Reckheim
Member
Also Montreal drivers are the worst. I'd hate to live there.
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Moving to Canada Advice
- Thread starter KarneeKarnay
- Start date
Also Montreal drivers are the worst. I'd hate to live there.
People that claim torontonians to be rude and "like Americans" have never actually met a rude American.
I lived in LA for about 5 years and have lived in Toronto for 23. I can tell you Toronto is a Canadian city through and through, it's just that it is definitely going at light speed compared to the rest of the country.
I lived in LA for about 5 years and have lived in Toronto for 23. I can tell you Toronto is a Canadian city through and through, it's just that it is definitely going at light speed compared to the rest of the country.
CanUKlehead
Member
Do it, dude. I went the opposite way (Canada to the UK when my Canadian company opened a branch in the UK) and I am loving it.
My dad told me, 'you can always come back here, but not everyone gets these chances' So I did.
No regrets for me, but also depends on your personality of course.
And you get to travel around Canada and thr US as well.
My dad told me, 'you can always come back here, but not everyone gets these chances' So I did.
No regrets for me, but also depends on your personality of course.
And you get to travel around Canada and thr US as well.
Americans do have a reputation for being rude (Kinda ridiculous when you consider how different one state can feel from another) which is where the comparison comes from.
In my experience the people from there don't seem to slow down, ever. Ya know, the kind of people that are always so busy that they can't even spare the time to say "You too" when a cashier says "Have a nice day."
Buba Big Guns
Banned
Used to live in Toronto, and travel to Montreal pretty regularly.
Is your job in the city? If so then I highly recommend getting a place in the city. Don't touch the burbs. You can get by Montreal with not speaking French but it'll be better if you do.
Both are great cities but I prefer Toronto. Winter will hit you like a bag of bricks in Montreal. Lots of outdoors stuff nearby for both. Hiking, biking, canoeing, skating, skiing etc. Toronto has some of the best food in the world. Rent in Toronto is extremely high but you'll probably laugh if you're coming from London. Know a bunch of British and Irish expats here and they love it.
Also don't listen to the Toronto is the US of Canada thing. North American cities in general are all very similar, but I've never seen a city as diverse and represent Canada better than Toronto.
Is your job in the city? If so then I highly recommend getting a place in the city. Don't touch the burbs. You can get by Montreal with not speaking French but it'll be better if you do.
Both are great cities but I prefer Toronto. Winter will hit you like a bag of bricks in Montreal. Lots of outdoors stuff nearby for both. Hiking, biking, canoeing, skating, skiing etc. Toronto has some of the best food in the world. Rent in Toronto is extremely high but you'll probably laugh if you're coming from London. Know a bunch of British and Irish expats here and they love it.
Also don't listen to the Toronto is the US of Canada thing. North American cities in general are all very similar, but I've never seen a city as diverse and represent Canada better than Toronto.
baddvision
Member
if you end up in toronto familiarize yourself with the path, it's a godsend in the winter.
blue = north
red = south
orange = west
yellow = east
blue = north
red = south
orange = west
yellow = east
CitizenVectron
Member
To add to this, the standard response to "sorry" is "sorry." If someone bumps into you on the street, or gets in your way at a supermarket aisle, they will say "sorry," and then you respond with "sorry" right back. By both accepting blame (even though one side is at fault), you will eliminate any hard feelings, as is Canadian tradition.
This politeness is the social grease that keeps the gears turning for a polite society.
superdeluxe
Member
Get yourself a Auston Mathews hockey jersey and eat poutine 
.
.arts&crafts
Member
I also thank the bus driver for...getting me safely to my destination? Is this normal?
That is completely normal.
I thank the Costco receipt checker on the way out for making sure I didn't steal anything. We're weird people.
Switch Back 9
a lot of my threads involve me fucking up somehow. Perhaps I'm a moron?
Say what now?
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
Yes
In my experience, Americans are nicer/friendlier than Torontoers lol
https://web.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/visitor-services/path-torontos-downtown-pedestrian-walkway/
Basically it's a giant underground maze in downtown Toronto that connects shops, hotels, subway stations, etc. Very useful for getting around in the winter. It can be a bit confusing at first, but knowing this can help you keep your bearings.
Not if you're interested in University age girls.
But uh....yeah, not much else going on there.
If you end up living in Quebec winter tires are mandatory from Dec 15th - March 15th. Crossover/SUV isn't a must though.
Toronto has a huge underground tunnel complex connecting office towers, shopping and major points of interests. It's huge and you can get super lost. I love it.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/PATH_(Toronto)
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
Pfft, fuck PATH, Montreal has the much cooler RÉSO
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underground_City,_Montreal
Trust me. It's the difference between miserable winters and okay ones.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underground_City,_Montreal
And a scarf.
Trust me. It's the difference between miserable winters and okay ones.
arts&crafts
Member
Holy crap I have been taking the PATH every day for years and had no idea it was "color coded".
Yes. This is important. Montreal has brutal winters and Toronto can be just as bad at times.
HarryKS
Member
You'll have access to more (relevant) football on tv here than in the UK. The only competition you won't have access to is the Carabao Cup.
Our soccer team in Toronto is great right now.
Surely that matters the most to a British person.
Edit: All the nonsensical Toronto shade in this thread. You can clearly tell the jealous people who are sad they don't live in this great city.
I'll take your opinions seriously about my city when you get your own baseball team and stop badwagoning from our success.
Surely that matters the most to a British person.
Edit: All the nonsensical Toronto shade in this thread. You can clearly tell the jealous people who are sad they don't live in this great city.
I'll take your opinions seriously about my city when you get your own baseball team and stop badwagoning from our success.
CanUKlehead
Member
thelatestmodel
Junior, please.
I'm a British expat and I get asked this constantly. "Oh, British!? So who's your football team?"
I don't have one, I've never even liked football and know nothing about it. I've been a Chicago Blackhawks fan my entire life and feel very lucky to have ended up living in the most hockey-obsessed nation on Earth!
Also, not jealous at all. Glad I live in KW instead.
PersonAndStuff
Member
As a non resident working in Canada, you will be taxed a straight percentage of your wages. Up to 15 percent. And then an extra 9 percent if you go to Montreal. Look into waivers or resident status.
Switch Back 9
a lot of my threads involve me fucking up somehow. Perhaps I'm a moron?
Ahhh okay. You can tell I spend all my time in the West End and not downtown. My mom knew exactly what this was.
Pfft, fuck PATH, Montreal has the much cooler RÉSO
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underground_City,_Montreal
And a scarf.
Trust me. It's the difference between miserable winters and okay ones.
If he wants to REALLY fit in a Canada Goose jacket is a necessity
don't do this
EDIT: I've been to and lived in several different cities across Canada and I don't think Torontonians are rude at all, for the most part. All the rude people live in North York.
PumpkinSpice
Banned
If you stay in Canada for a full year for tax purposes you are a resident. So you'd be taxed normally and need to file a return to the CRA like anyone else.
In Ontario taxes are a bit cheaper than Quebec but in Toronto housing costs are batshit insane plus public benefits in Quebec/Montreal are superior so you won't end up saving much if at all.
You're going to probably be well liked and get a lot of attention because you're British. Be prepared for the same questions about being British from everyone you speak too.
Be polite, say please, thank you, have a nice day to people. In small towns it's normal to say some form of hey how's it going to people you walk past on the street.
I'd highly recommend not living in Toronto and taking the train and subway system to work every day. Or drive and park at like finch and then the subway into the city. It would be cheaper, but increase travel times. I guess the value of the trade off is completely up to you.
I'd suggest not going to Montreal. Only because I've heard from experiences from English speaking friends through friends who moved there that they are not treated very well by the locals. Although obviously not always the case, it's something to consider. Also might be different since you're British and not a Canadian who doesn't speak french. Life in Toronto would probably just be easier for you due to no real huge language barriers to overcome.
Be polite, say please, thank you, have a nice day to people. In small towns it's normal to say some form of hey how's it going to people you walk past on the street.
I'd highly recommend not living in Toronto and taking the train and subway system to work every day. Or drive and park at like finch and then the subway into the city. It would be cheaper, but increase travel times. I guess the value of the trade off is completely up to you.
I'd suggest not going to Montreal. Only because I've heard from experiences from English speaking friends through friends who moved there that they are not treated very well by the locals. Although obviously not always the case, it's something to consider. Also might be different since you're British and not a Canadian who doesn't speak french. Life in Toronto would probably just be easier for you due to no real huge language barriers to overcome.
I found the seasons to be very true to themselves-- winter was a dry cold and snowy, spring and fall were brief and cool, and summer was stupid hot
The only thing I disliked about it all was heading down to the metros in winter gear, because it was so damn warm down there.I was brought up and currently live in Atlantic Canada, where the weather is basically winter and summer. Montreal was well balanced in comparison. Also, I was surprised at how much easier it was to go about Montreal as an Anglophone compared to a place like New Brunswick. Wowza.
What? Is this really how people from the outside view Canada? I don't think I've ever been faced with one instance of someone being nothing less than nice with a stranger.
gutter_trash
Banned
Montreal housing is way way way way more AFFORDABLE than Toronto.
Toronto will require you to commute far out in the suburbs to get anything matching Montreal Island's housing prices
Toronto will require you to commute far out in the suburbs to get anything matching Montreal Island's housing prices
Damn at West Vancouver. And here I thought houses were expensive in Quebec.
Yes, this. Except that time I was in NYC and a driver yelled "GO BACK TO LA!" when we were crossing the street. I was all, "LOL, We're from--" but he drove away too fast.
That was pretty mean of him. Otherwise, yes. Americans are friendlier. Yes, it's bad. I was doing alright with WIND (now Freedom) mobile paying like $40/month, but coverage/speed was hit or miss in my area at the time. I hear they're the only provider with service in the subway/metro/whatever-you-call-it-in-Toronto lines, though.
Learn something new every day. I use it all year. Escape the heatwaves in summer, keep warm in the winter more importantly avoid all that second hand smoke.
Another thing to brace yourself for, our telecoms options are not consumer friendly. Be prepared to spend more money on internet and cell phone services.
Nealand Liquor
Member
Wrong. Thank you means you're welcome in Canadian.
Matrix XII
Member
Canadians love British people so youll be among friends from the start.
jimmypython
Member
Glad that you enjoy the city
I live in Toronto and moved from Ottawa. I like Ottawa WAY MORE than Toronto.
OP, make sure you have some maple syrup and an apology ready for any visitors.
Yes, even for the mail person.
I..do that too.
Yes, even for the mail person.
I..do that too.
Switch Back 9
a lot of my threads involve me fucking up somehow. Perhaps I'm a moron?
Ew, no, don't do this. Everything between Ontario and BC is basically terrible (no offence prairies/'berta GAF). Calgary in particular blows.
Glad that you enjoy the city
I live in Toronto and moved from Ottawa. I like Ottawa WAY MORE than Toronto.
This is madness. Ottawa sucks. There's like nothing to do for such an important city and all your one way streets are bullshit, driving in Ottawa ages me years at a time. If you don't work in government I can't fathom why you'd want to live there. My uncle lives there and flies back to Toronto like every weekend.
Plus fuck the Sens.
chromhound
Member
Come to Montreal we have the best poutine (the first thing to do)
Housing prices have shot up a bit in the last couple years.. I'd add 20-25% to those prices
thelatestmodel
Junior, please.
Word. In particular I have heard that Calgary and the surrounding area is an extremely conservative, non-progressive place. Staying well away from Calgary.
The color coding is so weird on this. I assumed red the worst and green the best and thought this makes no sense. Clearly the colors are just random.
I must admit it's difficult living here with like 10 ski resorts within 3-4 hours drive and bucketloads of mountain biking nearby. Without needing to shovel over 15 feet of snow in the winters.
Calgary has improved a lot over the last 5 or 6 years. The nightlife is still pretty ordinary, but there is a fair few good restaurants / cocktail bars and the rockies are a 45 minute drive away. I'd much rather that than living in a place like Toronto.
I say that as someone who grew up in Sydney, Australia. I'd gladly take Calgary over any massive city these days.
Switch Back 9
a lot of my threads involve me fucking up somehow. Perhaps I'm a moron?
Calgary is a hole. It's an incredibly ugly, flat city with zero personality surrounded by and chock full of rig workers, ranchers, and all manner of wannabe 'Murica cowboy types. Again, no offence to the posters in here from Calgary but I've spent a lot of time in that city and don't really have anything positive to say about it and certainly would never recommend living there.