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_City Overview Toronto stands on the northern shore of Lake Ontario and the view of the city across the water is stunning and unmistakable – the CN Tower, thrusting skyward near the water’s edge, is the world’s tallest free-standing structure. Framing it is a glimmering collection of skyscrapers, which give way to a dense city centre with pleasant leafy residential areas and parks, notably along the ravines that cut through the city. The capital of the Province of Ontario, Toronto is Canada’s largest city and the fifth largest in North America. A dominant force in the business and economy of the nation, it is also the cultural centre of English-speaking Canada. Initially claimed by the French in the 18th century, it was not until the American Revolution caused hordes of United Empire Loyalists (loyal to England) to escape to Toronto, that it became an established settlement. Then known as York, the town was exceedingly British in character, functioning as the administrative capital of English-speaking Upper Canada and becoming a thriving manufacturing centre by the 19th century. In 1834, the city was renamed Toronto, a Huron Indian word meaning ‘meeting place’. The Toronto of the 19th and early 20th centuries was a law-abiding city, where rules were made and rarely broken, and where the overriding concern was making money. As such, Toronto gained a reputation as a conservative, boring enclave of Protestantism, a reputation that still dogs it to some extent today. Older residents can remember the days when the city would come to a standstill on Sundays and only a handful of the very best restaurants served wine. Towards the end of the 1950s, the arrival of numerous immigrants infused Toronto with new foods, new languages and, most importantly, new attitudes. Italians, Portuguese and Eastern Europeans arrived first, followed by immigrants from the Caribbean, Asia and India. They settled into what would become the city’s great ethnic neighbourhoods – Greektown, Little Italy and Chinatown. Toronto gradually developed a multi-ethnic North American character and shrugged off its colonial identity, although vestiges still remain, such as the English-style pubs and the engrained habit among conservative clubs and societies of toasting the Queen before eating. There is a similar juxtaposition in the architecture of the city itself: at first glance, Toronto does not appear all that different from any other large American city, albeit a clean one, but closer inspection reveals preserved Victorian and Edwardian buildings and a profusion of neighbourhood pubs. The Toronto of today is a lively, cultured place with hot summers and cold, dry winters. It is the most economically important city in Canada, the centre of finance, media and services, and home to more corporate head offices than any other. By night, its people indulge themselves at the city’s numerous restaurants, bars and clubs, or at the symphony, opera and theatre. More than anything, though, Toronto is defined by its citizenry – friendly, efficient, and one of the most multicultural in the world. Getting There By Air Lester B Pearson International Airport (YYZ) Tel: (905) 676 3506. Website: www.gtaa.com Pearson International Airport is located 27km (17 miles) northwest of Downtown. Canada’s busiest and largest airport, it handles nearly 28 million passengers per year and is served by over 60 scheduled and charter airlines, providing service to 24 Canadian cities, 52 American cities and 38 other international destinations. It comprises three terminals; the first phase of a new terminal that will replace T1 and T2 is due in 2003. Major airlines: The national airline is Air Canada (tel: (888) 247 2262; website: www.aircanada.ca); some short-haul flights are run by its subsidiaries, Air Alliance, Air Ontario and Canadian Regional Airlines. Other major carriers include: Air France, Air New Zealand, Air Transat, American Airlines, American Transair, British Airways, Delta Air Lines, KLM, Korean Airlines, Lufthansa, Northwest Airlines, Qantas, SAS, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic. Airport facilities: Pearson’s three terminals have facilities that include ATMs, bureaux de change, shops, duty-free boutiques, banks, childcare facilities, medical clinics, traveller’s aid and restaurants. Shuttle buses link the terminal buildings. Car hire is available from Avis, Budget, Hertz, National and Thrifty. Business facilities: Sheraton Gateway Hotel (tel: (905) 672 7000) offers a business centre. Some business facilities are available through airline executive lounges. There are public Internet stations in T2 and T3. Transport to the city: Pacific Western runs the Airport Express bus (tel: (905) 564 6333 or 3232; website: www.torontoairportexpress.com) from the airport to the Downtown of Toronto every 20 minutes (journey time – 20-35 minutes). The fare is C$14.25 one way, C$24.50 return (a shuttle bus to hotels off the main route costs C$3.25 extra). Public bus services run by the TTC (see the Getting Around section) include bus 192 (the ‘Airport Rocket’) to Kipling subway station (journey time – 20 minutes), bus 58 to Lawrence West station and night bus 307 to Eglinton station (journey time – 45 minutes). A number of private bus companies run services to various destinations, including Niagara Falls. Information desks for each company are located in the arrivals area at each terminal. Licensed limousines and taxis are also available at fixed rates based on a zone system, with journeys to Downtown taking about half an hour; taxis cost around C$30 for destinations west of Bathurst, C$40 for the Downtown core, while limos cost C$4 more. Toronto City Centre Airport (YTX) Tel: (416) 203 6942. Fax: (416) 203 6741. Website: www.torontoport.com Toronto City Centre Airport is situated on an island in Toronto harbour. Handling scheduled commercial, charter, private and corporate flights, the airport primarily services the nearby business community, offering flights from nearby destinations in Canada, such as Montreal, London and Ottawa. Major airlines: Air Canada is the only airline operating from here, mainly through its domestic subsidiary Air Ontario. Airport facilities: There is a restaurant at the airport. Business facilities: The Air Canada Lounge provides a business centre for business-class passengers. Transport to the city: Air Ontario operates a shuttle bus service to the Royal York Hotel. A two-minute ferry ride (free of charge to Air Ontario/Canada passengers) provides transportation to the mainland, where taxis are available at metered rates. Arrival/departure tax: Departure taxes and an airport improvement fee are included in the ticket price. Approximate flight times to Toronto: From London is 8 hours; from New York is 1 hour 30 minutes; from Los Angeles is 4 hours 35 minutes and from Sydney is 18 hours 15 minutes. Getting There By Water The Port of Toronto (tel: (416) 863 2000; website: www.torontoport.com), located due south of the city centre, provides transportation, distribution, storage and container services to businesses in the City of Toronto and surrounding region. It links the city with the rest of the province and the Great Lakes states, as well as Eastern Canada and international destinations on the Atlantic Ocean via the St Lawrence Seaway. The port offers few facilities as it is primarily used for commercial storage and transportation. Ferry services: A publicly operated ferry (tel: (416) 392 8193; cost: C$5 return) links the city with the Toronto Islands. Trips to Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake are available aboard Seaflight Hydrofoils (tel: (416) 504 8825 or (877) 504 8825; website: www.seaflight2000.com) from May to October (journey time – 1 hour 30 minutes, plus 15 minutes by coach). There are plans to link Toronto to Rochester, New York, via fast ferry, although red tape may delay this beyond 2002. Transport to the city: The Port of Toronto is located at the south end of the city centre, near Union Station (rail, subway). Numerous taxi and tram services are available. Getting There By Road An extensive network of secondary highways (two and three digits, eg Highway 118, Highway 35) and motorways (400-series highways, eg Highway 401, Highway 403) covers the Province of Ontario. The speed limit on secondary highways is 80kph (50mph). On 400-series highways it is 100kph (62mph). Traffic drives on the right. The minimum driving age in Ontario is 16 years. Proof of insurance is compulsory. North American and European visitors may use national driving licences. Visitors from other countries are often required to have an International Driving Permit as well. The maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio for driving is 0.08%. Seat belts must be worn at all times. The Canadian Automobile Association (CAA; tel: (416) 221 4300; website: www.caa.ca) provides breakdown service throughout Canada and has partnership agreements with various motoring organisations, such as the American Automobile Association (AAA). Emergency breakdown service: CAA (416) 222 5222 or (800) 222 4357 Routes to the city: Toronto is served by a number of 400-series highways. Highway 401 bisects the city slightly north of the city centre, connecting with London and Windsor to the west and Montreal to the east. Further north, a new toll motorway, Highway 407, operates as a northern corridor around the city. The QEW (Queen Elizabeth Way) runs along the lakefront from Hamilton and Niagara Falls to the Downtown of Toronto. North–south routes include Highway 400, running from Barrie to the city’s west end, and Highway 404, running from the distant suburb of Newmarket to the city’s east end, becoming the Don Valley Parkway as it nears Downtown. Driving times to Toronto: From Niagara Falls – 1 hour 30 minutes; Buffalo – 2 hours; Detroit – 4 hours; Montreal – 5 hours. Coach services: A number of private operators run scheduled services from cities throughout Canada (as well as the USA). These include Greyhound Canada (website: www.greyhound.ca), Coach Canada/Trentway-Wagar (website: www.coachcanada.com), Ontario Northland (website: www.webusit.com), PMCL (website: www.pmcl.on.ca) and Can-ar Coach Service (website: www.can-arcoach.com). The main terminus for all of these companies is the Metro Toronto Coach Terminal, 610 Bay Street (tel: (416) 393 7911), which has bar and restaurant facilities, luggage lockers and traveller’s aid services. Getting There By Rail VIA Rail (tel: (416) 366 8411 or (888) 842 7245, toll free in the USA and Canada; website: www.viarail.ca) is Canada’s national rail transport provider. VIA Rail operates from the historic Union Station, 65 Front Street West, where tickets and information can be obtained in person. Facilities include restaurants, toilets, bars, lockers, shops, ATMs, bureaux de change, a business centre and car hire (National). Rail services: VIA Rail runs services between Toronto and a number of national destinations, including Montreal (4 hours 45 minutes), Ottawa (4 hours) and Niagara Falls (1 hour 45 minutes), as well as the United States via Niagara Falls. Union Station is also the main hub for GO Trains (see the Getting Around section), overland trains providing frequent commuter service to the city’s outlying suburbs. Transport to the city: Union Station is located in the city centre and is connected to the city’s subway network. Buses, trams and taxis are readily available in the area. Getting Around Public Transport Toronto has a well-developed public transport system, operated by two companies. Principal services in the city centre are run by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC; tel: (416) 393 4636; website: www.ttc.ca) and include subway and rapid transit lines, as well as tram and bus routes. Toronto’s two subway lines operate Monday to Saturday 0600-0130 and Sunday 0900-0130. The arms of the U-shaped Yonge–University–Spadina Line Subway extend from Union Station in the south to Finch and Downsview to the north. The Bloor–Danforth Subway connects Etobicoke in the west with Scarborough in the east, where the Scarborough Rapid Transit basically provides an eastward extension to the line. The east–west Shepherd Line, currently under construction, is due to open in late 2002. Streetcars (trams) and buses operate throughout the city centre 0500-0130 and are supplemented by night services. All TTC adult ticket fares cost C$2.25, although prepaid fares are cheaper at C$9 for five tokens or tickets, purchased from subway stations or newsagents. Transfers are available for switching between the subway, bus and tram. A day pass costs C$7.50 and is valid for an entire family on Sunday and holidays. GO Transit (tel: (416) 869 3200; website: www.gotransit.com) operates rail services from Union Station to suburban destinations to the east and west, as well as GO buses throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Tickets are available from GO train stations, GO bus terminals, GO transit ticket agencies and GO bus drivers. Ticket prices vary depending on distance travelled. Day passes are available. Taxis Within the city centre, taxis can be hailed at almost any time and can be found at taxi ranks or ordered by telephone. Most taxis operate as part of one of Toronto’s major dispatching companies: Diamond Taxi (tel: (416) 366 6868), Crown Taxi (tel: (416) 750 7878) or Co-op Cabs (tel: (416) 504 2667). An initial charge of C$2.50 applies, and rises according to the time and distance travelled. A five- to ten-minute trip should not cost more than C$10 or so. Drivers are commonly tipped around 10-15% of the fare. Limousines Chauffeur and limousine services are available from a number of companies, starting at around C$50 per hour for a town car and can easily rise to C$100 per hour or more for a stretch limo. Firms include Carey Limousine Canada (tel: (416) 214 1951; website: www.careycan.com) and Dynasty Limousine Service (tel: (416) 493 5579; website: www.dynastylimoservice.com). Driving in the City Traffic is heaviest during the rush hours (0730-0930 and 1630-1930), particularly on the major motorways leading in and out of the city, which can make driving to the airport a longer than expected ordeal. Toronto is laid out on an easy-to-follow grid system, with a few notable exceptions, such as the Don Valley Parkway, snaking along the ravine east of the city centre. Yonge Street, allegedly the longest street in the world, is the city’s main thoroughfare, bisecting the city centre into east and west. Its junction with Bloor Street forms the city’s most major and central intersection. Although there is a lot of street parking available, it is notoriously difficult to find a spot and many drivers opt for the simpler, although slightly more expensive, option of parking in a private car park. Car parks in the city centre typically charge around C$4 per hour with a daily maximum of C$5-15 and evening flat rates of C$4-9 (as high as C$15 near nightlife spots on the weekend). Canpark (tel: (416) 482 2203) operates a number of 24-hour locations in the city centre. Car Hire All major North American car hire firms are represented in Toronto, along with a few local ones, at numerous locations throughout the city. Those with the most central locations that accept international reservations include: Budget, 1319 Bay Street (tel: (416) 961 3932; website: www.budgettoronto.com); Discount, 730 Yonge Street East (tel: (416) 921 1212; website: www.discountcar.com); Hertz, 128 Richmond Street East (tel: (416) 363 9022; website: www.hertz.com); National, Union Station (tel: (416) 364 4191; website: www.nationalcar.com); and Thrifty, 191 Parliament Street (tel: (416) 868 0350; website: www.thrifty.com). Hire charges are about C$40-50 per day and C$240-280 per week not including insurance. Drivers must be at least 23 years old and pay by credit card. North American and European visitors may use national licences. Visitors from other countries are often required to have an International Driving Permit as well. Bicycle Hire Bicycle hire in Toronto can be arranged through Cyclepath, 2106 Yonge Street (tel: (416) 487 1717; C$5 per hour or C$25 per day), and Wheel Excitement, 5 Rees Street, just south of the SkyDome (tel: (416) 260 9000; website: www.wheelexcitement.com; C$14 for two hours or C$24 per day). Wheel Excitement also hires out rollerblades. Information on cycling in the city is available from the Toronto Cycling Committee (website: www.city.toronto.on.ca/cycling) and the Toronto Bicycling Network (website: www.tbn.on.ca). Riding a bicycle in the winter may not be a good idea due to possible icy road conditions (not to mention the cold). Business Business Profile Toronto is the engine that drives Canada’s economy. Virtually all of Canada’s major companies situate their head offices within the city’s gleaming modern skyscrapers, including the country’s five chartered banks and Barrick Gold Corporation and Imperial Oil of Canada. The unemployment rate has been rising slowly over the past year, reaching 6.4% in August 2001, indicative of the slowing economy, although still below the national average of 7.2%. Although the city historically had a strong manufacturing base, the service economy now dominates, accounting for over 70% of jobs. The city’s largest employer is the Hudson’s Bay Company, a retail giant with historic roots in the country’s fur-trading past. Finance, however, is the city’s defining professional industry, employing about 8% of the city’s workforce and accounting for a quarter of its GDP. The Toronto Stock Exchange is the largest in the country. The Financial District, clustered on and around Bay Street in the heart of the city centre, is marked by tall buildings, men and women in formal business attire and a constant flow of couriers and taxis. Internet and new media companies are also flourishing in Toronto, with many start-ups locating their offices slightly west of the city centre in and around King Street, all taking advantage of the city’s advanced 100% fibre-optic telecommunications system. Toronto is the largest convention destination in Canada. One of its many convention facilities is the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (website: www.mtccc.com), next to the SkyDome, offering over 186,000 sq metres (2,000,000 sq ft) of space, the largest in the country. The region surrounding Pearson International Airport, in the suburb of Mississauga, northwest of the city centre, attracts many businesses taking advantage of the proximity to the airport, particularly those with warehouse requirements. Although not as all-pervasive as it once was, manufacturing is doing well in Toronto. The largest manufacturing plants produce aeroplanes, computers, electronics and auto parts. Education is also a major employer, as Toronto is home to three universities – University of Toronto, York University and Ryerson University. Business Etiquette Toronto has often been ridiculed as a conservative, uptight city – Toronto the Good, as its detractors say. But while this perception is about 20 years out of date, its legacy survives in the city’s approach to business. Torontonians are hardworking, efficient employees. A little chit-chat here and there about golf or sports is welcome but generally people like getting to the point. Men and women wear business suits and rarely drink alcohol at lunch. Entertaining is usually confined to restaurants and bars, rarely in private homes. Business cards are normally exchanged after meals or meetings, not during introductions. The giving of gifts in business situations is unusual and may be treated suspiciously. In the workplace, it is common to answer the telephone by stating one’s first and last name. Around the office, however, people – both superiors and co-workers – are usually addressed by first name. Working hours are typically 0900-1700, although slight variations are not uncommon. The best time to visit Toronto for business purposes is between September and May, as the summer is the most popular time of year for holidays. Sightseeing Sightseeing Overview Like a needle jabbing into the sky, the CN Tower dominates Toronto’s cityscape and is its most famous attraction. Since its completion in 1976, the tower has attracted company. At its foot stands the SkyDome, the world’s first retractable dome stadium, while further east is the Air Canada Centre, a brand-new, state-of-the-art hockey and basketball arena. Immediately to the north is the dense cluster of office towers that comprise the Financial District, including some architectural wonders by Mies van de Rohe (Toronto-Dominion Centre) and Santiago Calatrava (the galleria at BCE Place). Interspersed between these (and even underlying many of the buildings) are some of the city’s main shopping areas, with the theatres and nightclubs of the Entertainment District to the west, and some of Toronto’s chief tourist attractions just to the north. The latter include Toronto City Hall, a gem of modern architecture, the nearby Art Gallery of Ontario, the vast collections of the Royal Ontario Museum, and the medieval-inspired 20th-century castle, Casa Loma, which stands a bit further to the north. In the city’s west end, the enormous, sweeping patch of green known as High Park unfurls, while along the waterfront Ontario Place and the Canadian National Exhibition Grounds provide fun days out for families with children. Beyond the trail-laced ravine of the Don Valley to the east of the centre, is The Beaches, with chic boutiques and a waterfront promenade. Toronto is known as a city of neighbourhoods and many of these are a short distance from the Financial District’s towers. Unlike many major North American cities, it has a thriving, vital, leafy Downtown that keeps home-owners and families from fleeing to the suburbs. The city’s most affluent areas are Rosedale and Forest Hill – pleasant for walks and people-watching. Yorkville, a hippy enclave in the 1960s, predictably went chi-chi in the 1970s, today offering elegant cafés and restaurants, a Prada store and even a postmodern park. Spadina Avenue is home to Toronto’s Chinatown, arguably North America’s best due to Toronto’s enormous Chinese community. Danforth Avenue is home to Greektown (website: www.greektowntoronto.com). Toronto has the highest population of Italians outside Italy and many of them have made their homes in Little Italy, in the west of the city centre. Near the University of Toronto, the Annex is a trendy, popular neighbourhood known for its lively nightlife and cultural scene. The area around Church and Wellesley streets is home to the city’s out and proud gay and lesbian village. Tourist Information Tourism Toronto Suite 590, 207 Queens Quay West Tel: (416) 203 2500 or (800) 363 1990. Fax: (416) 203 6753. E-mail: toronto@torcvb.com Website: www.torontotourism.com Opening hours: Daily 0900-1700. Ontario Tourism Eaton Centre Tel: (416) 314 0944 or (800) 668 2746. Website: www.ontariotravel.net There is also an information kiosk at City Hall during the summer months (Monday-Saturday), and information can also be obtained year-round from Info T.O. in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, 255 Front Street West. Passes The Toronto Museum Passport includes entry to the Royal Ontario Museum, Fort York and seven smaller attractions for C$25. It is available from participating museums or TicketKing (tel: (416) 872 1212 or (800) 461 3333; website: www.ticketking.com). Key Attractions CN Tower At a height of 553m (1815ft), the CN Tower is the world’s tallest free-standing structure and the defining symbol of this lakefront city. On a clear day, it offers stunning views of up to 120km (75 miles) across the surrounding cityscape and Lake Ontario. A glass-fronted elevator ride leads to the main section – at an equivalent to 114 storeys high – where a terrifying glass floor enables visitors to stare 342m (1122ft) straight down. A more leisurely view can be had from the revolving 360 Restaurant on the floor above. Another set of elevators leads to the SkyPod, 33 storeys further up. There is also a group of entertainment venues at the base of the tower, including two motion-simulator rides. 301 Front Street West Tel: (416) 360 8500. Fax: (416) 601 4722. Website: www.cntower.ca Transport: Subway Union Station. Opening hours: Daily 0900-2300. Admission: C$15.99; plus C$7.50 (SkyPod); concessions available. Casa Loma Toronto seems an unlikely location for a castle but, since 1911, the soaring battlements of Casa Loma have lent an element of magic to the city. The 98-room castle was completed in 1914 by Sir Henry Pellatt, a charismatic financier, industrialist and philanthropist, to be his home. Financial ruin forced its sale years later and the castle eventually became the popular tourist attraction it is today. The castle is a bizarre hybrid of a medieval-style stonework exterior and early 20th-century interior. Outside, turrets and battlements lure the visitor inside to the splendidly carved Oak Room, secret passageways and a pseudo-Gothic Great Hall, which has 18m-high (60ft) ceilings. The two-hectare (five-acre) gardens are open between May and October. 1 Austin Terrace Tel: (416) 923 1171. Fax: (416) 923 5734. E-mail: info@casaloma.org Website: www.casaloma.org Transport: Subway Dupont. Opening hours: Daily 0930-1600. Admission: C$10 (concessions available); includes self-guided audio tour. Art Gallery of Ontario Canada’s premier art gallery, the AGO contains 50 galleries displaying temporary exhibitions and a large permanent collection of international art. The ground floor houses a European collection covering the Italian Renaissance, Flemish Masters, 17th-century French painting and the Impressionists, right through to 20th-century works by Chagall and Picasso. The gallery’s greatest attraction, however, is the Canadian section on the first floor, featuring a cross-section of work from the Group of Seven, a group of early 20th-century painters whose work embodies the sublime beauty of Canada’s boreal wilderness. It is worth allowing extra time to visit the Henry Moore Sculpture Gallery, as well as The Grange, a restored 19th-century house. 317 Dundas Street West Tel: (416) 979 6648. Fax: (416) 204 2711. E-mail: info@ago.net Website: www.ago.net Transport: Subway St Patrick. Opening hours: Tues-Fri 1100-1800 (Wed until 2030), Sat and Sun 1000-1730. Admission: C$6 (suggested donation); special exhibitions cost around C$10. Bata Shoe Museum Another relative eccentric in this clean, efficient city, the Bata Shoe Museum is the only museum of its kind in the world. Housed in an equally unusual building, shaped, appropriately enough, like a shoebox, the museum owns some 10,000 items of footwear dating as far back as 4500 years. Pieces range from Elvis Presley’s loafers and Queen Victoria’s ballroom slippers to 19th-century beaded Native American shoes and leather broad-toed Tudor shoes. 327 Bloor Street West Tel: (416) 979 7799. Fax: (416) 979 0078. E-mail: info@batashoemuseum.ca Website: www.batashoemuseum.ca Transport: Subway St George. Opening hours: Tues-Sat 1000-1700 (Thurs until 2000), Sun 1200-1700. Admission: C$6 (concessions available); free first Tues of month. Royal Ontario Museum The entrance hall alone is reason enough to visit the ROM – two massive Native Canadian totem poles from British Columbia flank the stairs, underneath a beautiful golden mosaic ceiling. Deeper within, the museum offers a seeming mishmash of different collections. The exhibits representing the Far East include a renowned collection of Chinese art, including wall paintings, snuff bottles and ceramic head cushions, as well as the only complete example of a Ming tomb in the west. Other levels handle the life sciences, the ancient Mediterranean and a Canadian heritage collection. 100 Queen’s Park Tel: (416) 586 5549 or 8000 (recorded info). Fax: (416) 586 5863. E-mail: info@rom.on.ca Website: www.rom.on.ca Transport: Subway Museum. Opening hours: Mon-Sat 1000-1800 (Fri until 2130), Sun 1100-1800. Admission: C$18 (Mon-Fri); C$20 (Sat and Sun); free (Fri 1630-2130); concessions available. Ontario Science Centre The Ontario Science Centre was opened in 1969 with a mission to ‘open minds to science by creating environments that excite curiosity, inspire insights and motivate learning in science and technology’. This difficult task is successfully accomplished with over 800 fascinating exhibits. Themes explored in depth include, the Human Body and the Information Highway. Interactive exhibits include piloting a spacecraft or touching a Van der Graaf generator to make one’s hair stand up on end. An Omnimax Cinema offers a 24m (79ft) domed screen. 770 Don Mills Road Tel: (416) 696 1000 or 3127 (recorded info). Fax: (416) 696 3166. E-mail: webmaster@osc.on.ca Website: www.ontariosciencecentre.ca Transport: Subway Eglinton/Pape. Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700 (until 1800 in summer). Admission: C$12 (exhibitions); C$10 (Omnimax Cinema); C$17 (both); concessions available. Parking on site costs C$7. Toronto Zoo Situated on a sprawling 287-hectare (710-acre) forested piece of land next to the Rouge Valley in the suburb of Scarborough, the Toronto Zoo is the fourth largest zoo in the world. The collection of over 5000 animals is truly international, since the zoo features pavilions named Africa, the Americas, IndoMalaya, Australasia, the Indian Rhino, Gaur and the Malayan Woods. Underwater exhibits showcase polar bears, South African fur seals, beavers in their dens and otters swimming at eye level. Meadowvale Road (two kilometres/1.2 miles north of Highway 401) Tel: (416) 392 5900. Fax: (416) 392 5863. E-mail: torontozoo@zoo.metrotor.on.ca Website: www.torontozoo.com Transport: Subway Kennedy, then bus 86A. Opening hours: Daily 0900-1930 (mid-May-early Sep); 0930-1630 (Nov-early Mar); 0900-1800 (other times of year). Admission: C$15 (concessions available); extra charge for some activities. Parking on site costs C$5. Fort York Fort York harks back to the days when Toronto, then as British as afternoon tea, was named ‘York’. As a colony, the city occasionally had to deal with revolutionaries to the south, so Fort York was founded in 1793 to fortify British control of Lake Ontario. Most of the buildings, however, date from 1814 because, during the War of 1812, the evacuating British blew up the gunpowder magazine – an explosion so unexpectedly large that it killed ten of their own men, 250 advancing Americans and a good deal of the fort. Highlights of Fort York include blockhouses, barracks, officers’ quarters, costumed staff and period demonstrations. Garrison Road, off Fleet Street Tel: (416) 392 6907. Fax: (416) 392 6917. E-mail: fortyork@city.toronto.on.ca Website: www.city.toronto.on.ca/culture/fort_york.htm Transport: Subway Bathurst Station; tram 511. Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700 (late May-early Sep); Mon-Fri 1000-1600, Sat and Sun 1000-1700 (early Sep-late May). Admission: C$5 (concessions available). Paramount Canada’s Wonderland Located in the northern suburb of Maple, Canada’s Wonderland is, as its name suggests, an amusement park. Although not on the same scale as a Disney or Universal theme park, the park features over 200 attractions on its 134 hectares (330 acres) of landscaped grounds. Rides include Cliffhanger, Scooby – Scooby-Doo’s Haunted Mansion, Mountain Eruption and Meteor Attack. Summer 2001 saw visitors spun around by the new Shockwave ride, a trend that continues in 2002 when the Psyclone will spin guests around 37m (120ft) in the air at the end of a giant pendulum. 9580 Jane Street (Highway 400, exit 33) Tel: (905) 832 7000. Fax: (905) 832 7419. E-mail: info@canadaswonderland.com Website: www.canadas-wonderland.com Transport: GO bus from Yorkdale or York Mills stations. Opening hours: Daily 1000-2200 (Jun-Aug); Sat and Sun 1000-2000 (May, Sep and Oct). Admission: C$44.99 (unlimited access); C$24.99 (grounds admission only); concessions available. Further Distractions R C Harris Waterworks Located on sprawling grounds in Toronto’s Beaches district (website: www.the-beaches.com), the R C Harris Waterworks is first and foremost a water filtration plant, the city’s largest. Intakes located 2.5km (1.5 miles) into Lake Ontario suck up to one billion litres (520 million gallons) of water each day for processing. But no matter how interesting it may be to witness the various stages of water purification – pre-chlorination, screening, coagulation, settling etc – this attraction merits a visit due to its stunning architectural design. Often described as a ‘Palace of Purification’, the plant was built between 1937 and 1941 and is a gem of Art Deco engineering and design. From the outside, features include a Byzantine façade and an Egyptian tower, while its rich interior, replete with marble and brass surfaces, is redolent of another era. A historical narrative of the plant’s construction was described in Michael Ondaatje’s novel, In the Skin of a Lion. 2701 Queen Street East Tel: (416) 392 3566. Transport: Tram to Queen Street. Opening hours: Sat only; guided tours at 1000, 1130 and 1300. (Tours are currently suspended. Visitors are advised to check the latest information at the telephone number listed above before setting out.) Admission: Free. Toronto Islands Located in Toronto Harbour, facing the Downtown skyline, the Toronto Islands have long been regarded as a place for leisure and relaxation. The islands did not become islands, however, until 1858, when a storm caused a rift between the then peninsula and the mainland. Over the years, the main islands – Ward Island, Centre Island and Hanlan’s Point – were popular resort areas and included a baseball park where Babe Ruth hit his first professional home run. In the last 50 years, as a 230-hectare (568-acre) public park, the islands have become popular picnicking places. Facilities include designated picnic areas (with fire pits), wading pools, softball diamonds, beaches, a farm, plenty of restaurants and the Centreville Amusement Park. Today, the islands offer an ideal outdoor environment in which to take a waterside walk, relax at a café or enjoy an unparalleled view of the city’s skyline. The islands are only accessible by ferry. Toronto Harbour Tel: (416) 392 8186 or 8183 (ferry information). Fax: (416) 392 3355. E-mail: parks@city.toronto.on.ca Website: www.city.toronto.on.ca/parks/to_islands/island_index.htm Transport: Subway Union Station, then ferry. Opening hours: Ferry times vary seasonally. Admission: Free; C$5 (return ferry ticket); C$20.75 (ride pass at Centreville). Tours of the City Walking Tours Walking tours of Toronto are available from Toronto Footsteps (tel: (416) 483 5483) and A Taste of the World (tel: (416) 923 6813; website: www.torontowalksbikes.com), who also offer bicycle tours. Guided tours of the city’s natural heritage are available from Toronto Field Naturalists (tel: (416) 593 2656). Architectural walks are available from Unique Views (tel: (416) 531 7770). There are also a variety of signposted, self-guided walks that wind through the city’s many parks and green spaces. Alternatively, visitors have the option of exploring the vast labyrinth of interconnected shopping areas that underlie Downtown’s office towers. The ten kilometres (six miles) PATH network (website: www.city.toronto.on.ca/path) links shopping, services and entertainment venues between the two branches of the Yonge–University–Spadina subway south of Dundas Street. Bus Tours Grayline Tours (tel: (416) 594 3310; website: www.grayline.ca/toronto) runs hop-on, hop-off tours of the city centre in open-topped double-decker buses and turn-of-the-century trolley buses. A full circuit lasts two hours and costs C$31 (concessions available). Toronto Hippo Tours (tel: (416) 703 4476 or (877) 635 5510; website: www.torontohippotours.com) offers an ‘amphibus’ (amphibious bus) that provides an hour-long tour of the city streets. Points of interest include the CN Tower, the SkyDome and Toronto City Hall – before entering the water at Ontario Place for a half-hour tour around Toronto’s harbour. The cost is C$35 (concessions available). Excursions For a Half Day McMichael Canadian Art Collection: Situated 40km (25 miles) northwest of the city centre in the picturesque village of Kleinburg, the McMichael (tel: (905) 893 1121 or (888) 213 1121; website: www.mcmichael.com) possesses one of the largest collections of 20th-century Canadian art. Works on permanent display include many by the country’s most prominent painters – Emily Carr, Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven – a body of work matched in spirit by the gallery’s forested setting. The gallery also has a strong collection of contemporary First Nations and Inuit works. Temporary exhibitions are hosted throughout the year. Although it is possible to visit the gallery by public transport, travel by car is recommended (Highway 400). The gallery is open Sunday to Friday 1000-1700 (Thursday until 2000) and Saturday 1000-1600. Admission costs C$12 (concessions available); parking is an additional C$5. Elora: A pleasant, pastoral town situated about 100km (60 miles) from Toronto, Elora was founded in the 1830s by settlers harnessing the water of the Grand River to power their mill. The mill still survives, functioning these days as the Elora Mill Country Inn. The town itself offers shopping, restaurants, horse-drawn carriage rides – but its real appeal is as a base from which to explore the surrounding countryside. The Elora Gorge is a three-kilometre-long (two-mile) scenic limestone gorge lined with cedars (entry fee: C$3.50; camping permits etc cost extra). The surrounding landscape – picturesque, gently rolling fields – is home to various Mennonite communities, a religious sect similar to the Amish who have chosen to live without technology. They can often be seen travelling along the side of the road in horse-drawn wagons and their quaint farms make for soothing roadside scenery. Although coach transport is available, getting there by car is recommended (Highway 401, then Highway 6 through Guelph, then Country Road 7 to Elora). Further details are available from the Elora Information Centre (tel: (519) 846 9841; website: www.eic.elora.on.ca) and the Grand River Conservation Authority (tel: (519) 846 9742; website: www.grandriver.ca/parks/parks.cfm). For a Whole Day Niagara Falls: The world-renowned Niagara Falls has attracted visitors since the first human inhabitants set eyes upon it and is now one of the most popular tourist destinations in North America. Although Niagara is not the highest waterfall in the world, it carries a staggering 168,000 cubic metres (219,600 cubic yards) of water per minute over a drop of 51m (167ft). The surrounding town of Niagara Falls (tel: (905) 356 6061 or (800) 356 6061; website: www.niagarafallstourism.com) is a notorious honeymoon destination; although a tad on the kitsch side. It offers lots of activities for the visitor, including a casino, the Skylon observation tower and boat tours of the falls aboard the Maid of the Mist (tel: (905) 358 5781; website: www.maidofthemist.com; cost: C$12.25). Niagara Falls is located 130km (81 miles) west of Toronto and can be reached by car, coach, train or a hydrofoil and coach trip (see the Water section). Further information on the falls is available from the Niagara Parks Commission (tel: (877) 642 7275 or (905) 371 0254; website: www.niagaraparks.com). The surrounding region offers winery tours, while the nearby Niagara-on-the-Lake (website: www.niagaraonthelake.com) is home to a wealth of theatres, tree-lined 19th-century streets and picturesque inns. The main draw for many visitors is the annual Shaw Festival (website: www.shawfest.sympatico.ca), which has specialised in the plays of Bernard Shaw and his contemporaries for the last four decades. Algonquin Provincial Park: For many visitors, Algonquin Provincial Park (tel: (705) 633 5572; e-mail: info@algonquinpark.on.ca; website: www.algonquinpark.on.ca) captures the archetypal Canadian boreal landscape – shimmering blue lakes, towering pines and granite rock faces carved by the retreating glaciers. The park was established in 1893 in a rugged, beautiful region of southern Ontario and quickly became popular with canoeists and outdoor enthusiasts. For a day trip, it is probably wisest to take in the natural beauty from Highway 60, which runs right through the park yet still offers a decent chance for a deer or moose sighting. For a more active experience, visitors could take one of 13 hiking trails, while for educational input there is a Visitors Centre. As Algonquin Provincial Park is located 300km (186 miles) north of Toronto, individual transportation is recommended. There is a C$10 vehicle entry fee; camping permits cost extra. Hotels Hotel prices are subject to a provincial sales tax, which is 5% on accommodation, as well as a federal goods and services tax of 7%. The 12% total tax is usually added to the bill at the end. Tipping is expected in Toronto – porters are usually given a C$5 note for their efforts. The prices quoted below are the starting prices for a double room, excluding taxes and breakfast, unless otherwise specified. Business Cambridge Suites Located in the heart of the Financial District, an approximately C$40 taxi ride from Pearson International Airport, this all-suites hotel is designed with the business traveller in mind. The experienced staff can handle all kinds of business occasions, from state-of-the-art presentations to informal breakfast meetings. The exterior of the hotel is a typically North American 20 floors of green glass, while the 231 interior guest rooms range from 51-sq-metre (550-sq-feet) apartment-style units to deluxe duplexes, usually decorated in muted browns and creams. All rooms have work areas that are comfortable, well designed and feature two two-line telephones and a fax machine. The penthouse suites have Jacuzzis, while all guests have full use of the fitness club and racquetball facilities. 15 Richmond Street East, Financial District Tel: (800) 463 1990 or (416) 368 1990. Fax: (416) 601 3751. Website: www.cambridgesuiteshotel.com Price: From C$330 (including breakfast). Crowne Plaza Toronto Centre This modern high-rise is ideal for business travellers. Not only is it located next door to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, but the hotel itself has 15 meeting rooms, as well as a ballroom, boardroom and several smaller hospitality suites. The staff are extremely experienced and, with one meeting professional for every room, every business occasion will run smoothly. The 586 guest rooms are tastefully and simply appointed and each has a coffee-maker, two telephone lines, complimentary newspaper delivery and a fax/modem point. On the Executive/Club Floor, guests can also expect complimentary drinks, complimentary use of a meeting room, a daily buffet breakfast and daily cocktail hour, and a 24-hour lounge. The hotel is also located near the Air Canada Centre, the Skydome and the Theatre District, and is a five-minute walk from the heart of the Financial District. 225 Front Street West, Financial District Tel: (800) 422 7969 or (416) 597 1400. Fax: (416) 597 1400. E-mail: reservations@crowneplazatoronto.com Website: www.crowneplazatoronto.com Price: From C$209 (including breakfast). Metropolitan Hotel Located in the north end of the Financial District and a short walk from the Eaton Centre (Toronto’s largest downtown shopping mall), this independently owned modern hotel with majestic lobby ceilings and suites that are contemporary in design caters to the business traveller. For example, there is a complimentary limousine service to any downtown location during business hours. In addition to the standard features of telephones with modem and fax points, the luxury rooms also have Jacuzzis, dolby surround sound and cordless telephones. There is complimentary use of the fitness centre and the heated indoor swimming pool, as well as facilities like express video check-out, in-room dining, same-day dry cleaning and non-smoking floors. 108 Chestnut Street, Financial District Tel: (416) 977 5000. Fax: (416) 977 9513. Website: www.metropolitan.com Price: From C$220. The Sutton Place Hotel Toronto Located in midtown Toronto next to the sprawling green campus of the University of Toronto, the concrete and glass exterior of The Sutton Place may not take your breath away but once inside the European styling is luxurious, with antiques and paintings throughout. Although it is the hotel of choice for film celebrities during the Toronto International Film Festival, it also serves the business traveller very well. There are ten individually designed meeting rooms and three breathtaking ballrooms – with a superb view of the city – and staff on hand to ensure any event is a success. The suites are spacious – some with full kitchens – and all have a large work desk, two-line telephone with voice-mail, fax/modem point, bathrobes and complimentary newspaper delivery. 955 Bay Street, Midtown Tel: (800) 268 3790 or (416) 924 9221. Fax: (416) 961 4635. Website: www.suttonplace.com Price: From C$235. Luxury Four Seasons Hotel Toronto The Four Seasons chain was founded and started by Canadian Issy Sharp and, although this hotel is not the original, it is more often than not the one celebrities and well-heeled visitors choose when visiting Toronto. Located in Yorkville, a chi-chi district littered with boutiques and cafés, it is well known for its service and comfort. Features include windows that open, corner rooms with balconies, marble bathrooms and all standard business amenities, as well as family perks, such as free babysitting and free video game units for children. Of course, the hotel has not neglected the basics either – an indoor/outdoor pool (with disposable bathing suits for purchase if required), a 24-hour health club (with whirlpool and sauna) and a complete spa. The wood-lined bar and the award-winning restaurant, Truffles (see Restaurants), are city landmarks. 21 Avenue Road, Yorkville Tel: (800) 268 6282 or (416) 964 0411. Fax: (416) 964 2301. Website: www.fourseasons.com Price: From C$305. Le Royal Meridien King Edward Known affectionately as the King Eddie, this elegant hotel was the hotel of choice for visiting royalty in the mid-1920s. In 1981, a C$25 million investment in its opulent decor ensured that the hotel’s reputation would be upheld for many decades more. The original 1906 façade alone is stunning. Located downtown, its locale is ideal for theatre-goers, shoppers and businesspeople alike. Although not all rooms are spacious, they are well appointed – marble bathtubs, tasteful design and thoughtful perks, such as complimentary newspapers delivered daily, bathrobes and 24-hour room service. If the complimentary breakfast is too much, there is also a spa and fitness centre to work it off. 37 King Street East, Financial District Tel: (416) 863 3131. Fax: (416) 367 5515. Website: www.lemeridien-kingedward.com Price: From C$239 (including breakfast). Moderate Delta Chelsea Claiming to be Canada’s largest hotel, the glass sky-high Delta Chelsea tries to cater for everybody in its 1591 guest rooms. For families, there are Nintendo games, a bottomless cookie jar and kids’ discounts at the Delta Chelsea’s restaurants. For business travellers, there is a dedicated floor with rooms equipped with cordless speaker telephones, faxes, well-stocked desks and back-friendly chairs, as well as two pools and a fitness centre. Many rooms have been designed for travellers with disabilities and there are always staff on hand to assist with meeting planning or presentation. Weekend packages are often very economically priced. 33 Gerrard Street West, Downtown Tel: (800) 329 7466 or (416) 595 1975. Fax: (416) 585 4362. Website: www.deltahotels.com Price: From C$129. The Strathcona With cheaper rates off peak (November to April), The Strathcona has long been a budget hotel, located as it is directly across from the city’s main railway station, Union Station. Locals may smile when The Strathcona is mentioned (rumored to be a former flophouse), but they are probably not aware of the 1999 renovation, where the hotel improved its lobby and added some suites. The Strathcona is now aiming itself at the budget business traveller. It provides corporate rooms – with two telephones, modem points, complimentary morning newspaper and 24-hour fax service – and has added a basic meeting room. The guest rooms are small but efficient and the hotel is steps away from the Queens Quay waterfront, theatres and great shopping. 60 York Street, Theatre/Financial District Tel: (416) 363 3321. Fax: (416) 363 4679. E-mail: info@thestrathcona.com Price: From C$90. Other Recommendations Park Hyatt Toronto Formerly known as the Park Plaza, this hotel’s rooftop bar-lounge has made appearances in some Canadian novels, such as Margaret Atwood’s Cat’s Eye. Purchased by Hyatt in 1999, over C$60 million was invested in refurbishment of the 65-year-old Art Deco building – including the addition of a Spa. Along with its location in ritzy Yorkville, it boasts typical business amenities of two-line telephones, modem point, plush bathrobes and an in-room iron and ironing board. It is also one of the few dog-friendly hotels in the city. 4 Avenue Road, Yorkville Tel: (800) 233 1234 or (416) 925 1234. Fax: (416) 924 6693. Website: www.hyatt.com Price: From C$225. Windsor Arms Built in 1927, the neo-Gothic Windsor Arms was recently purchased and returned to splendour. Rated by Condé Nast Traveller magazine as one of the world’s top boutique hotels, its rooms are second to none – sumptuous linen, butler pantries (an invention by the hotel’s owner, designed for those who need room service but do not want to see anybody), plush bathrobes, mood lighting, stereos and ample space. It is a hotel that film stars often frequent – booking one of the 28 rooms during the Toronto International Film Festival (first two weeks of September) is next to impossible. Dining downstairs includes the Courtyard Café and Club 22, which includes a walk-in humidor. There is also a full-service spa and adequate fitness room. 118 St Thomas Street, Yorkville Tel: (416) 971 9666. Fax: (416) 971 3303. Website: www.windsorarmshotel.com Price: From C$295. Restaurants We have selected 25 restaurants, which we have divided into five categories: Gastronomic, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. The restaurants are listed alphabetically within these different categories, which serve as guidelines rather than absolute definitions of the establishments. Restaurant prices are subject to a provincial sales tax of 8% and a federal goods and services tax of 7%. There is also a 10% liquor tax on any alcohol drunk with the meal. All taxes are usually added to the bill at the end of the meal. In addition, it is customary to tip at least 15% for good service. The City of Toronto recently passed a by-law that all restaurants must be smoke-free. The exceptions to this new and somewhat contentious rule are eating establishments that define themselves as ‘bars’. Many restaurants do not have websites or e-mail addresses and it is usually best to reach them by telephone. The prices quoted below are for an average three-course meal and for a bottle of house wine or cheapest equivalent; they do not include tax or tip. Gastronomic Chiado Located smack in the middle of Little Portugal, Toronto’s sizeable Portuguese community could not ask for a better ambassador. Seafood dominates, with fresh fish flown in daily – anything tentacled finds a worthy end on the grill. Those partial to land-bound critters will find solace in the braised rabbit. No lunch. 864 College Street, Little Portugal Tel: (416) 538 1910. Price: C$60. Wine: C$30. North 44 Named after Toronto’s latitude, North 44’s location in Toronto’s safe and franchise-ridden uptown has not stopped this internationally acclaimed restaurant from being the city’s most infamous posh eating place for over a decade. Cold and steely from the outside but with a warm and artful interior, the menu changes with the seasons but everything – from roast lamb shank, bouillabaisse or a trio of lobster appetisers – will be prepared to perfection. A recent renovation will likely keep the momentum going for another ten years. No lunch. Closed Sunday. 2537 Yonge Street, Eglinton Tel: (416) 487 4897. Website: http://toronto.com/E/V/TORON/0034/03/59/1.html Price: C$80. Wine: C$45. Opus Located in an unassuming townhouse on a quaint, leafy street, a meal at Opus is like dinner at a friend’s house – only with waiters and an outstanding chef. Servers are attentive, knowledgeable and friendly. The menu changes monthly and reflects the seasons – traditional French fare, such as smoked duck and rack of lamb, often make appearances. No lunch. 37 Prince Arthur Avenue, Yorkville/Annex Tel: (416) 921 3105. Price: C$80. Wine: C$50. Splendido Bar and Grill Lamborghinis pull up and good-looking people step out and immerse themselves in Splendido’s bright yet sophisticated dining room. These discerning patrons come mainly for the adventurous Italian-influenced menu. Dishes include a starter of warm tomato puff pastry with buffalo mozzarella and mains like beef tenderloin served with ravioli stuffed with lobster and fennel or oven-baked rack of veal, served with buttered corn, radicchio chilli cress salad, sweet potato fritters and thyme sauce. There is a large international wine list with New and Old World selections. 88 Harbord Street, SpaHa Tel: (416) 929 7788. Fax: (416) 929 3501. Website: www.splendidoonline.com Price: C$70. Wine: C$31. Truffles The award-winning restaurant of the Four Seasons flagship hotel (see Hotels), Truffles is, as its name suggests, a celebration of the gourmet. Every detail – from the exotic sculptures to the exotically sculpted starters, such as rare seared tuna, milk-poached smoked cod or foie gras, has been seen to. Fish, fowl and meat are prepared with equal aplomb, making the tasting menu (a choice of five or eight courses) perhaps the most prudent choice for the foodie. The long wine list reaches deep into the wallet. No lunch. Closed Sunday. Four Seasons Hotel, 21 Avenue Road, Yorkville Tel: (416) 928 7331. Website: www.fourseasons.com Price: C$85. Wine: C$30. Business Canoe Restaurant and Bar If there is one truly Canadian restaurant in Toronto, this is it. Canoe takes ingredients typical to Canada and creates gourmet dishes. Maple sugar, saskatoon berry compote and partridgeberry jus are accessories to such daring (and delicious) offerings as venison and caribou. Canoe’s playful mix of yellows and blues and warm, woody tones adds to the whole experience. Prices cater to expense accounts and the wine list leans towards New World selections. Reservations essential. Closed weekends. 54th Floor, Toronto Dominion Bank Tower, 66 Wellington Street West, Financial District Tel: (416) 364 0054. E-mail: info@canoerestaurant.com Website: www.canoerestaurant.com Price: C$65. Wine: C$50. Courthouse Market Grille The Courthouse was once a jail – chandeliers now hang from its grand high ceilings and the food is anything but jailhouse slop. Businesspeople that frequent the Courthouse will be able to satisfy their carnivore tastes – steak, chicken and other grilled and rotisserie meats are certain to please. Reservations required. Closed Sunday. No lunch Saturday. 57 Adelaide Street East, Financial District Tel: (416) 214 9379. Fax: (416) 214 1715. Website: www.libertygroup.com/restaurants.html Price: C$45. Wine: C$55. Indian Rice Factory Punjabi-influenced dishes that will appeal to vegetarians and meat-lovers alike. Regular selections include pakoras and dishes like chicken khashabad, a chicken breast stuffed with almonds, cashews and raisins in coconut milk-cream. Reservations recommended. No lunch weekends. 414 Dupont Street, Annex Tel: (416) 961 3472. Price: C$25. Wine: C$18. Jump Café and Bar With its neatly placed palm trees and natural light, this place can be festive, loud and ebullient, but its tucked-away tables allow for tête à têtes as well. Since its conception it has been the hangout for Toronto’s brokers and traders, so it should come as no surprise that Jump serves up meals so delicious they will secure any deal. Dishes might include sirloin steak with yukon-gold potato frites, roast chicken or lemon risotto. Fish dishes and other ‘spa’ (fancy talk for ‘low-fat’) choices also grace the menu – but if calories are really a concern, desserts are best left seen but not tasted. Reservations required. Closed Sunday. No lunch Saturday. Commerce Court East, 1 Wellington Street, Financial District Tel: (416) 363 3400. Fax: (416) 363 3838. Price: C$45. Wine: C$45. ZooM Caffe and Bar At one time, this beautifully lit and beautifully peopled restaurant was a bank. Like its award-winning design (small cocktail tables, low lamps, high ceilings and state-of-the-art lighting throughout), the menu is precise: dishes like lamb shank served with snap peas, mashed potatoes and white asparagus. Wines tend towards the expensive. ZooM is popular for private functions so reservations are recommended. Closed Sunday. No lunch Saturday. 18 King Street West, Financial District Tel: (416) 861 9872. Website: www.zoomrestaurant.com Price: C$50. Wine: C$50. Trendy Bar One An island of chic in this up-and-coming part of town, the tall ceilings and narrow walls of this young but firmly established eating place match the converted loft apartments that surround it. The interior is simple and crisp, as is the Italian and international menu: soup (like spinach and potato), fish, pasta (like fettuccini with flank steak in a vodka sauce). Closed weekends. 924 Queen Street West, Queen West Tel: (416) 535 1655. Price: C$35. Wine: C$24. Lolita’s Lust In an increasingly franchised part of Greektown, Lolita’s Lust remains a perennial favourite. This intimate, dimly lit hotspot is frequented by stars when they’re in town – the signage is subtle (diners should look for a pea-green building with blocked-out windows). The food is mostly Mediterranean fare – including a delicious pan-seared tuna with lentils on the side. Reservations essential. No lunch. 513 Danforth Avenue, Greektown Tel: (416) 465 1751. Price: C$45. Wine: C$30. The Paddock The sumptuous, wooden 1940s decor of this bar/restaurant tends to get obscured on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights by crowds of youngish drinkers in search of draught beer, a well-shaken martini or their inner Humphrey Bogart. On other nights of the week, it is a quiet restaurant. Food highlights include steak and sweet potato fries, mussels in a coconut curry sauce and a portobello mushroom and goat’s cheese salad. 178 Bathurst Street, Queen and Bathurst Tel: (416) 504 9997. Price: C$35. Wine: C$20. Teatro Decorated in olive green with a red trim, Teatro is a lively but intimate (the small bistro tables are very close together) restaurant in Little Italy. It is also as popular as they come, because it offers diners a refuge from the storm of pastas and pizzas in the area. Mains range from salmon baked with miso and soy sauce, wasabe-encrusted seared tuna or quail served with roasted baby beets; while star starters include the mussels or the foie gras. 505 College Street, Little Italy Tel: (416) 972 1475. Price: C$45. Wine: C$36. Tempo Low levels of funk music play in the background, while dim halogen lighting and simple metal chairs and tables against muted green walls all give Tempo a modern, simple look. Menu items like the tempura, sashimi and sushi may sound distinctly Japanese, but the daring, acclaimed food at Tempo veers towards fusion. Expect hand rolls (like California Rolls) flavoured with truffle oil or oyster tempura sushi. Daily specials tend toward grilled seafood dressed in strong but not overpowering Thai flavours. And to wash it all down, there are premium domestic or Japanese beers, a thoughtful wine list and a small army of single malts. No lunch. 596 College Street, Little Italy Tel: (416) 531 2822. Price: C$45. Wine: C$23. Budget 7 West Café Open 24 hours, this place somehow retains its casual café feel over all three floors. Homemade pizza bagels, delicious sandwiches and salads are good choices during the summer. During the winter, nothing warms as well as the chilli con carne, while the chocolate banana cake satisfies late-night sweet cravings. As well as a decent wine and beer list, herbal teas and speciality coffees are also house favourites. Reservations not accepted. 7 Charles Street West, Yonge and Bloor Tel: (416) 928 9041. Price: C$2. Wine: C$20. Bar Italia Past the bar, choked with well-dressed, good-looking types downing martinis and pints of beer, there is a warm yet minimalist restaurant that serves superb Italian fare. Insalata di funghi (warm mushroom salad), Panini Cubano (pork tenderloin sandwich) and daily pasta specials are but some of the more popular dishes. The wine selection is mostly Italian and French with a decent domestic beer menu. In the summer, a patio seat cannot be beaten for watching the world go by. 582 College Steet, Little Italy Tel: (416) 535 3621. Price: C$25. Wine: C$20. Juice For Life Anybody who wants to eat at this packed health-food restaurant, decorated in relaxing blues and oranges, must be prepared to queue. However, despite wooden tables that are set very close together (love thy neighbour!), it is definitely worth the wait. With over 40 different juices – from fruity to bizarre (including ‘Liquid Oxygen’) – there is definitely something to tempt everybody’s palette without any guilt. Fresh, organic food is the point here. Portions are plentiful – the Buddha bowl of tofu, rice and organic sprouts being a crowd favourite. Those who can handle a little guilt on the side should go for the french fries, served with a super-tasty miso gravy. Reservations not accepted. There is also an unlicensed café/juice bar (daytime only) at 336 Queen Street West. 521 Bloor Street West, Annex Tel: (416) 531 2635. Website: www.juiceforlife.com Price: C$20. Wine: C$18 (litre). La Tavola Calda Situated in the heart of Little Italy, La Tavola Calda serves better Italian food than most of its neighbours – at half the price. Pasta dishes range from the delicate to the robust, while vegetables are ordered as side dishes – the rapinni (a type of spinach) is excellent. The sausage or the grilled veal must be tasted. The restaurant is long and narrow, with a sparse bistro-style decor and exposed brick walls, and there is a great patio in summer. One of the cheapest and best meals in town. 671 College Street, Little Italy Tel: (416) 536 8328. Price: C$15. Wine: C$20 (per litre). Pho Hung Frequented by students and businesspeople alike, Pho Hung offers superb value for money. Authentic Vietnamese selections include tasty beef-broth soups (served with or without noodles) and grilled chicken or pork with vermicelli noodles and spring rolls. Bright and airy, with large windows, Pho Hung has also undergone a recent renovation that allows for a larger dining area overlooking Bloor Street. No credit cards. 200 Bloor Street West, Annex Tel: (416) 963 5080. Price: C$15. Wine: C$17. Branch: 350 Spadina Avenue, Chinatown Tel: (416) 593 4274. Personal Recommendations 360 The Restaurant at the Tower Floor-to-ceiling windows, 114 storeys above the lakeshore, with a view as good as they get – blue lake as far as the eye can see to the south, Toronto spreading out in every other direction. And because 360 is the world’s largest revolving restaurant, none of the view will be missed. The food isn’t quite as memorable but it is good enough. Lamb shank, calamari and prime rib all make the grade. A reservation at this restaurant also includes a post-dinner walk on the glass floor – for those who can stomach it. No lunch winter. CN Tower, 301 Front Street West, Downtown Tel: (416) 362 5411. Fax: (416) 601 4895. Website: www.cntower.ca Price: C$70; C$45 (three-course fixed-price menu). Wine: C$22. Brownes Bistro Prized by the well-heeled residents of Rosedale, this long-lived neighbourhood bistro may be culinarily unadventurous but its longevity speaks for its quality. Pastas and pizzas change daily, while the straight-up meat-and-potatoes dishes (braised lamb shank et al) are regulars. No lunch. 4 Woodlawn Avenue East, Summerhill Tel: (416) 924 8132. Price: C$40. Wine: C$30. Jamie Kennedy at the Museum The imposing, neo-Gothic stone walls of the Royal Ontario Museum hide one of the city’s greatest culinary treasures. Located on the fifth floor, JK ROM (as it is known) is patronised equally by Toronto movers and shakers and museum visitors. Outstanding dishes include steak-frites, herbed goat’s cheese and tomato tart, and terrine of foie gras, all impeccably paired with wines, most of which are available by the glass. Lunch only (plus private dining). Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queens Park Tel: (416) 586 5578. Website: www.rom.on.ca Price: C$35. Wine: C$30. JOV Bistro Situated uptown, this New York-look restaurant (sparsely yet crisply decorated with wood trim) offers a unique dining experience. A minimum of two people choose a tasting menu, which contains four sections per person. Choices include an exotic array of dishes – emu, rabbit, tiger shrimp, liver – to name but a few. With each course arrives a new glass of wine, specifically chosen to match the dish. Always busy so reservations are recommended. Closed Monday. No lunch. 1701 Bayview Avenue, Uptown Tel: (416) 322 0530. Price: C$65 per person (minimum two people). Wine: C$33 (four glasses of wine per person). Rol San Rol San is easy to overlook amid the hundred or so Chinese restaurants that line Spadina Avenue between College Street and the Lakeshore, especially as it has the same large round tables, plastic tablecloths and bright cardboard signs announcing specials in Chinese. However, Rol San serves delicious dim sum (such as the deep fried shrimp and chive cake) by day and crave-worthy portions of fried rice, Szechuan shrimp and crispy chicken until the wee hours. 323 Spadina Avenue, Chinatown Tel: (416) 977 1128. Price: C$25. Wine: C$26. Sport Toronto is first and foremost an ice hockey town, so it is no surprise that the Hockey Hall of Fame (website: www.hhof.com) is located here. The city lives and dies according to the success and failure of the Toronto Maple Leafs (website: www.torontomapleleafs.com), one of the NHL’s most historic franchises. The Leafs play at the brand-new Air Canada Centre, 40 Bay Street (tel: (416) 815 5500; website: www.theaircanadacentre.com), as do the Toronto Raptors (website: www.raptors.com), the city’s professional basketball team. Basketball is relatively new to Toronto but its popularity is growing with each passing season. The Toronto Blue Jays (website: www.bluejays.com) is the city’s professional baseball team, competing in the same American League division as teams like the New York Yankees. The team plays at the SkyDome, 1 Blue Jays Way (tel: (416) 341 1234; website: www.skydome.com), the world’s first retractable-dome stadium – considered a marvel of beauty and engineering when it was built but slowly gaining the status of a dysfunctional eyesore. During the July to November Canadian Football League season, the Toronto Argonauts (website: www.argonauts.ca) also play the SkyDome. Canadians are a sports-loving people. In summer months, residents can be found outdoors jogging, swimming, cycling, walking, playing any number of team sports or having a game of tennis. In winter months, the public tennis courts are iced over and become outdoor community rinks, where anyone (who can skate) is welcome to play in one of the impromptu games of ice hockey. Fitness centres: The YMCA, 20 Grosvenor Street (tel: (416) 975 9622), is a very large, modern facility in the heart of the city centre offering facilities like a sauna, whirlpool, pool, squash courts and a weight room. Golf: Although the season is defined by an icy winter, golf is an immensely popular sport in Toronto and there are over a hundred courses within a half-hour drive of Downtown. Within the city, visitors can play at the Don Valley Golf Course (tel: (416) 392 2465; website: www.city.toronto.on.ca/parks/recreation_facilities/golfing/donvalley.htm; C$45-49 for 18 holes). A short distance northwest of the city centre, in the suburb of Brampton, Lionhead Golf and Country Club (tel: (905) 455 8400; website: www.golflionhead.com; C$150-160, half that price in the evening) offers two 18-hole courses – its ‘Legends’ course is considered the most difficult in the country. Horseriding: Visitors to the 24-hectare (59-acre) Sunnybrook Park, north of the city centre, will find the Central Don Riding Academy (tel: (416) 444 4044), the largest in the city, offering trail rides and lessons. Skating: With ice hockey as the national sport, it is not surprising to find many Torontonians enjoying a leisurely skate during the winter. Next to Toronto City Hall, Nathan Phillips Square is iced over when the temperature drops. There is also a rink in the fashionable Hazleton Lanes shopping mall in Yorkville. Swimming: Toronto’s beaches attract large crowds during the summer to walk, rollerblade and cycle along the meandering boardwalk, or frolic in the blue waters of Lake Ontario. Outdoor swimming pools are often popular, such as Gus Ryder Sunnyside Pool, Budapest Park, 1755 Lakeshore Boulevard West (tel: (416) 392 6696), and at Riverdale Park, 550 Broadview Avenue (tel: (416) 392 0751). In winter, indoor swimming can be found at the YMCA (see above). Shopping Thankfully, Toronto has not succumbed to mall culture to the same degree as its neighbours in the USA – most malls tend to be firmly located in the suburbs, although there are a number of shopping concourses at the bases of the larger Downtown office towers, linked by underground passageways. The one important mall that has managed to take root Downtown is the Eaton Centre, located at the intersection of Yonge and Dundas streets (website: www.torontoeatoncentre.com). The Eaton Centre is a mall for non-mall types – lots of shopping in a more soothing environment, with a huge fountain, a ceiling that is a vast barrel vault of windows and a famous sculpture of flying Canada geese. As a vital, densely populated hub, the city centre is filled with open-air shopping streets, each with its own character. Queen and College streets attract style-conscious twenty- and thirty-somethings. Fashions are original, often with an emphasis on obscure labels, both domestic and imported. Queen Street West also offers a variety of furniture shops, some offering cutting-edge modern designs and others displaying second-hand pieces from ten to 50 years old. There have been some signs of gentrification, sparking the now hip ‘West Queen West’ district, beyond Spadina and Bathurst streets. Yorkville features more upmarket shopping – Prada, Versace, Louis Vuitton – including Holt Renfrew, 50 Bloor Street West, a Canadian equivalent to New York’s Saks or London’s Harrods. Yonge Street offers shopping of every variety from its beginnings near the waterfront right to the northern edge of the city. The bounty of the vast Canadian landscape can be appreciated at St Lawrence Market, at the corner of Jarvis and Front streets (website: www.stlawrencemarket.com). Here, visitors can take in the sight of piles of fresh fish laid out on beds of ice, pick among butcher shops, choose between three delicatessens, five bakeries and many fruit and vegetable shops overflowing with produce. Across town, Kensington Market, tucked in just behind Chinatown (west of Spadina Avenue, between Dundas and College streets) gives a sense of the city’s multi-ethnic make-up, with residents from over 30 cultural backgrounds. The market has been around a long time – since the 1790s – and its winding narrow streets are filled with fruit stands, butcher shops, cafés, Asian markets and local fashion designers. Apart from offering a wealth of good shopping, Toronto is of particular interest to the international traveller due to the relative weakness of the Canadian Dollar. Shopping is available seven days a week and stores are generally open 1000-1800, although it is common to find some open as late as 2200, especially on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. In addition to the 7% Goods and Services Tax (GST), a provincial sales tax of 8% is added to the listed price of most purchases. The GST portion can be redeemed by non-residents for purchases and short-term accommodation totalling over C$200 (minimum C$50 per individual receipt). The Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (tel: (902) 432 5608 or (800) 668 4748; website: www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca/visitors) should be contacted for further information and forms. Private companies offer the same service but charge a fee. Culture Although Toronto’s reputation as a place of business precedes it, it has much to offer the visitor interested in soaking up some local culture – notably its vibrant theatre scene. Toronto has the third most theatres of any city in the world, after London and New York, showing everything from high-budget musicals to experimental fringe theatre. Toronto’s role as the cultural capital of English-speaking Canada is also evident in its major performing arts companies, with ballet, opera and the symphony all well represented during the season that runs generally from September to April. Foremost among the many classical music companies who play at Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe Street (website: www.roythomsonhall.com), is the Toronto Symphony. Further east, the Hummingbird Centre for the Performing Arts, 1 Front Street East (website: www.hummingbirdcentre.com), the largest multi-use facility in the country, is home to the Canadian Opera Company and the National Ballet of Canada, as well as numerous touring acts. The Toronto International Film Festival is world-famous – now the second largest in the world, after Cannes – but is only one of dozens of annual events and festivals that celebrate the diversity and creativity of Toronto’s citizens in a variety of media. In addition to the daily newspapers, the free weeklies NOW (website: www.nowtoronto.com) and eye (website: www.eye.net) have listings for major events and obscure fringe offerings. Tickets for most cultural attractions can usually be bought through Ticketmaster Canada (tel: (416) 870 8000; website: www.ticketmaster.ca). Tickets for many of the big musicals are available from TicketKing (tel: (416) 872 1212 or (800) 461 3333; website: www.ticketking.com) or in person (Tues-Sat 1200-1930) from the T.O.Tix half-price ticket booth on level two of the Eaton Centre (tel: (416) 536 6468). Music: The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (tel: (416) 872 4255; website: www.tso.on.ca) performs over 125 concerts every year at Roy Thomson Hall, attracting guest performers of international acclaim. The Canadian Opera Company (tel: (416) 363 8231; website: www.coc.ca) has received growing audiences in recent seasons and the city has, for several years, been investigating plans to build its own opera house. For now, they can be heard at the Hummingbird Centre. Theatre: The city’s Theatre District is focused on King Street West, slightly north of the CN Tower. Built in 1907, the Royal Alexandra Theatre, 260 King Street West, is an old, spacious Victorian theatre that shows musicals along with the occasional piece of serious theatre. The nearby Princess of Wales Theatre, 300 King Street West, shows similarly popular fare, generally bringing touring versions of major West End and Broadway shows. Both venues are run by Mirvish Productions (website: www.mirvish.com) and can be booked through TicketKing (see above). The Canon Theatre, 263 Yonge Street, restored to its exquisite 1920s design and for many years the Toronto home of Phantom of the Opera, is now a part of the Mirvish stable. For a more local flavour, the Poor Alex Theatre, 296 Brunswick Avenue (tel: (416) 923 1644), is one of the best venues offering innovative new theatre. The Tarragon Theatre, 30 Bridgman Avenue (tel: (416) 531 1827; website: www.tarragontheatre.com), specialises in new Canadian writing. The St Lawrence Centre for the Performing Arts, 27 Front Street East (tel: (416) 366 7723; website: www.stlc.com), is home to the Canadian Stage Company (tel: (416) 368 3110; website: www.canstage.com), producers of modern Canadian plays and productions. Near the waterfront, the Du Maurier Theatre at the Harbourfront Centre, 231 Queens Quay West (tel: (416) 954 5199; website: www.harbourfront.on.ca/programs/theatre.html), was built as an ice house in the 1920s but was renovated in 1992 into a modern theatre, showing musicals alongside more serious pieces. Further information on drama in the city is available from the Toronto Theatre Alliance (tel: (416) 536 6468; website: www.theatreintoronto.com), who represent over a hundred local companies. It is worth getting out of the city for two of the country’s most important theatre festivals – the Shaw Festival, held in Niagara-on-the-Lake (see the Excursions section), and the Stratford Festival (tel: (800) 567 1600; website: www.stratfordfestival.ca), in Stratford, two hours’ drive southwest of Toronto. As the name suggests, the focus at the Stratford is on the works of Shakespeare but the repertoire also includes more recent works by Canadian and international playwrights like Albee and Chekhov. Dance: The National Ballet of Canada (tel: (416) 345 9686; website: www.national.ballet.ca), the country’s best-known dance company, finds its home in Toronto at the Hummingbird Centre. Their most popular show is the annual Christmas production of The Nutcracker. One of the best spots for Canadian and international contemporary dance is at the Harbourfront Centre (tel: (416) 973 4000; website: www.harbourfront.on.ca). Film: In recent years, Toronto has gained the nickname ‘Hollywood North’, due to the large amount of American films that are shot on its streets and in its buildings. Around 40 American feature films are shot in Toronto every year. Recent successes include Angel Eyes (2001), American Psycho (2000) and X-Men (2000). A number of television series, including the US version of Queer as Folk, are also filmed in the city. Among the films where Toronto actually plays itself are The City (1999), Forever Knight (1992) and Exotica (1994), directed by University of Toronto alumnus Atom Egoyan. Honeymooning couples might want to avoid the noir-ish Marilyn Monroe and Joseph Cotton thriller Niagara (1953), although the spectacular falls do compensate for the acrimony between the newlyweds. Every September, the city is flooded with celebrities and film types and patios are overrun with bruschetta and canapés, as film buffs line up to see major releases and arthouse works from around the world during the Toronto International Film Festival (tel: (416) 968 3456; website: www.e.bell.ca/filmfest). As far as seeing a film in Toronto goes, it is customary to purchase tickets at the theatre, which means arriving early if the film is likely to sell out. Seating is always done on a first-come, first-serve basis. Cineplex Odeon (website: www.loewscineplex.com/canada) and Famous Players (website: www.famousplayers.ca) operate the vast majority of Toronto’s mainstream cinemas, with locations throughout the city. The Bloor Cinema, 506 Bloor Street West (tel: (416) 516 2330; website: www.bloorcinema.com), is popular for arthouse and more obscure international films. Cinémathèque Ontario at the Art Gallery of Ontario’s Jackman Hall, 317 Dundas Street West (tel: (416) 923 3456), shows a mixture of English-language and subtitled films. Cultural events: Caribana, run by the Caribbean Cultural Committee (tel: (416) 465 4884; website: www.toronto.com/caribana), is Toronto’s annual summer celebration of Caribbean culture and is one of the largest cultural celebrations in North America, attracting thousands. Taking place in the last two weeks of July, the festival features parades, extravagant costumes, food and music. Late June sees the week-long Toronto Gay and Lesbian Pride Celebration, culminating in the over-the-top Pride Day Parade (website: www.torontopride.com), one of the largest in the world. Summertime also sees the annual JVC Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival (website: www.tojazz.com), which brings famous jazz acts from all over the world to the city’s concert halls and bars. The International Festival of Authors (website: www.readings.org) takes place every autumn at the Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay West (tel: (416) 973 3000), attracting authors both local and international for readings, lectures, talks and awards. Literary Notes Toronto is home to two of the English-speaking world’s most talented and well-known writers: Michael Ondaatje and Margaret Atwood. Not surprisingly, their home city features directly in much of their literature. Ondaatje’s In the Skin of a Lion (1987) follows the early history of Toronto, including the building of the Bloor Street Viaduct and the R C Harris Waterworks (see the Further Distractions section). Atwood’s Cat’s Eye (1988) also finds the city as its setting, telling the story of a woman painter returning to Toronto for a retrospective of her work that brings on a re-examination of her own and her city’s past. Other famous Torontonian writers include recently acclaimed Anne-Marie MacDonald, whose Fall on Your Knees (1996), the story of love, abuse and incest on Canada’s east coast, won the Commonwealth Prize, and Anne Michaels, whose Fugitive Pieces (1997) tells the story of an ageing Holocaust survivor’s life and friendship in Toronto. The famous American author John Irving has a particular fondness for Toronto, spending much of his time in the city. His novel, A Prayer for Owen Meany (1989), is concerned with a private school for girls in Toronto. And it was also in Toronto that a young American writer, Ernest Hemingway, got his big break – as a journalist on the Toronto Star. Nightlife Toronto’s nightlife is yet another aspect of urban life that defies the city’s staid reputation. This was recently helped, in no small part, by the provincial government’s decision to extend drinking hours until 0200, while nightclubs and after-hours clubs often stay open until dawn. Mixed drinks and pints tend to come in around the C$5 mark and admission is often charged at nightclubs but never at normal bars unless a band is playing. A few self-consciously trendy nightclubs may have no-jeans, no-trainers policies at the door. Since it is illegal in the Province of Ontario to serve alcohol and not serve food, bars should be considered places to eat as much as to drink. The legal drinking age in Toronto is 19. The free, alternative weeklies eye (website: www.eye.net) and NOW (website: www.nowtoronto.com) provide the latest information on club nights and gig listings. The most common nights for locals to spend on the town are Thursday, Friday and Saturday, although enthusiastic crowds can usually be found on most other nights. The most popular area for bars and clubs is in the heart of the city centre, slightly west of the Financial District, around the Theatre District on King and Queen streets. For a more ethnic feel, Little Italy offers Italian-flavoured bars and clubs that tend to attract a cooler, more refined crowd in search of pasta, properly mixed drinks and better music. Greektown offers a slew of Greek restaurants and bars that import something of a Mediterranean festive feel even on the darkest of winter nights. Local bars playing a hockey or baseball game on television can be found almost anywhere and are great spots for a plate of chicken wings and a beer. Bars: British visitors will feel at home in the many pubs that dot the city, showing up on street corners and in the more commercial neighbourhood high streets. The Madison, 14 Madison Avenue, is something like a super-pub, taking up four floors over two converted Victorian houses. The Rebel House, 1068 Yonge Street, a neighbourhood favourite, serves a range of good beer and uncommonly good pub food. For a taste of the excellent lager and ale at the city’s best brew pubs, try the Granite Brewery, 245 Eglinton Avenue East, or the Steam Whistle Brewing Company, 255 Bremner Boulevard. Little Italy’s Bar Italia, 582 College Street, is a stylish, trendy cocktail bar with reasonably priced and tasty pasta, which attracts the good-looking weekend crowd. The Rivoli, 332 Queen Street West, attracts a slightly more alternative crowd. One side of the bar serves fusion cuisine, the other cocktails, while concerts, club nights and spoken-word events take place in the back and there is a large pool hall upstairs. Further west is the Gypsy Co-op, 817 Queen Street West, comfortable as a bar/lounge/restaurant earlier in the day or as a nightclub later on. One of the friendliest gay bars in Toronto is the boisterous Woody’s, 465 Church Street. A sense of the country’s ice hockey obsession can be experienced at Wayne Gretzky’s, 99 Blue Jays Way, owned by one of the game’s greatest players ever and a monument to his success on the ice. Casinos: There are no licensed casinos within the City of Toronto, however, there are three government-run casinos elsewhere in the province. The nearest is Casino Niagara, 5705 Falls Avenue, Niagara Falls (tel: (888) 266 7258; website: www.casinoniagara.com). The casino offers slot machines, blackjack, roulette, baccarat, Caribbean stud poker and craps. Patrons must be at least 19 years of age and must possess government-issued identification as proof of age. There is no dress code. Clubs: Richmond Street is home to many of the city’s biggest and best-known clubs. Whiskey Saigon, 250 Richmond Street West, lit up with a neon sign and bright lights, is one of its longer standing venues and offers a lounge and rooftop patio. Not far away is Roxy Blu, 12 Brant Street, known for modern R&B as well as high-profile DJs occasionally flown into town. A young, tapped-in crowd finds its home at Turbo, 360 Adelaide Street West, for electronic music, trance and breakbeats. Chilled-out spots include Ciao Edie, 489 College Street, filled with retro-funk furnishings, and Fluid Lounge, 217 Richmond Street West. On the eastern edge of the city centre is the Guvernment, 132 Queens Quay East, a massive warehouse rigged with an industrial-strength sound system. Gay clubs are scattered throughout the Church and Wellesley area; one of the biggest is the three-floor complex containing The Barn and adjacent Stables at 418 Church Street. Comedy: Toronto is home to what is probably North America’s most famous comedy club chain: The Second City. The Toronto branch at 56 Blue Jays Way (tel: (416) 343 0011 or (800) 263 4485; website: www.secondcity.com), however, is of particular pop-cultural significance as it experienced a golden age in the late 1970s. It witnessed the beginning of the careers of future Hollywood greats, such as Dan Aykroyd (Blues Brothers), Mike Myers (Austin Powers) and Martin Short (Three Amigos). Toronto’s other big venue is Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Cabaret – the 2335 Yonge Street branch (tel: (416) 967 6425; website: www.yukyuks.com) is reputedly the continent’s largest stand-up venue. Live music: The Horseshoe Tavern, 370 Queen Street West, a gritty down-home venue and the first on the continent to receive The Police, is the best place to hear new rock bands. Massey Hall, 178 Victoria Street, hosts everything from jazz, classical, rock and world music to international dance troupes. A more laid-back atmosphere can be found at the Rex Jazz and Blues Bar, 194 Queen Street West, and the Montreal Bistro and Jazz Club, 65 Sherbourne Street. City Statistics Location: Ontario, Canada. Country dialling code: 1. Population: 2,500,000 (city); 4,650,000 (metropolitan area). Ethnic mix (by mother tongue): English 63%, Chinese 6%, Italian 4.5%, Portuguese 2.4%, Polish 1.8%, Spanish 1.6%, Punjabi 1.4%, French 1.3%, Tagalog (Filipino) 1.3%, Tamil 1.1%, Greek 1%, Arabic 0.7%, other 13.9%. Time zone: GMT - 5 (GMT - 4 from first Sunday in April to last Sunday in October). Electricity: 110 volts AC, 60Hz; flat round two-pin plugs are standard. Average January temp: - 4.5°C (23°F). Average July temp: 22°C (72°F). Annual rainfall: 689mm (27.1 inches). Annual snowfall: 1350mm (53.1 inches). Special Events Toronto Winterfest, ice skating and fun in the snow, early Feb Canadian Music Week, upcoming bands, late Feb-early Mar, various venues CONTACT, photography festival, May, city wide Inside-Out – Toronto Lesbian and Gay Film & Video Festival, May NXNE – North by Northeast Music Festival and Industry Conference, Canadian and international bands, early Jun, various venues Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival, late Jun, various venues Gay Pride Week, late Jun, various venues Toronto Fringe Theatre Festival, early-mid-July, various venues Molson Indy, CART auto racing, mid-July, Exhibition Place Outdoor Art Exhibition, Jul, Nathan Phillips Square Beaches International Jazz Festival, Jul, The Beaches Caribana Festival, late Jul-early Aug, city-wide Canadian National Exhibition, agricultural fair, exposition and amusement park, Aug-Sep, Canadian National Exhibition Grounds Toronto International Film Festival, early-mid-Sep, various venues Canadian Aboriginal Festival, Nov, SkyDome First Night Toronto, family-oriented New Year’s Eve activities, 31 Dec, City Hall and other venues Cost of Living One-litre bottle of mineral water: C$1.50 33cl bottle of beer: C$1.50 Financial Times newspaper: C$2 36-exposure colour film: C$8.50 City-centre bus ticket: C$2.25 Adult Canadian football ticket: C$12-42 Three-course meal with wine/beer: From C$15 1 Canadian Dollar (C$1) = £0.41; US$0.67; A$1.10; €0.62 Currency conversion rates as of February 2003 Copyright © 2003 Columbus Travel Publishing Ltd.