Study English in Toronto

Abbreviations used in English Communications

2024-08-07T11:27:00.004-04:00

The Metric System of measurement is used in Canada.

Canada officially follows the International Metric System. Temperatures, distance, weights, velocity are expressed in metric units.

The Liberal federal government of Pierre Trudeau first began implementing metrication in Canada in 1970 with a government agency dedicated to implementing the project, the Metric Commission, being established in 1971 by the Weights and Measures Act.

The election of the Progressive Conservative government of Brian Mulroney in 1984 resulted in the abolition of the Metric Commission on March 31, 1985. This ended the process of affirmative metrication in Canada, and some regulations requiring metric measurements either have been repealed or are no longer enforced.

Cars have metric speedometers and odometers however the railways Canadian National and Canadian Pacific as well as commuter rail services, continue to measure their trackage in miles and speed limits in miles per hour

Most kitchen appliances in Canada are labelled with both degrees Celsius and Fahrenheit, and metric cooking measures are widely available; but Fahrenheit is often used for cooking due to the import of kitchen appliances from the United States. When cooking, Canadians typically use a mix of both measures depending on the recipe and cook book - use a mix of grams, millilitres, cups, ounces and tablespoons.

New programs for young entrepreneurs, newcomers, refugee claimants

2023-08-03T12:06:00.002-04:00

New training and funding programs for young entrepreneurs

Applications for Business in the Streets (BITS) fall programs are now open for entrepreneurs ages 18 to 34. Programs include the YCEO program, an 8-week virtual business training program with an opportunity to receive a $1000 grant and the BITS Boot Camp program that is aimed at small business owners currently in operations requiring additional support and access to the BITS Bucks $5000 Micro Finance Program. Applications are open until August 25. Learn more and apply.

How businesses can support refugee claimants and asylum seekers in Toronto

The City of Toronto is asking for support for refugee claimants and asylum seekers in Toronto in need of immediate shelter and aid. Property owners with available at-or below-average market rent units can help provide much-needed offers of housing while those wishing to make financial donations or provide goods and services can see a list of community organizations in their area on the City’s DonateTO webpage. Businesses, BIAs and individuals can explore partnership opportunities with the City of Toronto by emailing donate@toronto.ca.

Applications are still open for LatAmStartups’s Newcomer Entrepreneur Accelerator Program

LatAmStartups is providing a six-month accelerator program that is supported in part by funding from the National Research Council of Canada. This project is oriented to support 15 technology companies led by newcomer entrepreneurs in Canada. This program runs for six months starting in September 2023. Learn more and apply by September 4.

BusinessTO News is a weekly newsletter highlighting opportunities that are available to Toronto businesses such as programs, grants, resources and guidelines. For a full list of City of Toronto resources for businesses visit toronto.ca/BusinessSupport.

This 5 Minute Poem Demos English Pronunciation Chaos

2023-07-24T22:53:00.002-04:00

English language students can pause this video, repeat sentences and practice their pronunciation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfhKldRKmo8

Hello and welcome to Jeaney Collects! I make videos and do voices.

If you've got any ideas or suggestions for future videos, you can tag me on Twitter. If I think that I can make a decent video from it, then there's a slim chance that it will appear on the channel (at some undisclosed point in the future). I always aim to include the links to any images or audio used in my videos. However, if I have failed to provide sufficient credit, please let me know so that I can rectify this.

This next video also from Jeaney is excellent humour:

Toronto's Summerlicious Returns July 7 to 23, 2023

2023-06-26T17:41:00.010-04:00

The City of Toronto and its partners are proud to bring back Summerlicious, Toronto’s annual opportunity to explore the city’s exceptional global culinary landscape.

Summerlicious 2023 will run from Friday, July 7 to Sunday, July 23, with delicious prix fixe lunch and dinner menus at more than 200 local restaurants.

Three-course prix fixe menus are priced at

Lunch: $20 / $27 / $34 / $41 / $48 / $55
Dinner: $25 / $35 / $45 / $55 / $65 / $75

Restaurants will start accepting reservations on Thursday, June 29.

Reservations are strongly recommended and should be made directly with the participating dining establishments. Some participating restaurants do not offer a lunch prix fixe menu on Saturday or Sunday. A complete list of participating restaurants is available on the Summerlicious webpage.

This year’s Summerlicious program continues to provide the enticing experiences and delectable food that restaurant-goers have come to expect from the popular Summerlicious program. The program has been renewed to help people to travel the international world of foods with Summerlicious.

Summerlicious programs, created by the City, began in 2003. In the 20 years since the program’s inception, participating restaurants have served more than 8 million meals, generating more than $353 million in economic activity for the Toronto restaurant industry.

for more info: https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/festivals-events/summerlicious/

The Canadian National Exhibition

2022-11-08T22:00:00.013-05:00

The world class performers and spectacular air shows are the really big draws every year in August at the Canadian National Exhibition. Everyone in Toronto knows when the Canadian International Air Show is on at the "Ex" as the loud, fast and spectacular jets dance over the Toronto sky.

Each summer I go to the CNE with students. This summer it is to see the "Super Dogs" and shop in the international pavilion. Last summer it was to see the world record holder "Human Cannon Ball" and the "Fire and Ice" show.

The "CNE or Ex" is a wonderful field trip for international students to learn English and see products, cultural exhibits, foods, performers and people from across Canada and every other country in the world. Every new item triggers questions and learning opportunities as students expand their vocabulary and language fluency.

Every year the CNE features a nice combination of regular performers along with new acts, performers and shows. It is comfortable to see familiar performers do new tricks to excite and wow the crowds.

One of the new shows "Wonders of Dance and Music" presents a fusion of Brazilian Carnival Samba, Flamenco, Tango, Arabic and Gypsy dance masterpieces integrated into one high-energy musical expression.

Another new show is "The Movie Song Show" where singers and dancers perform hit songs and scenes from famous movies like Flashdance, Top Gun, Back to the Future, The Bodyguard, Men in Black, Moulin Rouge, Chicago, and Titanic.

The Toronto Urban Music Festival is a presentation of Urban Music with new performers and regular performers with news songs and new routines. The show presents a wide variety of contemporary urban music including Hip Hop and Rap.

There are many smaller venue stages all over the Exhibition grounds to see performers. Toronto Star Bandshell, Global Food Building Stage, The Green Thumb Garden Theatre, Rogers International Stage, Kids? World Feature Stage, Labatt Blue Midway Stage, Remember When Pavilion, Renovation Stage, Rock Valley Cafe, A Taste of the World Gourmet Theatre and TTC Stage. The TTC Stage hosts the TTC Busker Auditions to hundreds of hopefuls that come to the CNE and audition for their chance to entertain you on the TTC.

International students recognize foods, clothes, gift items, collectable's from their countries and have the opportunity to explain in English what they are, their cultural or historical significance to other international students that have never seen them before. In many ways it is like traveling to the most exotic global markets without having to pay airfare.

The best prices for shopping can occur at the CNE as many outlet shops, importers and clearance jobbers sell products at huge discounts. Students like to buy dictionaries for one dollar, or learn English CD sets for 3 dollars instead of the regular list price of thirty dollars. I like to buy books, software, music cd's, vhs tapes, dvd's and other resource materials for my classes at a 75 to 90 percent discount and so do the students.

The CNE exhibits are everywhere and have something for everyone. Some students stay in the FOOD Building and try foods from around the world. Some students love the gardens, gardening, and landscaping. Some students love the agricultural exhibits with all the food products, farm animals, farm equipment and the horse shows. Other students play at the sports pavilion to test their abilities with new sports challenges. Some like to see arts and crafts and art displays others like to participate in the "how to" demonstrations and create their own art piece. Some students just like to play the latest sega video games or sony games "be" pc gamers or x box pros and play on the newest equipment or game platform.

The final day of the CNE is Labour Day.

See you then!!

Toronto Annual Events, Attractions and Activities

Link to the World famous annual events held each year in Toronto including: Carabana, Pride, Just for Laughs Toronto, Nuit Blanche, Luminato, TIFF Toronto International Film Festival, The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Summerlicious and Winterlicious and many more.

Toronto Transportation & Accommodation Information

Toronto Transportation & Accommodation Information includes travel info and links to help Toronto visitors.

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Our Mini-Twitter Directory of Toronto Twitterers to Follow:

2022-11-03T20:27:00.005-04:00

Our Mini-Twitter Directory of Toronto Twitterers to Follow:

An easy way to learn about Canada and Canadians is through the latest social media darling "Twitter". Toronto Canada has lots of Twitter Representation - some of the Twitter addresses that we follow from Toronto Canada are:

Study in Toronto https://twitter.com/StudyinToronto

City of Toronto https://twitter.com/cityoftoronto

Toronto Film Fest https://twitter.com/TOfilmfest

Toronto Jazz Fest https://twitter.com/TorontoJazzFest

Toronto Public Library https://twitter.com/torontolibrary

Toronto Symphony https://twitter.com/TorontoSymphony

Toronto Maple Leafs https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs

Tornto Marlies https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies

Toronto Argos https://twitter.com/TorontoArgos

Toronto Star Sports https://twitter.com/StarSports

Toronto Volunteer https://twitter.com/VolunteerTO

CBC Toronto https://twitter.com/CBCToronto

CTV Toronto https://twitter.com/CTVtoronto

Toronto 680 News https://twitter.com/680News

ESL in Canada https://twitter.com/eslincanada

Sentencemaster https://twitter.com/sentencemaster

Once you are logged into Twitter - copy the address - click follow - you will get the updates - it's very easy!

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English Language Conversation Skills

2022-05-10T21:34:00.005-04:00

There are several dictionary definitions for "Conversation".

Conversation: noun, an informal spoken exchange of news and ideas between two or more people.

Conversation: an informal talk with somebody, especially about opinions, ideas, feelings, or everyday matters.

Conversation: a talk between two or more people in which thoughts, feelings and ideas are expressed, questions are asked and answered, or news and information are exchanged.

There are several dictionary Synonyms for "Conversation": conference, discourse, discussion, dialogue, chat, speech, oral speech or spoken communication, spoken language, talk, voice communication,

There are several adjectives that help identify or describe conversations: casual, polite, informal, formal, two-way, face-to-face and everyday.

There are several nouns that identify a specific type of conversation: conference, interview, gossip, exchange of confidences, consultation, or small talk.

There are several English slang terms that identify conversation or type of conversation: chitchat, Q and A, heart-to-heart talk, confab, powwow, bull session, talkfest, gabfest, pillow talk and rap session.

There are several dictionary definitions for "Skills".

Skill is an ability to do an activity or job well, especially because you have practised it.

Skills are the result of special training to do a function or activity.

Proficiency, facility, or dexterity that is acquired or developed through training or experience.

A developed talent or ability

An art, trade, or technique requiring use of the hands and or tools.

We have to create some definitions for "Conversation Skills".

Conversation skills can be explained as language abilities needed to interact in social situations. Language abilities include speaking with appropriate vocabulary, pronunciation, tone, intonation, rhythm, pauses, politeness and timing.

We have to create some definitions for "English Language Conversation Skills".

English Language Conversation Skills includes language abilities, conversation skills, social skills, culture knowledge and non-verbal communication skills.

Non-verbal communication skills are classified as posture, body movements, gestures, facial expressions, proximity and eye contact.

In English speaking countries the non-verbal messages can represent from 25 to 75% of the meaning.

Social skills and cultural knowledge can be generalized as "what to say, when to say it, where and why to say it, and most important how to say it".

When learning English Language Conversation Skills ESL students must learn: language abilities, conversation skills, social skills, culture knowledge and non-verbal communication skills.

Students need all the communication skills if they actually want to converse with native English speakers. ESL Students cannot just learn English vocabulary or English pronunciation as it can represent less than 50% of many conversations.

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2022 Toronto Study Tours

2022-05-04T09:56:00.002-04:00

The 2022 Toronto Study Tours will operate based on accomodation availability.

We require eight students to operate a class and tour

ESL in Canada has made arrangements for special ESL English classes to operate at some of the attractions and events to supplement the in-class English school lessons.

This Toronto Study Tours program is open to schools, international groups, companies, youth organizations and tour leaders who wish to travel to Canada with their students.

Participants can choose programs from 1 to 4 weeks. The listed planned events can be switched or altered to accommodate bad weather or to attend extra special events.

Instruction, activity and tour days can vary from 12 to 14 hours.

Dorm rooms are available, singles, doubles, and quads.

Meals can be supplied at the student dormitory

Annual Events and Attractions

About 2 million visitors soar to the top of the Towers incredible 1,815 feet (553.3 meters, or 181 stories) each year. Recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers along with the Panama Canal and Golden Gate bridge, the Towers record has gone unchallenged. Visitors can enjoy the breathtaking view from three observation levels, as well as dining at the award-winning 360 restaurant ? which boasts the worlds highest wine cellar. The CN Tower was opened to the public on June 26, 1976 after 40 months of construction
Link to CN Tower Portal

Come to the CBC Museum and Graham Spry Theatre to experience first-hand the history of Canadian broadcasting... and the shared stories of Canadians!
Link to CBC Museum

Join us at Woodbine Park for the launch of the Beaches International Jazz Festival featuring free concerts. Featuring our "New Generation" and "Youth" stages celebrating young upcoming musicians that are making an impact. Link to the Annual International Beaches Jazz Festival

Indy Toronto stops in Toronto for the Honda Indy Toronto where the Indianapolis 500 stars and cars compete on the exciting street circuit at Exhibition Place. In addition to a full slate of racing action, the event weekend will also feature plenty of entertainment options off the track, including concerts, vehicle displays and an interactive area that will offer something for the whole family.

University of Toronto Walking Tour. Walking tours on the St. George campus depart from the Nona Macdonald Visitors Centre, located at 25 King's College Circle.

Hockey Hall of Fame Tour - Much more than simply a standard sports museum, the Hall offers a vibrant, entertaining and interactive journey. The world's most comprehensive collection of hockey artifacts, displays and memorabilia with state-of-the-art exhibitory and interactive games. Try and stop the pucks of Messier and Gretzky or fire real pucks against a life sized computer-simulated goalie. Have your picture taken with the Stanley Cup.
Link to Hockey Hall of Fame

Dinosaurs Alive is the largest display of animated, life-size dinosaurs in the world, only at the Toronto Zoo. Get up close and personal with sixteen moving, roaring and startlingly realistic dinosaurs, featuring such prehistoric playmates as Tyrannosaurus Rex, Stegosaurus, Triceratops and many others, complete with authentic sounds and special effects. The Toronto Zoo is divided into geographic regions, the 710 acres feature more than 5,000 animals in their natural environments. The award winning African Savanna, New Great Barrier Reef, and the award-winning Gorilla Rainforest, Eurasia outdoor exhibits, home to the Prezwalski foals, Snow leopard and Siberian tiger cubs, and Kids Zoo, Splash Island and Waterside Theatre.
Link to Toronto Zoo

Ontario Place Echo beach is open to concerts
Link to Ontario Place events calendar

Caribana - Over a million tourists are expected in Toronto from during August, to experience everything Caribana has to offer. The beauty of Caribana in Toronto is the varied audience it attracts: everyone from families across Canada and the U.S, young singles looking for a good time, to celebrities throwing Caribana themed parties in clubs across Toronto. Link to Caribana Toronto

Taste of the Danforth - celebrates Hellenic culture and cuisine. Stroll beautiful Danforth Ave. while you taste and savour some of the finest Greek food this side of paradise. Always a must see and do event. Every year more and more people flock to enjoy this bastion of great food, music and Hellenic pride.
Link to Taste of the Danforth

Discover the gardens, and natural areas including wetlands, woodland and meadows of the West Humber River valley. Learn about the history and ecology of this beautiful urban area in north west Toronto .
Humber Arboretum and West Humber River Valley Discovery Walk.

There's lots to see and do for all ages at the Ontario Science Centre! Explore more than 600 activities in 10 exhibit halls, including the Weston Family Innovation Centre and IMAX Dome theatre - see special events and exhibitions listed below to learn more. Link to Ontario Science Centre calendar

The Gardiner Museum is the only museum in Canada entirely devoted to ceramics. Whether your interest is in contemporary work like Picasso?s Large Vase with Veiled Women, Maiolica dishes from the Italian Renaissance or 18th century European tea services, the museum has something that will interest you. The collection, which exceeds 2900 pieces, is often described as a jewel box of ceramic treasures.
FREE Friday from 4 to 9pm at the Gardiner Museum

The award-winning Harbourfront Centre is an innovative, non-profit cultural organization which provides world-renowned programming in the arts and culture and is the site of art galleries, theatres, craft boutiques restaurants, offices, hotels and marinas fronted by a waterside promenade. The Centre encompasses several venues on a 10 acre site in the heart of Toronto's waterfront.
Link to Harbourfront Centre

The Canadian National Exhibition. There are a thousand things to see and do: the International Marketplace; the Coliseum's horse shows; the Midway; the Food Building; the Horticultural Building; the Automotive Building; the petting zoo; the sports complex; and much more!!! My favorite Toronto annual event is the Canadian National Exhibition held each summer.

Link to the Canadian National Exhibition

Art Gallery Tours of Toronto. Art Gallery of Ontario Gallery: Tours, Exhibits and Courses Family Programs: Off the Wall! For Kids Pop Photography: Objects in Everyday Life 1842-1969. Tom Thomson: More than 140 of the artists oil sketches, paintings and works on paper, along with works by his contemporaries.
Directory of Ontario Art Galleries

Royal Ontario Museum - Ancient Peru Unearthed: Golden Treasures of a Lost Civilization. The mysteries of the pre-Incan Sicán culture are revealed through a collection of elaborately crafted objects excavated from an undisturbed gold-filled tomb in the Batan Grande site on the northern coast of Peru. The tomb was uncovered by archaeologists in the 1990s. Over 100 artifacts will be on display, including gold crowns, elaborate headdresses, masks and jewelry, as well as pottery and metal objects.
Royal Ontario Museum

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Summerlicious Toronto’s Favourite Summer Food Event

2022-04-12T14:30:00.000-04:00

Mayor John Tory announced the City of Toronto’s popular Summerlicious program is returning this summer from August 12 to 28. Summerlicious was cancelled in 2020 and 2021.

Summerlicious 2022 has been designed to make it easier for restaurants to participate and to encourage more Toronto residents to dine-in and celebrate the city’s diverse culinary scene.

The program has been renewed to help the local industry generate much-needed revenue while also encouraging and building confidence in people so that they choose to safely enjoy indoor and patio dining again.

The Winterlicious and Summerlicious programs began in 2003 as a way to boost Toronto’s restaurant industry during historically slow periods of business.

The Winterlicious and Summerlicious restaurants have served more than 7.9 million meals, generating more than $353 million for the local restaurant industry.

Summerlicious 2022 Program Details

Participating restaurants must offer a 3-course prix fixe menu for lunch and/or dinner, according to their regular business hours, and for on-premises dining (indoor and patio, if available).
Prix fixe menu(s) must consist of an appetizer/starter, main, and dessert, and offer a minimum of three options per course.
Prix fixe menu(s) must be priced at one of the program’s expanded range of price point categories.

New changes for Summerlicious 2022

Free restaurant participation (no fee)
Expanded range of price point categories for 3-course prix fixe Summerlicious menus, both lower and higher than the traditional three price point categories (beverages, tax and gratuity not included):
- $20 Lunch / $25 Dinner (new price point category)
- $27 Lunch / $35 Dinner
- $34 Lunch / $45 Dinner
- $41 Lunch / $55 Dinner
- $48 Lunch / $65 Dinner (new price point category)
- $55 Lunch / $75 Dinner (new price point category)
Simplified, online application process.

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Some Entertainment Events in Toronto

2022-04-10T21:26:00.000-04:00

Taylor Swift Dance Party April 30th - Arcane

Sat, Apr 30, 8:30 PM

Arcane Nightclub • Toronto, ON

Starts at CA$27.54

TSwift Dance Party TO

THAT SLOW JAM PARTY - EASTER LONG WEEKEND - APRIL 17, 2022

Sun, Apr 17, 10:00 PM

The Axis Club Theatre • Toronto, ON

Starts at CA$19.13

For The Culture | April Long Weekend Edition 2022

Sat, Apr 16, 10:00 PM

The Concert Hall • Toronto, ON

Starts at CA$31.66

ANG @ Wiggle Room | Friday April 22nd | Toronto, Ontario

Fri, Apr 22, 10:00 PM

Wiggle Room Toronto • Toronto, ON

Starts at CA$27.54

Wrestling! Superkick'd Pro Wrestling Rock Show! Live Pro Wrestling Event.

Fri, Apr 22, 8:00 PM

The Great Hall - A Vintage Venue • Toronto, ON

Starts at CA$32.84

Live at The Funk-tion: Burlesque and Live Music

Fri, Apr 15, 6:00 PM + 7 more events

hush hush • Toronto, ON

Starts at CA$27.54

Heritage Antique Market - April 17, Easter Sunday - Early VIP Admission Fee

Sun, Apr 17, 6:00 AM

Centerpoint Mall • Toronto, ON

Starts at CA$25.00

Comedy On The D - April 16th @ 9:30pm

Sat, Apr 16, 9:30 PM

Mandy's Bistro • Toronto, ON

Starts at CA$15.00

TT.Nightlife "Spring Bash" at Maple Banquet Hall

Sat, Apr 16, 8:00 PM

Maple Banquet Hall • Mississauga, ON

Starts at CA$38.15

It's Gonna Be May: Boy Band Dance Party - April 30

Sat, Apr 30, 10:30 PM

Sneaky Dee's • Toronto, ON

Starts at CA$6.32

Reza Sadeghi Live in Toronto - April 23rd, 2022

Sat, Apr 23, 8:00 PM

John Bassett Theatre • Toronto, ON

Starts at CA$59.37

Chocolate Groove - Cacao Ecstatic Dance Party & Social

Wed, Apr 13, 7:00 PM + 2 more events

643 Yonge St • Toronto, ON

BEHROUZ | Thursday April 14th @Mister Wolf

Thu, Apr 14, 10:00 PM

Mister Wolf • Toronto, ON

Starts at CA$38.15

Pokémon à la Mode

Sat, Apr 23, 1:00 PM + 11 more events

Oishiii Sweets Cafe • Toronto, ON

Starts at CA$63.09

Fruit Salad: Happy Hour for lesbians+, LGBTQIA2 + women and their friends!

Sat, Apr 23, 8:00 PM

Society Clubhouse • Toronto, ON

Metaphoenix and MODO LIVE present: WHITEOUT

Sat, Apr 23, 9:00 PM

The Opera House • Toronto, ON

Starts at CA$16.93

Babes, Babes, Babes Burlesque Show Toronto

Thu, Apr 21, 8:00 PM

Revival Bar • Toronto

Starts at CA$29.99

Special Delivery X The A.C.E. Group Presents: THROWBACK.MP3

Sun, Apr 17, 10:00 PM

423 College St • Toronto, ON

Starts at CA$11.62

FREEPLAY ARCADE PARTY !

Today at 6:00 PM

FreePlay Toronto • Toronto, ON

Starts at CA$5.00

Robbie G live in Toronto April 28th at Bar Cathedral

Thu, Apr 28, 8:00 PM

Bar Cathedral • Toronto, ON

Starts at CA$25.12

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Hiking Trails in Toronto Ontario Canada

2022-03-26T16:40:00.000-04:00

BEST HIKING TRAILS in TORONTO!

Best Toronto Hiking Trails: Amazing Toronto Hikes Within the City

100 Best Hiking Trails in Ontario

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Aerial drone footage of Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 8K UHD resolution!

2022-03-26T13:44:00.000-04:00

Aerial drone footage of Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 8K UHD resolution!

8K ULTRA HD 60 FPS Collection of Drone & Aerial Footage of Toronto, Canada

Toronto, Ontario, Canada 🇨🇦 in 8K ULTRA HD HDR 60 FPS by Drone

This is an excellent video showing Toronto

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Polar Bear English Academy Inc.

2022-03-22T15:53:00.026-04:00

Polar Bear English Academy Inc.

This is the real deal!

Have fun, while learning with high proficiency to communicate: at school, on the street, at a store, in a workplace, at the airport or train station, or during a business conference.

Using proven learner-psychology and project-based learning, we practice WITH you to prepare you for real-life every day scenarios.

You have a unique background and your own desires for learning or polishing English skills. We use FLEXICULUM where you can plan your own learning path to include those things that matter most to you, right now.

With our system, you will have a curriculum made flexible to suit your personal needs. This increases relevancy, and retention. You can start speaking and job hunting quickly, with our program.

USE "ESLinCANADA50" Discount Coupon

email: eslincanada@gmail.com

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Daniel Dale Canadian Fact-checking Journalist

2020-11-01T20:47:00.000-05:00

When CNN hired Dale away from the Toronto Star last year, he was on his way to becoming a household name in the U.S.

Dale says being Canadian gives him an advantage over his American counterparts.

“He didn’t grow up in this media culture that is so deferential to the president that they’re afraid to call a lie a lie. He hasn’t grown up in this media culture where because of national security, reporters are afraid to get involved in saying that the government is not telling the truth.”

Dale agrees that his Canadian roots make a difference.

Daniel Dale, the Canadian journalist fact-checking Donald Trump

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Study English in Toronto Online Classes

2020-08-22T11:33:00.011-04:00

The online classes can be designed for individual students or groups of students.

Classes use combinations of zoom, whatsapp, facetime, text, voip, email and other platforms.

All online teachers are Canadian certified and experienced teachers.

Email: eslincanada@gmail.com

How ESL in Canada Recommends Classes

ESL in Canada recommends both free and commercial ESL English classes for example:

the FREE Toronto ESL Cafe English conversation classes, the free LINC classes for new Canadians, the free English classes at many libraries, the free classes at accredited TESL Teaching schools, and some excellent Board of Education continuing education classes that cost 2 or 3 dollars per instructional hour.

ESL in Canada recommends a few affiliated ESL schools with colleges and universities. Some affiliated ESL programs earn the students credits towards an undergraduate degree and enable entry into the regular college or university programs.

Some affiliated programs are not recommended because even some public colleges and universities used ESL students as a money grab, dumping dozens of the same L1 into a class and allowing L1 to be spoken 90% of the time. The college made $$ and the students learned almost nothing.

ESL in Canada recommends a few English classes at excellent independent ESL schools that cost between 12 to 18 dollars per hour with their teachers and their programs and some excellent private ESL and Business English teachers that charge between 20 and 65 dollars per hour.

English Conversation Classes

We know that English Language Conversation Skills consist of language abilities, conversation skills, social skills, culture knowledge and non-verbal communication skills.

English Conversation Lessons can be on one or more of the language skills or fully integrated practice sessions.

English conversation lesson examples include consonant and vowel pronunciation, syllable stress patterns in words, intonation and timing for phrases and expressions, polite words, formal vocabulary, slang and jargon use, correct greetings, use of active sentence constructions, listening carefully, answering directly, using correct gestures to reinforce or further explain spoken words.

English Conversation Classes tend to be fully integrated practice sessions. The conversation partner can be fellow language students or native speakers or ESL teachers.

The English Conversation Classes can be free-flowing with no corrections or be interrupted for corrections or interrupted for corrections and specific lesson review and then continued.

Some English Conversation Class ESL teachers require their students to write new vocabulary words and some will record the entire conversation class so that the students can play back the entire class to repeat and review all the words and pronunciation.

English Conversation Classes can be practice sessions for casual, informal, gossip, face-to-face and everyday conversations.

English Conversation Classes can be practice sessions for conferences, formal, polite, interview, two-way, presentations, consultation, or business small talk.

English Conversation Classes can be practice sessions for chitchat, Q and A, heart-to-heart talk, confab, powwow, bull sessions, talkfest, gabfest, pillow talk and rap sessions.

English Conversation Classes can be fully integrated practice sessions for academic subjects, leisure topics, politics, religion, sports, hobbies, activities, and interests.

English Conversation Classes can be fully integrated practice sessions for sports. The class can be structured to talk about amateur sports, Olympic sports or professional sports and maybe a specific sport like hockey or football. The sports conversation classes can cover sub-topics like leagues, past winners, current standings, coaches, owners, star players, salaries, statistics, dream teams, and future predictions.

English Conversation Classes can be fully integrated practice sessions for business conversations. How to introduce yourself, your company and your products for sale. How to present to one person and small groups and larger groups. How to ask questions and how to answer questions. How to compare and contrast products and services. How to negotiate prices.

English Conversation Classes can be fully integrated practice sessions for music or movies. Some of the classes can be academic and discuss genre or style or methods. Some of the classes can be gossip such as "Brad and Angelina did this ..." or "Britney Spears was seen doing ..."

As a summary English Conversation Classes can be designed for the number, age, level and interests of the students. English Conversation Classes can be designed for the type of conversation, subjects of the conversation, topics and sub-topics of the conversation.

for additional ESL class infromation:

https://eslincanada.blogspot.com/p/directory-of-classes.html

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International Students are Driving Canadian Rents Costs UP

2019-10-07T09:55:00.000-04:00

Foreign students in Canadian universities and colleges is up 119 % from 2010 to 2017, according to the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE), which estimates there were 435,415 international students in Canada at the end of 2018.

In Canada, the supply of urban housing near post-secondary schools is
estimated at 3% other countries that have seen a flood of international students, such as the U.S. and U.K. are at 10 and 12%.

Data from REIN, Financial Post and Huffpost estimate largest city student housing shortages are in Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa.

https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AAIm5Ff.img?h=326&w=630&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f

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TEDx Toronto October 26, 2019

2019-09-11T10:51:00.000-04:00

The 11th annual TEDx Toronto conference, a day-long program of creative ideas, innovators and change-makers from across the Greater Toronto Area.

The eclectic speakers include:

Mark Cohon, Former Commissioner of the CFL

Umbereen Inayet, Artistic Producer at Nuit Blanche

Danielle Goldfarb, Head of Global Research at RIWI Corp.

Esie Mensah, Dance and Choreographer

Gulshan Allibhai, Owner of Lahore Tikka House

Joseph Palermo, Engineer at Dessa

Michelle Xuereb, Director of Innovation at Quadrangle

Anthony Morgan, Human Rights and Civil Liberties Lawyer

Casandra Diamond, Founder and Director of BridgeNorth

Sage Paul, Costume and Fashion Artist

Shireen Ahmed, Writer, Podcaster,

Andrew Reeves, Environmental Journalist

Evergreen Brick Works
550 Bayview Ave, Toronto ON
Evergreen Brick Works

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2019 Collision - Toronto Tech Conference

2019-05-07T10:20:00.000-04:00

May 20 to 23 Toronto Ontario Canada

Meet 600 speakers, nearly 70 government and trade delegations will attend from 55 countries across all continents. Tech giants such as Google, AWS, Airbnb, Microsoft, Cisco, Stripe and Slack alongside a number of multinationals like KPMG, Volvo, Siemens and Johnson&Johnson are also partnering over the four-day event.

This year’s line-up include a variety of speakers, from tech gurus such as Ev Williams the founder of Medium and Kara Swisher from Recode, to actors like Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Collision is the fastest-growing tech conference in North America.

Now in its fifth year, Collision has grown to over 25,000 attendees. Collision has become a crossroads for the world’s largest buyers and sellers of technology, alongside many of the world’s most disruptive emerging technology companies.

Inc. has said we run “North America’s fastest-growing tech conference”;

The Wall Street Journal that “the giants of the web assemble” at Collision.

https://collisionconf.com/

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Upcoming Toronto Training Seminars

2019-04-23T09:10:00.000-04:00

25 - 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Business Operations Boot Camp

April 30 – 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Growthwheel Boot Camp

May 1 – 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Funding Boot Camp

May 7 - 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Marketing Boot Camp

May 8 – 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Starting Your Business 101

May 10 - 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Ask the Expert: Insurance

May 10 – 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Ask the Expert – Accounting

May 14 - 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Legal Boot Camp Webinar

May 15 – 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Startup Financials Webinar

May 21 – 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Comment se Lancer En Affaires 101

23 mai - 10h00 to midi
Growth Wheel pour entrepreneur

May 28 - 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Website Building Boot Camp

May 29 – 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Business Operations Webinar

May 30 - 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Social Media Boot Camp

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This Weekend in Toronto Ontario Canada

2018-11-22T09:04:00.000-05:00

This Weekend in

Toronto, ON

CHANGE LOCATION

RECOMMENDED EVENTS

John Butler Trio

Sun, Nov 25 - 6:30PM

The Danforth Music Hall

FIND TICKETS

Rufus Wainwright

Thu, Nov 22 - 8:00PM

Queen Elizabeth Theatre

FIND TICKETS

Great Lake Swimmers

Fri, Nov 23 - 7:00PM

The Danforth Music Hall

FIND TICKETS

Snails

Sat, Nov 24 - 7:00PM

The Danforth Music Hall

FIND TICKETS

Cute Is What We Aim for

Sun, Nov 25 - 7:00PM

Velvet Underground

FIND TICKETS

Toronto Raptors

TRACK TEAM

FRI NOV 23 vs Washington Wizards

FIND TICKETS

SUN NOV 25 vs Miami Heat

FIND TICKETS

Toronto Maple Leafs

TRACK TEAM

SAT NOV 24 vs Philadelphia Flyers

FIND TICKETS

Link to main eventful website

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Toronto’s Sky-high Housing Prices

2018-11-13T10:17:00.000-05:00

Development pressures in such communities have affected tenants in many ways — driving rents higher and fueling gentrification and a renovation craze.

These factors create a precarious situation for renters - the two largest groups affected by high rents are seniors and students.

Read more here: How Toronto’s sky-high housing prices are forcing seniors out of their homes

According to the Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation, a third of seniors are tenants, and the majority of them already spend more than the recommended 30 per cent of their income on housing. Seniors, like everyone else, are hit with escalating rents — but most are on a fixed income.

Affordable social housing is an option, but the waiting list in Toronto is nearly nine years and 100,000 households long — the wait can be even longer for those who don’t qualify for special priority status.

From the University of Toronto Student life Housing info page:

Getting a clear picture of the cost of living can help you budget for the year. Estimated costs of living in Toronto, Mississauga and Scarborough for 2018-19 are provided below.

Estimated living and studying costs for the academic year (8 months)

Food: $1604 - $3700

Clothing: $900 - $1100

Local Transportation: $934 ($116.75 per month)

Books, supplies and instruments: $1000 - $2000+

Miscellaneous: $1000 - $2000

Housing Costs

CMA (Census Metro Area)

Room: N/A
Bachelor: $1,013
1-bedroom apartment: $1,194
2-bedroom apartment: $1,404
3+-bedroom apartment: $1,569

Near St. George

Room: $900*
Bachelor: $1,096
1-bedroom apartment: $1,353
2-bedroom apartment: $1,983
3+-bedroom apartment: $2,451

Near UTM

Room: $702*
Bachelor: $900
1-bedroom apartment: $1,210
2-bedroom apartment: $1,327
3+-bedroom apartment: $1,780

Near UTSC

Room: $800*
Bachelor: $927
1-bedroom apartment: $1,100
2-bedroom apartment: $1,353
3+-bedroom apartment: $1,762

Sources:

CMHC Rental Market Report – Fall 2017
*Room avg. source: U of T Off-Campus Housing Service – Fall 2017

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Learn ESL English in Toronto

2018-11-02T09:27:00.001-04:00

The library has books, online tools, and classes to help people learning English as a second language.

ESL learning materials

Books

More ESL books

Databases and online tools

IELTS

Practice tests with answers. Prepare for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam.

More online tools for English-language learning

ESL classes

Classes taught in English only

Cedarbrae

Classes offered September to July
Basic
Wednesdays & Fridays, 10:30 a.m. –1:30 p.m.
Co-sponsor: Toronto Catholic District School Board

Dawes Road

Classes offered from September to June
For information call 416–396–3820
Intermediate
Tuesdays – Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Co-sponsor: Toronto Catholic District School Board

Downsview

Classes offered September to June
For information call 416–338–4300
Beginner/Intermediate
Mondays – Fridays, 9:30 a.m. – 12 noon
Beginner/Intermediate
Mondays – Thursdays, 12 noon – 2:30 p.m.
Co-sponsor: Toronto District School Board

Fairview

Classes offered September to June
Registration required. For information call 416–395–5750
Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced
Mondays & Wednesdays, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Co-sponsor: Toronto District School Board

Goldhawk Park

Classes offered September to June
For information call 416-222–8282, ext. 2499
Beginner/Low intermediate
Mondays & Wednesdays, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Co-sponsor: Toronto Catholic District School Board

Malvern

Classes offered September to June
Beginner
Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Parkdale

Classes offered September to June
For information call: 416–338–4300
Beginner/Intermediate
Mondays – Fridays, 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Co-sponsor: Toronto District School Board

Pleasant View

Classes offered September to June
Beginner/Intermediate
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Co-sponsor: Toronto District School Board

Classes with bilingual instruction

Riverdale

Classes offered September to June
For information call 416-338-4300
Cantonese/Mandarin/English
Low Beginner and Beginner
Mondays to Thursdays, 12:30 – 3:00 p.m.
Co-sponsor: Toronto District School Board and Eastview Neighbourhood Community Centre
Mid-Beginner
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 10 a.m. – 12 noon
Co-sponsor: Toronto District School Board

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WSIB: Health and Safety Laws for Small Businesses

2018-10-30T09:53:00.000-04:00

PRICE FREE

DESCRIPTION

Work related injuries are costly for small business.

Many employers in Toronto do not understand their Health and Safety responsibilities and legal obligations.

Please join Enterprise Toronto in this FREE workshop provided by Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Small Business Health & Safety Consultant Lesia Conneely who will explain how to keep you workplace healthy and safe and in compliance with health and safety laws.

DATE AND TIME

Thu, November 15, 2018

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM EST

LOCATION

North York Civic Centre

5100 Yonge St.

Lower Floor, Committee Room 2

North York, Ontario M2N 5V7

LINK to additional WSIB Information

The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board is an independent trust agency that administers compensation and no-fault insurance for Ontario workplaces.

WSIB is committed to delivering what matters to the workers and employers of Ontario: fast, accessible service and fair benefits at a fair price.

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Website Building for Beginners Boot Camp - Oct 23

2018-10-18T08:51:00.000-04:00

In this boot camp, you’ll learn the easy way to do it right the first time:

How to select a domain name
How to choose hosting
How to choose a platform (Wordpress or other)
How to select a professional website designer, or make the decision to attempt it yourself.
What the key elements and structure of design and content are.
Key features for a secure website.
Basic SEO considerations in website design and content development.
Why Google/Bing Analytics and Webmaster Tools are important to install on your new website.

DATE AND TIME

Tue, October 23, 2018

9:00 AM – 12:30 PM EDT

LOCATION

Toronto City Hall

100 Queen St. W.

2nd Floor, Committee Room 4

Toronto, Ontario M5H 2N2

Cost $ 25

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/website-building-for-beginners-boot-camp-oct-23-tickets-42474971784

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Using Technology to Improve Productivity - June 26

2018-06-24T11:06:00.000-04:00

DESCRIPTION

In today’s digital era, the pace of business is faster than ever before. There’s more partners to meet, more competitors to beat, more customers to attract, and more ways to reach them... but no more hours in the day.

This is where technology comes in handy.

Upgraded technology has become a leading driver for digital business growth. Along with enabling your sales and marketing tactics, technology can be used to increase efficiency. In fact, 80% of small businesses in Canada agree that technology has positively impacted employee productivity, and 76% believe that technology has made it easier for employees to get more work done.

But how exactly is this possible? How exactly can technology help a person be more efficient and productive? In this session, we’ll show you 8 ways productivity technology can help you work smarter, so you can do more with your day.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/using-technology-to-improve-productivity

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