Why I Left Toronto After 11 Years

I am 75 years old and lived all of my life in downtown Toronto. It was amazing during the 60's 70's 80's and 90's. Moved to a small town in 2002....it was a big change but I got used to it. Decided to move back to Toronto in 2022 to the Manulife Bldg. at Bay and Bloor and lasted 6 months. Traffic, construction, noise and condos everywhere you look. No new park space or infrastructure, Yorkville is now condo lane and the whole city is one big traffic grid. Moved back to my small town east of the city where there is everything I need, all major stores, lots of good restaurants and beautiful Sandbanks Park for swimming in the summer. Ali is 100% right on all points. Good luck in your move.

London has alot of the same problems as Toronto, once a great city now its VERY expensive and dangerous. I fully relate

Born and raised in Toronto, 1955. Looking at Toronto today 😢 Moved out 12 years ago. You nailed it.

I went to North Bay last weekend for a wedding and it’s amazing how much friendlier the people are there than in Toronto. A lady at A&W complimented my shirt and the taxi driver was super friendly. In Toronto people are scared to make eye contact and think you’re weird if you say hi

Cant really blame him

As an American the only thing I’ve heard Canadians say is how all their cities are perfect and wonderful, especially compared to our cities. Glad to hear not all Canadians are self-righteous

I was born and raised in Toronto, spent my first 27 years here. I worked also in the USA and the UK. I am grateful to Canada and to Toronto for many things but sadly I plan to do the same as Ali in the next three to five years. Toronto once lived up to it's nickname Toronto The Good but it has been in decline for at least the last twenty years. Once a person regardless of socioeconomic standing could get a good foothold and progress in this city. Now, that is a near impossibiliy. The worst part, our politicians and bureaucrats push the lie of how great Toronto and Canada are for newcomers and immigrants. They NEVER tell them the full story. I will be out of here as soon as possible. Good for you, Ali. I hope that things are working out better for you in Montreal. At the very least, Montreal has a better public transit and subway system - which is a huge advantage!

It's a shame ... I lived in Toronto between 1978 and 1980, and it was an amazing city. The subways were awfully loud from the metal wheels, but otherwise transit was excellent. I heard languages from all over the world, and Toronto the Good still meant something. It was a very safe city. The book stores on Queen Street were great fun, with stock from Britain. My rented room for weekdays and my small apartment in Westdale for weekends were both affordable, and finding a place to park was hard but not impossible. The traffic was already out of hand, but people put up with having to do odd tactics to get where one needed to be. Looking at YouTube, Hamilton isn't quite what it was, either.

As a lifelong Torontonian I have to say I agree 100% with everything you are saying. Ludicrously expensive, infrastructure sucks, mostly unfriendly and aloof people, has become dangerous and crime-ridden and don't even get me started on the traffic or politics and wokeness. It's disgusting. Having said that, I think that is the norm for most big cities these days. If you live in a metropolis expect to live in the shite.

My wife and I moved to Toronto a few years ago to start our careers. Made some money and got out after a year. It was awful. Everything was so expensive, gross and concrete. We bought a house 100 km north of Toronto just before the pandemic. Have already made $500k in equity. The quality of life in this province is tanking. I'm very concerned about the future our kids are going to face a two tier society; rich and poor, because so many of my peers are dropping out of the middle class due to home prices/inflation.

OMG. I am aware of the problems with the city but I could never have put it all together or said it out loud the way you did. So true. I came to toronto in 2011. Since then the city has been on a downward spiral. Its a dying city. Rotten to the core.

I've never felt more relief than when my daughter moved out of Toronto.

I've lived in Toronto almost my entire life and I agree with you. Rent and cost of living is insane and I am looking forward to leaving soon hopefully. It is impossible raising a family here.

Toronto has been drowning in darkness for years now there’s no hope for this city anymore what has become of it. i’m glad you are moving out of that city and I hope the next place you stay at will be better

I really loved this video: .Your confidence .The tone of your voice .Integration of your ideas ❤❤

I recently visited Toronto and Hamilton I my brother lives there I drove from Atlanta Georgia to Hamilton it took me 20 hours to drive there. I noticed how horrible traffic is I heard horror stories about the cost living is ridiculously expensive

Living in Toronto all my life and I fully resonate with him. Unless you have family support the majority of people can’t afford to live on their own. Right on point as well with the TTC it’s completely atrocious.

This is the sad reality of most major cities in the USA and Canada

Bro i got stuck back home during covid almost 3 years when i got back and take a drive i couldn’t believe how bad it got everything u say is on point and if the work wasnt here i woundt stay here one second . U did good 👊🏼

OMG, I can support every single word. That's exactly why, word-for-word, I moved to Montreal 2 years ago after 20 (!) years in Toronto.