9 ways I know someone is a Toronto local (and if they're not)

If you've ever seen How I Met Your Mother, then you know that everyone has their own definition of what makes someone a New Yorker.

As someone who has spent their entire life in and around Toronto , I've come to realize that being a local has very little to do with whether or not you own a Blue Jays hat or if you've been to the top of the CN Tower.

Real Torontonians have their own set of quirks, habits, milestones, and opinions that outsiders could simply never understand.

If you've lived in this wacky city long enough, you can usually tell within one conversation whether someone is actually from the city or whether they moved here six months ago.

Here's how to tell... #1.

Locals never call it "downtown" See on Instagram One of the quickest ways to spot a non-local is if they ever refer to the city core as "downtown." Torontonians don't think in terms of "downtown." The city is only ever referred to in directions on the compass or neighbourhood kingdoms : the west end, the east end, the Annex, Leslieville, the Beaches, Liberty Village, Parkdale and about fifty others.

If someone says they're heading downtown, your follow-up question is "from where?" #2.

Locals both love and hate the leafs See on Instagram Nobody complains about the Leafs more than Torontonians.

We spend the season criticizing the coaches, the trades, the plays and end it off by finally declaring that we are officially done with them, only to do it all over again next season.

That said, the second someone from another city has anything to say about the Leafs, a Torontonian is their biggest defender.

We're allowed to make fun of them, not you. #3.

No one drives in this city See on Instagram If you tell a Toronto local you need to get from the east end to the west, their first instinct isn't to grab the car keys.

A true Torontonian almost never considers taking out their car, unless they're leaving the city entirely.

Cottage trips? Absoltuely.