Tips for Toronto

lorcanh

Hey everyone. I got helpful information from contributors on Boards when I came to Canada so I thought I'd try to give something back. I've been in Toronto for 3 years after initially coming here on a 1 year visa. So here are some pieces of advice that I thought would be helpful.

1. Hostels: When I came over I stayed at the Canadiana Hostel. It's a really high quality place (I'll add a caveat here that it was 3 years ago when I arrived so some things may have changed). It's clean, the staff are friendly however there was no bar at the time but people did drink in a common area (Once again, it was 3 years ago). People were friendly and the location was great. It's in the heart of the Entertainment district where most of the clubs are and there are some nice, but very expensive bars around.
I also stayed at the Global Village Backpackers. The bar here is very good and there's always something going on. The building is older and some of the facilities are dated but it really is a great place to meet people and the staff and in particular the manager at the time Sally was great. Like any other hostel be careful to lock your valuables in the lockers that are available downstairs. They are worth using. The location is probably even better than Canadiana and you have an LCBO (Off-Licence) right across the street.
There are other hostels but I haven't stayed in any of them. I think there's one other major one called the Hi-Lo that is a little but quieter in terms of its location. From speaking with other backpackers it was a nice place with a rooftop patio where you could have a few drinks that you bought yourself.

Don't be afraid to stay in a hostel for a few weeks. You may think it's expensive but it's one of the best ways to meet people. I met my housemate for the first year just after arriving and immediately started looking for a place with him, big mistake. Once I got to know him I realised we had nothing in common and it made the last 6 months awkward because we had stopped pretending to get along with each other.

Book your hostel up to the end of the month you arrive because unless you get lucky most apartment rentals start on the first of the month. Realtors and owners are quite rigid and won't bend the rules for the most part.

2. Apartment Hunting: The number of Condo's being built right now in Toronto is the highest in any city in North America. The unfortunate thing is that the vacancy rate on condo's in Toronto is still only 1.5% as immigrants flood into Toronto. When I arrived a friend from Toronto told me to look outside the downtown core but I thought it would be cool to live in a high rise condo close to downtown. That was a big mistake. The transport system in Toronto is very good compared to Ireland. A train stops at every subway stop every 5 minutes or so, so you're never waiting long. The bus service and street cars are okay but not amazing. So look at the subway line and pick somewhere outside the core. Don't focus only on condos because you can get really good deals on renting in older houses (and the older houses in Toronto are huge).

When looking to rent most condo owners are also very strict and want credit reports and employment history or letters of employment because they want to protect their shiny new investments. I've found people renting places outside the downtown core aren't as picky so you'll get less hassle and a lot more for your rent.

3. Employment: There's no easy answers here I'm afraid. I've been here 3 years and it's only in the last year that I got a good job. Employers don't give a **** about your money situation so don't expect them to start you quick. I was told I had a job in retail then started over a month later.

If you want office work then you need to go through a job agency and it usually takes a long time and being offered minimum wage jobs. I got my Canadian accounting designation and one place called me and offered me a week of minimum wage work lifting computers. When I pointed out my designation she just said, yeah, so? A lot of the agencies really couldn't care less. They're more focused on the demand side than the supply side and see you as a way to make money.

I also worked in retail. There's usually lots of work in this coming up to Christmas. Once again, minimum wage and your experience doesn't matter unless it's Canadian.

Bar work/ serving work pays the best. The hours can be late but no other job pays anywhere near the amount you get from tips, provided of course you're in a busy place. Be prepared to be ripped off by cut throat co-workers who give you less than you're due while you're "Training" or just give you**** tables. In the end its a great way to meet people and earn lots of cash. It's a tipping culture and you're expected to tip when you go out.

The best way to get construction work is through friends. Construction is slowing down but there's still a lot of money in property. The other alternative is to call every single ad in the papers and just be persistent. Follow up calls are necessary. A friend of mine did it this way and he got a great job.

4. Miscellaneous: When you arrive buy a bill phone. With pre-paid you are charged for every single thing. Rogers and Bell are the big two but the most expensive. They also own Koodo and Fido too. Wind is a good company but you should really shop around.

Alcohol is only sold in two places: the LCBO and the Beer Store. They close at 9 most nights except Sunday when they close at 5. Be prepared.

There are lots of supermarkets but not many in the downtown core. The most expensive are Metro and Sobey's. No Frills has good prices but are generally a bit further out. If you have a car then find a WalMart and do a big shop, huge price differences. If there's a big group then someone should get a CostCo membership and shop there for the group. It's a wholesaler.

If you arrive at the start of the month get a monthly TTC pass. If you arrive later in the month get a weekly pass. It's a bigger initial outlay than getting tokens all the time but the ability to get around the city and get the lay of the land is worth it and you save in the long run.

I'm sure there's stuff I missed, if I remember it later I'll put it up. Feel free to message me with questions, I can't guarantee I'll get back to you quickly because I've got a young family and busy job but I'll try my best.

Toronto's an expensive city but it's a great place with so much to do. Best of luck.

WillPainter

What's the story with renting houses? Do they tend to expect a full one year lease?

lorcanh

There won't be any difference between houses and condo's, they'll all expect you to sign a one year lease. However, the law is that provided you give 60 days notice to the landlord then you cannot be penalised. This is easy to say but your landlord can make things difficult for you.

If you look hard enough you will be able to find short term rentals. Some of these rentals can be very advantageous but they are rare.

seb65

WillPainter wrote: »

What's the story with renting houses? Do they tend to expect a full one year lease?

If you try up near University of Toronto or Ryerson they might be more relaxed on the one year.

WillPainter

lorcanh wrote: »

There won't be any difference between houses and condo's, they'll all expect you to sign a one year lease. However, the law is that provided you give 60 days notice to the landlord then you cannot be penalised. This is easy to say but your landlord can make things difficult for you.

If you look hard enough you will be able to find short term rentals. Some of these rentals can be very advantageous but they are rare.

Ok, I see that it's standard to ask for no deposit, but you have to pay the first and last month's rent. If you have to move out after, say, 6 months of a 1 year lease, does the 'last month' cover the 6th month? Or do you forfeit the rent paid?

Also, if you leave before a lease is over, will that ruin your chances of getting a new place to rent? I.e how are they when it comes to references?

seb65

WillPainter wrote: »

Ok, I see that it's standard to ask for no deposit, but you have to pay the first and last month's rent. If you have to move out after, say, 6 months of a 1 year lease, does the 'last month' cover the 6th month? Or do you forfeit the rent paid?

Also, if you leave before a lease is over, will that ruin your chances of getting a new place to rent? I.e how are they when it comes to references?

Last month's rent means you don't pay on the 6th month - unless you renew the lease. Then the landlord keeps it until your last month. If you continually renew the lease, your landlord keeps the deposit until you end the tenancy.

The landlord must pay you interest on this amount every year. We rented a place in Toronto for 2,500 and got about 132 back every year on interest.

The need for references depends on the landlord.

meehan12345

im working in construction,just wondering is it hard to get work in toronto,also how much would i be expected to pay for a 2 bed appartment in an area as close to the major night life areas

retalivity

2 bed for yourself?
$1000 a month plus downtown.

EDIT: thats actually optimistic...$1300-$1700 would be more correct

meehan12345

no im heading with a mate,were just wondering about prices for the city so we have a fair idea of what were gonna be expected to pay,i see alot of them dont come furnished,is it hard to get 1 furnished within a reasonable price?

vwgolfmk504

kind of getting a bit worried, seen a lot of ppl on here saying Toronto isn't that great for jobs? im leaving end of August...

Il be looking for anything from bar work to office work.. but from reading stuff on here it can take some time to get work in Toronto. Surely it cant be that bad? bit shocked tbh

Phonehead

vwgolfmk504 wrote: »

kind of getting a bit worried, seen a lot of ppl on here saying Toronto isn't that great for jobs? im leaving end of August...

Il be looking for anything from bar work to office work.. but from reading stuff on here it can take some time to get work in Toronto. Surely it cant be that bad? bit shocked tbh

It's all about luck/timing and what jobs/industry you are going for! I reckon you could probably get a job in Starbucks, Tim Hortons maybe retail very quickly. If you want a job in the financial core of Downtown you will be going up against very strong competition but if you decide to venture out of the downtown core you can pick up financial jobs easier (this is all in my experience anyway)

seb65

vwgolfmk504 wrote: »

kind of getting a bit worried, seen a lot of ppl on here saying Toronto isn't that great for jobs? im leaving end of August...

Il be looking for anything from bar work to office work.. but from reading stuff on here it can take some time to get work in Toronto. Surely it cant be that bad? bit shocked tbh

If you're looking for anything, you should be fine. Bars love to hear an Irish accent. They tip at bars in Canada as well.

COYVB

lorcanh wrote: »

When you arrive buy a bill phone.

Or bring an unlocked one with you and just buy a sim card. No commitment that way

meehan12345

sign up for the facebook page irish and new in toronto,once ya get talking to few irish people theyd show ya where to find work,i left a messgae and the wall and 2 irish boys left me message showing me which place is hiring its worth a shot that way!!

meehan12345

i work in the buildings in ireland gonna be looking for a job preferably in the buildings over there 2,what sort of safety training do ya need to do before ya can work in a site there,is it something along the lines of the equilavent of the safe pass in ireland or is it different,and how do i go about in doing that

sashafierce

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COYVB

sashafierce wrote: »

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On the east side, out as far as Oshawa is served by the Go Train, which will be soon running twice hourly to and from Toronto. And yes, unfurnished is the norm

seb65

COYVB wrote: »

On the east side, out as far as Oshawa is served by the Go Train, which will be soon running twice hourly to and from Toronto. And yes, unfurnished is the norm

Yes, anywhere east of Scarborough (Rouge Hill, Pickering, Ajax, Oshawa - though Oshawa is a bit more blue-collar). You could also look in the beaches, which lies just East of downtown.

I wouldn't go West of the Toronto/Etobicoke dividing line. That's anywhere West of Royal York street. I also wouldn't go too far North.

sashafierce

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retalivity

sashafierce wrote: »

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with their own furniture??
Everyone has their own stuff and take most of it with them when they move. Or they just buy new stuff and sell off the old. Also the reason why there's a lot of garage/yard sales over here

sashafierce

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meehan12345

how long does it take for my pps number to come through,im heading to canada in july and just wondering how long does it take,and how do i go abt getting it,my visa is an iec 1 year visa will it be allocated to me when i go through customs when i land in canada or what do i do?

billy2012

what kinda money does bar work / night club work get?

retalivity

sashafierce wrote: »

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most renters will be canadian with their own stuff, and most (all?") places should have a fridge already

COYVB

Fridge and cooker is always included. Bed, you'll get at ikea, same with miscellaneous furniture. Keep an eye on Kijiji for bargains. But don't buy a second hand bed or you run the risk of bed bugs, which are a huge issue here