Time Difference Between Shanghai and Toronto
Toronto is 12 hours behind Shanghai.
Toronto is 12 hours behind Shanghai. When it is 9:00 AM in Shanghai, it is 9:00 PM the previous day in Toronto.
What time is it in Toronto?
For a given hour in Shanghai, here’s the matching local time in Toronto. Highlighted rows fall within Toronto’s working hours (9 AM–5 PM) — the easiest times to reach someone.
| Shanghai | Toronto |
|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 12:00 PM the previous dayworking hours |
| 3:00 AM | 3:00 PM the previous dayworking hours |
| 6:00 AM | 6:00 PM the previous day |
| 9:00 AM | 9:00 PM the previous day |
| 12:00 PM | 12:00 AM |
| 3:00 PM | 3:00 AM |
| 6:00 PM | 6:00 AM |
| 9:00 PM | 9:00 AMworking hours |
How far apart are Shanghai and Toronto?
Toronto (Canada) runs 12 hours behind Shanghai (China). In practical terms, the working day in Toronto starts while Shanghai is already well into the afternoon or evening, which is what makes scheduling between the two take a little planning.
Best time to schedule a call or meeting
Standard working hours in Shanghai and Toronto barely overlap, so a live call usually means one side joining early in the morning or late in the evening. The least disruptive option is to catch the very start or end of one city’s working day, or to handle things asynchronously.
A note on daylight saving
Toronto observes daylight saving but Shanghai does not, so the gap between them changes by an hour for part of the year. The 12 hours shown here is the current offset; expect it to shift around the daylight-saving changeovers (typically late March and late October in the Northern Hemisphere).
📶 Need Mobile Data While Traveling?
Activate an international eSIM in minutes, skip expensive roaming fees, and stay connected the moment you land — no physical SIM card needed.
Get a Travel eSIM with Yesim →Affiliate link — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Toronto is 12 hours behind Shanghai. When it is 9:00 AM in Shanghai, it is 9:00 PM the previous day in Toronto.