Stretching across the shores of Lake Ontario, Toronto is a flourishing, cosmopolitan city with striking architecture and beautiful open spaces. The city is Canada’s most populous and is the cultural heart of the country with a thriving art and music scene and a strong film, television and media industry. As Canada’s financial centre and the 12th most economically powerful city in the world, moving to Toronto could also be an excellent choice for those seeking to advance their career.With over 1500 parks, Toronto is a green city with plenty of gardens and recreational areas to explore as well as the great lakes that border the area. Toronto’s ethnic diversity surpasses even New York and almost half of all residents are born overseas. Indeed, multiculturalism is celebrated through the many festivals that light up the city throughout the year. Toronto embraces expats whole heartedly and is bursting with new experiences and exciting opportunities for all new arrivals.
Suburbs
High Park
Just west of the commercial centre, High Park is a leafy suburb with a relaxed, cosy atmosphere. Built around the beautiful 400 acre park that gives this area its name, it is only a few kilometres from the city but still has a green, suburban feel.
The Beaches
Located east of city centre on the shores of Lake Ontario the Beaches is a sought-after suburb popular with British expats. As well as the beach itself, it boasts great schools, a buzzing café scene and an array of independent and specialist shops.
Burlington
A little further out of town to the east sits the pretty town of Burlington. This lakeside community is ideal for families moving to Toronto as it has excellent amenities, top schools and plenty of outdoor space to explore, including open air pools, ice rinks and the Royal Botanical Gardens.
Richmond Hill
Richmond Hill is an affluent, diverse suburb around 45 minutes north of Toronto. Its picturesque streets are lined with plenty of family sized homes and there are 166 parks packed with sports fields, nature trails, lakes and playgrounds.
Transport / Getting Around in Toronto
Toronto’s road system is built around a simple grid network that is easy to navigate, although there is considerable congestion on the main arterial roads in and out of the city centre at rush hour. Many regular commuters choose to use the excellent public transport options, including the highly efficient rapid transit rail system and subway that run across Toronto. There are also buses and streetcars providing a reliable and regular service around the city area. The GO Transit network provides train and bus services across much of Southern Ontario for commuters living slightly further afield.
Leisure Activities and Things to Do in Toronto
Once the tallest building in the world, Toronto’s iconic CN tower offers stunning vistas across the city centre and out over Lake Ontario. The other star of the city’s waterfront is the Harbourfront Centre, packed with restaurants, bars and entertainment venues. Toronto is at the centre of Canadian culture and the vast collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario is the jewel in its crown. The Royal Ontario Museum is another great destination for a family trip with fascinating exhibits and hands-on galleries or for a wilder day out, Toronto Zoo has some exciting animals, both exotic and native, with a strong emphasis on conservation and ecology. If you fancy venturing out of the city, take the ferry to Toronto’s Islands and explore the pretty walking and cycling trails before visiting the seabird sanctuary or the amusement park, Centreville. The stunning natural spectacle of Niagara Falls is also just 90 minutes from Toronto and always worth a trip.
Interesting facts about Toronto
Toronto’s Caribana is the largest single day parade in North America. The route is 3.6 kilometres long and the parade lasts around 10 hours with 10,000 participants and over 1,000,000 spectators.
There are 52 outdoor skating rinks in Toronto which remain open throughout December, January and February.
Toronto’s underground pedestrian walkway, ‘PATH’, is the largest in North America. It’s over 28 kilometres in length and connects hundreds of shops, restaurants and offices.
Toronto is home to Casa Loma, the only authentic castle in North America, although it only dates back to 1914.
