Any Toronto MNers about?

[Nandocushion]

DH is looking at a possible job in Toronto and I'm both excited and terrified.

We both have Canadian citizenship so visas etc not an issue, but I have never been to TO or even Ontario and don't know where to begin to look for houses and schools. DC are 9 and 7 and in French school here (US) and we would like a good FI public school, ideally an IB programme.

DH is most concerned about the neighbourhood and walkability (as am I - we prefer to drive as little as possible and ideally would walk to school and shops) and I am just worried about my two shy, introverted babies having to move and make new friends all over again - we just did it when we moved here 2.5 years ago and it seems so soon. But we never intended to stay in the US long-term, so maybe now is a good time.

We also have no idea about cost of living there. I am assuming it will be cheaper than Vancouver, where we lived before. I hope so! We don't want to be house-poor.

I can't sleep and really need some advice.

My Dsis and her family moved to Toronto last year. They are living in Oakville and found a lovely small private school there where their 3 kids (from 8 to 17) all go. I believe it is a short train ride into Toronto itself, but I haven't visited yet.

Sorry I can't be more specific, hope this helps.

I'm a few weeks away from being a Toronto based mumsnetter again, so excited!!! Going home :)

Toronto's made up of lots of little communities and quite different from where I've lived in the US. I've never lived in Vancouver, so can't comment on comparable affordability. I think it's about 1.2 /1.3 dollars to the pound for Toronto to London for us. I did a spreadsheet to work out what we needed to earn and that's how it came out. Some things more expensive, others cheaper.

To work out the neighbourhood I wanted to be in, I found the FI schools offering IB that happen to have a decent to commute to work. There's not that many high schools offering FI IB, and they have feeder schools into them. I found a couple of natural fits, and then looked at costs/ feel, other stuff from there. You can search schools here www.tdsb.on.ca

Hope that helps,