If you’re looking to find the perfect “forever home” for you and your growing family, you can’t beat Toronto. No city in Canada comes close to having so many amenities or activities. Here, you’ll find some of the best schools in the country, including preschools, elementary, secondary schools and top-rated universities and colleges.
Beyond education, you’ll find many fun, engaging things for children of all ages: Outdoor swimming in the summer, skating rinks in the winter, hiking trails, amusement parks and more. You could live in Toronto for years and never exhaust the list of things to see and do. As you can tell, we love it here.
Now that you agree that Toronto is the best place to live, how do you find the right home for your family?
Below is a Checklist to Help Find Your “Forever Home.”
Choose Quality over Trendiness
That’s not to say you can’t have both. Almost every neighbourhood in the city is a stone’s throw away from a specialty shopping centre or exciting restaurant. Those are all nice to have, but you really want access to parks, schools, and other family-friendly amenities.
Toronto has almost 900 playgrounds for children, so it’s impossible to list them all. However, here are just a few of the most fantastic parks that Toronto has to offer:
Sunnyside Park
Sunnyside Park has a long boardwalk on the water for pedestrians and a separate trail for bikers. You and your child can play or run without worrying about crashing into a cyclist. No matter what the season, this is a fun place to be. There’s a pool and a playground on one side and a large pavilion for picnics on the other.
Toronto Inukshuk Park
One of the most scenic parks in the city, a perfect place for an afternoon picnic with a view of the lake and the CN Tower. This park is equally beautiful in the winter. And it’s not just a wonderful place to play and create fond memories; it is also educational. It features an Inuit stone structure called an Inukshuk. These landmarks serve as a guide to those travelling on the sea.
We Can’t Forget About High Park
Located in the middle of Toronto, the iconic High Park is Toronto’s largest public park and features many hiking trails, a dog park, a zoo, picnic areas, and a couple of eateries. Enjoy the sight of the cherry blossom trees in the Spring and the fun their outdoor ice rink brings in the winter.
Want more ideas on fun, educational activities for families? Check out some of our other articles:
- Five Fun Activities in Toronto’s West End
- Five Fun Activities for Families Near Bloor West Village
- Five Best Skating Rinks in the West End
Access to Schools
When searching for your perfect “forever home”, look to a neighbourhood with access to schools, particularly elementary schools, if you have young children – or plan to.
An older child or high school student can easily navigate the excellent transit system to get to school. But for the young ones, it’s ideal if the school is only a short walk or drive away. This makes it simple for you or a caregiver to accompany them to class.
Find out more about some of the best public schools in Toronto below:
Access to Public Transportation
Toronto has one of the best transit systems in the world. It’s so easy to get around that many residents don’t even bother with a car. This top-rated transportation system isn’t limited to the downtown core. You’ll find buses, streetcars, and subways all over the city.
Whether you’re travelling to work, to a park, or taking your little one to school, Toronto is one of the easiest places to navigate.
That said, you still want to look for a house on one of the main transit routes. Living close to transit can mean the difference between getting somewhere in an hour and getting there in 20 minutes. Plus, as your child grows older and more independent, they’ll be able to get around on their own.
Home Amenities to Look for
The closer you are to downtown, the smaller the houses get, with less parking and less privacy.
This arrangement might be exciting for a new professional starting out single life in Toronto. However, most families want more.
Homes a short distance from the downtown core tend to be much larger, with a fenced backyard for the young ones. You may even find a home with a driveway for your car. If not, a less busy area makes it easier to find street parking.
One last tip for finding your forever home is to buy a bigger property than you think you need right now. The house may seem gigantic at first, but you will appreciate the extra space if another child (or a pet) joins your family.
Want to know more about what kind of houses are available in Toronto? Read our article about the four of the most common types of home structures.
If you want to see some of the most family-friendly neighbourhoods in Toronto, we have put together a comprehensive guide, which you can read here.
