One of Canada's best kept secrets, Toronto is on par with New York City, San Francisco and Chicago when it comes to cultural attractions and urban sophistication. The best place to start is at the top, and in this city there's no mistaking where that is. The landmark CN Tower is the tallest freestanding structure in the world. Take the elevator to the top for a breathtaking view of the city, Lake Ontario and more. Right next door at the Rogers™ Centre (formerly the SkyDome) you can catch a Blue Jays baseball game or just walk around the massive engineering marvel. Check out the Royal Ontario Museum, the largest in Canada, with its fascinating archeology and natural history exhibits, and the Art Gallery of Ontario, with a fine collection of European and Canadian works. You won’t want to miss the funky stores and ethnic restaurants on Queen Street West or the elegant boutiques and fine restaurants in Yorkville, downtown. And there’s more: Harbourfront is a complex of unique shops and restaurants right on beautiful Lake Ontario. From Harbourfront you can hop on a ferry to the Toronto Islands for a picnic and outdoor recreation. Toronto is especially great as a destination for families as most attractions are child-friendly. The city is clean, safe and easy to explore either on foot or by public transportation.
For more information on Toronto, please visit the official visitor information website at: http://www.torontotourism.com/visitor
Location, location, location
Situated 566 feet above sea level on the northern shore of Lake Ontario (part of the Great Lakes system), Toronto is one of the southernmost cities in Canada. In fact, it has the same latitude as northern California.
- Home to more than 100 cultures, Toronto truly is the city of imagination
- With a population of 4.7 million, Toronto is Canada's largest city
- Toronto is the 5th-largest city in North America, after Mexico City, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago
- One-quarter of Canada's population is located within 160 km (100 mi.) of the city
- More than 60% of the population of the United States is within a 90-minute flight
Languages spoken
There are two official languages in Canada – English and French. In addition to these official languages, the top five languages spoken in Toronto are Chinese, Italian, Tamil, Portuguese and Spanish.
Getting Here
Located on the Canadian side of Lake Ontario, Toronto is one of the most accessible cities in North America by road, air, rail and water. Toronto is only a one-hour drive away for about five million Canadians, and within a 90-minute flight for 60 per cent of the U.S. population.
By air:
Lester B. Pearson International Airport: Located just west of the city, the airport is accessible from highways 401, 427 and 409.
Customs
Canada has one of the most advanced customs organizations in the world. Our borders and the processes we have in place to manage them are absolutely critical to our ability to provide Canadians and visitors to Canada with the security and peace of mind they expect.
Visitors entering Canada must clear Canada Customs border security upon entry. For visitors traveling by road, Toronto’s nearest Canada-U.S. border crossings are at Niagara Falls, Fort Erie and Windsor.
ENTRY INTO CANADA
FROM USA
Beginning January 23, 2007, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport, Air NEXUS card, or U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document.
As early as January 1, 2008, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by land or sea (including ferries), may be required to present a valid passport or other documents as determined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. While recent legislative changes permit a later deadline, the U.S. Departments of State and Homeland Security are working to meet all requirements as soon as possible. Ample advance notice will be provided to enable the public to obtain passports or passport cards for land/sea entries
For more information on the new U.S. government border initiatives, visit the U.S. State Department Travel website.
FROM OTHER COUNTRIES
Visitors from other countries can check the Canadian Government website for specific information, or call:
from outside Canada: 1-800-992-7037
from within Canada: 1-888-242-2100
Currency
Toronto's currency is the Canadian dollar. Commonly used small coins are the 1-cent ("penny"), 5-cent ("nickel"), 10-cent ("dime") and 25-cent ("quarter") pieces. The two main coins are the $1 gold-coloured coin, commonly called a "loonie" (the loon is the bird engraved on one side), and the $2 silver- and gold-toned coin (the "toonie"). Paper bills come in $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, and $1,000 denominations. The Canadian dollar is not equal in value to the U.S. dollar but has recently strengthened to more than 80 cents to the U.S. dollar.
Banking
Banks throughout Toronto are open Monday to Thursday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, Friday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm (or 6:00 pm) and Saturday morning.
Credit Cards
Credit cards (including American Express, Visa and MasterCard) are welcome at most establishments throughout Toronto and across Canada.
ATMs
Cirrus and Plus ATMs are plentiful in Toronto and conveniently placed. Before arriving in Canada, do make sure that your PIN number will be accepted in Canadian machines.
Taxes
On most purchases, both the provincial sales tax of 8 per cent and the 6 per cent federal goods and services tax (GST) apply. There is no GST on most grocery items, but restaurant meals are taxed both GST and PST. PST is not charged on reading materials.
Tipping
Restaurant tipping is left to customer discretion, but the customary (and expected) amount is 15 per cent (there is debate about whether this is calculated before or after tax). Many restaurants automatically add a gratuity (tip) to the bill for large groups (six to eight or more). It is also customary to tip bellhops, luggage handlers and taxi drivers, at your discretion.
Emergency & Safety
Plan ahead before you travel and keep these phone numbers handy.
Toronto remains one of the safest cities in the world, and the safest large city in North America. It has the largest municipal Emergency Medical Service in Canada, with 850 paramedics based in 41 stations across Toronto. When planning your trip it's important to be aware of the safety and emergency services available to you.
The emergency number for all health, safety and crime emergencies is 911.
Weather
With temperatures typically in the 60s (15.6ºC) and little humidity, Toronto is a great city to visit in September.
Toronto festival season continues with one of its biggest -- certainly its most prestigious -- happening in September. The Toronto International Film Festival takes place annually during the second week of September.
September Weather in Toronto:
- Average September temperature: 15.6ºC / 60ºF
- September average high: 20.6ºC / 69ºF
- September average low: 9ºC / 48ºF
- Visitors can expect rain about five out of 30 days in September.
Electricity
Canada operates on 110V, 60 cycle electric power, which is the same as in the United States. Non-North American visitors should bring a plug adaptor if they wish to use their own small appliances from home (razors, hair dryers, etc). If you are visiting from countries, such as Australia, that use a higher voltage, you may encounter problems charging your rechargeable batteries. Canadian electrical goods come with either a two-pronged plug, which is the same as the U.S., or a three-pronged plug; most sockets accommodate both.
Smoking
Smoking is not permitted at the Conference facilities. The City of Toronto has public health regulations that prevent smoking in public buildings, on public transportation and in all restaurants.
Liquor Laws
In Toronto, the legal drinking age is 19; bars and restaurants are open from 11:00 to 04:00. In Toronto, there are stiff penalties for drinking and driving.
