Smaller Towns

[TheNewTeddy]

There are threads here about other cities like Toronto, London, and even one on just the TTC, but I'm wondering if anyone is from smaller towns; in particular those with under or around 200K people? Places like Guelph, or Sydney, or Moose Jaw, or Port Hardy, or Val D'Or, or Bancroft, or Amherst, or Flin Flon, Cranbrook, or Tadoussac, or some other small town anywhere in the country.

[bleeding heart]

Originally from Fredericton, NB, now in Moncton.

[Topaz]

I've always said I'm from a small town in SW Ontario.

[Jiblethead]

i noticed right away this whole area was all about toronto, thats why i posted my little rant about London

small towns don't have the problems bigger towns have usually

[guyser]

small towns don't have the problems bigger towns have usually

I think you are right , but I suspect for reasons that some may not be aware.

Most of small towns 'problems' get sent or leave for the city to become the big cities problem.

I would venture to say the homeless in Vancouver didnt all live there previously. I would bet a large contiongent of them came from small towns in the interior or from Alberta and other prarie provinces.

Afterall , winter in Edmonchuk Vs Van?

Toronto suffers the same pangs as other of the large ones do. Social services in the big cities have to deal with the influx, small towns have neither the resources nor the manpower to deal with a lot of it. I live in a small town for almost half the year, there is no housing for lower income folks, there is no resources for retraining people and so on.

So where do they go? They go to the place that has the resources, mainly the bigger cities.

[Topaz]

I think you are right , but I suspect for reasons that some may not be aware.

Most of small towns 'problems' get sent or leave for the city to become the big cities problem.

I would venture to say the homeless in Vancouver didnt all live there previously. I would bet a large contiongent of them came from small towns in the interior or from Alberta and other prarie provinces.

Afterall , winter in Edmonchuk Vs Van?

Toronto suffers the same pangs as other of the large ones do. Social services in the big cities have to deal with the influx, small towns have neither the resources nor the manpower to deal with a lot of it. I live in a small town for almost half the year, there is no housing for lower income folks, there is no resources for retraining people and so on.

So where do they go? They go to the place that has the resources, mainly the bigger cities.

Wasn't it Harris that gave people on welfare a one-way ticket out West from Ontario?

[AngusThermopyle]

Wasn't it Harris that gave people on welfare a one-way ticket out West from Ontario?

I do believe you are confusing Harris with Klien, he gave street people bus tickets to Vancouver.

As I've mentioned before we live just outside of Cookstown, about 10-15 minutes from Barrie and Bradford. Most of my life I've lived in one city or another. Moving out of the city or town is the best thing I ever did. If I had to I guess I'd live in a city or town again but it would have to be a last resort sort of option.

[eyeball]

So where do they go? They go to the place that has the resources, mainly the bigger cities.

Actually many and especially those with mental health issues are fleeing the social stigma they feel in their hometowns for the anonymity of the city.

[Jiblethead]

it is definately true that the homeless flock to the major cities. People who are well off in their small towns don't need to leave, but people who are NOT well off have no choice but to find shelter in larger metrolopisesesesessss, metropolises?? whatever

[Wild Bill]

Wasn't it Harris that gave people on welfare a one-way ticket out West from Ontario?

No, but there is a grain of truth to the story.

It was and is the mayor of Mississauga, Hazel McCallion. Mississauga will give a cheque to cover first and last month rent to anyone on welfare who will then leave her city.

Usually they come to Hamilton, because it's close and has perhaps the highest amount of social assistance resources.

I know this for a fact. My ex-wife works for the City of Hamilton and has seen the cheques.

[Guest Peeves]

I've lived/worked in many Niagara regional smaller cities.

Prefer them by far. Still, I like to be near a main road to somewhere,preferably the USA.

[Wild Bill]

I've lived/worked in many Niagara regional smaller cities.

Prefer them by far. Still, I like to be near a main road to somewhere,preferably the USA.

I grew up in Stoney Creek, which was a small town on its own until it was conquered by Hamilton during the Battle of Amalagamation. Now I live in Hamilton proper, which of course has more than 200k people.

During my "wild oats" years I spent many happy hours in Niagara Region, playing in bars like the Queens Hotel in Dunnville, the Atlas, the Welland House, the Henley in St. Catherines, the Hunt Club in Grimsby and a raft of others.

Any of these sound familiar, Peeves?

We would start in Wallaceburg and tour from small town to small town, from Tillsonburg to St. Thomas, Seabringville to Oxford, to Clinton (The Home of Radar!), ending up in Hearst and Kapusskasing to then work all the way back in reverse.

All those small towns were a delight! We met many wonderful people, some of whom would see our picture on the local club's marque and plan dinners and parties for us. Every town had its own piece of history and its own quaint customs, a la that tv show, Corner Gas.

One that I never did figure out was in Kapusskasing. We stopped for supper in a Chinese food/western menu diner. When our food was served the waitress dropped a large platter of toast in the middle of all the Chinese food dishes. When we told her "We didn't order any toast!" she looked at us as if we were from Mars and said "Well, you ordered Chinese food, didn't you? That means you also get toast!"

Maybe someone on MLW can explain that one to me!

Anyhow, I still feel far more comfortable in a small town. When I separated from my ex a bit over a year ago I seriously considered moving to Dunnville. What stopped me was I thought that was a bit too far for my customers to follow.

It's a shame that with all the political focus on the big cities like Toronto the small towns are so forgotten. They are the true soul and bedrock of Ontario. They might be overlooked into today's scheme of things but I think we are the poorer for it.

[Guest Peeves]

I grew up in Stoney Creek, which was a small town on its own until it was conquered by Hamilton during the Battle of Amalagamation. Now I live in Hamilton proper, which of course has more than 200k people.

still shop in Stoney Creek.

During my "wild oats" years I spent many happy hours in Niagara Region, playing in bars like the Queens Hotel in Dunnville, the Atlas, the Welland House, the Henley in St. Catherines, the Hunt Club in Grimsby and a raft of others.

*hic* Boozed in all those and many many more but for the Hunt Club. You missed the Rex, Dexter, Station, Montrose and a few dozen in Niagara-Buffalo USA that we frequented.

Any of these sound familiar, Peeves?

''''''.

[Mr.Canada]

I have lived in Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Montreal, Belleville, Calgary. I grew up in Streetsville, which is in Mississauga. When I first got married we lived in Woodbridge now we live in between Georgetown and Acton in Halton region. It's very small but still close enough if we need anything.

Edited October 9, 2012 by Mr.Canada

[Michael Hardner]

During my "wild oats" years I spent many happy hours in Niagara Region, playing in bars like the Queens Hotel in Dunnville, the Atlas, the Welland House, the Henley in St. Catherines, the Hunt Club in Grimsby and a raft of others.

I know Dunnville well and other small places - Belleville, Brighton, Trenton, Minden