There’s no doubt that living in Toronto – and Canada – in general offers a great quality of life. Once known as “Toronto the Good,” Toronto has come a long way since its days as a conservative, religious and largely uptight city. But then aside from the winter itself are its effects. Notre ville est le berceau de presque tous les groupes ethniques du monde; on y parle plus de 100 langues et dialectes. This post may contain compensated affiliate links. You can depend on experiencing all four clearly defined seasons in Toronto. Toronto . When we speak about living in Canada with most of our friends living in other parts of the world, we normally get a favourable response: Wow, Canada’s so beautiful. This is an underground network of over 30 kilometres worth of shopping, services, and entertainment, and is the biggest underground shopping complex in the world. My husband & I are planning to immigrate to Canada. Just have to know where to shop. Make sure you're fully protected for life in Canada with an international health insurance plan from Cigna. We’re from Cape Town, South Africa. We’re not trying to be grumpy middle-aged people complaining about Toronto. And that’s because Canadian Winters are no joke. To find schooling, the website of the Toronto School Board will help you find out what options are available near you. It gets windy in downtown Toronto, bringing arctic gusts around the tall buildings, creating a piercing chill as you wait for the streetcar. Ontario is flat, full of woods and lakes and is pleasant, but getting out to the prettiness of those woods and lakes takes time, money and a car. I found myself getting headaches from the cold on windy days as my brain struggled to understand how it could look so warm and beautiful looking outside from in (the winter skies are often a piercing blue) despite the temperature being -20 degrees celsius. Get your first 10 transfers for free with CurrencyFair. The Bad. Winter is usually bright skies and sunny days, but chilling temperatures of down to negative 20 or negative 30 degrees centigrade, more when you add in wind chill. Totally agree about difficult access to the country, and even when there there aren’t footpaths in the UK sense, so you’re often restricted to the cottage you’re staying in, and as you say, other cities are a long way away. Toronto is more diverse and more ‘genteel’ compared to Boston. As a consolation prize for the extended months of ice, Toronto gets a hot and humid summer: Which invariably means spending summers out of town alongside lakes (better start saving for that summer cottage now), trips to the Toronto Islands on the Ferry and plenty of things to do in Toronto in Summer from browsing Farmers Markets and Food Festivals to enjoying the green spaces outside of the city. Clearly, more accommodation needs to be built. We had assumed that it would be relatively easy for Ravi to find work in Toronto – after all he has an MBA and several years of experience working in marketing. Winters are dry but there’s a fair amount of snowfall. We love nature. Expect around four months of winter weather from December to March, inclusive. Fortunately, public transit, run by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), is very comprehensive and can take you just about everywhere you need to go in Toronto. The main method of getting around is by trams (streetcar as they are called in Toronto), or for journeys that happen to coincide with the central north-south or west east lines there is a limited subway. While development truly necessary (and caused by immigrants such as us), we experienced the reality of living in what is essentially a big construction site: Where we weren’t able to open our windows without being greeted by the predictable melody of drilling. More than half of its population was born outside of Canada according to 2006 census statistics, and about 47 percent of Toronto is a member of a visible minority. Our partner, Cigna, offers newcomers to Canada a range of comprehensive health insurance policies for peace of mind. If you love the cold weather and winter sports then you can skip this, you’ll be just fine. City By Heart. Being a part of such a big, bustling city, people get somewhat hardened after experiencing a bit of life in Toronto. If you are able to master the PATH, it can make life in Toronto a bit easier in winter and it is useful for staying out of the cold downtown. A weekend escape to Niagara on the Lake will easily set you back about $1000. This guide will help you address some of the questions you may have about living in Toronto. There tends to be quite a short spring season in April and May before the summer heat kicks in. Some Torontonians forego the option of owning a car, but frequently use one of the many carsharing options in Toronto. Toronto is considered the financial capital of Canada. For more info please see our full disclosure here! We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. A PRESTO card costs $6, and you can top it up online, over the phone, at some Shoppers Drug Mart locations, or at reload machines at some TTC stations. A high-end bike from any of the trendy bike stores in town can go up into the thousands. Please consider disabling your ad blocker while visiting our site. -30 C in Toronto is rare. The TTC is in the middle of transitioning to a new fare payment system called PRESTO. Although Toronto is actually one of Canada’s best connected cities, with frequent trains to Montreal and onwards to Quebec, or to Ottawa and Niagara and London ( London, Ontario – that is), what looks like a tiny hop on the map can turn out to be a 7 hour drive. Loved your fresh perspective and raw honesty! Much, though not all, of downtown has dedicated bike lanes. It can be difficult for newcomers to navigate, however, so check out this map before exploring, as you can get lost. The cost varies depending on where you live but expect to pay upwards of $200 for anywhere even close to downtown. Our favourite place in Toronto: Corktown Common. Be warned — if you’re done for breaking rules of the road on your bike you can actually get penalty points on your Ontario driver’s licence. Almost all bars serve food, and it is common to start a night out with a meal as well as a few drinks. More info. Consistently ranked as one of the most livable cities in the world, Toronto enjoys a reputation as an exciting, diverse, clean, and safe city to set up home. Toronto is also one of the most multicultural cities in the world, making life in Toronto a wonderful multicultural experience for all. Niagara signifie "tonnerre des eaux" en amerindien... On comprend mieux l'origine de son nom Cela faisait partie de notre wishlist et depuis peu celle de Nolann qui a réalisé à … Living without a car is advisable for many people living in Toronto, and most people manage to get by without owning a vehicle. It’s kind of true, but Toronto Life also provides insightful and entertaining guide about everything from restaurants to lifestyle and real estate to help you make smart choices. Get a $25 bonus with your GIC – perfect for international students! It’s clear that Toronto wasn’t ours. I often wondered whether the difficulties I encountered at work were as a a result of me being brought in from abroad. (Montreal gets colder, as does Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa and of course anywhere further North). Visiting Toronto Island in Winter – In Photos. Join us on our travels virtually here on the blog! What brought us here was Ravi’s Permanent Residency of Canada which he’d been in the application process for a number of months before we had even met. There are huge differences between living abroad to work and living abroad to study – something I’m working on for a blog post. Low Crime for Such a Big City Lots here resonated with me having lived in Toronto for 3 years. But generally, we’ve found that when people think of Canada they’re thinking of Banff, Lake Louise and the Rockies. Coming to Canada as a Permanent Resident? The participating restaurants offer a prix-fixe menu for reduced prices. Toronto's source for local news and culture, restaurant reviews, event listings and the best of the city. You can’t drive more than one kilometre in Punjab without seeing a “Study English, move to Canada” advert by some school or another. Première chose, il faut songer à se mettre un toit au-dessus de la tête. It’s possible to get things done without bribing officials, the crime levels are generally low, health care is good (*if* you have access to it – those on temporary work permits do not which gets expensive) and salaries can be good. Which played havoc with our stomachs compared to what we were used to in Europe & India. Back in India (and many other countries, we’re sure), Canada is hailed as pretty much the holy land. Before blogging, she worked for 12 years in hospitality and online travel. Would you be able to share with me the pros and cons of both cities? When I lived in the US, most of my good friends turn out to be Canadians or Europeans. Learn about Canadian immigration, work and study permits, and how to visit. 4. That means you will need to factor in the cost of obtaining all your furniture as well. There’s great food here. Hi Ellie. Then there’s the fact that no-one knows who their neighbours are in the condo-blocks, let alone talks to them. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Un nouveau témoignage vient s’ajouter à cette belle série que j’ai lancé fin 2019. You can get a good down winter jacket for around $200 or less. vivre toronto living – premier magazine de l’art de vivre À toronto. The Benefits of Taking a Break, the Tik Tok Generation and the Problem with Social Media Influencer Culture! I enjoyed the fact that lots of the shops were independent and there aren’t as many bland chains as you’d get in the UK. Another benefit of the PRESTO card is that you can create an online account, so if you happen to lose your card you can simply cancel it and transfer your balance over to a new card online. Toronto is much more diverse than other parts of Canada, and some minorities feel apathetic to the idea of Canadian identity but love their city. The east end tends to be home to more local bars, as opposed to nightclubs which are typically in the downtown or western part of the city. I am currently 24 years old. And, we love warm weather (you can see where this is going). Toronto was our first port of call in Canada – a decision born from practical concerns rather than anything else: It’s on Eastern Standard Time, within 7 hours flying time to Europe, speaking French isn’t mandatory to get a job, and it’s Canada’s most multicultural city. Everyone has their own ideas about what makes a great place to live. Here are some of the most notable festivals in Toronto: Biking is hugely popular for those living in Toronto, and it’s possible to bike year-round if you get the right winter gear. To Paulina above – I really hope you went for London. Canadians are friendly in general but like anywhere else, it takes time to make friends in our social-media crazed world. Are you considering moving to Toronto, or are you living in Toronto as an expat? Copyright Soul Travel 2019 | All Rights Reserved | This site uses compensated Affiliate links. Thank you for this honest review. The Yonge and Eglinton neighbourhood is bursting at the seams and if the plan is not approved by June 6 the community will be beyond a breaking point. Moving Continents: How we Ended Up in Toronto, Canada. I would also say that Toronto isn’t a particularly attractive city – lots of plain ugly architecture,, big parking lots etc. With the average starter job vacation leave of 2 weeks per year, there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to fly south often to escape it, either. Temperatures can drop as low as -20 degrees Celsius before wind chill is factored in, so a proper winter coat and boots are an essential purchase. I’ve lived there for many years in the past and the coldest I’ve ever experienced was -25 for a few short days. La ville de Toronto prévoit instaurer le zonage inclusif au premier semestre de 2021. The average temperature during the winters in Toronto is -9.8 degrees. For clothes, all self-respecting Torontonians head across the border to Buffalo, NY every once in a while where there is a choice of clothing brands at about 30% less of the cost. Whether it’s reading the morning paper in the sunshine, enjoying a fresh cup of ginger chai, or listening to the sound of kids playing in the streets… these are the things we miss. But the Toronto winter can have a real impact on your life. A monthly pass costs $146.25 and gives you unlimited travel on the TTC for a calendar month. 4. It is a wealthy, leafy area known for its quality of life, good schools and convenient access to Toronto’s commercial heart by road (The Bayview extension). Just don’t come to us when you find you’ve spent all your paycheck on drinks! I really hate hot & humid weather. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. The lack of people on the street, the privacy and the overwhelming consumerism of the average North American city provide real reverse culture shock. 7 Things to Do in Toronto During Winter February 4, 2021 6 Canadian Clean Beauty Brands to Shop January 29, 2021 How Life Gets Better After High School January 28, 2021 It’s Canada’s biggest city as well as its most diverse, and its possible to find a token of most cultures from around the world here. We pride ourselves on delivering fast and accurate immigration news to our community. We like you, are British-Asians and have a 1-year-old daughter to accompany us . There are many, many options and venues to suit all tastes. The only milder options are in Nova Scotia and British Columbia: It’s no accident that Vancouver is Canada’s most expensive city. Toronto’s winter is *relatively* mild by Canadian standards, with lows reaching down to a mere -30 degrees C during an average winter. I didn’t mind the winters so much in terms of cold, but more for the length – they go on for SO LONG. Frequency 1 post / day Since Jul 2012 Also in Real Estate Blogs, Realtor Blogs … After all, I had firmly decided that I didn’t intend to live anywhere colder than London (UK), and that I didn’t want to live in a big city. Also, be prepared to like Drake. La première (Ouest) s’étend à gauche de Yonge Street et au sud de Bloor Street. Forbes Magazine tracked the “World’s Most Economically Powerful Cities” and included Torontonians generally don’t fit the stereotype of the friendly, overly apologetic, Canadians that the rest of the world is used to. The Distances as a European, I’m used to the idea of hopping on the train to Paris for lunch. Your insights will be very helpful Warm Regards Renée. As one might imagine for such a diverse city, Toronto is a mosaic of different neighbourhoods, most of them with their own identities and charms. A store like Canadian Tire sells them at varying prices. About 40 percent of Canada’s business headquarters are located here, including the country’s largest banks. From planning your move, to graduation and beyond, learn all about studying in Canada. Étant donné que les politiques et les règlements sur le zonage inclusif ne peuvent pas faire l'objet d'un appel de la part du public, il est crucial de comprendre les répercussions de ce changement sur les propositions d'aménagement existantes et futures. Nouvelles – Blogs – Vidéos – Communautés. If you’re willing to move further out away from downtown or live in a basement, rents decrease to around $1500 per month. Search for jobs, get help finding work, and read dozens of helpful advice articles. Given that Ontario’s soil is frozen for much of the year, it’s pretty difficult to grow much that tastes good without artificial help and most food is imported from the US. Leaside homes are expensive – you will need to budget over $2.2 million for an average, detached home in sought after streets here. Clearly we are not fans of cold and the winter got us down. Unlock exclusive deals on monthly plans and get $10 off your first month. In 2017, BBC Radio named Toronto the most diverse city in the world. I’ve been considering a move to Toronto but felt like I needed to get a real-life perspective and this gave me exactly that! Mississauga is a bland suburb/satellite of Toronto, would be quite a shock after Boston and Paris. L’idée étant de vous donner une vision réaliste sur l’expatriation au Canada et surtout, un retour d’expérience de profils différents à travers le Canada.Découvrez le tout premier témoignage d’une française qui vit à Toronto, Astrid du blog Fringinto. You can buy these from the collector’s booth at any station. We are considering moving to Vancouver but would like to know the good, bad and ugly about the city as well! The Cost of Living has been creeping steadily up in Toronto over recent years, particularly as more people move to the city and demand for everything increases. Once you have credit on your card, you tap one of the readers when you enter a bus, streetcar, or station to pay your fare. After all, what we derive our sense of home from is hard to define, and a concept that perhaps becomes ever more elusive, the more we travel in search of it. Among the most expensive things about living here are housing (see below for budgets in our FAQ), transportation is expensive with a monthly Toronto Transit pass costing $160. Taxback helps people reclaim their overpaid tax. Here are the average expected monthly bills for someone living alone in Toronto: Fortunately, wages in Toronto are also quite good across the spectrum, and the provincial government has passed legislation that raised the minimum wage in Ontario from $11.60 per hour to $14 per hour as of January 2017. Its a friendly place compared to London, UK, and people stop and give you the time of day. Toronto is the capital of the Province of Ontario and is located on the north shore of Lake Ontario. There are two main subway lines: Line 1 goes north/south, and Line 2 goes east/west. We’ve partnered with top Canadian and Global brands to bring you exclusive discounts on the services that really make moving easier and more affordable! But the cost of living is also high. As of 2018, Lyft has moved in to Toronto to offer some competition to Uber for cab rides. And we’re not the only ones. Get a $50 bonus when you open and fund your first Wealthsimple Invest account. Create a Moving2Canada account to prepare you for life in Toronto, and get a copy of our FREE Getting Started Guide! Toronto is a wonderful place to bring up kids – it’s safe, clean, and offers them the opportunity to experience so many cultures in their everyday life. A cheap second-hand hand bike might set you back anything from $50 to $250 from a used bike store. Let us know your thoughts and questions in the comments below! Mini-guide to Toronto: What To Do Around Union Station September 22, 2016; Fun Things to Do in London, Ontario November 9, 2016; Relaxation and Rejuvenation: What to do in Quebec City August 31, 2016; VIA Rail’s Train Travel Tips April 7, 2017 Renting a cottage in cottage country is also an option, but prepare to have deep pockets for summer weekends and book well in advance. I find Americans are in general more outgoing, extroverted and friendlier but that does not mean they are your friends. Provincial healthcare may not cover you for your first few months in Canada. An attempt to answer Paulina’s question above: Toronto and Boston are two very different city with different vibes. My company is considering me for a move to either Mississauga (right next to Toronto) or London. The idea of not being able to get a train there even less so. These are set weeks each year (one in Summer, one in Winter) to promote Toronto’s hospitality industry where more than 200 restaurants across the city take part. For obvious reasons we love our Indian food, and Toronto is not short of Indian grocers, supplies and restaurants (although the better ones are in Brampton and Mississauga). Accept Read More. Hi! You need a coat that at least goes down to your thighs and has a hood. As Toronto has soared in popularity as a place to live, it has quickly run out of places for its new- and old- comers to live, especially affordable ones. Alcohol will cost you (as is the case across Canada), and if you’re thinking about owning a car, you might just want to look up the insurance prices first. The Canada you’ve seen on Instagram is not Ontario. It’s perhaps obvious that we found it hard to make friends: We found that although the welcome is friendly, there’s a limit to that friendliness. Sooooo cold!!!! We're Ellie & Ravi, a British & Indian couple who met on our travels and decided to continue the adventure. Toronto has a well-founded reputation for having a great bar and nightclub scene. ... PREMIER MAGAZINE DE L’ART DE VIVRE À TORONTO. Depending on your perspective, this might be a good thing. Toronto, Ontario, Canada About Blog The Realty Blog is a platform to describe the Toronto real estate market through my eyes, with my witty opinions, perceptions and descriptions of my day-to-day interactions with buyers, sellers, agents, and the entire cast of characters I come across in this thriving industry. The PRESTO system is also in used in other transit systems in Ontario, such as Brampton Transit, MiWay in Mississauga, Go Transit, and York Region Transit/Viva. The nature is incredible. I should note that personally I found some of the summer as hard as the winter – its incredibly hot and humid, and unlike winter when you can always put more clothes on, there’s a limit to how many you can take off in the summer.. Read our in-depth city guides, and learn about driver’s licences, taxes, cell phones and more! While winters aren’t as extreme as many other parts of Canada, they can still be quite severe, and frustratingly long. Autumn/fall can be rainy, and spring can take a long while to warm up. Outlet stores, such as the one in Vaughan Mills, sell winter coats and boots at greatly reduced prices when they are out of season, so if you can take the time to visit there during spring or summer you can save yourself a couple of hundred dollars. Hats, good gloves and boots that can handle the snow are all a must. The city also offers 50 kilometres of waterfront with beaches, parks, marinas and waterfront trail, making it easy to enjoy the lake and outdoor life within the GTA. Prenons pour exemple une personne habitant un 3 1/2. The rapper is the city’s biggest advocate, and Torontonians are very proud of him. The skyline of Toronto, like many other “world cities” has become peppered with cranes. You can forgive that in summer but couple with the bleak winters, it gets you down. If you’re new to Toronto, you may as well get on board with it now, as from 2019 onwards it will be the only way to pay your fare. Many people in the city also identify very strongly with Toronto itself, rather than Canada as a nation. There’s a lot more information on the PRESTO system here. We’re looking at either Toronto or Vancouver/Vancouver island. It’s perhaps no surprise then that the concrete and icy coldness of Toronto choked us and left us with a soul-less feeling. Just over a year ago, we packed our bags and moved from Mumbai, India to Toronto.