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Canada: How is it?
- Thread starter U5230
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Now picture that, but cleaner, less obnoxious, more beautiful, and a better overall cultural scene (especially in summer), and you've got Montreal.M3Freak said:
Visit mtl this time of the year (you just missed Grand Prix week-end, which imo not much can compare to it in North America), and it is guarenteed you'll have a blast.Btw, is T.O just one big commercial or what? The whole city (or the downtown at least) is full of large advertisments and billboards. Still dowtown is nice.
fennec fox
ferrets ferrets ferrets ferrets FERRETS!!!
I want to escape summer heat forever. Can Canada provide this?
According to the UN, Toronto is the most multicultural city in the world and it shows. I really love living in this city, but of course like any other major city there are problems:
Traffic - Gets worse every year, but the federal gov't just annouced a huge portion of the gas tax be contributed to major cities which hopefully means some improvement for the public transport system.
Smog & Heat - The real summer only lasts about 3 months (June, July & August) and it can get quite bad here. It's the humidity that is the killer and smog alerts are pretty much correlated to the hot days.
Winters here can get bad sometimes, but it's nowhere near as bad as other cities like Montreal and Ottawa. You probably get like 3 weeks of HARSH winter weather in January, but you get used to it. The city is pretty prepared for these big storms and there are snow plows which start clearing the major highways / routes as soon as the snow hits.
As the others mentioned, the crime rate is relatively low and it is a really safe city to live in. The night life here is also pretty decent as there are damn clubs all over the place in the downtown area.
There's a huge influx of South East Asian immigrants lately so you'll see a lot influence in the surrounding GTA (Greater Toronto Area)
Traffic - Gets worse every year, but the federal gov't just annouced a huge portion of the gas tax be contributed to major cities which hopefully means some improvement for the public transport system.
Smog & Heat - The real summer only lasts about 3 months (June, July & August) and it can get quite bad here. It's the humidity that is the killer and smog alerts are pretty much correlated to the hot days.
Winters here can get bad sometimes, but it's nowhere near as bad as other cities like Montreal and Ottawa. You probably get like 3 weeks of HARSH winter weather in January, but you get used to it. The city is pretty prepared for these big storms and there are snow plows which start clearing the major highways / routes as soon as the snow hits.
As the others mentioned, the crime rate is relatively low and it is a really safe city to live in. The night life here is also pretty decent as there are damn clubs all over the place in the downtown area.
There's a huge influx of South East Asian immigrants lately so you'll see a lot influence in the surrounding GTA (Greater Toronto Area)
SatelliteOfLove
Member
Mike Works said:
Come! Contribute to the sprawl! A giant moneyhat FREE if you live outside municipal lines and drive an SUV!
Warm Machine
Member
I have to take some new pics of Vancouver. It really is a idyllic futuristic glimmering metropolis. On a sunny day the drive over Cambie Street Bridge toward down town reminds me of an Sega arcade racing game.
Vancouver is great. I live there, so naturally I'm going to be high on it. But objectively speaking, it was ranked #3 behind Zurich and Geneva for city livability a couple months ago. It was tied for #1 not too long ago, but those f-cking Swiss!
Montreal, which apparently rocks (I plan to visit there soon), was #20 - still very high. Definitely consider it as well if you're serious about moving. It has its own flavour.
According to this site, Toronto and Vancouver are basically tied for multicultural populations.
The three provinces between British Columbia and Ontario don't have to be named. Just like everything outside of New York is irrelevant in the USA.
Montreal, which apparently rocks (I plan to visit there soon), was #20 - still very high. Definitely consider it as well if you're serious about moving. It has its own flavour.
According to this site, Toronto and Vancouver are basically tied for multicultural populations.
Shut up, mormon.AlteredBeast said:
The three provinces between British Columbia and Ontario don't have to be named. Just like everything outside of New York is irrelevant in the USA.
The Take Out Bandit
Member
WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?!
Looks like french fries, spider legs, tofu, and . . . smeg. :X
Been to Canada once, the Toronto . . . shit I gotta stop drinking. . . the W place - Pacific Mall - shit, shit, shit - oh wait; the upside down W. Markham. It was really nice there. Hot babes in abundance as well.
I had something else to say here. . .
Boobies.
Cheap food.
Oh yeah, there was an alarming amount of racial slurs scrawled on the bathroom walls in that area. Directed towards the large Asian community. It was crazy, I went from stall to stall in the restroom and read it all. :X
I'm sure if I lived further south in the States that sort of shit would be prevalent. It was just weird.
CANADA IS HORDING ALL THE RICKARD'S RED!
I love that beer. Time to invade!
The Take Out Bandit
Member
Which the Indians called maize.
Do you remember anything about the Grizzlies? Habitually depressing, worst franchise in history, etc etc? Attendance was still relatively OK, tho. A new owner came in and promised that he was in it for the long haul - he'd help make the team a success. He even came and watched the games! A brief love affair ensued.... he moved the team south one year later. :lol Few people shed tears. Once upon a time.......
I've lived in Alberta for a large part of my life...Edmonton, Red Deer, Calgary, and now Grande Prairie. So naturally I'd pimp it.
The benefit of living in Alberta is that there is less tax. Actually there is no tax and heck, we're so rich you get paid for living here! (well, our idiot Premier decided to use all the Billions our province had extra and gave everyone over 18 $300, when he could have easily built a bullet train from Lethbridge to Grande Prarie, which would have boosted our economy by making transportation more effecient and also boosting tourism but I won't get into that) Yeah...better hockey teams/players from here but I'm guessing that doesn't matter much to you...
It's not as culturally diverse, and Calgary can remind you of the States due to the high proportion of Americans there.
In general Canada's pretty good in terms of being wired for broadband...while most people get average connections many of the oil companies in downtown Calgary have the fastest connections that ever exist Most cities are becoming wireless so you can go anywhere in the core and use wireless internet.
The benefit of living in Alberta is that there is less tax. Actually there is no tax and heck, we're so rich you get paid for living here! (well, our idiot Premier decided to use all the Billions our province had extra and gave everyone over 18 $300, when he could have easily built a bullet train from Lethbridge to Grande Prarie, which would have boosted our economy by making transportation more effecient and also boosting tourism but I won't get into that)
Yeah...better hockey teams/players from here but I'm guessing that doesn't matter much to you...It's not as culturally diverse, and Calgary can remind you of the States due to the high proportion of Americans there.
In general Canada's pretty good in terms of being wired for broadband...while most people get average connections many of the oil companies in downtown Calgary have the fastest connections that ever exist
Most cities are becoming wireless so you can go anywhere in the core and use wireless internet.I've lived in Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver.
If you're working and want to advance your career, you're energetic etc etc etc go to Toronto.
If you want to relax and enjoy some of the best climate evar, go to Vancouver.
No comment about the other two. They're kinda meh. Good living, but meh.
If you're working and want to advance your career, you're energetic etc etc etc go to Toronto.
If you want to relax and enjoy some of the best climate evar, go to Vancouver.
No comment about the other two. They're kinda meh. Good living, but meh.
The 2001 census is a bit out of date Socreges.
http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/toronto_facts/diversity.htm
48% of toronto citizes were born outside of Canada.
I really really like it here. Plus LOTR musical in Feb Wooo! Gotta get tickets to that.
http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/toronto_facts/diversity.htm
48% of toronto citizes were born outside of Canada.
I really really like it here. Plus LOTR musical in Feb Wooo! Gotta get tickets to that.
Warm Machine
Member
The Grizzlies made money. They were never in the red as far as I know and I did check out a few games even thought I don't even like Basketball much. Even when the lamest teams came to play there were a lot of people in the stands. Hockey is certainly a bigger draw but basketball was doing allright.
I'm going to move to SW Ontario "asap," but not to get away from Fuhrer Bush (LOLOLOL). The immigration stuff is daunting, and I'd be moving as "family class" because I'm moving with my significant other, who is Canadian. It's a fat fucking stack of scary paper work, and it's basically seems to be "you meet these criteria, you can go," but it's a ton of shit to do. And it costs mad bucks. Trying to move as a "skilled worker" is quite a bit more difficult.
Anyone got tips for me? Or jobs myself & my S.O. could get this winter or next spring?
Anyone got tips for me? Or jobs myself & my S.O. could get this winter or next spring?
If you guys gonna move to Canada, at least move to Vancouver... I just can't stand the Toronto weather. I mean it's the best in summer yah but it could be the worst in winter too. Toronto is like New York with a lot more snow. Vancouver I heard it rains so much so I don't mind that since I love rain.
Mugen said:If you guys gonna move to Canada, at least move to Vancouver... I just can't stand the Toronto weather. I mean it's the best in summer yah but it could be the worst in winter too. Toronto is like New York with a lot more snow. Vancouver I heard it rains so much so I don't mind that since I love rain.
Heh, don't forget Vancouver's the most expensive city to live in Canada and I think one of the top 10 in North America.
jenov4 said:
Wah? How so? Shouldn't be a lot worse that Toronto I hope.
Azih said:
Well I think every city does but Toronto's summer is REALLY summer. But then I've never lived anywhere in Canada but Toronto.
Oh btw. Toronto does have the most amount of hot chicks (I heard the same about Montreal and Vancouver too). Reigning Ms. Universe is from Toronto btw. ^_^
Vancouver is more expensive because a lot of people retire there.
And honestly, I wouldn't worry too much about the rain. It rains a lot during the winter months, but Vancouver summers are AWESOME. My past year of experience has taught me that Toronto weather sucks.
However, I won't dispute the fact that Toronto has more pretty girls...
And honestly, I wouldn't worry too much about the rain. It rains a lot during the winter months, but Vancouver summers are AWESOME. My past year of experience has taught me that Toronto weather sucks.
However, I won't dispute the fact that Toronto has more pretty girls...
B-B-Bomba!
Member
Actually folks, my parents are planning a trip to Canada soon, and asked me to try and find out some travelling information for them (we're English, btw). I've been meaning to start a thread, but clearly Canada is a popular enough subject that you don't have to wait too long for someone else to start one, so ...
Their idea is to start in the east and end in the west, flying in probably to Montreal, buying some transport, and exploring the rest of the way by feel. They've done winnebago-style tours of both Australia and Europe, and are looking for a similarly low-fi experience in the land of the leaf (although presumably with more clothes, and thicker).
Can I ask if anyone has ever taken a similar trip, and if so, what advice they can give? They're concerned about the feasibility of camping across such a notoriously cold country, but I've been advised the (three?) summer months should be relatively felicitous ... mainly they curious about what they're likely to find in terms of places to stop and stay, ie: the frequency of campsites, hostels and lodgings; the popularity of and support available for such undertakings, and generally what to expect.
Obviously suggestions as to where to head for and what to see would be really useful too. Thanks in advance eh?
Their idea is to start in the east and end in the west, flying in probably to Montreal, buying some transport, and exploring the rest of the way by feel. They've done winnebago-style tours of both Australia and Europe, and are looking for a similarly low-fi experience in the land of the leaf (although presumably with more clothes, and thicker).
Can I ask if anyone has ever taken a similar trip, and if so, what advice they can give? They're concerned about the feasibility of camping across such a notoriously cold country, but I've been advised the (three?) summer months should be relatively felicitous ... mainly they curious about what they're likely to find in terms of places to stop and stay, ie: the frequency of campsites, hostels and lodgings; the popularity of and support available for such undertakings, and generally what to expect.
Obviously suggestions as to where to head for and what to see would be really useful too. Thanks in advance eh?
No, no. My site was metropolitan, yours was strictly city. That's why there's such a big difference.Azih said:
And yeah, a 2001 census is going to be out of date..... it's from 2001. But very little has changed. You were comparing Greater Toronto to the city of Toronto.
The city of Vancouver was at 45% in 1996, btw. Dunno now. It's probably pretty close to Toronto. Comparable, which was my point.
Socreges said:
Re: Alberta, I must say that a) it surprises me to see it bashed by someone from Utah, and b) Alberta has two redeeming natural qualities:
and
....of course there's a divide of plains in between, but once you get east of picture #2 you're in for a flaaaat ride for a province plus change.
IMO, outside of B.C. and the provinces I've never been to (read: Maritimes and the territories ), I'd say Alberta has some of Canada's finest nature.
Erdrick
Member
I'm happy living in Canada. Lived here most of my life. I live in Winnipeg and for me, it's just the right size. 700 000 people or so after the last census. I always hear people saying either Toronto or Vancouver... Y'know, there is more to Canada than just those places.
I don't have to deal with a 2 hour commute to work, I don't have to deal with high pollution levels, nor high crime, or excessive taxes.
We're right in the center of Canada and I see a lot of different people passing through each day. I like that aspect. People from all over, from the U.S., Japan, Austrailia, France, Germany, the U.K., just a lot of people.
I don't have to worry about hurricanes, earthquakes or other natural disasters.
The weather here is just perfect. We get a bit of everything. From blistering cold in January (-55 Celcius plus windchill at times...) to stifiling heat in July. (+35 plus humidity)
I'm happy here. Can't speak for everyone though.
I don't have to deal with a 2 hour commute to work, I don't have to deal with high pollution levels, nor high crime, or excessive taxes.
We're right in the center of Canada and I see a lot of different people passing through each day. I like that aspect. People from all over, from the U.S., Japan, Austrailia, France, Germany, the U.K., just a lot of people.
I don't have to worry about hurricanes, earthquakes or other natural disasters.
The weather here is just perfect. We get a bit of everything. From blistering cold in January (-55 Celcius plus windchill at times...) to stifiling heat in July. (+35 plus humidity)
I'm happy here. Can't speak for everyone though.
SickBoy said:Re: Alberta, I must say that a) it surprises me to see it bashed by someone from Utah, and b) Alberta has two redeeming natural qualities:
and
....of course there's a divide of plains in between, but once you get east of picture #2 you're in for a flaaaat ride for a province plus change.
IMO, outside of B.C. and the provinces I've never been to (read: Maritimes and the territories ), I'd say Alberta has some of Canada's finest nature.
Don't forget:
Alberta is practically keeping Canada alive, economically. It sure deserves to be named.
Time for a lesson in climate. The further north you go, the more extreme the seasons become. It does not simply become uniformly colder. Even way up in Alaska, summer is quite nice with +20C and up temperatures normal for quite a while.
If your parents plan on doing this in the summer, and they stay to the more populated southern zone (no farther north than Edmonton, AB), they should definitely not need any particularily thick clothes. We poor Canadians manage to wear T-Shirts for about 1/2 to 2/3rds of the year.
But if you actually come here, and bundle up excessively, at least you'll be entertaining to the locals
Warm Machine
Member
Alberta was host to...
Unforgiven
Shanghai Noon
Open Range
The Samurai Epic: Ten to Chi to / Heaven and Earth
among others.
Unforgiven
Shanghai Noon
Open Range
The Samurai Epic: Ten to Chi to / Heaven and Earth
among others.
B-B-Bomba!
Member
Thanks maharg, I'll pass that on. Can I ask though, during which months what seasons change from which to what? In England we'd generally expect Winter to slacken off between March and April, and Summer to roll out in about June / July. I suppose, sharing the northern hemisphere, that you get more or less the same experience?
The thing with the climate is, I think they're quite interested in checking the wilder and more wintry side of your country out: certainly they aren't the type of people to arrive in a foreign country and look to experience home. The more remote the area, the more likely they are to be wanting to check it out. So what happens if you start heading north? How far can you get without running the risk of becoming snowbound? Do many hapless tourists wind up as popsicles? Which stores sell bear repellent etc.
These are the things I think they've got on their minds, anyway. Obviously when travelling, if you know too much about what you're getting yourself into, you might almost as well not bother going. The plans they are making are fairly fluid and malleable; they just don't see anything wrong with being forearmed. Thanks again for the reply.
The thing with the climate is, I think they're quite interested in checking the wilder and more wintry side of your country out: certainly they aren't the type of people to arrive in a foreign country and look to experience home. The more remote the area, the more likely they are to be wanting to check it out. So what happens if you start heading north? How far can you get without running the risk of becoming snowbound? Do many hapless tourists wind up as popsicles? Which stores sell bear repellent etc.
These are the things I think they've got on their minds, anyway. Obviously when travelling, if you know too much about what you're getting yourself into, you might almost as well not bother going. The plans they are making are fairly fluid and malleable; they just don't see anything wrong with being forearmed. Thanks again for the reply.
Wild and wintry is dead easy to find anywhere in Canada, just land in any airport and head north. It's really as simple as that. If they want to go really wintry then they should just get on a trip to go see the Aurora Borealis
Just google it and you'll find decent advertised links like this one
http://www.auroraborealisyukon.com/
Just google it and you'll find decent advertised links like this one
http://www.auroraborealisyukon.com/
Just so you know, by 2010 Vancouver and Toronto will have minorities making up over 50% of the population. Vancouver alone will have its Chinese community making up almost half of the city's total population. So if you feel a little uneasy about that, then consider Calgary.
I live in Edmonton, its a nice place to live but it doesnt hold a candle to the likes of Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto. I have plans to move out east to Toronto once I graduate, which will be in 2-3 years.
I live in Edmonton, its a nice place to live but it doesnt hold a candle to the likes of Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto. I have plans to move out east to Toronto once I graduate, which will be in 2-3 years.
I just moved away from Toronto. Sold my condo and bought a house an hour north of the city.
Good things about Canada:
People are generally polite, although this is in decline.
People are generally very tolerant
It's nice and cold in the winter and nice and hot in the summer. Makes things interesting.
Alberta is an awesome province and everyone I have ever met from there are pretty cool.
We have a Queen, which is kinda unique these days
Bad things about Canada:
Our health care system sucks.
Our roads suck, rush hour is 6 hours a day and it takes forever to get anywhere in Toronto.
Gas costs too damn much
Taxes are too damn high
The Liberal party is corrupt, the conservatives are useless and the NDP are fucking communists
We have a Queen who doesn't do anything useful
People are often TOO tolerant and are afraid to take stands.
Too much fucking snow
Good things about Canada:
People are generally polite, although this is in decline.
People are generally very tolerant
It's nice and cold in the winter and nice and hot in the summer. Makes things interesting.
Alberta is an awesome province and everyone I have ever met from there are pretty cool.
We have a Queen, which is kinda unique these days
Bad things about Canada:
Our health care system sucks.
Our roads suck, rush hour is 6 hours a day and it takes forever to get anywhere in Toronto.
Gas costs too damn much
Taxes are too damn high
The Liberal party is corrupt, the conservatives are useless and the NDP are fucking communists
We have a Queen who doesn't do anything useful
People are often TOO tolerant and are afraid to take stands.
Too much fucking snow
Mike Works
Member
Gorgie said:
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