Shabbat Times in Toronto

Toronto’s Jewish community stretches along the Bathurst corridor, and its northern latitude gives Shabbat a real seasonal swing. Our free calculator below is preset to Toronto, so you can check this week’s candle-lighting time, sunset, Havdalah, and Torah portion in seconds. Times follow United States Eastern Time, with daylight saving handled automatically.

Candle Lighting in Toronto

Candle lighting in Toronto is 18 minutes before astronomical sunset, the standard Diaspora custom. Sunset ranges from about 4:42 PM in late December to 9:02 PM in late June, so lighting falls near 4:24 PM on the darkest Fridays and near 8:44 PM at the start of summer. June Shabbatot end after nightfall at about 9:57 PM, among the latest Havdalah times on this site.

Ontario observes daylight saving time, moving clocks forward in March and back in November. The calculator applies the correct offset automatically for any date you enter.

Havdalah in Toronto

Havdalah in Toronto is recited after nightfall, when three medium stars are visible. The default nightfall standard in the calculator is 8.5 degrees, and communities that follow 42, 50, or 72 minutes after sunset can select their custom in the settings.

Shabbat Times for Nearby Communities

Times across the Greater Toronto Area differ by only a few minutes. Nearby options include Thornhill, Richmond Hill, and Hamilton. For other curated guides, see Shabbat times in Montreal or Shabbat times in New York. You can also check any city worldwide on the main Shabbat candle-lighting times tool.

Planning Around Shabbat in Toronto

Friday traffic on the 401 and the DVP can be slow, and winter snow adds minutes, so leave extra time in December weeks when lighting is near 4:30 PM. Synagogues in Thornhill, North York, and Forest Hill hold Kabbalat Shabbat services at various times, so confirm with your own congregation. To convert a Hebrew date for a simcha or a yahrzeit, see our Hebrew date converter.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time is candle lighting in Toronto this Friday?

Use the calculator on this page for this week’s exact times. In late December, candle lighting in Toronto is near 4:24 PM, while in late June it is near 8:44 PM.

Is Toronto on the same clock as New York?

Yes. Both cities follow Eastern Time and switch to daylight saving on the same dates, so candle-lighting times can be compared directly between the two cities.

Why is summer Shabbat in Toronto so long?

Toronto sits at about 44 degrees north, where summer days stretch past 15 hours. Shabbat in June can end near 10 PM by the clock, one of the latest endings among the major Jewish communities in this guide.