Moving to Toronto
#16
Banned
Joined: Oct 2008
Location: the GTA
Posts: 3,824
Re: Moving to Toronto
I lived and worked in Toronto for a year. The winter there is very different but I do not want to overwhelm you.
My advice if you get your PR in February is to head out in the spring and find a good job and then as winter nears pick your work colleagues brains as to what you need to do to prepare. I seldom used public transport in Toronto and drove everywhere. In the winter this required an underground fanned carpark to stop the engine freezing and having to scrape my car. Good quality all weather tyres (that were very expensive) to grip in the snow. Lots of screen wash in the car trunk because you constantly have to clear your windscreen of grit and run out fast. You will also need to develop a good canadian winter wardrobe and understand that all the people in downtown seem to move underground. There is a subway (tube system) and there are buses but I do not think they are as good as in London.
Anyway as I say I do not want to overwhelm you. It is different but I really enjoyed the winter there as it was a phenominal learning curve.
I cannot help with your medical question.
My advice if you get your PR in February is to head out in the spring and find a good job and then as winter nears pick your work colleagues brains as to what you need to do to prepare. I seldom used public transport in Toronto and drove everywhere. In the winter this required an underground fanned carpark to stop the engine freezing and having to scrape my car. Good quality all weather tyres (that were very expensive) to grip in the snow. Lots of screen wash in the car trunk because you constantly have to clear your windscreen of grit and run out fast. You will also need to develop a good canadian winter wardrobe and understand that all the people in downtown seem to move underground. There is a subway (tube system) and there are buses but I do not think they are as good as in London.
Anyway as I say I do not want to overwhelm you. It is different but I really enjoyed the winter there as it was a phenominal learning curve.
I cannot help with your medical question.
Toronto will always seem unexciting to young people vs London but there are lots of bars, restaurants and clubs, great shopping and most important, people are nice and friendly.
#17
Re: Moving to Toronto
No. Nothing like. Toronto has the vibrancy of Aberdeen. NYC is the nearest place where one can gasp at the excitement of it all.
Last edited by dbd33; Nov 25th 2008 at 12:48 am.
#18
Re: Moving to Toronto
Look, Toronto may offer a chance to be relatively well off, to have a bigger house, more cars, better education for the children, things money can buy but it's nowhere; if city life matters to you then settling on Toronto is accepting life in the minor league.
#19
Re: Moving to Toronto
We have corner shops, if that helps at all. In two hours you can be in Mississauga or Pickering.
#21
Re: Moving to Toronto
Many Thanks Elaine
That is my problem ! :
I am comparing every little thing of London to Toronto.
I live in West London, walking distance to the tube, so can get to the Westend within 25 mins, heathrow airport, The M4 etc.
So basically, I am trying to find a locality that fits the bill.Some say mississauga does !
May I ask, do you miss Toronto now ? Would you go back in the near future ?
That is my problem ! :
I am comparing every little thing of London to Toronto.
I live in West London, walking distance to the tube, so can get to the Westend within 25 mins, heathrow airport, The M4 etc.
So basically, I am trying to find a locality that fits the bill.Some say mississauga does !
May I ask, do you miss Toronto now ? Would you go back in the near future ?
#26
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 137
Re: Moving to Toronto
No no no! We have 2 (two) museums here in Mississauga. Both are some old mice-smelling houses featuring a collection of rusty agricultural tools and rural furniture on display.
As for scenery, we have over 280 parks, some of them (at least ten) having more than five trees.
And all that is reachable from Union Station in 20-30 minutes by Go train.
As for scenery, we have over 280 parks, some of them (at least ten) having more than five trees.
And all that is reachable from Union Station in 20-30 minutes by Go train.
#27
Re: Moving to Toronto
No no no! We have 2 (two) museums here in Mississauga. Both are some old mice-smelling houses featuring a collection of rusty agricultural tools and rural furniture on display.
As for scenery, we have over 280 parks, some of them (at least ten) having more than five trees.
And all that is reachable from Union Station in 20-30 minutes by Go train.
As for scenery, we have over 280 parks, some of them (at least ten) having more than five trees.
And all that is reachable from Union Station in 20-30 minutes by Go train.
#29
Re: Moving to Toronto
Canada is not the UK and never will be - thank god, allah, buddha and any other make beleive religeous character!
This is Canada so if you come here then you need to be able to enjoy and embrace that and all what Canada has to offer not expect another London! I for one dont want another London here! I left the country for a reason (well several)!!! For me any country in the world has big cities that are all horrible urban sprawls of concrete - Canada is all about the great outdoors!
Last edited by Mikey B; Nov 25th 2008 at 2:14 pm.
#30
Banned
Joined: Oct 2008
Location: the GTA
Posts: 3,824
Re: Moving to Toronto
dbd33 needs to go get a hug from his donkey.