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Moving from LA to Toronto

Moving to a distant city is a process that requires a lot of effort on your side. But before you make the first step it’s always a good thing to get to know your new destination a little bit more. If you are among the people who intend to organize a moving from LA to Toronto, you should know that it is a lot more than changing a time zone. Toronto belongs to a club of most diverse cities in the world. In fact, thousands of people from all over the world are making their home in Toronto every year. Its rich multicultural environment influence can be seen in almost every part of this large city. Since Toronto is one of the leaders in areas such as business, technology, finance, and culture, almost anyone can find its place there.

Get documents ready when moving from LA to Toronto

First thing first, you will have to make sure you have all the necessary documents before moving from LA to Toronto. That counts visa, valid traveling documentation, papers of your permanent residence, and all other family documents like certificates, diplomas, medical records, and transcripts. Prepare to purchase private health insurance for the first three months, and to bring a stash of money that can get you through the first couple of months. Other than that, expect an interesting lifestyle you will call your own one day.

Weather in Toronto

We can freely say that Toronto is the city of four seasons… well, mostly, with the emphasis on summer and winter. When moving from California to Canada, it may look a bit colder but it’s not a big deal. The only thing to remember is that it will greatly affect your clothing over the seasons.

  • Spring: Mostly a rainy season with mild temperatures during the day and with cold nights.
  • Summer: Beautiful period of the year with not so high temperature (68°F to 86°F).
  • Autumn: Part of the year similar to spring with temperatures slowly falling until December.
  • Winter: Starting in December with mostly sub-zero temperatures, going all the way to -13°F in January and February.

Choosing the right Toronto neighborhood

Toronto is a strange city to divide into neighborhoods. Although, there is an “official” way if you look at the geographical areas:

  • West End
  • Downtown
  • Midtown
  • East End
  • Toronto suburbs

Also, there is an “unofficial” way for which it’s often called “the city of neighborhoods” because there are more than 140 different smaller neighborhoods. Choosing the right neighborhood in Toronto is an important thing because it can affect your overall happiness and satisfaction.

An old man playing the drums in the street.
If you enjoy music, there are a lot of neighborhoods with street music to make your day better.

Job opportunities when moving from LA to Toronto

There are a lot of job opportunities in Toronto especially if you are into finance or tech. Just be aware that landing your perfect job can be a long process sometimes. Of course, there are some exceptions, but recruiters here can be terribly slow sometimes. Don’t worry too much if you don’t get your chance right away, just pick some temporary job and you will be fine. The good thing is to check the job market before moving.

Balance with nature in the city

Believe it or not, but Toronto is a green city. There are more than 1,600 parks in the area spreading across 8,000 hectares, with High Park as the leading one. It’s the perfect balance between urbanism and nature. For outdoor lovers, there would be plenty of space to go to a picnic, for a long walk or enjoyable biking tours. Even camping is allowed in the city in Rouge National Urban Park.

Many boats on beautiful water by the coast.
Even the coastal parts of the city are in balance with nature.

Transportation in Toronto

You won’t be a real Canadian until you start to complain about the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). The joke on the side, but Toronto has a very convenient, advanced, and efficient public transportation system which can take you to every area of the city in no time. Even owning a car is not necessary, moreover, it’s advisable to use transit, go on foot, or ride a bike in Toronto. Especially if you plan to live downtown.

People and culture in the city

Canadians have a reputation for being among the friendliest and polite people on the planet. They can be a little “on distance” when you first talk to them but that’s just because of “the big city” syndrome. Once you get to know them you will know why they hold that reputation. However, since Toronto is a really diverse city there are a couple of small tips to remember:

  • Bringing up the religion in conversation is not recommended;
  • People in Toronto appreciate their privacy a lot;
  • Don’t ask for Canadian bacon, it’s an American thing;
  • If everything else fails, start complaining about the weather and you will quickly “break the ice”.

Toronto is the city of festivals, especially in the summer. Understandably, you will enjoy your time there after moving from LA to Toronto. Every weekend you can find something “festive” is going on. In general, there are so many entertaining things that everyone’s taste should be satisfied. Another interesting thing is Toronto’s street art scene. You can find a lot of murals and graffiti art along Graffiti Alley and the surrounding area. If you like hip-hop and dance, Downsview Park would be the right place for you. Need a piece of ethnic cuisine, then visit “Taste of Little Italy” or “Taste of the Danforth” festivals.

Graffiti along a street in Toronto.
Graffiti Alley is not the only place where you can find street art.

The Cuisine

Toronto food scene is magnificent. Thanks to the expats from all over the world you have a chance to try a bit of everything. From Italian food at some of the most prominent restaurants in the city to the Australian specialties from across the world.  In every neighborhood, you can find the unique selection of budget-friendly cuisines, as well as high-quality restaurants for everyone’s taste. It’s almost a tradition to start the evening with a good meal and a few drinks.

Cost of living

Living in Toronto can be expensive, especially in downtown. However, even though prices seem high at first glance, they are more or less similar to the LA prices. The only thing that is considerably higher is purchasing your own house, but that’s only if you want to live in “the metro area”. Being smaller than LA doesn’t prevent Toronto from having a high living standard and annual income. Overall, Toronto is a lot cheaper place to live in.

After you are done with moving from LA to Toronto, and you spend some time getting to know the city, you will discover that there are a lot of similarities between these two places. Even though the weather is not the same and some prices may differ, the most pleasant thing would be the discovery of how a good neighborhood can greatly improve the quality and satisfaction of your everyday life. So, think carefully when choosing yours.

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