Terri Ramsey Beavers Moving to a new city should be one of the most exciting times of your life. Getting to know a new city with new people and a whole new culture is an amazing experience for the young and old. Toronto is no stranger to new people – it is one of the biggest and most populated cities of Canada.
As with any new city, there are certain things that you need to know about Toronto before you relocate there. This article will help you to identify five things that you need to know before making your move.
1. Brush Up Your Language Skills
Toronto is a rich hub of multicultural wonder. With over 50% of its population hailing from outside of Canada, there is no better time to brush up on your language skills. Luckily for you, there are several on-site and online learning centers to help you do this.
French and English are the official languages but feel free to brush up on your Cantonese, Spanish, and even Italian because there is a good chance that you’ll get to use them when you move to Toronto.
2. Learn To Love Brunch
Toronto locals are obsessed with the concept of brunch – and can you even blame them? What could be better than breakfast-type food later in the morning? Before visiting anywhere in Canada, you will need to embrace this concept.
Toronto has loads of places to have brunch dates with family and friends, for those of you who can get behind the idea of 11 am bacon and French toast.
3. Prepare For Snow
Toronto has a relatively mild winter compared to the northern parts of Canada. Toronto’s average winter temperature is -5C, which is much warmer than Ontario where temperatures can plummet to -50C regularly. Consult a trusted Toronto Relocation Guide for advice on living there.
However, it does still snow in Toronto during the coldest months of the year so be sure to pack snow attire for your first winter there. The cold can be particularly biting because of the wind-chill factor and most snowfall occurs from December to March. The average snowfall for Toronto is around 50 inches a year.
4. PATH System
As futuristic as this may sound, Toronto has an entire section of the city that is underground. That is called the PATH system and it is famous for having almost 20km of corridors and tunnels. The PATH system is one of the coolest shopping trips that you will ever experience, and it is the perfect way to get around the city during the freezing winter days.
Keep this in mind if the streets are a bit quiet – chances are everyone is underground enjoying the PATH.
5. Get Comfortable With Public Transport
Toronto is a massive city, and as such, it has some seriously awful traffic at times. For this reason, the cities authorities have provided ample ways around the gridlock. If you’re not as fit as you’d like to be then the bicycle tracks likely won’t be your best bet.
Instead, you can choose several different public transport systems – just be sure to buy your Compass Card ahead of time so that you aren’t left looking like a tourist.