Canada's Urban Centres

From York University

You're quite right to think of Canada as a great land of natural landscapes and lush wilderness, but most Canadians, and international students, find themselves in Canada's urban centres.

From Vancouver to Moncton, Canadian cities repeatedly receive top grades for safe, clean and multicultural atmospheres. The 2007 Worldwide Quality of Living Survey listed five Canadian cities as the best in the Americas: Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Calgary.
It's in these cities, and others, that you'll find top-notch education as well.

Toronto, with its business and entertainment allure, is a frequent tourist draw and welcomes many international students. Toronto is as far south as the French Riviera and is also south of many American states, so the climate is relatively mild and brings all four seasons. As a result, Torontonians enjoy beaches and summer festivals, snowboarding and skating, film festivals and sports events and everything in between.

Toronto has a population of 2.5 million people, and is one of the most multicultural cities in the world. Forty-nine per cent of Toronto's population was born outside of Canada. It's not uncommon to hop on a bus at one end of the city and pass by many distinct cultural areas as you travel.

It is this integrating and welcoming atmosphere that draws students and researchers to Canada's urban universities. York University is Canada's third largest university, located in the centre of the Greater Toronto Area. York has 50,000 students and 7,000 staff and professors spread over two campuses: Keele and Glendon. The modern 185-hectare (457-acre) Keele campus is a self-contained community with extensive facilities including restaurants, a shopping mall, banks and a medical/dental clinic. Glendon, a small liberal arts Faculty, is set on 33 hectares (85 acres) of parkland minutes from the boutiques, restaurants and nightlife of mid-town Toronto.

York University offers international students a truly multicultural, interdisciplinary, Canadian experience. Our central campus office for international student services, York International, offers orientation and a welcome program, a full-time student adviser and social club. That means exploring the city, connecting with other students and getting in touch with life in a Canadian city. From advice about finding employment to an experiential game to help you discover Toronto, York International helps students feel comfortable at York and connect with other cultures.

In Toronto, and Canada's other urban centres, you'll find modern universities, activities you enjoy, people who share your interests and a multitude of cultures to explore. So while you may be drawn to Canada's open spaces and natural wonders, don't forget to discover the streets and surprises Canada's cities have to offer.

Facts About Toronto

• The name "Toronto" is thought to stem from a Native Canadian word meaning "meeting place."
• Toronto is home to the world's tallest free-standing building: the CN Tower stands 553.33 metres tall.
• The annual Toronto International Film Festival® is second only to Cannes in terms of high-profile films and stars.
• The Toronto Transit Commission is North America's second largest public transit system.
• Toronto hosts more than 1,000 festivals every year including the Canadian National Exhibition, the largest annual fair in Canada and the fifth largest in North America.