About Toronto - A Slice of Life

Toronto, Ontario

Toronto is the business capital of the province of Ontario, and also the largest and most vibrant cosmopolitan city in Canada.

Once primarily a British and Protestant city, immigration has played a dynamic role in the changing face of Toronto since the end of the Second World War. Streets are lined with bilingual street signs, specialty stores, ethnic restaurants, publications and a variety of shopping places. It is a place where work and play intersperse and where quality of life is valued.

Based on the last Canada census (2001), Protestant denominations accounted for 35% of Ontario’s population, slightly more than the share of 34% for Roman Catholics. In 1991, the gap was much wider, Protestants accounting for 43%, and Roman Catholics 35%. The situation occurred as the result of a decline among Protestant faiths, accompanied by a gain among Roman Catholics. The only gain in Protestant denominations occurred among Baptists, whose numbers rose 9% to almost 289,500 people.

At the same time, the number of Ontario residents who reported that they had no religion increased 48% to more than 1.8 million. They accounted for 16% of the population in 2001. The number of Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs grew substantially in Ontario. The census enumerated more than double compared to a decade earlier. Muslims in Ontario accounted for 61% of all Muslims in Canada. There were also substantial increases in the number of Buddhists (+96%), and in Hindus and Sikhs, whose ranks also doubled. The vast majority of Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs lived in the census metropolitan area of Toronto.

Source: Canada Statistics

Use of Language

The top most popular language being spoken are:

English: 88.79%

French: 2.31%

Chinese, not other wise specified: 1.40%

Population (Toronto)

5.1 million

Employment (as of April 2004)

Labour Force 2.9 million

Unemployment rate 7.4%

Employment Rate 64.2%

Activities

People at Toronto enjoys walking. The two-hour Humber River Discovery Walk offers an interesting route, while true outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy the Don River Valley ravine walk. Scarborough Bluffs has several parks with paths leading down to the lake and up to sweeping views. Free public swimming pools are found throughout the city, and there are sandy beaches and shady parks at The Beaches, about 8km (5mi) east of downtown, at Sunnyside Beach, about 8km (5mi) west and on Centre Island. Windsurfing and sailing are both popular on Lake Ontario.

Other activities include bicycle riding and in-line skating. There are trails that lead up to great lakes and breathtaking views.

Source: Lonely Planet