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What are the advantages and disadvantages of moving to Toronto from Singapore?

I'm 15 years old this year now living in Singapore. I'd like to move to Toronto in 10 year's time to work and live there, but 1) What are the differences of jobs/business opportunities between these 2 cities (is it easy to find a job/set up and run a business here)? 2) How are the salaries like in Toronto as compared to Singapore? 3) How different is everyday life between these 2 cities? 4)Will the MoveOntario2020 benefit all residents living and working in any part of Toronto? 5) Which part of Toronto would most foreign expats live (especially Singaporeans)? 6) Finally, what will I miss out (in terms of jobs, life, only-in-Singapore products/services/experience, etc.) if I move out of Singapore? You may leave out any of the part questions that you cannot answer but those who can answer as many part questions as possible will have a higher chance of being selected for the best answer and winning 10 points. More part-questions: 7) How high is the cost of living in Canada? Is it manageable? 8) Are shopping malls common in Toronto? What time do shops usually close and are there any 24-hour shops? 9) (Bonus/Optional) Is Singapore Airlines ever flying to Toronto again? Or is Air Canada thinking about flying to Singapore again (though this is unlikely; I asked this question because demand of the route SIN-YYZ is high and there are rumours that Singapore Airlines will fly there direct in the future)? More part questions will arrive within 24 hours if I can think of any. So stay tuned.

Public Comments

1. Well for one thing you can chew gum in public and won't get fined. ;-) You certainly have a lot of questions, which is good. I would say you are starting early, and your decision may change over time. I cannot tell you the differences between Singapore and Toronto mainly because I have only dealt with customers in Singapore and never lived there. And I have visited Toronto but never lived there - I live in Montreal. But here are some answers that I hope will help you: 1) Canada has a declining birthrate, so they are promoting and streamlining immigration. I think we now have more immigrants arriving in Canada than we have babies being born here. As a result, they have policies such as the Skilled Workers program, which makes it easier for you to come here to live and work if you have skills that Canada needs. These include tradespeople (carpenters, electricians, etc) as well as white-collar jobs (IT staff, accountants, etc). 2) Salaries are high in Toronto compared to other parts of Canada, but that is partially because it costs a lot to live in the city, or you have to commute by train for an hour or two each day to get to/from work. I think we are paid pretty well, but again it depends on your skills and what company you end up working for. We are also taxed quite heavily, so get used to earning $60K a year and then giving $20-25K to government for taxes. 3) In Singapore, I hear that there has been much economic investment and the standard of living is on the rise. In Toronto, it is an established city in the western hemisphere and probably is considered the main hub in Canada for business. Both are large cities filled with business people. Toronto has severe rush hours (when five lanes of traffic are on the highways in the morning and at night as people are trying to get to or from their jobs.) 4) Have not heard about this program. Cannot answer. 5) The Markham area has a high concentration of asian residents, and chinese, japanese, and thai restaurants are everywhere. Businesses there are often advertised in English and Mandarin, so I would guess that would be the place. However, Canada is a melting pot, so you will find people of various ethnic backgrounds all over the place. People here are pretty tolerant of other races or religions. There are exceptions, but they are usually based on safety. For example, some young girls were not allowed to play soccer while wearing a muslim head covering, and most schools banned any form of kirpan from being brought in, as it is essentially a knife (even if the blade is tiny or fake) 6) Singapore is a beautiful island just on the edge between the indian ocean and the south pacific. You will certainly have nicer weather there so expect to encounter non-fatal influenza season, cold weather, and snow if you come to Toronto. If you stay in Singapore, you would likely maintain your language and culture better, as you will remain exposed to it. People tend to "blend" into the life here, and our culture is not one known to be as exciting or flamboyant as other cultures. 7) Cost of living varies in Canada, as we have small towns that you can by hectares of land for a few thousand dollars, and pay very little for food, furniture, etc. On the other hand, if living in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, or Montreal you may find it much higher. Rent for a small apartment will be expensive, for example. 8) Shopping malls are everywhere in Canada. You have discount places as well as expensive boutiques. Grocery stores all offer fresh seasonal produce, with a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables from all over the world. And yes there are 24hr shops and restaurants, although most are only open from around 9AM to 9PM. 9) I can't tell you what any of the airlines are likely to do 5-10 years from now in terms of direct flights. If the demand is there, they will certainly offer it. And the demand for a direct flight would most likely happen from Singapore to Vancouver or from Singapore to Toronto. For now, you connect in Los Angeles, Tokyo, or Hong Kong. Those are the big three.