Toronto

The Big Smoke

Located on the shore of Lake Ontario, Toronto is the largest city in Canada. The area around Toronto was originally purchased in the late 18th century by the British Crown and the settlement of the Town of York was established. During the War of 1812 with the United States, the settlement of the Town of York was devastated in the Battle of York. The Town York was incorporated as a city in 1834 and renamed to Toronto. Today Toronto has over 2.6 million residents and is known as one of the most diverse cities in the world.

Within the city of Toronto are over fifty ballet and dance companies, six opera companies, and a host of symphony orchestras and theatre companies. The National Ballet of Canada, the Canadian Opera Company, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Canadian Electronic Ensemble, and the Canadian Stage Company all call Toronto home. Annually, an outdoor Shakespeare production is held in High Park allowing spectators to view a variety of Shakespeare plays in a spectacular location.

Toronto is also home to a world class zoo housing over 5,000 animals, art galleries showcasing Canadian; European; African; contemporary collections; and hosting exhibits from all over the world, and festivals such as the “Taste of the Danforth” which is annually attended by over one million people each year.

Toronto hosts professional teams in Hockey, Baseball, Basketball, Canadian Football, Soccer, and the W-League. Through the years, the professional sports teams from Toronto have won titles in Hockey, Soccer, Canadian Football, and Baseball. Public space is an important aspect of Toronto, setting aside public squares, and dozens of city parks for public entertainment. Much of the city is dotted with beautiful open areas.

Over the years, the architecture of Toronto has developed into one of the most intriguing and interesting in Canada. Mixed with the new high-rises and modern buildings of the business district are the classic buildings from the 19th century. The oldest portion of Toronto, or “Old Toronto” as it has become known, is located on the southern portion of Toronto adjacent to Lake Ontario. Known for the rich culture present within this area, residents and visitors can find unique areas of Old Town including Chinatowns, Greektown, Little Italy, Portugal Village, and Little India.

Many of the residential neighborhoods in Toronto have taken on an architectural expression of their own, often reflecting the skyscraper and commercial aspect of the city while maintaining a Victorian design. Some of the most famous and beautiful areas are Rosedale, Cabbagetown, The Annex, and Yorkshire. Visitors to these areas will encounter beautiful architecture with a style all its own surrounded by high skyscrapers of the nearby city.

Toronto is regarded by many as the financial capital of Canada due to its high concentration of financial institutions, banks, and brokerage firms. The five largest financial institutions in Canada can be found in Toronto, known as the “Big Five”. Toronto also has a strong concentration of media, publishing, telecommunication and information technology firms making Toronto one of the most important cities in Canada.