Close Reading

1) Toronto is poor value. Getting housing of any kind (buying or renting) is stupidly expensive. And the quality you get for the price is lousy. Especially the newer builds, which are just thrown up as quickly as possible and sold to investors. Policy measures generally all seem to serve to just inflate the price of housing further. The occasional lip service given to affordability is amusing, but ultimately sad. There are lots of people who really do not want the housing bubble to pop. They will fight against it with all they have.\n\n2) It has become kind of boring. There is lots to do if you have money, but it’s harder to find entertainment on a budget. Even the free stuff like parks are filling up. Stuff like sporting events, eating out, going out is very costly across the board. Even the “cheaper” stuff is expensive. It seems like a lot of local culture is disappearing. Even the cool neighbourhoods are filling up with the same chains. I think the high commercial rent and bureaucracy is deflating a lot of would-be entrepreneurs. Most landowners seem to just be banking on cashing out their land for condos.\n\n3) Canada overall has a high cost of living compared to salaries. In the US you can find lower cost of living areas that still give you a real city experience. And in Europe you can be poor but still live a decent, if no frills, life. In Canada the basic necessities are all expensive. Phone bills, grocery bills, rent, insurance are through the roof. Domestic travel is expensive. And the dollar sucks if you want to travel abroad. Health care is free but good luck finding a family doctor or waiting 8 hours in the ER these days. It’s expensive to be poor, or even middle class.\n\n4) Most of the Greater Toronto Area, outside the core, is soulless suburbs with awful transit - very “American” except with worse traffic congestion. You will need a car, which is another huge cost. Row upon row of old cookie cutter suburbs with the same crappy houses. Good luck walking anywhere, and if you do you will need to walk down boring, treeless arterial roads with cars zooming past right beside you, and cross giant eight lane intersections that were never built for humans on foot. In a rainstorm or on a fall evening you have to be really careful not to be run over by aggressive drivers.\n\n5) It is hard to raise a family in an apartment here. You can do it but it’s not very easy, and also you are still kind of judged for it. Lots of young people are feeling stuck and are deferring or avoiding starting a family. Buying any type of house, even a basic townhouse, requires pledging your soul to a bank by taking a massive mortgage with eye watering debt in a volatile market. But few apartment buildings have the kind of sensible gentle density, the family unit sizes and the common amenities, like little courtyards with jungle gyms, that you might find in Europe. No one ever contemplated that anyone would ever desire to raise kids in an apartment. It’s just a cultural thing that has worked its way into how things are planned and designed.\n\n6) The transit system is ok by North American standards but awful by international standards. There are only two real subway lines, one stub line, one line that is permanently out of service after a derailment, and another line that was supposed to open a couple years ago but still has no date for opening. The subways go out of service frequently, sometimes for the dumbest reasons, and then it is a zoo of shuttle buses. The streetcars are nice but so slow. The buses are fine if you find yourself dreaming about riding a daily herky jerky rolling tin of sardines. They are building a lot of transit but it will take decades to get done.\n\n7) There is still a lot of cool multiculturalism and opportunities to experience different foods and cultures - one of the best things about Toronto. Increasingly though it seems to be losing the fun vibe of the 90s, when everyone celebrated each other’s backgrounds and was chill. It seems the immigration is not as broad based anymore and also people are importing a lot of their “old country” grievances here. The immigration system also kind of preys on people abroad by selling them a false fairy tale, so they end up dejected when they arrive and see how things really are.\n\n8) This one might be controversial but it’s kind of an ugly city. There’s nothing particularly of historical meaning or value. Some of the older neighbourhoods are kind of nice, but the last 25 years they have only built giant glass skyboxes, one after another. There aren’t the cool “missing middle” walkups like in NY, Chicago or Montreal (or even LA). There are very few buildings with much architectural character. Some of the buildings they deem “heritage” here are an embarrassment.\n\n9) For safety, honestly on this score I think Toronto is not bad. There are not too many real “ghettos” and it’s night and day compared to much of the US. With that said, there is more vagrancy and social issues these days, with tents and such. It’s very sad but the shelters are full, lots of homeless go into the libraries, parks and transit system. It does make it harder to enjoy these public amenities safely. It is nowhere close to Europe where you might let your kids run free around town. Canadian parents still helicopter their kids and the place again is not designed to really be safe for kids, in the same way as Europe.\n\n10) Finally, a bit of a double edged sword. Toronto had a lot of youthful energy - people coming here from all over. It is definitely not as sleepy as many parts of the world. With that said, it is becoming a bit of a transient place (minus the world class experiences like London or NY). If you are from elsewhere you might find it hard making and keeping friends. I’ve seen lots of people struggle because it’s is hard to build a strong social network. We have a very “shallow” culture here - people are extremely polite but not overly warm and hospitable. We treat one another kind of like neighbours - meaning we’d like to have a cordial, drama-free coexistence and otherwise kind of stick to ourselves.

I'm sad to say I've been living in Canada since 1980, and you are absolutely correct. Between the pandemic and the lousy government and politics in Canada the last ten years or so, we are in serious decline. I used to highly recommend people live here.. not so much anymore. It's simply not affordable. There is just too much wrong with this country that is going to take years to fix, if they can (doubtful).

This has gotten out of control. The US is not the solution to everyone's problems. They think the grass is greener on the other side. So, we already had homeless people on the streets - even the veterans - . Americans are having a hard time, I think that there should be planes/buses taking these people back to the country they lived in. They need to be on the what list. Our country is failing Americans, and a fair amount of those crossing do have criminal records. Seeing a crowd this large, is this going to turn into a civil war? It's sad.

this isnt even just a toronto issue this is a canada issue. Canada was never going to be a successful nation because Canada only has access to 12% of its land mass that's habitable for humans to live on a day to day basis. Due to this Canada was always going to fail its just sad to see that it happened sooner rather then later

... And here is why:\n1. Insanely expensive housing with next to none disposable income left in the pocket. \n2. Inability to get into the real estate market unless $$$ was brought in as an investment. This will leave locals and people who were born in Canada left out for good even further. \n3. Extremely competitive job market. Newcomers will have to suffer for a long time to break-in. \n4. Depression and drug addiction is everywhere. It's more deadly than covid but the government can't address the problem because they lose control for good. \n5. Canada is far away from many other places, which makes things worse as you feel trapped in a workcamp with no place to escape. \n6. The cost of living is getting much faster with the salaries significantly behind year after year. \n7. Canada became the country of failed government, failed multiculturalism, too tolerant as a result. \n8. Retirement in Canada will be impossible for 95% unless you agree to live in the middle of the nowhere until depression kills you. \n9. Many who came to Canada 25+ years ago and still around felt trapped. Canada's source of immigration will likely be the poorest communities who will agree to put up with everything listed above just to get out of where they live right now. \n10. Sad, but true. I have seen a steady decline in Canada since 1998. Things get worse every year.\nAmen to that. I'll be visiting Lviv in 2025 for the first time since 2000 to check on my apartment in the city centre, not far from my Alma Mater LPI. I THANK GOD every day I didn't sell it and so I have a place for retirement!

Standing but not shooting so this is a peaceful unrest.? So sad, too bad.

It is very sad to see this like a high-profile country. This needs to be solved immediately by the Canadian government

you realize all this is for money.... the government just wants money... quite sad, i want to leave canada

Canada is looking like a third-world country, Health care has basically collapsed, you can not afford basic goods anymore, housing is a disaster, and the national debt is out of control, It is very sad where this country is heading

What’s sad is the the government has no idea it’s happened, neither did they try to get any data around this. Busy giving away money to other countries and bleeding Citizens dry while fomenting trouble by supporting terrorists! Idiots in power dancing in colorful outfits & spending on vacations & trips while charging carbon taxes from people. ??

I wish we had someone to actually vote for instead of Trudeau or Poilievre this is sad. I voted for Trudeau sadly, but Poilievre is not any better he’s nagging all the time I’m afraid we vote for him and he nags the whole time instead of actually do something

The sad part of this is that it's the immigrants that we want that are dragging up and leaving, the ones with degrees in medical and engineering. The ones with skilled trades and abilities. \n But sadly all we will get to stay are the dregs of society that came here looking for a free ride and hands out! The ones who've spent time and money and effort to improve themselves and better their lives will always be the last to count, Eco-immigrants and freeloaders who've jumped the border while ditching their passports and real banking info just to get a $1000 a week free taxpayer funded handout and free cell phones and housing and access to our social assistant network , will never leave unless you run them out of the country.

Multicultural = Failed. Here is why (in my opinion) there is no reason to move in any big cities in Canada, and in Canada in general. \n1. Insanely expensive housing with next to none disposable income left in the pocket. \n2. Inability to get into the real estate market unless $$$ was brought in as an investment. This will leave locals and people who were born in Canada left out for good even further. \n3. Extremely competitive job market. Newcomers will have to suffer for a long time to break-in. \n4. Depression and drug addiction is everywhere. It's more deadly than covid but the government can't address the problem because they lose control for good. \n5. Canada is far away from many other places, which makes things worse as you feel trapped in a workcamp with no place to escape. \n6. The cost of living is getting much faster with the salaries significantly behind year after year. \n7. Canada became the country of failed government, failed multiculturalism, too tolerant as a result. \n8. Retirement in Canada will be impossible for 95% unless you agree to live in the middle of the nowhere until depression kills you. \n9. Many who came to Canada 25+ years ago and still around felt trapped. Canada's source of immigration will likely be the poorest communities who will agree to put up with everything listed above just to get out of where they live right now. \n10. Sad, but true. I have seen a steady decline in Canada since 1998. Things get worse every year.

East west home is best, it’s about time Africans start convincing themselves to move back to Africa instead of jumping from country to country east to west, this is sad,

There's no punishment for chaos. In fact there are benefits. This country is going under. So sad. The fall of Rome. We haven't learned anything from History.

it's sp sad to see what is happening. here . i can see why you are posting this video many thanks ps 2 full time jobs wow

I’ve lived near Toronto for the vast majority of my adult life. Around 2016 I was working there and started to explore the city a little bit more, living there for a short time. I think the draw and attraction was that it always was a little hectic. Always something to look at, so many different cultures. Also such contrasts, walking through the downtown core and then out to a neighborhood like Greek town. With parks and even forests to be found. It went from tense to a feeling of refuge and a sense of a natural oasis within a chaotic machine. I think the sense of calm which could be found has become a little more rare. Also a certain openness that people and cultures had towards each other has been fading. Discourse with other opinions morphed into the near impossible. It’s all by design and sad to see. It’s a tangible and significant change. When you zoom out at the infrastructure, social and economic level. It’s very hard to see a healthy recovery happening anytime soon. Mostly due to those being in charge not caring. Still lots of beauty there. I would never choose to live there again, but if anyone is still living there and reading this. My advice would be to explore the greenways, parks and forests to be found. The juxtaposition of city and nature gives a heightened appreciation to both realities, and really gives a more balanced/peaceful mindset to explore the good which can be found

Well I had a kid this year in Québec, it was like 250$ for a single room or 20$ for double room or something. \nYeah some hospital would sell our informations to banks and diapers or food manufacturers... still cheaper than 3000$USD\nFor student I'd say if you are citizen of canada, it's like 10 time cheaper to study here than in US as far as I've seen.\nViolence is something really sad. I'd really wish that just guns were restrain for hunting and special forces, like police officer or body gard of gouvernment selected individual accredited to hold a weapon for defence.\nI've heard that in USA police don't all have to go through police academy that teach them how be an officer. Here they have to go to school, be cadets in summer break, have your attitude checked to de-escalat violent situation if possible.\nWhen I was a in high school violence was in drop in school, so much that they withdraw the officer that was station to that school to just do some one time per year presentation of what to do for security, to absolutely nothing.

Very sad to hear that, Everywhere is good for those who work hard, I am a great example of this. I came to this country when I was 40 years old. After 8 years, my daughter has also come here and she is doing medical….???

I think the guy talking about trashy people, it’s more because of the education systems in the US & how each state regulates their money. It’s sad how some states have better education than others, this is where the rich win for sure, they can pay for better education even in elementary school?

Hey, be negative. I hate the positivity cult. Be honest. The world is falling apart. Let's not mince words. This is a global crisis. America has been crap for a long time, but it's sad to see Canada now going through the same, and deteriorating. Such a beautiful country. I remember being there years ago, and the energy was so much lighter, uplifting, and I always loved this about Canada in general. It was always the nicer bit of N. America....but now it's much like what the USA is experiencing with insane prices, housing crisis, drugs, crime, homelessness, etc. I don't feel this will get better anytime soon. I think we need to demand some serious changes, and they need to start with forcing down the costs of living, whether they like it or not. It's a giant scam. Anyone who knows what is really going on, and why, knows that it's not even 'the market', but it's predatory price gouging. People are charging high prices because they can, not because it's actually worth that. And no one is stopping them. Same with food, and everything else.

Thank you brother, where national media will tag Khalistani to any person who wears a turban and criticise government or ask for their rights and the majority will then push the same narrative too, it’s sad how it’s still happening to this day where government is harassing Sikh youth and imprisoned our brothers falsely and in many cases they torture them just because they wear turban or belong to Sikh religion, barbarism like I saw videos where police tortured Singhs and wrote ‘Gadar’ , ‘Atwadi’ , ‘Khalistani’ on their backs with hot iron rods, even if someone support a separate nation like Khalistan which is approved and accepted by the supreme court of India this is what makes me to hate the government, WE LOVE OUT COUNTRY TOO AND WILL HAPPILY DIE FOR IT BUT ONE CANNOT LEAVE THE LOVE FOR THEIR STATE “PUNJAB” OR RELIGION BEHIND

This is our country, our ancestors were born here \nIt is very sad that some people want to destroy this country ??

Sadly, you have essentially described Vancouver as well. The elephant in the room is immigration. When you count refugees, immigrants, international students, etc. there are about 1 million people coming to the country annually! Even in the 1990s, CSIS even warned the government that high immigration would lead to a housing crisis. And that’s really sad as immigration has now tuned into a net negative for Canada. I personally think it is an invasion at this point. And things are far worse than the 1990s. Honestly, if I wasn’t settled in a place I bought near Vancouver 20 years ago, my family and I would have to seriously make other plans!

This is so very sad...while i dont believe in illegal immigration for the most part..I do believe WE ALL want bettwr for ourselves and our kids.. These people want the same.. It's not their fault they were born in another place.. The system is broken by greedy men.. There has to be a better way.. But we shouldn't have such hard hearts.. Not to want to help these poor families and children..\nLeaders should come together collectively that fixed their countries as best as they could.. And they wouldn't be fleeing... But so much corruption in leadership doesn't allow it. But we have to remember these people on our enemies.. We would do the same if we were in their shoes...

This is really sad to hear and, unfortunately, is happening in many cities all over (DC, NY, SF, LDN, SYD, etc.). The pandemic, inflation, and the cost of living crisis are all significant contributors to the rise in homelessness and even violence that we're seeing.

YEP. DO NOT MOVE TO TORONTO. I think you're beings very kind. It's a mess. No planning has led to a city that is out of control and ugly. The worst part is the water front.... which simply has disappeared. \nYeah, anyone living in Toronto needs to be seeing a therapist...unfortunately you won't be able to afford one!\nI live outside Toronto in an apartment, (I never, ever thought I'd live in an apartment) and I pay $3000. And there is plenty of random violence where I am as well. I had a first hand experience. It's really, really sad \nI would leave this country no problem, but living here through lockdown and stuff has me rather down?

This is the same everywhere Lynn. I know a few kenyans here in Australia came as visitors and told they could easily switch to a resident Visa while on shore unfortunately thats the worst lie ever made by an agent. I’ve looked for this girl I met at the train station and someone said she was taken to the detention centre. PEOPLE DO YOUR RESEARCH INFORMATION IS IN MOST OF THESE COUNTRIES WEBSITES! Cant travel and leave home only to try claim asylum it doesnt work like that. Its really sad ?

God Lynn I'm here in Canada this is happening our people homeless very sad

This is so sad ?

all you people that voted joe biden into office are to blame for this mass entry . sad thing is you will vote for joe biden again. when they take your home then you will see why we need to build the wall and put President Trump back into office. wake up sleepy joe biden

worst part is these gangsters and extremist have strong lobbying in canada govt through jagmeet singh party.india govt tired of requesting expedtion requests to canada govt. justin trudeau supporting them for votes. canadians stop voting jagmeet singh party otherwise canada turn into mexico ,pakisthan\nanother worst and sad part is justin trudeau and jagmeet singh ,pannu trying to projecting this like india vs sikhs, sikhs vs hindus its completely false. candians should understand this all sikhs are not khalisthan extremists. and also all sikhs in canada not indian orgin some of them from pakisthan. a very tiny number of sikhs supports khalisthan. now khalisthan terriost getting strong finacial support from pak isi.this also one reason govt taking it very serious

This is very sad. I fell in love with that city in 1996-1998. It has so much degraded since. However the germs of this situation were already there then. I now think that it was a totally dystopian city.

This is what happens to the unfortunate young citizens of a nation which is the world champ in :\nCORRUPTION \nPOLLUTION \nILLITERACY \nOut of control POPULATION \nYouth UNEMPLOYMENT \n….. this is so sad ? ……

Love your investigative reports from you and your team, Mark. Like real (unreal) estate, international students are becoming our business and contributing to our GDP...and we don't make a darn thing. It's bad enough the reputable colleges and universities are doing this...seriously...a diploma in travel...and you needed to leave wherever to obtain this??? How many students are hoping to stay in Canada after their studies? This is sad and for some tragic...Canada should be ashamed we allow this to even happen here. Foreign students beware...

This is so sad.

This is incredibly sad and heartbreaking ???

What’s sad is America can go to Iraq and kill pepper but won’t go stomp out communist dictatorship in South America and crimes against humanity in South America. Venezuela should have never been able to form a communist/socialist government so close to America with cuba\n\nAmerica did allow this shit to happen and they do keep allowing these these things to go on while we are in the the Middle East fucking around like idiots we have terror groups forming in South America that even Isis warned america about

When I was young I used to fantasise about going to Toronto Canada as I have some cousins who lived there. Today this makes me quite sad but it is a similar situation here in Sydney Australia but a few years behind you guys but affordable housing is a big issue and a small but growing homeless issue Rising. We don't have the extreme random violence like in Canada but stuff like that does happen in all major industrialised cities around the world. Growing population without good healthcare and infrastructure is a major issue in a lot of big cities around the world.\nWe have a government that wants to increase the population and at the same time acknowledge the fact that we don't have the infrastructure to cope for that and also squeezing that big population in a smaller and smaller space of course causing greater mental issues as a result

This is very sad. As a canadian, I hope this tuition scam stops because it's not only hurting individuals coming to Canada with false hope, but also hurts the canadian house/job market greatly for locals.

This is sad but they want help us over here we are the ones that need help..?

OMG this is so sad and heartbreaking.

This situation is out of control so sad ??

I have mixed feelings about this topic but I know we all want better lives . But it’s sad too see these people struggle and get turned away and kept out just because there from Mexico. Very sad but don’t forget, god is watching all of us and what we do in life and then he’ll judge us at the end !

I’m born & raised in Montreal, Quebec and while it’s extremely multicultural and has an incredible education system, we have been experiencing a continuous housing crisis. Every year the rent prices and general cost of living are skyrocketing yet wages remain the same. It’s actually becoming a huge problem in Montreal. Young people are being pushed out as prices are starting to little by little be comparable to Toronto. \nAnd don’t get me started on the hate Anglophones receive here. Even Montreal natives like myself who are historically English get discriminated against every day. \nThe Quebec government is pushing the English language out of Quebec, making it harder and harder for Anglophones to be able to function and live practically here. You can’t even go to the hospital and get service. If you don’t speak French you can’t call and speak with any government services, and even businesses are forced to have French names, and only conduct their business in the French language. \nI myself am bilingual, but for someone who doesn’t speak the language, or is learning having trouble it’s nearly impossible to live in Quebec as they wouldn’t even be able to get a job. The discrimination Anglophones receive is insane and we are seen as a ‘bottom of the barrel’ minority, which is so sad seeing that this is where I was born and raised and where I call my home. \nThey’re taking away more and more public & social services and literally funnelling multi millions of dollars of funding , which is desperately needed for homelessness and many other social problems we have within Montreal and it’s all now going towards pushing the French language in Montreal (we literally have what’s called the ‘language police’ who’s job is to enforce French. They will give businesses thousands of dollars of tickets and even shut them down all because someone is caught speaking English) \nHopefully something will change soon or else Montreal is going to continue to become a place completely taken over by hate and discrimination and it will experience a MASS exodus (which is already starting).

This is sad, crazy, horrible, scary....i have so much mixed emotions...\nAnd i heard the governor of my state and two other midwest governors are sending the National Gaurd to control the boarder. \nWhich is scary because they would use the one law like police....i forget what its called, but if the gaurds feel their lives are in danger they have the legal right to shoot...\nDeath to rights law???? It slipped my mind ?

Sad..the ones who do make it in commit crime in the US n blame the blk man.. So it's sad that the good ones don't make it in... but they should do what other countries do with large numbers like this... they team up n go for their leader n vote somebody new in...but they rather just run to another country instead...n refuse to learn English but will fight to get here...sigh we got Mexicans here who still can't get a green card but yet they want to skip steps to get in... we have kids from gratulama right now mad that they don't know where their parents are n mad asf they live here not realizing they parents got them here to make the best of it not be a maddening thorn to society about being here...like show them this n they should shut up.... it's unfortunate the only way to protect our borders is capital punishment n the US just isn't that cruel but if they see the large mass of .... the borders wouldn't look like this cause they will know they aren't gonna live if they cross this line...sad reality with what our ancestors did but it makes awful sense using fear for order sigh...

It is so sad to see an intelligent man like this brother say he is trying to make a better future for his children .\n\nAnd who is going to build Nigeria ?\nTinubu ? , Come on . . .

This gentleman is smart, articulate with his analysis of the situation. \nI echo his comments. If I am doing well in my country I wouldn’t leave— especially Africans and the African Diaspora. I see the horrific atrocities committed against the Africans crossing these borders to get into Europe. It is sad to the point where I said before I leave my country I would rather eat from my land than to come and be dehumanized.

So sad, you don't trash your country on a platform like this no matter challenges that country is going through. Some people built Canada to what is it today that your fellow Omo ti ko ri ola ri ( persons comming from poverty). At a point in history, Canada was a struggling country but I don't think Canadian talk trashed of their country. It's unfortunate these kids went to colleges in Nigeria at a subsidized rate and the best i will suggest is to not say anything rather than trashing you birth place.\n You will realize after staying in Canada for few years that it's not rosy and easy as you expect and you will be surprised to learnt that some of your colleagues/classmates who stays back and works in Nigeria are living far better than you. All that glitters are not gold in the west.\nI made this comment based on my experience living in the west for more than 2 decades.\nNever give up on your birth place, you may regret doing so later in the future.\nJust my advice.