The Pros and Cons of 11 Canadian Cities to Help You Decide On Your Working Holiday Adventure Destination

How about… Toronto (Ontario)?

The provincial capital is also the financial capital of Canada, the biggest city, and a top destination for newcomers.

Why should I go to Toronto?

• Toronto is a big, lively city—there’s always a game, event or festival going on. You won’t get bored, that’s for sure!
• Despite a very North American skyline (think tall, glass buildings), there are plenty of parks, distinct neighbourhoods, and even islands with sandy beaches minutes from the downtown core.
• The economic capital of the country offers great work opportunities in many industries.
• The main language is English, so it’s a good place to work on your language skills if needed. Speaking another language—French, Mandarin, Punjabi, Spanish, etc.—is also an asset, given the multicultural population.
• The city is ideally located to explore Ontario, Quebec and the East Coast or if you want to cross the border (Chicago, New York, Boston…). There are also plenty of direct flights to pretty much anywhere in the world.
• Like Calgary or Vancouver, Toronto is regularly on the list of the most livable cities in the world.
• Toronto is a city of immigrants with 50% of residents born outside Canada—it won’t be hard to fit in!

Just keep in mind that…

• The cost of living is very high—you’ll pay a lot for housing, transportation, food, etc.
• The winters aren’t as cold as in some parts of Canada but still, get ready for several months of ice rain, snow and slush.
• You won’t need a car in Toronto but it’s hard to explore the surrounding areas without a vehicle.