Cheap winter coats in Toronto, like in most cities, are generally the provenance of end-of-season sales at department stores and retail chains. But what if you don't want to wait around for Boxing Day? A little bit of digging will get you well on your way to a high-quality winter wardrobe without breaking the bank.

Here are my favourite places to score cheap (but solid) winter coats in Toronto.

Local thrift stores are a first stop for many a stylish bargain hunter, and each one has their own secret source. Outerwear selection and pricing vary widely, but the payoff can be insane. There are other thrift shops around the city, but VV boasts tons of stock.

This Parkdale mainstay stocks the closets of Toronto's savviest vintage style hounds, and for good reason. It's huge, it's cool, it's fun to shop in and, of course, it has some of the best vintage duds in town. You can check out a myriad of winter coats on Instagram before visiting the store near Dufferin and Queen.

Canada's favourite discount chain trucks in plenty of outerwear for the winter season. Not everything is crazy cheap, but you can find deeply discounted designer coats here if you're lucky and/or visit frequently. Check out the list of the best and worst Winners stores in Toronto as a starting point.

You may not know what you're going to find, but I guarantee you'll be getting a deal on vintage threads in this dirt-cheap Queen West basement. Almost everything here—including winter coats—costs only $10.

Believe it or not, the American warehouse club (which has several Toronto locations) boasts some very high-quality winter gear for much less than you'd pay at a regular athletic goods store. If you're looking for function over fashion, it's worth borrowing your mom's membership card to take a peek.

This Kensington Market staple has been around for forever, and it's a great spot to hunt for some serious bargains. While this thrifty shop stocks a bit of everything, you'll definitely be able to find that perfect winter coat among the colourful racks.

Want the designer look without the designer price tag? You can find knock-off Canada Goose puffers at many of the markets on Spadina between Dundas and Queen. Some of them are dead ringers for the real thing—just don't expect designer quality.

This award-winning clothes and furniture store in Kensington Market is unique in that it sells new, used and their own "remade" fashions. You can find sportier vintage pieces and men's wool coats for around $60, but rarer finds will have a higher price tag.

With locations in Leslieville, Parkdale and The Annex, this classy-cool consignment shop keep things tightly edited (read: you won't have to spend hours rooting through racks.) Still, their prices are stunning for legit designer jackets—and they'll purchase your old ones, too.

Like its sister stores Flashback and King of Kensington, this vintage shop is on Kensington Market's second main drag (the road that's actually named Kensington Ave). You'll pay $50-100 for a winter coat here, but I'm talking about full-on real fur coats and Gloverall duffles that will last you for years to come.