Roncesvalles
“I live in Roncesvalles, a relatively small neighbourhood on the west side of Toronto, bordered by High Park to the west, and Lake Ontario to the south. The neighbourhood is very residential, save for Roncesvalles Avenue, which is home to an excellent selection of coffee shops, restaurants, independent businesses, and useful amenities (post office, pharmacies, movie theater, clinics, a farmers’ market, etc). While Roncesvalles is a little further from campus than other hit Toronto neighbourhoods (of which there are many!), I am able to bike to work most of the year (~6km) and have excellent access to 3 street car lines and the green line of the subway. Getting out of the city from here is also easy, via car, or the UP Express. In my view, the greatest highlights of this end of the city are the very easy access I have to the waterfront, Humber River valley and High park trail systems, which make being active outside fun and easy all year!” – Tess Forest, Ph.D. 3
Glencairn
“It takes around 30 minutes to commute (when it was allowed), which might feel long for somebody. But it’s actually not bad with Toronto’s TTC. Though you wouldn’t be able to feel a city vibe from here, my neighborhood is quiet and peaceful, and cheaper than DT. I think it’s a good location to get work/life balance.” – Gaeun Son, Ph.D. 2
Midtown
“First, let’s get the important question of transit out of the way; Midtown is very accessible and is a quick commute to campus. The longest trip I have taken to get to campus has been 30 min, but usually I can make it in 20 to 25 min. There are also many bike paths which lead you to downtown Toronto! Two, let’s talk about all the delicious cuisine options! You want Michelin star ramen? Fresh, decadent sushi? Toronto’s voted best coffee? You got it! Most anything that comes to mind, it can be yours! Third, the parks and trails are abundant… and so are the doggos! Take a stroll down the famous Beltline Trail to get some exercise or head into one of the many parks to have a relaxing afternoon among the trees! As a bonus, there are free to use ping-pong tables and tennis courts scattered throughout many nearby parks!” – Liza Igoshina, Ph.D. 1
Scarborough
“My neighbourhood is not as crowded as downtown, so taking a walk around the neighbourhood and/or trails are quite safe and fun! There’s a really nice one behind UTSC that I usually like to go on!” – Niro Mohan, Ph.D. 1
“One of the things I love about Scarborough is the diverse culture and food! For example, in my opinion, the best dumpling spot in the city is “Dumpling King” located at Midland and Finch. UTSC is also only a 20 minute drive if you take the highway (basically anything is a 15-20 minute drive if you take the 401), and Scarborough Town Centre is literally your one stop shop for all your needs. If you need an escape from the city but also be close by if you need to head downtown, Scarborough is ideal!” – Nayani Ramakrishnan, Ph.D. 2
“Some of the benefits of living in Scarborough include a lot of green spaces for outdoor exercise, more of a suburban feel compared to the rest of Toronto, and a diverse array of restaurants to eat at. In addition, it is relatively easy via public transit to get downtown to visit bars, concerts and other events happening within the city.” – Vignash Tharmaratnam, Ph.D. 3