Emigrating to Toronto
Toronto, the largest city in Canada and capital of Ontario, is located in the southeast of the country on the shores of Lake Ontario. Collectively the city and surrounding areas are referred to as the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), home to around 5.5 million people of all nationalities. The city is multicultural, exciting, and boasts so many things to do that you might not get a chance to experience them all. But you could start with having dinner at the top of the CN Tower, watch the Toronto Blue Jays play baseball at the Rogers Centre, and check out the Underground City, an 11km (7 mile) subterranean walkway lined with cafes, shops, banks, medical centres and theatres.
Living in Toronto
Most people choose to rent a property when they first arrive in Toronto, giving them a chance to find their feet and get a feel for the city. You’ll need to take several factors into consideration when deciding where to live, including the distance to work, school, shops, medical facilities, places of worship and general safety issues.
Some of the areas you might look at include:
- Downtown Toronto: Alexander Park, Cabbagetown, Downtown Toronto, and Harbourfront. Accommodation here ranges from cooperative housing to luxury lakefront condominium apartments. Fashionable townhouses, semi-detached houses and bungalows are also prevalent in the Downtown Toronto Area.
- Central Toronto: The Annex, Casa Loma, Davenport, Forest Hill, Rosedale, South Hill, Summerhill and Yorkville. These are some of the most prestigious and fashionable neighbourhoods in the city, several of which are surrounded by tree-lined streets, ravines, parkland and glamorous storybook homes with high-end price tags.
- North Toronto: Chaplin Estates, Davisville Village, and Lawrence Park. Accommodation includes bungalows, duplexes, apartments, semi-detached and detached houses. Chaplin Estates and Lawrence Park have always been two of Toronto's most exclusive addresses. Davisville Village is popular with singles, young couples and families as it is centrally located.
- East Toronto: Danforth Village, Playter Estates, Riverdale and The Beach. Housing is more affordable here and the semis and detached houses suit singles and first-time buyers. During summer thousands of Torontonians and tourists flock to The Beach.
- West Toronto: Bloor West Village, Carleton Village, High Park, Swansea Village and Wallace Emerson. These popular neighbourhoods are perfectly suited for working families; schools and shops are within walking distance. In addition, High Park, which is the largest and best known park in Toronto, adds rolling hills, winding streets and towering oak trees. Swansea is also the only Toronto neighbourhood to have a lake, a river and a pond as its natural boundaries.
If you plan to rent a property you will be expected to pay at least your first and last months’ rent prior to moving in. Utilities are not generally included in your rental contract. Once you’ve identified a property you like you will need to complete a preliminary application. Check with your estate agent as to the documents you’ll need to support this.
Getting around the city
Similar to some other Canadian cities, Toronto’s roads are set out on a grid so getting around isn’t too difficult. The only two things you might find tricky are driving on the right-hand side of the road and finding a parking space in downtown Toronto. You’re entitled to drive on a foreign licence for up to 60 days after arriving, but beyond this you’ll need to apply for an Ontario driver’s licence. You can do this at the local Ministry of Transportation and when received it you must carry it with you whenever you’re driving.
If you’d prefer to take public transport you’ll find that Toronto’s is one of the safest public transit systems in the world. The Toronto Transit Commission is made up of an extensive system of subways, streetcars, buses and rapid transit trains. Ontario’s GO (Government of Ontario) Transit provides commuter rail and bus services. If you want to pay for your ticket with cash you’ll need to have the correct fare, however it is cheaper and more convenient to buy tickets or tokens instead.