Population
≈2.8 million (city); ≈6.8 million (Greater Toronto Area)
AI city illustration · Artistic impressionWhat people learn after moving
Four things newcomers say matter most about life in Toronto
Languages
English; over 180 languages spoken, ~50% born outside Canada
Currency
Canadian dollar (CAD)
Time zone
EST (GMT−5); EDT (GMT−4) in daylight saving
AI city illustration · Artistic impressionCost of living in Toronto
Typical newcomer prices
CADOne-bed apartment, downtownCAD 2,200–2,800 / month
TTC monthly travelCAD 156 pass until 31 Aug 2026; then free after 47 paid trips in a month
Groceries, one personCAD 400–650 / month
CoffeeCAD 3.00–5.50
Mobile planCAD 35–60 / month
Check your eligibility
Can you move to Canada?
Pick your passport to see entry rules and the long-stay routes we have researched.
Pick your passport to see whether you can enter Canada — and what it takes to stay.
Your move, in order
Getting set up in Canada
1
Legal & IDHigh confidence
Work permit and permanent residence
Canada is unusual in that you can become a permanent resident from abroad without an employer sponsoring you — Express Entry ranks candidates on a points score and issues invitations in periodic draws. If you have an employer instead, a work permit gets you here faster, and the Global Talent Stream can produce a two-week work permit for senior technical roles.
2
DrivingHigh confidence
Exchanging your licence for an Ontario G
Ontario has licence-exchange agreements with a specific list of countries whose drivers convert straight to a full Class G. Everyone else enters the graduated licensing system and must sit tests — but from 1 July 2026 they can claim up to 12 months of foreign driving experience, which lets them take the G2 road test immediately instead of waiting.
3
HealthHigh confidence
OHIP health card and seeing a doctor
OHIP is Ontario's public health insurance. The three-month waiting period that used to catch every newcomer was removed from the regulations in March 2020, so eligible residents now have immediate coverage. You apply in person at a ServiceOntario centre with proof of status, identity and Ontario residency.
4
BankingMedium confidence
Opening a bank account and building credit
Canada's major banks run dedicated newcomer programs with fee waivers and, crucially, credit cards that don't require Canadian credit history. Opening an account takes under an hour. The real task is starting a credit file immediately, because your credit score gates apartments, phone contracts and car insurance within months of arrival.
5
TelecomMedium confidence
Getting a Canadian mobile plan
Three carriers dominate (Rogers, Bell, Telus) and each owns cheaper flanker brands running on the same networks. Prepaid requires no credit check at all and is the pragmatic first move. Several carriers also waive the credit check on postpaid if you present a passport plus an immigration document, which avoids a large security deposit.
6
TaxHigh confidence
Social Insurance Number and filing taxes
The Social Insurance Number is free, and if you apply in person at a Service Canada Centre with the right documents you walk out with it the same day. It's the key that unlocks employment, banking and benefits, and it's the first errand to run after landing.
Each guide has verified costs, timelines, required documents, and the non-obvious gotchas — sourced from official government pages. Last verified July 2026.
Language
Essential English phrases
SorrySocial
SOR-ee — said constantly, rarely an actual apology
Excuse me / pardon / mind you. The social lubricant of Canadian life.
Eh?Social
AY — tacked onto the end of a sentence
Right? / don't you think? A genuine tag question inviting agreement, not a stereotype.
Double-doubleFood
At Tim Hortons — 'can I get a double-double'
Coffee with two creams and two sugars. Ordering one correctly is a small rite of passage.
Loonie / toonieDaily life
LOO-nee, TOO-nee
The one- and two-dollar coins. Canada has no $1 or $2 note, so you'll carry heavy change.
WashroomDaily life
Never 'toilet', rarely 'bathroom' in public
The public restroom. Asking for the 'toilet' reads as blunt to Canadian ears.
PrestoDaily life
'Tap your Presto'
The transit card for the TTC, GO Transit and most of the region's systems.
HydroDaily life
'The hydro bill', 'is hydro included?'
Electricity — not water. Ontario's power was historically hydroelectric and the name stuck. Critical when reading a rental listing.
ToqueDaily life
TOOK — rhymes with 'duke'
A knitted winter hat. You will own several by December.
PopFood
Not 'soda', not 'fizzy drink'
Any soft drink.
The 401Daily life
'the four-oh-one'
The highway across the top of the city — one of the busiest in North America, and the default excuse for lateness.
May two-fourWork
'What are you doing for May two-four?'
The Victoria Day long weekend in late May — the unofficial start of summer. Also slang for a case of 24 beers.
911Emergency
Dial 911 for police, fire or ambulance
The emergency number. 311 handles non-emergency city services and 211 community and social services.
Reading a list isn’t learning it. Globe Quest turns these into a trainer — hear each phrase spoken, drill them with spaced repetition, and get scored as you say them out loud.
Culture
What to know before you go
Winter is a skill you have to learn, not just endure
CriticalJanuary runs to −20 °C before wind chill, and the real hazard is black ice on sidewalks rather than the cold itself. Buy proper insulated boots with grip before your first freeze, layer rather than relying on one heavy coat, and if you drive, winter tires are genuinely necessary — many insurers discount for them.
The price on the label is never the price you pay
Critical13% HST is added at the register, not shown on the shelf, and tipping 15–20% is a firm social expectation in restaurants, bars, taxis and salons. Budget roughly a third on top of a menu price to know what a meal actually costs.
'Hydro' means electricity
ImportantRental listings say 'hydro not included' and mean the power bill. It's the single most misread word for newcomers, and in a poorly insulated apartment a winter hydro bill is not a rounding error.
Use the PATH in winter
Good to knowDowntown is linked by roughly 30 km of underground walkway connecting subway stations, office towers and malls. Locals cross large stretches of the core in February without going outside — it's disorienting at first and indispensable by month two.
The food map runs on ethnic neighbourhoods, not downtown
Good to knowRoughly half of Toronto's residents were born outside Canada, and the best eating is correspondingly dispersed: Sri Lankan in Scarborough, Chinese in Markham, Italian on St. Clair, Portuguese around Dundas West. Downtown restaurants are not the ceiling.
Politeness is the default register
Good to knowQueuing is orderly, people thank the bus driver on the way out, and directness reads as aggression more easily than in the US or Europe. Softening a request costs nothing and lands much better.
Work
Top industries & employers
Banking & financial services
RBC, TD, Scotiabank, BMO, CIBC, Manulife
Bay Street is one of North America's largest financial centres and all five of Canada's big banks are headquartered here.
Technology
Google, Microsoft, Shopify, Wealthsimple, Uber, Cohere
The Toronto–Waterloo corridor is the largest tech cluster in Canada, anchored downtown by the MaRS Discovery District.
Artificial intelligence & research
Vector Institute, University of Toronto, Cohere, NVIDIA
A genuine world centre for AI research — much of modern deep learning traces back to work done at U of T.
Film & television production
Pinewood Toronto Studios, Netflix, CBC, Cinespace
'Hollywood North' — one of the biggest production hubs on the continent, with heavy demand for crew and post-production.
Healthcare & life sciences
University Health Network, SickKids, Sunnybrook, Sanofi
The Discovery District packs research hospitals and biotech into a few downtown blocks next to the university.
Professional services
Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG, McKinsey
All major consulting and law firms run their Canadian head offices here, tightly coupled to the Bay Street client base.
Explore
Where to go in Toronto
Kensington Market
Neighborhood · Downtown West
A few blocks of Victorian houses turned into produce stalls, vintage shops and cheap kitchens from a dozen cuisines.
Local tip: Go on a Pedestrian Sunday in the warmer months, when the streets close to cars and the whole market spills outdoors.
St. Lawrence Market
Food · Old Town
A 200-year-old market hall of butchers, cheesemongers and bakers, plus the peameal bacon sandwich the city is known for.
Local tip: Come Saturday morning for the farmers' market in the north building — but arrive before 9am, because by 11 it's shoulder to shoulder.
Toronto Islands
Nature · Lake Ontario
A car-free archipelago fifteen minutes by ferry from downtown, with beaches, boardwalks and the best skyline view there is.
Local tip: Take the Ward's Island ferry rather than Centre Island — quieter, residential, and you can walk the length of the islands back toward the crowds.
Distillery District
Culture · Old Town
Pedestrianised Victorian industrial buildings housing galleries, studios and restaurants in the old Gooderham & Worts complex.
Local tip: It's at its best in December for the Christmas Market and at its worst on a summer Saturday. Midweek evenings are the sweet spot.
Scarborough's food corridors
Hidden gemFood · East of the city
Sri Lankan, Hakka Chinese, Filipino and Caribbean cooking along Lawrence and Ellesmere — the real depth of Toronto's food scene.
Local tip: This is where locals send visitors who ask where to eat properly. Take the subway to Kennedy and go from there; ignore anyone who tells you it's too far.
High Park
Nature · West End
400 acres of trails, ponds and a small zoo, with a famous cherry blossom bloom drawing the whole city each spring.
Local tip: For the blossoms, go on a weekday at sunrise. The weekend crowd is genuinely overwhelming and the park restricts car access during peak bloom.
Safety
Emergency numbers in Toronto
911
Police / Fire / Ambulance
311
City services (non-emergency)
811
Health advice (Health811)
211
Community & social services
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