Hi,
We have just been approved for permanent residents and are having our visas issued. We plan to make the big move Oct/Nov 2012. In the mean time we plan on visiting Toronto in January to do a bit of research into areas we would like to live in, also apply for our PR cards and SIN.
Is there anything else you recommend we should do during this trip? Anything which you wish you had a chance to look at before the big move? It's me and the wife with 2 fur children, LOL.
Thanks all

You've probably already seen this, but just in case...........http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Scouting_Trip-Canada

do you know where you're going to be working?
there are plenty of nice places to live, but most of us wouldn't want to be spending 2 hrs a day getting to work and back!

Thanks for this, should have read this first.
Thank you!

Hi, we are looking for jobs in central Toronto, if possible. We are also looking at possibly living in Liberty village? Seems like a reasonable distance (from a Londoner who travels 2.5hrs getting to and from work)?

Jim, we too are hoping to make the big move, next year in August. One thing that I really found great (we just finished our recce trip) was a small digital recorder. My son and I were driving round different areas, and it was invaluable for just talking about our feelings of different roads/areas, and our initial thoughts (grotty looking houses, lovely park etc.) and for shouting out estate agents (sorry realtors!) numbers. It only cost me twenty quid from Amazon and was invaluable - far better than a paper and pen, our son doesn't write that well or fast yet, and you can soon forget what the hell you have seen - Very best of luck!

I do know a family (one toddler) that lives in Liberty Village. They're moving to sunnylea next month. They didn't want their child to get old enough to enter the local school there.

Is it a family area? I suppose so, given that they do live there now and there's a daycare for the community, and I suppose people are raising kids in condos downtown, but not sure it would be really a settled family area for the long term, for me anyway. I'm sure someone will be along in a moment to tell you what a strong family community it is, but that wouldn't be quite true.

Some good cafes though, close to downtown, and certainly has its strengths. Have a close second look and maybe put another couple of locations on your back up list just in case.

When you select your preferred areas I would check out the commute during rush hour to where you think you will be working. Sometimes even short distances in the GTA can take a really long time.