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.
Midtown · Experience date Jan 18, 2026
Service Canada issues the SIN (Social Insurance Number). Walk-in locations in Toronto: 25 St. Clair Avenue East (Midtown), 4900 Yonge Street (North York), Scarborough, and others. Hours: Monday–Friday 8:30am–4pm. No appointment needed for most SIN applications. Bring: valid passport, immigration document (work permit, study permit, or PR card), and proof of Toronto address (lease agreement or bank letter — a hotel booking is usually accepted in the first week). Processing time: immediate — you receive a SIN letter on the same day. Protect your SIN: it's like your financial identity number — do not share it unnecessarily. Only legitimate employers, banks, and government bodies should ever ask for your SIN.
Downtown · Experience date Feb 10, 2026
Short-term accommodation for first weeks in Toronto: Airbnb (good inventory in De Pijp equivalent areas — Annex, Kensington Market, King West). YMCA Toronto (multiple locations — extremely affordable at $50–80/night, community environment, popular with working holiday visa holders). Hostels: Planet Traveler, Global Village Backpackers (budget, downtown). Corporate housing: Homelike, Furnished Finder (furnished apartments for monthly rental — $2,500–4,000 CAD/month). Essential: use your temporary Toronto address for your SIN application and bank account — even if moving soon. Note the address clearly — you'll use it multiple times in your first week for official registrations.
Downtown · Experience date Jan 24, 2026
Toronto is built on a north-south/east-west grid, with Yonge Street as the central dividing line. Understanding the address system: 100 King Street West means 100m west of Yonge, on King Street. Most streets run east-west: King, Queen, Dundas, College, Bloor (the main 'crosstown' street), Eglinton, Lawrence, Wilson, Sheppard, Finch (progressively further north). Main north-south streets: Yonge (the spine), Bay, University/Avenue Road, Spadina, Bathurst, Dufferin, Keele, Jane, Islington (west), and Victoria Park, Warden, Kennedy (east). Subway: Line 1 follows Yonge north-south and turns west at Bloor. Downtown core: below Bloor/Danforth and east of Dufferin. Neighbourhoods make more sense after a week of walking and transit.
Midtown · Experience date Apr 2, 2026
Register for OHIP at a ServiceOntario location (serviceontario.ca/ohip for locations). Required documents: valid passport, work or study permit or PR card, and proof of Ontario residency (one of: lease agreement, utility bill, bank statement with Ontario address, municipality letter). If your permit is in process: IRCC acknowledgement letter + supporting employment/admission documents. OHIP card is mailed to your address within 4–6 weeks — you can use OHIP immediately after registration (healthcare providers look up your status online). Keep your registration confirmation as proof during the waiting period. Note: student permit holders must verify they are in an eligible full-time program (certain short programs don't qualify).
Harbourfront · Experience date Dec 14, 2025
OHIP has a 3-month waiting period for most work permit holders. During the wait: buy private temporary health insurance. Options: Blue Cross Visitor to Canada ($80–150/month), Guard.me (popular with international students, $80–120/month), Manulife CoverMe Visitor ($100–160/month). Coverage: emergency, hospitalization, prescription drugs, basic medical. Coverage begins immediately. Important: purchase before arriving in Canada if possible — most plans require buying before you need it. Alternatively: if your employer has group benefits starting on day one, they may cover the OHIP waiting period. Ask HR specifically: 'Is there healthcare coverage during the 3-month OHIP wait?' — most good Toronto employers say yes.
King West · Experience date Apr 6, 2026
Toronto winter (December–March) requires preparation for outdoor movement. The PATH (underground pedestrian network) is your friend in -20°C weather — connect from your office or hotel to Union Station, Eaton Centre, and most Bay Street towers without going outside. Surface streets: salt and sand are applied heavily — boots will be stained by road salt (wipe daily with damp cloth). Black ice: forms on sidewalks after freezing rain — walk carefully on tilted surfaces. Wind chill: -25°C with wind chill feels significantly colder than -15°C calm — check the 'Feels Like' temperature on the weather app before dressing. Snow clearing: sidewalks cleared within 24 hours by property owners or city — report uncleaned sidewalks to 311. Surviving your first Toronto winter: the right gear makes it fine, improper clothing makes it miserable.
Annex · Experience date Apr 25, 2026
Priority order for your first week: 1) Get a Canadian SIM (Rogers/Fido at Pearson Airport or Best Buy). 2) Move into temporary accommodation. 3) Book a Service Canada appointment for SIN number (sin-nas.gc.ca or walk-in). 4) Open a TD or RBC bank account (requires passport + address). 5) Register with ServiceOntario for your address (used for OHIP, benefits). 6) Apply for OHIP if eligible (or buy temporary private insurance for the 3-month wait). 7) Buy a Presto card for TTC. The SIN is your most critical first document — you cannot legally work without it, and most banking requires it. Book your SIN appointment before arriving if possible.