Debbieken

Hi everyone, we are moving to Toronto in February and will at first live close to downtown with the view to buy a bigger house somewhere in the suburbs. But not sure where to live. We don't want a massive commute as that is one of the things we are leaving behind in London. So what is everyone opinions? Oakville? Markham? Vaughan? Pickering?

Any help/advice is greatly appreciated.

dbd33

Faced with this situation, I moved out of downtown Toronto to the Beach. That worked well.

Debbieken

We are going to live around there to start but want to move fuether out for a pool, yard etc

dollface

Depends where work is ? if commute time is a factor.

dbd33

Oh. I did move out there to get space, for a backyard trampoline and such. I had children though, they needed education and socialization and so on so I didn't want to strand them in some concrete wilderness. If you're just a couple and want to have lots of stuff then the considerations are different.

Buttons

Interested too, ignore if considered hijacking but we'll potentially be commuting to York University. Very early days but want to research as much as possible.

Oh and we have two elementary school aged kids so good catchment areas are of interest.

I'll introduce myself properly when I know if the whole job offer thing is for real or an illusion.

Crikey, can't believe I joined 5 years ago back when I thought Orlando was a good idea and never posted!!!

dbd33

Richmond Hill?

dollface

Maybe somewhere like Markham, Woodbridge, Vaughan - alot of the areas directly around York Uni are not nice, pretty rough - so if a 20-30 min commute is possible, i'd do it.

Buttons

Definitely hijacking now but thanks, the friend who is offering me the job is in Caledon East and sings it's praises but she doesn't have kids so her priorities might be different and not sure we could afford it either.

My commute here is up to an hour so anything this side of 60 mins is fine to be honest.

dollface

If you're willing to commute up to an hour then there are more choices like Aurora. If you like older neighbourhoods, parts of Etobicoke are lovely too, quite a few choices available. Good luck with the job!

Buttons

Wow, there is an actual place actually called Buttonville. We have a winner, if I need any more signs than the cyclist earlier today in a Canadian jersey that refused to get out of my way that it's the right move for the family then it's a whole ville named after me!

Novocastrian

Very droll.

Lvh76

We live in the Beach and love it. OH commutes downtown in 30 mins and there's loads of stuff for kids here. However, if you're after a big backyard, huge house etc then be prepared to pay mega bucks. Our house is lovely but modest with a tiny backyard but this is the price you have to pay for having the beach at the end of your road and loads if great shops, restaurants etc. I really like the look of Danforth, Riverdale and Leslieville too and will prob try to buy somewhere out there if we decide to stay on (AND if Canada will let us of course)

ultrarunner

Someone needs to tell you that cyclist have the right of way...it not a good time in Canada to knock a cyclist over

Yes there is a Buttonville, comes with its own airport to serve the 30k popln. perhaps it's an extension for those that couldn't afford to live in Markham?

No one has mentioned Jane and Finch yet

Novocastrian

But you don't work at York U. That's an impossible commute. As my learned friend dbd33 has said, take a serious look at Richmond Hill, south of Elgin Mills and west of Yonge.

If you can afford somewhere just north of Hwy 7, the commute would be even shorter than mine from the Mill Pond, which is only 25 minutes my door to my office door. (Out of rush hour usually). Since you mentioned a pool, I have one as well as a yard the size of the proverbial football pitch.

Buttonville is the name for an area which is now part of Markham and for a non-commercial airport there. The airport will be sold soon to developers. Keep away.