Toronto is a dynamic, cultured and prosperous city situated on the northwest shore of Lake Ontario. It is the largest urban centre in Canada and the economic engine of the country. According to the United Nations, Toronto is the world’s most ethnically diverse city. It is home to people from 169 countries and 80 ethnic groups who speak more than 100 different languages. Despite the challenges that accompany any big city, Toronto is known for being remarkably safe and livable for people from all walks of life. The city is made up of many distinct neighbourhoods that offer a very strong sense of community to residents and visitors alike. A diverse economy and a flourishing arts scene mean that there is something for everyone in Toronto.
The ROM contains Canada’s largest museum collections with more than five million objects. The collections grow by approximately 67,000 items each year, reflecting the Museum’s diverse interests. The collections are extraordinary in their scientific value, territorial and disciplinary range, containing matchless artifacts of importance. A major expansion and renovation of the ROM is underway, set to be completed in mid-2006, that will dramatically transform the museum into an architectural marvel in the heart of the city.
Rogers Centre (formerly SkyDome) was the world’s first multi-purpose retractable domed stadium. Crouched beside the soaring CN Tower, its round silhouette forms an unmistakable part of the Toronto skyline. Located minutes from Union Station in downtown Toronto, Rogers Centre is home to the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team and the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts. The popular venue also plays host to large concerts, trade shows and other major events.
The Toronto Zoo is one of largest zoos in the world, covering over 287 hectares (710 acres). The zoo has over 5,000 animals, representing more than 460 different species. In addition to many children’s exhibits and activities, there are over 10 km of walking trails for visitors to navigate through.
Ontario Place is an internationally acclaimed cultural, leisure and entertainment complex located on three man-made islands along the Lake Ontario waterfront. It features a large concert venue, as well as a wide array of rides, exhibits and activities for children and adults. Cool down at the water park, test yourself in mini-putt golf or thrill your senses with a legendary IMAX screening at the famous Cinesphere.
Defining the Toronto skyline, the CN Tower is Canada’s most recognizable and celebrated icon. At a height of 553.33m (1,815 ft., 5 inches), it is one of the world’s tallest buildings, an important telecommunications hub, and the centre of tourism in Toronto. Each year, approximately 2 million people visit the CN Tower to take in the breathtaking view and enjoy all the attractions it has to offer.
Canada’s Wonderland is Canada’s premier theme park. It features over 200 attractions, including 65 rides, exciting live events, a 20-acre water park and North America’s greatest variety of coasters. Located off Highway 400 north of Toronto, it offers plenty of options for thrill-seekers and families alike.
Toronto has a diverse and lively performing arts scene, with some 75 productions on stage each month. There is truly something for every taste – glittering Broadway musicals, mid-size dramas, stand-up and sketch comedy, opera, dance, symphonies and festivals to satisfy even the most devoted theatre-goer. Toronto is the third-largest theatre centre in the English-speaking world, after London and New York City.
Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena is a state-of-the-art sports and entertainment facility. It is the home to the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs, the NBA’s Toronto Raptors and the Toronto Rock of the National Lacrosse League. In addition to housing professional sports teams, the Scotiabank Arena hosts some of the biggest events that happen in the city, including major concerts and shows. It is located in the heart of downtown Toronto, just steps from Union Station.
The Ontario Science Centre pioneered the concept of interactive science museums, and has attracted 37 million visitors since opening on September 27, 1969. A favourite of students of all ages, it has displayed a wide variety of fascinating exhibits covering all branches of science as well as explorations of behaviour, technology and the universe. While also playing host to many international exhibits, the Centre is a leading developer of interactive exhibitions for science centres around the world. It is currently undergoing a $40 million renovation and expansion.
Centreville Amusement Park is located on the islands that jut out into Lake Ontario just south of Toronto’s city centre. Ferries from the mainland shuttle visitors across Toronto Harbour to the islands every 15 minutes. Stroll around and admire the view from over 600 acres of parkland, or take advantage of over 30 rides and attractions and a variety of food outlets.
Founded in 1900 by a group of private citizens, the Art Gallery of Ontario is now one of the ten largest art museums in North America. The AGO currently has more than 40,000 works in its collection, documenting over 2100 years of human creativity. It also houses major traveling exhibits from around the world. A complete transformation of the gallery has begun, designed by renowned Canadian architect Frank Gehry, which will thrust the AGO into the world spotlight when it opens in 2008.
Historic Fort York was the location of the Battle of York during the War of 1812. It is very well-preserved and now offers a fascinating re-creation of what a soldier’s life would have been like 200 years ago. It is designated as a National Historical site, and offers tours and full-costume demonstrations that take visitors back to a time when Toronto was in its infancy.
The CNE is the largest annual fair in Canada and one of the most cherished Toronto traditions since 1879. Every summer during the second half of August it takes place by the shores of Lake Ontario just west of the downtown core. Always a favourite family activity, it features all kinds of games, rides, shows, special events, demonstrations, performances, food and shopping.
Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada is a public aquarium in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The aquarium is one of three aquariums owned and operated by Ripley Entertainment. It is located in downtown Toronto, just southeast of the CN Tower. The aquarium has 5.7 million litres (1.5 million gallons) of marine and freshwater habitats from across the world. The exhibits hold more than 20,000 exotic sea and freshwater specimens from more than 450 species.
The Toronto Blue Jays are Canada’s ambassadors to all the excitement of Major League Baseball. From international stars to towering home runs, the Jays, as they are known in the area, deliver a full entertainment package. Rain or shine, fans can enjoy the game at the newly-renovated Rogers Centre, as the Jays take on their American League East rivals and the rest of the Majors.
The Toronto Argonauts Football Club is one of the oldest and most storied sports franchises in North America. Football fans in Toronto have had a long list of gridiron legends to cheer on as they’ve watched Toronto bring home a total of 22 Grey Cup Championships (14 earned by the Argonauts), the most of any city in Canadian Football history.
Toronto is considered by many to be the centre of the hockey universe, and the Maple Leafs are a cultural institution in the city, dating back to the 1920s. The city’s love affair with the fast-paced, hard-hitting game is perhaps stronger today than ever before. Pubs and restaurants across the city fill up on game nights as the ‘Leafs,’ as they are affectionately known, take on their National Hockey League opponents.
Attending a Raptors game is one of the most exciting things to do in the city. On game nights, the atmosphere in the Air Canada Centre is electric as fans take in the high-flying action and showmanship that only the NBA can provide. Get ready for a spectacle of the highest-caliber basketball, along with halftime shows, music, dancers and a crazy mascot to keep you entertained.
Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The club plays its home matches at BMO Field, located at Exhibition Place on Toronto’s shoreline.
Toronto FC began play in 2007 as an expansion team, and was the first Canadian based franchise in the league and is operated by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, which also operates the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Toronto Raptors, and other teams. In 2017, Toronto FC won the MLS Cup, to add to many other championships won in their history.
Toronto Pearson International Airport (TPIA) began operating in 1939 when it was known as Malton Airport. TPIA has grown to become Canada’s biggest and busiest airport, and the 25th busiest airport in the world (based on passenger traffic/cargo volume in 1998).
The Toronto City Centre Airport is located on the doorsteps of Toronto’s business and financial centre and the city’s thriving commercial, industrial and residential core. Its proximity to downtown Toronto is the main reason business travellers prefer to fly through TCCA. Go to Toronto Island Airport website.
Toronto Buttonville Airport is ranked as one of the top ten airports in Canada, employing over 300 people from the environs and housing over 300 aircraft for local residents, businesses and its own aircraft services.
The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is the quick, convenient and safe way to get around Toronto. The subway system is linked with buses and streetcars to get you around Toronto on one fare, provided it’s a one-way trip with no stopovers. You can travel on the TTC every day.
GO Transit is Canada’s first, and Ontario’s only, interregional public transit system, established to link Toronto with the surrounding regions of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). GO Transit carries 44 million passengers a year in an extensive network of train and bus services that is one of North America’s premier transportation systems.
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