Removals from the UK to Toronto with The Moving Partnership
More than half a million people have made the move from the UK to Canada, attracted by the excellent job opportunities, publicly funded education system and healthcare. Nowhere is this truer than in Toronto, where English is the main language and there are plenty of ways you can advance your career.
Here, The Moving Partnership, who offer individually-tailored removals from the UK to Toronto, take a closer look at the city.
Toronto’s History and Heritage
Toronto was originally populated by indigenous peoples, who occupied the area for over 12,000 years. The French established a small fort in the mid-18th century, and in 1793, it became known as the Town of York by British colonists loyal to the crown.
The city was renamed in 1834 – some say to distinguish it from New York to the south – and it became the capital of the province of Ontario in 1867. Since then, it has become the largest city in Canada (by population size - it currently has more than 2.7 million residents) and an international centre of business, finance, arts, sports, and culture. The modern city is part of the ‘Golden Horseshoe’, which surrounds the western end of Lake Ontario.
Getting There…
Toronto Pearson International Airport is around 17 miles north-west of the city. It was named after former Canadian president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Lester B Pearson.
There are also a number of direct flights to cities in the UK, including Manchester, Glasgow, and London. As for getting into the city itself, there’s an express train service from the airport which will get you into the centre in 25 minutes from Terminal 1, or bus services which take a similar amount of time.
Billy Bishop City Centre airport is obviously more convenient, but it only offers short-haul flights to Canadian destinations only (it’s named after a Canadian First World War flying ace).
…and Getting Around
Most passenger trains stop at Union Station, a very impressive building dating from 1927. Local services are run by GO Transit (who also operate local bus services). The Toronto Transit Commission operates the city’s underground system, which comprises of three lines and 70 stations.
If you want to get around by car, the road layout is a simple grid system. However, traffic can be heavy at times. Given its location on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario, a ferry ride sometimes makes for a pleasant change too. And, lastly, Toronto is the only major Canadian city to have kept its streetcars.
The Main Attractions
The CN Tower, one of the tallest freestanding buildings in the world, dominates the skyline – see picture above - and underlines the city’s importance to the technology and media industries. It is 553 metres high and provides signals for many TV and radio stations as well as being a magnet for tourists who enjoy some spectacular views.
For something more at ground level, The Royal Ontario Museum in Queen’s Park has more than 13 million artefacts covering the artistic, cultural and natural worlds. The Hockey Hall of Fame in Yonge Street is the place to go if you want to learn more about the country’s national sport of ice hockey. Another family-friendly option is the city’s zoo on Meadowvale Road, which has more than 5,000 animals (and 460 species) from across the world.
Shopping Around and Eating Out
As well as being home to the Hockey Hall of Fame, Yonge Street was once listed as ‘The Longest Street in the World’ as it was originally part of Canada’s Highway 11, which is almost 1,200 miles long. The street is home to more than 600 stores, as well as the Toronto Eaton Centre mall which adds another 300 to the total – so there’s every big name (and quite a few small ones) along its length.
If you fancy a meal with your shopping trip, then try out the peameal bacon sandwich (pork loin rolled in cornmeal then sliced and fried). If you have a sweet tooth, the traditional dessert snack is butter tart, a pastry shell filled with a mix of butter, sugar, syrup, and egg, with some including fillings of raisins, pecans or chocolate.
Removals from the UK to Toronto with The Moving Partnership
At The Moving Partnership, we can help if you are considering moving to Montreal, Quebec, Ottawa and all the major cities. You can opt for a dedicated shipping container service, a groupage option (where your belongings go in a shared container) or airfreight for smaller valuables.
If you’d like to know more about our international removals services to Canada, then follow this link.
