Toronto
The minimum setup tasks newcomers should complete in week one.
You'll find that opening a bank account is a top priority in your first week in Toronto. Most newcomers head to the Scotiabank branch at Yonge and Bloor to open a StartRight account, which has no monthly fee for the first year. Watch out for the need to provide proof of address and ID to access various services, such as getting a Toronto Public Library card, which is free and offers digital library access. To get settled, you'll also want to set up internet and home services, with providers like Rogers offering cable and widely available fastest speeds. One common surprise for newcomers is the mandatory tipping culture in Canada, so be prepared to tip around 15-20% at restaurants and cafes. Today, take a concrete step by visiting the Service Canada location at 25 St. Clair Avenue East to apply for your Social Insurance Number.
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Yonge and Bloor · Experience date Mar 2, 2026
Opened Scotiabank StartRight at the Yonge and Bloor branch. Specifically for newcomers, no monthly fee for 1 year, opened with just passport and landing papers. No SIN needed to start.
King West · Experience date Jan 1, 2026
Get your Toronto Public Library card in your first week — it's free with any Toronto address proof and ID. The digital library card (available online at tpl.ca) provides immediate access to: Hoopla (streaming movies and music), Libby/OverDrive (ebooks), Kanopy (art films and documentaries), language learning (Rosetta Stone, Mango Languages), academic databases, and LinkedIn Learning (free courses). Physical card: available at any TPL branch (over 100 in Toronto) with in-person ID verification. The Toronto Reference Library (789 Yonge Street at Bloor) is an excellent free co-working space — free WiFi, outlets, quiet floors, and meeting rooms available for booking. One of Toronto's most underutilised expat resources.
Union Station · Experience date May 1, 2026
Grocery delivery in Toronto: Instacart (delivers from Loblaws, Metro, Costco, and others — $5–10 delivery fee or Instacart+ subscription), Loblaws PC Express (click-and-collect from Loblaws stores, $5–7 pickup fee), Amazon Fresh (available in Toronto). Food delivery: DoorDash and Uber Eats are the dominant platforms — restaurants in every neighbourhood, delivery 20–45 minutes, fees $3–8. Grocery codes: PC Optimum app (Loblaws) shows weekly offers — check before shopping. Flipp app: aggregates weekly flyers from No Frills, Metro, Sobeys, FreshCo — excellent for price comparison before your grocery trip. Costco: worth considering for non-perishable staples once settled — membership $65/year, bulk buying saves significantly for households of 2+. Costco locations: Etobicoke, Scarborough, North York.
North York · Experience date Jan 18, 2026
Applied for my SIN at a Service Canada office in North York on day 3. Took 20 minutes with passport and landing papers. You need SIN to work legally and open most bank accounts. Free to get.
Annex · Experience date Apr 14, 2026
Internet providers in Toronto: Rogers (cable, widely available, fastest speeds), Bell (DSL/fibre, increasingly available in Toronto), Teksavvy (indie ISP using Bell/Rogers infrastructure, cheaper — $50–65/month for 150 Mbps), Distributel, Start.ca. Typical cost: $60–90/month for 150–500 Mbps. Contract vs no-contract: major providers push 2-year contracts with lower upfront modem cost — month-to-month is better for expats. Activation time: 3–7 business days. New apartment: ask your landlord if the building has a preferred provider with faster installation. Internet is considered essential in Toronto — remote work, streaming, and IRCC communications all depend on it. Bundle with mobile: Rogers/Bell often offer bundle discounts — compare against buying separately.
Union Station · Experience date Jan 8, 2026
Ensure your mail reaches you in your first week. Canada Post mail forwarding: if coming from another Canadian address, set up mail forwarding at canadapost.ca ($55/year for 1-year forwarding). New to Canada: register your address via your bank account setup and government registrations (CRA My Account, Service Ontario for OHIP). Canada Post postal code lookup: canadapost.ca — useful for verifying your exact postal code for forms. Picking up parcels: Canada Post delivery to apartments often leaves a pickup notice at the nearest postal outlet (Canada Post kiosks inside Shoppers Drug Mart). Many buildings have parcel lockers — ask your landlord or building manager on arrival. Your postal code is required on almost every Canadian form and online account — memorise it in your first 48 hours.
Harbourfront · Experience date Mar 15, 2026
Toronto grocery costs (2024): milk ($4–5/4L jug), eggs ($4–6/dozen), bread ($3–5 loaf), chicken breast ($12–18/kg), salmon ($25–35/kg), avocados ($1.50–2 each), apples ($3–5/kg). Coffee at Tim Hortons: $2.50 (medium double-double — a Toronto institution). Grocery bills for one person cooking at home: $350–500 CAD/month. Cheaper options: No Frills (Loblaws discount chain, most affordable), Food Basics (Metro discount chain), and ethnic grocery markets (Chinatown, Little India) where produce is 30–40% cheaper than mainstream supermarkets. PC Optimum card (free at Loblaws, No Frills, Shoppers Drug Mart): earns points redeemable for free groceries — activate immediately and use consistently.
King West · Experience date Dec 23, 2025
Arriving in Toronto: pack for the season you're arriving in, but be aware of what's coming. If arriving September–October: buy your winter gear before December — prices are better and selection is wider. If arriving in winter: buy a proper -20°C-rated coat immediately (Canada Goose if budget allows, MEC (Mountain Equipment Company) for better value — comparable quality). Essential winter gear: insulated waterproof boots (Sorel, Kamik — $150–250 at Sport Chek or MEC), wool socks, warm hat, touchscreen gloves. Summer arrivals: air conditioning in your apartment is important — ask specifically, not all older Toronto apartments have central AC. Weather app: Environment Canada app or The Weather Network (most accurate for Toronto microclimate).
Union Station · Experience date Nov 15, 2025
Emergency: 911 (police, fire, ambulance — universal in Canada). Non-emergency Toronto police: 416-808-2222. Telehealth Ontario (medical advice): 1-866-797-0000 (free, 24/7 nurse phone line). Poison Control: 1-800-268-9017. Mental health crisis: Distress Centres of Greater Toronto 416-408-4357 (24/7). Utility emergencies: Enbridge Gas 1-866-763-5427, Toronto Hydro 416-542-8000. City of Toronto 311 (non-emergency city services — transit delays, garbage concerns, road damage). Canadian consulate/embassy for your home country: save the emergency consular number before arriving — necessary if you lose your passport or face a serious emergency. ServiceOntario (health card, licence): 1-800-267-8097.
Harbourfront · Experience date Mar 8, 2026
Free and cheap in Toronto: Distillery District (beautiful Victorian industrial neighbourhood, free to walk — one of Toronto's most photographed areas), High Park (400-acre park in west end, free, Japanese cherry blossoms in spring, zoo), Nathan Phillips Square (City Hall plaza, skating rink in winter — free), Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) — free Wednesday evenings 6–9pm, Toronto Public Library (free books, ebooks, streaming, co-working), Toronto Islands (ferry $9 return — the cheapest day out in the city), Kensington Market street festival (Pedestrian Sundays, May–October — free), Harbourfront Centre (free outdoor concerts in summer). Toronto has an outstanding public park and cultural scene — much of it accessible for free or under $15.