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Downtown Toronto, Relocation, Toronto Condos

Pandemic Immigration: Tips for Moving to Toronto in 2022

February 22, 2022

Pandemic immigration picture by Javon Swaby on Pexels

Immigrating to a new city—or country—is a big step. It’s even bigger in a year already shaped by COVID-19 and short supplies of everything from refrigerators to sanitizer.

But building your life in a new city isn’t impossible. It just takes a little planning, a little creativity—and some support from your new Toronto neighbours.

Here are a few steps to make your move to Toronto easier—even in a pandemic.

Plan for each step to take a little longer

Every part of life has been slowed down by the COVID-19 pandemic—and immigration is no exception. 2021 saw Canadian borders closed and on-and-off travel restrictions, and left Canada with 1.8 million backlogged immigration applications by the end of the year.

What’s more, Toronto’s housing market is one of the most competitive in the country—and experts predict it’ll stay that way in 2022. Even with huge construction booms in the downtown, finding a permanent home is taking everybody longer.

COVID’s slowed down some of the essential paperwork you need for Toronto living as well. The City of Toronto has a great checklist available for how to get your life here started. But important services, like applying for your first Ontario health card, still need in-person appointments. That can mean longer waits due to COVID-19 capacity limits and pandemic backlogs.

So: the short version? It’s worthwhile to plan ahead, set up each step of your immigration process early, and assume there will be delays. Knowing how the whole process fits together will let you work on one part of the process when another’s held up and keep your immigration journey moving.

Go digital

The upside of all that COVID disruption? More and more of the immigration process can be done online.

Over the next few years, the Canadian federal government is modernizing the immigration system to fully digital. And if you’re new to Canada, you can already apply for your Social Insurance Number online.

When it comes to housing, more real estate open houses are going to virtual and video because of pandemic restrictions, which makes it easier to see potential new homes and get a feel for neighbourhoods. And with job interviews increasingly going online through video calling, it’s easier to line up work before you arrive.

Immigrating to Toronto this year might make your wifi connection your new best friend—and the more you can do online, the smoother your landing will be.

Consider supply backlogs

We’re short of a lot of life’s everyday conveniences right now: not just time with friends and family, but household appliances.

With global supply chains feeling pandemic stress, some of the basics for a new home are harder to get: dishwashers, refrigerators, and other everyday necessities are backordered by six weeks to two months. It’s one more reason setting up a new home—especially in a new city—can be more of a challenge this year.

If you’re making a list of what you’ll need in your everyday Toronto life, it’s worth a quick check to see whether there are shortages. You’ll save yourself stress and trouble in the long run.

DelSuites can be a simple start to your Toronto life

While no solution in these times is perfect, a short-term furnished rental condo can take some of the work of pandemic immigration off your hands.

Our comfortable, professionally-cleaned condo suites come fully equipped with everything you need on your first day in Toronto: beautiful modern furniture, a full collection of kitchen supplies, soft sheets and pillowcases, towels, toiletries, and more. If you’re shipping your personal belongings after arriving, we’ll help you live in a comfortable home until they’re here to meet you.

Our fully equipped kitchens let you cook the food you love and remove the stress of finding vegetarian, halal, kosher, or allergy-friendly meals in a new city. And our recommended grocery delivery services can help you place a first order before you arrive, so you can start your first night in Toronto with a full fridge and no worries.

We equip every unit with high-speed wireless Internet and North American long-distance phone service, so you can set up your life from the comfort of home. Find local information, call or write family, set up real estate viewings, enroll your children in school, and connect with local employers from your steady, stable home base.

While you’re busy setting up the basics of a new life, our bi-weekly professional house cleaning service keeps things tidy.

If something in your unit breaks or is confusing, you don’t have to navigate whose responsibility it is or find a contractor for repairs. Our guest services line will make sure a repair is done swiftly and well, with all COVID safety requirements taken care of.

Between the work of immigration, our buildings’ fitness amenities—beautifully maintained exercise rooms, pools, and outdoor gardens—will let you keep up your health routine, and there’s a full cable TV package to sit back and relax in the evening.

Immigration during a pandemic isn’t simple, but a good plan and a good space to call home for a while can make it easier. Call us at 647-370-3504 or email info@delsuites.com to find out how we can welcome you home to Toronto.

Customer Service Experience, Downtown Toronto Condos, Toronto Condos

What’s Behind the Trophy? Deciphering The DelSuites Awards Shelf

January 18, 2022

What’s in an award? Sometimes, it’s hard to tell. With a dizzying amount of industry-specific awards handed out every year, sorting what it all means—and what it says about the trip you’re about to book—can take a little expert knowledge.

With that in mind, we’re happy to explain the bottom line on the badges and honours DelSuites has collected—and what they mean when you spend the night in a DelSuites furnished apartment.

Consistency: The TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence

TripAdvisor‘s one of the biggest travel platforms out there, letting you rate, book, and browse everything from accommodations and airlines to local attractions.

In a word, Certificates of Excellence mean consistency. Snagging a spot on this coveted list means keeping at least a 4 out of 5 rating—that’s at least 80% satisfaction—over the past year, with a minimum amount of reviews required. Only the top 10% of listed businesses manage to keep their quality and customer satisfaction that steady.

With seven consecutive years on the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence list, it means you know you’re likely to get a positive experience—and not run into sudden problems or confusion.

Sustainability: Corporate Housing Providers Association Best Green Progress Award

The Corporate Housing Providers Association is where corporate housing companies go to learn, network, advocate, regulate, and recognize excellence in the industry. It’s an international trade association that does the heavy lifting of making our industry better.

Its Best Green Progress award means a judging panel of cross-industry experts recognized we’ve not just made one-off green improvements, but made sustainability an ingrained part of how DelSuites does business. Because it emphasizes policies that put eco-friendliness at the centre, it means you can trust that a company’s thinking about the bigger picture—and constantly working to think up the next innovation.

Doing a lot with less: Consumer Choice Award

Market research firm Léger Marketing has handed out the Consumer Choice Award for almost 35 years to honour excellence in small- and medium-sized businesses. It’s based on a survey they conduct with consumers in 28 cities—now driven by AI—and highlights businesses that are getting huge results with smaller staff.

As a six-time winner, this means you know a stay with DelSuites is a stay where you can enjoy the personal, relationship-driven service of a smaller company without sacrificing efficiency or comfort.

Thinking globally: Americas Expatriate Management and Mobility Awards

The Americas Expatriate Management and Mobility Awards are given out by the Forum for Expatriate Management—a community for the everyone in the huge business of helping people immigrate, emigrate, and relocate for work.

The EMMAs judges look for businesses that meet expats’ unique requirements: translating a new country’s housing market for their guests, working across cultural differences, and being a bridge with landlords and service providers.

As a three-time nominee—and the only Canadian corporate housing provider to be nominated in those years—the EMMAs send a simple message: that DelSuites can handle the unique challenges international guests deal with when moving across borders for work, and do it with sensitivity, care, and a smile.

What our awards bring to the table

So, what’s the story those statues tell you? That no matter what country you’re travelling from—or whether you’re one traveller or a multinational company—you can count on personal, thoughtful customer service that’ll always live up to our high standards.

And that whether it’s innovative technology or bringing in sustainable practices in our sustainable buildings, we’re always finding the newest way to make your stay better.

We’re proud to have been recognized by our industry for the DelSuites commitment to excellence: the best compliments come from the people who know what it takes to deliver great work. But we’re even prouder to bring that excellence to our guests every day—and live up to the promises our awards shelf guarantees.

Food & Recipes, Toronto Condos, toronto toursim

Eat the City: Toronto’s Best Specialty Grocery Options

December 15, 2021

Specialty grocery photo by Angele J from Pexels.

A huge fridge, a pristine stove, and a month or two in a new city—of course you want to do some absolutely amazing cooking.

Whether you’re recovering from a medical visit, sticking to a specific diet, or just absolutely on the go during your workday, there are plenty of reasons to check out Toronto’s grocery delivery options while staying in a fully-furnished DelSuites condominium. But for every Instacart buggy or supermarket-run service, there are a few delivery plans just off the beaten track: offering specialty grocery services, international products, or vegetables grown lovingly close to home.

We’re happy to profile a few of Toronto’s best specialty grocery delivery services—and help you make the most of that big, shiny, alluring kitchen.

Foodshare Toronto

Foodshare Toronto’s Good Food Box can hardly be called offbeat. It’s been delivering fresh, healthy, affordable fruit and vegetables across the city for over 30 years—and rolling the profits into community gardens, school programs, and incubators that nurture new Toronto food businesses.

But the box itself—a favourite among budget-conscious Torontonians—is infinitely adjustable: orders can be sized up or down, requested pre-cut for disabilities, and customized to arrive at your lobby weekly, biweekly, or monthly. You can also support racialized farmers with the Dismantling White Supremacy box, taste more diverse options, and support local agriculture.

The Good Food Box also offers add-on options like pasture-raised meat, bread, crackers, local honey, and coffee from fair trade Toronto roaster Alternative Grounds.

Iqbal Halal Foods

Locally-owned Iqbal Halal Foods, one of Toronto’s biggest halal markets, is enough of a neighbourhood hub that it hosted Thorncliffe Park’s pop-up vaccine clinics. But for shoppers outside Toronto’s Midtown, this halal superstore also delivers: not just their own meat and produce, but a huge swath of South Asian and Middle Eastern brands, from Pakistan’s Shangrila to Vimto.

Next-day delivery is free over a $129 order, and they’ll deliver up to 150km from their flagship store inside a week: everywhere in the Greater Toronto Area and throughout Southern Ontario.

Kosher City Plus

From North York to Midtown, Kosher City Plus delivers everything you need to set up a kosher household for a month—or a whole year. With an in-house bakery and deli including freshly baked challah, a line of kosher gluten-free products, and Cholov Yisroel and Passover brands, they cover the whole calendar. And it’s not limited to food: Kosher City Plus also brings affordable seasonal holiday supplies and Hebrew-language magazines and newspapers to your door.

With deliveries from Monday to Thursday—and no fee after a $100 minimum order—they’re the easiest way to set up your temporary kosher kitchen.

T&T Supermarket

It’s not exactly offbeat, but British Columbia-based East Asian grocery chain T&T Supermarket is a classic.

Since COVID-19 hit, T&T offers next-day delivery—and same-day pickup!—on everything from produce, meat, seafood and premade meals to the pantry staples you need to fully stock an Asian kitchen. If you’re outside their delivery zone? They’ll pop non-perishables in the mail to almost any postal code in Canada—which means there’s no reason to go without oyster sauce or gojuchang ever again.

Delivery is $7.99 for orders over $100, and a wide range of payment options including Wechat Pay and AliPay are accepted.

Dufferin Grove Farmers’ Market

One of west Toronto’s most enduring—and celebrated—farmers’ markets took things online when COVID-19 closed in, and they’re still bringing the farm directly to our doorsteps.

The Dufferin Grove Farmers’ Market webstore shows what its dozens of farmers, food producers, and diverse local brands are harvesting this week, and delivers your picks on market day.

As well as the usual seasonal produce, the market features sustainably-raised meat, fair trade chocolate, water buffalo and sheep cheese, Inuit-sourced fish, wild-foraged preserves, Tibetan, Mexican and Indian premade meals, and more.

Orders go in from 12pm Saturday to 12pm Tuesday every week, and Thursday afternoon deliveries—by cargo bike when possible!—cover most of downtown and Midtown, up to Lawrence Avenue.

100km Foods

Sometimes you’ve just got to pull out all the stops, and if you’re the kind of diner who likes to know exactly where your beets came from, 100km Foods has you covered: a wholesale local food distributor that turned to home delivery when COVID shut its high-end restaurant clients down.

100km’s organized produce, meat, and dairy boxes offer a rotating weekly sample of its farm-fresh products. But there’s also a regular selection of seasonal produce, meat, seafood, cheese, charcuterie, snacks, and pantry goods, as well as chef-made meals from some of the fine dining restaurants they supply.

With their products mostly grown in Niagara and Prince Edward County—and overwhelmingly organic and ecologically-conscious—it’s a true taste of Ontario regional foods.

Deliveries go out Wednesday to Saturday in most Toronto neighbourhoods, with a $6 delivery fee; free if your order’s over $100.

Fresh City Farms

Fresh City Farms started as an urban farm on decommissioned military land by Toronto’s Downsview Airport, and a veggie stand. Inside a dozen years, it’s bloomed into a homegrown grocery chain with multiple downtown locations, a dizzying selection of organic, local-grown, and small artisan-brand products, and an unswerving commitment to showcasing sustainable, healthy food. And that includes a bottle shop that focuses on Ontario wine, beer, and cider.

With most of its products labeled local, sustainable, and certified organic, you know exactly what you’re getting on Fresh City’s online shop—which is a real help if you eat gluten-free, keto, vegan, or dairy-free. And they still offer the organic produce boxes that transitioned them from farmstand to supermarket, weekly, biweekly, or on demand.

Deliveries go out seven days a week: $4.99 for a specific timeslot or $2.99 if you’re not choosy.

Roll your sleeves up in the kitchen

With full kitchens, full-sized fridges, and friendly concierges, a DelSuites furnished apartment rental makes trying Toronto’s best flavours easy. Contact us at DelSuites by phone at (647) 370-3504 or email info@delsuites.com to book your food-friendly accommodations.

Business Travel, Downtown Toronto, Downtown Toronto Condos, Toronto Condos

What Our Dedicated Guest Services Can Do to Make You Feel at Your Home Away From Home

July 23, 2021

We’re finally coming to the end of the COVID-19 quarantine, and that means that public events, restaurants, theaters, and rental properties can safely open up again. There’s no better time to get that business trip you’ve been wanting to schedule for all this time.

Toronto is the perfect place to get started. You have a ton of lucrative opportunities in such an active and lively city. Restrictions have recently been lifted in the area, and many building amenities have opened up as well. Scheduling a rental doesn’t have to be a headache, so take the time to make your stay a comfortable one.

DelSuites has been serving the short-term rental market in Toronto and other surrounding areas. We have a dedicated Guest Services team designed specifically to make our properties aligned with the high standards of our guests.

Pre-Arrival Services

First impressions matter, so we always have a “Points of Perfection” inspection to make sure everything is working as intended before you reach the room. We offer pre-arrival packages for all our new stays as well that contains:

Directions to the property
Confirmations for your reservations
Any special requests you’ve made

Grocery Service

One of the first things you do in your new place is to purchase groceries. To take some manual work off your plate, let us bring them to you directly when you move in with our pre-arrival grocery service! The cost will be conveniently added to your standard invoice. Delivery will be coordinated with move-in and be added directly to the fridge so that foods remain fresh when they reach you.

DelSuites also strategically selects our locations so that you’re always near a grocery store, some of which may be open 24/7. Ask Guest Services for recommendations and directions.

Too busy or need to focus your time on other things than just groceries? No problem! Get in touch with us for easy shopping at your convenience. You can also use other popular grocery delivery services like Instacart or Gateway.

During Your Stay

We firmly believe that our job doesn’t end on the move-in day. Guest Services will continue to ensure everything runs smoothly for our guests. That’s why there’s a welcome message in the first few days to check on your satisfaction. Need anything specific or want an in-suite orientation? Just ask about our services (additional charges apply). Some of what we offer includes:

Housekeeping to keep the room in perfect shape every time you get home.
Airport transportation. Make travel easier both to and from the rental.
Family services. Bringing the kids? We have cribs, playpens, and other useful touches.

In fact, don’t be afraid to ask whenever you want, even after hours. Our On-Call Manager is available during fires, floods, lost keys, and other emergencies.

Health and Safety

We’re not quite out of the woods yet when it comes to COVID-19. We’re committed to the safety of our guests, no matter how big or small the risk is.

Extra linens and towels are available in your suite. You also have a washer and dryer to refresh them.
Isolated garbage disposal. Check your arrival package for information on how we dispose of trash with maximum sanitation precautions.
Virtual tours are offered as an alternative to a physical visit. Just ask our Sales Team by video chat or phone call.

Need additional resources on COVID-19? Toronto Public Health and Telehealth Ontario have ample resources available.

Turn Short-Term Renting From a Chore Into a Delightful Experience

In such an active and populated city as Toronto, finding the right short-term rental property can be a challenge if you don’t know whom to turn to. For all your business travel needs, DelSuites is here to make things easy.

Ever need something extra, or is something not quite right? Our Guest Services are ready to take care of it right away. Ask us about new openings today.

Downtown Toronto, Our Blog, Toronto Condos

How Digital Technology Enhances Your Property Rental Experience

July 19, 2021

Toronto is finally recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, and local governments have allowed businesses to reopen safely. Traveling might be back on the table for many professionals too, so it’s not uncommon anymore to seek short-term rentals in the Toronto area. Best of all, many building amenities like gymnasiums (such as fitness centres and swimming pools with additional safety protocols) are starting to reopen as well.

It’s an excellent time to jump back into the world of short-term business rentals in the lively and active city of Toronto. We thankfully live in a world where new technologies make the rental experience far less of a headache than it used to be.

DelSuites has taken advantage of these digital tools to enhance the customer journey of our renters. Now that business rentals are starting to rise in popularity again, it’s time to see them in action.

Booking Online

The days of seeing a rental in a paper brochure and then calling to check whether the rooms are booked are over. Online platforms for rental properties can show you all the up-to-date room rates and vacancies instantly.

Internet listings also contain high-quality pictures and descriptions with lists of amenities to make the decision easier. Effortlessly fix up your itinerary through built-in map functions.

You can book directly through the DelSuites online portal that’s available 24/7. Whether it’s day or night, we can make that last-minute booking job an easy one. You don’t have to wait for opening hours to secure yourself that vital spot.

Flexible Stays

Digital management of our properties and tenants allows us to offer more flexibility than ever before regarding stays. You only need to provide a 5-day notice if you wish to depart, and rentals are handled on a month-to-month basis.

Digital Agreements

Signing an agreement doesn’t require you to drive to an office. Go digital and use your own personal devices to sign contracts online. From the comfort of your own living room, skip the paperwork and go green with online digital agreements.

Online documents are also much easier to organize and keep secure. Important files can be accessed from almost anywhere, including your smartphone.

Online Payments

Business professionals want to stay focused on the task at hand, even when traveling. Paying rent then should not be a hassle. Modern solutions let renters pay remotely without having to stop by the office in the lobby or bother with sending in a check.

Instant Communication

Ever want to talk with your housing provider, but are not sure how to align your schedules? Keeping in touch with the DelSuites team is one of the best ways to ensure an optimal living experience. Guests can quickly share information about changes to services, emergencies, and other matters.

In the other direction, guests can file maintenance requests online and will receive updates conveniently. At any time of day, messaging the property directly helps prevent miscommunication and makes handling issues easy.

Check Out the DelSuites Difference

Give yourself the best environment to get the job done right. Whether your next business venture brings you to downtown Toronto or any of the surrounding areas, DelSuites is the team to call for the best rental experience within your budget.

We use the best technologies to streamline the process for you, and we even offer additional services like pre-arrival groceries that get delivered to your door.

Find out why so many reviewers on TripAdvisor, Facebook, and Yelp love our services so much by getting in touch today.

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