[Scarborough Life] How is the security in Scarborough? Is the transportation convenient?

My rental experience in Scarborough

Before I came to Toronto, when COVID-19 was still very serious, I decided to rent remotely in order to ensure that I would have a place to live as soon as I arrived and not have to run around looking for an apartment in the winter. I decided to live in the Scarborough area because I was attending classes at Centennial College.

I chose Agincourt, which is relatively the most convenient and safe area in Scarborough. And where I live is at the intersection of two major roads, Kennedy Road and Sheppard Avenue East. Because Toronto's TTC buses run on main roads, living on these main roads will reduce the number of transfers you have to make.

And another reason to choose Agincourt is because of the Go Train. Go Train is the fastest way to get to Downtown from cities around the GTA. The advantage is that the schedule is very fixed. For example, it only takes less than 30 minutes to get there from Agincourt to Union Station, which is much faster than driving through DVP, and there is less delay. Better than the subway.

The house I rented at the time was about 600 square feet, with one bedroom, one living room and one parking space. In November 2021, the price is about $1,600, including water and electricity. Moreover, there are Hong Kong-style bakeries, breakfast shops, Vietnamese restaurants, etc. within a 2-minute walk. There are also daily necessities stores such as Walmart, Nofrills, and Dollarama nearby. Basically, it can be said that all daily needs can be easily met.

Scarborough Food

Scarborough is best known for its affordable food. Since a large part of the older generation of Chinese immigrants live in Scarborough, there are many restaurants nearby. And the price is cheaper than you think. For example, at the tea restaurant I go to most often, a dinner is only $15 Canadian dollars including tax. Moreover, there are more than 4 to 5 Chinese supermarkets in Scarborough, where you can also find many cheap meals. If you are in need of Chinese restaurants, Scarborough is definitely a place suitable for you!

Scarborough Transportation

The main modes of transportation from Scarborough to downtown are subway (TTC) and train (Go Train).

As for the subway, you can take the TTC Blue Line Line 3 from STC (Scarborough Town Center), and transfer to the Green Line Line 2 at Kennedy Station to reach Downtown. From STC to Downtown Bloor & Yonge Station, the entire journey takes about 40 minutes.

But I personally rarely use this method because I live far away from the subway station and my work place is at Union Station, so the train is a more convenient option for me.

For trains, there are two Go Train stations in the Scarborough area - Agincourt and Kennedy. It runs every half hour in the morning and every hour the rest of the time. The best thing about the train is that the seats are much more comfortable than those on the TTC, and there are fewer people. So far, I have never had to stand.

Is it safe to live in Scarborough?

The security situation in Scarborough is very different. If you choose a bad neighborhood, you may often see news about shootings and crimes in the area where you live. When we discuss public security in Canada, we generally discuss it in terms of intersections, because the same area may have both luxury areas and slums. The following two areas are best avoided if possible:

Morningside & Sheppard

There are many gangs in this area that gather in this area.

Victoria Park – Finch

There are many robberies at this intersection east of 404, and because there are many government low-rent houses nearby, the people are quite mixed. published

Do I recommend staying in Scarborough?

As far as my own experience is concerned, I feel that Scarborough is not a bad place. Moderate commuting distance, lower housing prices and rents, cheap food, etc. are all the advantages of Scarborough. If you have Scarborough in your consideration list, I would suggest you choose places like Sheppard Ave, STC, and Agincourt near 401. Public security is relatively good, and living functions are also very high.

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