Interesting Facts About Toronto: From skyscrapers to high-rise buildings, Toronto is a beautiful city and a preferred destination for foreign students. It is in the top ten livable cities in the Global Liveability Index offering a high quality of life with world-class education in prestigious universities. Before moving to any country it becomes necessary to know every bit of it. In this blog, we will explore some interesting and unknown facts about Toronto that you might not know even if you are living at student accommodation in Canada. To enhance your knowledge, Keep Reading!
This Blog Includes:
- Toronto Islands Were Once A Peninsula
- 4th Largest City in North America
- The Population is Over 2.8 Million
- Toronto’s Shoreline is 43 Kilometers
- 18.1% of the City’s Total Area is Parkland
- 11 Million Trees in Toronto
- World’s 9th Most Liveable City with 21 °C Average Temperature
- Home to North America’s Only Castle
- Multicultural City With 200 Ethnic Origins
- Also referred to as the 6ix
- Home to the Tallest Free-Standing Structure
- Largest Zoo and Longest Street
- Largest Neighborhood-Based Library System
- Largest Underground Shopping Complex in the World
- Hosts the Largest Film Festival in the World
- North America’s Largest Street Festival
- Largest Urban Car-Free Community In North America
- Capital Punishment Abolished In 1976
- Canada’s Busiest Airport
- FAQS
Are you planning to study in Canada? Check out the Best Universities in Canada.
Toronto Islands Were Once A Peninsula
Embed from Getty ImagesYou will be surprised to know the fact about Toronto that it was a peninsula first when Europeans began to visit the area. The peninsula was cut off from the mainland by a storm in 1852 but the channel was filled in by the silt. Later in 1858, another violent storm hit the peninsula cutting a 150 m wide channel. Finally, the peninsula became an island permanently on 13th April 1858.
4th Largest City in North America
Embed from Getty ImagesToronto is the largest city in Canada and the 4th largest city in North America after Mexico City on the top, with New York City and Los Angeles following it. Boasting its central location on a sloping plateau, it covers 641 sq. km. and stretches 43 km from east to west and 21 km from north to south.
The Population is Over 2.8 Million
As per the data recorded in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. It represents almost half of the population of Ontario. Toronto’s population grew by 2.3 per cent from 2016 to 2021, with an annual growth rate of 0.46 per cent.
Toronto’s Shoreline is 43 Kilometers
Embed from Getty ImagesToronto is actually a group of 15 islands interconnected by pathways and bridges. It is located on the northwest shore of Lake Ontario. The city is 76.5 meters above sea level. It is located 65 km from Niagara Falls and 540 km from New York City.
18.1% of the City’s Total Area is Parkland
The city has over 1,500 parks with over 7,700 hectares of land. It follows a 20-year plan to guide the long-term supply of parks within the city. Calculating the total area of parkland in percentage, it is estimated as 18.1% in total.
11 Million Trees in Toronto
Embed from Getty ImagesToronto is a city of trees with more than 11 million trees across the city. It has approximately 17,000 to 18,000 hectares of forest canopy cover. According to the Urban Forestry, Toronto is home to an estimated 11.5 million trees.
World’s 9th Most Liveable City with 21 °C Average Temperature
With July as the hottest month in Toronto, the average temperature of the city is 21 °C. January is the coldest month in Toronto with -2.5°C with the most daily sunshine hours at 11 in July.
As per the report of the Global Liveability Index 2023 by the Economist Intelligence Unit, Toronto ranked as the 9th most livable city in the world. Three Canadian cities are ranked in the top 10 liveable cities in the world with Toronto on the 9th number. Not only this, in the 2024 World’s Best Cities list, Toronto ranked Number 23 across the globe.
Home to North America’s Only Castle
Embed from Getty ImagesCasa Loma, a beautiful Castle located in Toronto. It is the only castle in North America. It is one of the landmarks of the city. It is one of the top tourist attractions of the city hosting over 6,50,000 visitors each year.
Multicultural City With 200 Ethnic Origins
With half of Canada’s population born outside the country, Toronto is often referred to as the most multicultural city in the world. With over 200 ethnic groups and 140 languages spoken, Toronto is a city with 2.7 million immigrants accounting for 46% of the entire population.
Also referred to as the 6ix
Toronto is also referred to as ‘6ix’, because of the six municipalities. They basically merged in 1998 making up the Metro Toronto. The name is derived from the main area code in Toronto, 416.
Home to the Tallest Free-Standing Structure
Embed from Getty ImagesBefore Burj Khalifa was the tallest building in the world, Toronto boasted its CN Tower as the tallest freestanding structure in the world. Until 2007, for almost 32 years it was the tallest building in the world.
Largest Zoo and Longest Street
Embed from Getty ImagesSince 1974, Toronto has been home to the largest zoo in Canada. With over 16,000 animals of 491 species, the Toronto Zoo is the third largest in the world with its setting in 710 acres of land.
Yonge Street in Toronto is one of the longest streets in the world as per the Guinness Book of World Records. It has been declared as the national historic site with an impressive 56 km length.
Largest Neighborhood-Based Library System
The Toronto public library system is the largest in Canada. It boasts over 100 branches and 12 million books and other items in its collection. It is a public reference library located on the corner of Yonge Street and Asquith Avenue. With almost 1.2 million registered Toronto Public Library cardholders, the TPL is the busiest library in the world.
Largest Underground Shopping Complex in the World
The PATH underground shopping complex located in Toronto is the largest in the world. With its 17-mile length, the shopping complex has a great influence on Toronto’s economy. The walkway facilitates over two hundred thousand commuters daily. It has seventy buildings, over 20 parking garages, elevated walkways, and 1200 retail stores.
Hosts the Largest Film Festival in the World
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is one the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world. It attracts over 500,000 people annually marking some of the most important events of the film industry.
North America’s Largest Street Festival
The Toronto Caribbean Carnival formerly known as Caribana is Toronto’s most celebrated tradition. It is a multi-weekend cultural celebration that aims to celebrate Caribbean cultures and traditions. It is renowned for hosting the largest single-day parade in North America.
Largest Urban Car-Free Community In North America
You will be surprised to know this fact about Toronto. There is a thriving community in the city that doesn’t get around by car. Yes! You heard it right, they have several cars on the island but they prefer to commute by foot, bicycle, kayak, canoe, or other means. Only service vehicles are permitted on the road.
Capital Punishment Abolished In 1976
Capital Punishment was abolished from Canada’s Criminal Code in 1976. The last prisoners who got capital punishment were Ronald Turpin and Arthur Lucas. They were executed and convicted for murder. They were hanged on December 11, 1962, in the Don Jail.
Canada’s Busiest Airport
With almost 500,000 flights handled in 2019, Toronto Pearson International Airport is the busiest airport in Canada. It handled almost 50 million passengers in that year. It is the busiest and largest airport in Canada. This you must have experienced while going to your student accommodation in Toronto from airport. In terms of handling international traffic, the Toronto Pearson International Airport is North America’s second-largest airport.
Also, Check out 100 Interesting Facts about Canada! in one of the most interesting blogs about Canada.
FAQS
Yes, Toronto was a peninsula earlier, hit by a storm in 1858, and became an island permanently.
Toronto Pearson International Airport is the largest airport in Canada.
Yes, Toronto is one of the most multicultural cities in the world with almost 140 languages spoken and 200 ethnic groups making up 46% of the entire population.
Toronto is a beautiful city with stunning skylines and a multicultural population. It boasts one of the most iconic landmarks of the country. Be sure to travel to most of the above-mentioned places in Toronto, If you are fortunate enough to be in the city.
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