Moving to Toronto in feb 2017, please guide

[Ankit9110]

Hi all you lovely people,

I work for a private auditing firm which is opening a new office in Toronto, I am moving to work there for long term after working in the Delhi office for 5 years.

Brief about me: 27 years, male, single, adventure seeker
Office location in Toronto : Downtown of course
Why information above: So you can help me answer to these questions below?

1. Should I buy winter ear when I arrive in Toronto or buy before hand?
2. What are the best and economical places/websites/stores to buy winter wear in Toronto
3. Which are the affordable hip places/neighbourhoods for singles in Toronto to live in
3.1 : What is a decent amount for a 4 piece bath, one room apartment in/near downtown
3.2 : How should I go about finding a place, how did you guys do it
4. I have a driving licence in India, will it be valid in Toronto/Canada, I have it since 2008 and driving since then?
5. What are the good ways/sites/activities to meet people in Toronto and make friends
6. Where do Indian live in Toronto?
7. Which cellular service provider should I go for?
8. Can I buy/lease a car just after arriving as I will not have a credit history initially?
9. What are the fun activities people indulge in on weekends/weekdays?


Thanks for your patience while reading above, I have plethora of questions coming to my mind as I am sooo excited to this new journey in life and I hope you would kindly help me out.

and Thanks a lot!
Ankit

 

[scylla]

Buy your winter coat in Canada. I would personally spend a bit more and get a good coat (e.g. North Face) rather than getting something cheap and then freezing.

Toronto has many different neighbourhoods. You may want to take a shorter term rental or sub-lease at first so that you can learn about the city and figure out where you want to live and how much you're willing to spend before you commit to a full year lease.

Rent is quite high in Toronto. If you want to live right downtown - you'll be looking at $2K+ per month for a 1 bed 1 bathroom condo. Use this site to get an idea of prices: https://www.realtor.ca/ You may find the best option is a basement apartment that's not downtown but is along the subway line. Your salary is OK - but keep in mind that after tax you'll be looking at around $53K - $54K take-home.

You'll only be able to use your license in Canada for around 90 days. After that, you'll need to convert to an Ontario license. You can very easily find the full details by googling. If you are working downtown, do not plan on driving to work. Downtown parking rates are unaffordable for someone on your salary. You will need to take public transit to get to work. I would hold off buying or leasing a car. Insurance is very expensive and owning a car on your salary may not make sense given how much it costs.

 

[Ankit9110]

Buy your winter coat in Canada. I would personally spend a bit more and get a good coat (e.g. North Face) rather than getting something cheap and then freezing.

Toronto has many different neighbourhoods. You may want to take a shorter term rental or sub-lease at first so that you can learn about the city and figure out where you want to live and how much you're willing to spend before you commit to a full year lease.

Rent is quite high in Toronto. If you want to live right downtown - you'll be looking at $2K+ per month for a 1 bed 1 bathroom condo. Use this site to get an idea of prices: https://www.realtor.ca/ You may find the best option is a basement apartment that's not downtown but is along the subway line. Your salary is OK - but keep in mind that after tax you'll be looking at around $53K - $54K take-home.

You'll only be able to use your license in Canada for around 90 days. After that, you'll need to convert to an Ontario license. You can very easily find the full details by googling. If you are working downtown, do not plan on driving to work. Downtown parking rates are unaffordable for someone on your salary. You will need to take public transit to get to work. I would hold off buying or leasing a car. Insurance is very expensive and owning a car on your salary may not make sense given how much it costs.

Thanks a ton @scylla helpful answer!

 

[canuck78]

View.it is also a good site. Most a the large commercial rental buildings are listed on it. For smaller landlords you'll find listings on kijiji or Craigslist. Be careful of scams.

Would agree with scylla. Spend a bit more to get a good coat. Mark's work warehouse or Eddie Bauer also have some good options. You don't need to invest in a Canada Goose. Before I get criticized they are good coats so if you want one they are expensive but last a long time.

There is a large concentration of South Asian Canadians in Brampton. Given that you live downtown I would not suggest living there because you will habe a long commute and the transportation links aren't great. In general I would look for a place where you can walk for under 15 minutes to reach a subway line. My personal preference.

I would ask coworkers for guidance about where to get the most affordable groceries, activities to do, how to meet people.

Instead of getting a car I would use a ride sharing service like zipcar if you need to use a car for an errand.

I would also suggest something like IKEA for affordable furniture or websites like kijiji or Craigslist for gently used furniture.

Best of luck.

 

[Ankit9110]

Thanks @canuck78 @scylla
Guys, got the point in relation to winter coat.
I am very inclined to buy/lease a car given I have been using public transportation all my life and don't want to do it anymore. So, if i get an apartment in say Bathurst for $1000, and get a car for which I am ready to pay $500 each month as lease payment, would it be a good option. How much would I have to pay for parking in downtown core each month. I will be eligible for G1 licence when I arrive, and wanted to understand from you guys also how much insurance would I have to pay on the car each month.

Thanks for your answers already, have been very helpful!

 

[canuck78]

Don't buy/lease a car. First of all you may have difficulty because your lack of credit history and will be charged a very high interest rate if you actually qualify for financing. You will have to take public transportation to work everyday. It will be too expensive to park. Given that you don't have a driving history that will be recognized your insurance rates are going to be high. They would be high no matter what because you are a young male. No joke some people your age pay $10000/year in insurance. I would guess you may be looking at a few thousand per year minimum. It just doesn't make sense to have a car. Your estimate of $1000 for rent is also pretty low depending on where on Bathurst you want to live and that is with a roomate. Bathurst and Queen you will most likely be looking at $2000 minimum with with all you utilities and internet for a small one bedroom. You might be able to live alone in North Toronto for around $1000.

A G1 license will require that you always drive with another licensed driver. Not sure if you realize that. When you get to Toronto you will realize that most young people don't have a cars and people only get one when the absolutely need one. They are just too expensive and if you don't need one for work then it doesn't make sense.

Sorry to burst your bubble.

 

[Ankit9110]

@canuck78, thanks for the discouragement, but I see you have some valid points there. The Canadian government also doesn' want young people (specially males) to own cars.

Also, what are your favorite neighborhoods in Toronto?

 

[canuck78]

@canuck78, thanks for the discouragement, but I see you have some valid points there. The Canadian government also doesn' want young people (specially males) to own cars.

Also, what are your favorite neighborhoods in Toronto?

Insurance in Ontario is not run by the government and that is one of the reasons it is more expensive than MB and BC. Young males tend to have a higher accident rates so the young men who are safe drivers get punished. You also are a new driver in Canada.

I am older than you so not sure where young people live but if you want to live downtown the cityplace condos are more affordable than other condos and have a large amount of rentals. If you decide to live downtown you would be in a position to walk to work. The vacancy rate is very low in Toronto so the affordable apartments downtown will be hard to secure. You will be competing with others in a similar position. There are also websites that you use to look for a roommate if you are considering looking for an open room in someone's current rental. I would look at what is convenient to get to work and public transportation. You can always move after a year it isn't a permanent comittment. It will also depend on where you can find a decent apartment for what you want to spend.

 

[scylla]

Thanks @canuck78 @scylla
Guys, got the point in relation to winter coat.
I am very inclined to buy/lease a car given I have been using public transportation all my life and don't want to do it anymore. So, if i get an apartment in say Bathurst for $1000, and get a car for which I am ready to pay $500 each month as lease payment, would it be a good option. How much would I have to pay for parking in downtown core each month. I will be eligible for G1 licence when I arrive, and wanted to understand from you guys also how much insurance would I have to pay on the car each month.

Thanks for your answers already, have been very helpful!

You cannot afford downtown parking on your salary. You need to forget that plan. People who make twice your salary cannot afford downtown parking. You will be taking public transit. Thinking you're going to drive to a job in the downtown core is simply unrealistic and isn't going to happen. You need to adjust your thinking if you are serious about living here.

 

[scylla]

@canuck78, thanks for the discouragement, but I see you have some valid points there. The Canadian government also doesn' want young people (specially males) to own cars.

It has nothing to do with the government. The insurance rates are set by insurance companies which aren't owned by the government. Rates are high for young people because they have more accidents.

 

[Ankit9110]

You cannot afford downtown parking on your salary. You need to forget that plan. People who make twice your salary cannot afford downtown parking. You will be taking public transit. Thinking you're going to drive to a job in the downtown core is simply unrealistic and isn't going to happen. You need to adjust your thinking if you are serious about living here.

@syclla I want a car not necessarily for work, as per your suggestion and knowledge I have gained until now, it's not worth driving to downtown to work, will take the public transit.

 

[canuck78]

Spending around $1000/month(could be more) for something you use on the weekend will unlikely fit into your budget. I would forget about the car for now and see how things go in Canada. Think you may be surprised how expensive life in Toronto can be.

 

[steaky]

@syclla I want a car not necessarily for work, as per your suggestion and knowledge I have gained until now, it's not worth driving to downtown to work, will take the public transit.

A friend of mine doesn't work. She has a car and a parking stall in downtown for her leisure use.