I Need Help With Toronto, Canada.

If anyone currently resides in the Toronto area, please PM me. I will also need help with the outlying areas.

Looks like I may have a job in Canada for a while....

Congrats, that sure will be a change from DFW!

I am going to freeeezzzeee my brass monkeys off

Back to the top so all the Cannucks get a chance

Since I'm from Alberta, any comment I offer will no doubt make trouble. But here goes.

The humidity level will be familiar to you. Only it will turn to ice at certain times of year. Nobody buys a car from Ontario, because the road salt has mostly dissolved the entire undercarriage. (But that's nobody's fault. See, I'm still being nice.)

If the snow gets too deep, the army will be called upon to dig you out. I'm not kidding, this has happened. We in the West are still laughing. (See, I'm getting in trouble already.)

Mostly, as an ex-pat, I think you'll be welcomed. But you'll get what you give. Canadians are more reserved, and just because they don't scream in outrage doesn't mean they aren't deeply offended. Remember that Ontario is very much United Empire Loyalist in heritage. So if you go marching around with fife and drum, well, you'll get some attitude, and blowback. So don't swing at every pitch, let the small things slide, and you'll be accepted.

Leave most of your guns at home. I can understand why that's hard for a Texan to swallow, but mostly you don't need 'em. Take a shotgun into bear country, sure, and a rifle in hunting season. But despite isolated incidents, "Peace, Order, and Good Government" has reasonable traction here. (Two out of three ain't bad, I guess ;-)

If you can get out of the city, north into the lakes and forests of the Canadian Shield, there's some damn fine country up there. Get to know somebody with a camp (not a cottage, ptui!), bring dark ale and good Scotch, and you'll see the best scenery and hospitality ever. Fishin', too.

(Geez, did I just give a plug for something in Ontario? Hells bells, I must be losing it.)

Hope this kinda helps.
Doug

Toronto is a very nice city.clean,safe,modern.expect heavy traffic jams to the suburbs.the waterfront--Toronto Island--is a jem,good food.very good public transport-subways,trollys.theater-museums-nite life all top notch.like Doug said it's close to the outdoor life.fish-hunt-boating.it's a big city that spreads out into a metro area..check Google Earth to get a idea..i had family there when i was a kid in the 50's 60's and spent a lot of time in the city..if i was to pick a big city to live in it would be T.O.

I spent lots of time in Toronto either on business, visiting friends and relatives, vacationing, or looking for jobs in the area (i'm from the east coast of Canada, going to Toronto is like a rite-of-passage after college).

Compared to a lot of American cities (no offence to any here), Toronto is very clean and boring... Even the beggers on the street are pleasent at times. There is a good night life, there is some of the best hockey in the world (go leafs!), cottage country kicks butt and it feels like one of the safest cities i've been too.

Eventually I will wind up out west also. Just don't know when/where. One thing about the wireless industry is you don't stay still for long.

Sounds like winterizing my RV (5th Wheel) and my diesel pick-up, plus finding year round campgrounds may be my biggest challenges so far.

Oh yeah, since I am adjusted to Texas winters, I may need a little winterizing also. Last year I could wear shorts until late November/early December....

is your hockey player going with you?

+10 on the traffic jams, TO traffic sucks. Lots of indoor ice rinks, not cold enough, for long enough to make outdoor rinks for all season. There are some outdoor ones but they are few and far between. 86,000+ kids play hockey in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

Like any large city there are places to stay away from. Leave ALL your guns at home unless you plan to bring a long gun for hunting. Mace too. Most are prohibited or severely restricted. Expect the Canadian Customs agent to ask you if you have any weapons.

Toronto is a neat place, like Doug said, they did have to call in the ARMY once to help clear the snow. They can't do that now as most of our ARMY is currently in Afghanistan.

Sometimes Toronto is referred to as the United Nations because what ever country you can name, there probably is someone from that country living in Toronto. The largest population of Italians, outside of Italy, is in Toronto. Many other ethnic areas too. Canada is a melting pot of humanity and Toronto is perhaps the largest example in Canada.

On a stickier note, Canadian medical facilities won't likely take your US Heath Insurance so you will either need a lot of cash or Travel Health Insurance based in Canada. When my wife and I go back to Canada and need medical services, it usually takes the medical place longer to figure out how we can pay them than getting the service.

Gas, Cigarettes and Booze are way more expensive in Canada than what you are used to. Food probably too. There is a 14% sales tax (Harmonized Tax or Goods and Services tax plus Provincial sales tax) on most retail purchases.

PM me if you want any additional info. Enjoy your trip!

Doug, that's some very nice things a westerner ever said about Toronto. You must be getting soft!

Mike, you caught me in a mellow moment. Must have been the Italian brandy.

If you need some classic T.O. bashing, a comment or two about dear old Toronto the Good, self-appointed centre of the universe, I can probably oblige.

"Hi, I see you're from Toronto. Can I borrow a cup of smug?"

I always got a kick of of the Toronto news on the first snowfall of each winter. Always 500 accidents, like can't you remember how to drive when it snows?

I can pick on Toronto as I am not from there, I just lived there for 10 yrs. They definitely consider themselves the center of the universe and deserve the poking they get.

No, I will be traveling every week. I have enough air miles to fly to the moon and back once a week for the next 50 years. I want him to finish this school year here. He is a senior

500 accidents, heck that is a slow Sunday here. The little snow we get (once every two years) is always a blast to watch. All the Housewives remember their SUV is 4x4, and keep driving like it is July. Nobody told them 4WD does not improve stopping.....

Okay...

Everyone, hold up on the GREATLY APPRECIATED Toronto, Canada info. The company is playing me like a Yo-Yo. Now I am headed to El Paso, TX to be followed by Toronto after the first of the year. Saddly, I know quite a bit about that area....

Now where did I leave my bullet proof unitard.....

At least El Paso is a little closer to home!

Yep. I should have stayed awake in spanish class 25 years ago though.

El Paso is my part of the world. Let me know if I can provide some updated local color. Or at least some great places to get Mexican food.

David,

I appreciate the offer, but being as the company like to play with Yo-Yo's, they are now talking about Canada again.

I told them to make a decision and call me Monday....

All Canadian's please feel free to start the information flow again.

And if you see a GM 1 ton truck with Texas tags and a driver that looks to be wearing every article of clothing he owns this winter, feel free to stop me and say hello. I fear I need to stop by the local meat processing plant to begin temperature acclimation training in their freezers. I am going to end up looking like the younger brother in the movie "Christmas Story". So over dressed my arms won't bend.

Hey Desperado,

I know little about TO as I try to avoid the place, but know the country north of there well. If you get north of Huntsville to James Bay feel free to PM me.

Mike

Desperado,

I understand the yo-yo thing. Been there done that! I agree with SwampDonkey, I try to avoid TO (TO=local slang for Toronto) as well, but often have no choice but to go there.

I wasn't able to find a year round RV park though. Seems they all close in Sept/Oct. Have you asked your RV maker about living in it in sub freezing temps? TO isn't as cold as SwampDonkey's area, but compared to Texas, it will be damn cold!

Let us know if you need any other info about TO.

Desperado,

Here are some links to the local papers to give you some insight as to what happens there:

The so called "liberal rag" or "Red Star":

http://www.thestar.com/

The "Conservative" newspaper:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/

The "Working Mans" newspaper: (check out page 6 aka Sunshine Girl)

http://www.torontosun.com/

Have fund reading!

I don't remember DFW traffic as I haven't been there in some time, but here is what you have to look forward to in TO as far as traffic goes:

http://www.torontosun.com/news/torontoandgta/2009/09/19/10999836.html

And this piece of news will really make you think about the cold:

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/698205

It was 87F here today, and the record high for today was set at 102F. I may just back out of this deal. Financially, the 5th Wheel is the only way to go (unless I freeze it solid). The company per-diem is almost nothing. If I am out of pocket just to travel, no sense in going.

An update...

I found a year round campground thanks to Nato7. I will say I am disappointed the Bare Oaks Naturist Park does not have year round camping. Sounds just like the kind of place OBG would have enjoyed.

I also found an RV service company in Ontario that has given me tons on DIY stuff for my RV prep. The guy did tell me he would not be in Ontario while I was there. It seems he winters in Florida.... (Am I going the wrong way for the season?)

I am working up a vehicle kit that is just that: a kit for the sustenance of the vehicle. A bunch of folks have been very helpful there. I would list them all, but I fear Kanye West might pop up and I will have a hard time explaining his demise the local law enforcement.

I am also working up a personal kit, that combined with the vehicle kit should keep me "Fat and Happy" for at least seven days. This kit will be in two parts. One that is WAY to heavy to carry on foot, and one that is built on a very sturdy pack. I will also adjust my EDC accordingly.

Next I have discovered I will need an entire new wardrobe from the skin out. Seems I am going into a cold climate. Obviously the limited cold clothing supplies I own have shrank while in storage. (It is just not possible I gained weight, right?)

For the straw in my cap...

I have to purchase a new truck. Seems my well cared for 2005 F350 had a little issue as delivered from the factory. Since the issue did not appear until after 137,000 miles it is not Ford's problem financially. THis little problem has caused me to need a new engine. Would anyone like to know what that costs? $18,000.00!! The truck is only worth $15K to $18K, hence the new truck!
BTW: ALL Ford 6.0 L diesel engines have this issue, so if yours is under 100K miles you might want to see your dealer. PM me for questions on that one.

BTW, ask your mechanic to install a block heater.

In Texas that might get you a blank stare. A what? It's a small electrical element that's inserted into the coolant path of your engine block. In very cold temperatures you plug it into a standard 120VAC outlet and it warms the coolant, making for easier starting and less wear and tear on the engine.

Had to explain this to a couple of crazy Aussies I met camping last weekend. They're planning to spend the winter up here. They're sure enthusiastic about the 'adventure.' We'll see if that lasts. Though the Bundaberg rum ("Bundy!") they were pouring may help.

Yeah, the new truck comes with them standard. I will also be adding an oil dipstick heater. Basically you remove the standard dipstick at night and replace with the electric heated dipstick. I am concerned about the Diesel fuel gelling overnight, but I don't foresee heating the fuel being a good idea. I assume "Winter Blend" Diesel with additive will be okay.

You're right, the "winter blend" diesel will be fine. They change the blend at the pump automatically. My father runs his bobcat at -30C when needed to clear snow; no fuel problems at all. He doesn't add anything extra, but does makes sure that he's updated his fuel stock when the snow flies.

Hey,

As we spoke before a block heater is a must-have item. I also sometimes see a Battery Blanket, which is an electric wrap for around your battery. I do not use one but I buy the best battery I can find and keep a Power Box (battery booster pack) close by.

Many worksites have electric power sockets (either on posts or hanging from suspended wires) spread throughout the parking lot, that way your vehicle will start when it is time to go home from work.

I have never used a diesel vehicle but I see lots of them idleing for extended periods of time, both in town and out in the bush. In remote places I remember the loggers using a type of propane fired engine heater that heated the coolant and cycled it through the heavy equipment?

At my old hunt camp 30 years ago we had to park our vehicles at the end of a dead-end road and access the camp by snowmobile. We would remove the batteries and keep them warm in the cabin. If it was really cold (> -30) then we would light a campfire at the vehicle site, scoop-up some of the hot coals on a shovel and place it under the oil pan. You had to be very careful not to light your vehicle on fire or burn the seals doing this trick, but it worked.

Mike

Well.....

I meet with the company tomorrow for the final $$$$$$$ talks and actual start date. I have been told I could leave out tomorrow, but I won't be ready that fast. I figure T-10 days and counting.

It is on, departure date pending.

Nice that I will get fall and winter. I can ease into this cold stuff.

LOL... ease into cold. LOL!

Its going to be cold then it'll just get colder!

I have been on the phone with 8 - 10 different folks in the GTA (see I haven't even left yet, but I am getting the slang), and all have been very pleasant......

Then today I got my first free "Cup of Smug". I now see what you were talking about. I haven't even started the trip, and I already feel accepted.

Hmmm, an awful lot of the smug seems to be from people not in TO.

I grew up in the area just north of the city and worked around Toronto and the rest of southern Ontario for years.
If you find yourself having a hard time remembering the shape of southern Ontario turn your map so west is north and look at it as a circus elephant.
Windsor/Detroit is at the tip of the trunk, Sarnia is the top of the ear, Niagra Falls/Buffalo is a front toe, Orillia is a back foot, and Owen Sound is the elephant's a-hole.

Scafool...

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love it!

Okay
I have now got my lists together..

I am operating on several assumptions:

1) These kits are for a "Best Case/Worst Case" type situation.
2) Best case is snowed in at a cell site that has a shelter.
3) Worst case is I goon it and spend the night in a ditch in my truck.
4) I will be properly dressed for a Texan in an Ontario Winter (every article of clothing I own)
5) I will have an overnight bag with spare clothes/toiletries if I have to get a hotel room for a night on the road.
6) I would not be leaving my truck unless circumstances require it. Then I would repack to lighten load. (Yeah, it's heavy)
7) Items marked with $$$$ are to be purchased only if going to rural/remote areas. (I would love to have them already, but money is tight.)
8) Many items I already own, but they are needed for home, so I will be buying dedicated travel items.
9) Some items are marked with colors, and there is a key on each page.

Constructive comments now welcome.......

The windshield ice scraper is a needed item.
You will be using it if you are in Canada in the winter.

You are unlikely to find a use for the machete in Ontario.

Only bring the guns if you are buying hunting licences and intend to go hunting.

For a stranger into the area a GPS with mapping might be a good idea indeed.

If you get here one of the tricks local driver use is a small bag of dry sand or granular kitty litter for under the wheels if you get stuck on ice. I like coarse sand instead of litter.

You might want an extension cord to plug your truck in with.
You might make it through the winter without needing to use your block heaters but motors start easier if they are warmed first.

Thanks

I like the bivy idea for a truck kit. I went with the Outdoor Research Alpine Bivy Lightweight, breathable and roomy for a low profile shelter. Any good mummy bag will do inside the bivy. You might also consider a good wool blanket for use inside the truck. This packs a little bigger than the AMK gear, but with a full size p/u you aren't exactly hurting for room.

I like to carry a rechargeable hand held spotlight so I can see conditions ahead of me before I commit to some back roads.

One last thing before you go.

Do you have a passport (or other document on this list)?

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/ready_set_go/air_travel/documents_needed.xml

You may not need it to get into Canada, but it will make your return trip to the US easier.

Yeah, I have had one since I was a wee lad.

That's good. Based on percentages a majority of many countries don't. One less thing for you to deal with.

A few notes on the Vehicle list:


- spare clothing pack
- food pack and biggish pot
- closed-cell foam sleeping pad (multiple uses, especially great for kneeling on when changing a tire)
- glad to see you're adding extra sandbags to give more weight in the back; a pickup with an empty box is scary on icy roads; depending on your load you may choose to carry even more
- don't forget extra sunglasses; the glare off snow can be intense
- water: I find the 2-litre soda bottles very tough and convenient; leave 20% volume for freezing; in a pinch you can cut the bottle off the ice block and melt it in the pot
- a couple of those flashing bicycle tail-lights; saves your main battery if you're stranded; important so you aren't clipped by another vehicle or snowplow
- windshield washer fluid (avail. everywhere); this contains alcohol to reduce freezing; also useful for washing parts in freezing conditions, but avoid skin contact
- methyl hydrate (called gas line antifreeze); you won't be using this with a diesel, but it's great for unthawing frozen locks and switches on equipment; avoid skin contact/vapour inhalation
- in remote areas, a good length of steel cable and a come-along can help you self-extract from the ditch (unless you have a winch on the truck); not fast but it works
- ? starting fluid: this is an ether/volatiles mix in a spray can, used to help start engines in extreme cold; I've used it for both diesel and gas engines in extreme cold, and it works, but spray in too much and you could blow the engine; not sure it's advisable for a modern pickup; but it's only a couple of bucks, and I wouldn't take a diesel off the beaten path in winter without it, if only for emergency use

LOL -- guilty as charged. No doubt you endured a fair bit of ribbing from self-satisfied Albertans when you worked out here.

Not really. Almost everybody I met in Alberta was from Newfoundland

Makes one heck of a fire starter also, you don't even have to get close....

Yeah, maybe, but I'm fond of my eyebrows (and face too, such as it is).

This stuff is used when gasoline isn't volatile enough to get the job done.

For firestarting, saturate a rag with it, use a flaming arrow to light it, and watch your kindling spread out in a high, smoking arc over a 25 yard radius. (Just to be clear: this is not a recommendation.)

I should send Blast a can for Christmas.

Well, after much indecision, the company has decided to take me from independent consultant status to regular employee. They have even given me an approximate leave date for going North (one week to leave/two weeks to report).

Now (after all my winter preps), would anyone hazard a guess as to where NORTH is since it has been up in the air a bit????????????











OKLAHOMA

Thank You to everyone who contributed their help. I was born and raised in Oklahoma, I have got that one covered....

I don't know if it's been posted yet, just tossing it out:

If you travel up with the windshield washer stuff the stores in most of the US, it'll freeze in the winter in Canada. I know this because the stuff they sell in the supermarkets in Albany that say "freezing point -20F" often freezes above that point. I'd suggest filling up with local stuff when you get up there. (My trick is to mix 1 bottle of isopro-HEET with 1 jug of the infamous "-20" stuff in the blue jug. That never freezes. If you go beyond that or use the methanol version of HEET you might take the paint off your truck.)

Don't forget to have fun!!

Good thing you didn't buy snow tires yet.

Have a good trip!

Yeah Doug, you're right.

Kinda reminds me of being the Ready Brigade back in the 101st. You get ramped up for war a the drop of a hat, and then sit around and wait....

Only to find out you made it thru the rotation, and return to training/cleaning etc.

Oklahoma... that isn't even an hour and a half to the border, and three or so to my office. I was all ramped up for the travel, and new sights.


Cheaper this way though, and I don't have to remember the difference between Looneys and Tooneys.