Toronto - A city within a Park

-- Y Babji 

Toronto is Canada’s largest city, the capital of Ontario Province and one of North America’s most diverse urban centres. It lies on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario, covers roughly 630 square kilometres and had a population of about 2.79 million in the 2021 census.

Indigenous origins

People have lived in the Toronto area for at least 11,000–12,000 years, long before European colonisation. The name derives from Tkaronto, often translated as “the place in the water where the trees are standing,” referring to fishing weirs in local waterways.

The city stands on the traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, Anishinaabe peoples, Haudenosaunee and Wendat. In 1787 the British Crown negotiated the original Toronto Purchase with the Mississaugas. It was replaced by the 1805 Toronto Purchase, Treaty 13. The claim was contested until a 2010 settlement between Canada and the Mississaugas of the Credit.

Colonial growth

French traders were active in the area in the 17th and 18th centuries, but British Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe founded the Town of York in 1793. It was renamed and incorporated as Toronto in 1834, became Ontario’s capital in 1867 and grew through successive waves of immigration.

Governance

Toronto is governed by an elected mayor and ward councillors, who together form City Council. The present single-tier city was created in 1998 by amalgamating six former municipalities - Toronto, Etobicoke, North York, Scarborough, York and East York.

People, race and religion

Toronto is exceptionally multicultural. In 2021, 55.7 per cent of residents about 1.54 million people identified as belonging to racialised or visible-minority groups, including large South Asian, Chinese, Black, Filipino, Arab, Latin American and Southeast Asian communities.

Religious life is equally plural. In 2021, 46.2 per cent identified as Christian (incl 24.2 per cent Catholic), 30.6 per cent as having no religion, 9.6 per cent Muslim, 6.2 per cent Hindu, 3.6 per cent Jewish, 2.3 per cent Buddhist and 0.8 per cent Sikh.

Transport and communication

Toronto’s transit system is central to its identity as a connected, multicultural metropolis. The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) operates the city’s subways, streetcars, buses and Wheel-Trans as its specialised accessible transport service.

The subway is the network’s backbone, with the north–south and east-west two level under-ground urban railway lines. TTC also operates a dozen streetcar routes and about 200 bus routes.  Toronto’s streetcar system is especially distinctive. It is among the largest in the Americas and retains substantial on-street operation, particularly downtown.

TTC services cover approximately 1,200 kilometres of routes, with subway and streetcar service generally running throughout the day except from 2 am to 5 am.  Commuters can pay by tapping a debit or credit card, mobile wallet or PRESTO card.  Beyond the TTC, GO Transit provides regional commuter rail and bus links across the Greater Toronto Area.

Universities and knowledge economy

Toronto is a major centre of higher education and research. The University of Toronto, Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), York University, OCAD University, University de Ontario francais and Tyndale University all have locations in the city.

The University of Toronto is a leading research-intensive institution with downtown, Mississauga and Scarborough campuses. Toronto Metropolitan University, is strongly downtown-oriented and known for professional, creative and applied programmes. York University is a major interdisciplinary research university with more than 200 UG and graduate degree programmes.

Education is one of Toronto’s largest employment sectors, with 1,400 educational establishments and related businesses employing more than 100,000 people.  The universities reinforce the city’s strengths in journalism, public relations, film, design, technology, health sciences, law and international business.

Rivers, terrain and forests

Toronto has no mountains. Its terrain is gently rolling land shaped by glacial deposits, river valleys and the Lake Ontario shoreline. Its principal rivers are the Humber in the west, the Don east of downtown and the Rouge in the east, along with Etobicoke Creek and numerous ravines.

Before European settlement, the area was dominated by hardwood and mixed forests, wetlands, marshes and meadows. Today, Toronto’s Natural Heritage System covers nearly 11,000 hectares ie about 17 per cent of the city and includes forests, ravines, wetlands, meadows and the waterfront.

The city has more than ten million trees and roughly 26–28 per cent tree canopy. High Park retains rare remnants of black oak savannah and prairie habitats. It has over 1600 named parks and several unnamed parks. Hence the name, 'a city within a park'.

Wildlife

Toronto’s green spaces support notable biodiversity. The City’s biodiversity strategy records about 400 species of trees, shrubs and vines, over 400 bird species, about 100 fish species and about 40 mammal species. Common animals include white-tailed deer, raccoons, beavers, foxes, coyotes and opossums. The lake, rivers and wetlands support fish, amphibians, waterfowl, herons, and migrating birds along the Atlantic Flyway.

Climate and surrounding agriculture

Toronto has a humid continental climate moderated by Lake Ontario. Warm, humid summers and cold, snowy winters. January averages about -4.2°C and July about 22.2°C, though summer temperatures can exceed 32°C.

Commercial farming lies mainly in the surrounding Greenbelt and southern Ontario. The region produces corn, soybeans, wheat, vegetables, apples, tender fruits, grapes, mushrooms, maple syrup and livestock products. The Greenbelt protects about two million acres of farmland, forests, wetlands, rivers and lakes. No ban on drugs. Smoking is not prohibited. Personal drinking of alcohol is permitted in parks and parkettes. 

Tourism and landmarks

Toronto offers a compact but varied tourist experience. The CN Tower, near Union Station, remains the city’s defining landmark. Nearby are Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada and the waterfront.  The Royal Ontario Museum, accessible from Museum subway station, houses more than 13 million art objects and natural-history specimens.

Other major attractions include the Art Gallery of Ontario, Casa Loma, St. Lawrence Market, the Toronto Zoo and the Toronto Islands, a chain of 15 interconnected islands reached by a short ferry ride from downtown, offering parks, beaches and skyline views.  Distinct neighbourhoods such as Kensington Market, Chinatown, Little Italy, Greektown and Scarborough add culinary, cultural and heritage appeal.

Toronto is about 130 km from Niagara Falls by road, usually taking about 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours by car via the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW), depending on traffic

Economy and time zone

Toronto is Canada’s financial and commercial capital, home to the Toronto Stock Exchange, major banks, media organisations, universities and corporate headquarters. It is also a leading centre for advertising, public relations, journalism, film, technology and international business.

The city follows Eastern Time: UTC-5 in winter (EST) and UTC-4 during daylight saving (EDT) while the Country, Canada stretches into 6 time zones. For communicators, its Indigenous history, linguistic diversity, transit-connected neighbourhoods, universities and civic-media ecosystem make Toronto a leading case study in inclusive public communication, reputation management and community engagement.

(The author’s house is on Dufferin street at the intersection of Shanly and Dufferin and is in the neighbourhood of Davenport, Toronto, since 2001)