Wed Nov 14, 2012
Real Estate

Catch ya later, Toronto

If you’re a charter member of the city’s so-called creative class, chances are good that one day you’ll ask yourself this: Do I keep doing what I love, and rent for the rest of my life, or do I—gasp!—move to Hamilton? Inside the cultural migration down the QEW.

BY: Jason McBride

The bitter truth

Comparing the list prices of similar homes in Steeltown and Hogtown

Semi-detached, three-bedroom, two-bathroom, two-storey home.

Features: Two parking spaces, front porch, crown moulding throughout, completely updated interiors, brand new furnace/AC unit, two skylights, finished basement with laundry/rec room. Minutes away from Greenwood Park and TTC.

Semi-detached, three-bedroom, one-bathroom, one-and-a-half storey home.

Features: Exterior wood finish, open-concept layout with loft bedroom, vaulted ceilings, back garden, patio, hardwood floors, fireplace, baseboard heaters, unfinished partial basement storage room. Within walking distance of Victoria Park and Locke Street.

Detached, three-bedroom, two-bathroom, two-storey home.

Features: Parking space, central air conditioning, aluminum siding, backyard, front garden. Close to TTC, No Frills, and High Park.

Detached, three-bedroom, two-bathroom, two-and-a-half storey home.

Features: Brick finish, central air conditioning, exposed brick interiors, bay windows, crown moulding, backyard, patio, gas barbecue. Short walk to James Street North district and Farmers’ Market. Close to buses, GO Station, and Highway 403.

Detached, three-bedroom, four-bathroom, two-storey home.

Features: Hardwood floors, oak staircases, finished basement with laundry and rec room, brick and stucco finish, two parking spaces, 10-foot ceilings, open-concept layout, Italian quartz countertops in kitchen, central air conditioning.

Detached, three-bedroom, one-bathroom, two-and-a-half storey home.

Features: Front porch, back deck, completely redone floors in kitchen and bathroom, open-concept kitchen with granite countertops, nine-foot ceilings, hardwood floors, central air conditioning, brick exterior finish, full basement.

Hamilton: Where the cool kids hang

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Jenn

There are many benefits of being on the waterfront in Hamilton. Things like Pier 4 park where you can launch a boat for free, walk jog bike or rollerblade over to Princess Point where one can also snow-kite x-c ski or skate in the winter, or for free you can roller or ice skate at the Waterfront Centre where the new restaurant Sarcoa has just opened. For those that want to get out onto the Harbour for a tour, you can ride on the Harbour Queen or Hamiltonian boats (see Waterfront Trust website) or take a trolley ride along the trail. If you’d like to learn to row, Leander boat club is the place to be. Sailing instruction for both adults and youth is available at the Hamilton Boating Club, Burlington Boating and Sailing Club and the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club (the latter 2 can also accommodate sailors with mobility restrictions). You’ll see folks fishing daily and in the winter the bay may freeze over permitting ice boating which is quite a spectacle to see. Hiking trails abound, we have the Royal Botanical Gardens and the Bruce Trail right on your doorstep. Cyclists love the hills and Hamilton was the host of the World Cycling championships a few years ago. Football fans have the first place McMaster Marauders and the Ti-Cats to watch and hockey fans have the Bulldogs. HECFI puts on great concerts and shows and we even have our own film festival as well. Theatre Aquarius has a series of award- winning live theatre.
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11:53 am on December 19, 2012

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FT

I have really enjoyed reading this article and all of the comments below, pro and con. I have to say, as a long time commercial realtor in Hamilton, I too wondered, aloud and silently, if this great old city was ever going to change. Well, I am here to say, that it has, and is, and will be for a very long time. Its truly is a renaissance of sorts and it is all happening where it needs to, in the downtown core. People can say what they want. Its only human nature to be impatient or negative. Are the taxes high, yes in some places. Will it change, the city is slowly getting there house in order and I believe taxes will get aligned with all the surrounding communities. No one has mentioned once, about all of the houses with taxes at $1200 a year, give or take. Is there still areas that are sketchy in town, of course there is, its an old city, Toronto has that too. If you want to be negative, you could go on all day about the Hammer. Here’s the just one great thing to note. McMaster Health Sciences alone, employees somewhere in the area of almost 60,000 people now. Dofasco and United Steel (what was Stelco) combined, employ less than 4000. The downtown core currently has three massive development projects that are well under way with many more scheduled to take place soon. A healthy city, has a healthy and livable downtown core and that is what we find is finally bringing the city back to life. You can buy an amazing, charming old house in the South/West for 200 to 400k. The Go Train will be running a full service schedule within the next few years – that’s not speculation, its going to happen 100%. The Art scene in town is very real and getting bigger all of the time. I dare say, that Hamilton has a very cool and hip vibe to it now and as soon as all of my children move out, which I hope is soon…….lol. My wife and I are going to move downtown to be apart of the new community that is beginning to thrive and blossom. Bottom line, if your tired of T.O, don’t listen to the naysayers. If your the type who wants to own a beautiful character home, walk to galleries, and cafes, enjoy living in an urban setting for a fraction of the price, then Hamilton is the place to be. The water front is amazing! I haven’t even touched on Dundas, the parks and trails or any of the other great areas that surround the hammer. Hamilton is only 45 minutes away from the big smoke, it really is worth a look see. So the next time your out this way, take the 403, not the Skyway, into the city and see it for yourself. Be sure to check out James St North, Art Crawl on the evenings of the 2nd Friday of every month. There is great restaurants and lots to see and enjoy. Good luck!
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5:58 pm on November 21, 2012

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Allison

I’m skeptical. I don’t know much about Hamilton other than siblings who attended MacMaster and there frat part stories, but I did relocate to Ottawa for awhile and could not stand the place. Is Hamilton better than Ottawa?
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4:29 pm on November 21, 2012

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jeff316

Anywhere is better than Ottawa.
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8:50 am on November 22, 2012
David Wootton

Allison:

I know both places well. I lived in Ottawa which I called a snowbound outpost for 14 years and hated every minute of it.. it was mainly because of the horribly cold weather, cold people and long winters, but also because of the isolation. I quit a good job 43 years ago to get out of there and return to the Hamilton area. I have never regretted it. We have one of the best climates in Canada and being a gardener, that is most important to me. I know Hamilton well as it is my hometown. If you like nature, cheaper housing and convenience, then Hamilton is Canada’s best-kept secret!
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6:49 pm on February 11, 2013

Catherine

I have lived in Hamilton (minus a 2 year stint in the US) since 2001, and I love it here. For the cost of living to quality of life ratio, there is no where remotely comparable in the south half of Ontario.

It has all of the urban amenities I needed both when I was single and now that I am married with two kids; parks, museums, gallery, shopping, restaurants, theatre, shows, bars, Early Years Centres, libraries, community centres, recreation centres, sports… and it still a short drive to the conservation areas where the dog and kids can run free and experience the outdoors.

If we want anything that’s bigger and better, it’s still a short drive to the big city, if needed (but we haven’t been to T.O. in months).
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10:08 am on November 20, 2012

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David Wootton

Catherine:

Don’t forget that you can take your kids fishing only a kilometer from downtown!
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6:53 pm on February 11, 2013

Hina

This article might have possibly changed our lives forever. As a young family living in Toronto, with both me and my partner working as freelancers (film editor and translator), paying $1,600 rent for a tiny apartment that gets smaller and smaller as our 6 and 4-year olds get bigger and bigger, we were about to get ourselves into a +$450,000 mortgage that would have probably guaranteed having to work nights and weekends and with no extra left to enjoy life, for the next 25 years. We are now seriously considering moving to Hamilton. We would love to talk to anyone who lives there or have lived in Hamilton and can guide us a bit.
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12:07 am on November 20, 2012

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Kathy Della-Nebbia

I’ve lived most of my life in Hamilton and have sold Real Estate here for over 15 years. You can go to my website http://www.HamiltonRealEstateSales.com and http://www.HomesForSaleInHamilton.com for more information. Get in touch and I will be happy to help you and answer your questions.

Kathy Della-Nebbia,
Sales Representative,
Royal LePage State Realty, Brokerage
905-574-4600
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6:43 am on November 20, 2012
Steelers

Hi there.

I think it would be amazing for you to move your kids here. They can do what my kids do — smoke weed all day long because there is nothing else for them to do.

In the hammer it’s always 4:20pm.

The $260k you pay for a home here will always be worth $260k trapping you from going anywhere else.
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5:28 pm on November 20, 2012
Kevin

I was born and raised in Hamilton, have lived in Toronto for 7 years because this is where my business is, but due to the increasingly high cost of rent, am moving back to Hamilton in January.

As a Hamiltonian, I loved the city and still do. I have always said that when I got married and had kids I would move back to Hamilton, as it is a far better environment, especially from a housing perspective, than Toronto.

$450,000+ can buy you an acre of land and a nice big house in Greensville (part of Dundas). You would love it.
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2:12 pm on November 22, 2012
Jacks

I lived in Toronto for 30+ years and moved to Hamilton five years ago. I’d be happy to share my experiences / observations with you.
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3:56 pm on November 23, 2012
David Wootton

You can talk to me. I was born and raised in Hamilton and have known it well for 60 years. I well recommend Hamilton!
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6:54 pm on February 11, 2013

Meck

Everyone’s moving to Hamilton? As my mother used to say, “If they all jumped off a bridge, would you jump too?”
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10:55 am on November 19, 2012

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Austin

Hamilton definitely has it’s nice bits and is certainly is trying to clean itself up. However, I worry that this revitilization is not sustainable. If you talk to many Hamiltonians they they will not have the nicest things to say about the municipal government, and for good cause. Houses may be more expensive in Toronto, but on the flip side, taxes in Hamilton are outright silly (mine has gone up 20+ percent in 5 years). With the steel mills leaving for greener pastures, city council has been reactive to say the least, and as a result has put the cost of revitilization solely on the backs of its residents. Doing so is not sustainable.
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8:13 am on November 19, 2012

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Barry

Not sure where you are getting your information Austin, but you had better check your sources. Hamilton’s tax increases were amongst the lowest in the entire province, second to London’s last year at 1.8% and tops in the province for 2011. Hamilton’s resident vs commercial/industrial tax proportion are comparable to both Burlington and London. It’s an 80/20 split. In fact, Hamilton’s credit rating is better than both the Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto. I’d suggest a bit more reading and research before your next anti-Hamilton post.
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10:32 pm on November 21, 2012

arianne

You really need to explore the mountain. As a born and raised Hamiltonian, the downtown core no where near warms me to live in hamilton.
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2:03 pm on November 18, 2012

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Jeffrey

I have very dear and wickedly creative friends from Hamilton that have made me open my eyes to to it’s potentials.

Even still it’s much too small of a place for me. Toronto is busy, but sometimes Toronto is even small for me. Yes you can be a big fish in little ponds (in places like Hamilton) but why is that a virtue? I just find there is no hustle in places like Hamilton or Montreal. Places like Toronto simply have more opportunity. It’s costs are what people in economics would call an “opportunity cost”. You pay for access to certain things in large centres like Toronto or New York.

What Hamilton should strive for is not to be lackadaisical or mediocre, but find something their really really good at and focus on it. McMaster has one of the best med-schools in the country – why not develop industry leveraged off that strength? For Hamilton to compete with a place like Toronto in fields like media is a fools errand. It would be like Cleveland taking on New York. Hamilton needs more anchor industries that can help the underlying foundation for art and artists. If Toronto where not economically successful in finance, medicine, education and digital technology the city would not be able to support a vibrant art, music, and now culinary scene.

To illustrate my point in the previous paragraph think of Jackson SQ. it lost The Bay as an Anchor tenant and as a result the mall became a ghost town with shops closing etc. Good anchors pull in the “traffic” and they create a virtuous cycle.
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12:52 am on November 18, 2012

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reversecausation

“If Toronto where not economically successful in finance, medicine, education and digital technology the city would not be able to support a vibrant art, music, and now culinary scene.”

Huh, “business” prior to “creative class”? There’s lots of evidence the relationship runs the other way – which is what I presume Hamilton is trying to encourage. Establish a “creative class” and the employers will follow which in turn will further support the “creative class” or whatever you want to call it. The inverse – what you suggested – of course is also true, but it’s not a one way, linear relationship.
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1:32 pm on November 18, 2012

toronto

Toronto is on fire.
Hamilton is beginning to thaw.

I miss Hamilton. We tried and lasted not even a year.

Hamilton has such massive potential, it is a pity it just evolves at a snails pace.

There is always more new shit going on in one Toronto neighborhood than all of Hamilton in any given time.

I was happier in the Hammer. My quality of life was better.

Will move back to the Hammer soon, start a business.
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11:25 pm on November 17, 2012

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Matt

I have lived in Toronto since 94 and have seen so many changes. It has lost its charm in so many ways. The grid lock, the road rage, the downtown shootings, the cost of parking!! I could just go on!!!

We moved to Hamilton and bought a beautiful house near Locke Street a very hip neighborhood. Instead of living on the busy highway of Woodbine that they consider The Beaches.

Hamilton has a bright future.
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10:10 pm on November 17, 2012

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jeff316

I live in Toronto, but I grew up in Hamilton and miss living out there every single day. Living in Hamilton is awesome if you work in Hamilton. Otherwise, it’s the pits.

A coworker and her husband left Toronto for Hamilton – what’s another 30 minutes in your commute for a bigger, cheaper house?

After three years and taking a bath on real estate transaction costs, they are back. Not because they didn’t fall in love with Hamilton, but because they quickly saw the pitfalls.

I had advised them not to move because I know this first hand. Despite growing up in Hamilton, and knowing the QEW / GO, my girlfriend and I succumbed to its glow. Both working in Toronto, it took less than a month of train-schedule watching and dealing with three major GO delays to introduce us to our new reality. Four-plus years later, we’re back in Toronto.

Yes, my mortgage in Toronto is double what it was in Hamilton, but our commuting costs going from more than $900 a month to about $250, a car’s not a necessity, and we’re both home in forty minutes. Working and living in TO, when the TTC is delayed, it’s a pain. Working in TO but living in Hamilton, when GO is delayed, which it often is, you’re stuck 65 kms and four cities away.

Working in Hamilton wasn’t feasible – jobs in our field paid less than TO, and if we worked in Hamilton, we’d be one of a very few in our field, one job loss away from unemployability – there just isn’t the economic base.

That’s not to rag on my hometown. Hamilton is Ontario’s best-kept secret. It has everything that Toronto has but with fewer repeats of the same thing and no lineups. The library system is fantastic. You can live an urban life and when you need the convenience of suburbia it’s right there, 15 minutes up the road. Living in Hamilton works for the artists and musicians and self-employed in this article and I envy them. But if you’re tethered to work in Toronto, it is hell.

We go to Hamilton at least twice a month – on the weekends when the traffic isn’t that bad or when missing a train doesn’t matter because you don’t need to be back at the station in twelve hours.

I’d live in Hamilton again in a heartbeat, but only if I could work there too.
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8:43 pm on November 17, 2012

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Foxglove

i was born in and lived in hamilton for 22 years. i left just before “the scene” broke, and at that time it was a very depressing place, where everything had a defeated, 70′s, almost soviet air to it. hamilton artists have worked so hard to carve out a vibrant, thriving community in this town. i don’t know how i feel about a wave of torontonians coming in. on the one hand, new energy is great, but on the other i feel like it’s a bit of coattail-riding. toronto has always had a really shitty attitude about hamilton, and it used tomake me really self-conscious about being a hamiltonian. i just hope the people moving there weren’t the ones who used to look down their noses at us.

myself, i’ve been in toronto for 6 years and i’ve had it. i’m finishing school and moving back to the hammer. i’ll never be able to start a family or live above the poverty line in this city. i’m so poor i can never even go out anyway, so what’s the point of living here?

as for all you toronto-folk making the move- you’re welcome, but leave your shitty attitudes at the door and don’t drive up the prices before i get there, yeah?
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4:56 pm on November 17, 2012

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Ron

unfortunately, some of Hamilton’s worst critics are Hamiltonians themselves. Many hold steadfast to the notion that if it”s not “on the mountain” its just not worthy. City council still has difficulty working together for the betterment of a great city that has been through some rough times.

For real success to occur the change must come from within, not without. Here’s an ambitious but viable suggestion….change the street names and get rid if the “Upper” and “North” brands. A fresh approach that can possibly have wholesale impact….

Ron
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11:13 am on November 17, 2012

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fraximus

I moved to Hamilton about a year ago. Prior to that I spent 5 year in Toronto and 10 in Vancouver. Well it’s hard to beat Vancouver for sheer awesomeness, but who can afford to live there. Being one who formerly laughed at the idea of living in Hamilton, I can now say that I love it and it has much to offer. I really like it hear. Sure, it’s still a work in progress, but there are so many cool things about it that you won’t come to appreciate unless you live here. Great people too. Seriously.
Jobs are coming here and business is building every day. Canon moved office here. Pipeline studios. Cheap office space is available too.
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10:35 pm on November 16, 2012

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Lofty Ambitions

I own a shop in Hamilton, and have noticed a lot of customers either saying they just moved here from Toronto, or know someone who moved, or are about to move. My husband and I both grew up here and like the city. We have lots of parks and trails, and great independent shops too.

And If you’re worried you’ll have to trek back to Toronto to furnish and decorate you new home we’ve got you covered there…my shop specializes in modern furniture, lighting, and decor. We opened up early last year to save Hamiltonians the trip out to Toronto whenever they wanted something cool and modern for their home. Check out our site http://LoftyAmbitions.ca for just some of the pieces we offer.
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7:18 pm on November 16, 2012

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bjfhgfdnmhj

I feel like we should put a quota on toronto migrants…..and start an agressive rumour spreading campaign about hamilton’s excess of teen moms/sunday driving rascal owners/dope addicts/bad coffee/non-ironic mullets. please don’t invade our city. being grimy is the only thing we have ……..and the first tim hortons in canada <-hamilton wins.
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6:36 pm on November 16, 2012

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Gents

Ummm…..You don’t need a campaign for this. Everyone already associated Hamilton for exactly those things. Father time and Mother nature have already seeded Hamilton with the wrath of everything bad.

Rumors and stereotypes exist for a reason.

Hamilton is not the next Parkdale. It’s the next Detroit.
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8:02 pm on November 16, 2012
Anonymous

I think you’re thinking of Windsor…
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7:50 am on November 17, 2012
FH

Having lived in both Parkdale and Hamilton, I prefer the latter. Hamilton is it’s own worst enemy, afraid of change, the victim of it none the less. When steel died in Hamilton, it carved out the city’s soul, leaving gigantic scars. It also created a situation where there is a huge disparity, between those lusting after the past and those forging a new path. Art is the new steel, as the t-shirts read. Many have come to realize that they can spread their wings in Hamilton. I welcome those with vision, because without them we’d be living in fear of rumours and stereotypes.
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10:33 am on November 24, 2012

Cindy

Nearby dive bars? Homegrown Hamilton is a community hub and celebrated music venue nominated for best music venue at the HMA’s this year… And Club Absinthe is also a Hamilton staple. Baltimore House is great, but it’s not better than the rest of King William
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4:43 pm on November 16, 2012

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Annastacia

This is a great post and I am really happy to see it. I relocated with my spouse in 2001. And like Jessica Rose Smith said, “My Hamilton is a beautiful picture of possibility.” I too felt this way.

In 2001, Stelco Steelworkers were losing their jobs and finding that $460 million dollars worth of their pensions was “missing”. Hamilton was a dump, but wipe away the black soot, there was loving care in the artistry of the buildings and in it’s people.

I lived in Toronto for 12 years and left just before the big commercial “polish” on Canada’s great city. When first moving to Toronto, I lived in a changing Queen West neighbourhood down the street from the psychiatric hospital and it’s white squirrels. Next to us was an old Portuguese man who’d lived in the neighbourhood for 35 years. When a house full of art fart, eclectic clad college students moved into the ramshackle house next door to him, he did what any self respecting Portuguese man would do… offer us home made wine. While we sipped on his porch, I asked him “How do you feel about us moving in next to you?” His answer personifies what I would say to Torontotonians thinking of making Hamilton your home. “The neighbourhood,” he said. “‘is not so good, ya? People don care and let everythin fall down. But the artists… ya… the artists, they come in. Fix th’ broken things, and paint th’ world in colours. They make the street beautiful again”.

So Toronto, please send us your artists, your innovators, and thinkers. We welcome you.
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12:15 pm on November 16, 2012

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pigskin pete

nobody blows like the aaaaaaarrrgoooos
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11:52 am on November 16, 2012

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GG

Why don’t any of these “Hamilton is the next best place to live articles” talk about the Hamilton Mountain ? There are great areas on the mountain as well that are priced right. But as someone who has been born and raised in Hamilton for almost 40 years. I’ve seen the boom downtown years when I was younger and I’ve seen the downfall of the downtown. And one can’t say downtown Hamilton is the same as it was 10 years, its getting better. People are moving in the core and are looking to make it a place of work and home. And that’s what has been missing. In order to clean up an area one needs to take pride in where you work and pride in where you live. And a lot of these people are taking pride in reinventing the downtown that Hamilton on people have forgotten.

I welcome anyone who comes to Hamilton and makes it better for all! Its a great city that is more then the steel mill images most people see on the highway.
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11:18 am on November 16, 2012

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Cultosaurus

Because the Mountain is exactly the same culturally-bankrupt, suburban apocalypse migrants from Toronto are consciously skipping when they pass by Etobicoke, Mississauga, Oakville and Burlington on their way to downtown Hamilton.
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7:55 am on November 17, 2012
Demi Tasse

In 2001, Hamilton pulled together a table of 30-year growth projections for the newly amalgamated city: http://goo.gl/6YPsd

It’s starting to look like the city’s visioning was uncharacteristically prescient, if a little on the conservative side.

By 2011, Ancaster had already doubled its 2031 growth projections, while Flamborough and Glanbrook were ¾ of the way to their target gains and Dundas had grown as much as it was thought to have shrunk. The old city of Hamilton, meanwhile, appeared fairly true to form. The lower city population has already shrunk 3% or so in the last decade. The claim that it’s always 1993 in Hamilton is accurate in this regard: The population of the city’s core ward is about 1,000 people higher than it was 20 years ago. Over the last decade, the lower city wards shrank by around 7,000 residents while the mountain wards grew by around 8,000 residents and the outer suburbs ballooned by 26,000.

While the zeitgeist has changed to some extent, it is not nearly as black-and-white as some would suggest. But then that bittersweet complexity is arguably part of what it is to live in Hamilton.

There’s every reason to celebrate the curbside diamonds secreted around the downtown, but it’s just as reasonable to believe that some transplants are choosing to live in areas other than downtown Hamilton.
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1:24 pm on November 17, 2012
RalphBenmurgi

@cultosaurus

exactly, outside of Toronto, Hamilton – largely below the mountain – is the only “urban” area in the GTA … Hamilton has 3 things going for it 1) cheap housing 2) easy access to nature 3) the fact that there’s actually something resembling an “urban” city … if the “urban” aspect doesn’t appeal to you then you can just buy some cheap, cookie cutter, greenfield development in vaughn, brampton or anywhere GTA … the latter 2 things, nature and “urbanness” are precisely what differentiates the place from Mississauga, Brampton, etc.
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1:58 pm on November 18, 2012

Kevin Whaley

Looking for some Hamilton Real Estate? Call Kevin Whaley 905-920-2285 or email Kevin at info@whaleyrealty.ca
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10:42 am on November 16, 2012

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Annastacia

Lol! Good luck Kevin.
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12:19 pm on November 16, 2012

Andrew Tamburello

I looooooooooooooooooovvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeee this article so much! I have been telling my clients for the past three years to consider Hamilton over Toronto. There are so many beautiful old character homes in Hamilton and the city is very affordable. The cost of living in Toronto is so high and a price correction would really effect those who have only 5%-10% as a down payment. It truly is a beautiful city and worth taking a look at. One of my Parkdale clients is putting in an offer today actually, we sold her dated house for $790,000 and are getting a bigger home with more character for $300,000:)
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10:03 am on November 16, 2012

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ohshit

i went to high school with you

funny. never thought you’d be a real estate agent
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11:50 am on November 16, 2012
Vlad

Funny thing, in your listing there was no mention of the word “dated.”
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10:44 am on November 19, 2012
David Wootton

Even if taxes are higher and even if commuting costs are higher, has anyone done the real mathematics behind an upfront $500 000 extra on a comparable house in Toronto? And don’t forget our precarious economy. I’d rather be stuck in Hamilton with a lower paying job and lower debt than having to pay the costs for that extra $500 000. I would feel far more secure in Hamilton when the housing crash really bites!!!!!
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7:12 pm on February 11, 2013

Hamilton Arts & Letters magazine

This piece in Hamilton Arts & Letters magazine is an appropriate addition to your article.

Short Story:
Murder at the City Motor Hotel
by Sky Gilbert

Hamilton Arts & Letters magazine
http://www.HALmagazine.com
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9:51 am on November 16, 2012

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Demi Tasse

“About eight years ago, Hamilton was The Next Big Thing. The Globe said so, as did the National Post and Toronto Life.”

Hamilton’s livability has been an open secret for decades, but the media crush began in 2006 with the Globe & Mail, National Post + Toronto Star. Toronto Life joined the chorus in 2008. Then the reheats: Star + Globe in 2009, Globe + Post in 2010… and on and on.

One of the better pieces:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-magazine/hamiltons-dead-or-is-it/article4284080/
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8:00 am on November 16, 2012

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Demi Tasse

Thank you, Stuart, for those last three words. Hamilton is at its best when it is least like Toronto. It’s true that there are downsides to the current situation. Toronto is still a cultural & employment mecca. Top job in Hamilton? Sales clerk. http://www.thespec.com/news/business/article/812472–sales-clerk-top-occupation-in-hamilton Meanwhile, the Globe tells us that “corporations are flocking back to downtown Toronto.” The stunted job market extends to the creative class, BTW. Dan Snaith moved from Hamilton to London in 2001. Kathleen Edwards moved from Hamilton to Toronto in 2010. Doucet & McClelland moved from Hamilton to NYC’s Lower East Side in 2011. And yes, the cultural scene is a bit naive, but that’s mainly down to the inclusiveness (accessible and fun for all ages) and lack of critical culture. But there is also a lot of room to grow. I still hope that Hamilton will become known as home to something brave and new rather than just another place where young people go to retire.
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7:32 am on November 16, 2012

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THE TEN SPOT

Hey Hey Hey,

You forgot to mention that THE TEN SPOT (aka Toronto’s Best Beauty Spa – as voted on year after year by the good people of Toronto, (from Now Magazine, I know, Grid competition, sorry!!)) has opened up a location in Hammy Town, on the hip strip of James Street North! So all the more reason to move to The Hammer, city kids!

xoxo,
Kristen, owner of The Ten Spot and newly transplanted Hamiltonian!

PS – Loved the article and the super cute map!

PPS – other hidden Gems of The Hammer:

Detour Cafe in Dundas – Adorable.

Thai Memory – best thai food this side of thailand, no joke.

Cannon Coffee Co – on Ottawa street – Killer Maple Lattes.

Johnny’s Cafe, on Locke St. Super cute and tons of plug for your lap toppy.

Bread Bar – on Locke street. Cute and good food!

Cake & Loaf – bakery with Beer & Cheddar bead – yes, I wrote BEER.

Bitten, on Locke – Cupcakes, but like amazing cupcakes – bacon salted caramel ones…

The Brain – cutest bar on earth (serves up board games and raspberry beer!)

Rapscallions – totally utterly amazing dinner spot. Rotating menu of awesomeness. Like pork belly tacos. To die for.

Boo’s Bistro – most likely one of the best meals you might ever have.

This city is awesome! (and I’ve lived in some awesome cities; NYC, MTL, TO annnnndddd of course, the most awesome of all, Winnipeg or rather DUB PG (WPG).
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10:45 pm on November 15, 2012

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Harry

I was priced out of the market in Toronto 32 years ago and made the move to Hamilton before it was “discovered.” I’ve never looked back. I’ve moved downtown, rural and back to the city. Aside from the great things that mentioned in the other posts and the article, Hamilton also has an actively involved citizenry who really care about neighbourhoods. Neighbourhood associations make things happen in this town. And most people who live in Hamilton grew up in Hamilton.
There is a Hamilton beyond downtown. Look at neighbourhoods like mine on the Mountain. I can walk down an escarpment staircase to downtown in just a few minutes.
Hamilton is a sport town. You should see all the baseball, football and soccer! There is civic participation in tall kinds of volunteer organizations like the Canadian Club of Hamilton,
The beauty of Hamilton is that it’s a relatively small city where individuals can make a difference. You can know the key players in your field.
Toronto is a distant memory for me. This is where I brought up my kids. If I had to do it all over, I wouldn’t change a thing. Hamilton is the real thing, warts and all.
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10:37 pm on November 15, 2012

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Kashia

We moved to Hamilton from Toronto in 2004 for the housing market. We bought a beautiful home, in a nice neighbourhood, quiet court…I love all that, LOVE the lack of traffic congestion, but hate everything else about living here. I have never adjusted and as a result have been miserable all this time. I wish I could afford to move back to Toronto, but it’s just not possible.

I hate how the city is run, the taxes are extremely high, much higher than my old Bridle Path neighbourhood in Don Mills! Not enough business to help carry the tax burden. Many businesses don’t even want to come here because the city taxes them at such a high rate. There is so much wasteful spending here by the city. We have to support so many people on welfare here. There is so much poverty. My water/sewage bills were 3x what they were in Toronto. The tax payers here are burdened to the point that the ones who are paying to support those on welfare may very well soon be on welfare themselves!

Attitudes, too, are different about many things. Bringing my young family here, I was shocked at what they were exposed to in the local schools, all thanks to the upbringing their classmates enjoy from their high school dropout/welfare case parents. Look at the dropout rates in this city. Reading the comments on articles of its main newspaper will give you a glimpse of the level of education the majority of the population here has achieved. Even driving on the streets you are guaranteed to run into some of these empty headed barbarians, beating their wives, drinking and ready to lay in on you, or threaten you with bodily harm if you so much as dare to look at them the wrong way.

I could go on and on and I’m sure I’ll get flamed, but I’m just so fed up with this poorly run, barbaric city. Hamilton, hopefully, one day will change, and I truly hope it will, but for now it still has a very long way to go.
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10:20 pm on November 15, 2012

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AC

I stopped reading at “welfare case”.
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9:41 am on November 16, 2012
aguystartingover

You do realize that your comments come off as full on bourgeois at the very least and that’s me being kind. Let me see if I have this right, you sold a house in the Bridlepath in 2004 and moved to Hamilton and have been miserable ever since. Does the cool million or so that you pocketed in the difference along with a bigger home not offer you any comfort?
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2:16 pm on November 16, 2012
Drew

like any city, some schools are better than others. Perhaps you chose the wrong school for your children (wrong neighbourhood to live in).

You are right about high taxes, and we have more then our share of people with mental issues (most of whom are harmless). However, after reading your post, i came to the conclusion that you are just a snob; plain and simple.
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2:54 pm on November 16, 2012
Kevin

You sold a house in the Bridal Path and didn’t enroll your kids at Hillfield?

That IS barbaric!
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3:00 pm on November 22, 2012
David Wootton

You are some of the Torontonains that Hamilton does not want and one of the many reasons that Torontonians move away from Toronto. Please move back to your upper class Bridal Path. I presume that you have the money to do so.
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7:20 pm on February 11, 2013

We'll still rob ya!

So much is wrong with this silly article I don’t know how to condense my thoughts.

Torontonians are moving to Hamilton for cheap housing, yet their simply being here will skyrocket prices for Hamiltonains. You want to gentrify us? Hamilton has always been a working class city. We cannot afford your condos or lattes. In fact, we desperately need the food banks and drop-in centres that are facing enormous pressure to close their doors to ‘clean up’ downtown. Your article mentions a few times how there are no jobs in Hamilton. This is true. The difference between us is that commuting to Toronto everyday is not a possibility for me, or most Hamiltonians.
Instead we are stuck; serving your coffees and cleaning your condos because our government sold us out and let our industry be raped and stolen. Stuck in struggling shelters because we have been priced out of our own neighbourhoods. Stuck shuffling past hordes of police hoping they wont bother us too much.

Don’t believe the hype; Hamilton has always been and will always be a working class city. We are currently just facing intense waves of gentrification. This is a fad brought on by hipsters and self-proclaimed ‘young professionals’ and it will be over as suddenly as it started. I struggle every day and I am proud. Hamilton is a gem. We don’t need Torontonians to validate our worth as a city.

Your ‘creative class’ is not welcome here.
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8:44 pm on November 15, 2012

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Bob Bratina

Housing here is cheap because of the scooter gangs.
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7:56 pm on November 15, 2012

Reply

hahahahaha

oh my god hahahahahahaha RASCAL GANG REPRESENT
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6:38 pm on November 16, 2012

JJ MARKY

my dog was killed by crack heads in the summer of 2010 so i moved back to toronto the sickos killed my shitzu for its pelt they traded it for their fix!
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7:30 pm on November 15, 2012

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Darkhorse

As a Hamiltonian, this article kind of rubs me the wrong way. I love that people from Toronto are moving here and realizing that Hamilton really isn’t that bad of a city. There is a great art scene, some really cool spots to check out, and a load of green space (believe it or not…for those QEW judgers). But I feel this article implies that it took some Toronto hipsters to make Hamilton a cool spot to live. Hamilton has a fantastic grassroot movement and those efforts should not go overlooked. Hamilton is its own city and it’s people are genuine with a lot of heart!
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6:47 pm on November 15, 2012

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Mark

Don’t worry, Darkhorse. The people you’re talking about aren’t really moving there. It’s called linkbait journalism.
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11:56 am on November 16, 2012
Foxglove

aaahhh, totally! so well-said!
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5:05 pm on November 17, 2012

Hamilton Hive

Thanks for the great article, we’ve posted a link to it on our Facebook page. Any young people considering coming to Hamilton can connect with the Hamilton Hive, the best was to stay in the loop about events geared towards the young professional community in Hamilton.
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6:45 pm on November 15, 2012

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Mr.Fallon

Hello there beautiful people. I found that this article almost solely mentioned “couples”. Being single, I enjoy the variety and ambition of the babes I meet in Toronto.

One day when I do meet the right person and don’t feel the need to get ghastly drunk every weekend, I may return to the Hammer where my family resides (Dundas, ON specifically).

Anyway, what was I getting at? I got distracted by the million more babes out front of my window in Toronto.

Kindest regards,

Mr. Fallon
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4:28 pm on November 15, 2012

Reply

Mr Supermodel

Mr Fallon

Im agree that the filthy bowels of Hamilton are not suited for the single dweller. Living in such a place results to a vast usage of the local escort services, resulting in the flatulent spread of STDs and STD accessories.
Some food for thought

” I wouldn’t recomend sex, drugs, or insanity for everyone, buts its always worked for me” – Hunter S Thompson

Party on Wizard
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5:59 pm on November 15, 2012
Hamiltonrb

Babes? Seriously babes? You might see a million babes outside your window grandpa but good luck getting them in the back of your 64 Chevy
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9:57 pm on November 15, 2012

Nicholas

I grew up working class in Hamilton and I’ve been living in Toronto for over 10 years now. I was one of those kids that went to all-ages Sonic Unyon shows at the X-Club. I remember the big Sonic Unyon showcase at Lee’s Palace where Dr. Disc chartered buses and shipped in kids for the show.

I’ve wanted to live in Toronto ever since. Toronto at night seemed alive with people all over the place. The feeling was that you might get robbed in Toronto, but you’d get killed in Hamilton in the wrong part of town. Someone can let me know if that’s changed. I’ve gone back for Super Crawls and visits but I still feel like I need to be ready to run when the sun goes down.

Please also convince me that owning a big house in downtown Hamilton is worth commuting two hours each way, because there are certainly no careers to be had in Hamilton. The economics just aren’t there. I would love to open up a business in Hamilton but good luck making money serving anything other then coffee or booze to the creative class and artists.

I wish I didn’t grow up there so I wouldn’t have any baggage about moving back.
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2:39 pm on November 15, 2012

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K

Well, killed in Hamilton. I believe Toronto boosts all the shootings on the media. Hamilton is a safe town. People are honest and you don’t have to spend your time trying to live up to lulu lemon expectations. You can be yourself. Grime and all.
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9:23 am on November 16, 2012

j-rock

I went to McMaster, and when I first decided to go there, several of my friends were incredulous. “You’re going to LIVE in Hamilton?” Unfortunately, as mentioned in the article, most peoples’ image of the city (including my own up until that point) is based solely on the industrial nightmare visible from the QEW, as they drive past on their way somewhere else.

To say that I was surprised upon first arriving would be an understatement. First, I was amazed at how GREEN the city is. There are parks everywhere, as well as quiet, tree-lined streets that are as pretty as anything you would find in High Park or midtown Toronto. There are also a plethora of waterfalls, with Webster’s Falls in nearby Dundas, being among the most famous. You also have the Royal Botanical Gardens and Cootes Paradise, where I spent countless hours just walking along the trails in what is a truly remarkable urban oasis.

As I grew increasingly comfortable, and began exploring more and more outside of the campus bubble, I discovered a downtown that while rough around the edges, had plenty of great places to have a drink, see a band, buy records or get a bite to eat. And while it is a cliche, the people there are really down-to-earth. There’s a lack or pretentiousness that I appreciate even more now that I live in Toronto.

After my 2nd year, I stopped going home for summers and lived there full-time, and if my first job after graduation hadn’t been overseas, I would have definitely considered settling there, at least for a little while. I have friends who did, and they love it. But perhaps more tellingly, I also have friends similar to the people described in this article. Two of them in fact, just last month left a rental apartment at Yonge and Eglinton, and bought a house in the Hammer for a price that might get you a 600 sq foot condo on King west. They both kept their jobs in Toronto, and take the GO train in everyday, and as it turns out, the actual commute is the same as someone heading into Toronto from Markham, Brampton, or Milton for example. It’s only been a few weeks, but they seem very happy.

I retain a great deal of affection for the city and its people, and if you’ve ever suffered through an Argos game at the Dome, you should check out a Ti-Cats home game sometime. It’s like night and day. The stands are full, and the fans are loud.

I’ve always said that it’s one of the best kept secrets in Canada, but as this article suggests, perhaps that secret has gotten out.
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12:01 pm on November 15, 2012

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Adrienne

One thing that I thought about: if you buy a house in Hamilton how much will the value increase over the next 10 years? A Toronto house is guaranteed to go up in price, especially if you put some work into it. Is it the same in Hamilton?
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11:23 am on November 15, 2012

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Malex

Adrienne;
My wife and I bought our house in the lower city of Hamilton 3 years ago for $200,000….we recently had an estate agent over and she said we could list it for $279,900…so that’s not bad….not as sky high as Toronto, obviously, but your house will appreciate in value, even moreso as more people discover the #HamOnt and it’s many charms!
Alex
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11:26 am on November 15, 2012
Steve McKay

The inflation in Toronto housing prices is artificial and will burst. Hamilton prices rise slow and steadily, so it’s actually a much safer investment. If you buy in Toronto today, you might make a few bucks, but there’s a good chance that you might lose more than a few bucks.

http://www.cbc.ca/hamilton/economy/story/2012/08/21/hamilton-investment.html?cmp=rss
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1:05 pm on November 15, 2012
Annastacia

Adrienne, we bought a century home (circa 1900) a hop from Gage Park for $98,000 in 2003. After investing $3500 of home improvements and regular maintenance, we sold it for $144,000 in 2006. That’s a good return in three years, yes?
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12:33 pm on November 16, 2012
yyz

Are wages in Toronto increasing with the rise in the cost of housing? Why is Hamilton being touted as the next great thing? Given job growth in Hamilton why is this even an article? I’ll tell you why. There are a lot of people being priced out of anything other than 900 sq. ft. condos. Although, even there, costs are going up and size is going down.

PS: Nothing is *guaranteed*, much though real estate agents will tell you otherwise, in life. Are there enough overseas investors, people who make significant money, or people who are willing to sink all their money into to a house to be cash poor/house rich for the next 10, 20, 30 years to sustain Toronto’s home market? Maybe, but if that’s the case, rest assured, there will be A LOT more people who will be able to support Hamilton’s market – whether they do or not.
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2:33 pm on November 18, 2012
David Wootton

Not now. Hamilton is one of only three Canadian cities where house prices are increasing and Vancouver and Toronto prices are beginning to collapse!
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7:29 pm on February 11, 2013

Amanda

We just moved from Toronto to Hamilton last month because we were priced out of the Toronto housing market. I agree with the commenter about the Landsdale neighbourhood. We moved one over to Gibson/St.Clair. But it is basicly the same vibe as Landsdale. We bought a fully renovated house for about 150K and couldn’t be happier. I meet a Toronto transplant nearly every day and the the shared bond makes us instant friends.
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11:07 am on November 15, 2012

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art+copy

We moved from Toronto to Hamilton 6 years ago. Best decision in my life!

Here is a house-hunting tip for budget shoppers: My rough-around-the-edges ‘hood (Landsdale) is not on this article’s map of trendy up-and-coming neighbourhoods, but it reminds me of the Parkdale/High Park of my childhood (pre-Drake Hotel), and is a short walk to the hot James St North’s Art Crawl strip.

Landsdale has a bad rep locally, but it’s no different than Parkdale circa 1990s. It’s very blue collar and rough around the edges but nothing you can’t handle if you have lived in downtown Toronto.

Houses here are waaaaaaay below the city average. We bought a gorgeous 4-bedroom, two bath, main-floor laundry, detached century home for $115K, thinking it would be our starter home and we’d move up to the Locke St hood, but we never did–we like it here too much! People are nice, and there’s a great laissez-faire vibe missing from the more bourgeois parts of town.

I think houses in this hood go for about $175K nowadays.
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10:53 am on November 15, 2012

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Malex

Hamilton also has a pretty cool mag (called Hamilton Magazine, funnily enough) that does a decent job of capturing the urban vibe of the city and its resurgent downtown. Ironically, their new Editor is also a former Torontonian, if I remember correctly….

P.S. A young couple just took possession of a house down the street from me (in Hamilton) and guess where they’re from?? That’s right, Parkdale in Toronto…seriously.
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10:23 am on November 15, 2012

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Demi Tasse

Hamilton Magazine is located in Burlington, funnily enough.

Maybe this article will inspire a move?
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8:06 am on November 16, 2012

Ace

Please don’t mistakenly believe that Hamilton is dying to have the stamp of approval from urban cultural masters of elsewhere. As someone who works & creates on James St, and lives in the city, I know that these shifts and improvements in our city have stemmed from enormous local energy and passion, along with occasional and recent support from the City. Our efforts are not driven by a desire to improve our property value, but the love for art and for sharing it. We are not trying to “seduce,” “lure,” or appeal to ex-Toronto residents. The tone of this article suggests otherwise, but please don’t believe that this is in our scope of vision. If our city is appealing, it is because of years of grassroots work, not a couple of city-sponsored ad campaigns.
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10:12 am on November 15, 2012

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Kathy

Moving to Hamilton from a small city in Saskatchewan (unbeknownst to me in the beginning), was the best decision I’ve ever made in my life.

This article illustrates that beautifully.
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10:06 am on November 15, 2012

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NonCommuter

Can the author comment on jobs in Hamilton? I know a few people who live in the area, but work in Toronto. You want to talk about living “in a prison”? Try being stuck on the QEW or on the GO twice a day, five days a week.
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9:59 am on November 15, 2012

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Katie

Agree wholeheartedly. The transportation system isn’t evolving quiet efficiently enough to meet the demand of people who live in Hamilton but commute to Toronto. After living/studying in Hamilton for 5 years, I got a job in Toronto and tried the commute for 6 months before I got too exhausted to continue. I ended up moving back to my GTA hometown just because the LSE is a lot quicker and painless. Not sure which bus or train the author took to get to Toronto in “45 minutes” because I’ve never made it there in primetime (730am-10am, 4:30pm-7:30pm) in anything less than an hour and a half (sometimes two hours if I’m unlucky). I’m saving up for an apartment in Toronto because yes, Hamilton has great attributes, but you always run into the same “innovators” over and over again. HiveX was nothing more than a “who’s who” of the Creative Scene. Sure, you get to be a leader in your field, (it’s awfully nice to feel special and important), but you better make sure you’re not just recycling ideas that are a dime-a-dozen in Toronto. With the freedom to make your mark, you can choose to pave your own path, or you can choose to copycat what you’ve seen in Toronto. I hope Hamilton continues to find a healthy and economically-viable balance between the two.
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11:41 am on November 15, 2012
Jim

Good point. I think Hamilton is great myself and would like to live there (Westdale or Dundas myself). But don’t sell the city on its proximity to Toronto. Sure, its 45 minutes if you make the drive at four in the morning but expect a minimum of two hours (and weekends are no better).
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11:50 am on November 15, 2012
jeff316

The discrepancy in the reported commute time is a result in a mental bias frequently displayed by commuters – myself included.

People tend to measure in-town commutes as door-to-door. In that sense, a commute within a city on one transit system is usually measured somewhat accurately.

Out-of-town commutes tend to be measured differently; if in a car, it’s sign post to signpost or in transit it’s foot-on-train to foot-on-train. In that sense, the commute time measurement often misses the pre- and post- travel.

As a former commuter from Hamilton, in our case we had to walk to the HSR stop, take the HSR to the GO, and then once off the GO we had to subway and then short walk to work. Those bits were often mentally left out in a measurement of the “commute” from Hamilton to Toronto. And it adds up.
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8:52 pm on November 17, 2012
PayorCommute

You say people who commute are living in a prison. What about the average person? The average schmuck making between 40-100,000 a year. What does an extra $400-700,000 on a mortgage (assuming you can finance it) mean in terms of the range of choices you can make? I say they’re every bit as trapped – only in a different way.
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2:45 pm on November 18, 2012
jeff316

Very true, one may feel trapped by the extra mortgage.

In addition to the time spent commuting, however, there is also the cost of the commute.

Would you rather pay $400 per person per month on a mortgage, or $400 per person per month to GO and the TTC?

It’s up to each individual and their priorities.
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3:59 pm on November 18, 2012

B. Reid

Great article! I feel a sense of pride. My wife, daughter, and I just moved to the Locke street neighborhood from Philadelphia. Wow, what a difference! I work on the road for indie rock bands (The National, Grizzly Bear, & Sufjan Stevens), which offers us the ability to live where we want, as long as I’m close to an airport. Yeah, we LOVE Toronto and have many friends there, but, the proceeds from the sale of our 1,800 square foot brownstone in Philly would only enable us to look at one or two bedroom condos in TO. And, since I have no geographic need (ie, work) to be close to the city, Hamilton made perfect sense. The volume & financial access to beautiful heritage homes in Hamilton is mindblowing…neighborhood after neighborhood of gorgeous homes. Locke street has become amazing. Our lifestyle has improved ten fold. There are days in a row where we don’t get into the car, because everything is walkable…parks, coffee shops, boutiques, restaurants, groceries, playgroups, etc. This area is OUR utopia, thanks Hamilton.
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9:57 am on November 15, 2012

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Howzer

I still don’t believe you lived in Philly.
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11:31 am on November 15, 2012

theZube

Good to see all the important issues are over and done with in Toronto. Now we can finally talk about other cities.
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9:48 am on November 15, 2012

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great scoop

Killer piece! Reminds me of one that another city publication did recently!
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9:41 am on November 15, 2012

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Anonymous

Hamilton the next parkdale is a meme on fire
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9:11 am on November 15, 2012

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Russell

Nice article. I moved with my family to Hamilton last year. We had spent 4 years in Montreal and coming back to Ontario for a new job we wanted to upgrade from a condo for our daughter. We found beautiful homes in our price range. The Bruce Trail goes through Hamilton, not just starts on its edge, amongst other great trails which zig zag across the Niagara Escarpment which cuts through the centre of town. We attend festivals in the greater Hamilton area including the monthly Art Crawl and annual Supercrawl. We go to the beach, hike to waterfalls and I have even gone to a TigerCats game. I love living here and enjoy being less than an hour from Toronto and Niagara. I live near downtown and almost never take the skyway bridge, so I often forget about our industrial backbone, but I never apologize for this part of the city. Hamilton has some improvement to make yet, but the progress is promising. Thanks to those passionate people who work tirelessly to improve their communities!
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8:07 am on November 15, 2012

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Adrienne

Interesting article. Hamilton may be for some but for sure not for me. Rather pay more to live in a shoebox condo to stay in Toronto then pay the same amount for a house in the Hammer. Call me a snobby Torontoian but I just can’t see myself living there. However, this article is correct, I feel Hamilton has an up and coming artistic community.
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8:17 pm on November 14, 2012

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Sean

Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. The nice thing about the Hammer is that we stopped caring about what Torontonians think of us a long, long time ago. You don’t want to live here? Cool. Don’t. The last thing any city needs is people who don’t want to be there.
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12:47 pm on November 15, 2012

Andrew

@Milo! Thanks for painting for such a wonderfully uninformed picture of the Hammer. While you and your pals are hanging out at Starbucks, me and my artist pals will hang out in the Hammer in studios we can afford before heading out to the monthly Art Crawl to check out the work, maybe catch a band or listen to a DJ in some cozy, unpretentious place. Maybe Dan Snaith or Jeremy Greenspan will be in town hosting a party….
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8:01 pm on November 14, 2012

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mad face

please stop telling everybody that shouldn’t know about this about this! i need the prices to still be low by the time i have enough money. jeesh grid, you’re ruining my plans!
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6:11 pm on November 14, 2012

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milo

what a dumb article.

perhaps 17 people decide to move from the city to the hammer – but what about the other 1700 including myself that move the other way because they dont want to live in that cesspool of a city?

Hamilton is known for two things — teenage pregnancy and unemployement. Not art.
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5:20 pm on November 14, 2012

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Jessica

Congratulations for being so stereotypically close-minded; your attitude is exactly what pushes progressive Hamiltonians forward. Some of us prefer not to bathe in cynicism and actually take action.
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5:46 pm on November 14, 2012
Anand Sinha @AnandSHamilton

Glad you left then.

Hamilton has more greenspace than Toronto. Witness the Hamilton conservation area. Hamilton is the city of waterfalls.

Hamilton is also home to a up and coming high-tech revitalisation. The Innovation Factory @itbeginswithif , Software hamilton @hamiltonsw are finding ways to help local companies become successful.

Hamilton – it’s not just for artists. Techies have a great community here, we pull together, and we will succeed.

As for Toronto – well I did that move once, and hated the congestion, the noise, the pollution, the smell, the Leaf fans, the Argos, ugh.
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9:28 pm on November 14, 2012
Ryan

I would say this comment is more opinionated without any tact, with a splash of ignorance thrown in. I lived in Hamilton for a year while I commuting to St. Catharines for work. Personally, I’m not a fan of Hamilton and, while I may not have a very high opinion of the city for the stage at which I am in my life, I don’t begrudge an article like this because it makes a bunch of very valid points.

There’s been far too much that’s come out of the Hammer to completely write off the city as this comment does. If you based the city solely on the fact that it has a population of half a million ppl and a top-tiered Canadian university, it rife with potential. That’s not even taking into account all those who live there that are building our their neighbourhood & community!

As I mentioned, Hamilton isn’t my bag at this point BUT I’d also rather not live around this guy who apparently is of the belief that ‘Hey, I’ve got an opinion and, because it’s my opinion, it’s the right one for everyone!’
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10:42 am on November 15, 2012
Hamiltonrb

Toronto is getting known for random shootings, the G20 riot & the Maple Leafs never making the playoffs. So, pick your poison.
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10:15 pm on November 15, 2012