HERZING COLLEGE S GUIDE TO THE CITY OF TORONTO

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1 HERZING COLLEGE S GUIDE TO THE CITY OF TORONTO 220 Yonge Street, Suite 202 Toronto, ON (416)

2 QUICK TIPS FOR NEWCOMERS Moving to a new city or new country can seem overwhelming. Luckily, there are a number of services and resources available for newcomers to Toronto. 311 TORONTO Dial 311 and get information in more than 140 languages. If you have any questions about city services, you can get answers here. (This service can also be accessed by dialling from within and outside the city limits). IN MY LANGUAGE Welcome to Herzing College and welcome to Toronto! Our city guide is designed to put information at your fingertips so you can begin to enjoy and explore our beautiful city. Get quick and easy access to the services you need, from finding accommodations to where to find the best restaurants to all the attractions that Toronto has to offer. TABLE OF CONTENTS Quick Tips For Newcomers Page 3 Toronto Facts Page 4 Toronto Transit Page 5 THINGS TO DO IN TORONTO InMyLanguage ( offers information in several languages. Consult their website if you need information regarding health, education, legal matters and more! ACCOMMODATIONS There are several online resources that can help you find a place to call home while you're in Toronto. There are plenty of safe and welcoming neighbourhoods in the city. You can choose to live closer to downtown and the Herzing College campus, or you can opt to live further away on the subway, bus or streetcar line. Homestay Connection (homestayconnection.ca) and the Toronto Homestay Directory (torontohomestays.org) both connect students with Canadian families who share their homes with foreign students. HEALTH COVERAGE All international students must have valid health insurance in order to study in Canada. Visit the University Health Insurance Plan website at to get all the information you need on how to apply for health insurance. Tourist Attractions Page 6-7 Shopping Page 8 Entertainment Page 9 Sports Page 10 Restaurants Page 11 Websites & Phone Numbers 2 Page 12 3

3 TORONTO FACTS DID YOU KNOW THAT GETTING AROUND The Toronto Transit Commission, or TTC, will get you wherever you need to go. With subways, streetcars and buses, the TTC provides a practical and costeffective way to get from one place to the next. Toronto has a population of over 2.6 million people? The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is sometimes referred to as the Golden Horseshoe and has a population of over 6 million people? Toronto, along with Montreal and Vancouver, is home to 35% of the entire population of Canada? Toronto is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world? Over a third of Torontonians were born outside of Canada! More than 100 languages are spoken in Toronto? The city's ethnic diversity is reflected in many of its neighbourhoods, like Chinatown, Corso Italia, Greektown, Little India and Little Portugal, among others Toronto is often referred to as "Hollywood North" and is the third largest film and TV production venue in the world after New York City and Los Angeles? Chicago, Good Will Hunting, The Incredible Hulk, Moonstruck, Mean Girls and X-Men are just some of the movies that feature Toronto landmarks! Toronto is home to five major sports teams: the Maple Leafs (hockey), Toronto Raptors (basketball), Toronto Blue Jays (baseball), Toronto Football Club (soccer) and the Toronto Argonauts (football). Herzing College is located in downtown Toronto between the Queen and Dundas subway stations on the Yonge-University-Spadina line. For information on traveling within Toronto, visit the TTC's website at Apps are available that will tell you when the next subway, streetcar or bus will be arriving, making it that much easier to plan your trips! If your trip takes you outside Toronto, consult GO Transit ( It services communities across the Greater Toronto Area with an extensive network of train and bus routes. 4 5

4 THINGS TO DO IN TORONTO TOURIST ATTRACTIONS Here are some of Toronto's best-known and most interesting attractions, all of which are easily accessible via the TTC. THE CN TOWER ( The tallest free-standing structure in the Western hemisphere, the CN Tower is an icon of the Toronto skyline. Native Torontonians and visitors alike often use the CN Tower to orientate themselves downtown. If you're brave, try doing the Edge Walk where you walk outside the perimeter of the Tower, 356 meters above the ground! CASA LOMA ( Casa Loma is an authentic castle in the middle of Toronto, surrounded by five acres of lush gardens with a tunnel system connecting Casa Loma to the hunting lodge and stables. "Haunted" tours of the grounds are available in October, during Halloween season. YONGE-DUNDAS SQUARE ( Just a stone's throw from Herzing College is Yonge-Dundas Square, where you can enjoy year-round free concerts and events--and free Wi-Fi, too! TORONTO CITY HALL AND NATHAN PHILLIPS SQUARE ( Visit Toronto's City Hall and spend some time at Nathan Phillips Square. Do some outdoor skating in the winter; enjoy food trucks, people-watching and a great mix of Torontonians spending their lunch hours in the summer sun. CHINATOWN ( Toronto's Chinatown is one of the largest Chinese communities in North America. It's a bustling, busy area loaded with interesting shops, restaurants, fruit and vegetable markets and lots and lots of people. It's a truly unique experience for newcomers to our city. ST. LAWRENCE MARKET ( St. Lawrence Market is an exciting and busy market filled with specialty vendors, shops, restaurants and the freshest of fish, fruit, meat and baked goods. The second floor of the South Market features an exhibition space for the city of Toronto's Cultural Services. Let the sounds and aromas entice you to wander around inside! 6 7

5 THINGS TO DO IN TORONTO SHOPPING THE EATON CENTRE ( Toronto's Eaton Centre is home to more than 250 stores, so there's something that will appeal to everyone! Best of all, it's located right at Herzing College's Toronto campus. You can browse shops, grab a quick bite or walk around and people-watch before or after your classes. No traveling required! BLOOR-YORKVILLE ( The Bloor-Yorkville shopping area is known for being on the cutting edge of fashion. It's easily accessible by TTC via the Museum, Bay or Yonge/Bloor subway stations. The area is a foodie's dream, with restaurants and cafes that offer every kind of food and drink you could possibly want. KENSINGTON MARKET ( Kensington Market is a vibrant and diverse neighbourhood located in the heart of downtown Toronto. Whether you love antiques, vintage clothing or just want a cool place to sip a coffee and watch the colourful goings-on, this is a must-visit area for newcomers! QUEEN STREET WEST Start at the Queen subway station and make your way West. The area offers everything from ritzy clothing boutiques and funky t-shirt shops to used CD stores and stationary stores. ENTERTAINMENT TORONTO IS HOME TO AN ABUNDANCE OF: Live concert venues of all sizes. The Air Canada Centre, Massey Hall, Phoenix Concert Theatre and the Danforth Music Hall are just some of the larger venues in the city, but smaller, more eclectic clubs can be found throughout the city. NOW Toronto ( and Exclaim.ca ( not only have websites loaded with entertainment news and events, but they both publish free newspapers that can be found throughout the city. Movie theatres that feature everything from new releases to IMAX features. The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is held every year in the city and is a great place to spot celebrities and see premieres of movies. Gravity, Slumdog Millionaire, Dallas Buyers Club, The King's Speech and 12 Years a Slave are just some of the movies that were spotlighted at TIFF in recent years. Live theatre for you to enjoy. Toronto is the third largest centre for English-language theatre, after London's West End and New York City's Broadway. Visit for a full listing of the live theatre events being presented around the city. 8 9

6 THINGS TO DO IN TORONTO SPORTS RESTAURANTS Winter, spring, summer or fall: if you're a sports fans, Toronto has something for you. Visit Ticketmaster ( to get tickets to see one of Toronto's five major sports teams. Toronto is a foodie's dream city! There are over 10,000 restaurants of all kinds HOCKEY The Maple Leafs ( BASKETBALL Toronto Raptors ( BASEBALL Toronto Blue Jays ( SOCCER Toronto Football Club ( FOOTBALL Toronto Argonauts ( 10 DINING In the mood for African, Cajun, Caribbean, Cuban, Ethiopian or Scandinavian food? Toronto has it all--and more! Whether it's a Big Mac you're craving or a luxury seven-course meal, there's guaranteed to be a restaurant with a table ready just for you. To get restaurant reviews, suggestions and directions that will get you where you want to go, visit and urbanspoon.com. WANT TO EAT IN? Many restaurants deliver. For those that don't, you can order through OrderIt. ca ( and Just Eat ( For a small fee, they'll pick up and deliver food from a long list of restaurants throughout the city. 11

7 Transportation Toronto Transit (schedule and route information) GO Transit Government Citizenship and Immigration Canada (within Canada) Take-out OrderIt.ca Just Eat Health Insurance University Health Insurance Plan Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) News and Media Toronto Star The Globe and Mail Toronto Sun Metro News WEBSITES AND PHONE NUMBERS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS! Herzing College Survival Booklet Created by: Business Administration Students 2013 Instructor: Ayo Adetoro 12

Living in Toronto. Presented by Saeed Ghanbari. Computer Group Orientation Event Sep 17, 2010

Living in Toronto. Presented by Saeed Ghanbari. Computer Group Orientation Event Sep 17, 2010 Living in Toronto Presented by Saeed Ghanbari Computer Group Orientation Event Sep 17, 2010 Welcome to Toronto Bienvenue à Toronto Food Healthcare Shopping Athletics Social, Going out Culture, Events,