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.
Annex · Experience date Mar 2, 2026
Open your Canadian bank account within your first week. TD Bank and RBC are recommended for new arrivals — both have newcomer programs with waived fees and accept passport + recent address proof even before your SIN arrives (though SIN is needed within 90 days). Bring: passport, immigration document, proof of address (lease agreement or hotel booking for first few days). Best locations: TD and RBC branches are in every Toronto neighbourhood — downtown branches on King and Bay streets are experienced with expats. Request a debit card and set up online banking on the same day. Interac e-Transfer: activate this immediately — you'll use it to pay rent and split costs within days. Some branches offer appointments — book online to avoid waiting.
Downtown · Experience date Apr 4, 2026
Before signing a lease, spend 2–3 days walking different Toronto neighbourhoods to understand what feels right. Key areas for expats: Downtown core (King West, Entertainment District) — vibrant, walkable, expensive, loud at night. Annex/Kensington Market — eclectic, diverse, university community, excellent cafés. Leslieville/East End — quieter, more residential, younger families, good restaurants. Midtown (Yonge-Eglinton) — professional, good transit, less character than downtown. Liberty Village — tech/creative crowd, new condos, slightly isolated but lively. Cabbagetown — Victorian houses, quieter, good community. The 20-minute walk test: can you reach a grocery store, a café, and a transit stop within 20 minutes on foot? Toronto is large — neighbourhood choice dramatically shapes daily life quality.
Downtown · Experience date Mar 25, 2026
Building a social network in Toronto: InterNations Toronto (monthly events, some free, very active — largest expat social network in the city), Meetup.com (sports leagues, cultural groups, professional meetups — hundreds of active groups), Eventbrite (one-off networking and social events). Neighbourhood-specific communities: Nextdoor app for hyperlocal connection. Facebook groups: 'Expats in Toronto', 'Toronto British Expats', 'South Asian Expats Toronto', and many nationality-specific groups. Sport leagues: Toronto Sport and Social Club (beach volleyball, soccer, hockey — excellent way to meet active people). For UK expats specifically: the British Canadian Chamber of Trade and Commerce holds regular events. Toronto's expat community is large enough that you can find your specific niche within a few weeks of active searching.
King West · Experience date Mar 16, 2026
Canadian tipping is genuinely mandatory, not optional. If you come from a country without strong tipping culture (most of Europe, parts of Asia): adjust immediately. Servers, bartenders, delivery workers, hairstylists — all rely on tips as part of their income. Standard tips: 15–20% at restaurants, 15% for taxis and Uber, 15–20% at hair salons, $1–2/drink at bars. Toronto POS (payment terminal) systems: will prompt for 18%, 20%, or 25% tip with a 'custom' option — tapping the 'other' button to enter 15% or whatever you choose is completely acceptable. Not tipping at a restaurant: will be noticed and remembered if you're a regular — it directly affects service workers' rent money. Budget 20% on all restaurant spending.
Harbourfront · Experience date May 8, 2026
Pearson Airport (YYZ) terminal 1 and 3 arrivals halls: Rogers, Bell, Telus, and Fido kiosks are legitimate. Airport SIM prices: $5–10 higher than city equivalent plans — acceptable for the convenience. Scams to avoid: unofficial kiosks or individual vendors selling 'cheap SIM deals' — these are sometimes connected to prepaid plans with hidden terms. Stick to: branded carrier kiosks or wait and buy from Best Buy or Shoppers Drug Mart in the city on day 2. Legitimate kiosks: in the official Arrivals area, clearly marked with carrier logos. Activating your SIM: done in-kiosk, takes 10 minutes — have your passport ready. The Rogers kiosk usually has the shortest queue at Pearson.