Has anyone relocated from Toronto to Windsor?

**Embee** · July-23-11, 02:54 PM

I grew up in Windsor so I don't really know much else but I have a couple friends from high school that moved to Toronto for jobs but couldn't get used to the traffic/high cost of everything so they returned.

Windsor is very easy to get around...there are no issues with traffic and the pace of life is so much slower. The economy is expected to be the fastest growing in Canada over the next couple of years as it continues to diversify away from the auto industry. Two years ago the unemployment rate was 15% and now it's 9%.

Crime is low and there hasn't been a murder for almost 2 years.

There's lots of optimism downtown with the ground breaking of the new aquatic centre, new library, new festival plaza, a University of Windsor satellite campus opening downtown soon, new streetscaping, etc.

**fabulousmetropolis** · July-24-11, 12:06 PM

I am a US citizen, live in Detroit but have people south of the river, and all I can say is, if you're moving down here, get your NEXUS pass, stat. Life without it is a real PITA. Take it from someone who's crossed at Detroit and the Niagara River more times than can be counted post 9/11. You never get used to the stupid questions, and you never know when you're going to be hauled in for additional questioning or pulled over for a vehicle inspection. It gets old, real quick. NEXUS all the way...no question about it.

Beyond that, move! Windsor/Essex area is outstanding, and so is Southeastern Michigan. So much to do -- if people disagree, they need to open their eyes -- yet so much more relaxed than many other major metros. People are mostly awesome and really unpretentious. Costs are low. My only beef, really, is sprawl. Well, that and the state of the city of Detroit, but I think that's been covered elsewhere, once or twice

[[long time lurker, first time poster...yada yada)

**Embee** · July-24-11, 01:01 PM

Regarding your question about trails and recreation, the most well known trail is the Ganatchio Trail on the far east side of the city. Combined with its branch trails, it's over 20km. There are also trails along the riverfront for over 5km from the Ambassador Bridge eastward. More and more roads are being incorporated with bike lanes over time too.

Here's a map the city has produced showing all the bike trails [[right click on it and then you can zoom in).

http://www.citywindsor.ca/DisplayAtt...AttachID=18453

**stromberg2** · July-24-11, 04:04 PM

Welcome to the Forum, Fab. What is the benefit of the Nexus pass? Is it kind of like an Easypass?

Stromberg2

**Islandman** · July-24-11, 06:02 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEXUS_[[...aveler_program)

**rid0617** · July-25-11, 03:06 AM

Originally Posted by Toronto99

I'm the OP...after a 1.5 years of my original post still stuck in expensive, cramped Toronto but still considering Windsor. I've taken a couple trips the past while to Windsor/Detroit....love the area. Friendly people, laid back, lots to do, big fan of Ann Arbor. Just a fantastic, diverse region.

Don't feel alone. I announced we were thinking about moving to Detroit 2 years. Between watching the state of the economy, selling a house and business and other things, I believe we are finally coming down home stretch

**Hypestyles** · July-25-11, 12:55 PM

what are cool local restaurants in windsor to visit?

**stromberg2** · July-25-11, 01:13 PM

I've never been, but I have heard that Little Italy is full of great restaurants.

Stromberg2

**southofbloor** · February-24-12, 11:44 PM

This is an old thread but have to jump in. Hope you're still thinking about it - I grew up in South Windsor from a Detroit/Windsor family and now live in cabbagetown / Toronto. I miss it down there, but if I moved back I would probably be making a jump to buy in Indian Village in Detroit. Beautiful and great community. There are a lot of good parts of Windsor - south Windsor is a nice suburb with great houses and pools, but Walkerville is terrific as is Riverside Drive. And Windsor is a friendly place - the economy is depressed, no kidding, but there are also a lot of people who are doing well and don't want to be anywhere else, and even if they aren't doing very well people help each other. If you are used to business Toronto you are going to be overwhelmed by how friendly the place is.

The Detroit river is really amazing and kind of magical with its islands and lakes - when you move away you miss the freighters' fog horns in the night.

Detroit is a mess but I love it and miss it - I think about it every day. Once you get used to Detroit's post-apocalyptic flare and are able to navigate its terrible racial divides [[really brutal if you're used to Toronto) you start to find out that the things that are good there [[people, entrepreneurial opportunities, architecture, food, small town friendliness, arts/culture) are unique and pretty fantastic. There are a lot of interesting people in Detroit doing innovative things in adverse circumstances.

detroitjim · February-25-12, 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by southofbloor

This is an old thread but have to jump in. Hope you're still thinking about it - I grew up in South Windsor from a Detroit/Windsor family and now live in cabbagetown / Toronto. I miss it down there, but if I moved back I would probably be making a jump to buy in Indian Village in Detroit. Beautiful and great community. There are a lot of good parts of Windsor - south Windsor is a nice suburb with great houses and pools, but Walkerville is terrific as is Riverside Drive. And Windsor is a friendly place - the economy is depressed, no kidding, but there are also a lot of people who are doing well and don't want to be anywhere else, and even if they aren't doing very well people help each other. If you are used to business Toronto you are going to be overwhelmed by how friendly the place is.

The Detroit river is really amazing and kind of magical with its islands and lakes - when you move away you miss the freighters' fog horns in the night.

Detroit is a mess but I love it and miss it - I think about it every day. Once you get used to Detroit's post-apocalyptic flare and are able to navigate its terrible racial divides [[really brutal if you're used to Toronto) you start to find out that the things that are good there [[people, entrepreneurial opportunities, architecture, food, small town friendliness, arts/culture) are unique and pretty fantastic. There are a lot of interesting people in Detroit doing innovative things in adverse circumstances.

You gots to be crazy! Ain't no way anyone wiff any sense gonna be movin from Canada to Detroit. They aint had no killins in 2 years We gets one a day.

**southofbloor** · February-25-12, 05:29 PM

Yeah I still don't feel comfortable buying gas within the city limits but neighbourhoods like Indian Village, West Village, Woodbridge, parts of Hubbard Farms etc with strong community groups seem to not get hit by violent crime as much because people look out for each other. My friends there are really careful but not panicked by it. Some other neighbourhoods though are having a really tough time but I wouldn't live there as an outsider who doesn't know people.

Windsor is sort of like Royal Oak - yeah its safe and it has a lot of great things about it that I appreciate but its not Detroit.

**Toronto99** · June-16-12, 05:39 PM

Still in Toronto...still thinking about Windsor....

**compn** · June-17-12, 10:22 PM

just try not to get a house downwind of detroit and its surrounding cities. i hear windsor has bad asthma rates due to detroit's coastal industrial pollution.

**Wheels** · June-18-12, 09:02 AM

Be aware of the Hum!

http://www.npr.org/2012/05/10/152426...a-making-noise

**cmubryan** · June-18-12, 09:59 AM

For the past 30 years [[my whole life), I've been a resident of Metro Detroit and have visited Toronto probably about 45 times or so [[1-2 times a year) as I have a lot family there. I have seen Toronto grow at leaps and bounds and Metro Detroit pretty much stay stagnant or sprawl out while shrink in the center. Since about the time I was old enough to realize my surroundings, I have always been jealous of those who live in Toronto because of the vibrant urban center and overall vibrancy of the city.

My last visit there though [[about 3 weeks ago) things changed slightly and I realized that maybe Toronto isn't the amazing place I always thought it was. The traffic was completely crazy. It took close to an hour on a Saturday afternoon to travel 8 miles or so. Same thing for Sunday. Monday, the traffic was out of control and it took me over an hour and a half to leave the city to come home, this was before the afternoon "rush hour." On top of the traffic, my cousins are growing more and more frustrated with the price of housing. They just spent almost a million dollars on a decent home in an average neighborhood. One could get the same type of home in Metro Detroit for maybe 400k in one of the most posh neighborhoods and probably for 250k in a similar type neighborhood.

In conclusion I finally asked myself what am I envious about? What would my life be like living in Toronto? Yes, I could take public transit. Yes, I could live in a vibrant urban center. At what cost? At some point, I would have to drive to things. The amount of wasted time sitting in the car in gridlock, would it be worth it? Would it be worth it to give up my beautiful 1800 sq foot ranch in southeast Oakland County minutes from three or four downtown districts and 15 minutes from downtown Detroit to either live in an old shoebox in the center of Toronto or live an hour away from downtown Toronto in a “semi-detached condo.”

As far as I can see, Detroit is on the upswing [[mainly downtown). Toronto is on the downfall. The quality of life in Toronto may on the surface be 1000 times better than Toronto but is it really?

**poobert** · June-18-12, 10:01 AM

For all this talk about the international-metropolis blah blah, Canadian citizens cannot live in Detroit, and American citizens cannot live in Windsor, correct?
I've always liked Windsor. I would certainly consider living there if I could.
It's actually pretty incredible to look at "Metro Detroit" and then Windsor from Google Maps. Center on Windsor and you can see fields and farms directly outside the city. Center on Metro Detroit and even out to the middle zoom and sprawl still fills the screen.
My only qualm with Windsor: The BLAH skyline. Magnificent view of Detroit though.

**gameguy56** · June-18-12, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by poobert

For all this talk about the international-metropolis blah blah, Canadian citizens cannot live in Detroit, and American citizens cannot live in Windsor, correct?
I've always liked Windsor. I would certainly consider living there if I could.
It's actually pretty incredible to look at "Metro Detroit" and then Windsor from Google Maps. Center on Windsor and you can see fields and farms directly outside the city. Center on Metro Detroit and even out to the middle zoom and sprawl still fills the screen.
My only qualm with Windsor: The BLAH skyline. Magnificent view of Detroit though.

Windsor seems like a nice place to live, and probably the best public school district within 6-7 miles of downtown Detroit[[until you get to GPP). I wonder how feasible it is to live in Windsor and work across the river in Detroit?

**southofbloor** · June-18-12, 10:32 AM

Canadians need to have a visa to live/work in USA and vice versa. Without the visa, I think that both can buy property in the opposite country, and under free trade can visit the other nation for up to 180 days per year.

But the passport requirement and general caution of border guards has meant that I think we might be the first generation of Windsor / Detroiters who have not had easy freedom of movement between our cities.

**cmubryan** · June-18-12, 10:49 AM

I know my Canadian uncle and aunt have a winter home in Tucson, AZ that they spend at least 120 days or so at per year.

**southofbloor** · June-18-12, 12:21 PM

And Mitt Romney has a cottage in Ontario on Lake Huron...

**Toronto99** · November-03-12, 03:37 PM

...............

**Wesley Mouch** · November-03-12, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by gameguy56

Windsor seems like a nice place to live, and probably the best public school district within 6-7 miles of downtown Detroit[[until you get to GPP). I wonder how feasible it is to live in Windsor and work across the river in Detroit?

It depends.

Two issues:

1) Legal Status: You must have legal rights to work in the USA. Citizenship obviously. If you're not a citizen, then this can be a big deal -- and you'll need to deal with Customs [[CBP - Homeland Security). Its their job to keep people from taking jobs of Americans. But there are exceptions if you do something that the US needs.

2) Practical Issues: A lot of Canadians work in the US [[with paper), and some Americans living in Canada work in the US. Just be prepared for border issues. After 9/11, they closed the border for a few dozen hours. And when it reopened, the lines were quite long. Get a NEXUS card, and be patient. And have an employer who is patient.

I know a Canadian who owns a business in the US and commutes via NEXUS and personal watercraft. Things are possible. But rules are many.

But back to the thread... I have many friends in Windsor. Its a great place to live. Its not Toronto. Its a mid-sized Canadian city undergoing some hard financial times located across the river from a great American city undergoing hard times that offers tremendous variety of sports, culture, nightlife, theatre, arts, museums. Detroit and Windsor are both greatly under-rated. Their challenges are great. But they both remain great cities in which to live.

**Toronto99** · January-05-14, 10:29 AM

Four years later and I'm still in Toronto [[shoot)

Curious, has anyone relocated to Windsor from Toronto in the past four years?

How are things in general in Windsor these days? Windsor/Detroit still is a great area IMHO

**davewindsor** · January-05-14, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by Toronto99

Four years later and I'm still in Toronto [[shoot)

Curious, has anyone relocated to Windsor from Toronto in the past four years?

How are things in general in Windsor these days? Windsor/Detroit still is a great area IMHO

It's an amazing city. It has everything within a reasonable distance recreationally. I had a friend come down and we went for lunch at Viewpoint Estates Winery in the county, which has a waterfront restaurant. It was a 20 min drive from downtown Windsor. Another friend I took to Lily Kazilly's for lunch, which overlooks the marina and Peche Island, and it's a 20 min drive from downtown Windsor. Everything is close by. Tonnes of golf clubs, country clubs, wineries, boating, whatever, you name it. If I want to go skiing, I cross the border to go to Mt. Holly, a half an hour away. Now we have that huge indoor waterpark called Adventure Bay in downtown.

I remember working in Toronto over a decade ago--those were sad days as my cost of living was too high back then. I don't even want to think how much I'd spend now in that overcrowded city or care for these ice storms shutting down a third of the city.