Toronto or Vancouver: Which Is Better For Immigrants?

Toronto, edge walk Canada is one of the countries that receive huge numbers of immigrants every year. You may also be planning to immigrate to Canada but you lack enough information about the various cities ranging from the interaction with people to the security level. Toronto and Vancouver are some of the best cities in Canada. In fact, they play a key role in seeing the whole country develop. Vancouver and Toronto are all great cities and your option in the city you’d like to migrate to among the two depends on different factors. For example, if you are on a budget and you want to immigrate to one of these cities, Vancouver would be better for you since the cost of living is slightly low compared to Toronto. However, considering a huge number of factors, Toronto is better than Vancouver ranging from the nightlife to entertainment and job opportunities. To decide which city is better for you, it’s important to learn what these cities can offer for new immigrants. Some of the key factors that the article will be covering include the economy of each city and the security. These factors are discussed because a good city to immigrate to need to have a stable economy and security among other factors. After reading it, you will be sure of the best city to immigrate to.

What Makes Toronto Good for Immigrants?

There is a sea of reasons why Toronto has been receiving a great number of immigrants. However, we shall discuss some of the factors that have made many immigrants move to Toronto since different people immigrate to different places for different reasons. For example, I choose to immigrate to Toronto because I found a lot of job opportunities with my profile. On the other hand, I needed to be brave to deal with the long winter in Toronto.

The Economy of Toronto

In the whole of North America, Toronto is the second-largest financial center. The GDP growth of Toronto is increasing at a rate of 2.4% annually since 2009. Besides, Toronto’s business sector is also growing and expanding at a very high rate. This has seen other sectors such as the technology sector, fashion, and design, energy, food, and beverage, etc. develop in the outpacing rate too. In turn, the diversity in industrial growth has triggered innovations in the city and to the country as well. Toronto’s location has also played a key role in seeing the city developing faster than any other. It’s located near rivers and good harbors. The wide range of industries that have been discussed earlier offers a lot of job opportunities to the Canadians and to immigrants as well. In a nutshell, Toronto’s economy is very stable.

What of the Security in Toronto?

First things first, security is food for thought matter and if immigration is to be considered, the discussion wouldn’t be complete without talking about security which is why this section talks about Toronto’s security. Toronto is safe with a low crime rate. Being one of the largest cities in North America and the largest in Canada, Toronto receives a huge number of tourists every year. The fact that there is a huge turn up of tourists, youth-gangs have taken it an advantage which has seen them commit crime though at a lower rate. That’s natural, eradicating crime related issues in a country isn’t easy and sometimes it takes decades to have a very stable security system that will ensure there is no crime. However, the crime rate in Toronto has not affected its development and if it has then, it’s almost undiscoverable. In 2017, Toronto was the fourth safest city in North America among 60 major cities. This clearly shows that security in Toronto can be considered the least of your worries. With that said, being carefully is always good and it will help you a lot. For example, if you have some valuables, ensure you keep them safe. Talking of security, take these tips as a bonus.
  •  Ensure your belongings are always kept in a safe place.
  • Most places that are unsafe are found in the outskirts of Toronto such as Regent Park. This means you need to be extra careful if you have to visit those areas.
  • While walking in the streets, mostly at night, try to avoid carrying important documents and a huge amount of money.
  • Toronto is a big city and, like other cities, there are homeless communities that you should take care of since most of them are unpredictable due to their mental conditions.
  • Recreational consumption of cannabis is legal but, if you have to do it, ensure you do it in the right places to avoid provoking mayhem.
  • Always ask for help if you are stuck – only do that to the relevant people.
  • Lastly, you may take all precaution measures but still, fall in the trap of goons. If that happens, make sure you hand over anything asked, by doing so, chances of getting hurt will be minimal.

In Terms Of natural beauty, What  Toronto Has To Offer?

Toronto has a lot to offer when it comes to natural beauty and parks. It has been aforementioned that Toronto receives a huge number of tourists every year, this translates to one thing – picturesque places and recreational services are available and uncountable. The following are just a small fraction of the beautiful places to visit in Toronto with just a brief discussion in each.
  • Tommy Thompson Park: This park is situated in the man-made peninsula of the Leslie Street Split. When you are in this park, you will have access to beautiful sand dunes, beautiful beaches, and wildflower meadows.
  • Sherbourne Common: This is a waterfront park that covers about four acres. The park is rich in green space. There are also a bunch of other eye-catching features that will surprise you.
  • Crothers Woods: It is found in the Don River Valley and its location makes it easy to explore the area. It is this area that you will find many trees some of which are over a century old.
  • Distillery District: This is for those who are interested in history. Here, you will find theatres, cafes, shops, art galleries and more. Besides, different events are being hosted here.
  • Cloud Gardens Conservatory: Here, you will find a wide variety of plants and a greenhouse as well. The park is found between towers downtown. Waterfalls are also found not to mention some trees that are found in rainforests.
  • Simcoe Wavedeck: Located in Toronto’s waterfront, the Simcoe Wavedeck is one of the most beautiful places in Toronto and the whole of Canada. The place contains undulating Wavedeck that covers a wide area and its design makes it look appealing to the eyes.
  • Edwards Gardens: Do you know how beautiful gardens are? It is in this park that the beauty of a garden doubles. Water wheel, fountains, greenhouses, floral gardens, and more features are found in this Toronto’s beautiful park. It is also the location of the Toronto Botanical Garden.
  • Allan Gardens Conservatory: This park is over 16,000 square feet and it’s that home to a wide variety of exotic plants from all over the world. The park has over 100 years and it consists of six greenhouses that are rich in colorful plants. To make it more amazing, this park is free all year round – you won’t pay anything, just offer your energy and time.
  • Podium Green Roof at City Hall: The park is rich in a green landscape that can easily steal your sight. Its location makes it easy to access cool and fresh air from the surrounding. Courtyards, meandering walkways, and terraces are some of the beautiful stuff you will come across in this park.
  • Toronto Music Garden: You won’t regret every footstep you make while in this park. Its beauty doesn’t fade either does it get old. Accessing this park is free of charge and you can visit it all year around.
  • CN Tower:  is Toronto’s most famous postcard. The tower is one of the first images that come to mind for those who visited. It’s one of the landmarks – as you can see it from virtually everywhere in the city. It is definitely one of the top sights in Toronto.
These features plus many others can satisfy your pleasure needs. So, if you have been wondering whether Toronto has beautiful scenes then, get it clear that you will be spoilt with choices when it comes to the selection of the places.

What of the Cost of life?

In Toronto, it may cost one up to $32,885 per year. This amount includes paying rent, accessing entertainment, using the internet, fitness, insurance, and transport. This is quite expensive and not every immigrant can be able to incur that cost. Well, that was some useful information about Toronto worth-knowing. In the next section, detailed information about Vancouver is provided. After this, it will be easy to make a comparison between the two cities and find out the best for immigration.

What Makes Vancouver Good for Immigrants?

Vancouver Vancouver is also a large city that has caught the attention of many immigrants due to a good number of reasons. Vancouver is also famous in different fields as will be seen later. Besides, there is a sea of industries that contribute a lot to its stability as a growing city in Canada.

The Economy of Vancouver

The economy of Vancouver is contributed by a wide range of industries. Technology is one of the industries that are actively growing in Vancouver and has played a major role in stabilizing its economy. It is this city that you will find top-notch universities where students specialize in different technology-related disciplines such as software development, e-commerce, and more. Tourism is also another sector that contributed to the economy of Vancouver. In 2017, over 10.3 million tourists visited Vancouver. This has been achieved through the presence of beautiful features such as mountains and beaches that offer picturesque scenes. In turn, this huge number has brought over $4.8 billion to the economy of Vancouver which also created over 70,000 jobs. Vancouver is also home for films and TV productions. Annually, the city hosts approximately 55 TV series and 65 movies making it the third-largest film and TV production hub in the whole of North America. Besides, mining, fishing, and forestry have, for long, dominated to Vancouver’s economy and they still play a key role up-to-date. It follows that the economy of Vancouver isn’t starving since jobs are available and multiple industries earn the city huge income.

What of the Security in Vancouver?

It has been aforementioned that Vancouver receives a huge number of tourists annually. This has been achieved through its beautiful and the level of security too. Tourists can’t risk their lives to visit areas that are full of crime and violence. Therefore, Vancouver is safe and the chances that you may be robbed or harmed are very low. However, there are few cases of violence and crime which are caused by gangs and drug addicts though occasionally. This means you should take of yourself and avoid doing anything that would sound like you are attracting the bad guts. The precautions that have been given under the security section in Toronto should be practiced too in Vancouver.

In Terms Of natural beauty, What  Vancouver Has To Offer?

Well, from the discussion, it can easily be deduced that beautiful sceneries and recreational services are there which is why the city has registered a big number of tourists. For convenience purposes, it is important to look at some of them.
  • Granville Island: It is located under the Granville Bridge in the downtown peninsula. Granville Island is also ideal for those who want to have different kinds of meals and drinks. Granville Island and harbors a good number of theatres, studios, and markets as well.
  • Capilano Suspension Bridge: The bridge crosses the Capilano River and its construction is really seductive. It’s so beautiful and you can easily be attempted to cross the other side of the river even if you hadn’t planned. Besides, it passes through an evergreen forest where you will have access to cool and fresh air as you cross the bridge.
  • English Bay Beach: This beach is also called the First Beach and it is the leading beach in Vancouver in terms of traffic. On the beach, you can play volleyball or engage in any other related-activity due to its convenience. Besides, there are cafes, Kayak rentals, and more.
  • Museum of anthropology: The museum is situated at the British Columbia University. The museum has gained fame across different places in the world due to its art display and culture. Here, over 16,000 objects can be found for display.
  • Science World: Currently, it is referred to as the Telus World of Science. Here, you will find a wide variety of interactive displays and groovy exhibits. People of all ages can visit this park and enjoy it.
  • Vancouver Art Gallery: It is an art gallery located in the downtown of Vancouver. The park has over 10,000 pieces of art of different designs and structures. The pieces are from photograph work and others are from painting work.
  • Gastown: This attracting place is home for boutiques, fashion shops not to mention the best meals that you can also find. You can explore this park by foot and each aspect of its structure.
  • Whale Watching: Whales are some of the sea creatures that can’t be seen easily and you may so lucky to come across one in your life. On the coast of Vancouver, whale watching can be done perfectly with no fear of being attacked. Besides, you can see other creatures like dolphins and sea lions.
  • Chinese Garden: Here, you can go and enjoy Chinese culture. Once you are in the Chinese Garden, you will be accompanied by a tour guide who, after paying some fees, will take you through the entire park and see the different places plus the culture itself.
  • Canada Place: Canada Place has a lot of activities going in. once you get there, you will be able to learn a lot and interact with different people while you continue enjoying the beauty of the place.

What of the Cost of Living?

The cost of living in Vancouver is relatively higher considering it’s a city. For example, a one-bedroom apartment can start at $1900 to something close to $3000 per month. The prices vary, in some areas, you will have to pay more than that for a one-bedroom apartment. This high cost has seen most people live in rental houses instead of buying their own houses/homes. Buying a one-bedroom apartment can cost you up to $600k. Other utilities such as electricity, gas, and heating can cost you up to $150 per month. One of the few things that have attracted most immigrants in Vancouver is its international standard and the theaters, amazing restaurants, music scenes, and more.

Conclusion

That was a piece of detailed information about Toronto and Vancouver. As of now, if you were planning to visit one of these cities but you were somehow stuck, this article should have helped you. However, some of the information provided here keeps on changing. For example, the cost of living in both cities change with time due to different factors. Also, the economy of each city keeps on growing. As a reader, who plans to immigrate to any of these cities, you will have to keep yourself updated with the current trends of your dream city.

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