Why I am bullish on Toronto

I was born here and I am biased. Note it and read on…

Coins and Airport are a farce – nothing is perfect!

I am no politics expert so hate commenting, but as a visitor now, I think this country is proof that people can exist in a mostly democratic way – WITHOUT A FUNCTIONING GOVERNMENT! That’s hopeful :)

I spent the day visiting tech startups and talking with some long-time Canadian techies (before the Italy/Germany game) and I think this city is set to be a haven for tech talent and start-ups. Trust me when I say Toronto has ALL the big city amenities. Further, the universities are filled with talent and have great reputations.

I think one key lies in the currency. At a 30-40 percent discount to the US dollar (most of the last 20 years), tech talent could not be properly compensated to offset the cost of living in such an expensive city. We are now at just a 9 percent discount to the dollar and that gap could reverse in the next 12 months. Shit – Toronto athletes may even want Canadian dollars as a hedge!

All of a sudden, earning Canadian dollars is not a hindrance but a bonus.

The city will get it’s airport on Toronto island for the hotshot commuters, will have the downtown wifi’d and will shed it’s Telco mentality in the next leg of the information revolution.

Calgary is booming from the Tar Sand Boom but the banks are here in Toronto. New York is a hop away and Fred Wilson argues that New York is second to Silicon Valley in tech allure . Fred is not one to bet against and Toronto is close enough to New York that with a strong currency, Toronto could rock! The DIVERSIFICATION into tech will be a goldrush here as all the money made speculating in gold and oil will need a new home in the next 4 years. Who would have thought of tech as a diversification tool. Should be YOU and should be Toronto if you are looking for a cool city to start an internet career.