9 Toronto Gift Ideas for Those Who Love to Support Local
Written by: Saul Good
Why go searching far and wide for gifts when Toronto is a treasure trove of locally-sourced wonders. When you want to give a gift that's brimming with meaning take your pick from our 9 best Toronto gift ideas.
Membership to the Royal Ontario Museum
Reward someone special with a Toronto gift idea that's perfect for a curious one on your list—a membership to the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). Founded in 1914, the ROM showcases art, culture, and nature from around the world and across the ages. Among the top 10 cultural institutions in North America, Canada’s largest and most comprehensive museum is home to a world-class collection of 13 million artworks, cultural objects, and natural history specimens, featured in 40 gallery and exhibition spaces.
The ROM's membership includes unlimited entry to galleries and exhibitions, a subscription to the ROM magazine, discounts on programs and lectures, and more.
Check out membership options.
Locally-Sourced Gourmet Gift Basket
A foodie city, Toronto has never been short of buzz-worthy restaurants, bakeries, or award-winning artisans. If you've got a foodie on your list, why not purchase the best that the city (and surrounding areas) has to offer by gifting one of our locally-sourced gourmet gift boxes. From chocolates by David H. Chow to tea from local tea merchant Sloane Tea, or mouth-watering confections like dark chocolate buttercrunch toffee by LaRochelle, why scour the city for it when we've already done the heavy lifting for you. From gourmet selections to spa boxes and housewarming gifts too, explore our selection of Toronto gift baskets here.
Every gift basket purchase supports local businesses and towards 92,000 hours of employment in the local economies we work in. All this hard work comes together to create a gift experience that feels really good.
Support Mental Health in the GTA
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto has created Gifts of Light—items like pyjamas, emergency kits, or a music, pet, or art therapy session—that can help their more than 35,000 patients, many of whom arrive with no belongings or support system. Giving a Gift of Light on behalf of a friend or loved one will make a difference in the GTA, and your recipient can feel like they’ve made a positive impact on mental health in Toronto.
Check out the Gifts of Light.
Ceramic Pieces from Inspirations Studio
Inspirations Studio is a ceramics-based program for marginalized women. The members of the Studio have been impacted by poverty, trauma, homelessness, mental and physical health, and/or addiction issues. The Studio’s core mission is to facilitate improvements in members’ lives through the making and selling of pottery.
Through skill-building and creative practice, women gain a sense of self-confidence, dignity, and stability, a connection with the community, supplemental income, and a new way to engage with the world as makers. And their ceramic works are absolutely beautiful gift-worthy pieces of art.
Check out Inspirations Studio.
Membership To The Toronto Tool Library
For DIYers and fixer-uppers in your life, get them access to 5000+ tools as a member of the Toronto Tool Library. Not only will they be able to borrow the tools they need for all kinds of projects, but this membership will also get them discounts on all the workshops run by the Tool Library’s Makerspace.
Or, for the serious makers on your list, consider a Makerspace membership. This will give them 24/7 access to the woodshop, laser cutter, 3D printers, and more. Makerspace members get free training on all the tools in the space, as well as discounts on specialty workshops.
Art, Basketry & Jewelry from Toronto’s Only Indigenous Owned and Operated Store
Located within the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto (NCCT), the Cedar Basket Gift Shop is Toronto’s only Indigenous-owned and operated store. Browse the wide selection of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit handcrafted jewelry, carvings, basketry, beadwork, moccasins, original art, as well as many more beautiful gift ideas.
NCCT is a membership-based, charitable organization located in the heart of downtown Toronto. NCCT offers a wide range of programs and services based on Indigenous cultural traditions and teachings. As Toronto’s oldest Indigenous community organization and one of the original Friendship Centres in Canada, the NCCT provides social, recreational, cultural, and spiritual services for the Indigenous community and visitors alike.
Check out the Cedar Basket Gift Shop.
Pet Protector Gifts from the Toronto Humane Society
Know an animal lover in your life? “Pet Protector Gifts” from the Toronto Humane Society give local cats, dogs, and small animals access to food, play, training, and vital vaccinations to keep them healthy. Animal lovers will rejoice knowing an animal is receiving quality care, a warm bed, and access to medicine on their behalf.
Tickets to a Show by the Musical Stage Company
The Musical Stage Company is the largest and leading charitable musical theatre company in Canada. Established in 2004 as Acting Up Stage Company, their mandate is to make Canada a leader in musical theatre.
The company incubates new Canadian musicals from development to production, investing in Canadian musical theatre writers and building national and international partnerships. Their robust education programs offer training to over 200 young people each year without cost to the participants. And the results are incredible - To date, their work has been recognized with 82 Dora Award nominations, 18 Dora Awards, and 16 Toronto Theatre Critics’ Awards.
Tech Courses from Canada Learning Code
Canada Learning Code (CLC) is a non-profit that champions coding education so that Canadians have the knowledge and confidence to harness the power of technology to achieve economic and personal fulfillment. They are especially dedicated to promoting technological literacy across Canada, particularly to women, girls, people with disabilities, Indigenous youth, and newcomers to Canada.
CLC has classes for children (ages 3-12 years), teens (ages 13-17), and adults (18+) with many free and sliding scale options to make learning as accessible as possible. Children’s courses are taught in a fun and accessible way to help children build tech literacy from an early age. There are even courses for teachers to better acquaint themselves with technology for the benefit of their students. Classes cover topics like graphic design, website design, and data insights.
For the Toronto locals and enthusiasts in your life, these locally-sourced gift ideas are sure to make a lasting impression. Whether it's supporting local businesses, promoting mental health, empowering marginalized communities, or fostering creativity and education, these Toronto gifts ideas are more than just material items—they carry the heart and soul of this vibrant city. Celebrate the spirit of Toronto by giving gifts that truly matter.
Need something meaningful with next-day delivery? Check out our Toronto gift baskets today.