“Canada in winter… But why?” That’s the question all my relatives asked me before I moved to Toronto. But the real question was: why not? When I chose to study abroad, the snow and the cold were the least of my problems. This is how I ended up in Toronto in early January when it was about -10000°C (maybe not that cold, but cold enough to make me feel like I was part of Frozen 3).
If you’re planning to visit Toronto on your next winter trip, here are five things you need to know!
1. It’s (sometimes freezing) cold
Ok, it’s probably not a secret for you, but I prefer to mention it anyway (you never know). In Toronto, there is no such word as ‘winter breeze’ or ‘chilly’. When it starts to get cold, it gets insanely cold.
So if you come from a country where you already panic when the thermometer shows 0° C (32°F), I advise you to prepare yourself psychologically and clothing-wise. The best advice I can give you is not to skimp on layers of clothing and to invest in thermal underwear. Fashion Week is for later (trust me, as a Parisian it’s hard to say). Except in the West – in British Columbia – the average temperature in winter will not exceed zero. Put away the little wool jackets and leather boots.
Did you know? The coldest temperature ever recorded in North America was in the Yukon, with -62.8°C, on February 3, 1947. Feeling a little chilly?
However, winter allows you to discover the country in a new light. For example, discovering Niagara Falls under the snow was like a fairy tale for me! I explained it all to you in this article.
2. Commuting in Toronto can be a challenge
Once in Toronto, you will experience riding the TTC: ‘Toronto Transit Commission’. In other words, public transport.
The subway is very clean and convenient. There are few lines, so finding your way around is simple. However, Toronto is a very (very) big city. So sometimes it can take a long time to go from A to B. Countless changes between buses, subways and sometimes even streetcars, not forgetting some walking at the end!
If you plan to stay for several months, I recommend you use a Presto Card ($6.00) and load it with money (minimum $10.00). You can learn more about TTC fares and passes and the Presto Card. Now you’re ready to ‘tap’ and go discover the city!
Map of the subway in Toronto ©TTC
3. Prepare to tip
In North America, tips are a tradition, especially in bars and restaurants. Honestly, this is something I wasn’t used to before moving to Toronto. The thing is that in Canada, the minimum wage for restaurant employees is lower than for other workers. So they rely on tips to increase their income.
Here is a short tutorial: Even if it is up to the customer to appreciate the quality of the service, we usually leave at least 15% of the total amount before taxes. If the service is really good, it is perfectly fine to give more. Cash or card, both work! If you choose to pay by credit card, the machine will offer you to leave a tip by indicating an amount or a percentage (no need to do the math yourself, pretty cool huh?).
4. Milk comes in bags
5. “Sorry!”
It’s a well-known fact that Canadians apologize all too often, but did you know that in 2009, the Ontario Government instated the Apology Act? The act allows people in Ontario to keep apologizing without it legally signifying guilt! #Sorry pic.twitter.com/BNShBIVhld
— Canada #StandWithUkraine🇺🇦 (@Canada) September 5, 2018
Would you visit Toronto in winter? Let me know in the comments!
I would like to visit Toronto once maybe in few years with my beloved family
I hope you’ll be able to go there soon! It’s a great city to discover 🙂
I would love to visit Toronto ! Maybe not in winter though ! 😅 We ate thinking about going this summer to visit some friends. Will you still be there? Enjoy all of it (even the cold! 😅)
I admit that winter is not the first season you think of when you want to visit Canada 😅 Unfortunately, I will be back in France in April. But I’ll be more than happy to recommend places to visit when you come!