Single mom wanting to move to Toronto?

Question

I'm a single mother of one and want to move to Toronto. I have been there only once and we were in china town and going to the airport.

Where is a good and safe neighborhood and school for my daughter ?

Are there jobs out there for me? And what are the cost of living in toronto (apprx) ?

Answer 1

In order to properly assess your needs, please supply us with some more information.

What would be your monthly housing budget?

What kind of work are you looking for?

Do you plan on owning  a car?

Answer 2

I'm gonna break this down for you as best as I can given the limited information.  The costs I will provide are all averages, but you should be able to plan effectively with them.

Cost of living:

Small bungalow=$250,000 to $300,000

Condo/townhouse=$150,000-$300,000 (there are cheaper ones that are slummy)

1 bdrm apt=$800

2 bdrm apt=$1000

$40/month hydro electric/apartment

$80/month hydro electric/apartment

$100-$200/month to heat your home in the winter  (this can vary wildly depending on your house and your usage; heat is often included in apartments)

$50 cable

$50 internet

$50 cell phone

$200-$300/month groceries

$9 pack of cigarettes (just in case)

$30 case of beer (just in case)

$100-300/month car insurance (varies wildly)

$109 transit pass

$1.28 litre for gasoline (God help us!)

+ whatever you spend on your child monthly

Toronto was formerly comprised of the cities of Toronto, Etobicoke, North York and Scarborough and the borough of East York.  While there are some nice areas in Scarborough, don't bother looking for a rental there.  The rental complexes are primarily projects (not safe).  If you are buying a house then it is ok to consider it.  East York is nice and can be pricey.  Etobicoke is probably the best choice overall, but don't waste your time with north Etobicoke.  North York has a lot of nice pockets, but it also has many bad pockets.  Just pay attention when you look around in North York.  As for the downtown core, (formerly known as the City of Toronto) if you aren't rich (Rosedale, Davisville, Forest Hill), a drug addict (Parkdale, Regent Park, much of Bloor Street) or an "artist" (Queen Street) then just stay clear away from the downtown core.  Don't even waste your time.  The only redeeming factor about downtown is that you have many transit options.  As I am more familiar with the west end, I will give you some specific recommendations.  Bathurst St (from Eglinton to Steeles Ave W) is a winner based on convenience, price, safety and you may even find a job locally. Eglinton Avenue West (from Royal York all the way west to Renforth) is a winner as well, except that you are a bit out of the way from downtown if that matters to you.  Lawrence Avenue West is ok except where it intersects with Jane St and Weston Rd.  Yonge St from Davisville to Steeles is great, but expect to pay a premium.  Most of Royal York Rd is decent.  Stay away from most of Jane St, a lot of Finch Avenue West and some of Sheppard Avenue West.

As far as schools go, there are literally hundreds of schools in Toronto.  The lists of good and bad schools would both be extensive so you should really look into it once you choose an area that you like.  Rule of thumb:  the more expensive the area, the better the schools tend to be.  If you are Catholic then I recommend a Catholic school over a public school.  If you earn good money, I recommend a private school.

There are plenty of jobs in Toronto.  The Toronto Star classifieds section is full of jobs and rental apartment listings assuming you can get a copy of it.  The easiest place to start would be Toronto Craigslist, which I have listed below.  You will find apartments, jobs and a whole host of other things.  For apartments in particular, viewit is a great website.  I have posted the link below.  Also, check out mls if you need to buy a house.  The link is below.  One more site that should be helpful is the City of Toronto site, particularly the "living in Toronto" page.  The link is again below.

I hope that this information will give you at least a rough idea of life in Toronto.  I realize some people will not like how I have characterized some areas of Toronto, but I am just taking in to consideration the safety of a child so don't anyone be offended...lol.  There are plenty of towns and cities that I prefer over Toronto, but since your question only pertains to Toronto, I decided to keep things in context.  Feel free to email me if you need other info. Good luck!

Answer 3

I would suggest Kitchener, a bit smaller of a town just west of Toronto.  It is one of the best cities for employment, and unless you live downtown, everywhere is pretty much a good neighbourhood.  There are lots of opportunities for renting, house buying, jobs, schools.  The record is the local paper, browse around.  Also I grew up in Toronto, and let me tell ya, it has gotten much more expensive to live there.  Good luck though.

Answer 4

Also look at London (3 hrs west of Toronto), Windsor (4 hrs west), Cambridge (near Kitchener), Waterloo (also near Kitchener), and Guelph.  Hamilton is fairly cheap but I don't know if there are many jobs there.. St. Catharines is great too.

If you want a really REALLY small town atmosphere, then I say Stratford or Port Perry/Lake Scugog.  Beautiful communities!

Oh as for the cost factor of Toronto, be prepared to spend.  It's not a cheap place for renting, nor buying a house, nor gas (and traffic is terrible), and food prices are insane.   I would never want to live in Toronto.  The only thing going for it is a vibrant downtown.  It's too costly and the lifestyle is very hectic and all about money and how much and how fast you can make it.

Answer 5

Toronto can be a cold selfish city ... it can border on cruel.  Having said that, if you have the gumption and determination, there are a lot of opportunities here.  Toronto is the wealthiest city in Canada and the hub of many industries.  You can probably find an entry level job in almost any industry here.  

Toronto is alos an expensive city, so if you're coming on a limited budget, you might want to be very careful.  The neighborhoods you'll be able to afford right off the bat may not neccessarily be best for a young mohter and her daughter.

I like that someone suggested looking at London, Ontario.  That's a great idea.  NIce livable city, small city charm, big city ammenites.  You may also consider Barrie, Ontario.  for the same reasons.

Good luck!

Answer 6

toronto is a great place to start a life. where are you moving from? compared to almost all major american cities, toronto is like heaven! its pretty safe if your careful. just don't go out at night (obviously) and teach your kids to be street smart. but it also depends on which part of toronto your living it.

i used to live in downtown from when i was born till i was 7. then i moved to scarborough (which is part of toronto) untill i was 12. then i moved to markham which neighbours toronto to the north and i still live here. and its a pretty awesome town! its really safe here and its close to the city. so if you ever need to go to the big city for any reason, its not that far. its pretty developed here i think you'd like markham.

the cost of livings depends on what kind of living you choose. i remember when i lived in my first markham home, my parents rented out our basement for $750 a week. but you can probably get a better deal somewhere. and i'm sure there are jobs you can find. markham is constantly developing and there are always big department stores opening. a home depot is about to open near my house next month and a plaza just opened last june.

so i'm sure markham would suit you.

best of luck to you!!!