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I've lived in Toronto for almost 20 years, and I can't wait to get out. The plan is to move somewhere else in the spring, just figuring out where. Toronto now breaks my heart-- you see people seriously struggling everywhere, and it's hard to see it in contrast with the opulent wealth that much of the city has. We're lucky to be in a rent-controlled apartment and we've been here for over a decade, and there's no way we'd find anything even remotely similar here now (the apartment we live in would go up at least $1000 if we leave). The safety is also an issue- I live in a fairly busy area that used to be extremely safe (I used to walk home alone at midnight in high school) and now I rarely leave my apartment after dark. There's very angry, erratic people, many on substances, and I've had some rough encounters already. And don't get me started on public transport.... My sister saw someone almost get randomly pushed into the subway tracks yesterday, and obviously that doesn't get reported. It's worse than people think, and it's only gonna get more horrible once winter hits.

Most of the issues mentioned in the video are common in cities the size of Toronto elsewhere in the western world; I have family/friends all over and they have similar gripes about cities like London, Berlin and NYC. The precipitous decline in the last few years is indeed due to the fall out from COVID, both economy-wise and mental health-wise, and most countries in the world are still recovering from it. It's tough everywhere you look, but I do hope it's a temporary situation that will blow over sooner rather than later. Having said that, one thing that's probably worse in Toronto (and Vancouver) than most cities their size (I know that Toronto is much bigger, but Vancouver is a big city in its own right) is the housing situation, which had already been a problem before COVID in those two cities and it has only gotten worse since so it's now a real crisis that needs the municipal, provincial and federal governments to work together to address ASAP.

Toronto is crap , sorry

Can someone explain how the city is broke if they imported 400,000 newcomers on a year? What is the purpose of these immigrants if not to enrich our country? I see Canada now as a dumping ground where people come to get easy passports and/or park money - contribute nothing, develop nothing. Look at advanced cities in Asia with Technology and investments. Canada or Toronto doesn’t have that. Nothing is new, nothing is unique. People don’t come for a better life.

I stay in Toronto because of my kids who are teenagers. Aside from enjoying singing in my choir and living in the Beaches area… I’d leave in a heart beat. I loathe driving into the city! You basically can’t anymore as the roads are taken over with bike lanes… There is constant construction everywhere and they removed the Gardiner heading east so everyone has to take Lakeshore in! That road is a nightmare due to construction everywhere. There are many more homeless people and long lines to food banks I’ve never seen in the 35 years I’ve been here! Rent is insane as mentioned with no one doing anything about it!

I used to live maybe a block away from where you used to live in Toronto, I moved to a different city around the time that Rob Ford became mayor I can’t remember what year that was. We couldn’t afford to stay in Toronto after our landlord sold our unit and the new owners wanted to live there, so we moved to a more affordable city. I was really shocked at the massive increase in the number of homeless people in the city that weren’t able to find space at a shelter, I had to ask my sister if I had missed news of a reanimated occupy Wall Street movement, because that was the last time that I had seen that overwhelming a volume of displaced people camping in the parks. I hope that some sort of solution can be found to massively increase the quantity of safe warm and free to the occupant shelters in Toronto before winter.

Are you Canadian? are you born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Canada?

I landed in Toronto in 1984, it was clean, safe and affordable. I was able to support myself going to university in the early 90’s working part-time as a waitress. Tuition was much cheaper back then and of top of that I was able to get a grant from the government (which was scrapped I believe). I used to walk down Yonge Street late at night with friends until we reached College Street to go have breakfast at the Golden Griddle on Carton Street. I miss the Maple Leaf Gardens and the CNE Grandstand. There were no shootings at nightclubs when I went dancing. Then things started getting really bad, the cost of living and the violence skyrocketed so I decided to move to Quebec City at the end of 2014. I worked hard on my French and now I am a civil servant for the Quebec Government. I have no regrets. I am lucky to have known Toronto The Good. If you want to reminisce about the streets of Toronto in the 1980’s look for the Night Ride videos here on YouTube. Cheers ??

Feels the same.. Immigrated to Canada - GTA(Oakville) 10 years ago. I'm considering my self as successful person, but Toronto and Canada in general are in decline..... ?

Toronto is only a tourist location now and for those who wants to stay in Airbnb for few days for tourism purposes. As for living, it's best to live away from these cities where you have 1/3rd the cost for a studio room rent.

I am in the moving business and I can't tell oyu how many people i've moved out to st catherines, cambridge, barrie, london, windsor etc who were born in Toronto and have had enough of the city. Most of the poeple who are from Toronto are no longer there... It is a city of professional foreigners and mentally ill people

Toronto used to be great. It’s on the steep steep decline now

For me, before watching. As a citizen, I think that if it was ALL of them, territories and provinces. Yukon would be here, I did a project on it!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThere’s low jurisdiction, pretty scenery, nice people, a signpost forest. But it is quite expensive.\nProbably would say Ontario with Niagara Falls and commonly talked about Toronto.\nMaybe even Prince Edward Island, so many of my classmates would go there on vacation. So it must be good!\nI also heard that Quebec has very nice people, even if their French. (I just hate French class)

For me, before watching. As a citizen, I think that if it was ALL of them, territories and provinces. Yukon would be here, I did a project on it!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThere’s low jurisdiction, pretty scenery, nice people, a signpost forest. But it is quite expensive.\nProbably would say Ontario with Niagara Falls and commonly talked about Toronto.\nMaybe even Prince Edward Island, so many of my classmates would go there on vacation. So it must be good!\nI also heard that Quebec has very nice people, even if their French. (I just hate French class)

I was raised in New Orleans, and lived in Toronto from 2015 to 2021. As a game developer, my income and affordability are no setbacks; but the increasing crime rate was fairly on par with NYC and LA in 2021 (I'm sure must be the same now). Yeah, free healthcare n no guns yada yada yada (always take a heat for that) but that insane level of theft n break ins like WTAF man! Yup, free healthcare too but good luck accessing it! My income purchasing power was quite low compared with many major cities in the US (exc. NYC but similar to LA). Add the forever construction, harsh weather, that influx of migration from a specific country (hush-hush) with no desire to integrate n assimilate, I decided enough was enough, packed my bags n moved to Irvine CA. Never been happier!

Funny how at around 9 minutes of the video they show a graph of cities in Canada comparing minimum wage vs what you need to make to rent a 2-bedroom apartment, yet Montreal, the second biggest city in Canada by far at 4.2 mil people (metro area) is not even in the graph! Is Montreal that much better that it won't even make that list or the news just snubbing the city? Or maybe they know Montreal is just cheaper, nicer, with much less crime and it would just make Toronto look bad! ;-P

When I moved to Montreal in 2006 from Ontario, a lot of people were coming here for school, then moving to Toronto for higher paying jobs. Now, the economy here is doing very well and the cost of living is about half of what Toronto costs. I meet people every day who are leaving Toronto, Vancouver and Ottawa for Montreal. Costs have gone up here too but not nearly to the same extent.

If wasn’t for Toronto we wouldn’t have Trudeau and the dumb NDP, who have propped him and liberals up for the last three years. \nThis is what you get, they ramped up immigration. It’s tripled since 2015 annually. Last year we had record number population growth, over 1 million and 90% of it was immigration. Flooding Toronto and major cities in Canada with immigration, no simulation. Just imagine we have a recessional, how bad it will get. Pushing all this liberal nonsense like legal marijuana, how is a more drugged out society help anything, euthanasia it’s become the fourth cause of death in Canada. No value for actual life but all woke nonsense, flood more and more people into country, cities become crowded and expensive. Quality of life goes down . There’s no social cohesion, there’s nothing that holds a society together when you just like a hotel.\nWhat will happen in a decade when 70% of jobs are gonna be going to AI and automation. What are we gonna do with all these people?.

You mentioned lots of things but I think all countries have better than Toronto. Whoever come Canada those not important for them example you mentioned Highpark .Our country has 1000 parks better than High park. I moved here when Stepen Harbert priminister that time.He is the man made very better Canada .After this party come power all of them go down. Now you can see worst and worst scenario going on

This comment section and video are so pessimistic. Generalizing about an entire city removed from the context of all other comparable surrounding cities.\n\nIt’s not the city that is awful, it’s how legal systems in place enable property owners and landlords to collectively screw the citizens of the city. It’s how corporate greed and income inequality disproportionately affect the least fortunate.\n\nWould also like to see data related to the alleged increase in crime on the TTC.\n\nThe complaints about mental health wait times are not a Toronto issue, but a nationwide issue.\n\nThis video is hardly personal, relies on a few clips from CBC, CTV, and CP24, and doesn’t get to the heart of what it is like to be an everyday citizen of the city. Just looking for clicks with minimal value provided.

I moved to Montreal from Toronto 2 years ago and my quality of life has improve 100x over.

I guess because Toronto is so huge and because I stayed in the main touristy areas I only noticed a few homeless people during my trip. They were more noticeable to me in Calgary in the spring. But the worst I've seen is Portland, Oregon and Seattle, WA and in 2021 Washington DC was pretty bad off...though the encampments I saw then had been cleared out by DC when I returned in 2023.\n\nI really really enjoyed my stay in Toronto over Labor Day weekend, my first time ever to visit. But just looking around me I got the same sense I did in NYC...it's a beautiful place to visit but living here would be ungodly expensive. The luxury apartments across the street from my hotel seemed to have rather low occupancy, from what I could see from my hotel room window at night. A lot of rental real-estate are speculative investments and any thought of addressing housing needs, keeping occupancy rates high, etc. are purely secondary concerns...zombie buildings with unaffordable rents that remain sparsely occupied while the need(s) are so dire is morally offensive and government should step in with rent controls and occupancy requirements and tax those owners more heavily who have occupancy below a minimum threshold. The increase in crime is a completely expected outcome of economic desperation. The US answer is usually more police & harsher penalties but I hope Canada is more rational and humane in addressing these societal ills.

it's really not better anywhere else. i lived in australia for 10 years before moving back to toronto and i definitely prefer it over here. grass isn't always greener

Born and raised in Toronto… My dad used to live on Toronto Islands..I lived St Clair & Mt Pleasant, St Joseph’s High School, Ryerson… used to be “Toronto the Good” I’m 71.. left in 2006… went back in 2018 and was HORRIFIED . Street fights on Yonge St… FILTH… I realized that things were going south.. when Ryerson wouldn’t allow it’s workers to say “ Merry Christmas’ SO HEARTBREAKING. Now in Ottawa… what can I say ??????

I am 54 years old and raced in Toronto. Toronto is not a good place anymore but just last week I visited Ottawa for the first time and the capital of Canada was not any better, I was surprised by the amount of homeless sleeping outside not far from the Parliament building. What happens to Canada is beyond my understanding. An apt in my building was around 1300 for two bedroom and that now is around 2800 just past the pandemic. I can only say that corruption is one of the big players why Canada has become like that and the break-down of the social safety net. Pensión plan are very low.

Violent crime in Toronto has seriously gotten out of control, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. There is a concerted effort by government and media to downplay the reality by changing how the statisticsare gathered and parsed. The mayor needs to address the issue head-on or step down.

Sadly everything you shared is pretty accurate. I got got followed to my work place by a stranger I met in the TTC streetcar. He proceeded with attempted to assault me in the building of my workplace. This left me traumatized for months, thank goodness I overcame my fear of riding the TTC. On the question of rent, it’s insane it actually may force some people to stay in bad situations just so they can maintain the living conditions they are accustomed to like staying in toxic relationships or terrible roommate situations…etc. I did get very lucky, moving in 2022 from living with a roommate to living on my own in a bachelor same area and really nice area in Mimico by the Lake for a rent of only $1400. Simply because my landlords are an old couple not greedy at all who prioritize having a good tenant over making extra cash but having to deal with different tenants every few months just because people cannot sustain the increase of living in Toronto plus paying their bills and rent. So there is hope, if you can find a landlord that has these values you won the lottery. I’m hoping things change for the better in Toronto, there’s no reason why the city cannot tackle all these issues in a more efficient way. But like sometimes I think of moving to a smaller city and if it weren’t for my current rent which is very low for the time we’re in, I would have moved to a cheaper province a long time ago. Thanks for posting your experience, wishing you all the best with where you decide to move to!

In your experience, is Toronto the only (or most) degraded place post-pandemic?

Things have gone downhill in every Western major Urban city; the problems aren't endemic to Toronto.

I moved to London, England, 5 years ago from Toronto. There's a lot of the same issues here, but I'd rather be in London than Toronto as there's just so much more to do here. Toronto is expensive but boring. At least in London you get what you pay for. I'm a city girl through and through so I couldn't imagine not living in one.

Toronto = SJWland

I've lived in and out of Toronto for most of my 50yrs. It always seemed to be a city that was never able to live up to its potential. So much mismanagement of funds for starters. The list of problems is to tiring to go over.

Just look at the people getting super rich off of housing and immigration then you will know why Toronto has gone to hell in a hand basket

With regards to crime I’d like to see some actual stats. You could pick a few headlines and tell people crime is out of control.\n\nOtherwise rent and housing costs have drastically gone up across Canada but Toronto started out higher than most cities.

Ma'am we have our PR and my elder daughter is in University of Toronto studying Life Science and we are in Dubai. Now next year my wife and younger kid will travel. Wife has good job and I am not moving. My elder daughter is already staying there. My younger one is 13 years

EV's will save Toronto. The gridlock on the 401, DVP, & QEW, etc will magically evaporate.

its disgusting to see how much trudeau has destroyed our country with mass immigration and mass deficit spending.\nThe reality is that there is just not enough space to house everyone in toronto. This cause imbalance in supply demand. This mixed to the fact that our currency has been devalued by deficit and interest rates raised.

All North American cities have declined post Covid, but Toronto has probably done the best out of all of them. Yes things are overpriced and too expensive but it:s still an incredible and safe city.

Torontois no good.crime is worst and is very dirty.I grow up Toronto i use too love city.\nBut iam not toronto still feel like iam living in a third world country.

I have lived in Ottawa for over 30 years, and we have many of the same problems outlined as in Toronto, especially when it comes to housing prices, and heating and air conditioning and gas and groceries....I have a very good job, but can't imagine maintaining any quality of life here post retirement. Personally, I am looking to spend my twilight years in Colombia where life is better for a fraction of the price.

Toronto not only remains stuck in time, infrastructure wise, it's also facing a huge cost of living issue. EVERYTHING is going up in price.

The last time I drove down Young St, I was stopped in traffic waiting for it to move, when a homeless man stepped out from the side of a building and started peeing on the sidewalk, right in front of people who were walking by. Of course they side stepped him, some gave him a dirty look, others just didn't care and continued walking around him. Toronto is fast becoming a dirty, violent city.

From my point of view, Toronto almost like heaven with Sydney.

I am from Toronto and it's really changed for the worst as of my recent visit, my family all wish they could move , I currently live in Halifax due to work for the past 5 years and it's also bad with similar issues . Canada ?? has really changed for the bad .

We lived in Toronto for 30 years and moved to Calgary 6 years ago because of a good job offer, and the hope for a less congested, polluted, dangerous, expensive environment. Here in Calgary, we are living in the inner core and can enjoy sitting in the back garden without hearing the drone of traffic or airplanes. Toronto was fabulous from 1994 to 2014. All our friends and family who still live there are unhappy with the decline of the city.

Toronto still felt like a safe, small city until the mid-1990s, but that changed; I moved out when I felt it change for the worse.

The Chinese own Toronto now. Please leave.

We live in Barrie Ontario, but have lived much closer to Toronto before. We are both in our mid to late 50’s and are planning on semi retiring in 3 years to New Brunswick. It’s very affordable and easy to retire there. As Ontario is extremely expensive, I can definitely see people moving out east in Canada as well as companies relocating there for the simple reason of affordable building rents or to build a new building for their business and offer jobs at a place where their employees can afford to live. I am also predicting that the populations in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia will see huge growth in the coming years.

Over a decade of conservative mayors and council who care more about cars, landlords, developers and the suburbs they represent, plus the drive to keep our property taxes low and stop putting funds into things like public transit, social services for homeless, and general services has really impacted Toronto - and not in a good way.

I'm also a performer. Left Toronto for Montreal and later Halifax and I've gotten more work. I think there's too much competition in TO in the acting world.