- Nov 1, 2009
- 20
- Category........
- Visa Office......
- LONDON
- NOC Code......
- 0111
- Job Offer........
- Pre-Assessed..
- App. Filed.......
- 05-10-2009
- Doc's Request.
- 16-12-2009
- AOR Received.
- 26-01-2010
- File Transfer...
- 16-12-2009
- Med's Request
- 20-08-2010
- Med's Done....
- 15-09-2010
- Interview........
- WAIVED
- Passport Req..
- 18-01-2011 Decision made 08-02-2011
- VISA ISSUED...
- 03-02-2011
- LANDED..........
- 08-07-2011
Hello Friends,
I was searching through the net for getting more info about an ideal place for us to settle in Toronto. I am reproducing one nice article posted in the net by a good Samaritan. May be the comments about the places little old, but its really excellent info for new immigrants!!!
Am just copy pasting the info..... which is as follows..... Hope that Seniors already landed will add some more info.....
Fundamentally, this comes down to how you want to live. Big building? Quaint flat in a house? Walk to work? Family life? Entertainment? The Infosys office is located in an area that is relatively easy to get to, with satisfactory amenities in the immediate vicinity. If amenities are important to you, Toronto has many more interesting neighbourhoods, each with their own personality. There are people working at Infosys who live in almost every part of the Greater Toronto Area.
A. The Suburbs
Suburbs are areas with lower-density housing and the major mode of transport is driving (vs. walking and transit). If you have a car and you don't mind Toronto's rush-hour traffic, you can drive or bus to work and may be able to save money on your rent (note, you will always have to pay $50-100 per month for parking at work). You can live 4-8km north, east or west of Yonge and Finch and probably find something for a few hundred dollars less than something along the subway line. Look for clusters of high-rise buildings around Bathurst/Finch, Bathurst/Steeles, Don Mills/Finch, Don Mills/Sheppard, 401/DVP. Beyond that, most of these areas are suburban homes and as such, single-person rental stock is quite limited. If you have 2 or 3 roommates you can look into renting an entire house as a cost-effective way of living.
Beyond the 8 km range, the suburbs are almost entirely homes and rentals become hard to come by. Closest to furthest, approximately: Thornhill, Downsview, Rexdale, Agincourt, Scarborough, Richmond Hill, Etobicoke, Markham, Mississauga, Vaughn.
B. Urban Neighbourhoods
If you can't or don't wish to drive, you have to account for walking/biking or taking public transit (the TTC). I recommend staying within 2km of the Yonge subway line, since it runs through North York Centre, right inside our office building. Taking the subway to work is fast and convenient, as well as cost-effective: tokens cost $1.70; a monthly pass is $88.50 and gives you unlimited use of the entire system - handy for weekend shopping and entertainment.
Since the change in rent control, rents along the Yonge line have risen 10-20%. However, units slightly removed from Yonge have not increased so severely and some good deals can be had.
Caveat: The neighbourhood descriptions below are based on personal observations. They are the more common places for young professionals to live. These neighbourhoods are generally safe and each has a unique character. Further descriptions can be found on the Toronto Life Real Estate Guide and other sites (see 6.Resources, below).
Yonge and Eglinton (a.k.a. North Toronto or Sherwood Park)
Also known as "young and eligible", this is the home to many recent graduates who have moved to Toronto. It is a vibrant, bustling area built up around the Eglinton subway station. Taking the subway from Eglinton to Finch (5 stops) will take about 15 minutes. The area features cinemas, bookstores, fine dining, pubs, shopping, cafes, fast food. The housing stock tends to be high-rise, low-rise and some houses. There are also a number of condos recently/being built in the area. It is generally quite safe and clean, and has more parks and quiet streets than downtown.
Due to the popularity of the area, rents can be higher than average. As of November 2000, one-bedroom apartments at Canterbury/Berkshire House (high-rise attached to the subway - go to work without putting on a coat!) go for $1000-1200 plus parking. The largest building in the area (88 Erskine) is advertising 1-bdrms for $1395, and another large building (500 Duplex) had some 1-bdrms for $1095. Bachelors can be found in this area as well, usually for $800 or more. There are dozens of high-rises and low-rises - you can find them on the web and in the papers, and by driving past and calling the phone number on the sign. Street names with lots of high-rises: Eglinton, Roehampton, Holly, Broadway, Montgomery, Orchard View, Erskine, Keewatin, Redpath.
To find something cheaper in this general area you have to go somewhat further (2km+) east - Bayview and Eglinton, Leaside. Note there is very frequent bus service along Eglinton, that will take you right into the subway, and Mount Pleasant and Bayview avenues have a lot of shops and restaurants as well.
Yonge and Davisville
This is the next stop south of Eglinton. Similar neighbourhood, although a little quieter. Lots of high-rises, same prices. You can probably just walk or drive around and look for "vacancy" signs - but look on the RentCanada site as well and make an appointment or two. Street names with lots of buildings: Lacelles, Balliol, Davisville, Merton.
The Downtown Core: Bay & Bloor/Yonge & Bloor/Yonge & College/Bay & College/Church Street
Most people consider Yonge street, south of Bloor, to be the "core" of downtown, with lots of offices, shopping (Eaton Centre), subway and entertainment nearby. There is also a lot of quality cheap fast food along Young between Bloor and College. Though Yonge street may appear seedy in places, it is generally quite safe because of the volume of pedestrian traffic at all times of the day. Grocery shopping can be found at a new 24-hour Dominion store at Church and Dundas. This urban area is home to people of many backgrounds and careers; professionals, students; rich and poor. Church street is also home to Toronto's gay and lesbian community, and is more relaxed than Yonge. Further east, one finds some run-down areas along Jarvis, Sherbourne and Parliament streets which are probably best avoided.
South of Bloor, and east of Yonge, there are a lot of high-rise apartments in this area, between Yonge and Church streets (look for addresses on Charles, Alexander, Wellesley, Dundonald, Maitland, Wood and Carleton streets). Generally you will find apartments in this area to be on par with Yonge and Eglinton with respect to size, price, and features. There are also a lot of high-rise condos between Yonge and Bay streets, west of Yonge street. They can be very expensive, but if one has roommates you might be able to swing it (you might try Horizon on Bay, 633 Bay at the corner of Bay and Edward). The condo offices often act as property manager for owners who wish to rent their suites.
From the subway at Yonge and Bloor, you are 20 minutes from North York Centre. Wellesley, College and Dundas stations add just a minute or two each.
The Danforth
Arranged along the Bloor-Danforth (east-west) Subway line, the Danforth (between Broadview and Donlands) is a popular area because of its lively atmosphere: pubs, restaurants, shops, festivals. It's also easy to get to work - just get on the subway at Donlands, Pape, Chester or Broadview, go west to Yonge/Bloor, transfer northbound and ride to North York Centre. This would take about 30 minutes. The Danforth is also known as Greektown and there are many Greek restaurants and cultural events in the neighbourhood.
The best part about the Danforth is that it's a great neighbourhood and it tends to be less expensive. The housing stock consists of units in older houses, and a few high-rises near Broadview. Bachelors can be had for $725, and 1-bdrms from $850.
The Annex
The Annex is along Bloor Street between the Bathurst, Spadina and St. George subway stops. It is home to many UofT professors, students, journalists, writers and a lot of professionals. There is a good "cafe scene" and you can walk to downtown, Chinatown, Kensington Market, the UofT and Little Italy. Bookstores, sushi joints, student pubs, Honest Ed's.
Houses are old but have a lot of character and the tree-lined streets are pleasant in the summer. Unfortunately, it seems everyone wants to live in the Annex and rents have skyrocketed. It may be possible to find a 1 bedroom under $1000 but they tend to be basements for $750 or whole floors for $1300+. Parking can be hard to find. Time to work on the subway: 30 minutes.
Harbourfront (Queen's Quay - on the water)
Pros: living on the waterfront, recreation, party atmosphere in summer.
Cons: extremely expensive, cold in winter, oddly isolated from downtown, tourists.
Little Italy (College St. between Ossington and Bathurst)
Pros: cafe culture, bars, shops, entertainment.
Cons: not on the subway line and ~50 minutes to Yonge and Finch
Corso Italia (St. Clair between Dufferin and Bathurst)
Pros: Duplexes can be less expensive (~$1100 for 2 ppl). Cafe culture, bars, shops.
Cons: not on the subway line and ~40 minutes to Yonge and Finch
Queen St. West (Bathurst to University)
Pros: Entertainment district, bars, shops.
Cons: Noisy, not on the subway line and ~60 minutes to work. Getting expensive due to lots of condos going up in the area.
C. Living close to Yonge and Finch
There are many new condos along the north Yonge Street corridor (a.k.a. "downtown North York"), but they tend to be quite expensive ($1300+ for a one bedroom). The houses around here will likely rent only a basement suite or the entire house. But there are always a few high-rises and other units around. Key areas to try searching: Yonge/Finch, Yonge/Steeles, Bathurst/Finch, Bayview/Finch, Yonge/Sheppard, North York Centre. If you are near any of these intersections, you will be no more than a couple of kilometres from our office at North York Centre, and all are served by bus lines (Sheppard and NYC are on the subway too).
Yonge and Finch is becoming more "urban" and has most of the basic amenities (grocery, pharmacy, video, fast food) but lacks good food and entertainment. It is also 14km from downtown (Queen Street). Both Yonge and Sheppard and North York Centre feature clusters of multi-use complexes - apartments, shopping, dining, cinema, office. The neighbourhoods don't have a lot of character but are generally very safe and close to the subway and the 401 expressway.
I was searching through the net for getting more info about an ideal place for us to settle in Toronto. I am reproducing one nice article posted in the net by a good Samaritan. May be the comments about the places little old, but its really excellent info for new immigrants!!!
Am just copy pasting the info..... which is as follows..... Hope that Seniors already landed will add some more info.....
Fundamentally, this comes down to how you want to live. Big building? Quaint flat in a house? Walk to work? Family life? Entertainment? The Infosys office is located in an area that is relatively easy to get to, with satisfactory amenities in the immediate vicinity. If amenities are important to you, Toronto has many more interesting neighbourhoods, each with their own personality. There are people working at Infosys who live in almost every part of the Greater Toronto Area.
A. The Suburbs
Suburbs are areas with lower-density housing and the major mode of transport is driving (vs. walking and transit). If you have a car and you don't mind Toronto's rush-hour traffic, you can drive or bus to work and may be able to save money on your rent (note, you will always have to pay $50-100 per month for parking at work). You can live 4-8km north, east or west of Yonge and Finch and probably find something for a few hundred dollars less than something along the subway line. Look for clusters of high-rise buildings around Bathurst/Finch, Bathurst/Steeles, Don Mills/Finch, Don Mills/Sheppard, 401/DVP. Beyond that, most of these areas are suburban homes and as such, single-person rental stock is quite limited. If you have 2 or 3 roommates you can look into renting an entire house as a cost-effective way of living.
Beyond the 8 km range, the suburbs are almost entirely homes and rentals become hard to come by. Closest to furthest, approximately: Thornhill, Downsview, Rexdale, Agincourt, Scarborough, Richmond Hill, Etobicoke, Markham, Mississauga, Vaughn.
B. Urban Neighbourhoods
If you can't or don't wish to drive, you have to account for walking/biking or taking public transit (the TTC). I recommend staying within 2km of the Yonge subway line, since it runs through North York Centre, right inside our office building. Taking the subway to work is fast and convenient, as well as cost-effective: tokens cost $1.70; a monthly pass is $88.50 and gives you unlimited use of the entire system - handy for weekend shopping and entertainment.
Since the change in rent control, rents along the Yonge line have risen 10-20%. However, units slightly removed from Yonge have not increased so severely and some good deals can be had.
Caveat: The neighbourhood descriptions below are based on personal observations. They are the more common places for young professionals to live. These neighbourhoods are generally safe and each has a unique character. Further descriptions can be found on the Toronto Life Real Estate Guide and other sites (see 6.Resources, below).
Yonge and Eglinton (a.k.a. North Toronto or Sherwood Park)
Also known as "young and eligible", this is the home to many recent graduates who have moved to Toronto. It is a vibrant, bustling area built up around the Eglinton subway station. Taking the subway from Eglinton to Finch (5 stops) will take about 15 minutes. The area features cinemas, bookstores, fine dining, pubs, shopping, cafes, fast food. The housing stock tends to be high-rise, low-rise and some houses. There are also a number of condos recently/being built in the area. It is generally quite safe and clean, and has more parks and quiet streets than downtown.
Due to the popularity of the area, rents can be higher than average. As of November 2000, one-bedroom apartments at Canterbury/Berkshire House (high-rise attached to the subway - go to work without putting on a coat!) go for $1000-1200 plus parking. The largest building in the area (88 Erskine) is advertising 1-bdrms for $1395, and another large building (500 Duplex) had some 1-bdrms for $1095. Bachelors can be found in this area as well, usually for $800 or more. There are dozens of high-rises and low-rises - you can find them on the web and in the papers, and by driving past and calling the phone number on the sign. Street names with lots of high-rises: Eglinton, Roehampton, Holly, Broadway, Montgomery, Orchard View, Erskine, Keewatin, Redpath.
To find something cheaper in this general area you have to go somewhat further (2km+) east - Bayview and Eglinton, Leaside. Note there is very frequent bus service along Eglinton, that will take you right into the subway, and Mount Pleasant and Bayview avenues have a lot of shops and restaurants as well.
Yonge and Davisville
This is the next stop south of Eglinton. Similar neighbourhood, although a little quieter. Lots of high-rises, same prices. You can probably just walk or drive around and look for "vacancy" signs - but look on the RentCanada site as well and make an appointment or two. Street names with lots of buildings: Lacelles, Balliol, Davisville, Merton.
The Downtown Core: Bay & Bloor/Yonge & Bloor/Yonge & College/Bay & College/Church Street
Most people consider Yonge street, south of Bloor, to be the "core" of downtown, with lots of offices, shopping (Eaton Centre), subway and entertainment nearby. There is also a lot of quality cheap fast food along Young between Bloor and College. Though Yonge street may appear seedy in places, it is generally quite safe because of the volume of pedestrian traffic at all times of the day. Grocery shopping can be found at a new 24-hour Dominion store at Church and Dundas. This urban area is home to people of many backgrounds and careers; professionals, students; rich and poor. Church street is also home to Toronto's gay and lesbian community, and is more relaxed than Yonge. Further east, one finds some run-down areas along Jarvis, Sherbourne and Parliament streets which are probably best avoided.
South of Bloor, and east of Yonge, there are a lot of high-rise apartments in this area, between Yonge and Church streets (look for addresses on Charles, Alexander, Wellesley, Dundonald, Maitland, Wood and Carleton streets). Generally you will find apartments in this area to be on par with Yonge and Eglinton with respect to size, price, and features. There are also a lot of high-rise condos between Yonge and Bay streets, west of Yonge street. They can be very expensive, but if one has roommates you might be able to swing it (you might try Horizon on Bay, 633 Bay at the corner of Bay and Edward). The condo offices often act as property manager for owners who wish to rent their suites.
From the subway at Yonge and Bloor, you are 20 minutes from North York Centre. Wellesley, College and Dundas stations add just a minute or two each.
The Danforth
Arranged along the Bloor-Danforth (east-west) Subway line, the Danforth (between Broadview and Donlands) is a popular area because of its lively atmosphere: pubs, restaurants, shops, festivals. It's also easy to get to work - just get on the subway at Donlands, Pape, Chester or Broadview, go west to Yonge/Bloor, transfer northbound and ride to North York Centre. This would take about 30 minutes. The Danforth is also known as Greektown and there are many Greek restaurants and cultural events in the neighbourhood.
The best part about the Danforth is that it's a great neighbourhood and it tends to be less expensive. The housing stock consists of units in older houses, and a few high-rises near Broadview. Bachelors can be had for $725, and 1-bdrms from $850.
The Annex
The Annex is along Bloor Street between the Bathurst, Spadina and St. George subway stops. It is home to many UofT professors, students, journalists, writers and a lot of professionals. There is a good "cafe scene" and you can walk to downtown, Chinatown, Kensington Market, the UofT and Little Italy. Bookstores, sushi joints, student pubs, Honest Ed's.
Houses are old but have a lot of character and the tree-lined streets are pleasant in the summer. Unfortunately, it seems everyone wants to live in the Annex and rents have skyrocketed. It may be possible to find a 1 bedroom under $1000 but they tend to be basements for $750 or whole floors for $1300+. Parking can be hard to find. Time to work on the subway: 30 minutes.
Harbourfront (Queen's Quay - on the water)
Pros: living on the waterfront, recreation, party atmosphere in summer.
Cons: extremely expensive, cold in winter, oddly isolated from downtown, tourists.
Little Italy (College St. between Ossington and Bathurst)
Pros: cafe culture, bars, shops, entertainment.
Cons: not on the subway line and ~50 minutes to Yonge and Finch
Corso Italia (St. Clair between Dufferin and Bathurst)
Pros: Duplexes can be less expensive (~$1100 for 2 ppl). Cafe culture, bars, shops.
Cons: not on the subway line and ~40 minutes to Yonge and Finch
Queen St. West (Bathurst to University)
Pros: Entertainment district, bars, shops.
Cons: Noisy, not on the subway line and ~60 minutes to work. Getting expensive due to lots of condos going up in the area.
C. Living close to Yonge and Finch
There are many new condos along the north Yonge Street corridor (a.k.a. "downtown North York"), but they tend to be quite expensive ($1300+ for a one bedroom). The houses around here will likely rent only a basement suite or the entire house. But there are always a few high-rises and other units around. Key areas to try searching: Yonge/Finch, Yonge/Steeles, Bathurst/Finch, Bayview/Finch, Yonge/Sheppard, North York Centre. If you are near any of these intersections, you will be no more than a couple of kilometres from our office at North York Centre, and all are served by bus lines (Sheppard and NYC are on the subway too).
Yonge and Finch is becoming more "urban" and has most of the basic amenities (grocery, pharmacy, video, fast food) but lacks good food and entertainment. It is also 14km from downtown (Queen Street). Both Yonge and Sheppard and North York Centre feature clusters of multi-use complexes - apartments, shopping, dining, cinema, office. The neighbourhoods don't have a lot of character but are generally very safe and close to the subway and the 401 expressway.
hope seniors in toronto will add more in this. thanks! ;D