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Crime rate in Toronto?
- Thread starter kamanwu
- Start date
Eug
Senior Member
I guess you've never seen someone pull a gun before here then. I haven't either, but my GF has.
Toronto isn't inner-city Baltimore or whatever, but it's foolish to think Toronto is so safe that it doesn't matter where you live.
You could overpay in just about any neighbourhood. And paying more in one neighbourhood vs. another doesn't necessarily mean overpaying either.
I personally would have no problem living in an area like Cabbagetown. However, I know lots of people who never ever consider it, because many areas close to it are so sketchy. That's a completely rational take on things IMO, because, well, those areas ARE sketchy. If they don't like sketchy, then they can pay to go somewhere else. Nothing wrong with that.
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SunriseChampion
Senior Member
One must be careful referring to something or someone as 'sketchy'.
'Sketch' or 'sketchy' is a term with a whole host of meanings.
Parkdale sketch vs Jane-Finch sketch, for example.
Crackhead sketch vs tweaker sketch, for example.
Coors Light sketch vs Bud Light sketch, for example.
Know what I mean?
Some sketchy situations aren't as bad as others.
I, for one, would much rather be surrounded by crackheads on the streets than a bunch of gangbangers. Believe it or not, crackheads are much more predictable and stable. Though, I have lived in Parkdale and Rexdale in the last 5 years, and so might be a little too familiar with both scenarios.
'Sketch' or 'sketchy' is a term with a whole host of meanings.
Parkdale sketch vs Jane-Finch sketch, for example.
Crackhead sketch vs tweaker sketch, for example.
Coors Light sketch vs Bud Light sketch, for example.
Know what I mean?
Some sketchy situations aren't as bad as others.
I, for one, would much rather be surrounded by crackheads on the streets than a bunch of gangbangers. Believe it or not, crackheads are much more predictable and stable. Though, I have lived in Parkdale and Rexdale in the last 5 years, and so might be a little too familiar with both scenarios.
Eug
Senior Member
I agree completely.
My point was however, that many people wouldn't want to deal with the crackhead sketchiness or even the beer drunk sketchiness either.
While I would like living in Cabbagetown (and looked there when I was looking for a home), there are a heluvalot of people in Toronto who on purpose don't live in neighbourhoods like that because of the next-door sketch. It's a very different experience walking down Parliament vs. walking down Bayview.
This is the type of person who might actually benefit from picking a list of very low crime rate neighbourhoods and restricting themselves to those... if they can afford the price premium.
Where I live, my immediate neighbourhood is very safe, but the shopping area 1 km away can sometimes a little bit sketchy. It's been like that for quite some time and there are some very low rent apts. with a few druggies. However, despite the fact it's been that way for a long time, and despite the fact that the drunks usually didn't hassle people, the vast majority of the neighbourhood cheered when the Beer Store was shut down, because all the drunks hanging out in front of it disappeared too.
People generally don't buy/rent near sketch because they enjoy the sketch. They buy/rent near sketch because they like the lower prices.
My point was however, that many people wouldn't want to deal with the crackhead sketchiness or even the beer drunk sketchiness either.
While I would like living in Cabbagetown (and looked there when I was looking for a home), there are a heluvalot of people in Toronto who on purpose don't live in neighbourhoods like that because of the next-door sketch. It's a very different experience walking down Parliament vs. walking down Bayview.
This is the type of person who might actually benefit from picking a list of very low crime rate neighbourhoods and restricting themselves to those... if they can afford the price premium.
Where I live, my immediate neighbourhood is very safe, but the shopping area 1 km away can sometimes a little bit sketchy. It's been like that for quite some time and there are some very low rent apts. with a few druggies. However, despite the fact it's been that way for a long time, and despite the fact that the drunks usually didn't hassle people, the vast majority of the neighbourhood cheered when the Beer Store was shut down, because all the drunks hanging out in front of it disappeared too.
People generally don't buy/rent near sketch because they enjoy the sketch. They buy/rent near sketch because they like the lower prices.
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GraphicMatt
Looking forward to a FRESH START for Toronto
Particularly downtown, I find the notion of 'sketchy areas' has become increasingly kind of hilarious, when you consider how close these areas are to nice areas.
When your sketchy areas are often less than 100 metres away from more desirable areas, you have to wonder how bad things can really be.
When your sketchy areas are often less than 100 metres away from more desirable areas, you have to wonder how bad things can really be.
drone
Active Member
4 people shot on Falstaff last night (jane and wilson)
that's sketchy
that's sketchy
fiendishlibrarian
Active Member
Jane and Wilson has been sketchy for the better part of 20 years. No news there.
Eug
Senior Member
Sometimes pretty bad, depending on your perpective. Drug deals, scummy guys looking for prosties, drunks hanging around on the corner, etc. It's not people-getting-shot-every-day type bad, but for many people that's still quite bad.
It's pretty easy to imagine a mother not wanting to take her 12 year-old daughter and the dog for a walk past this sort of stuff.
A friend in Cabbagetown wonders if the local crack house was torched. The entire neighbourhood hated one house because it was at the edge of Cabbagetown and served the local druggies. And then suddenly it burnt down.
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Therion
Senior Member
Admiral Beez
Superstar
I've lived in Cabbagetown for almost ten years since 1998 (lived in NB from 2004-2007, then moved back) and I can attest that this area is great living.
I strongly believe that your odds of even seeing a gun, let alone being a victim of gun violence are slight in downtown Toronto. This is especially the case for everyone that is not in the the very specific crime demographic of black, male, of Caribbean descent aged 17-30. Just look in the media of who's getting killed and shot in Toronto and you almost always see this demographic. Everyone else in Toronto of all colours, origins, genders and ages will live their entire lives in Toronto without experiencing any gun violence.
Do you remember a few months ago when some Tamils killed another Tamil with cricket bats. Criket bats of all things, but not guns.
kettal
Banned
Guns shmuns. You only have to take a few steps out of Cabbagetown at night and you will be hounded by drunks and prostitutes.
Admiral Beez
Superstar
While public drunkeness and solicitation are indeed against the law, I do not think that was the original poster meant by "crime rate in Toronto".
Eug
Senior Member
I like the area, and in fact looked for a house in the area. However, I can take the sketchiness. (In the end I moved elsewhere, since when I was looking the houses for sale didn't turn my crank, yet were still getting bidding wars. I didn't want to overpay for a house that wasn't in love with.)
Many people simply wouldn't tolerate that level of sketchiness. I happen to work with several people who would never consider living there for that reason.
And there's nothing wrong with that.
My GF didn't experience any gun violence, as in didn't get shot, nor saw anyone get shot, but did see a gun drawn in broad daylight in downtown Toronto, within about 10 feet of her.
A colleague of mine's dad was robbed at gunpoint in a store on Kingston Road.
Both are bad obviously. Not too many angry Tamils with cricket bats hanging around the Bridle Path. Same goes with 20-somethings with guns.
Not that I'm saying I'd want to live in the Bridle Path, but it does illustrate why someone else might want to.
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taal
Senior Member
Talking about gun violence, or other extremely violet forms of crime is rater mute. The % of these crimes committed against innocent bystanders (even accidentally) is so astonishingly low ... that's not to say it doesn't happen. It's probably low enough it doesn't mater where you, it's just as likely.
Other forums of crimes, or sketchiness, that's a completely different story.
I can see why some won't wouldn't to raise kids in parts of the dowtownish area ... not so much for the 'crime' they're encounter but more what they'll be exposed to. By this I mean prostitution, drug deals, homelessness?
Your argument about the later point is quite valid - but if you stop and thinking about, it works in the favour of people who want to live in the area
by this I mean it helps keep prices down, slightly, maybe ...
Other forums of crimes, or sketchiness, that's a completely different story.
I can see why some won't wouldn't to raise kids in parts of the dowtownish area ... not so much for the 'crime' they're encounter but more what they'll be exposed to. By this I mean prostitution, drug deals, homelessness?
Your argument about the later point is quite valid - but if you stop and thinking about, it works in the favour of people who want to live in the area
by this I mean it helps keep prices down, slightly, maybe ...Eug
Senior Member
^^^ The area where I live is very safe. Lots of joggers, recreational bicycle riders and people walking friendly dogs, and it's close to a popular and safe park.
The shopping is 1 km away, but sucks royally, so it's a waste of time to shop there for most stuff. Scummy in some ways too.
So, if I think the local shopping sucks and some of the stores are scummy, why did I move there?
Because the prices are very attractive. My immediate neighbourhood (< 0.5 km radius) is very nice, and the prices are very reasonable.
Same goes for parts of Cabbagetown.
However, it seems some people are eager to recommend places like Cabbagetown, without mentioning any of the caveats, like what has been mentioned in this thread.
The shopping is 1 km away, but sucks royally, so it's a waste of time to shop there for most stuff. Scummy in some ways too.
So, if I think the local shopping sucks and some of the stores are scummy, why did I move there?
Because the prices are very attractive. My immediate neighbourhood (< 0.5 km radius) is very nice, and the prices are very reasonable.
Same goes for parts of Cabbagetown.
However, it seems some people are eager to recommend places like Cabbagetown, without mentioning any of the caveats, like what has been mentioned in this thread.
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