Close Reading

Toronto is no different than any other large metropolitan city. The problem is peoole want to live beyond their means then complain because they're not at that level to live that lifestyle. ?

I agree. In fact, thanks for having 2 passports, I am moving back to the EU in the next year or so. Toronto, and Canada, will take 10 years to recover. It's not worth staying here.

Downtown Toronto always expensive. Better to look for apartment in suburbs. I used to live in Toronto many years ago and am now in Nova Scotia. Halifax has many of the same problems now.

Due to Trudeau's policies the standard of living for a LOT of people has rocketed downwards...his gas tax has made food and gas unaffordable, his mass printing of Canadian currency plus his massive deficits from year to year have cause rampant inflation, we have a massive housing shortage due to his policies coupled with the lack of proper infrastructure in this country (Canada is the ONLY G7 nation with high speed rail, plus we have no plans to build that)...as a result rents in cities like Toronto and Vancouver are ridiculously unaffordable...there is a massive crime wave happening in the country because of Trudeau's policies to release criminals from jails, coupled with his policies to use taxpayer funds to provide drugs (like cocaine, and meth) to users...stay away from Toronto, it has been ruined by the policies of the government run by Justin Trudeau and backed by Jagmeet Singh. :(

Toronto is a dump

I have not been to Toronto since Covid. I used to make a weekend of it and enjoy the town but I cannot afford the price of a hotel these days.

If money wasn't an issue Toronto would be the last place I'd live.

What you did not say is , recently, Toronto elected a communist mayor as well. Mind you, the one she replaced was no roaring hell either and as deep state as you can get.

Toronto is insanely expensive without a sense, for that money you could live in Switzerland, Norway or Monaco!!!!

The city has lost its empathy and is a zombie filled concrete jungle. I left for Thailand Toronto was once a vibrant fun city now it's a nightmare. Truly sad.

Hi Alina! I agree with many of your points.\nWhere do you currently live or planning to live instead of Toronto?

Toronto it's not what it used to be. I remember the 70 , 80

Toronto is just miniature Delhi

Are there any white people even left in Toronto?

I am the Landowner as Toronto Tribe Mohawk Hollywood Royal as Queen of Canada and Royal Chieftain of Indians of America. I had God bring all Canadians into the Chateaus of Canada and God brought them in for Covid in 2019. Everybody is in the Royal York. I Natalie Helferty am in Hollywood North on Northern Heights Drive as one of myself as a way to End the War against Canada. Toronto is now the Empty City Syndrome just like New York was in the 1990s. There is the Entertainment District only as Hollywood North. New York Rental Rates were through the roof and Racketeering By Russians was driving the prices up so everybody moved into the Waldorf Astoria. Toronto is going through the same thing as Hong Kong Chinese Racketeers drove the prices up with condo rates in Toronto in the 1990s and they never were under Rent Control. Everybody was moving in the 1990s into the Royal York back then as Hollywood Actors could not afford the condo fees as all Movies are for Free and nobody made any money acting. There were no real Rent Subsidies in Toronto like in New York though as the City was not meant for Foreign Nationals to Scam Rent Subsidies out of the Government. Bloomberg as Mayor of New York knew who was from New York and who was not. Toronto is getting to be that way as Hollywood Royalty is all Canadians who grew up in Richmond Hill and were working as Government Staff. There was a need to keep the Racketeering in check so Homeless Shelters were offered instead in Toronto by the City. There are Clones made by Britain who tried to take over Toronto and they became Homeless People on the streets. The Police would arrest them all the time. It became a real problem for the city. There is a neighbourhood watch program that alerted police to vagrants in Toronto who were ruining the city by peeing on the street corner. They were Charles III out with Fred of Balmoral as Vagrants. The Asylum Seekers now are the Butler to Charles III as a way to be belligerent toward the Royalty of Canada who hasts everybody in the Royal York now.

Toronto is a dump and ill never set foot back in toronto especially since they are considering municipal sales tax on top of ontarios rediculous pst

I remember Toronto in the 80s being really dangerous. There was even a riot in Kensington Market that the cadets from the Police Academy had to come and sort out after the cops ran away.

Toronto is a shithole. Lived in or around it my entire life. Watched the decline happen in front of my face. Sad.

Crime and homelessness is going to increase in Toronto and that is the reality.

Please don’t mislead people by saying “don’t move here” because of rising rents. Just because NY has even higher rents/COL, does it make it not an attractive city to move to? Rents go up with demand, which means more people want to move to Toronto. Just because your rent went up doesn’t mean it’s a bad city. The people who can afford it will move for a good reason and enjoy the city.\nEdit: I see you caveated this at the end, good. Would be nice to have this caveat upfront though.

London and Toronto are both so cool!

Yes Toronto is laid back and also overhyped \nThere certainly are better places to live in

Ok Alina what place or country you can suggest because you turn me off toronto

From Beirut Lebanon: i send wishes for peace to the city of Toronto and its people. Hope you will overcome your challenges. Things are more difficult in Beirut. Peace!

Wow I haven't been to Toronto in about ten years. All I can say is it has definitely changed

Toronto is the insanity and money-laundering capital of the world; everyone I know is homeless, myself included, and I’m a university professor.

Unless you have a net worth of over $100 M and an additional annual income of at least $5M, don’t even consider moving to Toronto (in which case, why would you want to live there in the first place?) — except, of course, for the fine year-round weather, the bracing mountain air, the breathtaking sea views, and the plethora of Old World antiquities, all of which are truly lovely...

Why do people like living in a concrete/glass cage called Toronto?

Toronto has been a big dumpster fire. They just added jet fuel to it the last 5 years.

Toronto is the best

Grew up an hour away from Toronto, and lived there between 2018-2020 while attending grad school. It was expensive then, and has only gotten worse. My friends that remain are afraid to taoe the TTC, and as you touched on even the nice neighborhoods no longer feel as safe given all the random crime. I work in community services, and so much of what we are seeing could be mitigated or outight eliminated with better funding for social services. It's been almost three years since I moved across the province, and although I love to visit, I could never move back eith the way things are now.

I'm live here in Vancouver.. I love its locations where there are waters and mountains, even if its a bit pricey than Toronto..❤❤❤

livelong resident of Toronto but I did live in Japan once and loved that too. I'm lucky I'm in a rent controlled basement otherwise there's no way I could afford to live here. Just got laid off today from a remote gig and have to stay for benefits etc. I could see myself living in Japan in the future though. If I'm paid remotely then cost of living seems a bit more stable.

I was born in Toronto and have only lived here my entire life (Im in my mid 40s). The disaster here in Toronto over the past 8 years is thanks to Trudeau. Theres no way anyone can argue that.

« Toronto is one of the most multicultural cities ….. » and one of the most uninteresting.

Toronto has changed!!! ALL of Canada has changed ...and not for the better. It has become a melting pot of poor Immigration polices.

As a Montrealer, Toronto to me was pretty much like any big charmless American city but cheaper, cleaner and safer. So I understood that American visitors, at least, would like it. But no more. What hasn't changed is that it remains a physically unattractive city, replete with highways and strip malls, especially near and north of the 401, where most people I know live, as it's cheaper. Great for business, but Montreal is far better in almost every other way. Even friends who've moved to TO 25 or 30 years ago admit that.

Is this about Toronto or just about you?

I currently pay $734.96 per month for my bachelor apartment in Parkdale, Toronto. All inclusive. I found the place in 2015, and it started at $660.00 per month. It's a smaller building where I know most of my co-tenants. Quiet neighbourhood most of the time. I've been one of the lucky ones for sure. I love this city! I'm from Peterborough and I will never move back. Some of the best memories of my life have been here. But you're right Alina, it has changed. Much like most other major cities in the world. The economic hardships being the #1 issue. Rent going up, wages staying the same, and inflation not slowing down. But with Toronto, the transit system is far behind the progress of cities like New York. Toronto should have multiple subway lines going east and west. Queen St. and Dundas lines for sure. The overall culture of the city is not as vibrant as it was during the 2010s. That could be Covid related. Or things are taking awhile to come back to pre-Covid form. But a lot of great venues and restaurants have been shutting down. And being replaced with the construction of condos. The real estate is insane here. It feels like things have gone downhill since the Raptors won the NBA championship in 2019. Because that really united everyone when there were a million people gathered for the parade. I'm hoping things turn around and there's more affordable housing for newcomers. I know I'm staying here for a while longer. Because of my cheap rent. And career attachments to the city. Great job on the video! ?

Why canada taking so many refugees who will remain on welfare for rest of life Canada cannot control housing food and other necessities of life now this will be more grave. Canadian govt think about it and stop taking refugees. Rather take SD tudents who becomes useful worker for Canada. And look our roads strreets schools bazars ate not safe every other minute there have been shootings stabbing killing incidents in Toronto thats due to immigrats and refugees who brought guns from USA. For the sake of God dont make Canada Lebanon and Afghanistan and limit the numbers of immigrats and refugees who re bringing in chaos lawlessness in Canada. Only bring lin useful immigrants workers doctor engineering students who will built yhe future rather than refugees who will stay on welfare for rest of life and add further to lawlessness.

Born in Montreal but lived the last 40 years of my life in Toronto… and as others have said… it’s not what it was. Trudeau has destroyed this country. It remains to be seen if the damage is reversible. \n\nIf I were you I would suggest checking out Budapest. It’s an amazing city and the country is run by a PM who actually gives a damn about his people and their culture.\n\nSouthern Brazil is also quite nice (as you know) and SÉ Asia is attractive if you don’t mind the distance. \n\nGood luck!

I left Toronto in 2016 and it indeed changed since I left. All the same points you mentioned.

Toronto shouldn't be considered canadian ppl there are a holes!

I spent a lot of time in Toronto going to college then university and working in the summer. I love certain pockets of Toronto, the diversity, the opportunity and the uniqueness it holds however I would never move to Toronto. I do live in the GTA with my family and we were fortunate to buy a house pre housing market increase in prices and thank God we did! If I were a young person starting off now I would 100% relocate to a smaller city up north if I could get work there or to another province in need be. It is not worth all the stress and unhappiness that the trying to survive in the rat race that Toronto has become.

Finally someone speaking the truth about Toronto! After having lived in Ottawa the last 4 years, agree with everything you just said?!

So accurate and much more can be added. Unfortunately, the genie is out of the bottle, and there's no going back... Lets see a follow-up video in 20-years to see where Toronto measures...

Ex=Toronto, living in a 2000 sq. ft luxury condo with pool, gym, sauna, internet, concierge service, security overlooking the Pacific and seconds away from a beautiful beach from which you can watch the sun set into a golden dusk for USD$1000 in Manta, Ecuador, working remotely! If you have a college or university degree you can stay here for 4 years tax-free. And the food is always super fresh, seafood galore, and the people are wonderful.

I have a friend from Toronto who apologizes all the time. Sorry this, sorry that, sorry the other thing. One day I told him to stop apologizing all the time. You'll never guess what his answer was.

I was in Toronto this summer and agree with many of your observations

Yes actually I do have a comment or two. I think that Toronto has become the victim of either its own success as a multicultural, diverse and growing metropolis or the perceived idea that Toronto is the place to be. And what that brings with it? Yes, people who are interested in living the life and those who can afford it pay it. You said it very well, the city has become unaffordable to most people but the wealthy or at least those who are getting paid the best salaries and those who bank on real estate take advantage of this, be it the hype or reality since also, most job opportunities are still there. So to me the problem is with the lack of contro of the real estate market. And people who cant pay but for whatever reason live there just have to pay the price. The refugee situation is not surprising to me at all. We are struggling with affordable housing for crying out loud but we are also advertising to the world that we are that welcoming and peaceful society that those people can be part of. But at what cost. Toronto cannot continue like this if it will still be considered as a city for the people and not the wealthy and chronically increasing poor. No wonder they chose a progressive for a mayor and not a conservative or hard line liberal because people want change but not radically. People want to live in the best city they can having all necessary services and in peace and safety. So, there are so maby layers to pill here but again, the main reason why things have gotten the way they are is because they let real estate run unleashed. All the best, Alina.