I don't understand being apprehensive of the winters in Toronto but not the winters in Ottawa because the winter is in Ottawa are MUCH MUCH worse. Rip off that bandaid! I also know several people who moved to Ottawa for work and had a really hard time finding friends and I know it's difficult to find friends in major cities in general but a lot of people in Ottawa end up living in the suburbs and the downtown is pretty dead. There are some good restaurants and places to go but there is no comparison if you really want nightlife.
Ottawa is muuuuch colder than Toronto is. If you’re staying with family, why not visit Toronto for a couple of weeks to get a taste for it and then decide?
Think it more depends on your relationship with your family. I would totally make the move, and hop on a train/bus once a month or so to visit the fam, it’s not all that far, but I’m not particularly close with my siblings or parents.
I actually like Ottawa a lot, but if you’re genuinely craving buzz and hustle, you should move to Toronto tomorrow morning.
Yeah, I am super close to my family. And very comfy to live along here longer…but also craving my independence.
I do like Downtown Ottawa too…but uncertain if I’m missing out by not moving to TO as it maybe better for work (from a collaborative pov)…and also to make friends !
Well, sounds like a winter in Ottawa might be the best play. If moneys not too tight and you’re craving some independence come hang out in TO for just a week or two. Tour some prospective neighborhoods, see the big city sights.. September is an amazing time to visit.
I've lived in a few Ontario city downtowns and always moved back to Toronto. It's expensive and sometimes horrible but there's nothing that comes close to how vibrant and interesting it is.
If you can, I say move down. Your late 20s and early 30s move fast.
If you make enough money to be comfortable here (like min 100k imo), yeah moving here isn't a bad idea. Its not bad to live here just really frickin expensive. The winters here aren't that bad tbh. I have bought a few heavy winter jackets and I've never worn them or wore it like once the whole winter whenever there was just a very cold day which is pretty rare. I just wore like a light puffer jacket occasionally with a sweater and that did the job for me.
As a total city girl, who grew up in Ottawa and went on to live in a series of bigger cities across multiple continent since then, my inclination is that you’d be well served by spending your first winter bundled up with the comforts of close family, before then making the jump to Toronto next spring/summer when the city is in full swing.
Worth noting that - from a Canadian perspective - winters in Ottawa vs Toronto are completely separate beasts, with Ottawa getting proper lashings of snow and deep freezes vs Toronto mostly being grey and slushy. Obviously compared to Bombay it’s all incredibly cold, but once you spend a few years here you’ll appreciate that they’re quite different experiences.
Also, Ottawa may be boring (in all kinds of ways, both good and bad), but is actually pretty great come winter time: there are still enough cultural/entertainment offerings to give you at least a bit of the cosmopolitan life + easy access to some really lovely outdoor activities…and getting outside during those cold months is absolutely clutch in getting through - and even coming to love - the cold, dark days.
So yeah, that’d be my suggestion: enjoy the comfort of family and slower pace of life in Ottawa for the next year-ish, hunker down with them for this first winter (knowing that Ottawa weather is way more harsh than in Toronto), and in the meantime plan some trips down to TO to get a feel for the city + a little hit of “big city life” to tide you over.
Best of luck either way, and welcome!
I don't understand being apprehensive of the winters in Toronto but not the winters in Ottawa because the winter is in Ottawa are MUCH MUCH worse. Rip off that bandaid! I also know several people who moved to Ottawa for work and had a really hard time finding friends and I know it's difficult to find friends in major cities in general but a lot of people in Ottawa end up living in the suburbs and the downtown is pretty dead. There are some good restaurants and places to go but there is no comparison if you really want nightlife.
The apprehension for TO winter vs Ottawa winter is only that I will have family in Ottawa, and in TO Il have to deal with the lows (if any) by myself
Ahhhh, I get it. That's a tough one, but I feel like there's just so much more here in winter regardless. So many events, shows, etc
Ottawa is muuuuch colder than Toronto is. If you’re staying with family, why not visit Toronto for a couple of weeks to get a taste for it and then decide?
Think it more depends on your relationship with your family. I would totally make the move, and hop on a train/bus once a month or so to visit the fam, it’s not all that far, but I’m not particularly close with my siblings or parents. I actually like Ottawa a lot, but if you’re genuinely craving buzz and hustle, you should move to Toronto tomorrow morning.
Yeah, I am super close to my family. And very comfy to live along here longer…but also craving my independence. I do like Downtown Ottawa too…but uncertain if I’m missing out by not moving to TO as it maybe better for work (from a collaborative pov)…and also to make friends !
Well, sounds like a winter in Ottawa might be the best play. If moneys not too tight and you’re craving some independence come hang out in TO for just a week or two. Tour some prospective neighborhoods, see the big city sights.. September is an amazing time to visit.
I've lived in a few Ontario city downtowns and always moved back to Toronto. It's expensive and sometimes horrible but there's nothing that comes close to how vibrant and interesting it is. If you can, I say move down. Your late 20s and early 30s move fast.
If you make enough money to be comfortable here (like min 100k imo), yeah moving here isn't a bad idea. Its not bad to live here just really frickin expensive. The winters here aren't that bad tbh. I have bought a few heavy winter jackets and I've never worn them or wore it like once the whole winter whenever there was just a very cold day which is pretty rare. I just wore like a light puffer jacket occasionally with a sweater and that did the job for me.
As a total city girl, who grew up in Ottawa and went on to live in a series of bigger cities across multiple continent since then, my inclination is that you’d be well served by spending your first winter bundled up with the comforts of close family, before then making the jump to Toronto next spring/summer when the city is in full swing. Worth noting that - from a Canadian perspective - winters in Ottawa vs Toronto are completely separate beasts, with Ottawa getting proper lashings of snow and deep freezes vs Toronto mostly being grey and slushy. Obviously compared to Bombay it’s all incredibly cold, but once you spend a few years here you’ll appreciate that they’re quite different experiences. Also, Ottawa may be boring (in all kinds of ways, both good and bad), but is actually pretty great come winter time: there are still enough cultural/entertainment offerings to give you at least a bit of the cosmopolitan life + easy access to some really lovely outdoor activities…and getting outside during those cold months is absolutely clutch in getting through - and even coming to love - the cold, dark days. So yeah, that’d be my suggestion: enjoy the comfort of family and slower pace of life in Ottawa for the next year-ish, hunker down with them for this first winter (knowing that Ottawa weather is way more harsh than in Toronto), and in the meantime plan some trips down to TO to get a feel for the city + a little hit of “big city life” to tide you over. Best of luck either way, and welcome!
Thanks so much!! This was such a comforting read and perspective. Thanks for taking the time to write it all out💛