# Toronto Move, area advice please!



## PurplePeanut (Sep 24, 2014)

Hi all, In a few months I shall be moving to Toronto with my husband and 12 year old son. We are making the move from the UK and I would really appreciate any advice anyone could give me on areas in and around Toronto where we could rent in nice family areas. We don't want to spend a fortune on rent each month as we will only have 1 wage coming in as I will be in full time study, but equally we really don't want to be in a bad area. Also, if anyone knows of any local forums that I could get to meet other local families that would be great! Many thanks in advance!


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

Where are you going to school? Where is the job? And define (not) 'a fortune'.


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## babybee (Nov 13, 2014)

PurplePeanut said:


> any advice anyone could give me on areas in and around Toronto where we could rent in nice family areas. We don't want to spend a fortune on rent each month... we really don't want to be in a bad area.


What EVHB said ^^ would help give more specific advice. As in most cities, as you move further out from the downtown core, rent typically decreases. There are definitely pockets of the city that wouldn't be ideal for you but there are plenty of good areas as well depending on where you are going to school. I can't post links but a couple of good resources for you would be to google "blogTO neighbourhoods", viewit, and "Toronto walkscore". The blogTO link will give you a good description of all of the different neighbourhoods in the city, viewit is an apartment rental site that can be searched by neighbourhood, and Toronto walkscore gives you an idea of how "walkable" the area is - or basically, if you have everything you would need within walking distance (grocery stores, parks...) and it also gives a transit score based on the same criteria.


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## PurplePeanut (Sep 24, 2014)

Thank you for your responses. I shall be going to Centennial College, so I guess ideally we don't want to be too far from there, so maybe that's a good starting point. Once we have an idea of an area to settle then I can start looking at schools for my son.


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## PurplePeanut (Sep 24, 2014)

Sorry, I thought I had put a rental limit in my post. I don't think we want to be spending more than about $1,200 a month. Looking at rental sites I didn't think that looked unreasonable? We don't need a big place, 2 bed will do


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## colchar (Oct 25, 2011)

I am not familiar with the area around Centennial but I will say that you do not look for a school as you might in the UK. Here you simply send your child to the closest school to your home.


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## PurplePeanut (Sep 24, 2014)

Ah, ok. That is slightly different then. So the area in which we settle is really important then!


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

I have my doubts that $1,200 will do for a house connected to a decent school, but I live in a different area and am not familiar with that neighbourhood.
Here you can get an idea about the school quality for the neighbourhood you will choose:
How do Ontario schools compare? | Fraser Institute


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## babybee (Nov 13, 2014)

PurplePeanut said:


> Sorry, I thought I had put a rental limit in my post. I don't think we want to be spending more than about $1,200 a month. Looking at rental sites I didn't think that looked unreasonable? We don't need a big place, 2 bed will do


You will be able to find a place in that area for $1200 no problem. If you want to be central I would look in the Highland Creek, Malvern, Morningside or Rouge area. Try your best to find an apartment in a home as opposed to living in an apartment complex. North of the 401 will be less expensive as will further east. What campus will you be going to? Depending on where you will be travelling to, I would actually recommend looking into living in Pickering, Ajax, or Whitby. They are quieter areas and much more family oriented.


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

To meet with local people: try meetup.org
You can search by city and/or interest.


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## PurplePeanut (Sep 24, 2014)

Thank you all, this has given me some good ideas and areas to work with initially


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## colchar (Oct 25, 2011)

PurplePeanut said:


> Ah, ok. That is slightly different then. So the area in which we settle is really important then!



There is not as much variation in schools here as there is in the UK.


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## colchar (Oct 25, 2011)

babybee said:


> You will be able to find a place in that area for $1200 no problem. If you want to be central I would look in the Highland Creek, Malvern, Morningside or Rouge area. Try your best to find an apartment in a home as opposed to living in an apartment complex. North of the 401 will be less expensive as will further east. What campus will you be going to? Depending on where you will be travelling to, I would actually recommend looking into living in Pickering, Ajax, or Whitby. They are quieter areas and much more family oriented.



Malvern? Are you kidding?!?! There are all kinds of problems in that area and the OP should try to be as far from there as possible.


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## babybee (Nov 13, 2014)

colchar said:


> Malvern? Are you kidding?!?! There are all kinds of problems in that area and the OP should try to be as far from there as possible.


Malvern has a reputation, but it's not the same as it used to be. Besides, it's as I said - if she wants to remain central, then that's an area to consider, however, as I also said, Pickering or Ajax would be much more family friendly.


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## colchar (Oct 25, 2011)

babybee said:


> Malvern has a reputation, but it's not the same as it used to be.



There was a shooting at the mall there six months ago! Even if they want to stay somewhat central, the OP should stay away from Malvern.


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## babybee (Nov 13, 2014)

colchar said:


> There was a shooting at the mall there six months ago! Even if they want to stay somewhat central, the OP should stay away from Malvern.


And there was a shooting at Yorkdale mall not that long ago too... if you don't live anywhere near it and all you know about Malvern is from the news and its reputation, then you don't know Malvern. Malvern is ranked as 98% safe compared to other areas in Toronto, and that is based on information from the local police departments. 

Malvern Neighborhood Profile | Find a Place to Live in Toronto


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

Hahaha, there we have the infamous Navut website again. 
(for those rather new to this site: use the 'search' option for 'Navut' on this website. ;-)

By the way: I hope they aren't talking about Malvern in Pennsylvania? Or somewhere else. Wouldn't be the first time that that website mixes Canadian places up with US ones.

Here you can fine more info on safety in Toronto neighbourhoods: Crime Maps | CBC Toronto


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## colchar (Oct 25, 2011)

babybee said:


> And there was a shooting at Yorkdale mall not that long ago too... if you don't live anywhere near it and all you know about Malvern is from the news and its reputation, then you don't know Malvern. Malvern is ranked as 98% safe compared to other areas in Toronto, and that is based on information from the local police departments.
> 
> Malvern Neighborhood Profile | Find a Place to Live in Toronto




First of all, that Navut site is a joke - a complete joke. Most of the time it cannot distinguish between Canadian and American locations with the same name and you expect us to take anything posted there seriously?

Second, I do live close to Malvern (with the traffic on the 401 it is half an hour away from me, less without typical traffic). It seems you live in England and I would wager that I know a lot more about the current state of Malvern than you do seeing as I live in the GTA.

â€˜It hasnâ€™t gotten betterâ€™ in Malvern | Toronto Star


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## PM584 (Dec 4, 2014)

There is a Toronto Brit meetup group with over 1500 members that meets regularly.


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