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Which is a better place to immigrate in Canada: Toronto or Vancouver?
Moving to Canada has always been looked at with the utmost glee by immigration aspirants, what with its low crime rate, ethnic diversity and extremely polite population. Add to this the flexible immigration policies and burgeoning employment opportunities and the end result is an enviable immigration destination for people around the world to flock to in multitudes.
Canada has an assortment of highly lively and picturesque cities to opt for when thinking about settling here. A sweeping majority tends to lean towards two major cities in particular – Toronto and Vancouver. It is admittedly hard to pinpoint one of these cities as better than the other. Nevertheless, we will make an honest attempt to do so, although it doesn’t take a prophet to guess that we will be met with an impasse along the way.
Toronto vs Vancouver
The Job Market
The first thing one needs to assess to truly gauge a city’s capability to provide the perfect place to settle is, of course, the career possibilities on offer. Based on multiple national reports, Toronto is hands down, your best bet between the two metropolises. Toronto to business, arts, and commerce is like sugar to ants.
There are also subtly conflicting statistics which state that Vancouver has comparatively, a 2.3% lower unemployment rate according to aggregation website Versus. This means that there are plenty of opportunities here as well, be it less abundant than Toronto. In general, the business scene in Toronto is far more buzzing as a number of international companies have their head offices in the city.
Climate
Newcomers to this country often bicker about the cold winters of Canada, but what they do not realize is that it isn’t a yearlong phenomenon and in many parts of the country winter is mild.
Toronto has its summer through June-July all the way into August and the temperature dips when September rolls around. Proper winter begins in December when temperatures go into negative digits often falling to -3 degrees Celsius through January and February. It is also a wet city with about 16 days of rainfall in May.
On the other hand, there are mild winters in Vancouver with temperatures in January and February sitting at a toasty 4 degrees Celsius. Summer temperatures are not as high as in Toronto and rainfall occurs around December for about 21 days.
The Culinary Scene
There may be wide differences between Toronto and Canada in terms of geography, population, and climate, but no rivalry as heated as that of the restaurant scenes.
Toronto, being so bustling with people all year round including a heavy influx of tourists has expectedly a higher number of restaurants, so the sheer quantity makes up for any inconsistency in the quality. This city has a cosmopolitan dining experience consisting of gourmet establishments in abundance which maintain a steep price tag.
Vancouver has a far smaller number of food joints but they offer menus that are comparatively way more affordable. Moreover, a lot of them have hippie-inspired themes and maintain a rustic charm.
Outdoor Activity
If the great outdoors calls out to you and adrenaline takes coffee’s place in your life, there is no place better than Vancouver when it comes to making swashbuckling memories. Extreme sports are at your fingertips with scenic routes for cycling and biking, treacherous slopes for skiing and river routes conducive to both whitewater rafting and boating in general.
Unfortunately, Toronto’s urban landscape doesn’t quite allow room for adventure or recreational outdoorsy activities save for the city’s parks and playgrounds. Without a doubt, Vancouver takes the cake in this department.
Cost of Living
Affordability is a tricky subject for comparison between Vancouver and Toronto as both of these cities require a well-paying salary to live a wholesome and comfortable life. Prices of real estate were, until recently, at a steady rise in Vancouver but have now become stable while in Toronto they are still growing. Meanwhile, Vancouver’s average housing prices remain higher than those of Toronto. Cost of utilities, i.e., food and clothing are considerably higher in Toronto but if you plan on dabbling in the culture by consuming local theater or checking out the cuisine, Vancouver will prove to be light on your wallet.
At the end of the day, both Toronto and Vancouver have their own appeal based on the individual positives they have on offer. If you wish to give your career some value-added growth, Toronto is the ideal place to find the right kind of work. Au contraire, if you have the spirit of adventure perpetually stirring the adrenaline in your system, head to Vancouver for the love of the outdoors and extreme sports.
