Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
23 Nov 2025
Reply rate
91.4 %
Usually responds within 3 days
Feedback
41
ID verified
Email verified
Badges (4)
Details
Description
Hello and welcome!
We’re a friendly family living in North York, Toronto, in the serene Bayview Woods- Steeles neighborhood — a quiet, leafy area that feels like living in a forest right inside one of the world’s great mega cities.
Just steps from our backyard flows the Don River, with the Don Valley Trail running alongside it — perfect for peaceful walks, cycling, or simply relaxing by the water. Surrounded by tall trees, songbirds, and the sounds of nature, our home feels like a hidden retreat within the city.
Our family includes Shelley (mom), Mark (dad) and our 17-year-old daughter who still lives at home. Our two older kids are away at university in different provinces, but they visit when they can. We enjoy welcoming Workawayers into our home, sharing stories, meals, and cultural experiences in a relaxed and positive environment.
Our backyard is spacious and needs some care before winter arrives, and we’d love a helping hand from a kind, motivated Workawayer who enjoys outdoor work and appreciates the calm of nature.
We enjoy meeting people from around the world, sharing stories and meals, and creating a warm cultural exchange. You’ll have a cozy, comfortable space to stay and plenty of time to explore Toronto’s many parks, cafés, and attractions.
Our home is in one of Toronto’s most desirable neighborhoods, directly across from Bayview Golf & Country Club. Public transit is only a 5-minute walk away, with a 24/7 TTC bus route that gets you downtown in about an hour (or 25 minutes by car). Toronto Pearson International Airport is 25–30 minutes by Uber or taxi.
Before confirming your stay, we’d love to have a short video or phone call so we can get to know each other a little better. We believe good communication helps make the experience enjoyable for everyone — so please don’t mind if we ask a few friendly questions along the way!
Tasks & Projects
At this time of year, our main focus is:
- Fall garden cleanup — weeding, trimming, raking leaves, and tidying up flower beds.
- Planting bulbs or perennials to prepare for next spring.
- Digital photography ( high resolution camera will be provided)
- General home maintenance — light indoor help such as vacuuming, organizing, and small DIY or repair tasks.
We’re especially looking for someone who enjoys hands-on work and feels comfortable using basic tools for simple home repairs or improvements. If you like to fix things, tidy up spaces, and take pride in practical projects, you’ll be a wonderful fit here.
This position suits someone who enjoys working with their hands, spending time outdoors, and appreciating nature’s calm beauty — while sharing time with a kind and friendly family in Toronto.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
Help with Computers/ Internet
Interests
Vegetarian or vegan
Sustainability
Self development
Politics / Social justice
Movies & TV
Plant care
Photography
Languages
Gardening
DIY & crafts
Cooking & food
Carpentry
Books
Art & design
Yoga / Wellness
Sailing / Boating
Outdoor activities
Nature
Mountain
Hiking
Fitness
Dancing
Cycling
Camping
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Hiking is one of our favorite activities, and all of our Workawayers have joined us on hikes — it’s a great way to explore the outdoors and bond as a group. We are a very physically active family: our daughters participate in dance, competitive gymnastics, volleyball, basketball, ice hockey, and a variety of paddling sports.
We also love to travel and share our experiences with others. Over the years, we’ve visited countries across Central and South America, Asia, the Caribbean, New Zealand, Australia, Europe, and the United States, along with numerous road trips throughout Canada. We’re not just holidaymakers — we seek adventure, immerse ourselves in local cultures, and enjoy connecting with people wherever we go.
Evenings are our time to relax and unwind. You might find us doing yoga, taking a gentle evening walk, or cozying up in our entertainment room, watching Netflix by the fireplace in the winter. We ask that workawayers generally return home by 10:00 PM.
We strongly believe that hosting is a mutual learning experience. Each of us has something to teach and something to learn — sometimes the most valuable lessons are intangible. By observing and sharing experiences, we can all grow together and gain insights we didn’t expect.
Help
Help Needed:
At this time of year, our main focus is:
- Fall garden cleanup — weeding, trimming, raking leaves, and tidying up flower beds.
- Digital Photography
- General home maintenance — light indoor help such as vacuuming, organizing, and small DIY or repair tasks.
We’re especially looking for someone who enjoys hands-on work and feels comfortable using basic tools for simple home repairs or improvements. If you like to fix things, tidy up spaces, and take pride in practical projects, you’ll be a wonderful fit here.
This position suits someone who enjoys working with their hands, spending time outdoors, and appreciating nature’s calm beauty — while sharing time with a kind and friendly family in Toronto.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: FluentThis host offers a language exchange
Two of three of us speak native English, so English is the only spoken language at home. We are open to learn other languages like Spanish and French
Accommodation
Accommodation & Meals
You’ll have your own private room with a comfortable bed, plus fresh blankets, pillows, and towels for your stay.
Our home is conveniently located within walking distance of public transportation as well as supermarkets, cafés, restaurants, parks, and shops. You’ll have full access to the kitchen, laundry, high-speed Wi-Fi, and your private space.
All meals are provided. The kitchen is fully equipped with everything you need for cooking or baking. We provide all the ingredients for your meals, and you’ll have full access to the kitchen to prepare your own food according to your schedule. Our family follows mainly vegan, vegetarian diets, and we’re happy to accommodate all dietary preferences.
If you’d like to cook a little extra and share, that’s always welcome — we love sharing good food and conversation. Likewise, if we’re preparing a meal and you’d like to join us, you’re always invited. The atmosphere here is relaxed, respectful, and family-style.
We can provide basic toiletries such as towels, soap, shampoo, and toothpaste to make your stay comfortable.
We are an early-rising, early-to-bed family, and kindly ask that dinner and all kitchen activities are finished before 10 pm.
We do not have pets in the house (I’m allergic to pet saliva), so this is a pet-free home.
We don’t drink alcohol ourselves, but we’re absolutely fine if you do — as long as it’s enjoyed responsibly and doesn’t interfere with daily life. Smoking or vaping isn’t allowed inside the house, and we kindly ask that no drugs of any kind are brought onto the property (this includes marijuana, vape pens, pills, or other substances).
What else ...
We prefer Workawayers to start their day around 8:00–9:00 AM, but after work, you’re free to enjoy your time however you like. Relax by watching Netflix on our large-screen TV, chill in our beautiful backyard (weather permitting) with a favorite book, listen to music, or explore the vibrant city of Toronto.
Our home is about 50–60 minutes from downtown Toronto by bus and subway (24/7 public transit is just 5 minutes from our house). There’s so much to see and do — visit the CN Tower, Toronto Islands, museums, parks, Chinatown, Canada’s Wonderland, or take a short drive to Niagara Falls (less than 2 hours). We can also share insider tips on less-touristy, interesting spots that locals love.
We hope to host someone who is positive, proactive, and curious — someone who notices what needs to be done without constant guidance, is eager to learn new ways of doing things, and enjoys connecting with others rather than being glued to their phone.
We value cultural exchange: we want to learn about your country and traditions and are excited to share ours. If you’re someone who is helpful, open-minded, and ready to be part of our family’s daily life while contributing your skills, you’re very welcome to join us.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
Yes — we’re happy to host digital nomads! Our home has ultra-fast 1 Gbps Wi-Fi, reliable enough for remote work, video calls, and creative uploads. The signal extends throughout the house and outdoors — to the backyard, patio, and even the front garden — so you can comfortably work or edit videos surrounded by nature.
Can possibly accept pets
Workawayer with hypoallergenic dog is welcome
How many Workawayers can stay?
One
My animals / pets
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (18)
First of all, thank you so much for hosting me!
I stayed with you for 9 months, and this was actually my very first Workaway experience, so I was super nervous at the beginning. But Shelley welcomed me so warmly, even though my English wasn’t that good at first. She always cared about me and gave me so much advice about work… read more
I enjoyed my time at her place, the house is beautiful and Shelley is a wonderful cook!
I did plenty of different tasks everyday like gardening and fixing stuff inside the house.
It was great to know you Shelley, thank for being so welcoming !
Photos
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(4.9)
Cultural exchange:
(4.9)
Communication:
(4.8)
First of all, thank you so much for hosting me!
I stayed with you for 9 months, and this was actually my very first Workaway experience, so I was super nervous at the beginning. But Shelley welcomed me so warmly, even though my English wasn’t that good at first. She always cared about me and gave me so much advice about work… read more
I enjoyed my time at her place, the house is beautiful and Shelley is a wonderful cook!
I did plenty of different tasks everyday like gardening and fixing stuff inside the house.
It was great to know you Shelley, thank for being so welcoming !
Sofia is not afraid of hard work, happy to get dirty… read more
This was my first homestay, and I came to learn about Canadian culture and practice my English. I left with so much more. It was an incredible human experience. Shelley and I spent a lot of time together, both working and enjoying our… read more
Axel followed all house rules diligently.
We wish him all the best
They were really since, taught me a lot of things in gardening, how to plant, and a lot of vacabulary !
Even for the accommodation and the food it was good, you can ask them if you wanted something particular.
I would like to thank them again for this wonderful… read more
Most of Marie’s tasks were garden related.… read more
Initially we accepted Simon for two weeks but it ended up seven weeks of stay. We would like to have him here forever:-))
He fits just what I’m looking for my DIY building projects. He is punctual and doesn’t get distracted while doing a project. It was… read more
I had the pleasure of being chosen and accepted by Shelley, a person for whom I will be deeply grateful for having opened the doors of this opportunity.
Shelley, with her extreme kindness, welcomed me from the first moment, always… read more
He was happy to work together with me on a projects (redecorating my mom’s place) but mostly he worked independently. He was respectful, conscientious,… read more
I enjoyed each moment spent with her and his family, also I liked the task that was given to me, I had to assemble furnitures, put shelves on the wall, move things from… read more
Leon’s main task was assisting Mark with… read more
He is a very open-minded person who simply gets down to work. Daniel helped us mainly in the garden-preparing garden beds for next year plants, made deer proof fences around… read more
Oskar is laid back, clam and a lot of fun… read more
The work hours are totally fine and you still had plenty of time to explore the area around or Downtown. I planned to stay 3 weeks, but actually stayed 1 week longer. I helped with 2 other workawayers (Luis & Melle) to renovate a deck,… read more
He is hardworking and always cheerful who spends a lot of… read more
He blended well with the team of five men who were involved on our two deck building project. He made great tasting salsa which we enjoyed a lot.
Luis was also a wonderful company. He’s just plain enjoyable… read more
The first day they welcomed me at home in a beautiful bedroom, we started talking and getting to know each other and she prepared some delicious waffles for me, you have to try them!
The amount of work at home was very equal and fair, I had a lot of free time to work on my personal… read more
As a learning experience, I left Toronto knowing way more about plants and gardening than when arrived to Shelley's home. She was always there,… read more
Even though it was her first experience working on a garden project, she was truly eager to help and learn about gardening. She filled about hundred planter pots with soil… read more
Shelley really made me feel like a part of the family from the day I arrived and made sure i was comfortable during my stay.
I did both outdoor and indoor work and I'm happy to know that I was able to help her around the garden and bring her vision to… read more
