How safe is Toronto?

April 30th, 2006, 02:58 AM

My parents are refusing to let me go to Toronto because they don't feel it's a "safe" place to go and they say it's a foreign country blah blah blah. I'm going to be 20 soon so I don't think that's a problem.

So how safe of a place is Toronto actually? is it safe enough for a 19 year old girl or is it not that safe, but it's safer to go with someone?

April 30th, 2006, 06:35 AM

This is just my opinion,but I feel Toronto is safer than most any city or town in the USA

April 30th, 2006, 09:41 AM

Being from Utah, Walla Walla Washington may seem "unsafe" to you, comparatively speaking. Like any other place in the world, stay out of the rough areas.

April 30th, 2006, 09:48 AM

Totonto is full of eastern Canadians. Better to pack heat when there.

April 30th, 2006, 10:29 AM

Toronto is definitely safer than some of the big American cities like Washington or Detroit, but unfortunately there are a few areas now that have serious gang warfare and even cops I have talked to say they are nervous in these areas and feel that anarchy has hit. But any big city naturally starts having some social problems. We at least dont have as huge a gun problem as some of the US cities. Public transport is really very safe. What are you planning to do in Toronto?

April 30th, 2006, 10:57 AM

They just announced that an escaped, convicted rapist is hiding in good ole Toronto as we speak. Native american, shaved head, tattoo of knife on hand.

You'll be safe in Toronto unless you are stupid. If you walk around like a moron down dark alleys at night, you are not safe regardless of the town. It would be like any other city, do you have cities where you live? Are you allowed to go to them? If so, then you will be just as safe in Toronto.

It isn't how safe the city is... it's the smarts of the person walking around it that counts.

Toronto has some really cool stuff to see also. It is an amazing city and you don't want to not go. Yummy restaurants, cute young guys in suits, mmm.

April 30th, 2006, 11:03 AM

There is a board on lonely planet called thorn tree where you can get specific travel advice.

The hostel system in Canada is very good and you may want to try that as it has the advantage of almost immediate friends and security.

April 30th, 2006, 11:54 AM

I never had any problems in Toronto as a young single gal

April 30th, 2006, 04:41 PM

I think not
I've been to washington many times, and yes my parents don't even feel it's safe there.

fuzzylogix
I'm going to be up there to check out a couple of colleges, for vacation and to visit on of my friends and go to animenorth while i'm there.

GreenGreta
I have cities around where I live, but i'm only allowed to go to the ones that aren't that far away from where I live.

sanch
I've never heard of lonely board before?

Also since i'm on that topic is Oakville a safe place as well?

April 30th, 2006, 04:56 PM

Here is the link to the hostel. They are very safe and friendly.

http://www.hihostels.ca/hostels/Onta...els/index.html

This is the thorn tree which is a good resource for anywhere in the world.

http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/

April 30th, 2006, 06:06 PM

I was in Toronto only once. According to my friends and to my reseach, Toronto is much safer than any other north american city.

May 13th, 2006, 12:06 PM

to the Poster who asked about Oakville.

Oakville is a suburban town west of toronto and i have lived here for 28 years. I find it is extremely safe and a good place to live.

BUT unfortuately it is very boring. Yes they have a variety of pubs but their transit system is i shall say "mediocre"

To get home from a pub in downtwon oakville by bus you'd have to leave by 11:45pm to catch the last regular service bus. Taking a cab is expenisve (especially if you and your companion lives on separate sides of town)

it is a safe place to live - but if you want a place with decent nightlife & transit - Toronto is the place for that

May 13th, 2006, 12:38 PM

for nighlife - montreal.

May 13th, 2006, 12:48 PM

When our daughter was a young'un, we never wanted her to go anyplace because she was our daughter.

That's something all parents have to work through and get over.

We took a deep breath, and said "go for it". She did. Ottawa, London England, Scotland, Spain, Maritime provinces, Vancouver. She got jobs wherever she went, made friends she still writes to, had a good time, and got an education.

She told us later that she was "very careful", and I guess that's the secret.

Bad thngs can still happen; but, you can get hit by a car crossing the street in front of your house.

Good luck:

Ugg.

May 13th, 2006, 12:50 PM

Well now, I wouldn't go that far. Weyburn, SK still qualifies as a city (I think) and the one murder they've had in the last five years was the talk of the town for months.

May 13th, 2006, 01:01 PM

Well, Toronto is a very safe city and you should be able to get by without any problems. Some places to avoid are the rough areas such as Regent Park, Saint-James town and some separate districts both east and west of the city core. The northern areas are very safe and I wouldn't expect anybody have any problems what-so-ever there.

Oakville is safe, but as a previous poster said, quite boring. Areas exactly ajacent to Toronto are fine, and 'unboring'. York Region is connected by transit to Toronto, so Richmond Hill or Thornhill are fine.

Note: Toronto is very expensive. Rent costs are high and shopping is equally expensive in mainstream areas like the Eaton Centre.

May 13th, 2006, 01:43 PM

Toronto is probably one of the safest large cities you can visit in north america.....why would your folks think its dangerous?

plus with our lax canadian justice system, you could probably get caught selling coke, buying illegal firearms, and sodomizing a 14 year old child....and still be home before college starts

May 13th, 2006, 02:10 PM

With a population of 10,000 they're calling it a city? That's kind of pushing it a bit :P