Vancouver or Toronto
Discussion
If you were going to spend a couple of years in one of these cities which one would you go for?
There's a buzz about Vancouver from people who've been there but the rain puts me off. It's also a fair old trek.
Toronto is closer and obviously gets significantly colder winters.
I think access to either the West or East coast US would suit me fine so that's not a big consideration.
I am going to have to visit both before making a decision, but I'm interested to hear thoughts from people who have spent time in either or both.
There's a buzz about Vancouver from people who've been there but the rain puts me off. It's also a fair old trek.
Toronto is closer and obviously gets significantly colder winters.
I think access to either the West or East coast US would suit me fine so that's not a big consideration.
I am going to have to visit both before making a decision, but I'm interested to hear thoughts from people who have spent time in either or both.
Vancouver knowledge only Im afraid
We spent 3 weeks there guided by our mate who used to be a local
1 week downtown and 2 on and around Vancouver Island
Its basically beautiful - well apart from the bit around Gastown nobody tells you about which is the only bit of Canada where you can survive as a homeless person/addict due to the climate
The city is stunning and we spent our first 5 days planning our emigration
On day 6 we realised the only places we would be able to afford to live were north or south across the appropriate bridges
On day 7 we drove out on a day trip in the morning rush hour and realised what a hell hole it would be as a commuter
Week 2 and week 3 were spent further afield and were totally stunning
The flight back confirmed how far from civilisation it really is
The bottom line is that our mate is as committed and jingoistic a Cannuck as its possible to be and lives in the UK
Cheers!
I know both well and live in Toronto.
Vancouver has the better natural location, no doubt about it. Very pretty province and you have the whole West Coast to explore
Milder shorter winters and pleasant summers, but it does rain a huge amount in winter.
More expensive accommodation...at a guess rentals are about 50% higher than Toronto
Toronto is by far the larger city, so much more to do
More business opportunities and is without doubt the commercial capital of Canada.
Sprawling city so you don't want to be caught living in a place with a long commute, traffic can be bad.
While winters are colder they are a lot milder than 20 years ago, Right now downtown is about freezing, and we have had little snow. Jan and Feb can be bad thought.
Better restaurants/bars/music/cultural events
Public transit varies from bad to pathetic. Airport brilliant and connects to just about everywhere on earth,
Less immediate places to get to...Niagara is about 90 miles and then you get to Western NY Border. However, for a weekend, Montreal is a wonderful city and NYC is a very short flight.
Very much depends on your lifestyle and objectives.
Vancouver has the better natural location, no doubt about it. Very pretty province and you have the whole West Coast to explore
Milder shorter winters and pleasant summers, but it does rain a huge amount in winter.
More expensive accommodation...at a guess rentals are about 50% higher than Toronto
Toronto is by far the larger city, so much more to do
More business opportunities and is without doubt the commercial capital of Canada.
Sprawling city so you don't want to be caught living in a place with a long commute, traffic can be bad.
While winters are colder they are a lot milder than 20 years ago, Right now downtown is about freezing, and we have had little snow. Jan and Feb can be bad thought.
Better restaurants/bars/music/cultural events
Public transit varies from bad to pathetic. Airport brilliant and connects to just about everywhere on earth,
Less immediate places to get to...Niagara is about 90 miles and then you get to Western NY Border. However, for a weekend, Montreal is a wonderful city and NYC is a very short flight.
Very much depends on your lifestyle and objectives.
Yipper said:
Toronto for business and riches. Calgary or Edmonton even better.
Vancouver for beauty and lifestyle.
Vancouver for beauty and lifestyle.
gregs656 said:
I'm interested to hear thoughts from people who have spent time in either or both.
You obviously missed this part of the OP's post before you made something up Yipper. Keep your irrelevant post count rising!
RDMcG knows his stuff! 
Spent some time in both. Could live in/around either, tbh.
Until my most recent trip to Toronto (I was there for 12 days or so in October) I would have said Vancouver has the greater homeless problem... I know, the governor of the adjoining province gave the homeless there a train ticket and some money and sent them to Vancouver, BUT, Toronto now has a very big homeless problem - mostly noticed around Union Station
That said, Toronto, traffic aside, would get my vote - for work / things to do - despite the fact that Vancouver is much nearer my fave ski resort in the world.
Spent some time in both. Could live in/around either, tbh.
Until my most recent trip to Toronto (I was there for 12 days or so in October) I would have said Vancouver has the greater homeless problem... I know, the governor of the adjoining province gave the homeless there a train ticket and some money and sent them to Vancouver, BUT, Toronto now has a very big homeless problem - mostly noticed around Union Station
That said, Toronto, traffic aside, would get my vote - for work / things to do - despite the fact that Vancouver is much nearer my fave ski resort in the world.
Spent a little time in Vancouver, the nice places are lovely the bad places however are truly awful. Gastown (is the clock still there?) was like a city for the homeless and pretty much the only place in Canada i have been to that i wouldnt feel comfortable walking through on my own at night.
Personally i couldnt live there so it would be Toronto. But as always the more you know a place the more you know the places to avoid and the more comfortable you feel.
Personally i couldnt live there so it would be Toronto. But as always the more you know a place the more you know the places to avoid and the more comfortable you feel.
Sheetmaself said:
Spent a little time in Vancouver, the nice places are lovely the bad places however are truly awful. Gastown (is the clock still there?) was like a city for the homeless and pretty much the only place in Canada i have been to that i wouldnt feel comfortable walking through on my own at night.
Personally i couldnt live there so it would be Toronto. But as always the more you know a place the more you know the places to avoid and the more comfortable you feel.
Both cities have sketchy areas,opiod addicts and homeless. Murder rates for instance are just a fraction of US equivalent cities and stranger murders are fairly rare...mainly gang related. However, the more shady areas are very well known and concentrated, and easy to avoid. Places like Moss Part in Toronto or E Hastings in Vancouver have concentrations of addicts and so on, but both cities are very safe if you know what you're doing.Personally i couldnt live there so it would be Toronto. But as always the more you know a place the more you know the places to avoid and the more comfortable you feel.
RDMcG pretty much nails it to be honest.
Spent significant time in both, and they are both great places, but very different.
I have also found Vancouver to be significantly less rainy than Seattle, despite it being only a couple of hundred miles between them.
I could happily live in either if I had to relocate north of the border, but I reckon Toronto would win if I had to choose at this point in time, simply because it is more 'city'. Better hockey team too.
You will be saying 'eh' after everything before you know it
Spent significant time in both, and they are both great places, but very different.
I have also found Vancouver to be significantly less rainy than Seattle, despite it being only a couple of hundred miles between them.
I could happily live in either if I had to relocate north of the border, but I reckon Toronto would win if I had to choose at this point in time, simply because it is more 'city'. Better hockey team too.
You will be saying 'eh' after everything before you know it
Just to add one thing:
I lived in Montreal for 20 years.
Speaking French is a must, but it has an incomparable party atmosphere,briliant restaurants, close to Vermont for the best Autumn on earth, and is totally , utterly different from al the rest. However, from a career point of view more limiting, and I moved to Toronto for the proverbial offer I couldn't refuse.
I lived in Montreal for 20 years.
Speaking French is a must, but it has an incomparable party atmosphere,briliant restaurants, close to Vermont for the best Autumn on earth, and is totally , utterly different from al the rest. However, from a career point of view more limiting, and I moved to Toronto for the proverbial offer I couldn't refuse.
Appreciate the input so far; thanks for taking the time.
The rain in Vancouver seriously puts me off. I lived in west Wales for a few years so I know weeks on weeks of rain isn't really my bag!
Good to hear some positives about Toronto as so far the commentary had been very much pro Vancouver.
Lots to consider.
The rain in Vancouver seriously puts me off. I lived in west Wales for a few years so I know weeks on weeks of rain isn't really my bag!
Good to hear some positives about Toronto as so far the commentary had been very much pro Vancouver.
Lots to consider.
gregs656 said:
The rain in Vancouver seriously puts me off. I lived in west Wales for a few years so I know weeks on weeks of rain isn't really my bag!
Rain on the west coast, or a couple of brutal months in an east coast winter.Horse for courses.
Both are better than west wales though, so no bad choice.
RDMcG said:
Both cities have sketchy areas,opiod addicts and homeless. Murder rates for instance are just a fraction of US equivalent cities and stranger murders are fairly rare...mainly gang related. However, the more shady areas are very well known and concentrated, and easy to avoid. Places like Moss Part in Toronto or E Hastings in Vancouver have concentrations of addicts and so on, but both cities are very safe if you know what you're doing.
I seem to remember there being a west hastings which is quite nice or maybe east hasting is a long road? Basically we took a wrong turn on the way to our hotel and were a little concerned about the neighbourhood, all turned out okay in the end. The other knowledge i have of the city is when they went out of the Stanley Cup (ice hockey) and basically half the town had a bit of a tantrum and wrecked the joint! Matt Harper said:
You can get really good curry in Toronto - better than anywhere else in North America, in my opinion.
Very true..also exceptional Chinese food...some of the best Dim Sum on the planet. Lots of different regional cuisines and none of the old Sweeat and sour pork garbage. Several large Chinatowns. Vietnamese also very good.Forget about Mexican....much much better in the US.
OTOH I would rate Vancouver better for seafood, and particularly Sushi.
Had a fantastic week in Toronto. I liked it far more than I expected. Had a really nice feel to it, even in the winter, and overall it seemed like a good balance.
My slight reservation is the lack of easily accessible 'nature' (for want of a better word). I don't do loads of camping but I do try and get out pretty regularly for a night in the hammock or what ever. Vancouver obviously provides much quicker access to this kind of thing.
Thanks for all the recommendations of Toronto, without them here and from others I think I would have just gone to Vancouver. Now I think I will give Toronto a shot in the summer and see how I get on.
My slight reservation is the lack of easily accessible 'nature' (for want of a better word). I don't do loads of camping but I do try and get out pretty regularly for a night in the hammock or what ever. Vancouver obviously provides much quicker access to this kind of thing.
Thanks for all the recommendations of Toronto, without them here and from others I think I would have just gone to Vancouver. Now I think I will give Toronto a shot in the summer and see how I get on.
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