Liz is a talented Brit in Toronto. There’s jobs here. Let’s connect the two
There’s so many talented Brits moving to Toronto that we feel a need — nay, a duty — to find them good jobs. There are some around … it’s just a matter of connecting the two.
So come on, 22 Brits in Toronto readers, one of you must be able to help Liz?!
Here’s her story …
“I recently moved to Toronto with my other half as he is on a secondment with his UK employer here for two years,” explains Liz. “I am a marketing communications professional with a a BA (Hons) degree in Public Relations and seven years experience, and I am looking for a position within the greater Toronto area.
“I am legally entitled to work in Canada and am very much open to new opportunities of any kind whilst here — part time, full time, temporary and permanent.
“I have worked for national and international companies implementing communications plans and marketing campaigns, and have delivered exceptional results in complex marketplaces, including biotechnology, manufacturing, construction and engineering.
“I’m an adaptable, strategic thinker who is able to translate brand strategy into effective tactics in order to achieve business goals. A caring and trained leader with experience in coaching less experienced team members.
“Key skills include: marketing, internal communications, public relations, events, trade shows, SEO, social media, corporate responsibility, crisis communications, project management, content management systems, customer relationship management, lead generation, design and copywriting.”
Tons of experience. So what about your spare time, Liz?
“I’m a keen volunteer, love walking our foster dog, Winter, around High Park, exploring all of the new experiences that Toronto has to offer, being creative and meeting new people,” she adds.
Thanks Liz. Can you help her? If so, please e-mail her at lizchester630 AT gmail DOT COM or check out her LinkedIn profile.
There’s not a problem that I can’t fix, cause I can do it in the English Country Dancing mix!
Saturday night rolls around. Your mate Dave from downtown Toronto gives you a shout and asks if you want to go to the pub or hit a club.
“Nah, mate, I’m alright,” you reply. “Do that all the time. I feel like trying something different tonight.
“An activity where I can express myself through dance. Where no one will laugh at my awkward Britishness as I self-consciously waggle my elbows and bob my head to the rhythmic dance floor melodies played by live musicians. If there was a good social scene too, then that would be ideal.
“Hmmm. I wonder if such an activity exists in Toronto?”
Course it does! Let’s all say hello to the Toronto English Country Dancers. English Country Dancing (ECD) is the dance form of Shakespeare, Jane Austen and Napoleon. It is done in groups, with dancers weaving intricate patterns around each other to music ranging from lively jigs and reels to dreamy and hypnotic melodies.
The club has been enjoying this in Toronto for over 20 years, so we caught up with its rep Karen to tell us more …
How did the Toronto ECD group get started and who was responsible for putting it together?
Back in the ’90s a group of dancers were chatting and decided they wanted more social dancing in Toronto. It originally started with the idea of being a rotating variety of English country dance, vintage dance, turning couples’ dances, and other kinds … but after they did some English country dancing, they just couldn’t stop!
How is ECD different from other forms of dancing, and can anyone of all ages/abilities take part?
ECD is different because there is no lead or follow, and no distinction between gender roles. You do have a partner, but you’re dancing as part of a group, forming patterns together, rather like square dance. (Today’s squares actually descend from 17th-century English squares.)
Scottish Country Dancing is a close cousin as well, though there are differences, some of them aesthetic, some structural.
Our music tends to be quite different, though there is overlap; there is a huge variety of tunes, from jigs, reels and slipjigs to dances in 3/4 and 3/2, even the odd one in ragtime or klezmer.
ECD music and choreography offer an enormously satisfying range of dance experiences: in one night you’ll do something exuberant and goofy, then something elegant, something driving and dramatic, something stately, something haunting and melancholy, back to jolly and lively again!
ECD takes you on a really lovely ride. It’s done quite differently here than it is in the UK, where you’ll get English folk dances or ceilidh dances mixed in with maybe some American dances as well. Here we mostly do what is known in Britain as “Playford”-style dances.
As for all ages — pretty much! We’re planning a family dance that will be particularly child-friendly, but our regular social dances are fine for motivated kids age seven or eight and up who can focus and follow the instructions. Typically they love the live music and getting the chance to move to it! They start bouncing right away.
We have regulars in their teens and ’20s, on up to middle-aged and older people, and we all dance together. It’s great.
ECD is a beginner-friendly dance form because you need no formal training, and we all laugh at ourselves if we make mistakes. In addition to there being no lead or follow, there’s no fancy footwork, and it’s mostly low-impact as well. (Once in awhile one of the dances will be a bit rompy, but we always warn people of that first!)
If you can walk and hear the instructions, you can do these dances.
How many members does the Toronto ECD currently have?
We don’t have formal membership, but for special events we’ve had as many as 80 people show up. Usually it’s a lot more intimate than that!
The nice thing about ECD is that it’s fun no matter what numbers you have — it’s not dependent on having a huge room full of people, and our community is friendly, so you get to know them quickly. You don’t need to come with a partner, because everyone will ask new people to dance, for example. It’s not “cliquish” at all.
Do you meet and dance with other ECD groups around the country, or world?
Yes! We travel around to dances all over the place. I’ve danced as far away as Ottawa, the Maritimes, Pennsylvania, Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, England and Italy. But there are groups almost right across Canada, from Halifax to Victoria.
What does a typical ECD night entail?
If there are lots of newcomers, the caller will give a few teaching points to get everyone oriented to the basics and make sure they’re comfortable with what’s going on in the set.
Then each dance is taught by a professional caller, everybody walks it through, then we dance it to live music, with the caller cuing the dancers just before they need to do the next move (again, just like in square dance).
Questions are always welcome if people aren’t sure what they’re meant to do … but we’re pretty laid back, and nobody gets uptight over mistakes — we were all beginners once!
At the break we have snacks provided by the community (it’s a volunteer-run, not-for-profit group) and take a breather, chat and get to know each other. Sometimes there’s a particular theme, such as Halloween or New Year’s Eve, so sometimes we decorate as well.
Then we get back to dancing! We’re incredibly lucky to have live music at every social dance, and a wonderful range of instruments, from traditional fiddle to clarinet, piano, flute, guitar and others.
What social activities happen around the club?
We like going out, so often we’ll go for a drink or some food after the dance. Sometimes we’ve had potluck suppers. In the summer we dance in High Park on Sunday afternoons, and have a pre-dance picnic, then dance, then go for ice cream or beer and dinner on Roncesvalles. We’re a very social bunch!
Are there a lot of Brits in the Toronto ECD?
It’s a dance form that appeals to lots of people, so while we do have British expats we have people of other backgrounds as well. Everybody is welcome.
Anything else you want to tell us about your club?
We dance all year round in various parts of the city, indoors and out, with regular community dances and special events, including themed workshops for dancers of various experience levels.
We have a Facebook page and a Twitter account, and of course a mailing list, so that people can get acquainted with what we do and receive regular bulletins.
We are in the process of migrating our mailing list to a new server, so individual e-mails to our website might be the best way to start contacting us.
Thanks Karen! Sounds like a fun way to meet new people. Brits in Toronto found a documentary that briefly explains more about ECD:
Before you ask when, where or what, please check the image above and save us both some time, cheers
Ever wished you could get out of bed, yawn, scratch your chin, put on your slippers, brew a cuppa, wander across to your computer and possibly score a new job with a Canadian technology company? All from the comfort of your own home in the UK?
Wish no more.
The VanHackathon is a virtual event taking place from May 20-22, 2016 that is aimed at programmers, designers and digital marketers who want to show their skills to Canadian technology companies. This way you can have a higher chance of getting hired and bring your talents to Canada! [Says the promo blurb on the website.]
“Hmmm,” we hear you muse. “But Brits in TORONTO, just saying, the Van part of the name sounds suspiciously like Vancouver, thus negating your mandate of helping Brits in TORONTO, n’est-ce pas?”
That’s what we thought too. Until tonight’s bloody insomnia gave us time to read the whole website which explained it’s also open to Canadian companies from coast to coast. Which includes Toronto. But cheers for making us check that first.
And the judges are the Canadian technology companies taking part. So, that could score you a sweet job.
So what have you got to lose? Give it a go and maybe Brits in Toronto will see you in this section at some point in the near future. Please keep us in the loop if that happens, much obliged.
Need a Learning and Development professional? Christopher is your bloke
Brits in Toronto got an e-mail a few days ago from Christopher who is planning a move to this fair city and needs a head start finding work.
He wrote, “I’ve been looking at your site as part of my prep for moving to Toronto in October this year. I came across the jobs page and thought I would drop you a line with my CV to see if you know anyone who would be interested in hiring me.”
Always willing to put the word out there, so Christopher provided some more info on what he’s ideally looking for …
He’s a Learning and Development professional with almost six years years of international experience in that discipline. He’s worked as a trainer for a FTSE 100 company and facilitated training to all levels of the business, from new hires to CEOs.
Christopher has also worked in the UK, Nova Scotia and India providing financial services and developmental training. In 2013 he was awarded a national “Trainer of the Year Award” by the Welsh Contact Centre Awards.
He is passionate about development … and that includes his own. Having spent the last four years getting qualified in Learning and Development, he now possesses a Master Diploma in Learning and Development, a Diploma in Learning Facilitation and a Diploma in e-learning.
He also spent time as a trainer on a cruise ship travelling between countries and working with a diverse and multicultural workforce, consisting of 42 nationalities.
Christopher is open to all offers, but in line with his experience a Learning and Development Manager position would be the ideal role.
So, fellow Brits in Toronto, if you can help him get a head start his e-mail is bulbscrib AT btinternet DOT COM or check out his LinkedIn profile.
Yep, got the first-ever goal for Toronto FC. *Drops mic*
Picture the scene. You’re a professional footballer. You take a chance and leave your home country and move to Toronto to play for the city’s new MLS team, Toronto FC. You score TFC’s first-ever goal (in front of home fans). You get TFC’s first-ever red card. Seat cushions have rained down on your head and you now have a chant dedicated to you.
Just another tick box on the career achievements of today’s Successful Brit in Toronto: Danny Dichio, Head Coach of Juniors at the Toronto FC Academy and Club Ambassador for Toronto FC.
Brits in Toronto caught up with this very busy bloke to hear about how he came to Toronto, some on-the-pitch memories and where he likes to spend his free time when not coaching the footballing stars of tomorrow …
What made you decide to choose Toronto as a city/club of choice? Did you plan a permanent move, or wanted to “try it for a while and see how it goes” and it turned out to be longer than planned? Guessing that TFC played a massive part in that decision — what influence did you have in the choice as a player to come here?
We had always intended to move to North America as a family when my playing career had ended. Fortunately, I had the opportunity from a few clubs in the MLS to finish my playing days here in North America.
I came to an agreement with Preston North End in England to end my contract early as Toronto FC had already began their inaugural season and wanted me to join them ASAP.
I had never been to Toronto before and was little bit worried for my family as we were venturing into the unknown, but I was excited to join a newly formed expansion team in their first-ever season.
It did not take us long to fall in love with the city and we immediately knew that this was a place we felt very comfortable in … and now call our home.
What steps did you — or a manager/rep — take to land your first Toronto role? What is your responsibility now at TFC?
Toronto FC made first contact me with as they knew there was interest from other clubs in the MLS to bring me over from England. I had spent some time with Chicago Fire who wanted to discuss a deal, but there were problems involving obtaining a work visa.
Toronto FC proposed a deal for me to come over ASAP if I could get an early release from my contract in England.
The position I hold now at Toronto FC is the Academy Head Coach with the U17 team and I am also the Club Ambassador. My role is to develop younger players at Toronto FC and help them in their pathway to hopefully making it as a professional one day.
Standout memory as a TFC player?
Obviously the game against Chicago Fire where we scored our first ever goal in MLS history. It was a very emotional day for all involved as we had not scored a single goal in our first five games of the season.
I was lucky enough to get on the end of a cross to tap home the opening goal. I will never forget the celebrations that day in the stadium after the goal went in.
The club had given out foam seat cushions to every fan and as we celebrated the goal … these seat cushions rained down from every section of the stands onto the pitch. We had to wait 10 minutes or so for the pitch to be cleared!
To add to this crazy day, I unfortunately got myself sent off later in the game after an altercation with a Chicago player, but amazingly for the first time in my career, I received a rousing applause from our home fans as I left the field.
What’s the best/worst aspects of living in Toronto?
Best aspects of living in Toronto are the people are very friendly and we feel that it is a very safe city to bring our young family up. Toronto also has an amazing mix of different cultures from around the world that all respect and abide by the country they are living in.
I love that there is so much in the GTA that you can do, whether it’s sports orientated with all our various teams to support. There are excellent museums and parks to wander through as well as the small beaches you can sit and relax at.
I really like how there are different little pockets of the city that have their own individual character — whether it’s due to the cultural background of that area or the historic architecture.
Worst aspects has to be the cold in the winter months! I am not too bothered about the snow as I like the changes with the seasons … and I love getting out in the snow with the kids … but when that wind chill hits -30 or -40 then that’s a problem.
Also the distance to England is obviously not a short trip, so its hard at times to only see our parents/grandparents once a year.
Do you make an effort to connect with other Brits in the city, or just meet them when chance allows it? Any recommended pubs/eateries/other places for homesick Brits to meet each other and network?
I am always running into Brits all over the city. A lot of them are big football fans and watch the Premier League on TV which I cover at the weekends with Sportsnet TV.
If I am going out for a drink and listening to live music, then I like to go to The Orbit Room on College Street. It has a great atmosphere with some quality live bands. The only problem is the owner/manager “Tim” is a massive Spurs fan!
There are a lot of good eateries around the city, but I have yet to find a good pie and mash cafe.
I miss my curry a lot and have just recently found an excellent small family-run restaurant in The Junction called Curry Twist.
There are a couple of nice fish and chip shops around the city with my favourite being Chippy’s on Queen Street West.
Another thing I really miss is the traditional Sunday roast carvery which you would find at your local pub.
Your pick for the Euros?
I have a sneaky feeling that England are going to surprise a few people! As long as they can stay injury free and keep faith with the younger core of players that we have.
Other than that, I feel France will have a decent tournament at home in front of their own fans.
Open question/comment: feel free to write anything here/advice/tips on a Brit living in, or moving to, Toronto.
Do your homework on the different areas in the city that suit your living needs. If you have a young family then there are some great pockets to live and bring up a young family.
If you are young and want to live in a vibrant up-and-coming area, then there are so many popping up now instead of going for the standard expensive downtown condo.
Good luck with the rest of the season and thank you Danny for sharing those TFC memories and passing on the good eating tips!
Full credit to Michael Vincent, Editor of Musical Toronto who has the scoop …
“In keeping with tradition, the 2016 Toronto Summer Music Festival has announced this year’s 24-day classical music festival around a theme. Between July 14 to August 7, 2016, the festival will explore a rich portrait of the vast musical traditions of Great Britain, and will feature British master composers Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Britten, Walton, and many more.
“The Festival will also touch on a few British Baroque gems, and a few nods to the pop music British Invasion.”
Peter’s answers were so long we couldn’t afford the extra bandwidth for a colour photo
It’s high time we featured another Successful Brit in Toronto. We asked Peter via Twitter, and he was only too happy to give us his take on life for a Brit in Toronto.
This has to be one of the longest ones we’ve done!
(And, yes, we agree with him on the Indian food. Can’t beat a good English curry.)
What made you decide to choose Toronto as a city of choice? Did you plan a permanent move, or wanted to “try it for a while and see how it goes” and it turned out to be longer than planned?
Long story. I actually moved for my girlfriend (at the time). I had been living in Australia just prior, working for a company in the UK setting them up with a satellite office to target the APAC region.
After that, I moved to Canada — first to Oakville — then to Toronto, where I’ve lived ever since.
The girlfriend didn’t work out … but everything else did. It’s been great from a business and personal perspective and I love the city.
What steps did you take to land your first Toronto job? Did the infamous “Canadian experience” hinder you in any way?
It was pretty simple for me. I was under 30 when I came over, so I came on a WHP (working holiday permit). When I arrived I applied for very specific senior roles in small agencies that I knew I could help grow into larger businesses.
The WHP lasted two years. I then got a standard work permit for three more years — the LMO was completed by the same company — and then I applied for permanent residency, which I got in January 2016.
One piece of advice: use a lawyer. Mine did a great job and saved me lots of headaches. If anyone needs a hook up, I’d be happy to make an introduction.
What’s the best/worst aspects of living in Toronto?
Best …
The food selection is incredible; it’s really world class. I do miss a good curry from England though — Toronto can’t compete on Indian food.
The people are very friendly. I’ve found it pretty easy to make friends.
The music and art scene is great; lots happening all over the city.
I love the entrepreneurial spirit. It’s similar to the US in a lot of ways. At home in England it still feels class dominated to a certain extent. Here it’s just about the hustle/skills. The market seems strong too, especially in tech, which is what I do a lot of work in.
Loads of places to play pick up sport. I play five-a-side football and tennis regularly
Worst …
The public transport system could be better. The subway system is tiny, especially compared with other big cities our size around the world.
The winter is brutal. Anything below minus 10 makes going outside a chore to say the least. Definitely invest in a proper winter jacket if you move. You soon learn why people drop $1,000 on a Canada Goose.
I can’t get into the sports: baseball, hockey and basketball. I just can’t. I still tune into the English Premier League to watch some real sport at the weekend.
Way too many Irish people!
Do you make an effort to connect with other Brits in the city, or just meet them when chance allows it? Any recommended pubs/eateries/other places for homesick Brits to meet each other and network?
I haven’t made any effort to connect with other Brits. Though I have bumped into a few and enjoy having a chat. I always make sure I have Marmite at home, and Cadbury’s chocolate. Keeps the homesickness at bay.
I also have some family who live outside the city (aunty, uncle and three cousins). They moved over from England quite a while ago.
Not sure where that is … but looks warmer than Toronto at the moment!
Amber contacted us today needing some help finding work in this great city of Toronto. How could we refuse a fellow Brit needing a hand? (She also has Australian citizenship.)
In 2015 Amber began an 11-month trip around the world in which she visited over 40 countries. She says this was a transformative experience that gave her a true appreciation for diverse cultures and people, and she is now committed to refocusing on the development of her career.
Personally, we respect anyone that takes the time at any stage of life to travel and believe that open experience can bring a lot to the table for an employee in a new role.
Amber is seeking work opportunities where she can use her skills in fast-moving consumer goods and data analysis. Ideally, Category or Team Analyst roles would be perfect — her background is with retailers and consumer goods — but, “my skills are pretty transferable,” she says.
She has worked in various categories and developed a wide range of disciplines, including analyzing sales data, simplifying business processes and developing customer relationships.
Amber is available for interviews immediately, so please contact her at smithamber DOT cv AT gmail DOT COM if you can help, or have some job leads to pass on.
Don’t miss your chance to have a say in how things are run back home
You may be a Brit in Toronto … but you probably also care about who is running the gaff back home. It’s a good idea to register soon to vote, the deadline is approaching.
Use this service to apply to register to vote or to:
– Update your name, address or other details on the electoral register
– Change your voting preferences, i.e. to vote in person or by post
– Change whether you’re on the open register
It usually takes about five minutes.
You may need the following, if you have them:
– Your National Insurance number
– Your passport if you’re a British citizen living abroad
– You need to be on the electoral register to vote in elections and referendums
Register by April 18, 2016 to vote in the May 5, 2016 elections, or by June 7, 2016 to vote in the EU referendum on June 23, 2016.
We’re big fans of Shakespeare. He could take the wittiest, saddest or most tragic of stories and turn it into one of those fun three-hour English school exams you’ll remember for the rest of your life.
(And just like Ringo, Morrissey, Sting and Dido, he can get away with just using one name.)
Spur-of-the-Moment Shakespeare Collective, the Toronto Public Library and the British Council, bring you the Shakespeare Lives Microfestival to celebrate the Bard’s work on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of his death in 2016. Join them this spring in Toronto for an innovative and interactive programme of performances, workshops and debates.
This video explains more, so take a butcher’s and pop along to an event or two:
Get ready to wave a Union Jack and bellow out Land of Hope and Glory
The Brits in Toronto crew used to love watching the Last Night of the Proms when we lived on the other side of the pond. It’s the kind of TV event where you sit with your mum and nan (she’s nodded off), wave the Union Jack around and sing along in a raucous fashion.
“Yes, that’s right, Brits in Toronto!” replies the promoter. “This concert is taking place on Saturday, April 16, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. The Jubilee Choir presents an evening of music and fun, celebrating the traditions of the great British ‘Prom’ concerts and the musical heritage of Canada. During this program of music, song and story, expect to sing along to ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ and ‘Rule Britannia’ and be ready to tap your feet, wave a flag and enjoy a wonderful evening.”
Here’s the 80-minute set list:
Opening Choral Number by Swansea Town Choir
Medley – Sax and organ by Christopher Dawes and Daniel Rubinoff
Five English folk songs by Ralph Vaughan Williams Choir
– The Dark-Eyed Sailor
– The Springtime of the Year
– Just As the Tide Was Flowing
– The Lover’s Ghost
– Wassail Song
Organ solo by Christopher Dawes
Songs of the British Isles
Wales – The Ashgrove, Soloist Aaron Durand
Scotland – Flow Gently Sweet Afton, Soloist Janaka Welihinda
Ireland – Down By the Sally Gardens, Soloist Marie Criscionne
England – Rose of England, Soloist Janaka Welihinda with choir on chorus
Jerusalem – music by Sir Hubert Parry, words William Blake, choir and audience
Rule Britannia, Soloist Marie Criscionne, choir and audience on chorus
Pomp and Circumstance #1 – organ, Christopher Dawes
Land of Hope and Glory – choir and audience
Auld Lang Syne – Janaka on verse, choir and audience on chorus
When you see something that goes awry, or seems to be a little unjust, do you spill your tea, splutter in shock and exclaim, “That’s just not cricket!”
No, we don’t either. Because the juxtaposition of a game where you throw a hard ball against three sticks and the act of something not going as planned doesn’t really make sense.
But you know what does make sense? A connection with Toronto, London and the great game of cricket. So we were BOWLED over and CREASED up in joy to get this press release from The British Canadian Chamber of Trade and Commerce, which we highlight below …
Did you know that there have been seven annual Toronto school cricket tours to London since 2008?
Over 100 GTA schools compete to win the CIMA Mayors’ School Cricket Tournament and this year they need your help.
The UK tour is part of a larger initiative entitled “Cricket Across the Pond” (CAP). This programme provides a unique opportunity to engage young people with sport in the GTA, promoting inter-cultural relationships, team spirit and Fair Play through cricket. Since its inception in 2008, the CAP programme has developed young leaders who possess positive self-esteem, role-modeling characteristics and a strong sense of civic responsibility (as well as a few Canadian National team players).
Once selected, the Team is announced by the Mayor of Toronto in front of TV and other media at City Hall. The team is welcomed in London by Mayor Boris Johnson, the London City Council and area Municipalities. As ambassadors for Toronto and Canada the players engage with cricketers and cricket organisations in England and in addition are given VIP access to Lords, London Oval.
The inaugural Toronto Mayor’s Youth XI versus London Mayor’s Youth XI was held in London in 2012 and the Toronto – London program was recognized by the International Cricket Council Development Award in 2013.
We want you to be part of this international award winning program to strengthen bonds between Toronto and London via the exciting game of cricket.
CIMA Canada is currently inviting a limited number of corporate partners to support the CAP tour to UK as well as CIMA’s growing GTA-wide school cricket tournament that attracted over 100 GTA schools last year. Sponsors can choose the level of support that matches their needs including trophy naming rights, speaking opportunities at media events, advertising on clothing and at games.
Please contact Martin Buckle via e-mail at martin DOT buckle AT cimacanada.org and visit our websites for more information:
Stare at this image for 30 seconds, close your eyes, and unfortunately you’ll still see Gary Lineker
You know what, we really miss our British telly. Don’t get us wrong, North American shows are OK for the most part … but we sometimes get a hankering for that plummy British accent reading the news, or acting out some drama.
Wouldn’t it be great to be able to watch British TV for free in Canada? [Us looking up into the sky, dreamily mulling that thought over as the picture wobbles and undulates while the camera zooms in …]
Thanks to Youk TV you can! Not content with just throwing a quick link onto Twitter, we fired up the e-mail, reached out to the guys and asked them what’s it all about then, mate?
And here’s what they said:
When was the site created? What was the reason — did you think that the niche wasn’t being met for the needs of Brits abroad missing their telly?
The plans for it started about one year ago. We wanted an easy and free way to access British TV channels when travelling or living abroad. We felt that there was no really easy way online, that focused purely on British TV.
There’s a lot of complicated ways, and many are worth investing in if you will permanently live abroad — but if you travel, or if you are on the go, i.e. on the bus or the Tube etc., we felt that there should be an easier way.
How many people are behind it and what is the workload in running it?
There’s currently three of us working with the project. It’s not something we do full time and it’s not a project with the goal to become millionaires.
Behind it is a British girl living abroad, and two Swedish guys that lived permanently in England for many years, but now live in other parts of the world.
How are the bandwidth streaming costs covered?
We are partners to the content provider. They host the service, and we are allowed to broadcast the content in exchange for possible ad revenue going back to them.
Do you have plans for more than 20 channels?
At the moment there’s no plans to expand to more channels, but we are working on a way to be able to record shows, which we hope would be really helpful!
Anything else you want to tell our large audience of Brits in Toronto?
I would just like to say that it’s great that people appreciate the service; we’ve had some great feedback during the short period of time we’ve been active, and it’s a great incentive to keep working on it!
If you like the service, it’s much appreciated if you spread the word to your mates at the pub, and of course on social media!
Got some UK pension system questions? Give ’em a bell on the dog and bone for a chinwag
This is a free, non-paid-for guest article by Nigel Nelson, a member of the Toronto-based non-profit Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners (CABP). All views are the CABP’s and Brits in Toronto does not endorse them and is not held liable in any way. As always, do your due diligence.
Have you ever worked in the UK? Did you make National Insurance contributions (NICs) when you worked? Depending on the number of years of NICs you have to your credit you might qualify for a British state pension. However, if you qualify for a UK State Pension, as long as you live in Canada, you will not receive the annual inflationary increase as given to pensioners in the UK, EU and an obscure list of countries. This is known as the British “frozen pensions” policy.
The Canadian Association of British Pensioners was established in 1991 to help British pensioners living in Canada navigate the UK State Pension system by providing information with respect to eligibility for a British State Pension; keeping current with the successive changes which have been made to the UK State Pension system and lobbying the UK government for parity with all British pensioners living overseas. We can answer your questions about the UK pension system.
CABP is a registered non-profit organisation and all of the directors are volunteers, as are most of the people who work out of the office in Toronto. Anyone who has worked in the UK and has paid National Insurance Contributions may well qualify for a UK State Pension.
Those people in Canada look to organizations like the CABP, which has the experience and understanding of the UK pension system, for advice. There are over 5,000 members in Canada who currently get this support.
According to the 2011 Canadian National Household Survey, there were 125,000 British immigrants over the age of 65 living in Ontario and another 65,000 in the 55-64 age category. In Toronto alone, there are 43,000 and 24,000 respectively.
Many of these immigrants will qualify for a British State Pension, but may not know that; and they’re probably unaware that, once they start to receive a UK State Pension, they will never receive any of the annual increases enjoyed by their peers in the UK … even though they will probably have paid the same level of National Insurance Contributions.
Successive UK governments for over 70 years have followed this “frozen pensions” policy. The policy is based on outdated logic and the UK government has now conceded that the only impediment to eliminating the “frozen pension” policy is cost, accompanied by the “political will” to do so. There are over half a million “frozen” UK pensioners living abroad — 90% of these “frozen” pensioners live in Commonwealth countries such as Australia (45%) and Canada (28%).
CABP provides support to UK pensioners in Canada and they work tirelessly in trying to abolish this unfair and immoral policy. For example if you live on the American side of Niagara Falls you would receive the annual increase; if you live on the Canadian side of the Falls you wouldn’t receive the increase.
If you had retired in 1980 with a full UK State Pension it was just £27.15 per week — slightly over $50 in today’s money. Could you live on that? There will be cases where members, who do not have the full number of years of National Insurance contributions, are living on less.
A UK pensioner retiring on a full State Pension in 1980 will have been underpaid by £80,000 up to the end of April 2016. Today’s UK State Pension, at £119 per week, is 440% more than it was in 1980! CABP believes that this is unfair, discriminatory, and immoral, and they have been campaigning since 1991 to get this policy changed. In comparison, the CPP payment is payable to Canadians globally and is adjusted annually wherever the Canadian pensioner chooses to live.
Sadly, some of these pensioners even have to go back “home” to the UK since they can no longer live on their “frozen pension.” This is causing them considerable angst — leaving behind their loved ones, having to make travel arrangements, and finding accommodation when they get back.
For example, last year alone, there were 2,000 UK pensioners who returned back to the UK, and, for many of them, it will be because they could no longer afford to live in their country of choice, based on the state pension they were receiving. Any returning pensioner to the UK has their pension uplifted to the current rate — the same as all other pensioners living in the UK. They also qualify for other social welfare benefits.
Currently, the UK Treasury saves over £4,300 per year for each pensioner emigrating, so, for returning pensioners, it adds to UK Treasury costs. Given these numbers, you would think that the UK Government would be encouraging pensioners to leave rather than putting barriers in their way.
The good news is that there is a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. A proposal, with respect to amending the “frozen pension” policy has been submitted to the Cabinet Office in the UK Parliament in London. The proposal is currently under consideration, but is by no means a “done deal” … and so we must keep up the campaign.
If you would like to find out more about your British Pension rights and how you will be affected by a “frozen pension,” or, you would like more general information, you can check out the CABP.
CABP is based in Toronto and can provide a wealth of current and accurate information with respect to British pensions. Contact information is on the website.
Brits in Toronto received an e-mail from Greg “Slurry” DeVillers, Director of Recruitment for the non-profit Toronto Buccaneers Rugby Club.
The Toronto Buccaneers Rugby Club is a member in the Toronto Rugby Union. Established in 1976, the club has a long standing tradition of playing hard, competitive rugby on the field while also playing hard off the field with an impressive yearly social calendar of pub crawls, charity events, social gatherings and tours.
Greg says that the club has plenty of British members and are always looking for more. With two men’s teams, an academy team (U25) and two junior teams (U16/U18) it welcomes all players of all skill levels and would be excited to have new members join its ranks.
John McCallum, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship welcomes new Canadian citizens
As New Canadians is reporting, proposed changes in the Canadian Citizenship Act would make it easier to meet requirements for those who want to become a Canadian citizen.
Brits in Toronto gets a lot of e-mails concerning finding jobs and the process of becoming a Canadian citizen. We can’t offer legal advice, but we can highlight the news, issues and organizations that can assist in some way. Check back often.
The two important parts for us in the proposed changes are, “the time required for permanent residents to be physically present in Canada before applying for citizenship will be reduced by a full year,” and “the Bill also proposes to repeal provisions that allow citizenship to be revoked from dual citizens if they engage in acts against the national interests.”
In effect, if you want to make a new life in Canada then you won’t have to wait as long. And if you do a crime, then prepare to do the time!
It’s like a volcano of pie, whereby the crust represents the mountain, and thus, by deduction, the meat filling is the lava flow
British Pie Week starts today, so we thought we’d pay homage to this popular food item that most Brits like to get their laughing gear around.
To kick off, The Express has featured the top 10 facts about pies. It’s truly an eye-opening list. For example, did you know that the only Oscar-winning film with pie in its title was the cartoon Tweetie Pie in 1947? We didn’t … but that’s really handy for our next pub quiz night.
Need more? OK, The Telegraph weighs in on 10 things you never knew about pies. Unlike the list above, on this one we did know that the British take their pies very seriously. Obvs.
Pieburger. Just say it a few times and let the concept sink in. It’s the result of a sweet night of lovin’ between a pie and a burger. You want one, don’t you? No probs. Here’s how to make a pieburger.
Come a Sunday morning, there’s nothing we like better than to open our sleepy eyes, yawn, look out the window at the snow, mutter “eff that for a game of soldiers,” and then go back to bed.
When we do get up a few hours later, then there’s nothing we like better than settling down with a cuppa, grab a hot buttered crumpet and read a good newspaper.
The newspaper is free, claims 125,000 readers and says it’s available from over 400 British locations nationwide. That’s not too shabby.
It covers news, sports, features, TV, community and events. The website also links to some British shops, travel services, pension and investment advisers and the BBC Canada shop so you can catch up on all Corrie Street episodes since 1960. And that is a lot of Ken Barlow to handle.
But wait! There’s more!
If you need even more Britishness then the website also links to Totally British Magazine, which offers a plethora of mainly TV and entertainment news that is available by subscription.
So there you have it. Give your mince pies a treat this weekend.
There’s a better life to be had as an office worker, doctor, contractor and backpacking student hoping for an internship with a four-year $80,000 philosophy degree
The Globe and Mail is reporting that, “The Liberals will soon follow through on their election pledge to repeal the Conservatives’ controversial Bill C-24, which gave the government the power to revoke Canadian citizenship from dual citizens convicted of terrorism, treason or espionage.”
This caused an uproar when it was introduced as a lot of people with citizenship felt like second-class Canadians. Especially relevant to new immigrants that had come to Canada for a new life and gained citizenship.
Snip:
“Immigration Minister John McCallum said the government will also remove barriers to citizenship posed by Bill C-24.
“‘We believe that it’s better to make it easier rather than harder for people to become citizens.'”
Exclusive early promo still from Kingsman: The Secret Service 2
Like a well-aged wine, fine cigar, roasting a turkey or being stuck behind a Sunday driver on the way to the seaside, some things you just can’t rush. Such is the case with Rory Petty.
We first contacted him on January 22 to be our next Successful Brit in Toronto. Today is February 22. That makes it exactly a month. But his answers are good. Very good. Worth the wait, we think you’ll agree.
What made you decide to choose Toronto as a city of choice? Did you plan a permanent move, or wanted to “try it for a while and see how it goes” and it turned out to be longer than planned?
My better half is from Toronto, and having been on the London treadmill for a number of years, I was keen to try a different style of life in Toronto. I’m a Permanent Resident legally, but my mindset is this could be permanent or temporary still — citizenship is the next goal.
What steps did you take to land your first Toronto job? Did the infamous “Canadian experience” hinder you in any way?
I work in advertising, and luckily for me, the UK is seen as a leading practitioner of this internationally. A lot of what I do is transferable, but I also had to sell myself aggressively (being in advertising probably helped me in that respect).
What’s the best/worst aspects of living in Toronto?
The best thing is the sheer livability — those global surveys don’t lie when Toronto makes the Top 5 … especially when you’re coming from an expensive city like London.
But people make a place, and Torontans (Torontonians is so long) are so damn likeable; the small town friendliness in a big city is great.
Worst? Property prices.
Do you make an effort to connect with other Brits in the city, or just meet them when chance allows it? Any recommended pubs/eateries/other places for homesick Brits to meet each other and network?
I meet them through happenstance, but love when I do.
An Sibin Pub in Riverdale is an Irish pub, but the drunken hubbub there really reminds me of British pubs. Canadian pubs/bars tend to be too genteel.
Open question/comment: feel free to write anything here/advice/tips on a Brit living in, or moving to, Toronto.
Tax. Just like a sad love song, it affects most of us and makes our bottom lip tremble
Let’s face it — this is not a fun, well-crafted, witty and spellchecked post reviewing some nice British-themed food, or a heartwarming story about a Successful Brit in Toronto.
It’s about TAX!
There, we said it. But you have to face it. So we made it a little easier and partnered up with Taxback.com for the second year running to make the task not such a pain. And as it’s a sponsored post, they’re also offering you $20 off your filing fee. We’ll repeat that fact at the end too just for more impact.
So, let’s get filing those taxes!
The deadline is approaching for us all to file our tax returns. If you’ve worked in Canada in 2015, you’re obliged to file a tax return.
Unfortunately, the Canadian tax system does not mirror that of the UK’s, where tax is looked after for us. In Canada, we are entrusted to file our own tax returns each year.
It’s not all bad news however, because if you paid tax in 2015, you’re more than likely due a tax refund. Taxback.com’s average refund for international workers in Canada is $904, which is not to be sniffed at! What would you do with $904?
So, where do you begin? Luckily, Brits In Toronto has partnered with Taxback.com to guide you all in the right direction. Taxback.comspecializes in filing tax returns for international workers, and looks after the whole process for you.
They will even send your refund to your UK bank account if that’s what you want.
Taxback.com can send you a free no-obligation tax refund estimate in three days, and all they need from you is to follow this process:
1. Click here to fill in the registration form 2. Click here to sign and date the Canadian tax forms 3. Send your T4 and copy of passport/ID to canada@taxback.com
Mention Brits In Toronto in your e-mail and you’ll get a $20 discount on your filing fee.
Might as well, right? You have to file them somehow. You could then invest that extra $20 in a tax-free savings account, which will create a tax wormhole and implode the fabric of time and space in a singularity.
You can’t beat a nice bit of rugged British cheese. The French prefer robust
When Nancy — our Brits in Toronto office accountant — heard that we were testing out something “rugged” and “mature” she got a little flustered. A tad disappointed when she found out it was just a “hunk” of cheese.
Nancy tutted a few times and went back to cutting and pasting our Thank God It’s Friday, Let’s Go Out On The Lash slush fund from column A to column C, minus column B.
The Brits in Toronto crew love rugged cheese. In fact, the ruggeder the better. This could be one of the ruggedest.
We want our cheese to climb the snowy mountain during a blizzard and rescue the stranded puppy, help the old lady across the road and still have time to take the Aston Martin for a spin to buy those tickets for the Las Vegas lost weekend that we all have in us. Before lunchtime.
Coastal Rugged, Mature British Cheddar fits the bill. Sourced from Whole Foods, this is the kind of cheese that when you cut a slice and stand it up, the crumble factor makes it bend and snap halfway.
Aged for up to 15 months, it has a nice tartness, but not overpowering. To be fair, it’s not the strongest cheddar we’ve ever had … but this could be the cheese to ease your nervous processed-slice-in-a-plastic-sheet-orange-cheese-loving friends into the world of stronger flavours.
You could be their Cheese Whisperer and allow them into that arena of mature cheddar.
We think it could be very versatile. Coastal Rugged, Mature British Cheddar will sit quite happily atop a slice of toast (grilled and bubbly) or astride a baked potato. Shred that bad boy, chuck it into a lettuce and avocado salad and get the party started. So many options.
In summary, we give this British cheese a Brits in Toronto 4/5 stars.
Proudly made in Ireland. And just round it up to $3, you can’t get a penny back anyway. Where would you spend a penny?
Last weekend the Brits in Toronto crew hugged our families, made sure the survival gear was stashed in the motor, grabbed our passports and headed off to Mississauga.
We had one mission in mind: curry sauce. Our destination was A Bit Of Home … and you can also order online, which is handy.
Rummaging through the Beefeater Gin bar towels, numerous Keep Calm And Carry On t-shirts and KP Hula Hoops (BBQ Beef), we finally chanced upon our choice: McDonnells Indian Tikka Masala. Score!
We had planned to make a box opening video for this review, but considering it was a packet and opened in two seconds via scissors, didn’t bother. Plus we were starving.
Usually we opt for a ready-made curry sauce, rather than granules that you have to mix with water, so were beside ourselves with curiosity as to the taste of this one.
Prep was easy: 250 mils of water in a saucepan, stir in the granules, come to the boil and let simmer for 10 minutes. The last part is important as the sauce really thickens up nicely, so no cutting corners like when you copied someone else’s homework at school. It’s really not worth it in the end, it’s not clever and you won’t make anything of yourself. You also won’t look hard in front of your mates either. Think about it, OK?
Add the sauce to your chicken (or meat of choice) and cook it for a while. Throw abandon to the wind and chuck in some tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic and ginger too if so inclined.
Taste? We always say this — not spicy enough! Lovely flavour, but needs the heat. We suggest adding some extra hot sauce to taste.
“Pork scratchings? Yer ‘aving a larf ain’t ya, geezer?! This is Toronto!”
Ted Clark was a little unsure as to whether he was “successful” enough to earn a coveted spot on Brits in Toronto. This man co-founded a brewery. With an ale called Across the Pond.
Nuff said.
“I actually started this business because I was still drinking my favourite English ales, like ESB, Lancaster Bomber, Abbot Ale and Old Speckled Hen about five years ago,” explains Ted. “But I thought I could brew something similar that I would want to drink with local ingredients.
“Hence Across the Pond, English Special Ale, a bitter and our flagship beer, which is reminiscent of the excellent ales around Cambridge from my youth. This current Canadian craft beer movement reminds me of the CAMRA movement that I experienced in the UK during the 1970s and early 1980s,” he adds.
Case nicely made.
What made you decide to choose Toronto as a city of choice? Did you plan a permanent move, or wanted to “try it for a while and see how it goes” and it turned out to be longer than planned?
I came here in 1981 from a tiny village near Cambridge on a gap year after ‘A’ levels. I planned to travel and see if I liked the city, and I am still trying to decide whether to stay … although with two children in university, a house, a dog and a beer business, this decision has probably already been made.
What steps did you take to land your first Toronto job? Did the infamous “Canadian experience” hinder you in any way?
I thought I had landed a dream job at Sunshine Village in Banff, Alberta but the year I was hired it did not snow; resorts only started paying salaries when there was skiing, and I ran out of money and had to come back to Toronto to find other (real) work in a sporting goods store.
What’s the best/worst aspects of living in Toronto?
Best: I actually like the weather here and appreciate the change in the seasons. Since moving I have taken up ice hockey and skiing, and developed a strong network of like-minded friends. We play hockey, drink beer, and then ski, and drink more beer.
Worst: Initially I missed my family and friends, and in particular the beer and banter in a good pub.
Do you make an effort to connect with other Brits in the city, or just meet them when chance allows it? Any recommended pubs/eateries/other places for homesick Brits to meet each other and network?
I don’t really seek out other Brits, but I have found a lot of good pubs/bars around High Park where there is great live music and craft beer.
Open question/comment: feel free to write anything here/advice/tips on a Brit living in, or moving to, Toronto.
Canada is an amazing country with lots to offer on both a personal and professional level. Travel, meet people, try new activities and enjoy your life!
If this doesn’t get your toes tapping, nothing will
The Band of the Royal Marines and the Pipes, Drums and Highland Dancers of the Scots Guards are coming to Toronto on Sunday, January 31, 2016 at Roy Thomson Hall.
“With signature precision marching and a reputation of excellence worldwide, The Band of the Royal Marines regularly performs at Royal Albert Hall, in the Horse Guards Parade in London, and the military tattoo in Basel, Switzerland. A military band with a long tradition of musical distinction, the Royal Marines will lift your spirits and set your toes tapping. This will be a spectacular evening of pageantry and military traditions featuring the haunting sounds of bagpipes and powerful Highland dancing.”
It’s been a really crappy few weeks for losing some brilliant British talent, hasn’t it? The best way we can honour these three gentlemen is to keep on rocking to their music and enjoying their films.
Today we heard that Alan Rickman passed away. Legions of Harry Potter fans will remember him as Professor Snape; Jane Austen fans will recall his part as Colonel Brandon in Sense and Sensibility; and many more — including the Brits in Toronto crew — think that Hans Gruber in Die Hard was one of the best screen villains we’ve seen.
Then what can we say about Ian Fraser Kilmister, otherwise known as Lemmy? Only one of the baddest mofos in rock and roll, that’s what. Didn’t seem to give a crap about anything, but hell, what a career he had with Motorhead.
Here’s one of our favourite memories of Lemmy:
And last — but in no way least — David Robert Jones. Or David Bowie.
This bloke seemed to live our life with us, always there with a song that seemed just right for the times. Constantly changing, adapting, innovating. He led and countless musicians since have followed, all inspired by his vision.
The loss of David Bowie was a massive shock this week. But we can all remember the good times he gave us. Here’s a favourite scene of Brits in Toronto where David shows his comedy chops:
2016 Burns’ Statue Celebration
January 25 @ 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Come one! Come All! For the REAL celebration of the Birthday of Robert Burns! There will be piping, haggis, whisky, neeps, tatties, singing and good cheer!
2016 Burns’ Night Dinner Celebration
January 29 @ 6:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m. | $130.00
Christopher Tait performs Holy Willie’s Prayer
We are greatly looking forward to our annual celebration of Robert Burns on Friday, January 29 at the University Club of Toronto. As well as the traditional piping in and Address to the Haggis and toasts to the Lassies and Laddies, the evening will feature Professor David Wilson who will deliver The Immortal Memory and Christopher Tait for our entertainment as “Robert Burns Live.”
And … we’re back! Hope you are all having a great new year so far. Weather’s not been too bad, which is a bonus.
It’s time for the Brits in Toronto First Annual Survey. Completely anonymous, answer all questions, or a few, long answers, or one word — any feedback you can give us would be brilliant and help plan for 2016 content.
We spend literally hours a week putting this blog together, so want to ensure it’s time well spent and our readers enjoy, learn — and get a laugh or two — from the content we cover.
Thank you in advance, please pass to other Brits in Toronto you may know, and we really appreciate it!
Our top five as dictated by Google Analytics and a plus/minus error rate of around 22%
As the year winds down and we look forward to 2016, we thought it would be interesting (and easy on a slow week) to highlight our top five blog posts by traffic for 2015.
Hmmm — we notice a theme there. Our readers like to hear about fellow Brits making a success of it in Toronto. Always on the lookout for more willing subjects, so please send ’em our way. 🙂
More good stuff to come next year. And if we don’t manage to get back here before then, thanks for the support this year and we wish you a happy and healthy 2016!
Whenever one of the Brits in Toronto crew heads back to Old Blighty, we always make time for a trip to Marks and Sparks … especially for the food. Love it!
Do you miss it like us? Well, Paul’s Imported British Food also misses it. So much so, they have a petition on their website to bring Marks and Sparks back to Canada.
Great initiative. We think it’s a worthy cause and are putting our weight behind the campaign.
If you want to vote, just click on the really nicely designed image below and head on over …
Now everyone in the family will be volunteering to cook Christmas dinner!
Christmas is nearly upon us. The Toronto roads are emptying as people slack off early; workers close down their Excel spreadsheets for their Christmas parties or lunches; and families plan where they’ll be enjoying Christmas dinner together.
But what if mum says it’s your turn to host and you just can’t raise your head from your mobile phone screen long enough to buy all the groceries in time?
Fear not! Brits in Toronto has done its research and helpfully presents Christmas dinner in a tin. Or, in other words, Christmas Tinner.
This is the ideal solution. In just one handy-sized tin you are able to serve scrambled eggs and bacon, two mince pies, turkey and potatoes, gravy, bread sauce, cranberry sauce, brussels sprouts or broccoli with stuffing (dressing for our Canadian readers), roast carrots and parsnips and … for a little added je ne sais quoi … Christmas pudding.
Each dish is carefully, delicately and respectfully layered in the tin to enjoy the flavours to their fullest. The choices are endless as to how the diner decides to enjoy their feast.
You may decide to start with the scrambled eggs, then move on to the turkey course, followed by the Christmas pud? Dip straight into the vegetables accompanied by the rich gravy? Or just go balls to the wall and dive straight into the mince pies?
The beauty of this is that no two family members will have the same dining experience. There are literally 2,476 different combinations of meal — in one tin! Splendid.
Yes, one of the most popular posts we’ve linked to on Brits in Toronto. It was written by Katie Bridges, whose bio states that, “Katie is fuelled by tea, terrible puns and a healthy dose of sarcasm.”
Katie has moved to Toronto and is giving it five years to live the lifestyle and decide if it will become permanent. That’s how most of us do it so we can relate.
We caught up with this busy Brit to find out more …
What made you decide to choose Toronto as a city of choice? Did you plan a permanent move, or wanted to “try it for a while and see how it goes” and it turned out to be longer than planned?
My boyfriend is Canadian and after living in my native London (England) for a couple of years we decided to come over and try things over here. We’ll be here for the next five years at least and then we’ll look at our pro’s and con’s list and makes a decision at some point!
What steps did you take to land your first Toronto job? Did the infamous “Canadian experience” hinder you in any way?
I took an internship at Maple Media as an editorial intern. From there I applied for lots of journalist positions and eventually got a position as junior writer at Notable.ca which I love!
What’s the best/worst aspects of living in Toronto?
I love the sport — I’m totally converted to baseball after this summer! I hate the streetcars … and I suspect I will hate winter but thanks to El Nino I can neither confirm nor deny that just yet.
Do you make an effort to connect with other Brits in the city, or just meet them when chance allows it? Any recommended pubs/eateries/other places for homesick Brits to meet each other and network?
I love the British pub quiz every month or so at the Duke of Somerset, where I’ve met lots of lovely people. It’s a great place to catch up and a great opportunity to win Curly Wurlys.
Open question/comment: feel free to write anything here/advice/tips on a Brit living in, or moving to, Toronto.
There are tons of sunny days here and beautiful summers, so don’t be fooled that it’s cold all year round! The culture and shopping is fantastic, so bring an empty suitcase!
Cheers Katie and best of luck in Toronto.
p.s. Looking forward to Notable.ca’s upcoming article, The Best Brit Blog In Toronto That Hasn’t Made BuzzFeed Yet.
Here’s wishing the geezer some pukka luck in Toronto
There’s no denying that Jamie Oliver is an Essex lad who’s done really well for himself. With a net worth of around $400 million, the food industry has certainly been good to him.
Now when his fans in Toronto get a craving for a stellar spag bol or similar, they can head to Jamie’s Italian restaurant in the Yorkdale Shopping Centre that opened today.
As the press release states, “Jamie’s Italian is the result of a collaboration between Jamie Oliver and his Italian mentor Gennaro Contaldo. The beautiful fresh food and the relaxed setting reflect their love for the Italian way of life and their sociable attitude towards food. Since the opening of the first restaurant in 2008 in Oxford, England, Jamie’s Italian has grown to over 60 restaurants worldwide, including sites in Australia, Hong Kong, Brazil and Moscow.”
We still can’t see a downside to this one second time around
Never a moment’s rest for Brits in Toronto these days. We got another very exciting e-mail yesterday from a production company called 12 Yard Productions.
Best part for you, dear readers? They are looking for British families based in the UK and Canada to take part in this brand new show!
5 Star Family Reunion is a game show where eight family members play across the globe in a series of general knowledge rounds in an attempt to win a family reunion holiday and a cash jackpot. Four family members must be UK based while four family members live overseas.
Parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws and close family friends can make up your overseas team.
They are looking for lively and fun personalities to take part in the programme and will be holding video auditions over the next few weeks.
Here’s all the deets. Closing date for application forms is February 19, 2016 so get on the dog and bone to Auntie Mildred in Hounslow — or Uncle George in Glasgow if you used Auntie Mildred last time and she was not very good and lost you the game — and start planning your team lickety split!
Free stock photo depicting a bloke in a snazzy hat who is a little bit frustrated about something
We spotted this story in yesterday’s Toronto Star about a British endocrinologist called Satya Dash living in Toronto for four years who is very frustrated with the current backlog in the immigration system.
Snip:
“In July, Dash was supposed to start as a staff physician at the University Health Network and teaching at the University of Toronto, but a backlog has put his new job on indefinite hold.
“Across Canada, the backlog — said to be the result of Ottawa’s deployment of much needed resources on the new Express Entry system — has wreaked havoc on the lives of thousands of Canadian Experience Class applicants.”
So you jumped on British Airways, crossed the pond, lived the Toronto lifestyle for a few months and thought, “Hmmmm, I could make a go of this.”
There’s a lot of form filling and process to get Canadian citizenship … but one of the things you will definitely have to do is take the Canadian citizenship test. And thanks to the good eggs at Richmond Public Library, you can do just that as a practice test.
The practice test consists of over 100 multiple choice questions derived from the book Discover Canada, on which the test is based — so it’s very accurate to the real thing.
So if you feel up to it, click here and give it a go!
Bit of confusion in the Brits in Toronto office this morning. The crew were settling down to catch up on the EastEnders omnibus — and we hadn’t even got past the dramatic opening credits drum intro — when there was a knock on the door.
A bloke walked in and said, “He’s gonna step on you again, he’s gonna step on you. You’re twistin’ my melon man, you know you talk so hip man.”
We had no idea what was going on until we realized it was pop star Bez and he’d misheard the theme of our new blog post, Hoppy Mondays. Bit awkward but these things happen.
Spitfire Premium Kentish Ale certainly has the hop quotient. In fact, its website states it has “an infusion of three Kentish hops” and the LCBO goes so far as to say, “Clear deep amber with a dense cream head; on the nose are notes of toffee, grapefruit, honey, crusty fresh bread, dried flower and grassy hops; on the palate it is medium bodied and moderately carbonated, with flavours of bready malt, caramel and bitter hop presence that lingers on the finish.”
Oh you had us at “crusty fresh bread” you smooth talking review writer.
We found it went well with some seafood, actually, and definitely had a fruity touch to it. The can design was what enticed us to try it in the first place and we’re glad about that.
Superb action shot of excited shoppers perusing the British carpets on offer at really reasonable prices
Contrary to popular option, we’re a cultured bunch here at Brits in Toronto so were pleasantly surprised to find this old video of British Week in Toronto, 1967. (No sound, alas.)
Here’s a list of the scenes in the video: V.S. Band of Scots and Welsh Guard marching into Nathan Phillips Square prior to opening ceremony. V.S. At opening ceremony with Toronto’s Mayor Dennison and Prime Minister Lester B Pearson delivering his opening address. G.V. Thousands of balloons being released. V.S. Pearson walks away, he shakes hands with Alfie Howard and the Town Crier of Lambeth. V.S. Around exhibition hall showing British carpets and cars including an Aston Martin DB6. V.S. In the London pub a Pearly King and Queen try to get the drinkers to dance. M.S. Alfie Howard the Town Crier in action, next to him is a British policeman. V.S. British clothes, toys and china.
If that sentimental memory of good times found you cutting dusty onions, then you’ll be pleased to know the video is on sale here so you can enjoy it time and time again.
And that begs the question … when can we have another British Week in Toronto please?
I’ll have a well-paying job please with a side of health benefits
Let’s all say hello to Lucy … “Hello Lucy!”
She and her husband are moving from Old Blighty to Toronto next summer and Lucy has already started her job search, so if anyone out there has some leads for a fellow Brit it would be much appreciated.
Lucy currently works as a media sales executive and — over to her — “Ideally, I’m looking for an opportunity in sales, in the media, customer based, something similar. I would love some advice on where to look and what Toronto is looking for in a potential British employee. I am very friendly, a proper people person and very motivated in whatever I do. Success is a big thing for myself.”
So if you can offer advice or job leads, please e-mail her at lucy–atkinson AT hotmail DOT co DOT uk — cheers!
From the BBC: “A group of Commonwealth residents advocating for free movement among the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, has collected 35,000 signatures. The Commonwealth Freedom of Movement Organization (CFMO) is calling on those governments to remove visa restrictions and work permits among their citizens.”
Coverage from the CBC and the actual petition. (It now has over 85,000 supporters.)
Gerard Keledjian and Rachel Lee chat about all things related to new Canadians
Brits coming to Toronto may decide to end up staying, thus becoming an immigrant, or even taking citizenship at some point.
A TV program launched by New Canadians focuses entirely on resources for newcomers and information to help succeed in Canada. It was launched on October 23, 2015 on the Rogers TV community channel in the GTA. It is telecast on Fridays at 7:00 p.m. and repeats several times during the week.
The first episode features resources for HR professionals, UP Express, an immigrant success story and the Newcomer Day celebrations.
The Domestic Goddess is heading to Toronto for a book signing
You know it’s lunchtime in the Brits in Toronto office when Kev the intern gets out some bread, slaps on a few wedges of cheddar, dash of Worcestershire sauce, sticks it under the grill for a minute and — boom! — delish cheese on toast.
We’ve never been invited to lunch with Domestic Goddess Nigella Lawson but we’re sure hers is MUCH better than Kev’s. So much so, in fact, that she’s coming to Toronto next week to promote her new book full of satisfying meals, Simply Nigella: Feel Good Food.
Nigella will be at Indigo Bay & Bloor on Tuesday, November 3 at 7:00 p.m. signing copies of her book.
All the details are here so pop along and give a proper British welcome to yet another successful Brit in Toronto!
J.M.W. Turner is also credited with the very first selfie
The Art Gallery of Ontario’s latest exhibition is a tribute to one of the most celebrated English painters, J.M.W. Turner.
Snip:
“Featuring more than 50 paintings and works on paper on loan from Tate Britain, J.M.W. Turner: Painting Set Free is the first major exhibition to focus on the final and most experimental phase of the artist’s career. Beginning in 1835 and closing with his last exhibitions at the Royal Academy in 1850, the exhibition explores how Turner’s later years were a time of exceptional energy and vigour.”
The exhibition runs from October 31, 2015 to January 31, 2016 so lots of time to check it out.
We think Ant & Dec first appeared on the scene around the same time as Mr. Blobby, but went on to fame, fortune and a really good agent that doesn’t make them say, “Blobby! Blobby! Blobby!” every five minutes for contractual reasons.
And guess what? They can possibly help you surprise a family member in the UK. Read on …
Brits in Canada! Are you getting married in Canada in early 2016? Do you have a family member in the UK that can’t attend the wedding?
ITV are looking for fun, outgoing, exciting people — that covers Brits in Toronto readers then — who want to be involved in one of the UK’s biggest entertainment shows!
To apply, simply nominate your family member in the UK and they could be in for a surprise of their life!
For more details, click here or contact andy DOT fitzpatrick AT itv DOT com or get our your long-distance calling card and give him a shout at +1-44-2071574947.
The lawyers make us say terms and conditions apply.
Stick t’kettle on chook, Corrie Street’s Sair Khan will be in town this weekend, ey up
Yes, it’s back — the British Isles Show runs from October 31 – November 1, 2015 at the Enercare Centre featuring over 300 vendors. Massive. Absolutely massive.
Don’t worry — it’s not all tea and crumpets. As well as a guest appearance from Corrie Street’s Sair Khan there will also be performances from The British Invasion, Rod Stewart, U2 and Abba (the latter three being tribute artists).
There’s tons more Brit stuff going on that we can’t fit into an optimal blog post space, so head here and check it all out.
More British than fish and chips, talking about the weather and thanking your barber for a “great haircut” even though you know it looks crap
In two days — just two! — a series of events in Canada’s biggest city will showcase the best Britain has to offer.
Snip:
“From technology to tourism, the British Consulate-General in Toronto, UK Trade & Investment Canada, Visit Britain, and British Council, are set to celebrate the many strong links between Canada’s largest city and the UK.
“Over the course of 12 days, from 29 October to 9 November, a broad series of events will shine a light on the historical, innovative and creative partnership between Canada and the UK.
“Anchored from a special UK House on Toronto’s famed Yonge Street in the heart of downtown, 12 Days of GREAT Britain will be an excellent opportunity for the public to discover why the UK is a perfect place to study, visit and do business.”
We know, we know … it’s a bit early to be chatting about Crimbo presents but this one hits the spot. Plus you have to order it before the start of December anyway to get the full use of it.
Presenting the Whisky Advent Calendar. At 124 British Pounds ($250) it’s definitely not cheap. But by, say, December 15 you probably won’t care too much as you happily open each little window, sample the dram inside, and look forward to the arrival of Father Christmas.
Highlights among this year’s 24 drams include a rare 50-year-old Scotch, an award-winning Japanese whisky and the World’s Best Blended Whisky (World Whiskies Awards 2014).
Don’t forget to leave out the Jaffa Cakes and milk!
It was an exciting night in Toronto last night: the Blue Jays rocked.
And there was also the little thing of a federal election. It was basically a landslide for the Liberals and its leader, Justin Trudeau — now the new Canadian Prime Minister. Some were calling it a “Red Tide” as the results swept across the country.
Trudeau seems to want to unite people from all backgrounds, so we’re interested to see how that shapes up as regards to immigrants.
It should be noted that Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander lost his seat so we’re curious to see who gets that portfolio and what they do with it.
Brits In Toronto 