Short Blog 1 — My Perspective of The City
One of the main reasons I chose to go to the University of Toronto is because I am eager to explore and familiarize myself with the city. I come from Mississauga, a city that borders Toronto. When my family or friends outside Canada ask where I live, it tends to be easier to simply respond with “Toronto” or “thirty minutes away from Toronto” since Toronto is one of Canada’s most popular and well-known cities to travel to. It is a city known for opportunity, shopping, museums and various festivals relating to art, culture and film. The CN Tower is also located in Toronto and is a major icon and tourist attraction. I fondly recall the bustling streets, music being played and the familiar feeling of excitement every time we would drive to the city.
Yet, I realize that the city is far from perfect. In downtown Toronto, I frequently noticed several homeless people sleeping on the streets. With the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting loss of employment, it has gotten so much worse. Social justice issues like racial discrimination, homelessness, addiction and mental health are only a few that need addressing and the solutions to these injustices are what I am most interested to write and learn about.
To expand my horizons and explore more of the Greater Toronto Area, I chose to accept my offer from the University of Toronto St. George (Downtown) campus instead of the Mississauga campus. Unfortunately, I still have yet to visit the campus as my plans were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the classes I was most looking forward to attending in-person was INI101 Blogging the Just City as I was excited to experience a small class setting in university where I would be able to go on field trips and blog my way through the city. Nonetheless, I look forward to a great semester with my seminar group where I can learn about the city, improve my writing skills and participate in weekly Zoom discussions. I hope that later in 2021, I will have the opportunity to visit the campus and attend in-person classes.
I was born in Montreal, the largest city in the province of Québec. Downtown Montreal is equally as exciting to explore. You can go for a shopping trip, visit parks and try different cuisines like you would in Toronto. The majority of my high school experience took place in Mississauga. I would describe Mississauga as a community-oriented, clean city with a great amount of greenery. I love the greenery in Mississauga especially when walking through parks and viewing lakes. It is what makes this city beautiful.
According to the City of Mississauga’s website, it is “Canada’s 6th largest city” with a population of around a million. Although one problem in Mississauga that needs to be addressed are the increasing crime rates. Mississauga has always been known as one of the safest cities in the country yet recently, I noticed that crime rates have increased significantly whether they be property-related crimes or violent crimes. Crime rates are increasing in other cities as well including Toronto and I believe it is an issue that is of great concern and requires immediate action.
I hope you enjoy reading my future blogs as I write about Mississauga and learn more about the city of Toronto!
