Advice for first time renter

Edit: The most important detail is that I want to live somewhere with, at most, a 20-25 commute to union

I'm planning to move to Toronto from the suburbs in March mostly because I'm switching jobs and am tired of the 1.5 hour commute.

I'm looking to rent and my budget is $1500 for now. I understand I can probably only get a private room on that budget. Depending on how things go, in a year, I'd be willing to pay more and move into a studio.

For now I'd appreciate any advice or tips on finding a place. What should I look for and how should I go about it? What are the best sites to check for rental etc? Thanks!