doug_howell99

Hey All,
I've just got through all the IEC stuff (finally) and am now in the process of planning where to start off in Canada. I'd love to hit either Toronto or Vancouver but can't decide which.

I work in the hospitality/tourism/restaurant industry and would like to first go somewhere to work for a while before exploring the rest of the country.

Just would welcome any advice on the pros/cons of the cities mentioned especially when it comes to work ops, seeing as no cash = no Canada haha.

Any help is most welcome

:-)

Lychee

Toronto and Vancouver have two separate cultures.

If you're seeking an urban environment 24/7, move to Toronto.
If you're seeking a balance between nature and the urban environment, move to Vancouver, especially if you enjoy mountains and rainforests.

Friends of mine, cradles, moved back to Vancouver from Toronto after one year. They enjoyed Toronto, but said they really missed the nature. Yet, I've spoken to Toronto cradles here in Vancouver who miss the buzz and hustle and bustle of Toronto, which Vancouver lacks.

Food culture is different between the two as well. Vancouver has the longer growing season and many nearby farms, and fresh seafood is a staple on local menus. Locally-sourced food is important in restaurants. The large population of Asian immigrants means an abundance of Cantonese Chinese, cheap/quality sushi and izakaya. Sushi is to Vancouver is what curry is to London - the quick, cheap, abundant ethnic food default you eat 2-3 times a week. Toronto has better ethnic variety in general, but don't go to Toronto expecting to find Vancouver's sushi/seafood.

There's also the climate. Two very different climates. Vancouver has a real spring, warm/dry summers, wet rainy winters. Toronto has a hot humid summer (interspersed with thundershowers), cold winters (sometimes with snow), and a real autumn.

There's also the geography. Vancouver is on the Pacific ocean, surrounded by the Coast Mountains, and hundreds of islands. It's scenic and dramatic. Toronto isn't known for its scenery, but it's on Lake Ontario, with the Niagara escarpment nearby. Toronto's a tad older than Vancouver. If you love architecture and history, don't move to Vancouver.

Novocastrian

Or indeed Canada.

PS Toronto has its own sushi and seafood (although not so locally sourced). It also has curry and cheese.

Novocastrian

You should have no problems finding that sort of work in either place. Edge to Toronto just because it's much bigger.

MarylandNed

I think people who considered both and moved to one will be curious about the other. That's what happened to me. My wife and I moved to Toronto first for a couple of years, then moved to Vancouver for a short time before deciding to move back to Toronto. We missed Toronto a lot and just didn't find the same standard of nightlife in Vancouver. I think with a family, Vancouver might have suited us better (outdoor lifestyle, closer to nature, less snow, milder winters, etc) but we had no kids at that time. Vancouver is in a spectacular setting but the city itself does little for me.

I don't know if this is still true but in my experience Vancouver employers in general seemed to offer lower salaries than those in Toronto even though the cost of living in Vancouver seemed higher to me.