Toronto, Ontario
Toronto is Canada's largest city and the capital of the province of Ontario. In 2006, it had a population of 2.5 million[1] while 5.1 million people, close to half the population of Ontario,[2] lived in the census metropolitan area.
The city is situated on the shores of Lake Ontario. Its present boundaries were established on January 1, 1998 when the province of Ontario amalgamated the former City of Toronto with its five nearest suburbs: Etobicoke, York, North York, East York and Scarborough.
Before 1998 the former city and these suburbs participated in a regional government known as the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto (Metro).[3] While each local municipality had its own mayor and council, they also sent representatives to Metro council, which in turn elected a chair. Metro had one police force and public transit system, but each local municipality had its own fire department.
The currrent city government consists of a mayor and 57 councillors.[4]
The first mayor of the newly amalgamated city was Mel Lastman,[5] the former mayor of North York. The current mayor is David Miller. His term ends in 2010.[6]
Toronto is the heart of a larger region known as the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).[7] In speaking about the GTA, local residents often refer to the 416 and 905 areas. These are telephone area codes. The 416 is used as colloquial shorthand for the city proper, while the 905 refers to the surrounding suburbs. These terms are also widely used by local media.
The city is the financial capital of Canada. Its financial industry is referred to as Bay Street after the former location of the Toronto Stock Exchange.
Landmarks include the CN Tower, one of the world's tallest structures, as well as its provincial legislature Queen's Park.
The city is home to three universities, the University of Toronto, York University and Ryerson University. Other major cultural institutions include the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) and the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO).
Toronto is also a media center. It is home to four major English-language dailies: the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, the Toronto Sun and the National Post. Toronto's large immigrant population has given birth to a thriving ethnic press that publishes both in English and other languages. The Canadian Broadcasting Centre[8] is located in the city.
- ↑ http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92-591/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=3520005&Geo2=PR&Code2=35&Data=Count&SearchText=Toronto&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom=
- ↑ http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92-591/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CMA&Code1=535__&Geo2=PR&Code2=35&Data=Count&SearchText=Toronto&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&Custom=
- ↑ http://www.toronto.ca/archives/records_metro.htm retrieve August 11, 2009
- ↑ http://www.toronto.ca/toronto_history/amalgamation/amal_speech.htm#int retrieved August 11, 2009
- ↑ http://www.toronto.ca/mel_lastman/index.htm retrieved August 11, 2009
- ↑ http://www.toronto.ca/elections/faq.htm retrieved August 11, 2009
- ↑ http://www.toronto.ca/mie/location.htm retrieved August 11, 2009
- ↑ http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=a1ARTA0009016 retrieved August 11, 2009