I don't hate Toronto

I lived in Toronto for twenty years and the snide remarks and belittling from relatives and friends certainly got tiresome. Now that I no longer live there I get comments like, "Oh, how could you have lived there for so long!?" Honestly, you'd think I was a masochist and I lived there because I hated myself - I wanted to make my life as miserable as possible.
The truth is, you can’t understand Toronto unless you or have lived there; fully committed to becoming a part of the city and embracing all the good and bad that goes along with living Canada’s largest metropolis. Sure there is traffic but if you live in the city, you deal with neighbourhood traffic, the same traffic that you’d encounter in Bufu Ontario. The flip side is if you want to check out stores other than Winners and Zellars; there is a Holts within 15 minutes and even, gawd almighty, a Pier One!

Let’s talk taxes. We lived in a two bedroom, two bath, 1200 sqft condo in Toronto’s Bloor West Village. We had a bus and a streetcar at our door. We had numerous parks, a community centre, a library and the subway within walking distance. Crime was low and pride was high in our neighbourhood. Our taxes were reasonable, unlike the astronomical taxes we pay in Bufu. And what does our money get us here in Bufu? While public transit is good for a small city, it could be a whole lot better, the streets and infrastructure need a total overhaul, there are NO city run community centres and only two public pools. While the schools are great here, there aren’t a lot of cultural draws like, zoos or museums or aquariums. Summer can be fabulous or they can be dull.

So, you ask, what made us move here? It’s all about the family. My mother is here. She is the only grandparent. My sister is here and she has three children. My child is and will be an only and while we could have provided substitute family in Toronto, we thought the real thing was a much better option. For us, it was the right choice. We’re struggling but our son is thriving. He loves his grandma and he adores his cousins. He’s getting to know his aunt and his uncle and he’s made new friends at pre-school. I must say, he’s probably adjusted better than his parents.

Toronto is and was wonderful and it will always have a special place in my heart. I will defend her and its people because a piece of me will always live there.