Toronto
Largest Canadian City Boasts CN Tower, Fort York and Eaton Centre
Toronto is the financial centre of Canada and is also home to interesting historical sites like Casa Loma and Fort York.
Toronto was founded by the British in 1793, and in the city's earliest days it was nothing more than a remote military outpost. Today Canada's largest city is known by many names, Toronto the Good, Cabbagetown and T.O. This is the financial centre of the country and is now home to almost four million people. The largest Chinatown in North America second only to San Francisco is here, and the city ranks third in the world after London and New York in theatre ticket sales.
The downtown core
Yonge Street (pronounced young) runs right through the centre of town and is actually the longest street in the world. It continues outside of Toronto as Highway #11 and goes all the way up to the Ontario/Minnesota border. The Eaton Centre is the largest shopping centre in the city with over 300 stores and services; the mall runs parallel to Yonge Street between Queen and Dundas Streets. Yonge and Dundas square has been completely renovated and all the old and tired dollar stores are a distant memory. Now locals and visitors alike can see films, concerts and an artisan market (which will have its 5th anniversary this summer).
Toronto's architecture
Visitors will find the CN Tower near Front Street particularly interesting. It's the tallest free standing structure in the world with a revolving restaurant called the 360 and a glass floor where those without a fear of heights can look down to the ground, 1,000 feet below. Not as tall but just as historically significant, Casa Loma was the mansion residence occupied by Sir Henry Mill Pellatt who retained the services of architect E.J. Lennox to construct it. Pellatt was a member of the Queen's Own Rifles, and spent more than one million dollars at that time to furnish his home.
For a taste of 19th century military life, head to Fort York. In an attempt to annex Canada in 1813, the Americans captured this outpost for a few days and did considerable damage until they were kicked out by the British. York is the old name for Toronto and the fort has been designated as a National Historic Site. Drill and musket demonstrations are shown to visitors, and there are outdoor picnic spots available.
Annual festivals
For business travellers, most of the large hotels are conveniently located in the city's downtown core. If you are planning to be in Toronto between May and September make reservations well in advance, because beds in top end as well as budget accommodations fill up quick. The summer months is when Toronto is at its most lively; in August every year the city attracts visitors from all over Canada and nearby U.S. cities to watch Caribana, a Rio like parade organized by Toronto's West Indian community. The International Jazz Festival will also be held in July of this year. To see what else is going on, pick up a copy of Toronto Life magazine or the weekly edition of Now, which hits the streets every Thursday.
Pearson International Airport is about 13 miles from the city centre; the cheapest option is to take the underground subway to Kipling station and then look for the buses that go to the airport. They drop passengers off at all terminals.
