Need advice in choosing between Toronto, Calgary & Vancouver.?

Question

Hi. We're migrating to Canada within the next 12 months and need to decide on where to settle. We have friends in Toronto, Calgary & Vancouver and they're all rooting strongly for their respective cities. I would just like to get get more inputs from others especially those who have experienced living in 2+ cities

The points I would like to consider are the following:
1. The job market, particularly in the area of marketing communications & corporate communications REGARDLESS of industry.
2. Cost of living. Cost of basic items such as food, clothing & utilities. Cost of housing.
3. Public transport, since I presume it will take some time before we get a license and a vehicle.
4. The presence of good graphic design schools (for my eldest who'll be entering college)
5. Acceptance & tolerance towards immigrants, different cultures
6. Lastly, the overall mood and feel of the city itself. Peace & order. Where is the city going?

I look forward to your answers. Thank you!!!

Answer 1

they all have everything you list, both positively and negatively.
consider more lifestyle choices:
largest to smallest: toronto, vancouver, calgary
vancouver - moderate climate, rains a lot, has an ocean!
calgary - very pretty, close to rockies, typical alberta weather with the winds thrown in - good thing here is only 6% gst, not 7% plus 6% pst like other provinces, and alberta, for 3 million or so ppl, is the wealthiest province by far. biggest problem apart from wind is the popuplation there needs to learn how to drive lol
toronto - big, painful driving in the extreme, too many highways and traffic lights, too much cold weather, and known for power black outs lol

Answer 2

You cannot go wrong with Canada. Every place has its merits. Toronto is the largest urban area with several million, Montreal is second. Vancouver is third, with around two million in the greater area. Calgary has become the fourth, and it is the youngest. It is also the coldest amongst these choices, but warmer than the fifth and sixth largest cities, Edmonton and Winnipeg.

1- The unemployment rate is lowest in Calgary, by a long shot. The economy has been growing very steadily, although it has been volatile over the last several decades. Consequently a job is the easiest thing to find here.

2- Residence and living: Home prices have increased very rapidly recently, and will continue to increase at a steady but more moderate pace in Calgary and Edmonton. Toronto and Vancouver have seen very large price increases in previous decades and are still a bit pricier than Calgary.

3- The growth in Calgary has taken the demand a few steps ahead of the transportation infrastructure. It is playing catch-up but still lags. We deal with it.

4- Calgary has a reknowned tech-school, SAIT, and the Alberta College of Art and Design next to the University of Calgary in the Northwest, Mount Royal College in the Southwest and other colleges such as DeVry, Rundle and Bow Valley in other parts of the city.

5- Canada is very politically correct all around, but the larger centres such as Vancouver and Toronto may be ahead of the more rural areas on this one.

6- They are all quite good on this one, as far as I can tell.

You might want to investigate some of the smaller urban areas such as Sasktoon and Kelowna while you're at it. If you want to know more about Calgary and the things to do, visit a few pages at...

http://www.calgary-city-maps.com/relocation-Calgary.html

and get a feel for the place.

Answer 3

The job market is majorly booming in Calgary right now.
Cost of living in Calgary is the cheapest and Vancouver is the highest.

Transportation system in Toronto is very extensive. Vancouver and Calgary's system is decent.

Acceptance and tolerance you will find in all cities, but Toronto and Vancouver are GREATLY more diverse than Calgary.

I live in Toronto, currently because of this freezing winter, I desperately wish I was in Vancouver.

Vancouver is a great city, you will find many easterners who have moved out there to enjoy the beauty, weather and attitude of the west coast that you just don't find in a city like Toronto.

Answer 4

There are lots of jobs in Calgary or anywhere in Alberta. The cost of living in Vancouver is high and Toronto is high also. (Particularly if you are looking for a home). Toronto and Vancouver are both multicultural and more established whereas Calgary is new and more modern. Vancouver has a more moderate climate. I love Toronto as I lived there most of my life. I would have a hard time to choose. You might want to start in Calgary and see what the future brings you!

Answer 5

Ilive in To.We have people from ALL corners of the world .No matter where you are from we have a neighbourhood that's just right for you.Crime is low compared to some cities in the US.About 50 to 70 people get murdered per year.Most of them are drugdealers who fight over turf.we have an area where most of those shootings take place . It's called Jane and Finch.A sizeable Jamaican population lives there.Racism is not a problem since just about everybody comes from somewhere else.The streets are safe if you use a little common sense.
The jobmarked is good .If you wish to purchase a house in or near the inner city you may be in for a shock. But the suburbs have lower priced houses.If you like boating we have a huge lake right here for recreation.So why not come and look around .My personal choice is Vancouver because of the outdoors of wich i'm very fond of.Housing in vancouver is in the neighbourhood of 700 000 if you can find one and commuting is not an option believe me.Calgary is a boom town at the moment . I'm not very familiar with it. I hope this helps. Good luck

Answer 6

Biggest and Toughest market is in Toronto. Finding a job won't be easy, but you'll get more money. Calgary's good because you get money for doing simple things (e.g. $8/hr at a factory in Toronto/Vancouver vs. $15/hr). Bottom line is that it depends on what sort of work you plan to do. Accounting, Medicine, Computers, etc. stick with Toronto. If you're doing more mechanical stuff, or general labor, go to Calgary.

If you already have a license, it'll be really easy for you to get a Canadian one. Don't even worry about that. (Buying the car is a different matter)

There are more post-secondary options in Toronto.

There's more to do in Toronto.

Housing relatively the same in all places. Commute is much easier in Toronto.

Bottom line, go to Toronto.

Answer 7

Calgary is having a boom right now. Job market is unbelievable right now as is the income. However, because of this, the rents and cost of real estate has sky rocketed. On the flip side of that, we know of someone who bought an older model mobile home for $8,000, set it in the paking area of a gas station there, and sold it for $36,000 within one week!
The economy in Calgary as well as Alberta is now booming, and the region of nearly 1.1 million people is the fastest growing in the country. While the oil and gas industry comprise most of the economy, the city has invested a great deal into other areas. Tourism is perhaps one of the fastest growing industries in the city. Over 3.1 million people now visit the city on an annual basis for its many festivals and attractions, as well as the Calgary Stampede. The nearby mountain resort towns of Banff, Lake Louise, and Canmore are also becoming increasingly popular with tourists, and are bringing people into Calgary as a result. Other modern industries include light manufacturing, high-tech, film, transportation, and services. The city has ranked highly in quality of life surveys: 25th in the 2006 Mercer Quality of Living Survey, and 10th best city to live in according to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).
We live in Ontario and my partner is from B.C. (near Vancouver)
We would have to say that Calgary is the place to be in regard to jobs and economy.
As for cost of living, public transportation and tolerance toward immigrants, I'd go with Toronto. It's also very clean and beautiful and the people are super friendly.
Vancouver has similar qualities in relation to public transportation and schools as well as jobs. I must also say that the mountain views in B.C. are spectacular however, I think that the crime and cost of living may be a bit higher in Vancouver.
Good luck to you in whatever you decide!

Answer 8

i wil recmond GTA Bcz
1 Big city Big Opprutinites
2 cost of living such like food clothes almost same through out Canada, Rental and car Insurance a bit higher but More oprutunities to Work
3 Good network of Public Transport
4 Many good instutions for ARTs
5 Big Big Population of Immigrants so tolerance level is very high
6 City is going no where waiting for u to come and Join Group of great people
Best of Luck

Answer 9

Calgary has the lowest unemployment rate, everyone is hiring and there are good jobs. Homes are more expensive but weather is the nicer out of the three, only 1 tax compared to the others, the people are friendly and it is a good cross of cultures

Answer 10

Vancouver - no contest.
Toronto is the most boring City on the Planet.
Calgary is an overgrown village of Red Necks and Oil Men.
In Vancouver you get the fresh Ocean Breezes of the Pacific Ocean binging you Life.