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Toronto, Calgary, Montreal — these are some of the names on immigrants’ minds when they are coming to Canada.
In this post, we’ll explore Toronto and why it’s top on the list of destinations for most immigrants. If you’re already in Canada, or planning on moving to the country soon, you’ll want to read this article until the end. It has everything you need to know about Toronto.
The following information will be particularly useful for those on the fence about whether to come to Toronto. And also, those who are weighing Toronto against other cities and towns in the country.
Reasons why immigrants flock to Toronto
1. City life mixed with residential life
In most cities of the world you’ll find areas dedicated to industrialization and areas dedicated to residency. Hardly will you find the two mixed together.
Toronto is one of those few places on earth where you can get the two in one. At the very heart of Toronto are the biggest schools, parks, restaurants, businesses, and hospitals. And right in the middle of those are residential accommodations.
What does that mean for an immigrant? Someone once quipped, “It means you get to experience the best bits of the city right from your home. Whether you’re looking to go to school, work, eat, have fun, learn, or explore, you’re going to be doing everything not far from where you lay your head at night.
Tell me, what more can one ask for?
2. Welcoming to immigrants
Canada’s welcoming nature to immigrants is well-documented. Across the country, you’ll find immigrants are everywhere.
But some parts of the country are more welcoming to foreigners than others. And famously multicultural Toronto is right up there with the very best. Hence, the reason you find a lot of immigrants here.
In Toronto, there are over 250 ethnicities and 170 languages. From Africa to Asia, Europe to the Americas, everyone flocks to Toronto. Indeed, if you’re looking for a multicultural destination in Canada, it doesn’t get better than Toronto.
The moment you set foot in Toronto, you’ll realize that multiculturalism is woven into the very fabric of the city. Talk about art, food, festivals, business, sport, fashion, and what have you – you’ll find everything here.
I remember the time I had some business partners come in from Italy. These guys were on my neck about finding an Italian restaurant. I knew Toronto had plenty of Italians. I mean, I used to hear people speak the language around. But I never knew Toronto had restaurants that specialize in nothing but Italian food. A friend recommended a site I could use to search for the best Italian restaurants near me. And to my utmost surprise, there were plenty of those in Toronto. Can you believe that?
3. Extremely low crime rate
Ask any immigrant what gets them worried the most when travelling to, or staying in, a new place, and they’ll tell you it’s security. Everybody wants to be in a place where there’s zero threat to their life or property.
Luckily, Toronto is one such place. The level of crime in this part of Canada is so low that the slightest crime incidents often make the pages of the newspaper.
Just Google Toronto’s crime rate, and you’ll get all the positive vibes you may wish for. This place is indeed safe for all.
Mind you, when we speak about safety in Toronto, we aren’t just referring to personal security. But also digital security, health security, and infrastructure safety. In other words, both you and your physical/digital properties are safe in this part of the world.
4. Business and corporate home of Canada
One of the points of worry for immigrants is the ease of finding a well-paying job. Luckily, everyone knows unemployment is famously low in Canada. No matter where you live, you’ll likely find a good-to-decent job to do.
That said, Toronto ranks high as one of the most economically prosperous cities in Canada. In fact, the city houses nearly half of Ontario’s GDP.
Like that isn’t enough, Toronto is where you’ll find most companies’ headquarters, mergers-and-acquisitions divisions, and legal/administrative structures. Finally, according to the numbers, Toronto boasts one-fifth of the entire GDP of Canada. If you skipped math class, that’s around 20 per cent.
Still wonder why immigrants want to all live in Toronto?
5. Diverse culinary spots
Earlier, I spoke about how a digital platform assisted me in finding Italian restaurants I never knew existed in Toronto. Well, wait till you hear this.
Toronto has restaurants and chefs for almost all ethnicities in the city. You will remember I mentioned there are over 250 different ethnic groups in Toronto. That’s a tip-off that the city’s culinary scene is one of the most diverse not only in Canada, but in the world.
As you can imagine, everybody wants a taste of home even when they’re away from home. So, living in a place where you can order the dishes that you ate and loved growing up is definitely a big draw for most people.
6. Entertainment
I never knew Torontonians had such an endless appetite for entertainment until I actually started living here. I bet a lot of foreigners don’t know that.
Holding its own against cities like New York, London, and Los Angeles, Toronto is one of the biggest arts hubs in the world. Every year, world-renowned stars flock to Toronto for the Toronto International Film Festival. The showcase attracts an audience of roughly 500,000 each year.
Toronto is also home to endlessly diverse bars and nightclubs, lounges and sports bars, and everything else in between.
7. People and climate
In the end, the people who live in a city are what makes a city. On that note, you’ll be pleased to hear that Torontonians are famous for being calm, nice, and welcoming to those newly arrived in the city. And this is why the number of immigrants keeps growing every year.
In terms of the climate, Toronto has a fairly favourable climate with a warm, humid summer and a cold winter. Also, the city has no history of natural disasters or shocking climate changes. So looking for a new home city that has endless selling points? You’ve already found it in Toronto.
