Close Reading

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.

I moved out of TO in April. I miss some of it, but not a lot anymore. Toronto is over.

I'm not trying to minimize the issues that Toronto clearly has, but this same scenario is playing out in cities around much of the planet currently. It's only going to get worse, everywhere, from here. Climate change alone will ensure that. Hey, good luck to you Alina, but please don't ever make the mistake of relocating to the USA. We are in freefall everywhere here, a country that is cracking up before our very eyes.

I’d also add there is a significant amount of egos and those with money there seem to be arrogant. I’ve travelled so many places in the world but Toronto people just aren’t friendly, and the level of entitlement and snobby attitudes is why I don’t go even down for the day like I used to.

It's not just Toronto.. all of Canada is now just a dumping ground for the 3rd world. Rental markets destroyed, housing out of control, and homeless tents. It's only going to get worse.

The sad truth for your reputation, is that there are more people STAYING than leaving, otherwise, our population would only increase by the number of births, minus the number of deaths every year. It is NOT. It is increasing by a LOT more. And those are EASY to find stats.\n IF you took your time to get out of your pity party and realized that you are WRONG about that fact, you might ALSO understand that choosing WHERE you live n this country is a pretty important choice. Unless you are REALLY rich, Toronto or Vancouver would be a miserable experience for anyone. If you limit yourself to the most expensive places we have to offer, you only have YOURSELF to blame for your failures here, AND you weren't going to contribute where we NEED immigrants, but where we already have too many, causing that RARITY, making prices go up. \n Have a nice flight out. But know that it could have been different if you'd taken the time it took to make that video, to INFORM yourself about the choices that might have been better for you instead.

Never regretted leaving toronto and canada. Happily living in thailand for under a thousand dollars a month with nice basic apartment n great food to choose from

@AlinaMcleod - Accurate commentary. All of the issues you describe existed in Toronto before the COVID pandemic. The pandemic just exacerbated those issues.

Toronto is and has always been one giant shit hole.

Toronto is the Armpit of Canada, it stinks and the people do nothing but complain about the rest of Cda.

Torontonians are the reason for the big change in Toronto. Too bad they didn't listen twenty five years ago when we told them where they were headed.

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.

Born and raised in toronto unfortunately I can't afford to get out of this shit hole It has become, to many gangs formed by immigrants. because our justice system gives them a free pass these days but if your born here you! don't!! Everything is about accommodating the criminals bottom line the government since 2000 destroyed what we stood for, and I'm going to say this don't move here its ugly it smells like piss and all the good restaurants are gone. Thier closing down ontario place to put a spa????? this government is a circus full of clowns

The pro-Hamas element has ruined Toronto.\nIt's turned into a shithole.

Planning to move to Toronto as a single person. You need a job paying minimum 65-70k just to pay your rent/ bills. As couple it’s easier, combine income 100k with less tax deductions. Now for each kid add 20k. You won’t grow but you will survive. If you want to flex in this city 250k or better is needed.

Toronto like the rest of the country is going down fast, under the weight of imbalanced self destructive WOKE policies fueled by a corrupt government with hand in glove media and big $$$

I love toronto - however I ate a gluten free brownie last time I was there and had horrific gas the rest of the day

Homelessness, costs of living and Brampton are the worst things to happen to Toronto.

You obviously don't understand what melting pot neans. Toronto is not a melting pot, nor is any part of Canada. Tornto is a shithole. Always has been, always will be.

Depends on your interests and personality. Small cozy Ontario towns is where it's at for me. The arts are nice in Toronto, but giving yourself a 2 hour buffer between you and the weirdos, the mental meltdowns on the subway, and filth, is my favourite way to deal with the city. Get where you need to be in Toronto, leave quickly, and watch the violent crime and culture collapse from far away. Honestly even participating in arts is nicer in the smaller towns now, I guess I have no reason to be there anymore.

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.

Since Muslims setteled down in Toronto the place just went downhill. Full of crime.

Born and raised in south etobicoke (toronto area to the west towards missiauga) \n\nMoved to Windsor in 2016. \n\nHavent looked back. Sad to hear about this.

Thousands of seniors are leaving Toronto including me. I had enough, bad leadership.

I was born in Toronto. It was my home . I moved out a few years ago . I live 30 min outside the city now . Toronto is finished . Crime is up .the city is dirty . They want to defund the police! Wtf . To many people. Run by the crazy left wing . They want to change the name of Dundas street and it will cost $12 million. Now chow dog is putting up your tax by 16 % . Omg .

I was born and raised in Toronto. It's not what it used to be and it's never going to recover. I took my family and left Canada. The education is terrible now and hyper politicized, the medical system is terrible, affordability is terrible. Ask yourself if you're willing to invest in a life and property in a country that will take a minimum of 20 years to recover from trudeaus terrible economic policies.

Unfortunately these degradation of major cities are everywhere. Lived in California all my life and very disappointed how it’s become. Toronto is becoming San Francisco/ Los Angeles, if not there already. High cost on everything = high homelessness =high crimes. ??

Toronto has become a toilet bowl of construction, impossible traffic, a terrible Mayor, no affordability,:homeless…and woke politics.

Just came back from San Francisco after staying for a month, with all the media reporting on the crime and homelessness there, it looks like a paradise compare to Toronto here!

Toronto voted for the Trudeau regime. Don't cry to us now.

Moved to Toronto in 2020, suffice it to say, i hate it here and am trying to get out.

I was a gay kid who ran away to Toronto in 1982, age 17. Minimum wage was $4/hr and a bachelor at Church and Charles was $350, a one bedroom was $400 - $425. I had a relatively successful career as a pianist/entertainer and teacher at the Y. I was never able to purchase, but rented as the real estate prices only lept and bounded as interest rates on savings declined. I can no longer afford to live in TO, but bought a 100 acre farm in Parry Sound District by cutting a cheque. I have no community... and my cohort as all approaching 60... but the Toronto of the 80's and 90's no longer exists. The discos are gone, the kids today have no appreciation of ACT or Casey House or the hell we went through. But, the virus is controlled... I am rambling, but the city is no longer a place where young disenfranchised can go to be free to exist and be themselves. I worry about the kids of today who will never have enough money to leave home and go to where life can happen. And don't tell me that a cell phone is a replacement for a physical, real existence!!

It s not only Toronto but the whole of Canada has been hard on locals and immigrants. We re seeing more and more immigrants newly arrived who become disillusioned with Canada and decided to move out of Canada permanently due to many factors, i.e, cost of living, low salaries, housing shortages and sky high mortgages....

It's a shame hearing from you that Toronto is no more the city I used to work more than 30 years ago. I really miss the days there. Thanks for your information.

Toronto is no paradise its expensive overlytaxed the people are miserable and selfish and is getting more and more violent the city hates god it keeps poor people down so you can't own a home it is rasist in passive way just too give impression like its not\n Free health care was in the past in toronto doctors in toronto just use your health card as a hustle you go in their office early in the morning sit whole day till evening then im lest than 5minutes you out then they try too experiment drugs on you and you still sick if not the drugs causes other problems. It's a city of lawlessness and only very wealthy people dont see the troubles most taxpayers face . Tax payers are taken advantage of by politicians in toronto now people cant afford housing . I wouldn't advise people to come here its gotten very difficult too live.

> Toronto is a shit hole.\n> Toronto is the most diverse city in the world which is great??\nThe liberal mind is truly a cancer

None of this is specific to Toronto. Framing it is a Toronto issue is not helpful.

Let me save some time for you...3 reasons she mentioned Toronto is not good:\n1- High cost of rents\n2- Raising random crime to random people\n3- High cost of living compared to income\n\nThese problems exist in every city and every country, not just Toronto. Stop creating hate and propaganda against Toronto. (I live in Toronto, and I have been to 30+ countries around the world)

Pride goes before a fall = Toronto ?

God bless Alberta residents - 50 C …. It is so cold. Toronto -10. Hope everyone safety. And decent area have home invasion shopping mall thief with gun violence in GTA \n. Canada getting more and more outrageous and dangerous.

the shots of the tent city in allan gardens park are heartbreaking. I lived in toronto for a few months back in 2018, and that was my favourite place to hang out. I visited again for the first time in 5 years this summer and decided to go on a walk there. i was shocked to see how drastically it had changed.

Been there since 10 months, and agree with your assessment about the living in Toronto.

In Tokyo, you were an exotic. In Toronto, you were one more face.

Toronto is the most boring, non-descript, major city I have ever been in my life. Sure it has all the amenities of a major city, but they do it boring. Landscape, boring. Architecture, boring. Neighbourhoods, boring. People, boring and a little stuck up. Seriously, the city is a character vacuum with no real distinguishing features. Montreal is everything Toronto is not and at least Vancouver has the dreamy landscape. Indian restaurants are alright tho.

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.

I can cofirm that Toronto is a shithole

This video is poorly done and doesn't provide any context. You're not a Torontonian, you weren't born and raised in this city. You're just as bad as mainstream media spreading propaganda. Toronto is still one of the safest cities in the World.

People saying that Toronto is bad, and it's gone downhill past 5 years but you could say that about any country and any city. Covid Struck, two wars happening and a little economic shipping route battle as well!!! It's bad everywhere and while you might be paying $2.5K CAD a month on rent it's no where near as extortionate as other larger global economic cities!!

Toronto is not the only city suffering from this.

So glad I moved to Barrie. Toronto is a dump