anyone live/lived in toronto (1 Viewer)

[david stark]

It looks increasingly likely that I may be moving to toronto for a year or more for some work. Just wondering if anyone on here lives or has lived in toronto.

If so do you know any websites or papers/agencies that are good for appartments to rent. Also any areas to avoid or try and get in particular? I'll be looking to rent a 1 or 2 bedroom appt in toronto within half an hours travel (by public transport or foot) to the bay street area.

thanks for any info.

 

[KerryK]

I live in Toronto - been here for a while, actually.

Finding an affordable and decent apartment in TO is actually pretty tough. Here are some sites to try:

www.nowtoronto.com (Free weekly "alternative" paper with decent apt listings - it's where I found my last place.)
www.thestar.com (Toronto Star - Canada's largest newspaper. It's actually where I found my current place.)

I can't think of any others offhand, but if something else comes to mind...

As for places to avoid, I guess I'm not the person to ask. My neighborhood is pretty seedy, but I love being downtown. Don't love the rent, though. Toronto's a very neighborhoody city, most of them have their good & bad points, it just depends on what you're looking for.

Bay and what? Do you know the cross-street?

Oh, and don't listen to the rest of Canada, it's not as bad here as people say!

 

[Luis Esp]

Oh, and don't listen to the rest of Canada, it's not as bad here as people say!

That's right, they're just jealous because they don't live here.

For cheaper rents, I suggest looking into the subs and it's easier to get around town with the TTC or the GO Trains.

 

[KerryK]

Don't listen to him! Downtown's where it's at. Especially if you're working downtown. I walk & ride my bike to work and it's way worth having a small apartment. I'm never there anyway.

 

[Bob Movies]

I live in Downtown Toronto on Bloor Street West, and I love it here. I'm about 30 seconds from the Dufferin subway station and I can get around wonderfully without a car.

For apartment listings you should also try the globe and mail: http://www.globeandmail.com I'm not sure if they have their classifieds online but I think you can pick up the paper anywhere in Canada.

Another way to find a place is to just walk around parts of town and look for "apartment for rent" signs. I always see a few up in the store windows around my house. This might not be practical if you can't get down here to check things out.

My girlfriend and I looked at about 30 apartments this summer before we found our current place - it's an apartment over a butcher shop, which sounds bad, but the place is amazing. They just built it, so everything's brand new. Rent is $1200 per month, it's got central air, natural gas heating, a huge kitchen, two skylights, and our own (non coin) washer and dryer. I looked at some places for $1400 that didn't have half the things this one does, so it really pays to search around.

I'd recommend living somewhere on the subway line as opposed to the bus line. You can always tell in ads because if they say "Close to TTC" rather than "Close to Subway". The major bus routes are OK, but two years ago I lived on Avenue Road, which is a pretty major road, and the busses only came 3 times an hour. It just meant that if I wasn't outside at 8:17 8:37 or 8:57 I'd be waiting for the next one. I'd say it's always better to live a little farther away from downtown if it's close to the subway.

Speaking of the subways, the metropass (bus/subway/streetcar) costs $98.75 per month, so it's kind of pricey. Still beats owning a car I guess, since I don't like driving.

As far as good parts of town, I don't really know the bad/good neighbourhoods. As KerryK suggested, the Star has a really great online classified search engine where you can specify how many bedrooms you want, what else you're looking for, and what part of town.

Feel free to send me a message if you have any other Toronto questions, I'll be happy to help you in any way I can.

Bob

 

[david stark]

The place I would be working is near the cross of bay and front I think.

Thanks for your responses and hopefully if all things go well I will be there in a months time or so.

 

[KerryK]

Good luck! Bob's right about the bus lines. Even the streetcars can be iffy so it's better to be near the subway. I live near Carleton St (major streetcar line) and I've waited over 20 min for a car on off-peak hours. During rush hour don't even bother.

Anyway, point being: live near the subway if possible.

 

[David Susilo]

I hate downtown. I have lived in Canada for almost 12 years and although it's only about 15 minutes drive through the DVP, I've never been more than 10 times downtown.

Then again, I love the farm area I used to live in when I lived in Australia.

 

[Luis Esp]

Where are you moving from? If you're coming from the U.S., you'll find the $ exchange great until you get your first Cdn. paycheque:frowning:

 

[david stark]

I'm from the UK originally but living in belgium at the moment (for another week and a half anyway). I'm not entirely sure how I will be paid, I may be paid in euro, sterling or maybe canadian dollars. still have to sort that out.

should be there in toronto at the end of the month..

 

[Neil Joseph]

I live in Toronto, actually 45min north west of downtown. You will find that many people commute from the suburbs because of the fairly expensive housing in the city. Looks like you will be working at or close to the Royal Bank Plaza at Front & Bay. Not sure of rental pricing but if you are on the Yonge or Bloor subway lines, the commute to downtown is easier. There is a huge Toronto membership in the HTF.

 

[david stark]

I have finally arrived in toronto and found somewhere to live downtown (near the skydome). pricey, but it only takes 10 minutes to get to work which gives me an invaluble extra 20 minutes in bed.

Now I'm in toronto i was wondering if any of you know any of the following:

1. good hi-fi stores - mainly just for stereo hi fi at the moment, but I would like to try and demo some projectors later this year.

2. any local amatuer football (soccer) clubs because I would like to play at weekends if there are any clubs around.

3. any other things to do around toronto at weekends?? parks etc.

 

[David Susilo]

I usually go to Mega Audio Video at Pacific Mall or if they don't carry the brand I want, I usually complement that shop with Eastview Electronics.

The both of them are not that big in terms of listening test or even refund policy, for that matter. However, if you already know exactly what you want, you'll be hard pressed to find cheaper price anywhere else.

I've been going to those places for my a/v stuff (and also appliances at Eastview) since 1992. Even after shopping around, their prices are still the best.

E-mail me if you're interested with their phone number.

Things to do around Toronto?... drive to St. Jacobs Farmer's Market on Saturdays (make sure to arrive before 10:30am to avoid long lineups) and go to Van Dijk's Fish and Chips. Just order their fish and/or croqueten, they're fabulous!!

 

[brentl]

The closest place for high fi would be Bay/Bloor radio at Bay and Bloor. Although the attitude is snotty, they carry very high end electronics ... Go upstairs!

Also Kromer radio on Bathurst West side. Sorry, but the don't remembwer the East/West street.

Brent

 

[Graeme Shiomi]

David,

Places to go in Toronto that are accessible by Subway include (that haven't already been mentioned):

Audio Excellence - 83 Yorkville Toronto (416) 413-0002. This place sells the exotic stuff, and the not so exotic stuff. Anything from Monitor Audio bookshelf speakers to Wilson Audio Watt Puppies (and up). This guy has an inside line to Musical Fidelity, so pop in there if you want to listen to the new Tri-vista stuff. Pete is the owner, and he's a great guy (if a little wacked out).

Kromer Radio - It's on Bathurst. Nice guys, some nice gear. Great installation guys.

Brack - they have a store downtown. A little snooty, but not slick-ricks like they have at Bay Bloor Radio.

Hi Fi Fo Fum - a little north, but still within Transit borders. Neat little store, with a nice owner. I believe the owner here has an obsession with Naim gear.

Executive Stereo - Nice place, but the owner will not budge one bit from list, so don't buy from this place. But he's friendly enough, and you can go listen to some nice stuff.

That's my 2 cents on Audio gear that is accessible without a car. If you have wheels...then there are even more places to go.

In Toronto itself, there's just way to much to list for you to do, so you'd have to tell me what you're looking for. One thing that is ideal about Toronto is that we're a very multi-cultural city, so you're apt to find very good ethnic foods that stay close to their origins. But again, it all depends on what you're looking for. A pub to drink your face off, clubs to dance the night away, restaurants, theaters, movies, shopping, nature, amusement parks. I'd say the only thing we're lacking in any big way are big museums and galleries. The AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario) and the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) are nice enough, but they pale in comparison to the Museums/Galleries of the big cities in the rest of North America (and are a blip compared to those in Europe).

Oh yes...there's that eyesore known as the CN tower. The food at the restaurant is way overpriced, but going up just to check out the view is neat.

Graeme