Canada
Your start in Toronto
Canada's largest city and Ontario's capital, with 2,794,356 residents at the 2021 census, nearly half of them born outside Canada. Newcomers deal with federal offices (IRCC, Service Canada, CRA), Ontario (OHIP, ServiceOntario, the Landlord and Tenant Board) and the City (311, TTC, libraries).
At a glance
Toronto is the capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. At the 2021 census the city had 2,794,356 residents, and the wider Toronto census metropolitan area had 6,202,225. The City of Toronto reports that 46.6% of residents were immigrants in 2021 and 55.7% identified as belonging to a racialized group.
How the city is organised
The present City of Toronto was formed in 1998 from the former City of Toronto and the surrounding municipalities of North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, York and East York, names that are still widely used. The city has 25 wards, whose boundaries match the federal electoral districts, and the City identifies 158 neighbourhoods for planning and statistics. Its Official Plan defines Downtown (between Lake Ontario, Bathurst Street, the midtown rail corridor and Rosedale Valley Road, and the Don River) and four Centres with strong transit links: Scarborough, North York, Etobicoke and Yonge-Eglinton. The suburbs of the Toronto census metropolitan area around the city are often called "the 905".
Who handles what for newcomers
- Immigration and citizenship: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), mostly online.
- Social Insurance Number: Service Canada, online or at a Service Canada Centre.
- Tax and benefits: the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
- Health card, driver's licence and photo ID: ServiceOntario, in person for a first health card.
- Renting: the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board decides disputes; the City enforces building standards through 311 and RentSafeTO.
- Transport: the TTC (subway, streetcar and bus); the adult fare is $3.30 with PRESTO or a bank card (2026), and trips are free for the rest of the month after 47 paid trips since September 1, 2026.
- City services: call 311 (24/7) for waste collection, noise, roads and other City issues.
Renting in Toronto
Housing is usually the largest cost. Statistics Canada's experimental asking-rent data put the average asking rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Toronto at $2,660 a month in Q1 2026, down 1.1% from a year earlier. In October 2025, CMHC reported a purpose-built rental vacancy rate of about 3% in the Greater Toronto Area. For most tenancies, rent increases are capped at 2.1% in 2026 and 1.9% in 2027, but units first occupied after November 15, 2018 are exempt.
The HomiStart Toronto guides are general information, not legal, immigration or tax advice. Confirm details with the official sources linked in each guide.
An overview of moving to Canada, your first month in Toronto and the emergency numbers to save on day one.
Moving About 20 minutes to read; planning a move usually takes several months Arrival Most of the steps fit into your first month; finding a home can take longer Emergencies Five minutes to save the numbers in your phone
eTAs and visitor visas, work and study permits, Express Entry, the PR card and the residency obligation.
Residence and visas Applications take hours to prepare; IRCC processing times vary by country and permit type Residence and visas Months from creating an Express Entry profile to a decision; IRCC publishes current processing times
Your Social Insurance Number, a bank account, OHIP and a PRESTO card.
Registration About 30 minutes online, or one visit to a Service Canada Centre Banking About an hour at a branch, or less online Healthcare One visit to a ServiceOntario centre; your health card then arrives by mail Transport About 15 minutes to read; buying a PRESTO card takes a few minutes
Finding a home in Toronto, avoiding rental scams, the Ontario Standard Lease, legal deposits, rent increase rules and the Landlord and Tenant Board.
Housing Often several weeks; plan temporary accommodation for your first weeks Housing About 30 minutes to read; disputes at the Landlord and Tenant Board take longer
Looking for work, regulated professions and credential assessment, and your rights under Ontario's Employment Standards Act.
Jobs Usually several months of active searching; licensing in a regulated profession can take longer Employment About 20 minutes to read
OHIP eligibility (no waiting period), finding a family doctor through Health Care Connect, Health811, OHIP+ and dental care.
Healthcare One visit to a ServiceOntario centre; your health card then arrives by mail Emergencies Five minutes to save the numbers in your phone
Banking, payroll deductions, 2026 federal and Ontario tax rates, your first tax return and benefits.
Banking About an hour at a branch, or less online Taxes About 30 minutes to read; filing a simple return online takes one to two hours
TTC fares, PRESTO, fare capping, One Fare connections to GO Transit, and exchanging your driver's licence.
Transport About 15 minutes to read; buying a PRESTO card takes a few minutes Arrival Most of the steps fit into your first month; finding a home can take longer
The Canada Child Benefit, kindergarten and school registration, and licensed childcare.
Neighbourhoods on the map
Select a pin to read about a neighbourhood.
Map of neighbourhoods in Toronto