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By Jchmrt – Wikimedia

15 Amazing Facts about the city of Toronto

Toronto is the capital of Ontario, the largest city in Canada and the 5^th largest city in North America. The city has a population of about 6.1 million people.

This is a multicultural city made up of both natives and migrants from all over the world. Other than English and French, there are more than 180 languages spoken in this city. 

It is the financial capital of Canada as well as being the cultural hub of not only Canada but North America.   

Toronto is considered to be one of the most multicultural and cosmopolitan cities in the world.

There is a lot more about this beautiful city. Read more about it in the top 15 facts below.

1. Toronto – the place where trees stand in the water

Before the Europeans arrived in present-day Canada, the land was inhabited by the Iroquois. They lived in present-day Toronto.

This tribe had named the place Tkaronto meaning the place where trees stand in water. The Huron tribe had lived there before the Iroquois displaced them.

The name refers to the northern end of Lake Simcoe, where the Huron had planted tree saplings to corral fish.

Toronto appears with a different meaning in 1632. It Meant plenty according to the French Lexicon of the Huron Language.

2. Toronto is the most populous city in Canada

By Sarbjit Bahga – Wikimedia

Toronto is the most populous city in Canada. It is also the centre of the Greater Toronto Area.

In 2016, Toronto’s city proper had a population of 2,731,571, the urban area 5,429,524, the census metropolitan 5,928,040, while the Greater Toronto Area metropolitan area had 6,417,516 people.

3. It has the 2^nd highest foreign-born population in the world

The city’s foreign-born persons make up 47% of the population in Toronto alone.

This makes it the 2^nd city with the largest percentage of the foreign-born population after Miami, Florida.

Interestingly, there is no single nationality or ethnicity that make up the primary population in the city. It is estimated that about 100,000 immigrants arrive in Toronto every year.

4. There are hidden bridges under the city

By Paul dexxus – Wikimedia

One of the forgotten bridges in Toronto is Crawford Street Bridge. This bridge was once used to cross over the Garrison Creek Valley.

The bridge was built to enable residents in the housing development along Crawford Street to cross the valley from north of Lobb Avenue to the south of Dundas Street West.

The creek eventually disappeared in 1885 as it was used as a sewer. Crawford Street Bridge was designed like the Prince Edward Viaduct. It got buried in the 20^th century.

5. The bridges were filled-in with dirt from construction work along the Bloor subway

By Paul dexxus – Wikimedia

In the 1960s the Crawford Creek Valley was filled in with earth dug from building the Bloor subway.

It was the last of few bridges that traversed Garrison Creek to be removed before the 1940s.

The actual bridge was not torn down, instead, it was buried and only the railings and lamp posts removed.

In 2004, the City of Toronto government filled the holes of the bridge on the sidewalks. There is the hope of fully restoring the entire bridge.  

6. There is a Ghost Station in Toronto

This ghost station is found at Lower Bay in Toronto. The abandoned level is below the main platform for the Bay station.

This station was used for only 6 months in 1966. It was during the experiment period by Toronto Transit Commission when it linked the Yonge-University and Bloor-Danforth lines.

The platform is sometimes referred to as “Lower Bay” by the general public.

7. It is not easy to find a public restroom in Toronto

While public washrooms can be found at some parks, outside City Hall, some subway stations and inside libraries, many people opt to go to malls, fast-food restaurants, coffee shops and public-access buildings.

In most cases, these establishments require one to be a paying customer to use their toilets.

The other public access restrooms are considered unhygienic and are mostly in disrepair.  This has greatly contributed to the people shunning them.

8. Over 180 languages are spoken in Toronto

More than 180 languages and dialects are spoken in Toronto. The municipal helpline is equipped to respond to more than 150 languages.

The most widely spoken languages in the city are Italian and Chinese.

English and French are predominantly spoken at work and in most government and private establishments.

9. Toronto has Islands

By Laslovarga – Wikimedia

You may not have known this but there are islands in Toronto. These islands were initially known as the island of Hiawatha.

The islands, 15 of them, are found in Lake Ontario. They are offshore from the downtown area and provide shelter for Toronto Harbour.

These Islands are a popular recreation destination. There are biking lanes, canoes, kayaks and padded boats. A disc golf course can also be found on the island.

10. If you love walking and biking, Toronto is the city for you

 There are over 1,600 parks that makeup over 8,000 hectares of land. In these parks, biking and walking trails have been well maintained.

 Over 200 kilometres of the trail has been set aside for recreational purposes.

One of the most popular parks in Toronto, the Yonge–Dundas Square, near City Hall is a popular spot for large gatherings

The Nathan Phillips Square has been refurbished with new facilities. Another park worth checking out is the central waterfront along Queen’s Quay West.

It features an updated recently with a new street architecture and a new square next to Harbourfront Centre.

11. Caribana is an annual festival celebrated in Toronto

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Toronto’s Caribana festival takes place from mid-July to early August of every summer.

The festival’s origin in Trinidad and Tobago. The first Caribana took place in 1967 in Toronto. It was celebrated by the Caribbean community in Toronto.

This festival attracts millions of people to the city annually. The revenue generated from such events amounts to over $400 million.  

Another popular event in the city is Pride Week. It attracts large crowds and takes place in late June. This is one of the largest LGBT festivals in the world.

12. The city of Toronto has 5 major leagues

Toronto is represented in five major league sports. It has teams in the National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Baseball (MLB), National Basketball Association (NBA), Canadian Football League (CFL), and Major League Soccer (MLS).

The city’s Canadian Women’s Hockey League terminated its operations in May 2019.

Its major sports venue includes the Scotiabank Arena, Rogers Centre, Coca-Cola Coliseum, and BMO Field.

Toronto has won titles in its five major leagues MLB, NHL, NBA, MLS and either NFL or CFL, and the only one to have done so in the Canadian Football League.

13. Toronto is the financial and economic capital of Canada

By Jchmrt – Wikimedia

Going by the population in the city, Toronto by no doubt an international centre for business and finance.

It is the economic driver of Ontario. The city has a high concentration of banks and brokerage firms on Bay Street in the Financial District.

The Toronto Stock Exchange is the world’s seventh-largest stock exchange by market capitalization. Other big corporations have their headquarters based in Toronto.

It is also the centre for media, publishing, telecommunication, information technology and film production.  

14. Most of the buildings in the city are from the 19^th century

By DXR – Wikimedia

Architecture in Toronto is a mix of styles and are from different periods. The buildings have varying designs and most of them date back to the 19^th century.

Most of the prominent skyscrapers in Toronto are from the 21^st century.

To get a look and feel of the old architecture in Toronto, Old Toronto has distinct architectural features.

The CN Tower used to be the tallest building in the world until the title was taken by Burj Khalifa in Dubai.   

15. The city of Toronto hosts more than 100 annual film festivals

Toronto is home to more than 80 film festivals, 200 professional performing arts organizations, ballet and opera companies.

There is a myriad of commercial and not-for-profit galleries and museums too.

One of the most popular film festivals is the Toronto International Film Festival that was founded in 1976.