American life in Toronto: two Thanksgivings, two national days and the Jays

Being an American in Toronto is easy in all the obvious ways and a little odd in the small ones. You'll celebrate more holidays, not fewer, and you'll learn to cheer for a Canadian ball club.

The short version

• Canadian Thanksgiving is the second Monday in October and a public holiday in Ontario. American Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday in November and a regular workday [1].
• Canada Day (July 1) is a public holiday; the Fourth of July three days later isn't [1]. Many Americans celebrate both.
• Democrats Abroad has an active Toronto chapter. Republicans Overseas is the national group for Republicans abroad; its website doesn't list a Canada or Toronto chapter, so contact the national organization [2][3][4].
• The US Consulate General Toronto is at 360 University Avenue, where American Citizen Services has its own entrance [5].
• Toronto is a major-league sports town: the Blue Jays reached the 2025 World Series, and the Raptors won the 2019 NBA title. NFL Sundays are easy to find.

The holiday calendar, doubled

Here's the fun part: you don't lose your holidays in Toronto. You pick up a few.

Thanksgiving, twice

Canadian Thanksgiving falls on the second Monday in October, which was October 12 in 2026. It's one of Ontario's nine public holidays [1], so you'll get the day off. The meal looks familiar: turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie. It's lower-key than in the States, with no Black Friday hangover and no parade on TV the way you know it.

Then there's our Thanksgiving, the fourth Thursday in November. In Toronto it's a normal workday, so most Americans do one of these:

1. Take the day off and cook, as if you were back home.
2. Host on the weekend after, with a mix of American and Canadian friends.
3. Do both: Canadian Thanksgiving with Canadian friends in October, an American potluck in November.
4. Drive home. Buffalo is about 160 km (100 miles) away. Just know the border on Thanksgiving weekend can be slow.

Turkeys are easy to find in November, since grocery stores just stocked them for October. Canned pumpkin and cranberry sauce are standard in Canadian supermarkets too. The hardest thing to find may be people who get why you're cooking a turkey six weeks after everyone else.

Democrats Abroad Toronto has hosted Thanksgiving dinners and Fourth of July parties over the years [2], and they're not the only ones: workplaces with lots of Americans, churches and parent groups often throw something too.

Canada Day, then the Fourth

Canada Day on July 1 is a big, cheerful party: fireworks over the harbor, concerts and red-and-white everything. Join in. Three days later, the Fourth of July is a regular workday in Ontario, so American celebrations are backyard barbecues, rooftop gatherings and community parties [2]. A lot of Americans in Toronto just call the whole week "Canada-America week" and enjoy the double dose of fireworks.

Sports: the Jays, the Raps and NFL Sundays

If you love sports, Toronto won't let you down.

• Baseball: The Blue Jays play downtown, a short walk from Union Station, and they reached the 2025 World Series before losing Game 7 to the Dodgers [6]. Toronto went all in that October, and the fan base stayed fired up. A Jays game is the easiest way to feel at home and make Canadian friends.
• Basketball: The Raptors won the 2019 NBA championship, and the city still talks about it. Games at Scotiabank Arena are a great night out.
• Hockey: The Maple Leafs are a civic religion. Even if you grew up on the Blackhawks, you'll pick up the basics fast.
• Football: There's no NFL team in Toronto, but NFL Sundays are big. Many locals root for the Buffalo Bills, the closest team, and sports bars downtown show the Sunday slate, Monday Night Football and, of course, the Super Bowl. Canada also has its own league, the CFL, with three downs and a longer field. The Toronto Argonauts are worth one game just for the novelty.

For where to watch, find American food and stock up for game day, see our guide to American food, restaurants and bars in Toronto.

Politics: both parties' groups abroad

Plenty of Americans in Toronto stay involved in US politics. We list both parties' groups side by side, without endorsing either.

• Democrats Abroad Canada – Toronto Chapter runs voter registration, election and debate watch parties, tax seminars, and social events like pub meet-ups [2]. Democrats Abroad Canada also has chapters in the Hamilton-Burlington and Niagara regions, Canada's Capital Region (Ottawa), British Columbia and Victoria [3].
• Republicans Overseas is the main organization for Republicans living abroad. Its website doesn't currently list a Canada or Toronto chapter [4], so contact the national organization directly if you want to connect with Republicans in Toronto.

Whatever your politics, the key step is the same: send a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) every year to register and request your absentee ballot from the state where you last lived. See our guide to voting from abroad.

The US Consulate General Toronto

The US Embassy is in Ottawa, but Americans in the Toronto area are served by the US Consulate General Toronto at 360 University Avenue, between Queen and Dundas, midway between the St. Patrick and Osgoode subway stations [5]. American Citizen Services has its own entrance at 360 University; the visa entrance is around the back on Simcoe Street [5].

What American Citizen Services handles:

• Passports, including renewals and emergency passports
• Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBA) for kids born in Canada
• Notarial services, by appointment
• Help in emergencies, like an arrest, a death or a serious illness

The consulate lists an emergency line for US citizens in its district, and the main switchboard can't answer visa or consular questions [5]. Enroll in STEP so the consulate can reach you in an emergency. Our guide to STEP and help from US embassies covers what consulates can and can't do.

Business and professional groups

If you're here for work, the American Chamber of Commerce in Canada (AmCham Canada) promotes trade and investment between the two countries and has had a Toronto GTA chapter [7]. It's a business group, not a social club, but its events are a solid way to meet Americans working in town.

Finding your people

Most American life in Toronto is informal: coworkers, running clubs along the waterfront trail, rec hockey leagues (yes, adults play), parent groups and alumni events from US colleges.

A tip from people who've done it: Canadians are friendly but can be a little reserved at first, and they've heard every "Canada is America's hat" joke. Skip those, learn the difference between a toque and a beanie (there isn't one), and you'll fit right in.

When you're new and have questions, our community group for Americans in Canada is a good place to start. Ask who's hosting Thanksgiving in November, where to watch the Bills, or which line at ServiceOntario moves fastest.

Sources

1. Ontario: Your guide to the Employment Standards Act, public holidays
2. Democrats Abroad: Canada – Toronto Chapter
3. Democrats Abroad: Canada
4. Republicans Overseas: Leadership
5. US Mission Canada: US Consulate General Toronto
6. ESPN: 2025 World Series Game 7, how the Dodgers beat the Blue Jays
7. Lippes Mathias: Appointment to AmCham Canada's Toronto GTA chapter council (June 2018)

Keep reading

• American food, restaurants and bars in Toronto
• Moving to Toronto as an American: visa routes
• Voting from abroad: the FPCA and FVAP
• STEP and help from US embassies