Toronto v Calgary
 

Hi guys we are looking at both thees cities and was looking for some input please? Apart from the obvious size difference could you all tell me your view and opinions on these 2 cities? We are a family of 4, my husband is a community worker working with youths who commit anti social behaviour thats the rough outline of his job. We love the idea of snow at times but also we really need to have warm summers, the winds in Calgary are a little worrying? We will prob have about £25-30k to bring with us. We will know people in Toronto but no one in Calgary, we like the idea also of being able to just get away at the weekends and we love going walking (not major walks!) with the kids. I like living near the city for acess but not in the city, so close enough we could take the kids in at the weekend any advice would be great thanx:thumbsup:

Re: Toronto v Calgary
 

Hi, i can't comment on calgary as i have never been. I have been to toronto and will be moving to the GTA in 6 weeks! We are a family of 5 with 3 young kids. The weather in Ontario is very seasonal, depending on whether you in nothern/southern depends on how much snow/hot/cold it will get. There are loads of cities around toronto, of the couple i have seen they have loads to offer family's. Recreational facilities, close to lakes, walking trails etc etc, nice neighbourhoods. A lot of them being in close proximity to toronto. There are loads of get away places in ontario, beach resorts on lakes that may aswell be the sea they are that large, canoeing/camping etc. The only neg thing i would say about ontario, is its very flat, if you're used to hills (i am, being from yorkshire) it takes a bit of getting used to. Having said that, it makes for the biggest skyline ever and the beauty of the lakes makes up for it! Toronto itself is a great city, very clean ,laid back , i really like it. The housing in toronto like any city, is quite expensive (for canada), the cities in the GTA all have different averages of prices.
If you just type in a couple of places they all have their own websites with all the info. Try oakville, milton, cambridge, waterloo, all these places seem lovley to raise a family! We're still deciding on which one!! Good luck, maybe someone can give you an opinon on Calgary. :thumbup:

Re: Toronto v Calgary
 

thankyou ill check them out:D

Re: Toronto v Calgary
 

When you have an empty Sunday drive up Airport Road to Collingwood, turn left at the lake, come back via Heathcote and Kimberley on to Highway 10 to the city. Maybe you want to poke around the cute, but rather twee, town of Meaford.

That excursion should meet the need for hills. Don't try it on a snowy day.

Re: Toronto v Calgary
 

Toronto more pollution
Calgary less

Toronto summer - hot and humid
Calgary summer - hot and dry

Toronto winter - cold and humid
Calagary winter - cold and dry plus Chinooks!!!:thumbup::thumbup:

Toronto - Lake
Calgary - Mountains

GTA - 3 million
Calgary - 1 million

Toronto - Liberal voters
Calgary - conservative voters

Toronto - relaitvely diverse economy
Calgary - oil and gas driven - though getting more diverse

Toronto - rush hour horrendous:thumbdown::thumbdown::thumbdown:
Calgary - rush hour - bad:thumbdown:

Re: Toronto v Calgary
 

Toronto Maple Leafs :thumbdown: :thumbdown: :thumbdown:
Calgary Flames :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Re: Toronto v Calgary
 

They are both good places to live with plenty of suburbia in both. Good spots to raise children. Alberta is now the powerhouse of Canada's economy replacing Ontario, which was so positioned until recently.
From your husband's position, there are disturbed, anti-social youth in both cities so that should help with the job search. Knowing people here is certainly an advantage but settling into Calgary shouldn't present a problem. There appear to be many BE's living there and they will guide you through the process there, if you only ask.

Re: Toronto v Calgary
 

Personally, I didn't like Toronto very much and definitely wouldn't live there, but it all comes down to individual taste. I found Toronto to be much more urban in feel than Calgary. Your description of living near the city but not in the city makes me think that Calgary may be more to your tastes as well. I live on the edge of what is officially classed as inner-city, but it really feels more like living in a medium sized town in England. Within 20 minutes, we're in open countryside with plenty of places to go for walks, and in an hour we can be in the mountains, yet it's less than half an hour by bus to downtown in rush hour. I may be wrong, but I don't think it would be possible to live so near the middle and the edge simultaneously in Toronto.

The winds in Calgary are nothing to worry about and actually bring in warm air in winter to bring respite from the Canadian cold.

Re: Toronto v Calgary
 

Depends like on the go train I believe downtown in 1 hour in peak period, countryside 5mins by bike is possible in the GTA, you could get the train ride down to about 30mins but getting to the countryside would then go up by car to about 20mins
Now granted the ski hills near me isn’t huge but it is a whole 30mins away, the bigger resort is 90mins away at Blue Mountain
The lakes its depends which one can be 2hrs or 30mins
What many forget is that the Niagara escapement that runs right along the side of Toronto is a world heritage site and has some truly beautiful areas and many walks and trails and parks scatter through out its length

Re: Toronto v Calgary
 

We have such a wind right now - the Chinook - and hopefully it blows all the snow away before the weekend!!!! Which it could actually.

I am aching for a motorbike ride!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Toronto v Calgary
 

Toronto Maple Leafs http://smileyshut.com/smileys/new/shit.gif http://smileyshut.com/smileys/new/shit.gif http://smileyshut.com/smileys/new/shit.gif

Calgary Flames :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Pittsburgh Penguins :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Re: Toronto v Calgary
 

Calgary and Toronto... both east of the Cascades... :thumbdown:

Can't polish turds! :lol:

;)

Re: Toronto v Calgary
 

I bow to your experience in these things :p ;)

Re: Toronto v Calgary
 

I wouldn't have used the word 'bow'... it's a bit too close to bending over. But that's just me. ;)

Re: Toronto v Calgary
 

ta, i will do that it may give me my dose for a while!