy to see it all. That’s my life haha it’s awesome. I do the best I can and it’s definitely better than everyone else who has a job and a place like…. They’re all just selfish shallow heartless scumbags. Harsh truth. Keep it real.

I’m a Canadian who lived in Toronto during and after the pandemic (and now moved abroad). The city is not what it was when I was a kid. Completely run down, escalated crimes, homelessness outside my apartment building. Also many immigrants are given more opportunities to fill company’s quota of diversity. Good journalism on this video, thank you for showing the real Toronto. Many foreigners think Canada is a dream country and it’s simply not. Canadians are struggling in our own country, it’s just sad.

I lived in the city on and off as a kid and I saw homeless people every now and then depending where I was. I fell in love with the areas I lived in and seeing where my dad grew up and high park. Now I don’t feel safe. I don’t even think I’d feel safe bringing my dog down and visiting my family. Now I see a lot of people homeless in nicer areas and just everywhere. It’s truly so sad my dad even said that it there was problems when he was growing up but now it’s just so much worse.

Born here and sadly spent a few years homeless in Toronto after both of my parents died (orphaned) when I was younger. I remember being told I had to be at least 25 years old to get help from Streets to Homes in Toronto and was homeless at 17 with no living parents (orphaned). It wasn't until the beginning of Covid that I moved away and another city helped me get off the street in 4 months. Have my own wonderful place for the past 3 1/2 years.\n\nSo glad I never gave up, and so glad I never started drugs.

As a university student who visits Toronto often, it’s sad to see such a beautiful city in this state. It wasn’t this bad when I was a kid. I’m shocked to see a veteran is homeless

Toronto used to be a wonderful beautiful very clean and proud CITY it was reverd as one of the BEST known all over the world ?\nNow I refuse to even go there OMG\nI used to work Contruction all across Toronto in the early 80's it's truly a very sad thing\nI tend to shutter a the thought of what it will be like in a nother 10 to 20 years \n(Oh yeah I'm a VERY proud CANADIAN and most proud of all to be able to that my Grandfather fought at Vimy Ridge)\nIt's time to turn things around and make it a proud,clean CITY AGAIN!!!!!

You know, you just uploaded this video two days ago, and two nights ago, I took a walk from Yonge and Bloor to Yonge and Dundas. I could not believe how bad the city has gotten... just like your video demonstrates. There were homeless people and drug addicts all the the way down Yonge...dozens at every corner. Tons on the subway, too. I even made a FB post about it, because I was so dismayed. Your video really demonstrates what's going on in the pulse of the city. It's so disturbing... it actually makes me really sad to see Toronto's relatively sudden severe decline. (I've been living in Toronto since 1998). And believe me - I know the rest of Canada is not far behind.

They just bus them to other city's which very sad

its a sad situation that is common amongst most Canadian cities :(

Hallelujah! It's been insane! Many cities don't even look like a Canadian city from even 5 years ago. Places like Toronto etc now all look like New New Delhi. It's sad to see Canadian culture being wiped out. And there is no place to live. The immigration policy in Canada is the most aggressive in world history (about 5x more immigrants per capita than places like US or Britain which also have way too aggressive immigration policies). \n\nIt's odd how we are always told here that people shouldn't marry or have kids for environmental/climate reasons (ugh) and yet Canada is bringing in so many people trying to QUADRUPLE our population by 2100. How insane is that?

I really feel for students who are scammed. But being an international students myself, and as a young adult, I did my research on the rent, job market, living costs of the city I was going to: Vancouver. I knew it wasnt gonna be easy from the get go, I struggled but dedicated to school and to my part time job. My personal experience was that most of these students do not focus on their assignments and rely on others to do their part. It was 10x more stressful and, sadly, my strategy to survive (and my friends’) school was to avoid doing school projects with students from one particular country. And worst yet, professors would turn a blind eye to this systemic situation cause I guess everyone was paying their tuition fees.

No surprise there, \n\nCanada is NOT attractive to migrants anymore due to multiple reasons.\n\nSoon a 1 bedroom apartment will probably cost 5000$/month for rent in the Major Cities making it impossible to settle here for newcomers.\n\nThe healthcare system has serious problems due to a lack of Doctors and Nurses who left for better paying jobs in US or Europe.\n\nIf you need immediate Specialist care you will probably have to pay hundreds of dollars just to see someone in the Private sector because the Public Health System has huge waiting lists and is understaffed.\n\nYou won’t be able to get a Government Family Doctor because the remaining ones have thousands of patients already so they’re swamped.\n\nYou can wait even 10 years for a Family Doctor and still won’t get one.\n\nYou can’t be bumped up on waiting lists for Doctors or Specialists even if you are in a critical condition because you aren’t a Celebrity / Politician / Millionaire.\n\nOnly those with a lot of money, status, power get immediate medical attention in case of an emergency.\n\nMost of the traditional medical costs like and eye exam, treating an ingrown toe nail, Physiatrie treatment are NOT covered by the Provinces anymore so you will have to pay out of pocket hundreds of dollars again.\n\nSome Provinces are already copying the US healthcare system which is 100% Private and for profit so don’t be surprised if you you’re gonna have to pay even for an infusion.\n\nThe minimum wage is only 15$/hour in most provinces when in reality you need at least 40$/hour to survive the ridiculous cost of living.\n\nYour typical salary will go 45% to taxes and 45% to rent leaving almost nothing for food / bills / gas / insurance etc. \n\nYou will struggle to make ends meet and possibly starve a week or two every month just to say that you’re “Canadian” \n\nThat is the sad reality but Canada is in a deep hole right now.\n\nUK is in a similar situation too.

I've lived here for 10 years and yes, the city has changed substantially. I'm thinking of moving to another province or even to the states. It used to be a great city, but those days are long gone. It's very sad actually. It had so much potential but overpopulation, COVID and gov policies ruined it. At least that's what I think.

Australia, same thing ,the average house out of reach unless you earn big$$$, population boost with lack of infrastructure and homes, rent sky-rocketing, even rentals are hard to get 1%vacancy in big cities. Feel sorry for the young people. Governments sold all the tax payers utilities that employed many people and keep the costs of essentials down. Many politicians sitting on big company boards after they retire. The same companies the government made rich. Going downhill, sad . Desperate times ,Desperate measures that's the road we are heading down.

What's that Prime Ministers name? Justin Trudeau? And they vote for him! This breaks my heart. I used to come Toronto often from Detroit when I was a young man. I could take the train, I didn't need a car and it was just wonderful. I would walk the streets at all hours without any concern for my safety. I often stayed at the Towne Inn as it was very cheap, right near Young and Bloor and was of good quality. The prices now are ridiculous. This is sad. Toronto was my favorite city.

Many big cities across the globe are going downhill. Very sad indeed

Unfortunately, Canada has quickly gone downhill, more so in the last decade. Canada is now synonymous with Real Estate scams (highly inflated prices), student scams, rampant drug peddling, and homelessness in major metro cities. And, the sad part is the country's leadership is an active participant in this!

I lived in Toronto for almost 25 years but moved to Berlin, Germany, a few months ago. I found the last few years to be really sad and also scary. There is such a huge mental health crisis. The TTC is not very safe feeling. I have friends there who travel with dog or bear spray in their purses. The cost of rent is definitely a huge issue. A lot of friends can never move into a new place and I don't know anyone there who can afford to actually buy a home.\nThe positives are the food options (groceries and restaurants - some of the best in the world), the nice social life, so many things to see and do around the city, and the various beaches and islands.\nThe city is definitely looking uglier and uglier, though, with all of these boxy, glassy condo towers and now with Ford doing things like turning public space into a foreign-owned inaccessible spa.

I'm 75, was born in Toronto, lived in Vancouver, New York City, but moved back to Toronto in 1985. Toronto was/ is a great city from May to late October. Today the developers own the politicians. Toronto, is now all terrible condos, ugly steel with glass walls. So sad what has happened to my Toronto, the Toronto I used to know.

Typical city talk. Canada ugly? Get real. Not everybody is that foolish live in cities where you look at concrete all day, and have to deal with pollution, crime, traffic, etc. There are tons of beautiful smaller places in Canada where it's great living. Stop generalizing.\n\nThe weather? That's so lame, since you knew that beforehand, and to spend 10 minutes on that.... again, lame. \n\nCovid? You gotta be kidding me! There is a reason why Canada performed way better than many other countries. We all saw what happened in the USA where they weren't so strict. Again... ridiculous comment.\n\nThe rules? OMG... go to the USA! ???\n\nIsolation? It's pretty sad when you feel the need to live in a major metropolitan to feel happy... ~sigh~

I visited Toronto in 1986 and I've had friends from that city. The whole world is changing and facing the issues you mentioned in your video. I had lived in Seattle before its decline. I'm in Pittsburgh temporarily and I had lived recently in Erie, PA. They all seem to be facing the same situation--housing crisis, homelessness, and crime. And in Pittsburgh, limited social services.\n\nHowever, I'm sad to see a socialist country such as Canada suffer with these ills. If a socialist country can't take care of its people, there's little home for a capitalist country like the US.

I have always wanted to visit Toronto, native Chicagoan. That is sad, but all cities have their ups and downs.That is stupid and unfair how rent is increasing.

I think where you go now especially in the city. The housing market is getting worse and affected the rental community. Watching video, surprised me the rental was higher than minimum wage. Sad to see.

The sad thing is that there are basically only 3 options in Canada for living in an urban area and all the crappy suburbs in the country are filled with people who yearn for that type of living, further contributing to higher demand for these already scarce places to live. There are so many factors that contribute to the absurd costs of living in the country and the lack of incentive to live in places outside the 3 major cities is a huge sticking point. \n\n\nImproving this aspect is going to require massive change on so many fronts (less car-dependent neighbourhoods, denser housing, better public transit, among other things), but people are so resistant and fearful of these changes despite yearning for it that they don't realize their stubbornness is a self-inflicted choke-hold.

Born and raised in Toronto, the last 7 years have been a dramatic decline in livability and increase in crime. Sad to see the city I love go downhill with no end in sight.

The crime rate and violence are much higher in the USA than in Canada. I was born and I live in Montréal very happy and feeling very safe in my city and all over Québec. I don't know to who the Canada bashing is serving. Pretty sad, so much negativity that our country does not deserve.

Toronto was the best City in North America pre-pandemic - It was absolutely incredible and it’s been shattered into pieces filled with drugs, crime and so much more. As a 16 year resident of Toronto it will never, ever, be the same. It’s now San Fran of the north. Sad.

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.

Such a good video. Canada used to be so affordable, and such an amazing place to live, it's sad that this is all changing... : (\n\nI do have to point out, though, that the tax rate in Canada is the same as in most of Western Europe (30 to 60%) and the ratio between salary and cost of living is similar. It's pretty normal, in France, Italy and Spain to spend half of your salary on your rent/mortgage, some people even spend more than that. (The average salary in France is about 2,000€ or sometimes even less and the average rent for a 1 bedroom in big cities is about 1000€. In Spain, the aberage salary is about 1,000€ but rents are 600€ per month or more...).

Sadly city is declining. This is mainly due though to the poor federal government that wants to destroy Canadian society in its quest to stay in power. No thoughts on how to sustainably grow a country foster growth and development of the economy. Providing needed housing development and health care to match population growth. The chasing of woke attitudes obstructing the development of resource industries that could provide much economic wealth has led to destruction of our once great country and making us an international joke. We have turned our backs on once good allies as we now support many terrorist states and organizations. So sad to see the decline of what was one of the best nations on earth.

I don’t have any children but for the sake of my future children I am already next month doing hijrah and moving to an Islamic country and city. I am leaving my parents and family in Sweden and it feels really sad and scary but I am doing if for the sake of Allah and my religion.