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[passenger19]

Actually it's not that coffee is bad in Toronto but there is a clear hierarchy of quality that is NOT correlated with cost.

Also note a lot of places (esp restaurants) that sell 'coffee' also sell espresso but they don't always advertise it, you have to ask.

From bad to better:
Dunkin' Donuts: absolute garbage undrinkable swill that calling it 'dishwater' is a compliment, most dishwater tastes better.
Motel breakfast buffets: dunkin' donuts exists to make these places look good.
Breakfast places/diners: usually pretty bad but for breakfast not so terrible, sometimes have espresso.
Tim Horton's: barely acceptable coffee substitute, only problem is that people think it's good when it most certainly is not.
Timothy's/Second Cup: better than Tim Horton's, but not by a lot. Usually have espresso. Too many flavoured coffee-drinks. Overpriced.
Starbucks: only thing of note here is that Starbucks in Canada is quite a lot better than Starbucks in USA.
Local hipster coffee joints: very good, although can be overpriced. Prices good if you stick to plain espresso.
Local italian places that seem to have no customers and may do nothing at all except let old italian guys hang out, launder money and sell coffee: probably the best, although some variation. Espresso too italian (very short/very bitter ask for the lungo instead).
(Local portuguese / brazilian / south american places pretty close to Italian except a bit more variable quality and usually have some obvious business and clients, i.e. not just fronts for money laundering).

There are a lot of places that are hard to classify/vary too much. French-style pastry places, random coffee shops/pastry places - can be great or terrible, just depends. Vietnamese places have great iced coffee, some of them do espresso properly.

Note my totally arbirtary and subjective ranking does not hold in other parts of the country (especially montreal/quebec). (Although arbitrary and subjective I am the only person who knows how coffee is supposed to taste and should be considered authoritative)

Further from urban centres, the worst. Contrary to expectations of French stuff being tastier, coffee in cheap places in montreal and almost all of the rest of quebec can be amongst the worst in the country (montreal pretty serious about coffee though). And occasionally you run into places in small towns in Ontario, even fairly far north, that have unexpectedly good coffee.

Ahaha you made my day I myself prefer tea but I’m sure this info would be useful for other newcomers

 

[passenger19]

that's why I'm not counting to get ppr soon.
usually all notifications come to me at the same time with Belarusian (or maybe day or two difference), we have the same timelines, but for now I don't know what to expect (I guess nothing)

Now you can understand what I felt when you guys got DM in the beginning of March and I just got AOR2 a month ago given the fact we all applied mid Oct-Nov This universe is so unfair!

 

[JRAY_]

Now you can understand what I felt when you guys got DM in the beginning of March and I just got AOR2 a month ago given the fact we all applied mid Oct-Nov This universe is so unfair!

My wife's PR application was received by IRCC in August. Her criminality check is still in progress and her background check hasn't even been initiated. The universe most definitely isn't fair.

 

[passenger19]

My wife's PR application was received by IRCC in August. Her criminality check is still in progress and her background check hasn't even been initiated. The universe most definitely isn't fair.

I’m really sorry. It shouldn’t be this way. Did they response to your recent email?

 

[Alwx]

What's the difference between criminality check and background check ?

 

[passenger19]

What's the difference between criminality check and background check ?

Criminality check is a part of background check. They check three things: criminality, security and eligibility.

 

[m.ford]

My wife's PR application was received by IRCC in August. Her criminality check is still in progress and her background check hasn't even been initiated. The universe most definitely isn't fair.

the same phase
I do not understand why they are checking - I sent them the certificate from the police that there are no cases or reports on me

 

[armoured]

My wife's PR application was received by IRCC in August. Her criminality check is still in progress and her background check hasn't even been initiated. The universe most definitely isn't fair.

How do you know the criminality check is in process and the background check not started?

 

[Belarusian]

You'll be fine, Toronto is just like Minsk ). Contrary to expectations, the draniki are better in Toronto but harder to find (you may have to ask for latke), and the coffee is worse.

Don't tell anyone the coffee is better in Minsk though, Canadians are deluded and think Tim Horton's coffee is good.

Have you been to Toronto yet?

Seriously, the polish/ukrainian neighbourhoods in Toronto will mostly have the comfort food you will crave, and the Jewish/Russian neighbourhoods too. (And I'm not kidding, everyone eventually wants their comfort foods, and the bread is objectively better in those neighbourhoods, it's normal. I had to do some work to find the right kasha for my family when we visited). Also smetana is not the same as sour cream (close, but low-fat sour cream should be avoided at all costs); kefir nowadays is widely available. Actually the stupid fad of low-fat dairy products means you have to pay attention, low-fat dairy is always and everywhere worse than the Real Thing.

Also all forms of sausage are better in Toronto. I will never understand that. Cheese is expensive though and less variety than anywhere in Europe.

I'm kidding a bit, but when you've adjusted, the ethnic food (Asian etc) is fantastic in Toronto.

I didn`t vist Toronto.
I am lucky wife my ukranian husband is super cook (it's probably genes) coz his mother is a chef, I don’t think I’ll eat Draniki in cafe
I drink teaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
armoured I want say to you grand THANKS because you often helped me and answer on every my question here and in privat chat! for some reason you seemed to me a typical big kind Canadian like in movies)))) Thank you for your positive, words of support and answers to absolutely any questions!

 

[armoured]

I didn`t vist Toronto.
I am lucky wife my ukranian husband is super cook (it's probably genes) coz his mother is a chef, I don’t think I’ll eat Draniki in cafe
I drink teaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
armoured I want say to you grand THANKS because you often helped me and answer on every my question here and in privat chat! for some reason you seemed to me a typical big kind Canadian like in movies)))) Thank you for your positive, words of support and answers to absolutely any questions!

Ah you're making me blush

 

[JRAY_]

How do you know the criminality check is in process and the background check not started?

My MP emailed me an update on July 15th.

 

[JRAY_]

the same phase
I do not understand why they are checking - I sent them the certificate from the police that there are no cases or reports on me

Same, it makes no sense.

 

[JRAY_]

I’m really sorry. It shouldn’t be this way. Did they response to your recent email?

No need to apologize, it's not your fault. I still haven't received any responses from IRCC. I last emailed them over a month ago.

 

[m.ford]

Same, it makes no sense.

I wonder how long this process of background and security check can take them? What do you think?

 

[armoured]

I wonder how long this process of background and security check can take them? What do you think?

The security check can be almost any length of time. Longer if eg military service, some employment backgrounds, extensive travel in certain parts of the world, and from countries that don't share info (reliably) with Canada, etc. Someone just out of university is going to be quicker than older applicants.

Applicants from Nato countries for example usually faster.