How different is Toronto to Ottawa
Sep 16th 2022, 9:21 pm
#31
Dive Bar Drunk
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Toronto
Posts: 8,649
Re: How different is Toronto to Ottawa
I'm a newby to the Ottawa thing but spent a week there. I think for real estate it is cheaper which is a disposable income advantage. The Downtown was better than I remembered.
What stops you moving to Whitby if you prefer it to where you are?
What stops you moving to Whitby if you prefer it to where you are?
Sep 17th 2022, 3:52 am
#32
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2007
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 1,371
Re: How different is Toronto to Ottawa
Ottawa never felt like Toronto to me, even though there are some architectural similarities. Toronto is the international metropolis with massive skyscrapers downtown and dozens of distinct neighbourhoods, but suburban sprawl surrounds it seemingly forever. A real live to work culture, too, yet a ton of fun if you're into nightlife, restaurants, live music, etc. It's a major cultural hub obviously. People move to Toronto to make a name for themselves, to climb to the top of the corporate ladder, or to establish themselves as a professional media personality or a musician, for example. But you must love cities and embrace that lifestyle to enjoy Toronto. Living on the outskirts of the city is defeating the purpose in my opinion.
Ottawa has more of a small, walkable feel to me, less towers, less hustle and bustle, a central walkable downtown with excellent national galleries and musuems given its size, a lovely canal with walking/cycling paths, and nature and wilderness easily accessible nearby. It's also the seat of the federal government, home to bureaucrats and people who strive to become bureaucrats, and it has a more bilingual nature given that it is the capital city on the literal border of Quebec. It feels like a small city to me. People generally don't move to Ottawa to become media personalities or whatnot. Montreal and Toronto lure the ambitious career-driven folks away. Culturally, Ottawa feels more relaxed to me. There is obviously nightlife, music, etc. but at a smaller scale, and if you want that major metropolis/cultural hub feel, you go to Montreal which is nearby.
Moving to Ottawa after suburban Toronto might be like moving to Bristol after living in Slough and not enjoying London very much from Slough. Both are England, both in the same general vicinity, just slightly different flavours of English cities.
I used to love this old website called SkyScraperPage, where people would share photowalks of various cities around the world, focusing on street scenes and architecture. The photographers would often showcase the day-to-day mundane aspects of cities, so you got a sense of how it really looked beyond the typical promotional photos. Out of curiosity I went see if there were any threads on Ottawa, and sure enough: https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=209499
Ottawa has more of a small, walkable feel to me, less towers, less hustle and bustle, a central walkable downtown with excellent national galleries and musuems given its size, a lovely canal with walking/cycling paths, and nature and wilderness easily accessible nearby. It's also the seat of the federal government, home to bureaucrats and people who strive to become bureaucrats, and it has a more bilingual nature given that it is the capital city on the literal border of Quebec. It feels like a small city to me. People generally don't move to Ottawa to become media personalities or whatnot. Montreal and Toronto lure the ambitious career-driven folks away. Culturally, Ottawa feels more relaxed to me. There is obviously nightlife, music, etc. but at a smaller scale, and if you want that major metropolis/cultural hub feel, you go to Montreal which is nearby.
Moving to Ottawa after suburban Toronto might be like moving to Bristol after living in Slough and not enjoying London very much from Slough. Both are England, both in the same general vicinity, just slightly different flavours of English cities.
I used to love this old website called SkyScraperPage, where people would share photowalks of various cities around the world, focusing on street scenes and architecture. The photographers would often showcase the day-to-day mundane aspects of cities, so you got a sense of how it really looked beyond the typical promotional photos. Out of curiosity I went see if there were any threads on Ottawa, and sure enough: https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=209499
Last edited by Lychee; Sep 17th 2022 at 4:16 am.
Sep 17th 2022, 3:50 pm
#33
Slob
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Ottineau
Posts: 6,342
Re: How different is Toronto to Ottawa
Ottawa never felt like Toronto to me, even though there are some architectural similarities. Toronto is the international metropolis with massive skyscrapers downtown and dozens of distinct neighbourhoods, but suburban sprawl surrounds it seemingly forever. A real live to work culture, too, yet a ton of fun if you're into nightlife, restaurants, live music, etc. It's a major cultural hub obviously. People move to Toronto to make a name for themselves, to climb to the top of the corporate ladder, or to establish themselves as a professional media personality or a musician, for example. But you must love cities and embrace that lifestyle to enjoy Toronto. Living on the outskirts of the city is defeating the purpose in my opinion.
Ottawa has more of a small, walkable feel to me, less towers, less hustle and bustle, a central walkable downtown with excellent national galleries and musuems given its size, a lovely canal with walking/cycling paths, and nature and wilderness easily accessible nearby. It's also the seat of the federal government, home to bureaucrats and people who strive to become bureaucrats, and it has a more bilingual nature given that it is the capital city on the literal border of Quebec. It feels like a small city to me. People generally don't move to Ottawa to become media personalities or whatnot. Montreal and Toronto lure the ambitious career-driven folks away. Culturally, Ottawa feels more relaxed to me. There is obviously nightlife, music, etc. but at a smaller scale, and if you want that major metropolis/cultural hub feel, you go to Montreal which is nearby.
Moving to Ottawa after suburban Toronto might be like moving to Bristol after living in Slough and not enjoying London very much from Slough. Both are England, both in the same general vicinity, just slightly different flavours of English cities.
I used to love this old website called SkyScraperPage, where people would share photowalks of various cities around the world, focusing on street scenes and architecture. The photographers would often showcase the day-to-day mundane aspects of cities, so you got a sense of how it really looked beyond the typical promotional photos. Out of curiosity I went see if there were any threads on Ottawa, and sure enough: https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=209499
Ottawa has more of a small, walkable feel to me, less towers, less hustle and bustle, a central walkable downtown with excellent national galleries and musuems given its size, a lovely canal with walking/cycling paths, and nature and wilderness easily accessible nearby. It's also the seat of the federal government, home to bureaucrats and people who strive to become bureaucrats, and it has a more bilingual nature given that it is the capital city on the literal border of Quebec. It feels like a small city to me. People generally don't move to Ottawa to become media personalities or whatnot. Montreal and Toronto lure the ambitious career-driven folks away. Culturally, Ottawa feels more relaxed to me. There is obviously nightlife, music, etc. but at a smaller scale, and if you want that major metropolis/cultural hub feel, you go to Montreal which is nearby.
Moving to Ottawa after suburban Toronto might be like moving to Bristol after living in Slough and not enjoying London very much from Slough. Both are England, both in the same general vicinity, just slightly different flavours of English cities.
I used to love this old website called SkyScraperPage, where people would share photowalks of various cities around the world, focusing on street scenes and architecture. The photographers would often showcase the day-to-day mundane aspects of cities, so you got a sense of how it really looked beyond the typical promotional photos. Out of curiosity I went see if there were any threads on Ottawa, and sure enough: https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=209499
Sep 17th 2022, 4:29 pm
#34
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2011
Location: Somewhere between Vancouver & St Johns
Posts: 19,850
Re: How different is Toronto to Ottawa
There are 3 o's in Toronto and only 1 in Ottawa
Both have 2 t's
No a's in Toronto
No r's in Ottawa
Both have 2 t's
No a's in Toronto
No r's in Ottawa
Sep 18th 2022, 1:24 am
#35
Slob
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Ottineau
Posts: 6,342
Re: How different is Toronto to Ottawa
Nah. I wouldn't be surprised to find that I'm one of the supposedly few people that hasn't had it. We moved to a village just before Covid arrived and didn't really have time to get to know anyone before social distancing kicked in. We didn't and still don't really have all that much human contact. Really just chatting to the neighbours, a bit of shopping, and seeing our son/partner/grandson. I think I've had one cold in the three years we've been here.
Sep 18th 2022, 12:05 pm
#36
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Europe (to be specified).
Posts: 30,259
Re: How different is Toronto to Ottawa
Missed that.
Yeah, I'm alright. Been a bit busy. The UK company I worked for got bought by a competitor last year. They only wanted part of the business so I and quite a few others were made redundant. I set up again with a pal in Boston and as association with some people in New York. It's quite the adventure starting from scratch when you're nearly 60! It took a lot of work up-front. We're starting to make money but we have to work on our marketing/selling a bit. Once we crack that, the income should be quite enough to satisfy my humble needs. Our product is good and I know it is because I know the industry.
Yeah, I'm alright. Been a bit busy. The UK company I worked for got bought by a competitor last year. They only wanted part of the business so I and quite a few others were made redundant. I set up again with a pal in Boston and as association with some people in New York. It's quite the adventure starting from scratch when you're nearly 60! It took a lot of work up-front. We're starting to make money but we have to work on our marketing/selling a bit. Once we crack that, the income should be quite enough to satisfy my humble needs. Our product is good and I know it is because I know the industry.
Sep 18th 2022, 1:21 pm
#38
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Europe (to be specified).
Posts: 30,259
Sep 19th 2022, 5:56 pm
#40
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 36
Re: How different is Toronto to Ottawa
Quite the thread!
Sep 19th 2022, 11:19 pm
#41
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2021
Location: Stony Plain, AB
Posts: 102
Re: How different is Toronto to Ottawa
For what it's worth we used to live in Kanata but, for us, it was pretty busy. We moved out to Rockland which is east of Ottawa but close enough to easily commute to a park and ride station from where you get on a bus but you'll soon be able to take the LRT (Light Rail Transit) from there through downtown. The LRT is much more reliable than it was than when it first opened and is being expanded east (to Trim Road P&R) and west (Kanata) then, in about 2025, it should be open going south and include a rail spur to the airport.
If you want semi rural east of Ottawa but still in Ottawa you could try Cumberland but it you're in IT/high tech almost all of those employers are in ..........Kanata.
If you want semi rural east of Ottawa but still in Ottawa you could try Cumberland but it you're in IT/high tech almost all of those employers are in ..........Kanata.
Sep 19th 2022, 11:43 pm
#42
Slob
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Ottineau
Posts: 6,342
Re: How different is Toronto to Ottawa
My humble needs now largely involve scrap wood, which doesn't cost much.
I got an unusual Xmas present. 36 planks of maple (or possibly birch), each 6 feet long by 7 inches by an inch and a quarter. Old benches, we guess. It cost $200. Bought at Home Depot (if they sold maple that big) and you'd be looking at a different first digit. And a comma.
We also upcycle stuff from our local junk shop and there is a wood salvage place just up the road.
Our main room is about 30 feet square and the stairs are in the middle. Completely open. No risers or rails. Both sides now have waist-high bookcases, built entirely from the maple I recovered when we had the windows replaced. The casings were all maple.
Oh, and we have a pool. It came with the house. We use it lots. Our son has a hot tub. He uses it rarely. Just sayin'
Sep 20th 2022, 4:31 pm
#43
Dive Bar Drunk
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Toronto
Posts: 8,649
Re: How different is Toronto to Ottawa
Sep 21st 2022, 12:23 pm
#45
Slightly Canadian
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: St. John's, Newfoundland
Posts: 10,129
Re: How different is Toronto to Ottawa
Nah. I wouldn't be surprised to find that I'm one of the supposedly few people that hasn't had it. We moved to a village just before Covid arrived and didn't really have time to get to know anyone before social distancing kicked in. We didn't and still don't really have all that much human contact. Really just chatting to the neighbours, a bit of shopping, and seeing our son/partner/grandson. I think I've had one cold in the three years we've been here.