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.

Don't deceive Africans to move to Canada Infact they should acquire some funds to start a business or study to go back to Africa and move back to Africa entirely. Fix your countries in Africa stay there US and Canada ain't gravy more many African Americans are moving back To Africa as a matter off fact. In Canada u will be stuck in doing cheap labour jobs with your higher education if not security to look after your children and family in Africa. U are not a full citizen in Canada just a citizen in application and benefits but still told u are an immigrant why not go back to Africa. Houses are expensive in Canada and your children ends up growing up in a social system that is systematic racist.the Aboriginal Indians are a majority on drugs, alchahol and in jails now many Africans caught up in the lie to the melting pot u talk off in the US and Canada. Africa has everything if u have a chance to leave Canada and US with some sort off education and some monies to start something in Africa u better off despite the ongoing Tribal and religious violence u need to monitor.

you forgot to mention US gets free natural gas from Canada by bullying Canada

What is going on in the world? The U S and Canada seeing tents pitched up on the streets of what were some of the finest cities in the world. Something is very wrong. I grew up on blue-collar modest means. We were happy to celebrate life. My family members weren't educated, and we had real domestic family problems as so many do. We may have been poor, but we had what we needed and were never facing homelessness. Is this the result of globalization, overpopulation, global warming, and greed? God help us all. Vote blue and pray. ❤

I don't understand the comments. Everyone is saying they want to leave Canada ?? So, where are these people going to go and where is it better? \nI'm US based and i see the the same economic problems here as there. They don't affect me as I'm financially retired and also invest in Canadian industries.

They should come to the US, way better than Canada

I think you should move back to Nigeria. I would never make a decision to move to somewhere where I would be drained, so simply move back to Nigeria and let some of us who simply do not care move to Canada.

I'm from Asia and recently moved to Canada with my family to live a slower-paced and safer life. I've seen firsthand that the drug problem here is worse than it was back home, and they're being coddled with no plans to discipline or rehabilitate them. I asked my friends how I could defend myself and my family if a random drug addict broke into our house and stole our belongings; could I at least beat that person up until the police arrived? They said you couldn't because you'd be charged with assault. It's funny. \n\nApart from the crimes and exorbitant living costs despite living in a rural area, even Canadians who have lived in the country since birth are struggling to make ends meet. \n\nSome positive comments, Canada provided me with a work-life balance that was not possible in Asia due to the competitive nature of the corporate world. So I had time to spend with my family, and you don't have to travel abroad to see beautiful scenery. Canadians are also very accommodating and friendly, in contrast to where I came from, where people will not help unless it benefits them as well. The Canadians here are extremely friendly. So Canada is great because of its people, but I can tell you that the government consistently makes bad decisions about how to solve certain problems, such as drugs and harm reduction strategies. Another issue is that they do not recognize internationally trained professionals, which could have helped alleviate healthcare issues in our area, where we have many internationally trained nurses from the Philippines working as restaurant servers and janitors. We have doctors from Kenya who have to work as general laborers and in other odd jobs where they can use their profession and experience to help people. I am also an immigrant, but the government should strategically distribute us based on our qualifications. I chose a rural area because I don't want to add to the number of immigrants in big cities and instead want to contribute to the local economy by bringing my skills and experience to the pool. \n\nCanada is a wonderful country, and I continue to believe so, but the government must reward and do more for its people who are trying their best to make this country great.

Don’t move to the US , that place is going down the drains. Move to Canada, choose a city that isn’t predominantly black, invite your fellow black brothers and sister start businesses and take over that city. It’s doable in Canada.

Canada doesnt give out free stuff like we do in the US. These people are just moving to where its easier to get all the government handouts so they dont have to work.

What is the minimum investment in Canada? I have less than 100 thousand US dollars. Can I travel to Canada?

As a Nigerian that lives in Canada I am tired of Nigerians who come here and shit on the country, Peter can be talking all the garbage he wants , if he doesn’t like it he can go back to Nigeria. “ Canada makes you work for your money but Nigeria you work and enjoy” bro, that is the problem with a country as unproductive as Nigeria. And bro you say salaries in Nigeria are better than in Canada. Stop lying ! As of today the Naira is1500 to 1 Us$. Mr Journalist can you please interview successful Nigerians who are excelling in this land filled with milk and honey, Doctors, surgeons, lawyers, engineers, Nurses, Politicians, Sport’s personalities and please tell Peter to go back to Nigeria

I am from the Philippines, and I have many relatives in Canada, and they are FRUSTRATED about the high costs of living, many of them, especially the Older generations are coming back to the Philippines, because of the HIGH costs of living, fortunately for me, I choose to MIGRATE to the US, which is for me is a LOT easier, again, maybe this is according to your own settings.

Thisvis utterly acceptable......i plan to immigrate to Canada nextvyearvwith my two wives and 7 children.....its appaling to know that the Canadian government will not give us free housing, healthcare and food stamps and spending money for leisure activities....??????

This is true of so many larger cities in the US and Canada. The main issues are affordability and mental health. Now as folks find themselves homeless, many start to self medicate (major drug problems). And by the way, many move into the larger cities hoping to find services or a way to survive, so they are not all native to those larger cities. In the US, I found driving from Portland OR to the Bay Area that many homeless now live in rural areas as well. I wish I had a real solution, we all know that it will take money, which no one wants to put out. Whichever direction it goes (incarcerating folks is way more expensive then mental health and housing services), it will take a lot of time to correct these issues. I do wish that people would stop pointing political fingers and work on solutions.

The entire Liberal Party of Canada want to bankrupt us so they can create another China or NK.\nWake up people.

I’m sorry, but that is really disgusting. We do not need more immigrants. Our infrastructure and medical system is already burdened. Not to mention the government often pays for everything for them for the first year so they think they’ve got it good and suddenly when they can’t get a job, because Canada may not recognize their degrees, then they are struggling again. And sadly, if they are Muslim, sometimes they just don’t want to integrate they just want to live their own ways here, but have a better life in our country, and that’s not fair to us. That’s just my big overview and don’t get me wrong in every day life, I have some friends who are Muslim.

I'm assuming it's the highly skilled ones that are leaving. No matter how it has declined, Canada is still an advanced and highly developed country. Many across the globe still dream about starting a new life in Canada. The living standards are still much higher than the US. Of course there are problems but I don't believe it's as bad as some make it out to be.

THAT VIDEO DOES NOT TEL THE TRUTH BECAUSE THERE IS NOT ONE CANADA BUT TEN. THE CANADA YOU DESCRIBE IS THE ONTARIO AND MAINLY TORONTO BUT IT IS NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COUNTRY. THE REALITY IS THAT CANADA DOES NOT EXIST . EACH PRIVINCES IS A WHOLE COUNTRY AS DIFFERENT AS EUROEANS COUNTRIES ARE FROM EACH OTHER. SO IF I HAD TO EMIGRATE TO CANADA I WOULD NOT CHOSE ONTARIO. \nANGLOSAXON RACISM IS SILENT AND HYPOCRITICAL. IT DIVIDES AND CONTINUES EVERYONE INTO THEIR RACIAL SPACE BY DISCOURAGING INTEGRATION. ON THE CONTRARY, QUEBEC HAS DECIDED TO INTEGRATE ITS IMMIGRANTS AND TO BAN CERTAIN DIVISIVE CHARACTERISTICS FROM PUBLIC SPACE. SEVERAL IMMIGRANTS COME FROM COUNTRIES AT WAR WHOSE POPULATIONS HATE THEMSELVES. QUEBEC IS DOING ITS BEST TO ENSURE THAT THE OVERLY VISIBLE MARKS OF THESE DISPUTES ARE RESTRICTED AND THAT WHAT UNITES US IS PRIVILEGED OVER WHAT DIVIDES US. QUEBEC IS AIMING FOR INTEGRATION AND NOT APARTEID.

I'm an immigrant from the UK, which is in someways worse than Canada and some ways better, both Governments are corrupt and beholden to the US Empire and huge Corporations. Tell me why I should choose this authoritarian, dystopian nightmare of a country, over my home authoritarian, dystopian nightmare of a country? At least the UK doesn't steal your hard earned money, for protesting the corrupt Government. They may beat you up and arrest you for it, but that's kids play compared to what Canada does. \n\nMost prices in this country are as similar as the UK's, allowing for exchange. But food is unbelievably more expensive and the UK is an island. My husband wants us to move to the UK, but I have fallen in love with this country, it's beauty and it's people. I'm heartbroken, I can only imagine what those who were born here feel. When skilled immigrants come here and have to start at the bottom in many industries, no matter how rich their CV. When pay is as bad as back home, in some cases worse, why would they bother? Not to mention the taxes. And I happen to be a traditional leftist, who believes in progressive taxing. Trudeau is too busy cosplaying his ego into US proxy wars and identity poltics, which serves only to divide the people. His days are numbered, I only have to listen to my friends and neighbours.

I came to Canada from the US and have no intention of going back to that hellscape.

It's good that people are moving back to their own countries since canada is getting worse day by day as a country to live in. After being educated all you get to do is labour and they just don't want to let us grow. The taxes are so high, half your salary is gone to the government. Housing affordability is worsening. Plus the Canadian government just calls international students for their money but doesn't provide them with jobs because all canada has is labour so it's good that people are leaving Canada.

I'm leaving next year as well. I've been in Canada for 5 years now and I love Canada.\nBut practically i don't think i can ever buy a house here and start a family. I'm 24 and i came here when i was 19. But looking at the way things are changing in Canada, the amount of tax burden it puts on honest tax payers because of illetrate immigrants from some parts of the world, refugees and people who don't wanna work is astonishing.\n\nMoreover Trudeau keeps giving away the money which is ours and keeps feeding others. Hence I've had enough. Canadians are nice but the government and some sections of society especially some Punjabi's are way too much for me to handle now. Canada isn't Canada anymore. People are trying to change it and make us believe in their faith.\nI'm Indian and when i came to this country i came to live the way it was but sadly it's changing fast. \n\nI'll be done in next 7-8 month. \nGod bless Canada ❤️

it seems like the 2 people being interviewed are trying to blame Canadians for not welcoming immigrants, and that's why there leaving. how about not being able to afford groceries, or finding a doctor, or high taxes, stop trying to blame us, and start trying to find ways of making Canada more affordable smh

No jobs for us ????yet born in Canada ?? i live in a homeless shelter ?? wrong !!!!!

I moved to Canada in 2009 and just couple months ago I was finally able to find a family doctor. I am waiting for a knee surgery for the past 8 months and a friend of a friend who was waiting for the same kind of surgery for the past 5 years decided to go to US and pay for his surgery because he was struggling with his life quality.

They mostly wanted to go to the US or UK, other European countries first but it’s easier to get accepted in Canada.

Because Canada gets us here and then expects us to pay for the wreckless spending of the federal government.

Acceptance of international work experience and qualifications has been an issue since I arrived here in 2002. It has all been false promises and a smoke screen by the government and these politicians in all these years. Canada is still far behind when compared to US which is more welcoming to immigrants and which is why it is still one of the most desirable places to live on the planet.

Migrants and Canadians are both leaving the the tyrant Trudeau's version of Canada! We are being taxed to death and we have intentional inflation stealing from us all.

I’m first generation Canadian and went to live abroad in 2015, met my spouse, brought him back to Canada with me once I found a job in 2019but it took me a while and I had to go on welfare. It was tough going for 2 years and my partner only found a decent job that paid him fairly and has benefits after 4 years of working crappy jobs. We bought a house away from the city for cheap in 2020 before things got crazy and we’re very fortunate and happy with the services we have access to in the small towns around us. My only regret is starting our family a bit late but better late than never. Canada is a tough place to live but it was even tougher when I was abroad and I learned to appreciate Canada more. But Trudeau has got to go. We need conservatives in power again.

Yes when the free benefits run out it's on to the next country for more free benefits. If you are coming to Canada you are coming to become Canadian just like the rest of us. The average Canadian is living paycheck to paycheck and don't receive any of the free benefits that newcomers receive when they come to Canada. Like the song goes ,we built this city, and now you want to move in and take over. Like I said that only third generation citizens should receive benefits from Canada because we built this country in our image, a Christian community with Christian values and holidays.

Canada should have global taxation structure like the US. If you want to carry a Canadian passport around the world you should pay some federal tax annually for that privilege. Not just return to Canada when you are old and need healthcare and social services.

What is canada good for? Its not safe anymore. The medical departments sucks and the justice system suck, getting a job is hard and cannot afford house, rent or food. Most of us live onlg basic and in debt. The extrem cold winters and short depressing days dont help. All this said im still gratefully to God and know people live far worst.

There's no reason to live in Canada other than a Canadian passport. Once you get that, focus on moving to the US

And where are the free handouts by the Liberals to us born in Canada... i'll wait

The healthy care system is the most inefficient system, make everyone frustration . And full street cannabis shops , put our kids in dangerous! So many of my friends think leave Canada to US or Australia .

Why in heck people immigrants don't read look the problems we got in Canada and maybe don't wasted the time to come and then regret and complain about us ...

People are risking it all to get into the US, Canada or Europe, \nbut never China ??. Why?

After watching Mr. Binsky’s earlier video on Kiribati, in his emotional swallowing of the grand hoax of global warming and the impending submergence of this island, and I assume the Maldives (that parenthetically are building new airports) how can one think Mr Binsky can “educate” us on the U.S And Canada? I would bet my right arm he is no better informed than the parentally informed teenager Greta on this matter of global warming. He simply parrots the refrain that “97% of the scientists” and “experts”, believe the dire effects of man made global warming. Again, I can’t believe he has listened to the many scientists who adamantly disagree with these assessments. Intellectual integrity is not in fashion in this era. It’s simply not profitable in every sense of the word.

Yeah well in Canada the problem is for us fools who decided to do a STEM degree, we not only have to compete with our classmates in the job market, but also with all the immigrants who also have STEM degrees plus decades of experience. When you point out the wage gap, this is why and it is true in most STEM fields. \nI have met many engineers who gave up looking for work and took up a trade which all too often actually pay more than what they would otherwise using their majors.

Bro hindi bolne wale laude haina bro bohut harami hoteh hai ye log kudh ke zamin meh kuch ukadu nhi pare sarey aram zindagi log me jaake baite jade madrchod sirf ye nhi inke dost bhi bulaleteh or ye sirf canada migrate nhi huwe balki tamilnadu bhi agye Bihar Punjab Kolkata baki stats seh for example mai agr bank meh loan puchatoh kuch nhi agar ye gya kam or crore loan r business ka rasta bhi milega inke idhr association banake gaand itna bada krke baite jata ye log inki strategy bhi hai ye spread nhi hore ye ek jaga target Karthe r saare inke dost kin kon bulake us eki jaga bas jate hai bsdi log agar marne aya ek sath hojagen harami bandaron

The west in its entirety seems to be on self-destructive trip. From Australia to Western-Europe and from the US to Canada.....Problems Toronto faces happen in each major western city in various severities of impact...

ugh seeing the software engineering salaries in the US makes me feel like I'm being given a poor man's salary here in Canada

I’m Canadian. I don’t appreciate criticism of our oil and gas industry. A lot of other Canadians love to criticize us when they have no idea what they’re talking about. If we didn’t have oil and gas up here, everybody would freeze to death in the winter. Oil from Putin, or Saudi Arabia is fine, but if it’s from Canada, it’s bad. That’s the logic of these protesters.

the country with the most of opportunity is the US ! No wonder the US has millions of millionaires than any country in the world. Even Canadians like Alex Trebek or Justin Bieber made it big in the US, not Canada…. In fact, Canada benefits from the US economy big time. And yet, Canadian economy is way behind the US…. just look how bad the Canadian dollar fares against the USD, making Canada in my opinion a cheaper country to live in. Reason why these women say Americans move there. When in fact, 400,000 Canadians flock to the US and live half the year here, not in Canada ! Canada has also less attractions to visit while the US has everything! from deserts, rainforests, canyons, beaches in 50 + National Parks, hundreds of National Monuments & thousands of beautiful State Parks. Why do I know ? I traveled all of the US….so beautiful….. i hope Canada can boast a paradise like Hawaii, Guam USVI, Puerto Rico to name a few. I had been to 85 countries, covered as much in each country. I can say the USA is the most beautiful in the world. Canada is no comparison. No way im moving to Canada…. i have the best weather year round here in California….

US and Canada are not comparable when you want to emphasize financial growth. Canada plays a distant second fiddle both in terms of average incomes and household incomes. \n\nThere are Canadians who covet permanent residence in the US for white collar jobs due to the hugely lobsided disparity in compensation.

I'm in Europe, and it's pure truth you just shared. I've never heard of any Ghanaian relocating from US or Canada to Europe, but it's always the other way round

I came to Canada with family as a PR holder (without a job) and my point of view is completely different. Now I am a Canadian citizen after 6 years. My view is always towards my kids future which are brighter than in India I believe. My kids (now citizen) can travel and work in Canada, India, US, UK etc. without any Visa. They are OCI as well and can enjoy life in India in future if they want. What do I want more? Initial 5 to 6 months is a struggle is for everyone though.

BTW Canada me gore nhi the jab angrej aaey. The natives were treated worse than us. They killed them, starved them and moved them up north where the temp is -40. Then they built schools and hospitals over their graveyards