Dozens of people walked around downtown Toronto on Sunday to search for any sign of a missing York University student.

Shane Fair, 19, has been missing since last Friday when he failed to return home from a York University formal dinner and dance.

His mother, Lisa Malo, said it's not like her son to be out of touch with his family and friends.

"He has a ton of friends and he's very sociable," she told CTV News. "It's very unusual for him to be missing for this long."

Fair missed his ride back home while at the Calumet Formal at the Atlantis Pavilion on May 16. He was supposed to board a bus back to York University but never made it.

He was last seen at around 12:30 a.m. in the Lakeshore Boulevard West and British Columbia Road area.

"Maybe something happened, or he's hurt out of the way where no one is around," his friend Jeff Hales told CTV Toronto during the search. "We don't want to leave any stone unturned."

Fair, who is a reserve soldier with the Canadian Armed Forces, is described as being white, about 5'11", 170 lbs., with brown hair and a short Mohawk. He was wearing a blue suit with a blue shirt and blue tie when he went missing.

Fair was said to be looking forward to a training course with the Reserves that was to begin next week.

Sunday's search focused on parks, homeless shelters, construction sites and areas that are known for being active at night. They are searching the area east of Ontario Place as well in case Fair attempted to walk to his mom's house in Toronto's east end.

Malo said she is having a tough time but is trying to remain strong.

"It's tough. It comes and goes. You know, I waffle between being very positive and being heartbroken but to see all these people out on a nice day when they could be doing other things is very encouraging," she said.

More than 2,500 people joined an online group on Facebook to chat about the missing man and co-ordinate search efforts.

A posting on the group wall said that there has been no activity on Fair's bank accounts or credit cards.

One person on Facebook said Shane was sitting at the bar by himself when everyone was leaving. He was asked to come along but didn't. He wasn't on any of the three buses that headed back for the York University campus.

Close friends of the teen said he is the type of person who liked to wander off alone.

Malo said that her son was capable of defending himself if he was attacked.

"He's in good shape, he's got military training so he should be able to get out of a tough situation," she said. "But that's all the more reason that this is troubling, that he hasn't surfaced."

Fair's family is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to his location. Anyone with information is being asked to contact police.