Temerty Faculty of Medicine ↗ MD Program ↗
Section 02 · Housing

Where to live,
and what's worth knowing.

An interactive map of student buildings near campus. Click any pin to see real commute times to MSB, current rent ranges, neighborhood notes, and reviews from upper-year students.

Anchor point All commute times measured from the Medical Sciences Building (MSB), 1 King's College Circle.
MAM students If you've been placed at the Mississauga Academy of Medicine, your housing math is different. Confirm your placement before signing downtown.
Before You Tour Anything

Three questions to answer first.

The right neighborhood depends almost entirely on these three things. Decide them before you start scrolling listings.

01

Which academy?

St. George academies cluster around downtown campus; MAM is at UTM. Where you'll spend most of your week shapes the math, but plenty of students commute in either direction. Do the math honestly before signing.

02

Walk, transit, or drive?

8am sessions are common. A 45-minute commute in February feels different than it does in September, and plenty of students live with parents or partners further out and make it work. Be realistic about what you'll tolerate.

03

Solo or roommates?

A 2-bedroom split two ways is often $400–600/month cheaper per person than a comparable 1-bed. Worth considering even if you'd prefer to live alone.

UofT Residences

Four on-campus options.

UofT operates several residences open to graduate and professional students, including MD students. They tend to be the simplest option for first year: predictable lease terms, no broker fees, walkable to MSB, and built-in community. All four of these are also pinned on the map below.

UofT Housing. central application

Graduate House

60 Harbord Street · 6 min walk to MSB

A modern UofT-owned residence at Harbord and Spadina. Most units are self-contained studios or one-bedrooms with private kitchen and bath, closer to a small apartment than a traditional dorm. Open to graduate and professional students, including MD.

  • Best for: students who want their own space, quiet study environment, and don't want to deal with roommates or rental search
  • Watch out: oversubscribed every year. only 25 spaces reserved for incoming first-year MD students on a first-come, first-served basis
  • MD-specific process: email medicine.admiss@utoronto.ca to indicate your interest by June 1, 2026. Then submit a Graduate Residences application through the StarRez Portal. Offers sent by June 15, 2026.
  • Questions: information.gradhouse@utoronto.ca
Graduate House ↗

UofT-affiliated college. apply directly

Knox College Residence

59 St. George Street · 4 min walk to MSB

A traditional college-style residence on St. George Street, the closest residence to MSB. Knox accepts graduate and professional students into its residence. Single rooms with shared washrooms or kitchens depending on placement, plus library and study lounges.

  • Best for: students who want the shortest possible commute and don't mind shared facilities
  • Watch out: less self-contained than Graduate House, so confirm the room configuration before committing
  • How to apply: directly through Knox College, not central UofT Housing
Knox College Residence ↗

Graduate residential college. competitive fellowship

Massey College

4 Devonshire Place · 5 min walk to MSB

A graduate residential college within UofT, closer to a small Oxbridge-style community than a residence. Members ("Junior Fellows") are admitted via competitive application based on academic record and contribution to community life. Strong intellectual culture: weekly High Table dinners, lecture series, mentorship from Senior Fellows. Costs vary by fellowship status.

  • Best for: students who want intellectual community, formal dinners, and engagement beyond medicine
  • Watch out: separate, competitive application, not a fallback for "I missed Graduate House"; apply early if interested
  • How to apply: through Massey College's Junior Fellows admissions, separate from UofT Housing
Massey College Junior Fellows ↗

UTM on-campus housing. MAM students

Schreiberwood Graduate & Medical Housing

UTM Campus, Mississauga · 5 min bike to UTM

UTM's on-campus residence for graduate and medical students, available to those in the MAM, BMC, and MScOT programs. Bachelor units come in two sizes: small (shared bathroom) and large (private bathroom). Utilities and internet are included in the rate, and a laundry card is provided on move-in.

  • 2026–27 rates: Small bachelor ~$952/mo ($11,429/yr); Large bachelor ~$1,001/mo ($12,010/yr). medical rates slightly higher
  • Best for: MAM students who want the simplest possible commute to UTM and all-inclusive pricing
  • Watch out: waitlist-based. current tenants get priority; $350 non-refundable application fee; apply by late May/June deadline
  • How to apply: via StarRez at residence.utoronto.ca using your UTORid
UTM Graduate & Medical Housing ↗
Where to verify: the Faculty maintains an official housing & residence page with current application timelines, costs, and additional options. Always cross-check rates and deadlines there before deciding.
The Interactive Map

Buildings near MSB.

Click any pin (or any item in the list) to see details, rent, commute, and reviews. The gold pin is MSB. your reference point. UofT residences (Graduate House, Knox, Massey) are pinned alongside private rentals.

Show on map
Filter by neighborhood
8 Buildings
Select a building from the list or click a pin on the map.
Decide Between Two

Compare two or three buildings side by side.

The map and full list above are exhaustive. This tool is for the moment when you've narrowed it down and want to see two specific buildings next to each other on the things that drive a decision: rent, commute, vibe, what's around.

Pick two or three buildings.

Building A
Building B
Building C (optional)
Commuter Voices

Not everyone moves downtown.

Living downtown isn't the only path. Plenty of MD students commute from home, the suburbs, or further out, for financial, family, or personal reasons. A few representative stories.

Living with parents · Markham

"I save roughly $2,400/month staying home. The GO train + subway is about 65 minutes door-to-MSB, which I use to read or pre-CBL. The trade-off is a quieter social life mid-week. I make it up on weekends. For me, graduating with $80K less debt is worth it."

— 2T7 student
GO commute · Oakville

"Lakeshore West to Union, then subway. About 70 minutes. I split a 2-bedroom near campus with two classmates as a study/crash space. costs me ~$400/month and I sleep there 1–2 nights a week before early mornings or post-call. Best of both worlds for my family situation."

— 2T6 student
Driving in · Ajax

"I drive about 50 minutes off-peak to a Bloor-Yonge area lot ($16/day in advance). Living at home is non-negotiable for me. I'm helping with my mom's care. Clerkship's harder to commute through, but pre-clerkship is very doable if you're flexible about parking."

— 2T7 student
Mississauga → MAM

"I grew up in Mississauga and got placed at MAM, so I never had to move. My commute to UTM is 15 minutes by car. The downside is I drive into St. George maybe once a week for cohort-wide things and that part is genuinely a slog."

— 2T6 student

Have a commuter story to share? Submit it through Feedback and we'll add it here.

Tenant Rights & Insurance

What Ontario law protects.

Toronto rentals are governed by Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act. Knowing the basics protects you from landlords who count on tenants not knowing the rules.

Rent increases are capped

For most units (built before Nov 15, 2018), Ontario sets an annual rent-increase guideline, usually 2.5% or less. A landlord can raise rent only once every 12 months and must give 90 days' written notice using Form N1.

Newer units (built or first occupied after Nov 15, 2018) are exempt from the guideline. Landlords can raise rent by any amount on lease renewal. Confirm building age before signing.

"Last month's rent" is the legal maximum

A landlord can ask for first and last month's rent, and that's it. They cannot demand a separate damage deposit, key deposit beyond replacement cost, or any other upfront fee. The last month's rent earns interest at the same rate as the rent-increase guideline.

Anyone asking for "first, last, and damage deposit" is breaking the law. Walk away.

You cannot be evicted without cause

Ontario landlords must serve a formal notice (N4 for non-payment, N12 for own-use, etc.) and apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). They can't change locks, shut off utilities, or pressure you to leave. If a landlord tries any of that, contact the LTB.

N12 ("landlord's own use") evictions require one month's compensation. Bad-faith N12s are common. Document everything.

Roommates and "rooming house" units

If your name is on the lease, you're a tenant with full RTA protections. If you're subletting from another tenant, your protections come from them, not the landlord. Get a written subletting agreement. Rooming houses (shared kitchens/bathrooms) have looser rules.

Avoid handshake sublets. Get the lease assignment in writing before paying anything.

Landlord and Tenant Board ↗ Steps to Justice — Housing Law ↗ Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 ↗
Tenant insurance. get it. Typically $15–40/month in Toronto depending on coverage and provider. Covers your belongings, personal liability (e.g. you flood the unit below), and temporary housing if your place becomes uninhabitable. Many landlords now require it. Major options: Square One, APOLLO, BCAA, and your existing auto insurer if you have one. The OMA student membership also includes some coverage worth checking against any standalone policy.
Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP). Lower-income renters who pay their own electricity may qualify for a monthly credit applied directly to their hydro bill. Eligibility is based on household income and size. Many students paying their own utilities are eligible. Apply at ontarioelectricitysupport.ca.
Before You Sign

Things students wish they'd known.

Toronto's lease cycle is brutal in summer.
Most quality units list in May–June for a Sept 1 start and are gone within a week. If you wait until July, you'll choose from leftovers. Set up daily PadMapper and Facebook group alerts the day you accept your offer.
Don't pay rent in cash to a stranger you met online.
Toronto rental scams target students. Always tour in person, verify the landlord owns the unit (check MPAC), and never pay anything before signing a lease. If a deal feels rushed, it's a scam.
All-inclusive rent is rarely a deal.
"Utilities included" usually means the landlord has built a margin into the price. For a single occupant, hydro and internet typically run $80–120/month combined, which is much less than the markup on most inclusive listings.
Tenant insurance is worth it.
Runs $15–40/month depending on coverage and provider. Covers your contents, liability, and temporary housing if your unit becomes uninhabitable. Many landlords now require it. Don't skip.

⚠ Know the RTA rules going in.

Two tactics have become common in Toronto's market even though both violate the Residential Tenancies Act: offering several months of rent upfront, and bidding above the listed price. A landlord can only legally collect first and last month's rent. Post-listing rent escalation is prohibited.

Enforcement is weak. You may hear either tactic framed as standard practice. Some students go along with it; others don't and keep stronger legal footing if something goes wrong later. Rent paid above what's enforceable can be recovered.

If you do proceed, get everything in writing.