For all the griping sometimes a little comparative perspective helps - was an eye opener for me too....

snip

Pick your metric: In its survey of the “greatest cities in the world” last year, PriceWaterhouseCoopers ranked Toronto number two, behind New York and ahead of Paris, London, Tokyo, and Berlin.

A recent presentation given to the Toronto Board of Trade by U of T president David Naylor ran down a few more of our recent rankings in various global studies: We’re second in the Top 10 smart cities, third in quality of life, we have the fourth highest rate of entrepreneurship in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and are the 10th most attractive global innovation destination.

Not only that, The Grid recently ran a cover story about how our music scene—led by Drake, Feist, K’naan, The Weeknd, and ****ed Up—dominates global charts.

We have an astoundingly low crime rate for a city our size: Last year, the consulting firm Mercer rated Toronto the 17th safest place in the world to live—35 times safer than Chicago and San Francisco.

We likely have the most multicultural population in the world, home to almost twice as many immigrants, proportionally, as London and New York, and contend with almost none of the cultural tension and violence we read about in the news from Paris.

We have more tall buildings under construction than any other city in the world by a wide margin.

The Economist recently ranked Toronto the 12th most “globally competitive” city in the world for business, and placed us atop the scale in “financial maturity.” In another study, it ranked us the fourth most “livable” city in the world. The list of accolades could go on for pages.
:clap:

http://www.thegridto.com/city/politics/the-world-class-city-trap/

Now if the Feds and Province would provide fair share of tax revenues and we lose the dolt masquerading as mayor the GTA could be even better.....

Just spent a few days in core downtown TO on business. Good shopping, lots to see, nice walks, nice restaurants, friendly hotel staff. I'm not a big city type, but enjoyed this city.

The few times I have been in TO, I have liked what I see. It has the sorts of things I liked about New York City, but just not as large with as many people. I especially liked Greek Town, which is where a friend of mine took me to eat and stroll about the last time I presented a paper in TO.

All that goodness, and the Leafs, too. Truly, you are spoiled.

All that goodness, and the Leafs, too. Truly, you are spoiled.

Another plus for TO, along with the Raptors and the Blue Jays. Growing up in NYC, with three baseball teams, a basketball ball team, two football teams and a hockey team, spoiled me for the day when I could only see this sort of sporting event on TV. :(

I was in Toronto too many times to count between 1989 and 2000. I loved every minute of every visit, (well, maybe not those board room meetings). A very diverse city and found it very friendly.

Been in TO since 2004. Love it, hate it, sometimes both at the same time.

Been in TO since 2004. Love it, hate it, sometimes both at the same time.

I lived in Toronto back in the 1980s. It a fun time. I never hated it.
But I have lived in many places that are equally or more fun. Just because you have a bazillion people in TO does not mean it is the best place to be. Places with even a hundred people can be just as much fun.

I've lived in Toronto almost my whole life; the exception being 5 years in London, UK. I've visited most major cities in Europe, Asia, Australasia, North America and South America. Toronto is a pretty great city... But for us, a change is coming soon.

Never been to TO. Doubt that I would enjoy it but I will say the same about any big city. I just don't like big cities.

Escaped Calgary at the earliest opportunity, have never regretted it, and limit my visits to about one a year.

Toronto is a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there.

I'm of the opinion that Toronto has "Jumped the Shark."

I remember a time when Montreal was the Major world class city of Canada. Montreal is another city I enjoy when I visit there.

Montreal jumped the shark by 1967, we never realised that fact until after the 70's.

Economic activity is moving westward, the growth is west of Manitoba presently and if the Cons have their way that trend will continue.

So we shall see if Calgary will be the next "Big Smoke."

Sorry Tdot folk that's the way I sees'em.

Premature exclamation there, BigDL. Sorry but that's the way I sees ya.

I'm OK with you not getting Toronto, or thinking it's somehow passed its sell-by date. It's kind of amusing, really.

there's a kernel of truth to what bigDL says. The west wanted in, firewall and all, and that's actually what's happening.

TO is far from being passed any date of any kind, at least for quite a while. Thankfully the likes of brainless ford can be successfully be neutralized to some degree. Lest he turn this place into a small town 1982 new york.

Not denying the west is feeling its oats and coming on strong. All the better for the country as a whole.

Sure.

Even better that the dbags have mcguinty to blame their ineptness on here in Ontario.

Lose the self-pity and shout out GTA triumphs, says U of T president - The Globe and Mail (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/lose-the-self-pity-and-shout-out-gta-triumphs-says-u-of-t-president/article2394782/?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=dlvr.it_tor&utm_content=2394782)

Other Canadians may love to hate Toronto – “we play a unifying role in the national psyche” – but “you're looking at a place that drives 20 per cent of the GDP nationally and puts billions of dollars in federal hands to be used to support other parts of the country.” So “anyone in the West who indulges in that old Canadian pastime of Schadenfreude should give their head a shake,” he said when I called him this week.

^

Not sure if you are aware Sonal, but the link in your sig is dead. ;)

I lived in TO for a few years in the '80s and temporarily for a few 4 month periods in the '90s and I think it's a great city. When I moved to Vancouver in the early '80s I preferred Vancouver though.

Now I see all cities as occasionally nice places to visit but I wouldn't want to live there. The small town life suits me far better.

One thing I immediately notice when visiting Vancouver or Victoria now is the casual rudeness that's prevalent, either in traffic, on transit or just in people's public interactions on the street or in stores. All sorts of little subtle things where people let others know, "I don't give a crap about you."

If you live in a small town and want to have a good life, you can't afford to be a jerk to people because you're not anonymous. That has a good side and bad side too, -- but mostly good IMHO.

I think most of us tend to justify where we live as being the best place for us. It's only natural. But it's also fairly predictable.

I think most of us tend to justify where we live as being the best place for us. It's only natural. But it's also fairly predictable.

I also think air composed of 79% nitrogen and 20% oxygen is the cat's ass!

That's the atmosphere for me!

Well, that's cool for you, I suppose. I don't think I would like to live in a cat's ass, but I support your right to do so. That's part of what makes our country great.

I also think air composed of 79% nitrogen and 20% oxygen is the cat's ass!

That's the atmosphere for me!

MF, I for one fully support your right to be obtuse!

Well, that's cool for you, I suppose. I don't think I would like to live in a cat's ass, but I support your right to do so. That's part of what makes our country great.

MF, I for one fully support your right to be obtuse!

I didn't think I was being obtuse. I must be obtuse!

I also think air composed of 79% nitrogen and 20% oxygen is the cat's ass!!

I have two examples of cat asses around me. I can assure you, these asses are not air composed of 79% nitrogen and 20% oxygen.

We too have a pair of feline posteriors and what they all too frequently emit is not what I would call "perfume."

We too have a pair of feline posteriors and what they all too frequently emit is not what I would call "perfume."

The thing I'd like to know is, why are they so damn proud of their asses!? Sticking them up in the air at every opportunity, especially when company is over, crawling up in the bed and putting them right in your face, casually dropping down in the middle of the floor, throwing a hind leg in the air and lovingly licking them, ... it's ... it's perverse!

The thing I'd like to know is, why are they so damn proud of their asses!? Sticking them up in the air at every opportunity, especially when company is over, crawling up in the bed and putting them right in your face, casually dropping down in the middle of the floor, throwing a hind leg in the air and lovingly licking them, ... it's ... it's perverse!

Yes. Torontonians can be just like that!

Oh, it's just terrible. Even proper Torontonians are not exempt from this dreadful plague of @ss-pride.

Canadiana ... It's all here, in one thread. Reminds me how quickly the $1 coin became a loonie from coast to coast. Nothing stays sacred for long around here. Makes life livable in these long but getting shorter winters.

Oh, it's just terrible. Even proper Torontonians are not exempt from this dreadful plague of @ss-pride.

my siamese will often exhibit this proper torontonian behaviour, she'll jump up on the stair bannister if no one pays any attention, and it gets pretty entertaining if you wait long enough.

Imagine the reaction of those living in Toronto if the Leafs ever won the Stanley Cup again??? I don't think that they would riot ........... just wander the streets wondering "Is this for real???" Someday ............

Should that ever happen I don't know if I'd want to stick around for long. At first the euphoria and spectacle would be great to witness, but then the whole town might tip over the edge. Methinks we'd see waves of drunken hooligans opting to rip up and set fire to the town, just to demonstrate their joy.

Should that ever happen I don't know if I'd want to stick around for long. At first the euphoria and spectacle would be great to witness, but then the whole town might tip over the edge. Methinks we'd see waves of drunken hooligans opting to rip up and set fire to the town, just to demonstrate their joy.

This seems so counter-intuitive. You'd think they'd do that if the Leafs lost.

And what do Torontonians think of this?

Leaf's riot prevention plan: Saying 'sorry'. (http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/story/2012/04/10/sp-nhl-toronto-maple-leafs-apology.html)

I think this is one of those cases where it would have been better to just let their actions speak rather than issuing this wussy apology. It's as bad as Gretzky crying when he was traded to LA, or Todd Bertuzzi's press conference apology (and tears) for his assault on Steve Moore.

'Sorry' doesn't cut it. (Words are easier than actually doing something though, especially when they've already got the paid for 'bums in seats'.)

This seems so counter-intuitive. You'd think they'd do that if the Leafs lost.

I just think there's going to be so much pent-up emotion that things will get just a wee bit crazy.

I just think there's going to be so much pent-up emotion that things will get just a wee bit crazy.

Well, hopefully the Jays will win the World Series the year before the Leafs win the Stanley Cup. That way, some of this "pent up energy" will be spent. Throw in the Argos and Raptors winning as well, and you will have something similar to NYC in 1969 with the Mets and Jets winning the World Series and Super Bowl.

I just think there's going to be so much pent-up emotion that things will get just a wee bit crazy.
Either that or just an adolescent excuse to wreck what others spent years building.

The two reasons aren't mutually exclusive. People get carried away. Add booze and watch it spiral out of control. Just sayin'. Hey, I'd love to see the Leafs take the cup again before I go to my grave.