Toronto Greeters Program

The Annex

Take a peek in Toronto’s Annex neighbourhood with Toronto Greeter, Neil Jain.

Chinatown

Visit one of Toronto’s Chinatown nieghbourhoods with Toronto Greeter, Sally Kelly.

Kensington Market

Have a quick look at Toronto’s Kensington Market nieghbourhood with Toronto Greeter, Ellen Overton.

The Distillery District

Come visit Toronto’s Distillery District with Toronto Greeter, Andrew Vasilevich.

This is a great idea and found it really useful to start off our visit with a tour from Cyndi. Cyndi was extremely friendly and helpful and we very much enjoyed our time spent during the tour. We will definitely recommend this scheme to anyone we know coming to Toronto as this is not a program I have come across previously but think everywhere would benefit from operating something like this. We can’t recommend it highly enough. Please pass on our thanks to Cyndi!Ellen Bookes, United Kingdom

May I express my sincere thanks for showing us around in last week. If I traveled around by myself, I couldn’t find so many amazing things in here (e.g. The Great Wall of China as well as the harmony of the multi-cultural here). It is great for me to know more about the city and I really want to make the most of it in the study trip in Toronto. Also, I want to thank you for the Tourist Guide Book you gave us. There seems a lot to see and good food to taste in Toronto. When I present your book to my host family, they can’t stop saying, Oh, this one and that one are my favourite restaurants!Joanna Wong, student from Hong Kong

Thank you very much for organizing our greeter, we had a great time! We participated in three greeter programs in various cities on our trip and we felt especially welcomed by the Toronto program, even before we arrived! It was lovely to hear such friendliness and it definitely gave a very good impression of Toronto and the people there. By the way, we loved Toronto and would love to move there, if there was ever a chance!Cindy Kalai, Australia

I would like to give you positive feedback in the program that you are managing and for the people that let this continue. It was really interesting all the stories and explanations that Martin told me about the city! I confirm that Toronto (and Canada in general) is a great place to visit, with wonderful persons. I have found that they are a very nice and gentle spirit in their community! You have a magic all around the city that let a foreign to feel at home. Thank you very much for everything. Eric Dan, Mexico

Dear John, My dad had such an excellent time! He kept talking about all the things you showed him and the topics the two of you talked about (among others WW2). Thanks again for doing such a brilliant job at showing our beautiful city. Ellen (Harry) Sprenger, Netherlands

My Mom absolutely loved her experience, thanks to Anton. He is a great greeter and she really enjoyed her tour as well as her friend. Thanks a lot for organizing all this for us. We will certainly recommend your services and especially Anton as a guide to our Russian- speaking friends! Irina Klimenko, Russia

It was wonderful to get to know a true Toronto resident and learn about her family background and her life in Toronto. We took the public transit system to the Distillery area where we had crepes and devoured the variety of chocolates in the chocolate making store. It was great to learn about the history of the Distillery area from Apple who was so knowledgeable! From there we took the public transit system again to the Financial District area where I took amazing photos of the buildings and the clouds above. Not only did I enjoy Toronto, but found a new friend, Apple who I look forward to hosting in Orange County someday on her visit-or your visit here in southern California! I have been talking about your program to my friends and colleagues and will continue to promote your wonderful Tap into TO! program! Thanks so much for hosting me! Chona Boretti, Orange County

My experience was excellent!!!! I found the ad in the Toronto Visitor Guide that I picked up in Windsor at the train station when I purchased my ticket. The greeter contacted me, met me on time and we had the best time with all the little ‘off the beaten Path’ things that only a native would know. Alee is whimsical, entertaining and knowledgeable. He was very concerned that I was enjoying the tour. We had a wonderful 11 mile waking excursion. I cannot thank you enough for the great time. Madelyn Kleitch, Miami

Are you able to connect and chat with people from other cultures with ease? Are you privy to the lesser-known nooks and crannies around Toronto? Are you excited to share your love of Toronto with visitors as an unpaid volunteer? Then being a greeter may be a perfect fit! Our volunteer Greeters are…

• passionate about Toronto
• friendly and outgoing
• flexible, reliable and dedicated to visitors’ needs, rain or shine
• accepting of cultural differences
• able to attend a half day training session
• able to volunteer at least 10 days per year
• willing to wear a Toronto Greeter Program identification badge during a walk.

Your responsibilities as a Greeter include:

• meeting a visitor(s) at a pre-determined location and time
• provide an overview of the city
• provide an overview of the transit system
• spend two to three hours with the visitor(s) travelling on foot and/or using public transit
• be informative, interesting and flexible
• return the visitor to the original meeting place
• thank the visitor for choosing Toronto and welcome them back

Sound like a good fit?

Apply to Become a Greeter