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I have lived in Toronto for over 20 years. I love this city, but I can no longer afford to live here even with a great job and decent salary. When I received a rent increase of 10% for my 1 bedroom apartment on January 1 followed by a 3% annual salary increase shortly after that, the writing was on the wall. That gap is never going to close and things are going downhill fast from here now that I'm at a point where rent eats up more than half of my monthly earnings. The 30% rule is and has been a joke for a very long time. On top of that being mandated back to the office and forced to take the TTC which is a non-stop gong show sealed the deal. I'm leaving. I have decided to move back to Winnipeg to be closer to family, where housing is still affordable and I'll still make a better than living wage. Never thought I would find myself returning to live there, but now I'm actually looking forward to it because the downsides I used to focus on no longer exist when the high possibility of ending up homeless is removed from the equation.

It's the same thing in Ottawa. I moved here in 2019 from Montreal and the culture shock was immediate. I've already made up my mind to leave the country because it's absolutely finished. If all goes to plan, I'll be out of here by 2026. Canada will become an Indian majority country in less than 20 years and Canadians are asleep at the switch. They don't seem to understand or care what happens when you dump a million or more immigrants per year into a country of just 40M and while Indians aren't bad people per se, even they will tell you that the new stock of Indians coming into the country isn't the same as the old. They're far more tribal than they ever used to be. Trudeau opened the floodgates, but I don't think Poilievre will be able to close them. I live in his riding and there are a loooot of indians here. There's no way he'll want to risk stirring up the hornet's nest. The Canada we knew is on death's doorstep.

I was born and raised in Canada and in my 60’s now. I can’t afford to live here anymore, healthcare has declined, personal safety, fuel costs, insurance etc. most of all our politics are a mess on all three major parties. The Liberals are a royal mess and inflation went through the roof. They’re just running around like the 3 blind mice making fools of themselves. The Conservatives are involving themselves in a right wing romance with fascist trumpianism and think poutine is an ok guy. The hate speech is unreal. We used to be a real chill country. I have young 20 somethings telling me they think Communism is a great idea and they would rather fight for poutine if a war breaks out. Well it’s their future not mine. The AI, bots and trolls on the internet are telling them what they want to hear in order to stir up hate and entitlement. The NDP (New Democratic Party) is neither here nor there, they’re kind of always the minority and swing both the other two parties to divide the vote and gain some form of temporary power. \nI’d like to see a politician that has the balls to stand up to the dictators of this world that shit disturb in every continent because they are such little insecure bastards that they think they can conquer it. I’ve got news for them. Every single dictator in history has failed… miserably and often brutally. We need the kind of leadership in our Country that can produce good governance. Our GDP is just under $60K. The dictators out there are rubbing their greedy little hands, for if there is ever a 3rd world war, Canada will be the prize. We are loaded with resources. Land mass, water, minerals, oil and gas, technology, geographic strategic stronghold etc. Don’t let it slip into the hands of fascists, communists, dictators or totalitarians they always make it worse so that it takes a lifetime to recover. I’ve spent 40 yrs in the workforce, and listened to countless people from every continent who told me the truth about why they left their homeland. People who survived WW2, the Korean War, Vietnam War, communist China, expansionism of the USSR, the caste system and political persecution in India and Bangladesh. Political unrest in Argentina and Chile. I have personally witnessed systemic racism in the USA and Canada. \nI don’t have anything tying me down to stay here so I will be moving on. I think I’ll just become a nomad tourist for a while.

Ugh this is so sad. I was in my mid 20s when I left Canada for the US because the housing situation there was out of control. The park they showed at the 2:44 mark was where I used to live back in 2021 and I remember it was filled with kids playing and people walking their dogs. Now it's a tent encampment for the homeless. Very sad to see the living condition deteriorate there and hoping they can turn it around.

FYI Vancouver is the 2nd city in the world where the most languages are spoken. More than 170. I lived in Vancouver for 30 years and my grandparents from the late 1930's until they died. All in all, Vancouver was part of my life for over 50 years. You can not compare Van with TO. Vancouver is very multiculteral with not alot of segregation depending on where in Van you are. TO is much larger. No mountains. No oceans. No big evergreen forests or close by trails, ect. I liked the people I met in TO but would never live there again. Van NO ice storms. But yes, Van rains much. It is West Coast after all. Victoria has many more annual sunlight hours. Van is land locked, surrounded by ocean. Most of those from TO speak negatively about BC in general. We would ask them why they are here (VCR) then. I left 12 years ago as Van is now ruined; nothing like it used to be.

Nice video. I watched it as I like to learn from other perspectives.\n\nI was born in Toronto, and I must say, this “no time for life and fun” is a new thing. This lack of access to health care is a new thing. I agree with your assessment. It now seems lonelier in Toronto. \n\nCanada used to be different because anyone with a good job could afford at least a condo, but life became unaffordable not just for immigrants, but for everyone unless you are in your 50s-60s and own a home. \n\nI have friends working double jobs supporting family back home in other countries, but for some of them the family back home sound like they are doing better than them and own a home. It’s like they are sacrificing their life to be in poverty or full of hardships and their families get to go out for dinners and drinks with friends. Not them. Not true for everyone, but for some yes and I worry about their own retirement because retirement in Canada without lots of savings means you might be homeless or forced to live with family even if it’s not your preference. \n\n without investments and savings, it will be hard to beat inflation. Getting into debt and getting bad credit can mean not getting an apartment. \n\nThe birth rate is going down because it is expensive to have kids and income isn’t enough to match with living costs. Getting help from government is really not something everyone gets access too. One person might get housing support, 10 others may get nothing. Different governments offer different things. Programs end and change often. \n\nIn Canada definitely bargain and shop around for good phone plans. one idea is to get a pay as you go until “Black Friday” then every year or two when your good offer expires there will be many others. It’s the time with the best deals saving almost half. For instance, I have 50 gigs for $25 for two years from a large provider. Telephone companies are the one place where people must bargain and even ask for better deals as a must.\n\nThe people you see living in big houses, will have kids that can’t afford the same. This is because prices keep rising. The system protects the very rich, but will also drain the middle class often within 1-2 generations. Do not link your business to your personal finance, or creditors can take your home. Some not knowing this lose everything and rich people know better. \n\nPeople live until they are very old, so inheritance is pretty much meaningless to rely on, so no matter what your parents have you must hustle in life. \n\nI do think Canada can become what we want over time. Citizens need to fight the trend of great community spaces, restaurants and bars going out of business and dumb corporations move in with bad boring restaurants. Like a McDonald’s where maybe a popular cultural hang out was. \n\nPart of the problem is a lack of mixed income housing areas, so it’s hard to stay living where you grew up. Artists and musicians help make a city great, but many cannot afford to live here.\n\nFamilies and communities staying together means more support for those with young kids and older relatives when they need help. Yet how is this possible in a city that is always pushing out lower income people when wealthier people desire the area. \n\nIn Toronto, every time you move you have to take what is available and that might mean moving an hour away from everyone you know. This weakens communities. Plus, if you live too far from your work you will have no time to socialize for most the week due to travel time. \n\nI think those who grew up in Toronto do have a certain culture of acceptance with others from many cultures, because your friends at school were from all over. But with new migrants sometimes it isn’t until the second generation that their social circles get diverse. This can be isolating and it’s even isolating as those from Toronto eventually leave dreaming of staying in one spot and not forced to move constantly when a landlord investor sells every house you move into. \n\n\nToronto really needs to protect affordability of housing for at least some housing in every section so that people can save money if they live in the city, and not have to leave their communities and be far from their friends and family. \n\notherwise eventually people get sick of the hustle and it’s too tiring to travel 1+ hrs each way to visit someone during Monday to Friday. \n\n20 years ago any professional could at least buy a condo. Not today. There is too much competition now and investors are allowed to buy up all the most affordable housing that once was a pathway to owning a home. \n\nRich policy makers got greedy and destroyed canada and hopefully diversity in leadership will help make Canada better. But they perhaps people knew to Canada can reject this lonely structure and help us rebuild Toronto into an amazing place. \n\nWe need to make sure everyone can afford housing with 30% of their income. I think that will help

Until 2020 (pandemic), most lifelong Canadians would have proudly & quickly said Canada is a great place. For multiple generations (young & old). It still is in many ways. But like all countries, a bunch of things have made life more difficult lately. \n \nDuring the COVID lockdowns, many people went wild wanting to buy a house (urban & rural). Increasing demand and rising prices. Not long after, inflation caused mortgage rates especially to rise. Rent costs soared too. People interested in working in hospitals declined. Less doctors etc.. \n \nSimultaneously in Canada, the number of people coming by air, land and boat to claim asylum skyrocketed. For example, in 2023 alone, in just one region (Central Canada) around 400 people arrived per day (on average). Ditto for other populated provinces. Also the number of international students SKYROCKETED too. In 2023, averaging around 2,000 per day across Canada. Years 2021 and 2022 had high #s too. \n \nThe majority trying to migrate to Canada recently have been from South Asia. And it's become extremely obvious to Canadians. Even those that are very used to much diversity & many cultures. Plus neighborhoods now know that international students are using schooling as a 'back door' ticket to come to Canada for permanent residency. No one says it in public amongst strangers, but everyone knows because they've witnessed the extreme PR frenzy firsthand by now. To many Canadians it has felt like a tidal wave that has reached all cities and small towns, with a post secondary school. This extreme situation never existed prior to 4 years ago.\n \nHospitals have been hit with many wanting free healthcare. Less doctors/nurses etc., means greater waiting times. Plus a VERY SEVERE HOUSING CRISIS has occurred in many western countries including in Canada. In ways not seen in people's lifetimes. And if you do find a place to live its quite expensive. Including small basement rooms. \n \nNow westerners want the money greedy agents (pseudo smugglers) in other countries to stop marketing & LYING to their own people about access to PR or citizenship … or accommodation/jobs … being easy (to get). And for any greedy people living in western countries to be ashamed of themselves if they're hurting students. Anyone doing things to make $ off of people's PR desires. At best, there is a 25% chance of gaining PR (better odds if you are masters/medicine etc.). \n \nNot all players across the board have acted honestly over the years, i.e. contract marriages (IELTS spouse), anchor babies, fraud, false asylum claims. Canada has asked the India government to prevent “ghost consulting”. The new PRIVATE (non-public) colleges are being investigated (including looking for strong oversea ties). \n \nCanadians are meeting students who told Canada they have enough $, but it turns out they borrowed it (some borrowed it for the application process only). Canadian food banks and other CHARITY services have been recklessly advertised on YouTube (by India students in Indian language). Many transit services have launched stricter rules, i.e. lost monthly bus passes registered in your name are now never replaced (unlike before). \n \nThen this year throw in all the Palestinian vs Israeli angry protests happening regularly in cities. Plus the Sikh vs Hindu violence/extortion mostly happening in Ontario and British Columbia. Plus the Canadian government also recently launched investigations in regards to foreign interference in Canadian elections. All stemming from Asia continent. Hate crimes have gone from rare to occasional (primarily South Asians against South Asians). \n \nCanadians are so so so so so not used to all this. So many, who have embraced multi-culturalism and immigration for decades are now VERY worried and fearful (due to all of the above). And all are praying it doesn't turn into great anger (like in the USA). \n \nCanadians want multi-culturism to succeed … and for all people (including immigrants) to be okay. Everyone I know is VERY happy with Canada Immigration's recent changes (reductions & investigations). Including multi-generational long-term Asian-Canadians where many have been the most upset (by all of this).

Numbers reported are true and its going to increase in 2024. I live in the capital and I see dozens of distress home sales due to increased mortgages. People face high taxation, heavily overburdened healthcare system, unaffordable rentals, loss of jobs, grocery prices over the roof, rapidly increasing crime rate and robberies, uncertainty about the good days again. Canada used to be a good place to settle, but now there are dozens of other countries that are welcoming with an affordable peaceful life. For Indians, there is absolutely no reason to hunt for a job or better life here as it involves start from the scratch for everything. India is rushing to become the fastest growing economy in the world with millions of opportunities and a solid political leadership, a history in the making.

I worked in the mines of Northern Ontario have had two wives and six children payed high child support and spousal support. But just before I was ready to retire I had no more responsibilities and I got to keep my pension. I brought a house twenty years ago in Newfoundland where I am from and put it in my Mother's name. I am now retired with a payed for home which I heat with a wood cook stove, electric base boards but never need them and have solar panels and wind turbines but I am still hooked up to the grid but my bill is 40 dollars.I don't have internet or Netflix only a cell phone with a 100 gigabytes download.I run my tv off solar power that charges golf cart batteries also have a generator to charge the battery bank .I download off of YouTube and other places to a 1 terabyte hard drive that run thru my laptop and have that backuped . I have a ham radio. 250 gallon water tank just in case the village I live in the water goes out. I have a water flush toilet and a compost toilet. My property has apple trees and very productive raised beds to grow food, I also fish and hunt small game but I buy beef and pork that is free range and grass fed from a local butcher. There are many ATV trails around here, we have a gas station and small grocery store which I try to buy as much as possible from to support local employment. I have a side by side ATV with a nice back box , insurance and gas cost nothing. I used to have a truck but got rid of it because I didn't need it to get around plus I enjoy the ride in the side by side. The only draw back is to many people drink and drive around here and young people on drugs who steal.. I have pension and benefits and traveled for five years before I came back here. I get restless for excitement but remember it's a time to be quiet. Don't crave others company and I am pretty healthy, the only stress I have is to figure out what I am going to do that day. Yes I have to work to get wood and grow food but I could sit on my ass all day if I felt like it but you got to keep yourself in shape. I watch a lot documentaries and read e books but have my favorite books in paper. It does get boring but boring is good and you must be happy with what you got and no I don't need a partner remember I was married twice and everything was about what they wanted and not me.. I have gotten used to not answering to anyone or having to meet their needs and wants.. yes I am happy and don't have to struggle

Canada is built on false promises to lure in immigrants to have them work for cheaper while ignoring it's own citizens. Treadeu doesn't care about his job and only uses it now to take tax payers money and fund his lavish lifestyle he's a rich egotistical douche that will only ever operate in his best interest and will lie and say what he has to for people to believe him he doesn't care about Canada or it's people only about keeping himself wealthy off tax payers dollars. If there was more of an effort on infrastructure and technology Canada could have been similarly valued to the states but treadeu ruined all major relationships and is a laughing stock globally it's very clear no world leader even respects the guy and hurts canadas trading potential massively along with how we're viewed. Canada tried way to hard to be it's own thing and different which also helped shoot the country in the foot. The government is extremely corrupt outright denys separate parties from speaking, underhanded tactics to win elections, control over media. Canada is a first world country but a declining one at that and if something doesn't change it will easily become an impoverished country where we will only be used to have our resourced sucked dry and sold to other countries to profit off while the elite remain powerful in Canada. Canada is seriously wasted potential. Canada should have high speed rails that connect the major cities but doesn't, we don't have actually good energy infrastructure due to projects being abandoned under trudeau that would bring a lot of money back. I used to love this country but as it is now I despise it because it's become crushing to live here as a bachelor making 32k and renting

I’m a born Canadian and Canada was once the envy of the world. Cost of living was decent and plenty of good paying jobs. I couldn’t imagine being an immigrant here now. Cost of living is skyrocketing and our government does nothing about it. We are taxed so high and get little in return for the high taxes. Though our healthcare system is free and We do have state of the art facilities and skilled doctors it takes forever to get treated due to high wait times and staff shortages. There are many people immigrating to Canada with high education and experience but Canada does not allow them to practice here because they were not educated here. They are forced to take lower paying jobs. Many young people are leaving because it just too expensive to live here and the political climate is not what it used to be. Growing old here is very difficult unless you have support from family or have a large enough pension account to live in a retirement community

Ok so this isn't going to be very popular... but let me posit a hypothesis: the rising housing costs might indicate that the city is doing something right, because people are willing to pay more to live there. Supply and demand, right?\n\nI bought a couple of condos within last 10 years. They nearly doubled in value. I'm renting them out at 2300 and 2400/mo; used to be 1500~1800 only a few years ago. They're paying for themselves and then some. It's amazing. Things are great from my perspective.\n\nIf enough people decide that the current housing price isn't worth it and move, the prices should come down. I doubt it'll happen though. QE injected s**t ton of money into global financial system and this phenomenon is worldwide.

this is a vert accurate assessment of the city I used to love living in. I moved out in 2017, finding it already difficult to live in, for every reason that Alina has pointed out. Our society overall is too sick to fix the underlying issues - there are too many conflicts of interest (self-interest)

I have been in Toronto recently for holidays and it was one of the worst places I have ever been to. The whole city is simply full of cars, it stinks everywhere, you get watched by security all the time when you go shopping (even for clothes), which, as a european, was just a major cultural shock, and once when I used the subway to go somewhere, we could not continue because someone got shot on a street so that is was blocked. The combination with a total lack of any nice place like some nice parks or something (there is the lake, but somehow they managed to literally build an airport on an island opposit of the promenade, which is simply loud and disturbing), I would liteally be depressed after a few months if I had to live there. I am not really sure why people go there despite these high rents. In my opinion, rents would need to be lower than average in such a city...

I have been in US for 20 years and can understand the experience that you are sharing. Frankly, countries like US and Canada are not for people who can’t do some basic things on their own. \nPeople leave their families and comfort of their home and come to these countries either to earn money, eventually have a good quality life or to provide a good quality education for their kids. If you don’t have a reason good enough to make that move and keep the option of running back home on facing little hardship then there is no way you can live in these countries. Forget about going and living in other countries you can’t even go and live in another state within India. Do you think it’s easy for a North Indian to go and live in South (or vice versa) where they encounter language and culture barriers? \nYou were in much much better situation as you already had PR and didn’t have to go through stress of handling uncertainty on your visa situation based on job.\nTrust me it takes few years for you to get adjusted to new environment, culture, people, food etc. But, as you spend more and more time in these countries you get more accustomed to way of living here and then you become so comfortable with it that you don’t want to go back at all.\nDon’t want to judge anyone but I guess in your case at your age with family already settled in India you didn’t have a solid enough reason to get out of your comfort zone and give time to get used to such big transition in your life

I have been in Toronto since 1990 - used to love it but now... we're bankrupt as a City due to all the immigrants and homeless migrating here - thanks to our Federal Gov't not doing their jobs. I am disabled and was attacked 4 times on the TTC last year. Really hating what this city has devolved into. But where to live? Moving back to the UK is not an option as it is much the same there. Vancouver again? Not much cheaper but at least there you have more opportunities to get away from people.

Toronto is my favorite city in Canada ?? ❤ I used to live there. Thanks for the vid.

I used to live in toronto and i actually liked it there, people are ok not as friendly but ok, the lifestyle was good with so many different things available to do, u never get bored there, good nightlife, good sceneries, good malls, good parties, hot looking girls everywhere, the food is amazing with so many options to choose from all around the world, all good...... but the big problem was that life was so damn expensive, i had 2 jobs and was barely making enough money to survive, that's why i left.

My girlfriend and I live right downtown in what used to be a really nice area near a park. Now we have homeless doing drugs on the street every time we go out. We are planing to move away to USA next year and can’t wait. Being a citizen of Canada is not worth the cost. There is no reason to pay so much in taxes and to be stepping over needles and seeing the gray skies and the country falling apart.

Wow I am so amazed how Toronto has changed! I used to live there for 6 years and it was amazing, Toronto has a special place in my heart I had a great time I met wonderful people and learnt a lot, however, the city has changed in a very bad way which is sad to hear at some point I was seriously considering going back but I suppose I will have to let it go.

My wife and I used to live in Toronto. We moved to the United States in 2018. We've literally saved more money in the 5 years we've lived in the U.S. than our entire lives in Canada. Everything in Canada is way too expensive, taxes are heaped upon taxes, and the price is inflated even more. Toronto is even more crazy than the rest of Canada in terms of expenses. There is no way young people will ever be able to afford a home or save for retirement.

Very good objective video. I grew up in Toronto and had many great experiences in the city as well as commuting from west Toronto into the city for five years of high school (grade 9 to grade13). At an very early age I used to fearlessly ride buses, street cars and the subway system with no concerns of crime or potential violence in my mind. I wouldn't suggest this now for a young person unless you have 2 or 3 marshal arts black belts in your resume! The very same circumstances exist in Vancouver...quite possibly x's 2. My family and I now live a short distance east of Vancouver, but the city has changed about 10,000% since I lived there from the late '70's to the late '90's. I don't mind saying that I believe most of the problems/issues in Toronto, Vancouver and many other cities in Canada have been accentuated by poor policy decisions at all levels of government...municipal, provincial and federal...particularly since 2015 aka the J Trudeau era. I would like to share this video with MP Pierre Poilievre is that is OK with you. JV.

Just remember wherever you guys pick make sure that they speak the same dialect that you do otherwise you're going to have that learning curve of learning their dialects. It is different in a lot of places like learning to speak like the yemeni do is different than the Pakistani. So just keep that in mind. My grandfather is from Yemen and his wife who is my grandmother and my dad's side is from sudan. And they used to tell me it took them a while to understand each other. My Syrian grandmother on my mom's side would teach me words and phrases and my grandpa who was from Yemen would always make fun of me because I wasn't saying stuff right. I'm not really good at speaking Arabic but I can get by so just remember when you guys are picking somewhere to pick a place that won't be that hard to understand people. I'm only saying that because with the kids you guys send the kids to school they may learn a different dialect than what you taught at home and it will be a learning curve for them to try to understand. But I'm sure you guys will make the right decision. I just figured I would throw that in there I'm sure you already know that the dialects are a lot different and Arabic is a lot different in different parts of the world. People think Arabic is all the same and it's really different. Just like people who speak Spanish in South America speak different dialects on the Puerto Ricans just like people in Brazil don't speak Spanish they speak portuguese. Just a thing to think about. Egypt seems to be a pretty good place I have family that live in Egypt and they really liked it but I'm sure you guys will pick a place that's wonderful for your family and I can't wait till you guys know when we can see everything that you guys are doing in your new home Korean and I totally understand I am so upset the United States took the stand that they did with the genocide in Gaza and in the occupied West bank. People don't understand exactly what's going on there they don't know if they're not really up on current events and don't have any people in their family who are from a Muslim country they don't really know what's been going on. Anyway I hope you guys make the right decision for your family I know that you guys will pick the best place

Alhamdulillah. So happy to hear about this decision. Insha’allah we will also do Hijra soon ( we are in Germany for the past 6 years ). \nMy husband grew up in the UAE and I lived there for 8 years … it used to be nice to live there but I would not recommend it anymore. And on top of that their government also supports Israhell. \nIf I had the choice I would choose Indonesia or Malaysia. Or one of the smaller islands like Seychelles. \nMay Allah guide you to the best place for your family.

It's so sad, because it is such a huge, beautiful country. And you know, in the USA, we grew up watching things, and reading things, etc that weren't even Amercian, but Canadian, and mostly not knowing it. So many beloved things from Canada. We did also feel like they were happier, and more pleasant than we were. But I have many friends up there, from all Provinces, and they all have the same complaints. Thing is, they are the same complaints about the USA also, but just things like crime in the USA is notably worse....I used to live in the UK also, and that was better, but still not brilliant. The west as a whole is falling apart, and there are reasons for that, reasons that are being mostly ignored, so it will only get worse I'm afraid, unless we start demanding that they know longer be countries that cater to only the rich. Where only the rich can thrive.

I stopped visiting Canada 40 years ago because of insane or corrupt border control policies. I traveled to Canada from California to record an album for a popular rock star. My crew number 4 people and we had reserves a month for basic tracking in a studio there. We bought our own reels of 3 inch wide recording tape because the studio wanted twice the rate as normal and since my studio was a distributor for the mastering tapes we brought from my own inventory. Each reel of tape was 3 lbs and brought 30 reels. We got to customs and they said we owed money for importing the tape. Normally a reel would have been $180, and customs wanted $38,000 x 20, and would not let us retrieve it to take it back to the US side of the border. How can a tape worth $180 suddenly have duty of $38,000?\nIt was explained to me as the Potential Value of the tape which meant AFTER a hit song was recording in it. Most recordings are total losses and the tape cant used on a new project even if properly bulk-erased. They expected me to pay on the spot $760,000 in duties. I gave up and left the tape with them. I called the artist and said we could not do the project in Canada and we went back to California. The artist came to us a few months later and the result was a minor hit, and probably barely made its production cost since the label only distributed it in Canada. I talked to an international trade lawyer about what happened and he said customs officials were wrong in Canada but they are given full latitude with no appeal so his advice was never take anything over the border that I did not mind being confiscated. Sometimes they would let it in because it was going back out in a month, but likely they sold it off and pocketed the money. The US is corrupt on a federal level but Canada is corrupt on the local level. I moved out of the US 24 years ago have a much higher quality of life than is even possible in the US, and live very cheaply. Total cost of living with a very active social and cultural life impossible to duplicate in the US which as some of the least options for culture. And my cost of living is $1500 a month, less than utilities alone for one house in California, and that is for 2 people. Last month for example I attended world class opera, ballet and symphonies 9 times, and went out to dinner, in jazz clubs or dance clubs, visited12 top museums, and it was still under $1500 for the month. A pair of tickets to the MET in NYC for lower grade performance, sets, orchestra ad theater, was $1800!! $600 for tickets to drama for 2. Here there 237 drama theaters within walking distance of my city center home, and can walk anywhere at any time of day and be safe due to VERY low crime rates. Free medical is good. I am not citizen but still I had an operation and 10 days in a vip single room for $5300 and despite my insurance I had been paying back in California $824.month, it was going to cost me out o pocket $500,000 and one day in a recovery 12 bed room, and require paid nursing attendant for 30 days. The results were great and was treated like king.\nCanadians have lost control of their government but Americas are screwed regardless, with lower than international standards for everything, with crime, corruption in Washington, extreme cost of living, no access to culture, few if any safe parks. My adopted city is not only far more beautiful than any US city, my GF can walk, alone, anywhere in a city of 7mil at any time of day through any of the 600 beautiful parks open 24/7..at 3am. There are no homeless, and 80% of those over 20yo own their home clear of debt. No college debt despite twice the % of people having degrees. The rest of the world caught up and has surpassed the US and Europe in quality of life. \n\nI have only been back to the US 5 times in 24 years and each time I am shocked by how much the entire society has declined while most of the world outside of Europe, Canada, US, UK or Australia have dramatically improved.\nEvery year since 2008 more Americans leave the US to live elsewhere than legal immigrants arrive.

Regardless of what that was intended for, it looks like a knife and can be used as one. If i was there wearing that i would have been arrested also. I would need a special permit to wear that where i live an work, but it would bot be allowed in scholls or govermnent buildings because it can be used as a weapon, by its owner or someone else. Its about safety, not racism. Hes a religious man. Probably harmless, but you cant wear that for safety reasons.

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).

I live in a small rural Northern community, East Indian immigrants have bought out or taken over nearly every business in the community, our car wash, both grocery stores, both Hardware stores, subway, pizza place, two of the three restaurants, only motel, nearly all the rental properties, and they are shifting their investment now to homes, as we can still buy homes up here for reasonable prices, they are buying them, doing some cheap renovations, and trying to flip them for large amounts. All these local small businesses in the community used to employ young people from the community, they used to be places of employment for summer jobs for students and for the elderly people who retire here to have jobs to keep busy. Since the influx of people from India, all of the jobs in these stores that have been bought out by them are now done by Indian people, nearly everyone who used to work these jobs in my community has lost the opportunity to do so because since the businesses were bought out by Indians they only hire their own kind as employees. I know at least 10 people directly that have lost their jobs due to this, and there are certainly more. We allow foreign investment in our business and real estate market, and these people come in, completely take over and dominate these small communities, and fill them with their young people from India and take away all the jobs from the local people living here. Its horrible. My wife and I are planning on moving to Eastern Europe, Canada in another few decades will be nothing more than a province of India.

This reportage is totally right. \nI choose to live in Canada in 2005 I became citizen in 2010 but my experience, knowledge and University diploma are no valuable in Canada so I'm planning go back to my hometown where I used to live better than in Canada, lots of Canadians are considered to move there ( En el mar la vida es más sabrosa ) ???☀️?

I have a cousin in the States. I was shocked at how little he knew about other countries among other things. \n\nThen I vacationed in Hawaii. The newscasts never mentioned anything about what was happening elsewhere in the world (unless it involved the USA in some way. ) Having travelled extensively in the UK & Europe it came as a shock to discover just how insular it is in America. \n\nWhile there I got talking to a girl in one of the shops. Her parents lost their house & everything because of unexpected health issues. I can't even comprehend that. \n\nThe gun culture is another thing I cannot wrap my head around. Some members of my family own guns. They are used only to provide meat for the family and the rest of the time they are locked away safely. Carrying a weapon concealed or openly in day to day life is just crazy. There's been more than 500 mass shootings in the States this year. That's not counting all the other gun violence. Nothing could convince me to live there, and now I won't visit either.

I used to think we were very much the same and I wanted to live in the US for the weather. But as we go often I have found the atmosphere and attitude has changed greatly in the last few years. People we used to be friends with don’t speak to me anymore as I called them on their awful beliefs. I know it’s not everyone but those beliefs have become way more common. The US used to be more global but now has become way more worried about themselves. \nYou can not talk about politics in a way that’s just a calm exchange, the hate is palpable. I went to an event the morning after a mass shooting and was visibly upset, not one person there talked about it or really thought about it. I asked someone about their thoughts and said “I don’t know why we have so many shootings here in the US” \nEducation is my next thing. The people I talk to know nothing about Canada and that’s not such a surprise but I know more about the US than most Americans I’ve talked to.\nI agree with a comment previously 26:29 that the north east is better educated and less dangerous.\nI feel bad for you as this is harsh but even on the news when Americans talk about being the greatest country etc on earth it feels arrogant. Maybe some years ago but now….. not so much.\nI’m afraid for your Democracy and I think so many people are just not listening

I'm Canadian. I was born here, raised here, and have lived here all my life. However, my parents are American (they came during the Vietnam war), and I have full dual citizenship. I could cross the border into the U.S., get a job, start working and live there for the rest of my life if I ever chose to do so.\n\nHowever, I will never live in the U.S. Why? The cost of healthcare insurance and healthcare in general is definitely a part of that, but another huge factor is the socio-political atmosphere down there that is very unappealing to me. Everything from politics, the gun issue, much higher violence than we have in Canada, more racism issues, the media, and from what I have observed from decades of visits to the U.S.: there just seems to be a lot more people that are on edge and hostile than I am used to compared to Canada as well. For me, the general culture and mindset is just not something I want to live amongst.\n\nThere are some things I enjoy in the U.S., and there ARE wonderful people there too. I have several friends in the U.S. (born and raised), not to mention my entire extended family is American. But for me, the U.S. is a nice enough place to visit, but it's not somewhere I'd ever want to live.\n\nNo matter what kind of trip I take to the U.S., whenever I get back home to Canada it's always like a deep sigh of relief. I feel safer. I feel more relaxed. I feel at home. No matter how good my trip was, when I set foot back on Canadian soil again I always get a feeling of humble gratitude that I live here. For me, other than the warmer weather and some of the sights the U.S. has to offer, I'm much, much happier in Canada. I feel very fortunate to live here.\n\nAs a side note, I have never found our public healthcare system here in Canada to be lacking whatsoever. Any healthcare I, or anyone else I know that has received any, has always been prompt, of excellent quality, and reassuringly delivered in a professional manner.\n\nAs an example, in 1994, my father had a seizure and it was discovered that he had a benign brain tumour that had to be removed. Not even a week later, he was booked for his surgery and he had his procedure. He was operated on by one of the top two neurosurgeons in North America at the time, he spent three weeks in recovery at the hospital, and he had months of rehab afterward. About 2 weeks later, he had another seizure (the last one he ever had), he stayed in another hospital for an additional two weeks.\n\nHowever, all of what I just mentioned, and I mean ALL of it, was paid for by our public healthcare system. All he had to do was show his healthcare card and sign a release form for his surgery, and that was it. Nothing more. There were literally ZERO bills, no insurance companies, no paperwork, no phone calls, and ZERO hassle. Nothing.\n\nAnd no, our family was NOT rich or privileged either. Just an average middle class family. However, my dad's neurosurgeon told us his surgery and all the months of care he received afterward would have cost $180,000 (in 1994!), and our family would have been out on the street if it wasn't for our healthcare system. My dad also had a very minor heart attack in 2007 which didn't require surgery, and he didn't have to pay a dime or do anything else other than show his healthcare card for that either. Since those two events, my father has lived a healthy, normal life thanks to our public healthcare.\n\nIn Canada, EVERYONE receives that kind of care, regardless of if they are a billionaire or they are homeless. Because that's the moral and ethical thing to do, and is just one of the many reasons why I plan on staying here.

Bruhhh stop lying to the people lol talm bout you can keep your door unlocked ?both countries have pros and cons I’m born and raise in Montreal and you couldn’t pay me to live there again lol they’re not telling you the winter last like 6 months the weather can get to -35 -40 everyday so it’s always freezing /you always got to shovel snow there’s always some winter storms your always in the dark because sundown at 3 pm you have to boost your car every morning because it will died at night because of the cold and Montreal depending on where you lived is super racist they will call you the n word they used to call black people monkeys on tv (look it up )and a lot of radio personalities are trashing black people on the radio like it’s normal I had to fight random ppl my whole elementary school and high school because of the color of my skin and cops will punch you in the face specially if your black so please don’t make it seem like mtl is a paradise to be fair it all depends on what you want /racism is everywhere and everything expensive I choose a place where I feel comfortable raising my family with good weather Montreal is a great city for the food and attractions but keep in mind that 6 months every year your are stuck in a freezing environment that’s why we have ppl who are snowbirds who leave every year montreal a great city but it ain’t no paradise arrete de parler kaka lol

I was born and raised in Toronto but left in the early 2000s because I saw the writing in the wall back then. Every time I go back to visit I find it more crowded, more dirtier, more dangerous and just generally unpleasant. It used to be a nice city but no longer. I wouldn’t go back to live there.

I used to live in Toronto , infact i grew up there (shout out to Scarborough) i still love this city , but the city itself is not friendly to artist like me. So i moved out and live in MTL instead

I used to live maybe a block away from where you used to live in Toronto, I moved to a different city around the time that Rob Ford became mayor I can’t remember what year that was. We couldn’t afford to stay in Toronto after our landlord sold our unit and the new owners wanted to live there, so we moved to a more affordable city. I was really shocked at the massive increase in the number of homeless people in the city that weren’t able to find space at a shelter, I had to ask my sister if I had missed news of a reanimated occupy Wall Street movement, because that was the last time that I had seen that overwhelming a volume of displaced people camping in the parks. I hope that some sort of solution can be found to massively increase the quantity of safe warm and free to the occupant shelters in Toronto before winter.

I have had a home base in Toronto for the last 20 years, traveling almost consistently for work until covid hit. While I am not a fan of the city tbh, I have stuck it out there this whole time as I have not been able to figure out where else in Canada I'd rather live. The way things have gone in the last little while however, I'm now making plans to leave Canada altogether. Even though I am unaffected by high housing costs as I've owned a home in the city, the general cost of living across Canada is now extortionate for what you get. Toronto was fine for me to use as a base for my traveling lifestyle in the past, but with crappy weather much of the year, a left leaning electorate that keeps voting ultra woke politicians at all levels of government, the now increased cost of living there is no longer worth it to me. I'm headed for the exit. All this said, I don't feel that your coverage about crime in the city was balanced. Yes the news stories you used actually did happen, but I do not feel unsafe in the city. A handful of incidents in a city with the population of Toronto - this is a blip.

Chokor Millionaire, I don't agree absolutely with the blame on the government. At least from what I have seen in Ghana, people are starting businesses.\n\nI am going to say something I observed about Ghana. I found out that women, as usual, are more hard-working. I realised that the men don't have work because they are lazy or have too much pride. I have watched so many videos where so many business owners complain about the ineffectiveness and inefficiencies of the workers. They are not dedicated when they work for other people. I watched these business owners whose workers in the farms are mostly women, and they were very happy that women are easier to control and have good work ethics as opposed to men. The men prefer jobs where they don't use their energies such as Yahoo Yahoo boys, selling in shops where they don't touch anything or lift a finger.\n\nGrowing up, we knew that men were supposed to do the hard-working jobs in society. But these days, men like to idle around and touch nothing. The reasons being that the African culture teaches us that men are not supposed to do anything at home. They are supposed to be served by women. Then, instead of the men going out there to do the hard work and make the money, they wait around expecting cushy jobs that don't make them lift a finger.\n\nLook at China that you mentioned. These boys work absolutely hard. Even in the villages. Look at Muslim countries. You will never see women working on the streets. The men are even the ones who cook the food on the streets and sell. Check countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. In Africa, most things are done by women.\n\nAll this japa that people are fighting for. Have we ever thought of the agenda of these people needing free and cheap labour? I came to realise that we stupid Africans don't yet understand. Our children eventually become strangers, and we remain just surrogate parents. Most of our children are never going back to Africa, and when they get to an age, they become like strangers to us. Whatever we say, they look at us like archaic. What then makes them Africans anyway. We have seen so many of them who barely know their countries of origin and have never ever been there. They do not know their relations. In fifty years' time, that generation has lost their roots, and was that our intentions initially? This all dawned on me recently with my children, and I feel absolutely dejected because they are not interested in our country. All my hard work is gone down the drain, and all that can happen is for us to leave our children behind and live like people who never had children in the first place. For now, most people see it like something to be proud of, and are happy to say ( my children live abroad). Africans are the most stupid people I know, and that is why we are always used for slave labour. Why are they all approving all these visas and allowing all these people to drown at sea? \n\nThese countries allow these fake visas deliberately because they drain African countries to enrich their own since they can't get the minerals easily these days.

I used to live in Toronto and I left for different reasons 2.5 years ago. It is not the same place that I remember it to be. I understand that places change but it’s changing far too fast for me. I used to like going out to various independent shops (especially bookstores) and because of the condo boom a lot of these places can not exist anymore. I also liked going to places where the ttc struggles to go to (further out of the city) but having a car and dealing with traffic has gotten way worse. My other thing is the people. Years ago people would talk about fun things and now all they talk about is money, real estate, and traffic short cuts. I agree with the crime and the housing issues that you mentioned. It’s ok to visit but I try to get out of there (otherwise I’ll be spending all my money on parking)

I hate this so much. I know it’s not these peoples fault that their countries aren’t helping them but America isn’t even helping its own people. Imagine how it feels to be from the US struggling and then these people come and somehow our country has the means to help them when they won’t not can’t won’t help their own. What other country do you know of where you can just decide to cross their boarder demand help and say you know what I’m just going to live here illegally now. And if we don’t help them they have all kinds of ways to sue the state and demand help even though they’re not even citizens. That’s what’s crazy to me. They make you do a bunch of stuff before you can travel and some countries won’t even let you visit let alone live there with or without a criminal record but these people can just walk right in. Any countries borders are important they are there for protection. Ours are not being protected which means the country is not protected. I just don’t see this turning out well for anybody, not them not us. There is a scene from the titanic that I’d like to relate this situation to. The scene where Roses mom is in the boat with that other lady who has new money the chubby one. She wanted to let people on the boat that were drowning around her, and dude wouldn’t let her. It wasn’t because he was being mean it was because if people started holding onto the boat and trying to get on the boat they would panic, and eventually everybody would swarm the boat. The boat would not have been able to hold the weight of everyone holding onto it. Well the same here there’s people who are already drowning, and other people from other countries want to come here, but all they’re gonna do is sink the ship, and then there will be no help for anybody and everyone will be doomed. No I have nothing against people coming here but not this way. I welcome anybody that wants to be here to work but not this way. America has its our own problems and the citizens pay taxes that are never used to help them. Instead the government gives money away to other countries like it’s nothing. I don’t mind helping anyone anywhere but when the money we pay the government doesn’t go to help it’s own citizens first idk that’s not right to me. We should be helping our own people first. Anyway this isn’t the right way to come I to America. This isn’t fair to the rest of us. We pick up the bill not the government. Help your own citizens America we need help too!!!!!!!

I am a Canadian and lived in the US from 1980-1992. I was a teenager and I enjoyed all the places I lived there. Mass shootings were not yet common though we did have a disgruntled employee with a gun on campus during my time in college. No one was actually shot.(This was in a very small town.) I did not get sick in the US. I have lived in Canada since then and enjoy it here too. I enjoy not having poisonous animals in the area where I live. I don't like the winters, and every winter I wish we could re-draw the border and make it go north and south! I have used the medical system up here and have been very thankful for it. The past couple of years with covid I have been especially glad to be in Canada because I preferred our response to the situation over that of the US. Most of the people in my workplace were not happy about it though and I believe 2 or 3 families actually moved to the US once the border re-opened. They like the feeling of having less governmental control in the US.

I have a Canadian friend who moved to the USA because he literally couldn’t afford to stay in the city of his birth. He used to live in Toronto, but after the massive influx of immigrants he couldn’t afford to live there or in any other major Canadian city

Manitoba is the best provinces I used to live in. House expense is cheap, lots of beautiful landscapes in Manitoba. Unlike such as Toronto big cities etc. very expensive property cost, ugly human made concrete forest. You only feel out of breath for everyday hard work including weekend overtime work to make a living. Lots of wasting time and money for political elections. For example there is no forum discussing highway 407 free driving again. This is for working class people to save money and can expense more in groceries etc. and finally increasing lots of companies products to sell and finally increase more employment. But there is no politicians talking about it. And capital country Canada encouraged capitalisms bribery government for advantage rights to get ugly extra money. Like Chinese government does!

The dream was, when I retire I was going to joint the snowbirds and flock south to Florida or Arizona. Winters for seniors in many parts of Canada are pretty rough. However since 2016 the US has gone so far off the rails, I have looked at other countries to warm up in the winter. I used to visit the US every two years, but now, I don't want to visit let alone live there. Canada is not perfect, but the overall quality of life is much better, the fear-factor of just about everything from Government, to gun-violence is just so ridiculous, I have given up on the US turning around any time soon.

Children getting shot is not a “touchy subject.” It’s an insane problem. And yes, there are children shot daily! Dude, there is no where on the planet where there are children and humans shot on anywhere CLOSE to the scale that it happens in the US.\n\nAnyway, move to the States? Not on your life! I used to like some vacations there, but the current insane right-wing, fascist politics, anti-vax and anti-mask and anti-science entrenched attitudes, and MOSTLY the pervasive threat of gun violence and the manic love affair with guns — UGH - all mean I am not interested in even vacationing there. There is a sane world outside the USA.\n\nNor would I want to live inside such an inward-looking, self-absorbed “we are the centre of the world” culture that truly believes itself superior to all others in the world. The hubris and delusion are very off-putting. \n\nAnd to live in such a broken health care system? Where profits drive it all? Not on your life.\n\nOh, I couldn’t stand the hot weather that so many places have either. No thanks! I’ll take my coldest large city in the world (Winnipeg) any day. \n\nThere is nothing appealing about the prospect of living anywhere in the States, despite WONDERFUL vacations I’ve had there is past decades.

I have lived in different parts of Canada my whole life, but always seem to end up in majority conservative areas. I do not consider myself a conservative. Even though I don't agree with everyone's politics, I can still live here feeling relatively safe and accepted.\nWhen things get a bit much and I feel like maybe home doesn't feel safe or match my values, I never look at the USA as my exit plan. I have considered Sweden, and Finland before anywhere else. I also wonder if it's just the sheer volume of people that Canadians aren't used to when they visit the states. Your population is massive compared to ours, and it's hard to imagine the quality of life that I have here being easy to emulate down there without drastic changes.\nThen there's my vacation and sick time at work. Maternity leaves etc... so many quality of life things to consider. I look at the housing prices and really wish I could get over the other things. But as a Medical Laboratory Technologist, I could never work in your fee for service word. I know what hospital CEOs are doing to your healthcare from the diagnostic side - the shortcuts that are being made to make more money - and I could never do that with my ethics.\nI hope Canada wasn't too rough on you - we can be pretty shitty some times lol... and not even be sorry about it.

I’ve been to the U.S a couple of times, not in the last 15 years though. The times that I went I really enjoyed it and found people to be very friendly. Americans that I have gotten to know who live here in Canada or have been visiting, I have also found to be quite friendly.\n\nAs I type this you are talking about the importance of making sure you move to an area in the U.S where there are like minded people, like mined political views etc. that’s such a strange concept as a Canadian, because we don’t really have to think about that in terms of where we would live in Canada. \n\nMaybe you should come and visit us here in Canada? There could be certain limitations that you have become used to living in the U.S that you might start to see more clearly when those limitations are not there.

australia is good and i live in Melbourne and have my PR. But the rental market is crazy. Like you won't even get the place even when you are willing to pay higher than asking price, because the owners review every application and decides who to pick. One time, there were 19 applications ! you virtually have no chance. I am talking about Melbourne but this is same story pretty much most places in Australia. The houses are crazy expensive. You just cannot afford to buy in nicer suburbs. The only option is to buy in newer suburbs but they are isolated and lack public transport. Also, job market is not as good as it used to be. Chances of getting PR is also less as compared to Canada..

Tab berrr knack!\nShort for Tabernacle, it's a common term used in frustration in Quebec.\nIt insults the Catholic church, yet I found most of the French speaking people that I spoke to and asked about this were actually Catholic. It puzzled me. Like being frustrated and insulting their own beliefs. \nNo, sorry, I am happy to live in Canada and visit my friends and family there. \nYou have so many fabulous things to be proud of as an American. I have seen most of the states and would love to do it over again. I have met many, many wonderful and warm decent people there.\nBUT irresponsible gun ownership, mass shooting increasing to the point that other countries are recommending that people not visit the US!!A country divided politically and violently by ignorance of the minority, and allowing people to lose their houses when they lose their health? And women dying from poor pregnancy outcomes although predicted by their doctors....And the gay right thing, and school curriculum foolishness going on in Florida? I'm glad I visited Florida so many times before that craziness. Yey more people keep moving there. 31 million now!Why? I hate the heat an hour and a half above the border! And hurricanes! And massive tornadoes. And Malaria now!\nCome up to Canada. Bring your family too. It's safer. Less people equals less danger.\n\nKeep on keeping on! ❤