Enjoy Etobicoke, Ontario

There's Something for Everyone, in Etobicoke.

Etobicoke, is a tranquil, diverse and fairly affluent suburb within the city of Toronto with a population of just under half a million. Let's learn more about this great community.


Known for This and That

Known for its green acres of park land, Etobicoke derives its name from an indigenous Indian word “wah-do-be-kang", which means “where Alders grow” to pinpoint its location between the Humber River and a creek, now known as the Etobicoke Creek.

From a City to Toronto

Formerly a city from 1967 till 1998, it became part of the city of Toronto in 1998 when it was united with the Borough of East York and the cities of Toronto, York, North York and Scarborough. Besides the Humber River and Etobicoke Creek

Who's Our Neighbours

Etobicoke is bordered by the City of Mississauga, Lake Ontario, Steels Avenue West and Toronto’s Pearson International Airport.

Brampton and Woodbridge are also very close neighbours to Etobicoke.

The View from Etobicoke

Etobicoke: In the Beginning

Prior to the 16th century, Etobicoke was first inhabited by different Indigenous people like the Algonquins, the Huron-Wendat, the Iroquois, the Ojibway, Odawa and Potawatomi Algonquin peoples. It was a hunting, farming and fishing community at the time. In the late 16th century, Europeans settled there, and the name “Etobicoke” was formerly adopted in 1795.

An Etobicoke Summary:

21st Century Etobicoke

There is something for everyone in Etobicoke. The sounds and sights of Etobicoke are as diverse as the community itself, which yields a rich blend of culture, nature, leisure pursuits, entertainment, hospitality and business opportunities, making Etobicoke a unique and exciting place to live but at the same time a haven of peace and tranquillity from the hustle and bustle of city life. A place to get away and hibernate – something which we all need from time to time in order to relax and recharge the batteries of life.

The Great Outdoors

Think “green pastures” and the word Etobicoke springs to mind. Its many hectares of parks and greenery has a natural beauty that oozes peace and tranquillity. Etobicoke is home to numerous parks such as the enchanting Etobicoke Valley Park, Humber Bay Parks, James Gardens, Centennial Park and Colonel Samuel Smith Park. This makes it ideal for the great outdoor life of hiking, camping, fishing and any type of outdoor sports.

Golfing and Recreation

Etobicoke also boosts of a considerable number of Golf clubs. Not surprising with the green landscape which is exactly what a Golf club needs! 

This includes the famous St George’s Golf and Country Club which is one of the top Golf clubs in the world and has laid on the Canadian Open on multiple occasions.

As for other recreational activities, there's also a significant culture of swimming activities in Etobicoke. It just so happens one of our first extended pages is about swimming lessons for adults, check it out:

Food and Culture

Etobicoke is culturally diverse; being home to people from Latin America, South East Asia, China, Korea, Africa and the Caribbean, Europe, the Philippines, South Asia and the Middle East.  From a beautiful array of cultures, exotic and tasty foods are bound to be birthed resulting in a plethora of eating options when it comes to dining out. For the Foodies out there, you are spoilt for choice – from Mexican, Japanese, Italian, Thai, Indian, Greek, Jamaican, Irish, Polish, Turkish, Nigerian, Somalian, Middle Eastern to name but a few. 

Who says you need to travel round the world for International Cuisine when it’s right on your door-step! For healthy and tasty food, why not try places like Thrive Organic Kitchen and Café for vegan and vegetarian dishes or Good Grains which is also vegan. Or for a feel of the Mediterranean, you can never go wrong with hale and hearty Italian cuisine – ‘just the way Mama cooks it” type cooking – try out Pazzia Osteria who serve various seafood options as well as pasta, tiramisu and pizza. For a taste of African spice and all things nice, 24 Seven Lounge and Restaurant serves Nigerian jollof rice, with fried plantain and assorted stewed beef, fish or chicken. In a nutshell, you are are spoilt for choice when it comes to food in Etobicoke!

Entertainment in Etobicoke

Boredom and Etobicoke are two words that do not go together!

There are tons of things to do in Etobicoke for every season of the year. There

is the Jerk Festival in summer, where the Island cultures are celebrated in

Centennial Park. In Winter, you have outdoor ice-skating trails in Colonel Sam

Smith Park.  Anytime of the year, there is bowling at the Planet Bowl; again, near Centennial Park.

This is family-fun-filled entertainment at its best with something for everyone! For the risky daredevils, enjoy an afternoon Go-karting at Go-Karts Mini-Indy and pretend you are a Formula 1 driver as you race down the tracks faster than the speed of light! For more family friendly entertainment, check out Paintball City, Amazon Indoor Playground and Threshold Aviation Airliner Adventures. For the adults, check out nightlife spots like Moxie’s Grill and Bar and 2Cats Cocktail Lounge.

Credit: Etobicoke Jerk Festival

Schools and Housing in Etobicoke

With a growing population, schools and housing are in high demand.  As an affluent community, housing is largely comprised of detached, semi-detached houses and apartment developments. 

This year, the Federal Government invested $89 million dollars in Etobicoke into an affordable housing scheme which will used to build 16 storey buildings comprising of nearly 300 one-and-two bed-room apartments. This tells a lot about the ambitions placed on Etobicoke and is evidenced by this quote from Canada’s Minister of Families regarding the investment.

“More middle-class Canadians and those working hard to join – will find safe, accessible and affordable homes in communities where they can thrive, children can learn and grow and have the stability and opportunities to succeed”.

There are a range of public and private schools to choose from in Etobicoke. And you do not have to be rich to send your child to a good school.

It is well known that some of the best public schools in Etobicoke are better than the most expensive private schools, thanks to the high level of investment from the Ministry of Education. 

Examples are Wedgewood Junior Public School, Sunnylea Junior School and Silverthorn Collegiate Institute which boosts of notable alumni such as the actor, Kiefer Sutherland and the Olympic swimmer, Brittany MacLean.

Business Opportunities in Etobicoke

Etobicoke has all the qualities that make it an attractive city to invest in but the main factor is the Federal Government’s decision to make a huge investment in housing. This suggests that there is a long-term vision for Etobicoke and a strategy in place to implement this vision. This can only be done when there is strong governance and leadership in place. 

This should give investors the confidence and boldness to invest in a thriving and growing city that is developing its social and economic infrastructure, which can only result in an increase in productivity and a boost to the economy of Etobicoke.

Therefore, Investors need to strike whilst the iron is still hot!

Credit: Colliers Canada International

Neighbouring Communities:

Etobicoke is in the heart of the Greater Toronto Area. As such, we're surrounding by a lot of notable communities:

  1. Mississauga
  2. Brampton
  3. Vaughan
  4. Richmond Hill
  5. North York
  6. Toronto
  7. Georgetown