Resources for Newcomers

Toronto is the most populous city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. The City of Toronto is our municipal government - a public corporation that provides services across the city.

Information for residents of Toronto, including waste collection schedules, a list of parks, gardens and beaches, road notices and more is available through the City of Toronto website (external link) .

There are many ways to get around Toronto, including public transit or private vehicle.

Public transportation:

• Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) (external link) : network of subways, streetcars and buses, including Wheel-Trans, a service for people who require accessible transportation
• PRESTO (external link) : electronic fare payment system available across most transit agencies in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Hamilton Area and Ottawa
• GO Transit (external link) : links Toronto with the surrounding regions of the (GTA) using a distance-based pricing system
• VIA Rail (external link) : Canada’s national passenger rail service
• MiWay (external link) : transit for the city of Mississauga that also services neighbouring transit systems including GO Transit, the TTC, Brampton Transit and Oakville Transit

Private vehicle:

• If you’re importing a vehicle, visit the Registrar of Imported Vehicles (external link)  website for important information.
• For information on obtaining an Ontario driver’s license, see the section on New to Ontario.

Each neighbourhood in Toronto has its own distinct personality, each contributing to the diversity that defines our city. This neighbourhood guide (external link)  provides an introduction to some of the districts that make up Toronto.

You can also visit the City of Toronto's Interactive Toronto Map (external link)  to explore Toronto using a legend that filters based on criteria like community, education, recreation, transportation and more.

Renting property:

• Viewit.ca (external link) : apartment rental listings with pictures; offers map-based searches
• Craigslist (external link) : local classified ads for jobs, housing, goods, services, local activities and more
• Movingto.com (external link) : relocation resources including valuable information on real estate, transportation, health services, leisure, and community services
• Sabbatical Homes (external link) : supports the academic community with home exchange, home rental, house-sitting, and sharing
• Academic Homes (external link) : provides the international academic community an opportunity to exchange, rent, buy and sell homes with other faculty, administrators and postdoctoral fellows
• Toronto Internet Apartment Guide (external link) : features Toronto’s residential rental properties and leading property management firms
• Rentals.ca (external link) : Apartment, condo and house listings using map-based searches to Housing listings

For information about temporary living arrangements on campus, send an email to hr@torontomu.ca.

Purchasing a home:

For help with purchasing a home, find a real estate agent (external link)  using the online directory or email hr@torontomu.ca for a referral.

A number of online resources are also available, including:

• Home Magazine (external link) 
• Real Estate Canada (external link) 
• Condo Life Magazine (external link) 

The City of Toronto offers an online Child Care Locator (external link) . Children served by licensed child care centres range in age from infant to school-age. TMU also offers child care services through the Early Learning Centre (ELC).

Parks and trails:

Toronto is home to over 1,500 parks and 600 km of trails, making it easy for you to enjoy nature, even in the heart of the city.

• Toronto Parks, Gardens and Beaches (external link) 
• Trails (external link) 
• Cycling (external link) 
• Discovery Walks (external link) 

Festivals and events:

A wide variety of festivals and events celebrate the diversity of our people and culture.

• City of Toronto Festivals and Events (external link) 
• City of Toronto History, Art and Culture (external link) 
• Tourism Toronto (external link) 

Sports:

Toronto is home to a number of professional sports teams and boasts a passionate fanbase!

• Toronto Raptors (external link)  (National Basketball Association)
• Toronto Blue Jays (external link)  (Major League Baseball)
• Toronto Argonauts (external link)  (Canadian Football League)
• Toronto FC (external link)  (Major League Soccer)
• Toronto Maple Leafs (external link)  (National Hockey League)

Employees from another province in Canada may use their existing coverage for the first three months. After that, you will need to apply for OHIP (external link) . Bear in mind it can take three months to be issued, so it’s recommended that you apply right away.

To apply for OHIP coverage, you must go in-person to a ServiceOntario centre (external link) .

For information on health services in Ontario including how to find a doctor, available healthcare options, Ontario health insurance and prescription drug benefits, visit the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (external link)  website.

If you drive, you are required to apply for an Ontario driver's license (external link)  within 60 days of taking up residence in the province. For detailed information about how to transfer a driver’s license from another province, state or country visit Exchange an out-of-province driver’s license (external link) .

General resources for newcomers to Ontario, including links and answers to commonly-asked questions, are available at www.settlement.org (external link) .

If you are coming from outside of Canada, you will first need to apply for UHIP (external link) . International employees and family members who are not Canadian citizens and do not have permanent resident who are working in Ontario must obtain UHIP until eligible for OHIP if applicable. You will also need to apply for OHIP (see section under New to Ontario).

Upon receiving your work permit, you will need to obtain a Social Insurance Number (SIN) (external link)  within three days. In Canada, a SIN is required in order for your employer to pay you. Your SIN will also grant you access to government programs and benefits.

Information on applications, forms, eligibility and related inquiries are available online, but you will need to go in-person to a ServiceOntario centre (external link)  in order to apply. The ServiceOntario centre closest to TMU is the City Hall Service Canada Centre (external link) .

Newcomers to Canada need to apply for an Ontario driver's license (see section under New to Ontario) within 60 days of taking up residence in the province of Ontario. All applicants must present a valid foreign driver’s license (if not in English or French, a written translation (external link)  from a qualified translator will be required).

When applying for a license, you must first pass a vision test and written knowledge test on Ontario’s traffic rules, pay all applicable fees, and provide acceptable proof of identity. For more information, visit Driving and Roads (external link) .

Upon arrival in Canada, it is highly recommended that you open a banking account. When opening an account, you will need at least two pieces of identification such as your passport, SIN or personal identification card.

There are five major financial institutions near TMU:

1. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) (external link) 
   595 Bay Street (inside the Atrium on Bay)
   416-861-3801
2. Alterna Savings (external link) 
   350 Victoria Street
   POD-158
   416-213-7972
3. RBC Royal Bank (external link) 
   101 Dundas Street West
   416-581-8865
4. BMO Bank of Montreal (external link) 
   382 Yonge Street, Unit #4
   416-408-1974
5. TD Canada Trust (external link) 
   465 University Avenue
   416-982-8710

Visit the Canadian Banking Association (external link)  website to learn more about your Canadian banking options.

Accompanying spouses/partners of eligible faculty and staff who are seeking employment have a number of resources available to them.

Toronto Employment and Social Services (external link)  (TESS) assists newcomers with career planning, education, training and job-hunting. Visit TESS Employment Opportunities Systems (external link)  to search and apply for jobs, or stop by one of their many employment centres (external link) .

Links for academic positions and resources:

• University Jobs (external link) 
• Ontario College Employment (external link) 

Links for non-academic positions and resources:

• Workopolis  (external link) 
• Government of Canada Job Bank (external link) 
• Job Shark (external link) 
• Monster (external link) 
• Ontario Canada (external link) 

Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP):

This support service provides immediate and confidential assistance for any work, health or life concern. Visit the EFAP section of Work Life for program details and contact information. Your accompanying spouse/partner may choose to seek career planning advice through the EFAP.

Information for newcomers on filing taxes in Canada is available through the Canada Revenue Agency (external link)  (CRA). The information applies only for the first tax year that you are a new resident of Canada. After your first tax year in Canada, you are no longer considered a newcomer for tax purposes.

General resources and links for newcomers to Canada are available on Canada’s International Gateway (external link)  website.