Continously Exploring Toronto

So much to do, and I'll try to hit on as much of it as possible. Maybe a little less of the touristy stuff, and uncover some lesser known attractions.

Quick Tips:

Don't be afraid to take the plunge. Toronto is the most multi-cultural city in the world and if you let yourself be initimidated and shy away from ethnic restaurants, festivals, amd neighbourhoods you will miss out out on the best thing about Toronto. Be assured that Toronto's ethnic populations are generally not self contained ethno-centrics and will be happy if not eager to let you taste their food, experience their culture, etc.

Best Way To Get Around:

Toronto is quite spread out. Public transit works well getting you to and from downtown, as well as getting you around downtown. Walking downtown is also a good way to get around, and generally safe. But outside of the downtown core driving becomes a better option. Taxis are good, but a little expensive if you're on your own.

Conveniently located on Queen St. west near attractions like "The Paramount" (big movie theatre), the "MuchMusic" building, etc. This place is a good place to relax and people watch.

Your experience will vary a lot based on the time of year you visit. In winter you have to sit inside. The interior feels kind of bare and ordinary. The atmosphere really isn't much during the winter, unless you know people. But in the summer the outdoor patio is almost always teeming with people and has a great atmosphere. Just as much for the people walking by on Queen St. as the people on the patio itself.

The food here is not spectacular. Go for the nachos or the chicken club if you do try something. But just having a few pints and socializing is a better option. A lot of good imports and microbrews on tap. One of the finer tap selections in the city. Look out for Murphy's Amber and Waterloo Dark respectively.

The service is fairly good. The busyness of the place sometimes can make the service a little slow and less personal but that's understandable. When things are quiet, service here is quite good.

Late morning and early afternoon can be a fairly relaxing time to sit out on the patio and read or watch the day go by. Lunch can be busy, and in the evening is when the place comes alive.

All in all it's a good place to take a break when you're downtown if you enjoy a pint every now and then.

Excellent Mexican food! I highly recomend the chimichanga and enchilada dishes, but they're all good. Great lunch menu too, with good wraps and other tortilla dishes. I really dig the black bean soup. Also serves good maragaritas (extra cheap on Thursdays) and has a fun atmosphere.

The place does kind of have a cantina feel to it, especially in the front room. There's an heir of trendiness to it, which probably stems from the location. It is northernized Mexican food (more Tex-Mex), probably not authentic. But it is extremely good.

Quite easy to find. Less than a block east of Spadina on the south side of Queen. A 5 minute walk west on Queen from Osgoode subway station.

Well worth finding your way too. And it's located in an area your likely to visit anyway. If you go on a nice summer day you want to be on the patio in the back.

Open until 2 am Tues-Sat, 1am Sun-Mon

Out in Etobicoke near Kipling subway station, this place is a gem if you dig burger joints. Not the best burgers I've had, but pretty darn close. I recommend the Banquet burger, or the Apache if you're really hungry. But you can't really go wrong. The onion rings here have got to be the best in the city, and you get a lot of them. The place has a nice old school feel to it with good, to the point service. Just don't try to rock the boat and you're fine. The place feels a bit like a 50's diner. Check out the signed pictures from Brett Hull and Brendon Shanahan on the wall. The napkin dispenser up by the til is a nice touch, too. Well worth going to if you're in the area and you like a good burger.

This place does not look like they've changed a thing since the 60's. Definitely a cherished member of the neighborhood. Everyone in the area seems to stop in at Jonny's. The staff are talkative and fun to hassle. They're also quick and opinionated, often providing for good entertainment. The place is small with only a few benches inside. Most people take their food to go. Which makes the place good for people watching. There're picnic tables outback too for warm summer afternoons. The food is good, too. Good burgers, very good fries and onion rings, and incredible milkshakes. Well worth making the effort to stop in at if you're in this part of Scarborough.

To date the best burgers I've had in Toronto. You can tell that they use high quality meat, and no prepackaged stuff. I'd recommend the Homeburger combo. Comes with a mountain of fries.

The service here is incredibly good. Very friendly, and they go out of their way for their customers. If you go often they'll make the effort to know you.

The place is licensed too if you want a beer with your burger.

Feels and probably is a family owned operation that's withstood the onslaught of fast food chains and the like. It's easy to see why. If you're in the area it's well worth stopping in.

In the heart of Chinatown this is one of the nicest looking establishments. Housed in large, clean building with anice entry. This place specializes in fresh seafood. Check out the bass and lobster tanks when you come in! The dining area is large and spacious.

The food is quite tasty. In general quite excellent with very good service. A 6-8 course meal will run you between $20-30. And it's worth it. But I might have expected larger portions for that cost. Or maybe not, but I wouldn't say it's the best value for the dollar in the city. But that said it's very good food and the price is reasonable.

Try Dim Sum for $1.88 a dish. Quite enjoyable, and less expensive than the full out dinner. You can check the website at click here.

Also keep in mind that the management is quite good at going out of it's way to accomodate large groups. At least that's been my experience. They do catering too.

If you're downtown this is a great place to call for delivery. They are open quite late. Maybe the only drawback is you sometimes get someone on the phone who has trouble understanding you, but it usually works out.

I've never eaten there but have stopped by to pick food up. It was 1:30 am and the place was packed! It's one of the cleaner looking establishments along Spadina too. Good and quite authentic Chinese food.

I recomend the General Tso's chicken, or the Kung Pow. Also the "hot 'n sour" soup is quite good. The tofu is also very good if you dig tofu. All the staples too: rice, spring rolls, egg rolls, chicken balls. However pass on the Chow Mein, it's not quite what it should be.

This is a fine Vietnamese restaurant and a popular one. They in fact have two locations: one in Chinatown (Spadina) and another near by on Bloor across from the ROM.

The smiling bull of their logo is both welcoming and funny. I wish they sold t-shirts. The name translates as "Hung's Soup". And the soups here are top-notch. Not only are they good-tasting, but they come with a platter of crunchy bean sprouts, basil sprigs, and lime wedges. And you know when I say soup that's really an understatement. What you get is a cauldron of tasty broth, noodles, vegetables and/or meats (depending on what you ordered).

I'd also recommend the vermicelli dishes; they are light yet filling, and incredibly tasty. They come with a base layer of fresh vegetables in a gentle vinegar dressing, then a layer of rice vermicelli, and topped off with either grilled chicken or deliciously fragrant beef.

Popular with the 20 something crowd, the place is almost always full of energy. Oh, try the non-alcoholic fruit drinks/shakes, and of course you can't miss out on the green tea!

They do good take-out too. They package stuff quite well, so it stays fresh.

Not quite as trendy and a little more grubby than "Pho Hung". But that gives it a different feel that I found refreshing. Seems more popular with the Vietnamese population.

Anyhow the food here is incredibly good. If you're not scared off by having stuff like tripe and tendon in your soup, then the beef soups are the thing to get. They also do excellent spring rolls and good vermicelli dishes.

The choice of soups here is more extensive than I've found at any other similar restaurant. Made with high quality and very tasted stock. I could enjoy a bowl of broth on its own. The noodles are very good and fill the overly large bowls of soup nicely. And whether you get beef, vegetarian, or any other kind of soup here, you're going to leave full and happy. And of course they come with assorted fresh mint, sprouts, lemon wedges, etc. to make them taste even better.

I prefer the Gerrard location, but both are good. Take-out is alright here, but they don't seem to like to do it. If you've got the time you're better eating in.

This place had a nice casual atmosphere. It’s not that they don't try to be immaculate, with flowers, statues, plants, fine tablecloths, and all that. But this place has a comfortable laid-back feel.

The food is absolutely delicious. You really can't go wrong. I'm a big fan of the pork dishes such as the curry pork with watercress. But my best advice would be to go with a group of people and try a little of everything. Or better yet visit the lunch buffet, which is served Monday-Friday 11:30am-2:30pm.

Another favorite of mine at Young Thailand is the Thai ginger tea. And I suppose I could go on with what I like. But if you enjoy Thai food or want to give it a try, you couldn't do much better than this place. It’s just as good if not better than many of its pricier competitors.

There are multiple locations, with one at Queen and John, and the other at Yonge and Davisville. I like this one because it's sort of tucked away in a quiet part of downtown. I have yet to visit the place and find it overly busy. I've never found reservations necessary here. But I'd think you might need them at John St location, at least at peak meal times.

For more info visit their website.

This is just a small hole-in-the-wall place, but it’s not really your typical neighbourhood bar. There's an eclectic vibe to it that's kind of cool. It's a young crowd and the food is real good.

When you walk in, you'll see this tiny bar, tables crowded into asymmetrical spaces, and a sort of cozy but makeshift use of limited space. You may have not thought places like this even existed. But if you’re like me, all that stuff adds character.

They have a small on-tap collection of good beer. They often feature Toronto's own Amsterdam Brewing Co. They also have bottled beer. And they don't have fountain pop. So it's kind of funny to see piles of two-litre bottle and cans of pop behind the bar.

The food is real good. They serve excellent sandwiches as well as other good stuff. But it is a small menu. Their wings are baked and they're better than what you find most places.

I only know about the place because I have friends who live two doors down. And it is that sort of place. The service is laid-back and friendly, but sometimes so laid-back that it becomes slow. But don't let that bother you.

So if you get bored of all the high profile bars and pubs on Bloor, go to Ossington station and hop the 63 bus north to Davenport. It'll be a nice change of pace. And if you visit this place a few times, it will really grow on you.

This place used to have a dingy dive kind of feel that included cramped quarters and a dark dining area. However, the food was excellent and the service fast. Even though it was always packed you left feeling that you'd discovered a hidden gem.

Well, they've remodeled. It doesn't seem hidden anymore with its bright entrance on Gould Street. It's well lit inside now, too. And I think they have more space. They certainly make better use of their space now.

While they probably needed to make these improvements---and most people probably appreciate the new layout more---now the restaurant feels like what it is. An extremely popular place with good, affordable food that is almost always packed.

Located just off of Yonge Street on Gould Street (the next street north of Dundas). This place is conveniently close to Ryerson University as well as the big record shops. Which is why the place is always buzzing with a young crowd. But you'll see suits in here at lunch time, and really all sorts of people.

The popularity comes from the food. Which is tasty, good value, and served up quick. You can now sit at a table and be served by waiter/waitress. An improvement I don't like. You can also walk up to the counter and order take out.

The food is authentic Thai, at least as far as I know. I almost always go for the "Green Curry Beef". The curry is "homemade" and all of their curry dishes are incredible. But you won't go wrong here. Excellent soups, good vegetarian.

Where you may go wrong is with the spice. Heed their advice and don't go ask for more than 5 chili. And that's if you like incredibly hot food. 1 chili is about right for the average person. They rate their hotness by Thai standards not North American. Your server will be able to advise you if you're not quite sure.

I like the place for its food. I don't always feel up for the busy atmosphere. It sometimes has a "cool kid" vibe that I'd rather avoid, too. But that's easy enough to ignore. You can get in and out of here fast, too, if that's what you're going for.

If you want a relaxed laid back meal you may want to look elsewhere. Unless you come outside of the main meal times. One of those places that's busier on weekdays than weekends. It's not even open on Sunday.

No longer the hidden gem that I liked to pretend it was. But a great place to get a good, quick meal nonetheless.

For specific information check out their website.

Beer aficionados will love this place. Well over thirty beers on tap, all craft brewed, or at least from a microbrewery. Some of them cask conditioned, and some nitro dispensed. People come just for the beer.

Plus it's the perfect setting to down a few pints. Soft lighting, couches, weird art on the wall. Very laid back atmosphere. Comfortable, too.

The food is also great, also worth visiting for on its own. I'm partial to the lamburger. Incredibly good. But they make a wicked shepherd's pie. And the lemongrass noodles are quite good. The menu is eclectic. Good use of fresh ingredients. Nothing boring.

Their antojitos make for excellent finger food. You could become addicted quickly. They're these bite sized, stuffed tortillas, with olives and cream cheese in them. Many other good appetizers and snack foods. I really dig their salsa (that comes with tortilla chips) as a light snack.

They go all out too with good steak, porter beef ribs, chicken tikka, and several good entrees. I really dig their souvlaki.

Every time I go here I wonder why I don't go more often. Good service, laid back atmosphere, excellent food. It can feel perfect sometimes.

Weeknights can be busy due to "Nia" the live music venue upstairs which is, I guess, just an extension of C'est What? Sometime maybe I'll check it out and review it separately.

Tucked away in Kensington Market, you will miss it if you’re not looking for it, and if you are you still might. But then, it's also the type of place you might stumble onto. Tiny little storefront on Augusta.

Inside it's a pleasant little place. Cheery, but no air conditioning means it's quite hot in the summer. But who cares? The food is terrific!

You won't go wrong here, it's the real deal when it comes to Mexican food. I'm told that the tacos Al Pastor are just like what you'd get in Mexico City. Tender marinated pork and pineapple chunks topped with minced coriander and onion and a squirt of lime, they are undoubtedly the best "tacos" I've ever had.

On the table will be two sauces, both tomatillo-based. The green is jalapeno and I think a little hotter. The red, well more like rust colour, is a chipotle. The green went nicely with the pineapple in my tacos el pastor. But they're both delicious. You can mix them too, still very good.

The quesadillas are incredible and the fajitas are a level above any I've had elsewhere. The flan dessert is good too! I probably need to go to more authentic Mexican places because everything I tasted here impressed me so much.

But that's the point, if you want to try some real Mexican food, this is a good place to do it.

Try one of their specialty drinks as well. Very good. Oh, but don't get the wrong impression - the place is non-licensed. Still, good drinks.

The service is good. The first time I wondered if we got the preferential treatment because my friend is Mexican. But I went back another time by myself and the service was still good.

Maybe a little overpriced for the portions you get. But for me it was so good that it was well worth it. And it wasn't at all outrageous. I mean how many authentic Mexican restaurants are you going to find in Canada anyway?

This is Toronto's front room. The curved glass and concrete towers of City Hall fronted by a nice square with elevated walkways and fountains. In the winter the fountains are frozen to form a skating rink. It was built in the 60's and still looks impressive if not a little tacky. I still dig the old City Hall across the street. Nathan Phillips Square can be a nice place to spend a couple of hours. There's a nice little cafe in City Hall whose patio extends right onto the square. Look out to for the Winston Churchill statue and "speaker's corner" on the southwest corner of the square. It's rarely used.

In the winter the place becomes quite a popular place for public skating. Skate rental is $5 and you can rent locker space. At Christmas time the lights here are very impressive and the place can feel magical in the evening. The ice here isn't always in good shape, quite wet and slushy. It's used so much and the cooling system doesn't always keep up with rising temperatures.
If at Nathan Phillips Square in the evening take a look at the benches that encircle the exterior of the square and the outside walls of the City Hall building. There quietly and out of the spotlight will be countless homeless people who are actually tolerated and allowed to sleep here. If you feel up to it you can often strike up many an interesting conversation with such people. It can be a great and eye opening way to spend an evening.

Also late at night you may catch guys playing hockey after the rink closes to public skating. In late winter there's a big outdoor hockey tournament that runs round the clock for close to a week. Countless other public events often take place at nathan Phillips Square.

If you want to get an upclose look at the Leafs and Raptors new digs aside from seeing a game at the ACC, well you may want to take a guided tour. This facility is amongst the most impressive of the new sporting venues built in North America recently. Making for an interesting tour. They run daily at 11,noon,1,2, and 3. They cost $10 for adults, $7 for children, and $8 for students and seniors.

The tour is interesting enough taking you through this immaculate facility. You'll get to go inside Tie Domi's private box, one of the platinum suites, the Raptors practice facility, the Leafs hall of fame, the various restaurants, and all sorts of other places. When the Leafs are away you sometimes get to see their dressing room. Getting a view of the visitors dress room is more likely.

The tour leans more towards the hockey operations, but does include the basketball side of things too. It is indeed quite interesting and a decent way to kill an hour or two.

If you are able to get tickets to a Leafs game you've done well. This has got to be the hardest ticket to get in the NHL. This city follows the Leafs religiously win or lose. That, and a large wealthy corporate base, has allowed the Leafs to continually raise their prices and still sell out the entire season before it begins.

Anyhow once you've got a ticket you're in for an experience you won't forget. This place was built for hockey. Everything in the building says so. The ACC is immaculate. Take note of the corporate types who sit in the lower sections near the ice. They've all got private boxes under the seats to retreat to between periods!

Concessions here are very good. As are the sightlines. You'll get a good view of the action no matter where you are seated (with the exception of a small handfull of seats near the wall, the tickets say obstructed view on them). The atmosphere is fun too. However the steep price and sheer difficulty of getting tickets mean that some of the most passionate fans are watching the game at the local pub and not the ACC. But the place is always full and the crowd extremely knowledgable when it comes to hockey. That said it doesn't get as loud here as it does at some other NHL venues. Except for playoff games when the corporate suits who hold the majority of the tickets decide it's ok to chear and let loose. But there is always that special event feel at every game, playoffs or not.

All in all a great experience and if you have the chance it's a "must do" when you're in Toronto.

Like the Maple Leafs, the Raptors sell out a lot. However you can usually get tickets for Raptors games within a few days of games, sometimes even the day of. Although important games and weekend games do sell out well in advance.

The crowd at a Raptors game is younger and often more energetic than what you'll get a Leafs game. Quite fun. This is probably at least somewhat due to the fact that the average fan can still actually get tickets to a game easily when it comes to the Raptors.

Look out for the "Sprite Zone" tickets. These are dirt cheap and a good deal. However you have to put up with the "Sprite Zone Cheerleaders" who are suppossed to make this a fun place to sit and add to the game. But frankly if you care about actually watching the game, they will be more annoying than anything.

The Air Canada Centre is an incredible facility and it's often at it's loudest when the Raptors take the floor. Well worth taking in.

Full of life and energy this little nighbourhood just west of the financial district is as enjoyable a place as any to enjoy the city's history and a piece of it's soul.

Everything radiates from the market itself, located in two buildings. The newer north building is located on the northwest corner of Jarvis & Front, while the older more impressive south building occupies the southwest corner.

The market has been here since 1803 and during its 200 year history what is now the old south market building has been Toronto's seat of government, a police station, and a jail. If you visit the market gallery in the south building you'll see a nice collection of historical photos, well worth it.

The rest of the south building is full of butchers, fishmongers, cheese vendors, fruit vendor, etc. Just to stroll through the busy market is enjoyable whether you're buying or not. Don't miss the second floor either with it's array of specialty shops. The large terrace that surrounds the second floor is a great place to sit and enjoy it all.

The newer building across the street hosts the famous farmer's market (spilling right on to the streets) on Saturday mornings and flee markets Sunday mornings. As well as many other special event. Check out www.stlawrencemarket.com for schedule of events.

From the market itself you have a number of choices. If you proceed down Front street towards the skyscrapers you'll pass many fine pubs and restaurants, some in elegant old buildings.

If stroll east down the Esplanade from the south end of the market, you'll find yourself in some of the city's most enjoyable green space. Lined on each side by schools, apartments, housing coops, community buildings, etc. these parks are beautiful places to sit and people watch. Kids playing, people out walking their dogs, etc. The westward views are incredible. To walk all the way down the Esplanade is quite a pleasant stroll and the sandwhich shop on the north side of the street at the end of the journey is a nice reward.

If you head north of the market on Jarvis you will see some nice historical sights. At the corner of King and Jarvis lies the elegant St. Lawrence Hall. Built in the 1850's as a meeting place for the growing city, this building is small but definitely eye catching. The clock tower is particularly beutiful.

Just across the street is probably Toronto's most impressive church building in St. James Anglican Cathedral. It has wonderfully maintained gardens to walk about and enjoy the the building from the outside. Or you can enjoy it from the inside. For tour information check out www.stjamescathedral.com

If you proceed north on Church street you will see some more of Toronto's old churches.

All in all whether you want to shop, eat, explore the city's history, or just sit back and let it all pass you by. St. Lawrence is a very pleasant place to do so.

10 years ago the Blue Jays were one of the most successful franchises in major league baseball. They had this new stadium that was on the cutting edge of stadium technology, were setting attendance records, and winning World Series' (1992, 1993). My how things have changed! The team hasn't contended for a title in years, the fans stay away, and most people think the the stadium sucks. Anyhow let's break down what you may like or dislike if you were to venture out to Sky Dome to watch a game.

The building still is impressive. The retractable roof and the huge jumbotron out in centre field are still cool. You may find yourself watching the jumbotron more than the actual live action.

If you like baseball it's still fun. And the Jays generally do have reasonably exciting teams. I love to watch Vernon Wells and Carlos Delgado play. That said the stadium feels like a fishbowl. Turf not grass. And there isn't the sense of baseball tradition most ballparks tend to promote.

The whole marketing approach here is annoying. All sorts of lame gimmicks and sound effects throughout the game. At the 7th inning stretch they sing this cheesy homegrown song called "OK Bluejays" in favour of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame". They finally caved and now sing both.

They use fireworks after Jays players hit homeruns too. Not sure if I like that or not. Concessions are average to below average. Go for the hot dog vendors outside for real value and good food. The Dome is easy to get to with a direct walkway from Union station.

First timers tend to be impressed by the Sky Dome, once you've been a few time you start to wish the city had someplace else to house the Jays. My recomendation is if you have a chance to visit a MLB ballpark in another city go for that and don't worry about Sky Dome. If this is your only chance to see MLB baseball than by all means go for it. I go solely because I love to watch baseball.

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is Toronto's public transit system and unless you want to sweat the traffic it's your best way to get around. The system incorporates three subway lines, streetcars, buses, and an LRT extension.

The TTC will be most useful for you for the following:

1) If you are concentrating all or almost all of your visit on the downtown core. If this is the case don't even bother with a car. Streetcars and subways come often and will take you anywhere you want to go. And travelling this way will save the cost and hassle of parking. Plus driving downtown can be confusing and frustrating with all its "no left turn" intersections, one way streets, and the high volume of traffic.

2) If you are commuting to and from downtown frequently. No matter where you are staying, it will probably be just as easy, if not easier, to drive or bus to a subway station and then take a train downtown. The system is set up well for this and it is almost always a preferable option to driving downtown yourself. The exception would be if you plan to be returning after 2am, in which case the subway may have stopped running.

The park and drive option works well from Finch, York Mills, Yorkdale, Wilson, Keele, Islington, Kipling, Victoria Park, Warden, Kenedy, Lawrence East, and Ellesmere stations. There is also parking at Eglinton station. The parking fees vary a little but are generally between $3-$6. Free on weekends and evenings.

3) If you're non-downtown activities are centred on or near the subway lines. This would be anything along Yonge street, Bloor Avenue, The Danforth, Yorkdale Mall Area, and the Scarborough Town area.

However, the TTC becomes less convenient when you have to venture away from the subway lines away from downtown. Buses do run and will get you almost anywhere you want to go. However, they don't always come frequently (particularly outside of rush hours) and can make a simple trip more time consuming and draining than it's worth, particularly for long journeys. Example: travelling from north Scarborough to north Etobicoke will take you 30-45 minutes driving, but close to 2 hours on TTC.

Out here, away from the downtown core, driving is a lot less nerve wracking and parking much more plentiful. Thus, driving becomes a more viable action. When I say away from downtown I'm talking about the areas north of Bloor, West of the Don Valley Parkway, and East of Bathhurst. It seems that the further afield you go in these directions, the less frequent the buses become. With the exception of a few main routes.

Rates run as follows:

$2.75 single fare for an adult. This includes limitless transfers, meaning that you can almost always get wherever you are going for the price of one fare. You will soon learn that the system is configured in such a way that you can often go from one TTC vehicle to another without needing a transfer. But until you get the hang of this always ask for a transfer from the bus or streetcar driver just to be sure. In subway stations there are red automated transfer dispensers, usually located just inside the turnstiles.

Also of note: When riding buses or street cars you must have exact fare as drivers are unable to make change. At subway stations you can pay with inexact change at the turnstiles, though it's not always quick or convenient.

You can save a little on these fares by buying tokens at subway stations or tickets at various TTC kiosks around the city. When you buy them this way it will work out to $2.10, but you will have to buy several at once.

A day pass is $7.50, and is good value. It allows you to ride the TTC as often as you need or want to on the given day. Just to do the math, you would need to ride the TTC more three times or more during the day in order to make it worthwhile. This pass will also limit the hassle of transfers too, which is quite nice. You can get these at subway stations. Not worth the cost unless you will be using the TTC at least 42 times during your stay is the monthly metro pass at $93.50.

The system itself is well run. Stations are clean and the vehicles well-kept. A really nice touch is the streetcars that still zip along the streets south of Bloor.

The system is also fairly safe. They've gone out of their way to make it so. If concerned about safety you'll want to know the following information:

1) At subway stations wait at the clearly marked DWA areas. These areas are video monitored and have an emergency assistance apparatus on the wall where you can call for help. By both activating an alarm and/or talking to the security guards on duty via intercom.

On the end walls of the subway platforms are emergency levers that you can pull if someone were to fall onto the tracks. This lever, when pulled cuts all power to oncoming trains and summons the TTC emergency response team.

2) On board the actual subway, please note the yellow emergency assistance bar just below all the advertising. When touched, it stops the train and summons help.

3) On buses and after dark you can request to be dropped anywhere along the bus route. The idea being to eliminate long walks home late at night.

All this said, the subways feel safe and generally they are. So far they've been free of the levels of crime often associated with the subway systems of some other cities.

For more information on exact routes, times, links to other transit systems (i.e. neighbouring cities and GO Transit) check out the extremely thorough website at www.ttc.ca.

If you visit downtown Toronto at all it won't take you long to notice a number of homeless people hanging around sidewalks, city parks, public spaces, etc. You may see them sleeping, panhandling, or just passing time.

You'll generally find that most people either toss them a little change or else walk right by. In fact most people tolerate or even ignore them in such a way that it must feel quite dehumanizing for the homeless person.

A few pointers on interacting with homeless people if you want to do so. It's best if you don't want to give any money to at least say something to the person such as "sorry not today". Just to acknowledge their presence. You'll often get a friendly response back. If you want to help a homeless person it's often better to buy them something rather than give them money. At least if you're concerned about what your money will be spent on. If they are panhandling for drug money it will become obvious when they turn down your offers to buy them a coffee or whatever it is that they are telling you that they need the money for. You will find some homeless people pleasant to talk to and surprisingly normal. In fact most homeless people are normal people who've fallen victim to abnormal circumstances. Others are mentally unstable (sometimes more as a result of their situation than the cause). And of course there are the addicts and alcoholics. This latter group is best to stay away from when it's apparent that they've been using.

Another tip is not to go overboard. There are a lot of scams out there and if you become overly generous you could be taken advantage of. If you're looking for a good way to get involved in productively helping/learning about the situation, you're better off contacting a religious or community-based organization that does that sort of thing. Many of them run sandwich runs, street walks, feeding programs, etc which are designed to let you both help homeless people and learn more about them.

It is said that Toronto has the most visible homeless problem of any city in the western world. Estimates as to their numbers range from 8,000-60,000. Obviously not an easy number to pin down. The 8,000 number comes from the number of shelter beds available in the city, and everyone knows that there are more homeless people than that.

The question I guess is why? Why so many, why are they so visible. The easier question to answer is in regards to the visibility. Toronto does not have a large slum area, such as the "south side" in Chicago for example, where drug activity, crime, low property value, etc. are commonplace. There are a few neighbourhoods, but not a large area. So the homeless people can either congregate in one of the many nice residential areas or downtown. So while the city doesn't want them downtown, it's better than the alternative. Thus they all congregate downtown where the businessman and the tourists see them.

Toronto's vagrancy laws are also not very strictly enforced. Call it compassion, call it tolerance, but however you slice it, property owners, law enforcement, and in fact the general public have come to put up with the presence of homeless people in the downtown core.

The other issue is the incredibly high cost of housing in Toronto. There has been little to no low income housing built in the city since 1993, and high demand for housing has driven the prices of even simple apartments/rooms through the roof, the result being that social assistance is often not enough for a person to rent a place in the city. And low-end jobs don't fit the bill either. Especially if a person has trouble managing money, gambling problems, addictions, high child support payments, etc. In other cities where housing is cheaper, Montreal for example, a would-be homeless person can aford cheap housing with their welfare check or low-end job. So though they may live a lifestyle of drug/alcohol abuse, mismanagement of money, not being able to take care of themselves, etc, they do at least have a roof over their head. In Toronto all of these people wind up on the street or in the shelters.

Anyway one could go on and on trying to figure this problem out. And evidently local governments have tried and been unable to. But it is a growing problem. The numbers continue to grow and solutions to the problem aren't quick in coming. The city and province have invested millions of dollars on programs and services over the past several years. But the problem continues to grow. There are now institutionalized homeless who simply move from shelter to shelter and live off of city-run programs without showing any signs of breaking the cycle. So now some say the problem is that there's too much in the way of services for homeless people and that they're becoming too comfortable with their situation. There's the theory that this in fact attracts homeless people to the city.

Whatever the answers (I have my own ideas about that) the realities are this: Toronto has a growing and visible homeless problem. And for a city as prosperous and as full of resources as Toronto, one would hope that they could find a solution.