COMING TO TORONTO

New to Toronto?

Fear not, we've got your back

Essential Travel Tips

Remember to bring your essentials:

- Canadian visa/study permit

- Passport

- Printed university offer letter

- Cash

- Medications (i.e. Panadol, etc)

- A set of spare clothes in carry-on

- Toiletries

- Hand sanitiser

- Face masks

Make sure to buy your plane tickets early

Contact your family members at every stop (when you depart, when you transit, when you land)

Ensure you have transportation to your accommodations upon arrival in Toronto.
You can scroll down to our "Navigating Toronto" section to find out how you can get around!

Important Personal Documents

Social Insurance Number (SIN)

This is a 9-digit number that you need in order to work in Canada or to have access to government programs and benefits. You need to visit a ServiceCanada Centre to register for one, it is free! The nearest ServiceCanada Centre to campus is at 559 College St (within Little Italy neighbourhood). Learn more here.

Ontario Photo Card

This is the provincial equivalent to a MyKad/NRIC! This card is an official form of identification and can replace the need to bring your passport to banks or to prove your age. Visit a ServiceOntario Centre to register for one. The nearest ServiceOntario Centre to campus is at 777 Bay St (the mall connected to College TTC Station). Learn more here.

Driver's Licence

Canada is still a car-centric society, and visiting some of the beautiful places that this country has to offer may require you having a driver's licence. There are three ways for you to be able to legally drive in Canada

At the start, you can actually continue using your Malaysian/Singaporean driver's licence, but only for a short while (i.e. about a semester's length).
To play safe, you should actually apply for an International Driver's Permit (IDP). You cannot apply for it when you are already in Canada, you need to apply it from back home. This is the Malaysian procedure, and this is the Singaporean procedure to apply for IDP.
In the long term, you should apply to have a driving license that is issued by any Canadian province. Learn more here to find out about how to apply for Ontario's G driver's licence.

Passport

In the event of not having an Ontario Photo Card, your passport is the only document accepted by Ontario for identification purposes. Your MyKad/NRIC is NOT recognised as a proof of identification

TCard and UHIP

The university has prepared a guide on how you can activate your UTORid, which will allow you to get your TCard (the student card) once you are in Toronto and your UofT email account!

It is only after your UofT email account is active when you can then initiate the process to get your UHIP card!

Banks and Cellular Service

Here is a list of the 5 biggest banks and cellular service companies in Canada. Many have good deals for students.

Banks

RBC

Bank of Montreal (BMO)

CIBC

Scotiabank

Cellular Service

Fido

Koodo

Freedom Mobile

Rogers

Telus

Here are some things you might want to consider when choosing a bank account:

Annual fees
Rewards i.e. cash back, Air Miles, SCENE points for cinema
Minimum balance required
Interac transfer limits
Availability of ATM locations You incur withdrawal fees if you withdraw money from Bank B's ATM using Bank A's card.

Concerning cellular service, one big thing to note is that your phone plans in Canada may be ridiculously expensive in comparison to the generous unlimited data plans that you can find in Malaysia and Singapore. But a Canadian number you unfortunately must have, so you want to consider some of the issues below:

Do you need a new phone? Most phones from Malaysia/Singapore work here so if you are using an iPhone, Samsung Galaxy or Google Pixel you should have nothing to worry about. But you may want to change your phones too and there are some affordable student deals for you!
How much data will you use? There's pretty reliable connection to Wi-Fi all around campus, so if you're spending a lot of time in the libraries, you may not need a lot after all.
How much are you willing to spend monthly?
Which service provider can give you connection while in the subway? You cannot get data in the underground sections of the subway unless you are with Freedom Mobile.
Are you required to get your own Wi-Fi for your accommodation? It could be possible to get a home plan from your provider that includes your phones as well!

There are telco booths in the arrival halls of both Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 of Pearson International Airport so you can drop by a booth and get your phone plan within the hour after you first land in Toronto!

Navigating Toronto

Pearson International Airport to the City of Toronto

Since you are probably arriving for the first time with a lot of luggage in a new city, we highly suggest you travel to your accommodation using the airport taxis for convenience. If you can get your Canadian number from the airport, you can also opt for Uber/Lyft.

Nevertheless, if you're feeling gung-ho, you can opt to navigate your way using public transportation. UP Express (short for Union-Pearson) is a train service that brings you straight to the central transportation hub, Union Station, in downtown Toronto. From then onwards, you can continue your journey using the city's subway system or Uber/Lyft!

Commuting within the City of Toronto

Now that you are in Toronto, there are several ways to get around the city. For students, the most popular modes of transport are public transport and cycling.

Public transportation in Toronto is organised by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and it comprises three services: subways, buses, and streetcars. Each journey incurs a flat fare of $3.30 (or $2.35 if you're under 19) that covers your entire trip inclusive of transfers across different services so long as you do it within 2 hours. You can even get out from a station and tap in later for free so long as you do it within the 2-hour period! This is possible when you pay using the PRESTO card, Toronto's equivalent of the Touch 'n Go or EZ-Link cards. You can purchase one online, at any Shoppers Drug Mart or the PRESTO fare machines available at every TTC subway station, for $6.

TTC subway stations near to campus are Bay, St. George, Spadina, Museum, Queen’s Park Station, and St. Patrick (near Chestnut Residence).

However, public transportation may not get you to where you want quickly enough. This is why we highly recommend cycling through the city's bike share programme! You can consider buying a one-day pass as and when you need it or buy the annual pass for as low as $105 (before HST)! It's really worth it! Of course, please acquaint yourselves with the city's cycling by-laws before you hit the road!

P.S.: The MSSA is planning to have a bicycle trip this AY 2023-2024. Keep a lookout for the details!

Shopping for Essentials

There are the major supermarket chains like Metro, Loblaws, Food Basics, Walmart, FreshCo or Rabba where you should be able to get most of your stuff! Some of these supermarkets also have an International/Asian aisle so you should still be able to find some familiar items like Indomie! However, the variety may not be up to your liking. You may want leafy vegetables but the closest equivalent to that in the major supermarkets are spinach (ew!).

This is where you can go to T&T Supermarket (southwest of College and Spadina) or any of the grocers lining Chinatown. One establishment in Chinatown that we recommend is Lucky Moose Food Mart (southwest of Dundas and Beverley)!

Halal food is where things can get slightly challenging. Halal frozen processed food and halal meat can be found in the major supermarkets (personal experience revealed that Loblaws and FreshCo has more stocks of it than Metro). If you want to have a wider option, consider buying plant-based meat products, which do have Halal certification! Also consider getting Halal meat from local Halal butchers like Kabul Farms Supermarket (northwest of Shuter and Parliament).

If you are really really feeling homesick, ShopMalaysia is your friend! Their physical store is all the way in Scarborough (which you can visit if you want to travel around too) but they do have delivery options as well!

If you are sick, Shoppers Drug Mart and Rexall are the two major pharmacies (they are called drugstores here) where you can get your medications from! Plenty of locations all around the city and some are even open 24 hours!

Shopping for Winter Gear

Temperatures start to plummet in October, you may see your first snowfall in November, and may start to hate winter by around the Chinese New Year period. To prepare you for this inevitability, it's recommended to get geared up before then! You can get winter wear at good prices at department stores like Winners and Marshalls. Eaton Centre in Downtown Toronto has several options to thoroughly equip you for winter. A quick search on Google Maps can give you their locations. Here is a detailed article about how to dress for winter, and here are some of our MSSA Alumni personal takes/experiences on Canadian winter!

Check out these Reddit threads too for affordable fashion deals:

https://www.reddit.com/r/FrugalFemaleFashion/

https://www.reddit.com/r/frugalmalefashion/

Things to do in Toronto

Toronto is a beautiful, diverse and cosmopolitan city with loads to do (and eat). Nathan Phillips Square is where the iconic Toronto sign is located, and the pond is converted into an ice skating rink in the winter. Visit the Harbourfront to see the beautiful sunset or sunrise or take a jog along Lake Ontario. High Park and Trinity Bellwoods Park are only two of many excellent public spaces to read a book/chill. The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is free for students on Tuesdays, and Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) is free for students on Wednesdays. If nature and physical activity is what you prefer, one specific group that we can recommend is Let's Hike TO, a local hiking group that organises hiking sessions across the city and beyond!

Throughout the year, there are also large events such as Toronto International Film Festival and Nuit Blanche, a night long art festival on the streets of the city. If you're looking for affordable fancy food, check out top restaurants who are participating in the annual food festivals, Winterlicious and Summerlicious! You can also shop 'till you drop at Eaton Centre, the second largest mall in Ontario! You can check the city's website or blogTO to find out the latest happenings in the city!

More notable tourist destinations include:

The Distillery District
Kensington Market
CN Tower
Casa Loma
Canada's Wonderland

St Lawrence Market
Algonquin Park
Toronto Islands
Niagara Falls
Rogers Centre

Taxes Galore

Consumption Tax

Upon arrival in Toronto, you may be quick to realise that what you end up paying is more than the price that is displayed or advertised. This is because Ontario has a Harmonised Sales Tax (HST), set at a rate of 13% on top of the retail price on everything that you purchase. If you travel to other provinces, the tax rate may be higher or lower. Don't be surprised, and make sure you have enough money to make your payments!

Income Tax

You may intend to work part-time on-campus or off-campus to supplement your finances during the year. While not exactly something that you urgently need to care about during your first few months in Toronto, do keep in mind that you may have income tax obligations to fulfil! You can refer to this website for more information on how to file your taxes when tax season comes along. It is highly encouraged to file your income taxes because instead of paying taxes, you may receive tax benefits!

Discounts

There are plenty of discount deals if you know where to find them. The following are some of what we know, tell us if you could find more and we'll add on to the list! #goodthingsmustshare

Movie tickets are generally cheaper on Tuesdays
There is the Student Price Card (SPC) for $10 which allows you to get around 5-10% at various shopping places such as Forever 21, ALDO, American Eagle, Roots, PINK, Banana Republic, Booster Juice and more!
For pharmacies, Rexall has a 10% student discount on Tuesdays, while Shoppers Drug Mart has a 20% discount on Thursdays
There is student discount at Metro every Tuesdays! Present your TCard to any staff when you check out
You may get additional discounts at supermarkets like Metro and LCBO (alcohol) if you have an Air Miles card. You can obtain this card for free in Metro, Sobeys or Rexall
You will be given a student discount, when purchasing Apple products from the website under the heading "Shop for University"
Spotify provides 50% off for its monthly subscription for all university students
UNiDAYS app has a lot of discounts for students! Download the app on Google Play Store or Apple App Store
Amazon Prime offers half price + first 6 months free
The UofT Students Union offers a diversity of food and entertainment discounts! Find out more on their website here!

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