Ontario General Information Area: 916,734 sq km (353,951 sq miles). Population: 10,753,573 (1996). Population Density: 11.7 per sq km. Capital: Toronto (provincial). Population: 2,400,000 (1998). Ottawa (federal). Population: 327,500 (1998). GEOGRAPHY: Ontario is an eastern-central province bordered by Manitoba and Québec, with a northern coastline on James Bay and Hudson Bay; it also shares the shores of the Great Lakes with the USA. The two main populated areas, around Toronto and Ottawa, are in the southern spur, and the north remains a landscape of forests and lakes. The province contains the Niagara Falls, one of the most spectacular sights in the world. Language: Although Canada is officially bilingual (English and French), English is more commonly spoken in Ontario. Time: East of 90°W: GMT - 5 (GMT - 4 in summer). West of 90°W: GMT - 5. Note: Summer officially lasts from the first Sunday in April to the Saturday before the last Sunday in October. Public Holidays Public holidays as for the rest of Canada (see general Canada section), with the following dates also observed: Aug 4 2003 Simcoe Day. Aug 2 2004 Simcoe Day. Travel - International AIR: International air services are available through Air Canada (AC), Canada 3000 and British Airways from Toronto and by Air Canada from Ottawa. Many other international airlines offer direct services into Toronto. Charter airlines often offer an economical alternative to the scheduled airlines. Air Transat, Canada 3000 and Royal operate charter flights to Toronto and Canada 3000 also flies direct to Ottawa. Local air services are operated by a number of operators, including Bearskin Airlines and Air Ontario, as well as by Air Canada. These connect all the large towns. For rates and routes contact local offices. International airports: Ottawa (YOW) (Macdonald-Cartier) (website: www.ottawa-airport.ca) is 15km (8 miles) south of the city. A regular bus service departs every 30 minutes (travel time – 45 minutes). Taxis are also available (travel time – 20 minutes). Toronto (YYZ) (Lester B Pearson) (website: www.gtaa.com) is 27km (17 miles) northwest of the city. A regular bus service departs every 20-30 minutes (travel time – 30 minutes). Taxis are also available. SEA: The only port on James Bay with rail links to the south is Moosonee, which is also the base for a limited local air service. The principal ports receiving sailings from the USA are Windsor (to Detroit/Lake St Clair); Sarnia (to Port Huron/St Clair River); Leamington (to Sandusky/Lake Eire); Kingston, Brockville, Cornwall and Ogdensburg (to the USA across the St Lawrence Seaway); and Wolfe Island to New York. The principal ferry operators in the province are Toronto Islands Ferries, Pelee Island Transportation Services, Waterways Transportation Services (Toronto-Niagara), Chi-Cheemaun (Tobermory-Manitoulin Island) and Ontario Ministry of Transportation and local river authorities. For timetables and rates, contact local offices. RAIL: VIA Rail connects Toronto to western Canada. Several corridor services connect Toronto, Windsor and Ottawa with Montréal and Québec City in Québec. Links to the USA are with VIA Rail and Amtrak. Services run from Toronto to New York via Niagara Falls, and to Chicago via Windsor and Sarnia. VIA Rail also serves all the major cities of the province, concentrating in the southern region, which holds most of the population. Ontario Northland Rail runs services from Toronto to Timmins, with a connection at Porquis for Cochrane and Kapuskasing. From Cochrane services run northeast to Moosonee and west to Hearst. For details, contact local offices. ROAD: There are several bridges connecting Canadian and US territories, notably at Cornwall, Fort Erie, Sarnia, Windsor, Sault Ste Marie, Fort Frances, Rainy River and Niagara Falls. A tunnel also connects Windsor to Detroit. The domestic highway network is excellent around the Great Lakes, but does not extend to the north of the province. Good trunk roads run throughout. Bus: Services linking most towns are operated by Greyhound Canada Transportation Corporation, Voyageur Colonial, Ontario Northland, Go-Transit, PMCL and Trentway-Wagar Bus Lines. Car hire: Facilities are available from all hotels, at Ottawa and Toronto airports, and at main railway stations. Drivers must be over 21 years old and the wearing of seatbelts is strictly enforced. URBAN: Bus, trolleybus, metro and tramway services are provided by the Toronto Transit Commission. Flat fares are charged and there are free transfers. Pre-purchase tokens and multi-tickets may be obtained. Services are integrated with those of the regional Go-Transit bus and rail system. Bus services in Ottawa, Carleton and surrounding areas are provided by OC Transpo. A flat fare operates with a premium on express routes. There are free transfers, and pre-purchase multi-journey tickets and passes are sold. An unlimited one-day pass (cost: C$7) is available for use on all forms of transport within the Toronto Metropolitan area. TRAVEL TIMES: The following chart gives approximate travel times from Toronto (in hours and minutes) to other major cities/towns and tourist destinations in the surrounding area. Air Road Rail Niagara Falls - 1.30 2.00 Ottawa 1.00 5.00 4.00 Windsor 1.10 4.30 4.30 London 0.40 2.30 2.15 Sudbury 1.05 5.00 8.00 Sault Ste Marie 1.25 7.00 - Thunder Bay 1.45 15.00 - Accommodation Most of the accommodation is in the southern spur of the province where the majority of the population is located. HOTELS: Hotel costs vary according to class. Both Ottawa and Toronto have international-standard hotels. For further information, contact Ontario Accommodation Association, 347 Pido Road, Unit 2, RR6 Peterborough, Ontario K9J 6X7 (tel: (705) 745 4982 or (800) 461 1972 (toll free in USA and Canada); fax: (705) 745 4983; e-mail: info@ontarioaccommodation.com; website: www.ontarioaccommodation.com). Grading: Accommodation is graded on an entirely voluntary basis by Tourism Ontario, a private non-profitmaking federation of food service, accommodation, recreation and travel associations and businesses. There are over 1000 participating members. (There are also several other associations of a less general nature.) Tourism Ontario grades hotels in Ontario according to a 5-star system as follows: Grading: 1-star: Provides basic furnishings and very limited or no facilities, amenities and guest services; 2-star: Provides more furnishings and some facilities, amenities and guest services; 3-star: Provides better quality furnishings and a more extensive range of facilities, amenities and guest services; 4-star: Provides superior quality furnishings and a complete range of facilities, amenities and guest services; 5-star: Provides deluxe accommodation. Marked superiority in extent and quality of facilities, amenities and guest services. Just over 75 per cent of participating hotels are in the 3- or 4-star category. BED & BREAKFAST: For help with bed & breakfast accommodation contact the Federation of Ontario Bed and Breakfast Accommodation (FOBBA), PO Box 437, 253 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 1R5 (tel: (416) 515 1293; e-mail: info@fobba.com; website: www.fobba.com). SELF-CATERING: Furnished cottages are available throughout the region. CAMPING/CARAVANNING: The best way to explore the wilderness of the north with its lakes and forestry is to hire a motorhome or camper. A number of companies can arrange rentals of fully equipped vehicles. For further information, contact Canadream Campers (website: www.canadream.com). Full details can be obtained from Ontario Tourism (see Contact Addresses section) or Ontario Private Campground Association, RR5 Owen Sound, Ontario N4K 5N7 (tel: (519) 371 3393; fax: (519) 371 0080; e-mail: admin@campgrounds.org; website: www.campgrounds.org). RESORTS: For information on Ontario’s many and varied resorts contact Resorts Ontario, 29 Albert Street North, Orillia, Ontario L3V 5J9 (tel: (705) 325 9115 or (800) 363 7227 (toll free in USA and Canada); fax: (705) 325 7999; e-mail: escapes@resorts-ontario.com; website: www.resorts-ontario.com). Ottawa The federal capital is situated on the south bank of the Ottawa River facing the French-speaking city of Hull in Québec. The imposing Gothic-style Parliament Buildings overlook the confluence of the rivers Ottawa, Rideau and Gatineau and are surmounted by the 92m (302ft) Peace Tower, affording a panoramic view of the city and its surroundings. Guided tours are available. The colourful Changing of the Guard ceremony takes place here daily in July and August. Confederation Square, site of the National War Memorial, is the focal point of central Ottawa. The National Arts Center, a hexagonal complex on the banks of the Rideau Canal, houses an opera company, theatres, studios and restaurants. The Rideau Canal and the Rideau-Trent-Severn Waterway are part of a complex of recreational lakes and canals linking Ottawa to Lake Ontario and Georgian Bay. Outstanding among the city’s many museums and galleries are the National Gallery of Canada, the National Museum of Science and Technology, the Canadian Museum of Nature, the Canadian War Museum and the Museum of Civilisation (over the bridge in nearby Hull). Excursions: Gatineau Park, an 88,000 acre (35,612 hectares) wilderness area, is only a 15-minute drive north of Parliament Hill. Southeast of the city, Upper Canada Village is a reconstructed 19th-century town consisting of historic buildings salvaged from threatened sites on the St Lawrence Seaway. Toronto The provincial capital is Canada’s largest city. Its accelerated growth in recent years, with a huge influx of immigrants, has resulted in one of the most vibrant and cosmopolitan cities on the continent. The city is laid out on a rectangular grid broken only by the Don River and Humber River, the banks of which provide a host of recreational amenities. The CN Tower, the world’s tallest free-standing structure, has glass-fronted elevators rising 553m (1815ft) to indoor and outdoor observation decks which afford a 120km (75-mile) panoramic view on a clear day. The twin gold towers of the Royal Plaza make it the most eye-catching of the many avant-garde commercial buildings in the city. Toronto’s latest attraction, SkyDome, at the foot of the CN Tower, is a multi-purpose entertainment complex and sports stadium and was the world’s first to have a retractable roof – baseball’s World Series has been played here more than once. It is home to the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team and the Argonauts football team. It also hosts a multitude of events including rock concerts, opera, exhibitions, cricket, wrestling and motorshows. Tours of the SkyDome are available. The nearby Air Canada Centre is the home of the Maple Leafs hockey team and the Raptors basketball team. Together with modern developments, the city has seen the renovation of old neighbourhoods, particularly the tree-lined streets of Victorian houses characteristic of the city. Yorkeville, the hip part of town in the 1960s, now caters to the tastes of the city’s upwardly mobile, but is a good spot to go window shopping or enjoy a cup of coffee. Queen Street, further south towards the lake, attracts a younger, more style-conscious crowd. In the eastern suburbs the spectacular Ontario Science Centre and the Metro Toronto Zoo are both worth seeing. The Art Gallery of Ontario and the Royal Ontario Museum are also noteworthy. Casa Loma was originally the home of Lord and Lady Pellatt. It was designed by architect Edward Lennox to Sir Henry Pellatt’s specific requirements and Scottish stone masons were hired to build it. The castle offers fantastic views of downtown Toronto from the landscaped gardens. Ferries to the Toronto Islands depart from Harbourfront, one of a group of recreational, shopping and arts complexes, including the artificial island of Ontario Place. Canada’s Wonderland is a huge theme park to the northwest of the city. The Rest of the Province Niagara Falls provides a spectacular day’s outing from Toronto, and the storybook village of Niagara-on-the-Lake offers a tranquil environment in which to enjoy the many wines of this region. Heading west, the north shore of Lake Erie is dotted with resorts and good beaches; St Thomas and Port Stanley are particularly popular. North of this, between Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and Lake Huron, are London and Stratford, home of Canada’s annual Shakespeare festival. Whilst Kitchener-Waterloo offers the chance to see Ontario’s pioneer past in the Mennonite settlers of this region. Further north, Midland commands a spectacular view of the Georgian Bay Lake District, a popular resort area. Various minor ski resorts are located around Georgian Bay, mostly on the Niagara Escarpment. About two and a half hours north of Toronto is the protected wilderness of Algonquin Park, Ontario’s oldest provincial park; 7600 sq km (2934 sq miles) of forest and lakeland provide the perfect environment for outdoor recreation, particularly canoeing and hiking. At the eastern end of Lake Superior, Sault Ste Marie straddles the US border and is an important commercial centre. It is also a good starting point for trips to the northern and western wildernesses. A railway (Algoma) and the Trans-Canada Highway head westwards around the north shore of Lake Superior. The principal attraction here is the Lake Superior Provincial Park, a region with many beautiful ravines, lakes and waterfalls but chiefly famed for the Agawa Rock Pictographs. Nearby is the hunting and fishing resort of White River. The Highway continues to Thunder Bay, the western terminus of the St Lawrence Seaway. Fantastic canyons and rock formations can be seen between Thunder Bay and Lake Nipigon; the lake itself and the town of the same name are popular resorts in the heart of historic Native American country. The far north and west of the province is a largely uninhabited wilderness of lakes, swamps and forests. The main trans-Canadian railway crosses Ontario at about 50°N; north of that, there are very few roads and only one railway line, which follows the Moose River to Moose Factory, one of several small settlements on the shores of James and Hudson Bays. Sport & Activities Outdoor pursuits: Canada’s ‘heartland’ province of Ontario has its southern border running along the Great Lakes and its northern edge on Hudson Bay. There are six national parks and 260 provincial parks. It is particularly well known for canoeing, and has more canoe routes than any other region in the world – more than 1496km (930 miles) of routes in northern Ontario alone. Good locations for canoeing include Kilarney and Algonquin Provincial Parks in the south of Ontario near Lake Huron, the latter being within three hours’ drive of Toronto. There are excellent facilities for all other types of watersports. Horseriding, hiking and cycling can also be easily arranged. Hiking is particularly good on the Bruce Peninsula on Lake Huron, where the views are spectacular. Diving is popular on the peninsula, owing to the many wrecks in the lake. Favourite cycling destinations include the Bruce Peninsula and the wine route on the Niagara Peninsula, which takes in several wineries. For details of cycling routes, contact the relevant tourist board (see Contact Addresses section). In winter, sports enthusiasts can choose from cross-country skiing (for which there are very good facilities), dog sledding, snowmobiling (along special trails) and other snow-based activities. There are ample opportunities to observe wildlife in the parks and less populated areas. Among the wildlife unique to Ontario are the monarch butterflies which stop off at Point Pelee on Lake Erie in September during their annual migration. These colourful insects cover the trees, providing an amazing spectacle. Polar bears can be seen in Polar Bear Provincial Park in northern Ontario, only accessible by light aircraft in summer. The bears come ashore when the ice melts in June and stay for around four months. Spectator sports: These include ice hockey, baseball and horseracing. For general information about sport and activities in Canada, see the main Canada section. Social Profile Food & Drink: International cuisine can be enjoyed in all major towns but for a more traditional fare, try Haliburton pheasant or one of the dazzling varieties of fish from the countless lakes and rivers. Toronto is rated as one of the best cities for dining out on the continent. Bars and restaurants offer an international selection of alcohol. Ontario has extensive vineyards providing much of Canada’s wine. Each autumn, the Niagara Grape and Wine Festival is held in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The minimum drinking age is 19 years old. Alcohol is sold in Provincial Liquor Control Board outlets. Domestic beer is available at Brewer’s Retail. Domestic wines are also sold through company stores. Liquor and beer stores are run and operated by the Government. Licensing hours are daily 1100-0200. Beer and liquor stores are open on Sundays. It is illegal to consume alcohol unless you are in a residence or a licensed establishment. Nightlife: Both main cities have establishments offering all forms of entertainment, from quiet clubs featuring a lone pianist, through Latin American combos to dance and rock bands and big-name international entertainers. Toronto is recognised as the third most important theatre centre after London and New York, and cabaret/dinner theatres are also especially popular in Toronto. Toronto is also known as a good jazz and blues town. Both Toronto and Ottawa host jazz festivals in the summer. Theatres with classical entertainment are also found in Ottawa. Shopping: Toronto offers everything from antiques to luxury lingerie, if the visitor has the money and time to spend. There are large suburban shopping centres and the Eaton Centre, a glass-domed galleria in the heart of the city, is linked to 4.8km (3 miles) of interconnecting underground shopping malls with 1000 retail outlets. Toronto’s villages are full of colourful streets of renovated Victoriana, with garment shops, art galleries, antique stores and open-air cafes in summer. The run-down Queen Street Strip has been taken over by collector’s comic-book shops, punk day-glo leather emporia, sci-fi bookstores, junk and antique shops. Ottawa also has a wide choice of shops and handicraft centres. Sparks Street Mall offers a variety of shops including those selling excellent authentic native work. Byward Market is a popular area of craft shops, farmers’ market stalls and cafes. Special Events: For a full list, contact Ontario Tourism (see Contact Addresses section). The following is a selection of the major festivals and events celebrated in Ontario during 2003: Nov 23-Jan 21 Winter Festival of Lights, Niagara Falls. Jan 18-19 Niagara Grape and Wine Festival’s Icewine Celebration. Jan 31-Feb 16 Winterlude, Winter festival, Ottawa-Gatineau. Mar 12-16 Canada Blooms: The Toronto Flower and Garden Show. May Canadian Tulip Festival, Ottawa. Jun 3-8 Canadian Film Centre’s Worldwide Short Film Festival, Toronto. Jun 26-28 Canada Dance Festival, Ottawa. Jul Beaches International Jazz Festival, Toronto. Jul 2-6 Niagara International Music Festival. Jul-Aug Tennis Masters Series Canada (tennis championships), Toronto. Aug 26th Annual Orillia Scottish Festival. Aug 8-10 Toronto’s Festival of Beer. Sep Niagara Grape and Wine Festival. Business Profile Commercial Information: The following organisation can offer advice: Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Suite 808, 2345 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2E5 (tel: (416) 482 5222; fax: (416) 482 5879; e-mail: info@occ.on.ca; website: www.occ.on.ca). Conferences/Conventions: Ontario offers a wide range of conference venues. Ottawa usually hosts between 35 and 40 major international conferences per year. The following organisations can provide assistance and information: For conferences in Toronto: Toronto Convention & Visitor Association, PO Box 126, Suite 590, 207 Queen’s Quay West, Toronto, Ontario M5J 1A7 (tel: (416) 203 2600; fax: (416) 203 6753; e-mail: toronto@torcvb.com; website: www.torontotourism.com). For conferences in Niagara Falls: Niagara Falls Tourism, Marketing Department, 5515 Stanley Avenue, Niagara Falls, Ontario L2G 3X4 (tel: (905) 356 6061 or (800) 563 2557; toll free in USA and Canada); fax: (905) 356 5567; e-mail: info@niagarafallstourism.com; website: www.niagarafallstourism.com). For conferences in Hamilton: The New City of Hamilton, Economic Development Department, Eighth Floor, 1 James Street South, Hamilton, Ontario L8P 4R5 (tel: (905) 546 4222; fax: (905) 546 4107; e-mail: economicdevelopment@city.hamilton.on.ca; website: www.city.hamilton.on.ca). For conferences in Ottawa: Ottawa Tourism and Convention Authority, Suite 1800, 130 Albert Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5G4 (tel: (613) 237 5158 (tourism information) or 237 5150 (administration); fax: (613) 237 7339; e-mail: info@tourottawa.org; website: www.tourottawa.org). Climate Summers can be very warm, while spring and autumn are cooler. Winters are cold with snowfall. Required clothing: Light- to mediumweights during warmer months, heavyweights in winter. Waterproofing is advisable throughout the year. Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.