steve1891

Hi, I have recently returned from my first ever trip to Canada and as expected I loved every minute of it! I flew from London Heathrow to Toronto before getting the via rail to Ottawa and then onto Montreal before heading home. By far my favourite city was Toronto.

When I was there a lot of people recommended Vancouver to me and although I wanted to go there I couldn't fit it into the trip because of the time I had and time it took to get there. I am now planning on moving to Canada for 6 months real soon and can't decide if I should stick with Toronto (which I know I like) or give Vancouver a go even though I have never been there!

Quite a few friends have visited and all of them prefer Vancouver of the two so my next question would be - are the rental prices for a 1 bedroom (possibly shared place) around the same figures for both cities? I don't claim to be an expert on Toronto but seeing the area I would have a rough idea of where I would like to stay if I chose there yet I have no clue about areas in Vancouver.

It's a big choice for me to make and I thought of no better place to get some tips than the expat forum I begin my research on Vancouver today and any advice will go a long way.

Thanks.

dboy

swiings and roundabouts.

Rents are probably similar as are general living costs (owning is a whole other thread though).

Toronto is twice the size of Vancouver and has more of the big city buzz and better nightlife, more arts etc.

Vancouver is vastly more beautiful than Toronto and is more defined by access to the outdoors.Views of mountains. the ocean, beaches and parks defines the city proper. Outdoor activities are plentiful.

Weather is also very different. Vancouver is more like the UK, although a bit warmer, with more dependable summers and typically more sunshine (which are fantastic). Winter from nov to march is defined by rain,lots of it, but is snow in the mountains so skiing is an option. No bitter winds as in the UK.

Toronto has harsh winters and warm humid summers which can be quite horrific. It does get less rain though.

I like both cities but overall prefer Vancouver. I should imagine work is harder to come by in Vancouver???

MarylandNed

I lived in Toronto for 7 years. While there, I tried moving to Vancouver but didn't last very long there (mostly because my job fell through - long story, got screwed by a recruitment agency) and moved back to Toronto.

In terms of comparing the actual cities themselves, I think Toronto wins easily. There is just so much more going on in Toronto - the all around entertainment is much better in my opinion.

In terms of setting, it's hard to beat Vancouver. The scenery is breathtaking in and around Vancouver and in BC generally.

In terms of weather, it is true that Toronto has harsher winters and hotter, more humid summers but I never found that to be much of an issue in my 7 years there. The winters are no worse (and often better) than a lot of areas in the US and certainly better than cities like Ottawa and Montreal. As for the rain in Vancouver, that was partly why I left the UK in the first place!

It's a big decision so try to visit Vancouver to see what you think. Personally, I'd choose Toronto.

As for places to live in Toronto, it's hard to beat the Yonge-Eglinton area.

Aviator

Do you have a residency permit or coming as a visitor?

ExKiwilass

You know you like Toronto, go to Toronto. Just because other people have liked Van doesn't mean you will. They are really very different cities.

dboy

Rain in vancouver is often mistated and misunderstood. TO actually gets more rain between about May and the end of summer. Rain here, at least the notorious wet stuff, typically falls between late fall and winter, the worse being nov and dec and jan (about 60 percent of all rain falls from nov to march). Rain the rest of the year is not a major issue for the most part.

I think of weather here as 4 months crap, 4 months mixed but generally nice and 4 months outstanding (generalizing of course). Snow is where it ought to be, on the mountains.

I'd have to give vancouver a nod for better weather. Winter is debatable i suppose. I found summer in TO worse than the humidy in Miami...as i said, horrific

Mental Mavis

As I think someone on the forum has already stated, you don't have to shovel rain When it rains in Van, it falls as snow on the mountains above us, which is always good news for the outdoor freaks!

Seems to be a call on preferences; nightlife vs outdoor life. A lot depends on whether you have kids or not, but you can always land in Toronta and then vacation in Van to get a view of the city.

Swings and roundabouts as usual.

Oink

I think dboy summed the differences in a pretty accurate way. As for the weather, a little warm rain is much, much better than the freezing temps and endless heaps of snow everywhere. And as for the summers in Vancouver, you only have to look at the bewildered faces of easterners when its 27 with no humidity but only 20 in the shade. Now if someone could just open a decent pie and mash shop.

dboy

i always find it amusing that people offer TO has somehow being more refined due to more going on.Its purely a function of numbers ' 2.4 million vs 5.5 million. Same when you compare Manchester to Grimsby

There's plenty going on in Vancouver but the place has to compete with a stunning back garden. As a young person into the bop to drop scene, vancouver is lacking.

steve1891

Thanks for all the responses! I will be coming on a visitors visa as have the money stored away so finding work won't be an issue. Also I will be going solo so not family or kids to worry about.

The point about liking the outdoors or the nightlife is an interesting one! I am not one for heavily partying (had those days and to old for it now ) but I do like to have things to do in the evenings. I guess I like the quieter way of life now but with options there in case I want to rejoice in my youth once in a while.

The outdoors definitely appeals to me, that's the reason I love Canada so much. When I was in Toronto in July it was so so humid - I got used to it in the end but boy it was hot. Going back there will cover the winter time so it's a mix of cold winds and snow or lighter winds but rain. I don't really mind either to much as I can take the cold better than the heat, it will be more like home with the rain.

I think I might go for Vancouver and as someone said if it doesn't work out or isn't for me then there is nothing stopping me from flying to the east and back to Toronto. I saw on wiki Vancouver is ranked 4th of top cities to live and because of this the rental prices have soared.

Does it have a good public transport system to get everywhere if I happen to stay a little further out of the main areas?

Thanks.

dboy

and pub...athough that's true for everywhere I ve been out of the UK

dboy

lets cut to the chase ....if its vancouver rent in the west end....good transit..., very walkable, cheaper rents for the area, near stanley park and the beach and easy access to the outdoors and sking in the winter....end of......

As for night life, there is night life in vancouver (well sort of) and there's plenty of bars, great restaurants and whatnot, just not what defines the place, but it is getting better, with more places opening up all the time. Even the last 5 years as seen a remarkable improvement.

there are also arts if you are into that, but they take a bit more effort to find, but opera and theatre, ballet and all that crap are here.

if you prefer quiter, laid back slower pace and the outdoors, vancovuer will do rather nicely me thinks.

jericho

I cant speak for Vancouver, but summers in Toronto are horrible- humidity like you wouldnt believe.

ExKiwilass

That's why my inlaws left Toronto.

dboy

this picture series sums up summer in vancouver for me:

http://www.cometovancouverbc.com/beaches/beaches.htm

how many more sleeps is it till summer