Organize your stay Ontario
Money Ontario
The currency is expressed in Canadian dollars (CAD, CAN $ - not to be confused with the US dollar). Coins of 1 and 2 CAN $, and 5, 10 and 25 cents (cents); notes of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 CAN $ (these are sometimes refused in some stores). English-speaking Canadians call the CAN$1 coin "loonie" and the CAN$2 coin "toonie". The 25-cent coin is called a "quarter". According to the Royal Bank of Canada, the exchange rate in February 2020 was : 1 CAN $ = 0.68 €; 1 € = 1.39 CAN $ (actual branch rates).
Budget & Tips Ontario
To help you plan your daily budget while you are there, here are three examples to suit everyone's financial means.
Small budget:
$80 CAD per day per person (camping/hostel accommodation, meals on the run or groceries, public transportation or carpooling, free activities or less than $10 CAD).Medium budget:
$200 CAN per day per person (B&B or hotel accommodation, good food, public transportation or car, paid or package activities).Large budget:
from $400 CAN per day per person (accommodation in a more luxurious hotel or condo/chalet, good food, transportation by car, package activities/expeditions).It isalso important
to keep in mind that most consumer goods and services are subject to a 13% Harmonized Sales Tax (HST), which is usually not included in the listed price. Also, the 15% tip must be added to the bill in restaurants and bars. Tipping cab drivers, hotel cleaners and hairdressers is also recommended (but may be less than 15%). No tips in cinemas and theaters.As forhaggling , it is not a common practice in the country. Prices are fixed and generally non-negotiable. However, shopkeepers will sometimes be generous and offer you something if you buy items from them for a significant amount. In the same way, and although it is strictly forbidden, small shops sometimes accept not to charge you taxes if you pay your purchases in cash and without possibility of return...
Passport and visas Ontario
French, Belgian and Swiss travellers are accepted for six months and must have completed their application for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). They must be in possession of a valid passport, a return ticket (ideally) and have enough money for their stay.
Since 2016, visitors who do not require a visa must complete an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) before their trip. The ETA costs $7 CAN per person (less than €5), and is valid for five years or until the passport expires. This online application collects basic personal information, just as it is currently done at customs upon arrival in Canada, and results in faster border crossings. Beware, there are many fraudulent sites swarming on the web. Some companies, with no connection to the government, offer to help with an application for an ETA. But this one is very simple to do (and accessible in French). For more information: canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizens/services/visit-canada/ave.html
Finally, if you plan to cross the U.S. border
fora little getaway, you will need a biometric passport. This passport allows you to benefit from the visa waiver program for stays of less than 90 days. In order to qualify for this visa waiver, it is necessary to make an online declaration, with a US$14 fee, for tourist stays in the United States. For more information: esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta
Driver's license Ontario
A French, Belgian or Swiss driving licence is accepted for a period not exceeding three months; if necessary, you will need to bring an international driving licence (generally valid for one to three years). If you wish to rent a car in Ontario, you must be 21 years old, or 25 years old for some models, and have a credit card. A driver's licence is also required for snowmobiling and ATVing, and a motorcycle licence is required to drive one.
For visitors: ontario.ca/en/page/driving-in-Ontario-visitors
For information on driving and roads in Ontario: ontario.ca/en/page/driving-and-highways
Health Ontario
There are no infectious diseases or health risks of note in Ontario. There are also no mandatory vaccinations for travel in the province. Also, be aware that tap water is safe to drink (unless otherwise advised) and free, even in restaurants.
Security Ontario
Although it remains low, the crime index has been increasing slightly in recent years in Ontario, particularly in Toronto. As Canada's largest city, the street gang phenomenon is present in Toronto, although not to the same extent as in the United States. Two recent attacks (2018) have also left their mark on the imagination: the ram truck attack on Finch Street in the north of the city and the shooting on Danforth Avenue, both of which resulted in victims. These may be isolated phenomena, but they have nonetheless increased in recent years. That said, generally speaking, there is nothing to worry about in Ontario, even if you are a woman travelling alone.
Time difference Ontario
The time difference with Ontario is 6 hours less in summer and winter. However, the time change in the fall and spring does not occur at the same time. In the far west of the province, just west of Thunder Bay, the time difference is 7 hours.
Spoken languages Ontario
In Ontario, the official language is English. That said, the province is home to Canada's largest French-speaking community outside Quebec. Franco-Ontarians can be found in the eastern part of the province (Ottawa and the counties of Prescott-Russell and Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry), in the north (Sudbury and the Algoma, Timiskaming and Cochrane regions) and in the Central-Southwestern part, particularly in the Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton. Ontario thus has 26 designated regions where access to French-language services from nearly 30 provincial government ministries is guaranteed through the Ontario French Language Services Act. However, most hotels and businesses in the Toronto area serve clients in English only. Ontario is also a true cultural and linguistic mosaic, especially in Toronto, where half of the population was born abroad. So don't be surprised to hear languages from around the world. Finally, there are seven Amerindian nations in the province, most of which speak Algonquian (Ojibwe, Oji-Cree) or Iroquoian (Mohawk) languages.
Communication Ontario
Telephone coverage is excellent in major centres and most regions. However, in some more remote areas of Northern Ontario, only the satellite phone works, and then some. If you take out a mobile subscription in Ontario, especially with low cost operators, check coverage carefully as it may be limited to a few cities or one area.
As for wifi, finding a connection is not a problem in Ontario. Airports, bus and train stations, hotels (note: luxury hotels often offer this service at an additional cost), restaurants, cafés, bars, cultural venues, etc., are generally equipped, and most of the time they are free. Free public transportation is also available in many neighbourhoods in major Ontario cities, such as on Queen Street between Simcoe and Bathurst Streets in Toronto or on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. However, in remote areas, Internet access can be complicated or even almost non-existent.
Libraries, some hotels and cafés also provide computers, sometimes free of charge. But Internet kiosks and self-service computers are gradually disappearing from the landscape...
Electricity and measurements Ontario
Alternating current of 110 volts with a frequency of 60 Hz. The plugs are flat American style (not round like in Europe). Make sure you have an adapter so that you can use European appliances such as a razor or hair dryer, and check that they accept this voltage. If necessary, you may also need a power transformer.
When it comes to measuring, things are going wrong. Although Ontario adopted the metric system some 40 years ago, Ontarians also use the old measurements (inch, foot, pound, ounce, pint, gallon, etc.). For more information: metric-conversions.org/en
For shoe sizes, 38 for women is 7 (equivalent to 39.5 for men). For clothing sizes, the 40 for women corresponds to 12; the 44 for men becomes 34.
Luggage Ontario
Summers are hot, especially in the southwestern part of the province. However, air conditioning and cool evenings in the country or in the mountains require woolens and windbreakers. Don't forget a bathing suit, a backpack for hiking and mosquito repellent. In spring and fall, bringing a lined raincoat is almost imperative and in winter, bring a hat, mittens and a scarf as well as an anorak, warm clothing and furry boots.
