Toronto Culture & Sports Slang

This one's tied to Toronto's culture at large — sports, food or music that's become part of the city's identity.

6 words in this category

• Blem — High, particularly from smoking marijuana.
• Flex — As a verb, to show off or stunt. Tacked onto a noun, it can also mean you're about to go do something ("gym flex" = heading to the gym).
• OVO — "October's Very Own" — Drake's Toronto-based record label and clothing brand, named for his October birthday. Shorthand for the whole OVO/Drake cultural footprint on the city.
• Patty — The Jamaican beef (or chicken, or veggie) patty — a flaky, curry-coloured pastry sold at corner stores and bakeries across the city. Not slang exactly, but non-negotiable Toronto cultural vocabulary.
• Roti — A Caribbean flatbread wrapped around curried meat, chickpeas or vegetables — a GTA staple order, especially in Scarborough.
• We The North — The Toronto Raptors' rallying slogan, unveiled in April 2014 ahead of the playoffs. It grew into a citywide identity — Canada's only NBA team representing the whole country, not just the city.

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