Toronto has a problem. Nearly half the city was born somewhere else, close to 30% of Canadians now live alone, and everyone seems too busy for dinner. The dating pool here is enormous, spread across neighbourhoods that feel like separate cities, and most singles have tried at least one app by now. Dating expert Jen Kirsch, who hosts Date Nite with Jen on NewsTalk 1010, puts it this way: “Dating in 2025 isn’t easy. With connection a swipe away, finding something genuine feels harder than ever.”
So, how does anyone actually meet someone in this city?
The App Problem
The apps still exist. People still use them. But the enthusiasm has faded.
Bumble reported an 8.7% decline in paying users during the second quarter of 2024, dropping from 4.1 million to 3.8 million. Hinge moved in the opposite direction, posting a 25% revenue increase and growing its paying users to 1.7 million. The difference seems to be in what each platform promises. Hinge markets itself around prompts that start conversations rather than photos that invite quick left-swipes.
A Singles Reports survey of 500 American adults who had used at least one app found that nearly 80% had dealt with emotional fatigue or burnout from online dating. Toronto matchmaker Shannon Tebb, who has run her consulting business since 2010, told Village Report that online dating can damage self-confidence and lead to burnout. “If you meet somebody in real life, you get a sense of their energy, mannerisms, and expressions,” she said.
Hinge’s own research shows 73% of their users get bogged down overthinking previous dates. That tracks with what Toronto therapists observe. Infinite Horizons Psychotherapy describes the local scene as “a special kind of chaos,” citing hinge fatigue, flaky people, and the grey zone where two people are “basically dating but not actually.”
Relationship Styles Beyond the Swipe
Singles in 2025 are not limited to apps or speed dating events. Some seek arrangements with clear expectations from the start. Others explore sugar dating in Toronto or casual setups that fall outside conventional labels. The city’s dating pool includes people looking for traditional partnerships, but it also holds those who prefer something less ambiguous about what each person wants.
This willingness to define terms upfront appeals to singles tired of the “we’re basically dating but not actually” grey zone that Infinite Horizons Psychotherapy describes as common here. When someone states their preferences directly, it removes guesswork. That approach suits a city where work schedules are packed and time is limited.
Speed Dating Had a Second Life
The format sounds like something from a 2004 romantic comedy, but speed dating events in Toronto are selling out.
Thursday Dating launched in London in 2021 and arrived in Toronto in February 2024. Co-host Felisha Liu told Village Report that “people are tired of the apps. They hate swiping.” At a Thursday event, she explained, “you can meet 250 singles in one night, compared to doom scrolling for weeks and weeks to get one date with one person.” Their first two gatherings in 2025 sold out with a combined 460 attendees.
Matt Paoli founded Flare Events in Toronto in 2020. He told CBC that people experiencing “swipe fatigue” turn to speed dating because, outside of apps, many don’t know how to meet people in romantic settings anymore. His events have been covered by CTV, Global News, Toronto Life, BlogTO, The Globe and Mail, and the Toronto Star.
Tantra Speed Date, which holds Toronto events for singles aged 30 to 45, claims a 94% connection rate. Toronto Dating Hub runs monthly events alongside coaching services, profile makeovers, and mock dates.
The Matchmaker Route
For those willing to pay, professional matchmakers offer a hands-off approach.
Lyons Elite Luxury Matchmaking won the 2025 Consumer Choice Award in the Dating Services category for Toronto Central, according to Morningstar. Emily Lyons founded the firm in 2014. Pricing starts at $25,000 and can exceed $500,000.
Other services cost less. Single In The City charges $50 per match. Shanny In The City, run by Shannon Tebb, costs $1,575 per year and includes a wingwoman service, in which she accompanies clients to bars for real-time coaching. Rebecca Cooper Traynor of Match Me Canada, founded in 2009, has over 15 years of matchmaking experience.
VIDA Select’s 2025 guide to Toronto matchmakers lists Perfect 12 at $60,000 to $250,000 for those who want extensive vetting of potential partners.
Running Clubs and Book Clubs
Dr. Jess O’Reilly, a sexologist and Tinder relationship expert, told The Brandon Gonez Show that running clubs for dating “is gaining so much traction” in Toronto. “It’s especially relevant in Toronto (and Canada, more generally) since the warm weather is fleeting,” she said. When daters want to meet in person, run clubs offer a “healthy, social and cost-effective way” to move things forward.
Bumble’s 2025 report found that 49% of Gen Z singles agree that geeking out on something together is a form of intimacy. Micro-communities built around book clubs, fandoms, and niche interests are changing how people find partners. You join a group because you like running or reading, and sometimes you leave with a phone number.
The Toronto-Specific Hurdles
KMA Therapy observes that Toronto’s work culture puts “work first, relationships second.” The social scene rewards looking like you’re thriving, even when you feel disconnected.
Select Matchmaking notes that life here moves fast and dating becomes another item squeezed between meetings at Soho House, pilates, and weekly appointments. “When dating becomes another chore, it stops feeling exciting.” They add that Toronto culture is “polished, ambitious, and sometimes a little guarded.”
The city’s size creates decision fatigue. The multicultural population introduces different expectations about relationships. Finding time to meet anyone new requires carving it out deliberately.
Where People Actually Go
Popular neighbourhoods for dates include Kensington Market, Queen West, and the Distillery District. Select Matchmaking suggests avoiding loud bars on King West and recommends Sofia for drinks, a private tour at the AGO, or a walk around Summerhill.
Bumble’s research finds that 72% of its users globally want long-term partners within the following year. Hinge found that 47% of their daters list going on more dates as their top goal for 2025. The intent is there. The execution remains difficult.
What Works in 2025
The Canadian dating services industry is worth $178.6 million in 2025. More than 35% of Canadians have tried online dating. The market exists because people keep trying.
Those who find success tend to mix approaches. Apps remain useful for volume. Events work for people who want to assess chemistry in person. Matchmakers appeal to those with money and no time. Activity groups attract singles who want to meet someone organically.
Toronto has 293 dating service businesses. It hosts speed-dating events that sell out. It has run clubs where strangers become couples. The options exist. Finding someone still requires effort, patience, and a willingness to keep showing up.
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