Scarborough is one of the largest boroughs in Toronto, taking up most of the east end of the city and stretching all the way from the Bluffs to Steeles, Victoria Park Ave. to Rouge Park.
Scarborough is a great place for singles, seniors, families, and couples. If you’ve been thinking about making the move into the east end, here’s everything you need to know about it.
Scarborough Is More Affordable
Toronto may be an expensive place, but Scarborough can provide some relief from the relentless rent increases. Â Condos for rent in Scarborough can be a lot more affordable than the exact same units that you would find downtown or in North York.
The borough has some of the lowest average prices in Toronto, and rents are much more reasonable than in other parts of town, even just a five-minute drive away in North York.
Be Prepared to Drive
While Toronto may have some of the best transit in North America outside of New York City, downtown and North York get most of the city’s investments at Scarborough’s expense. The situation hasn’t been made any better with the shutdown of the Scarborough RT.
The Scarborough Subway Extension is on its way, but it likely won’t open until 2030 (or, realistically, after). Even then, its primary goal is getting commuters from Scarborough into the downtown core.
When it comes to trips done within Scarborough, whether it’s a quick trip to the grocery store or if you work or go to school within the borough, most trips are served by bus with all the issues that come with it, so many residents who can prefer to go by car.
Live Near the GO Train to Get Downtown
Even if you may need to drive for your everyday errands and to get from place to place within Scarborough, transit isn’t all bad in Scarborough. If you work or go to school downtown and plan to take the TTC, you might think you’re stuck with finding a place near Kennedy or Warden, but that’s not the only option.
Scarborough is also home to several GO stations that can take you to Union in a flash. Living around stations like Scarborough GO, Guildwood, Eglinton, or Rouge Hill will give you access to the high-frequency Lakeshore East line, while there’s also Kennedy, Agincourt, and Milliken on the Stouffville line.
Get Ready to Hike
Did you know that Scarborough is right next to Canada’s only urban national park? Rouge Park is a natural gem right in the eastern part of the GTA, forming the border between Scarborough and Pickering.
Rouge Park is a beautiful natural park with hills, cliffs, rivers, and woods. If you love nature, Scarborough might just surprise you.
Scarborough Has the Best Food in Toronto
You may not see it on any Best of Lists, but the food in Scarborough is easily some of the best in Toronto. There are neighbourhood staples like T-bones or Instagram favourites like KIN KIN O-Ka Ne, but some of the best food in Scarborough won’t ever make it onto BlogTO.
These are the little independent places you find in plazas all around the borough.
All in all, Scarborough is one of the more vibrant and diverse parts of Toronto. Be prepared for transit that isn’t as great as the downtown core but also has plenty of secrets that the rest of the city rarely gets to enjoy.
