What to know
- Be upfront about what you want. Toronto daters and an expert agree: honesty and clarity about your intentions set the tone for a positive experience.
- Communication styles differ. Some prefer to talk it out; others show it through actions—make sure your approach matches your partner’s.
- Feelings can develop, even with ground rules. Check in with yourself and your partner regularly to avoid misunderstandings or heartbreak.
- Attachment styles matter. Casual dating may suit some personalities better than others—know yourself before you jump in.
- Practice sexual safety. If you or your partners are seeing others, prioritize regular sexual health testing and safe sex practices.
Phrases like “no strings attached,” “I don’t want anything serious right now,” and “let’s keep it casual” are practically engraved in the vocabulary of Toronto daters. But does casual dating actually work?
Casual dating is about companionship and having fun spending time with someone, relationship and communication facilitator Laira Thomas explained.
“It can be sexual, can be non-sexual, but just looking to have companionship and enjoy doing things together. There is no pressure and no goal to be something specific. It’s just light,” she told This is Dating Now.
Sometimes, it can work. Other times, it’s doomed from the start, Thomas explained.
So for this edition of This is Dating Now, we’re asking Torontonians what their take on casual dating is, and whether “no strings attached” ever really means no strings.
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’Just be upfront about it’: Torontonians share their take on casual dating
Toronto resident Lake doesn’t engage in casual dating but believes people should if they want to.
“I think they should do it, but just be upfront about what it is that you want, and have fun,” they told Now Toronto.
Toronto resident Andrea agrees, saying it can be healthy, “as long as there’s open communication and honesty.”
Jamie, another resident, said he doesn’t mind it, and that summertime is the best time to participate in the casual dating culture.
‘Honesty is always the best policy’: How to communicate wanting a casual relationship
Thomas says “honesty is always the best policy,” but not all Torontonians agree.
Jamie says he would just show his intention through his actions.
Comparatively, Andrea says she would just share her feelings.
“Just say, ‘I’m not ready to lock in for something more committed. I’m still wanting to have my independence, so I don’t really want to commit to one person right now,’” she shared.
‘Inevitably one or the other will catch feelings’: Do casual relationships actually work?
Lake believes it’s possible to make it work, but since they’ve never been in a casual relationship, they can’t say for sure.
Jamie, on the other hand, believes it depends. “Sometimes it’s good, it works out, sometimes it doesn’t,” he said.
Thomas agrees that it can work, as long as you’re upfront about it. But your attachment style needs to match it.
“Someone who is avoidant or has some trouble connecting with somebody, casual dating is going to feel much safer to them,” she said. “But if you’re dating somebody casually and you’re anxious attachment style, and they’re dating five or six other people, and you never know where you fit in or what’s going on, then that’s probably not going to work for you.”
Andrea doesn’t think casual relationships work.
“Inevitably one or the other will catch feelings, and if they don’t, then I think that there’s just a very low level of emotional connection there,” she said.
Daters who may be lovergirls or loverboys and have mood boards of wedding dresses may not be the right fit, Thomas added.
“One person getting emotionally invested can definitely be bound to happen… I think you have to keep checking in on yourself,” Thomas said.
If you’re dating casually, remember sexual safety
“You have to take care of yourself,” Thomas said. “You can be with other people, and other people can also be with other people. So you want to make sure you’re having safe sex.”
Thomas emphasizes sexual testing, especially while casually dating.
