Ian shares his experience of living and working in Toronto, his tips for things to do in the area and how you can connect with the local ICAS community.
What’s your day job?
Director and Vice President in Deals at PwC.
How long have you lived in Toronto?
8 years.
Where were you before?
London, UK with PwC in Restructuring.
Where did you train?
PwC UK in the East Midlands.
What made you decide to get involved and become an ICAS Ambassador, and what have been the biggest takeaways for you personally and professionally?
The previous ambassador had stepped back and, following the pandemic, the local community had lost momentum so I volunteered. I’m just getting started in the role and trying to make sure we get good engagement with the long standing community and also welcoming those newer to the area.
What was it about Toronto that made you want to come here?
One of the reasons that I became a CA was to give me a passport to live and work abroad. My wife and I had just had twins and were living in a shoe box in London so we were looking to move. We felt that if we didn’t go abroad then, then we probably wouldn’t. PwC offered me a few different locations, but Canada seemed the best for my career, my wife’s career, and as a family.
Which part of Toronto do you call home?
Mid-town, which is a family friendly neighbourhood a short distance from the city centre.
What’s the one thing you shouldn’t miss if visiting the area? (e.g tourist attraction, cool area, best food, the outdoors)
The fall colours are spectacularly psychedelic. Niagara Falls should be on the list, although stay in picturesque Niagara-on-the-Lake and enjoy the ice wine as its far more pleasant than the grotty casinos of Niagara itself. Canadians live for (ice) hockey so try and grab a match.
I’m new to the area, can you recommend somewhere for:
- A business lunch – I like Stratus for the views of the city from the 36th floor. Minami and Miku do great sushi.
- An evening out – You can get in plenty of trouble in the bars on Queen St W. Ossington is also a fun area.
- A weekend getaway – There’s 20% of the world’s fresh water supply in the 250,000+ lakes in Ontario. Renting a cottage a couple of hours North of the city to relax, hike, fish, ice-fish, canoe, kayak, bike, waterski, snowmobile, snowshoe, etc. in and around the lakes and forests is a great way to experience the outdoors.
What are the best things about living and working in Toronto?
I really enjoy the 4 seasons. I can be minus 35 in winter and plus 35 in summer so there's a range of activities to get involved that change throughout the year. Culturally I find its a really friendly, positive, and family-focussed place. Its genuinely multi-cultural with a good mix of everything a big city has to offer with the great outdoors being readily accessible.
And what are the biggest challenges?
There’s less respect for holidays and weekends than the UK.
What advice would you give to another CA considering an opportunity in Toronto?
Invest in a really good coat for winter. Also, about half the population of Toronto was born outside Canada so there are plenty of programs for getting involved in Canadian life, like programs to learn how to skate, beginners (ice) hockey leagues etc.
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