Toronto

Population: City of Toronto: 2.5 million residents Greater Toronto area: 5.5 million residents - 49.5% of BC's population of 4.1 million

Culture of the city

Toronto is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located on the north-western shore of Lake Ontario. With more than 2.5 million residents, it is the fifth most populous municipality in North America. Toronto is at the heart of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), and is part of a densely populated region in south-central Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe which is home to 8.1 million residents. The census metropolitan area (CMA) had a population of 5,113,149, and the Greater Toronto Area had a population of 5,555,912 in the 2006 Census

As Canada's economic capital, Toronto is considered a global city and is one of the top financial cities in the world. Toronto's leading economic sectors include finance business services, telecommunications, aerospace, transportation, media, arts, film, television production, publishing, software production , medical research, education tourism and sports industries. The Toronto Stock Exchange the world's seventh largest, is headquartered in the city, along with a majority of Canada's corporations.

Toronto's population is cosmopolitan and international reflecting its role as an important destination for immigrants to Canada Toronto is one of the world's most diverse cities by percentage of non-native-born residents, as about 49% of the population were born outside of Canada. Because of the city's low crime rates, clean environment, generally high standard of living, and friendlier attitudes to diversity, Toronto is consistently rated as one of the world's most livable cities by the Economist Intelligence Unit and the Mercer Quality of Living Survey. In addition, Toronto was ranked as the most expensive Canadian city in which to live in 2006 Residents of Toronto are called Torontonians

Languages

The primary language spoken in Toronto is English however as the city is made up of many cultures it is not uncommon to hear languages from all over the world.  Many of Toronto’s residents are bilingual and some even trilingual.

Climate / Weather

Toronto is a casual town with four seasons year-round; layers and smart casual clothes will see you through most situations.

Toronto Weather and Climate: Winter - Toronto, Ontario (ON), Canada
Snowy weather is common each winter and the Toronto area often experiences a complete shut down that can last anything from a few hours to a few days during extreme blizzards. It is during this season that visitors and residents alike make use of Toronto's underground shopping complexes and other indoor activities, while Toronto's parks become a playground for winter sports including sledding, cross-country skiing, ice skating and ice hockey. Toronto residents cope very well with the snow and cold weather, and the majority of the time you will find the sidewalks cleared and the roads salted before you've even had your morning coffee. Average winter temperatures in Toronto are around -6°C / 21°F, with temperatures sometimes reaching as low as -10°C / 14°F. The season generally lasts from November to March.

Toronto Weather and Climate: Spring - Toronto, Ontario (ON), Canada
A wonderful time to visit Toronto, springtime is when Toronto's buds and bulbs begin to bloom after months of snow. The resurgence of life and nature is evident and you will find the locals jump at the opportunity to sit out on the patio and enjoy a BBQ once more. Average spring temperatures range between 6°C / 43°F and 12°C / 54°F.

Toronto Weather and Climate: Summer - Toronto, Ontario (ON), Canada
Average summer temperatures in Toronto range between 12°C / 54°F and 20°C / 68°F, with temperatures known to rise as high as 27°C / 81°F during heat waves. With such warm summer weather, outdoor activities and al fresco dining is the order of the day in Toronto, with the summer season lasting from June to early October. Toronto residents make use of the agreeable weather and climate in the summer by hosting many popular events and festivals during this season.

Toronto Weather and Climate: Autumn / Fall - Toronto, Ontario (ON), Canada
The most colorful season of the year in Toronto, fall sees the tree's leaves take on a rainbow of colors before the winter weather kicks in and everything become bare and stark. Toronto's climate is often pleasant during this season, with warm afternoons and light breezes. Temperatures in fall vary, with the average temperature being around 10°C / 50°F to 15°C / 59°F.

Toronto Weather and Climate Chart - Toronto, Ontario (ON), Canada

Month	Maximum	Minimum
January	1ºC / 34ºF	-6ºC / 21ºF
February	0ºC / 32ºF	-7ºC / 19ºF
March	6ºC / 43ºF	-2ºC / 28ºF
April	6ºC / 43ºF	-1ºC / 30ºF
May	12ºC / 54ºF	5ºC / 41ºF
June	21ºC / 70ºF	13ºC / 55ºF
July	22ºC / 72ºF	14ºC / 57ºF
August	22ºC / 72ºF	15ºC / 59ºF
September	18ºC / 64ºF	11ºC / 52ºF
October	13ºC / 55ºF	6ºC / 43ºF
November	5ºC / 41ºF	0ºC / 32ºF
December	3ºC / 37ºF	-1ºC / 30ºF

Currency

The primary currency used in the city of Calgary is Canadian dollars, however many restaurants and retail stores accept American dollars and the daily exchange rate..

Holidays

There are 10 statutory holidays and one civic holiday celebrated annually in Alberta. Generally, banks and some businesses remain closed. Theatres, restaurants, and corner grocery stores remain open for business as usual. In some centres most shops remain open.

HOLIDAYS	2008	2009	2010
New Year´s Day	January 1	January 1	January 1
Good Friday	March 21	April 10	April 2
Easter Monday	March 24	April 13	April 15
Victoria Day	May 19	May 18	May 24
Canada Day	July 1	July 1	July 1
Civic Holiday	August 4	August 2	August 2
Labour Day	September 1	September 7	September 6
Thanksgiving Day	October 8	October 12	October 11
Remembrance Day	November 11	November 11	November 11
Christmas Day	December 25	December 25	December 25
Boxing Day	December 26	December 26	December 26

Tourist office information

Address:

Toronto Convention & Visitors Association
P.O. Box 126, 207 Queens Quay West
Toronto, Ontario
M5J 1A7  Canada

Local Phone: 416-203-2600

Toil Free:1-800-499-2514

Fax: 416-203-6753

Accomodations

Toronto has a wide variety of accommodations for every type of traveler.  For most of our students schools provide the safe environment of a home stay family which can be organized through one of our Education Consultants.

Tipos de Alojamiento

• Downtown Hotels
• Airport hotels
• North Toronto hotels
• East and West Toronto hotels
• Mississauga hotels
• Boutique hotels
• Apartment hotels
• Bed anf breakfast
• Resorts
• Motels
• Hostels

Pearson Airport

Link to some helpful videos: www.airportwayfinder.com

Northern Toronto area: GO Transit has an hourly express bus to the Yorkdale and York Mills subway stations. These buses only stop at Terminal 1. The GO Transit fare of $4.20 does not include a transfer to TTC subways or buses, but if your destination is in the northern part of Toronto, this route may be faster than the options above.

Richmond Hill or Mississauga: GO Transit also runs an express bus every half hour to Richmond Hill Centre (adult fare: $4.85) and Square One in Mississauga ($3.75).

Western Toronto area: Several other TTC routes serve the airport for those who live nearby.

Niagara Region: Niagara Falls is a 125 km (80 mi) drive from the airport. Niagara Airbus provides shuttle bus service from the airport, or you can rent a car (some rental companies will let you drop the car off in downtown Toronto upon your return to the city). From downtown, you can get to Niagara Falls by train or bus.

Other Ontario destinations: See the airport's out-of-town van services list.

Terminals and Connections: You can use the airport's Live Flight Information search to get terminal and delay information for your flight.
The airport has two terminals, numbered 1 and 3. (Terminal 2 is no longer in use.) To get between the terminals, take the LINK shuttle train. It's between the terminal building and the parking garage, connected by skybridges (you won't have to go outside). The trip takes about two minutes and you'll wait no longer than five minutes for a train. LINK is free, wheelchair accessible, and runs 24 hours a day.
If flying to the United States, you will clear U.S. Customs and Immigration in Toronto. This is called "pre-clearance" and means your flight will arrive in the U.S. as a "domestic" flight. But it does lengthen the check-in process in Toronto, so make sure you arrive two hours before your flight (three hours for charter airlines).
If connecting through Toronto, see your airline's web site for minimum times. When making international connections in terminal 1, follow the connections signs carefully: they may point you to a faster way to clear customs without leaving the "secure" area.

ATMs in the Airport: The ATMs (cash machines) throughout the airport are connected to the Interac, Mastercard, Maestro, Cirrus, Visa, and American Express network. If your card only has the Plus logo, it may not work in the airport's ATMs. You may be able to use it at the currency exchanges found throughout the terminals.
There's also an ATM that takes all major cards in the Sheraton Gateway Hotel connected to Terminal 3. Cross the skybridge (which also connects to the LINK shuttle train), enter the hotel lobby, take the escalator down, and turn right.

Things to do

Hockey Hall of Fame: Honor the achievements of some of the greatest stars in hockey at this shrine to Canada's national sport. A great look into the sports culture of Canadians.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are part of the National Hockey League which is considered the fastest team sport in the world. Located in the heart of  Toronto’s downtown, The Air Canada Centre is an exciting place to watch the local team take on all challengers. The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the most historic teams in the NHL and have been Stanley Cup Champions many times.

Kensington Market: A primarily Jewish neighbourhood until the 1950s, this area is now home to New Wave youths and a growing Vietnamese population. This area of Toronto is considered one or the most popular areas for young travelers.

St Lawrence Market: Once housing city hall, this Victorian building is surrounded by other historically significant architectural gems.

CN Tower: The tallest building in the world is a must-see for visitors: on a clear day, the view from the top extends as far as Niagara Falls. Taking a tour of the CN tower is one of the most exciting activities to do in Toronto. Many English Students are amazed by what they are able to see and do inside the CN Tower.

Harbour Front Center: The whole world can be found at Canada's foremost center for contemporary culture.

Second City Comedy Club: Sketch comedy, songs & improv combine in a show that's sure to keep you laughing all the way home. Enjoy up-to-the-minute and classic comedy from the company that inspired SCTV, Saturday Night Live and Who's Line Is It Anyway! Past alumni include Mike Myers, Gilda Radner, John Candy, Martin Short and hundreds of others. The best entertainment value in Toronto.

Casa Loma: Toronto ’s Majestic Castle With its soaring battlements, secret passageways, and underground tunnel, Casa Loma pays homage to the castles and knights of days gone by.  Take a step back in Time.

Rogers Centre (Center) : Rogers Centre - Toronto's SkyDome, aka "the concrete convertible" - was the first large size stadium to have a retractable roof.   It is home to the World Champion Toronto Blue Jays and too many of the cities biggest conventions and trade shows including the Toronto Car show.

Air Canada Center: This civic center is home to the city's hockey and basketball teams and serves as a venue for rock concerts and other large events. Both the Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL) and the Toronto Raptors (NBA) play in the Air Canada Center which has more then 16,000 seats.

Transit

Link to the Transit system website: www3.ttc.ca

Toronto's transit system is the third-busiest in North America, after New York and Mexico City.  The Toronto Transit Commission is more commonly known as the TTC.

The TTC is usually the easiest, fastest, and cheapest way to get around central Toronto, making it ideal for travellers.  Most downtown routes have very frequent service, some run 24 hours. The TTC provides Bus, Street Car, and Subway services to local residence and visitors to the city.

FARES	RATES
CASH FARES
Adult	$ 2.75
Senior / Student	$ 1.85
Child	$ 0.70
DAY PASS
Adult	$ 9
WEEKLY PASS
Adult	$ 32.25
Student	$ 25.50
MONTHLY PASS
Adult	$ 100
Senior / Student	$ 84
TRANSFERS
Your cash fare, ticket, or token allows you to travel to any destination in the city of Toronto; you can connect to other route(s) for free.  However, if you make a stopover or a return journey, you have to pay a new fare.