Travel guide Ontario

Toronto's Asian community is one of the largest in North America. The Chinatown neighbourhood is home to one of the most exotic Asian mosaics, not to mention East Chinatown, which is smaller and less diverse than its neighbourhoods. Ottawa also has its own Chinatown, located mainly along Somerset West.

The automobile industry first came to Ontario in 1904 when Ford Motor Company of Canada built its first plant in Windsor. Since then, several manufacturers have set up shop in the corridor between Windsor and Oshawa. Despite the setbacks of the past few years, the Ontario industry is now focusing on intelligent transportation.

While Toronto has one of the widest ranges of cultural events in the world, the Broadway-style musical is the most prominent. After London and New York, Toronto is the city most likely to please the fan of musical tales such as Les Misérables and Anastasia.

This is a must-see pilgrimage for any self-respecting visitor: to get a close-up look at the famous Niagara Falls, a legacy of the last ice age and one of the country's best-known natural wonders. To see this force of nature up close, boats offer river trips to the foot of the falls.

These small shops open very late at night and every day of the week. Some even operate day and night. You can buy newspapers, cigarettes, beer (not everywhere), milk, canned goods, some fresh produce, sweets, etc. The prices are higher than at the supermarket but, as the name suggests, it's a convenience store.

Ontario is one of the provinces governed by the French Language Services Act. Several institutions, media and cultural venues also cater to Francophones, such as the Théâtre français de Toronto (theatrefrancais.com), TFO (télévision francophone - tfo.org) and, since 2021, the Université de l'Ontario français à Toronto (uontario.ca)

Ontario has approximately 250,000 lakes and thousands of rivers, including the 980 km long Albany River alone. The province also has access to four of North America's Great Lakes: Lakes Ontario, Erie, Huron and Superior. All of these bodies of water make up about one-fifth of the province's total area.

Fancy a homemade beer, Niagara Ice Wine or local spirits? The LCBO is the place to go! This provincial government enterprise, which acts as the Liquor Control Board, has a network of more than 660 branches and nearly 400 express counters across Ontario. A must for alcoholic nectars!

As the nation's capital, the city of Ottawa is home to the Parliament of Canada, a magnificent complex of three buildings (Centre, West and East) designed in the Gothic Revival style. However, the Centre Block and the Library of Parliament are closed to the public for several years in order to carry out major restoration work.

It can be seen from as far away as Highway 401 north of the city. According to a report by CEOWORLD magazine, Toronto is among the top 10 cities with the most skyscrapers in the world (there are about 300, a number that is constantly rising). From the Toronto Islands, the skyline view is downright sublime.

Built between 1973 and 1976 by the brutal Australian architect John Andrews, the CN Tower is undoubtedly the emblem of the city. For its 42nd birthday, in 2018, it has been given a well-deserved facelift on the observation deck. On a clear day, the 360-degree view captures the excesses of the city and Lake Ontario.

Ontario is the province of wine par excellence, and very good wine at that. Don't miss a visit to the Niagara Peninsula wineries, especially for their highly regarded ice wines. Prince Edward County and the north shore of Lake Erie also benefit from a wine route. A must see!