🧭 UofT BScPA Student Guide – Transit, Food, Accommodation & Life

🚇 Transit & Getting Around

TTC (Toronto Transit Commission)

• Single fare: $3.30–$3.35 (PRESTO/cash)

• Day pass: $13.50

• Monthly Post-Secondary Pass: $128.15 (unlimited rides)

• Key Stations near St. George campus: Queen’s Park, Spadina, Museum, St. George

• Apps for navigation: Transit App, Rocketman, Google Maps

GO Transit (Regional)

• Connects suburbs (Mississauga, Scarborough, Oshawa) with downtown

• Works with PRESTO for seamless travel

• Cost: ~$8–$15 per trip depending on zone

• Check schedules via GO Transit

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Walking & Biking

• Campus is highly walkable; most clinical sites <15 min walk

• Bike Share Toronto: $84–$96/year (unlimited 45 min trips)

• Winter: plan extra travel time

Budget Summary for Transit

• Monthly TTC pass: ~$128

• Occasional GO Transit: $8–$15/trip

• Bike Share: ~$8/month (annual fee divided)

• Walking: free

🍱 Food & Groceries

On-Campus

• MedSci Café, Sidney Smith Café, Robarts Library Café, Food Trucks

• Optional Meal Plan

Nearby Budget-Friendly

• Kensington Market: international food, fresh produce ($5–$12 per meal)

• Spadina Chinatown: cheap Asian meals ($5–$12)

• Baldwin Village / Harbord Street: cafés and meal deals

Grocery Stores

• Metro (Bloor & Spadina), No Frills (College & Lippincott), Rabba Fine Foods

Apps & Discounts

• Too Good To Go: $3–$6 meals

• Flashfood: grocery deals

• Student Beans / UNiDAYS: discounts on food, retail, apps

Monthly Food Budget Estimate

• Groceries: ~$250–$400

• Eating out: ~$10–$15 per meal

• Total: ~$300–$400/month

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🏠 Accommodation & Living

Housing Options

1. On-Campus Residences
   • $1,200–$1,800/month (some utilities included)
   • Limited spaces for BScPA students
   • Check: UofT Housing Services

2. Off-Campus Rentals

• Shared room: $900–$1,500/month

• 1-bedroom apartment: $1,700–$2,400/month

• 2-bedroom apartment (shared): $1,300–$2,000/month per person

Popular Student Neighbourhoods

Utilities & Essentials

• Internet: $50–$90/month (Rogers, Bell, Teksavvy, Fido)

• Electricity & heating: ~$40–$80/month if not included

• Laundry: $3–$5/load

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Finding Housing

• UofT Off-Campus Housing Portal

• Facebook groups: “UofT Housing”, “Toronto Student Rentals”

• Websites: PadMapper, ViewIt, Kijiji, Rentals.ca

• Tips: visit in person, confirm included utilities, start search early

💸 Discounts & Money-Saving Tips

Food & Grocery

• Too Good To Go, Flashfood, Student Beans, UNiDAYS

Transit

• PRESTO Post-Secondary Monthly Pass: $128.15

• GO Transit student fares: ~20% off

• Bike Share Toronto: $84–$96/year

Software & Retail

• Amazon Prime Student: $7/month or $70/year

• Microsoft Office 365 & Adobe Creative Cloud: discounted via UofT

• Student Beans / UNiDAYS for clothing, electronics, and apps

📱 Essential Apps

🌐 Wireless Internet & Connectivity

Options

• Home Internet: $50–$90/month, 100–500 Mbps, providers: Rogers, Bell, Teksavvy, Fido

• Mobile Data Plans: $25–$45/month (5–15 GB/month)

• Campus Wi-Fi: Eduroam – free with student login

Tips: verify if internet is included in rent; consider backup mobile data plan

🏥 Vital Contacts & Emergency

💡 Practical Tips

• Start housing search early (2–3 months before semester)

• Use apps to bundle food, transit, and bike-share costs

• Carry PRESTO card, student ID, health card

• Meal prep & use discount apps for budgeting

• Winter: wear boots and coat for walking/biking

• Prepay or set auto-renew for internet/utilities

• Track assignments & clinical shifts with Notion or Todoist