Toronto

Toronto is Canada's largest city and the provincial capital of Ontario. Toronto's population is 2,518,772 (Statistics Canada, 2004); that of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is 5,203,686 (Statistics Canada, 2004). Residents of Toronto are called Torontonians (in French: torontois). The city is part of the Golden Horseshoe region of Ontario--a densely populated region of around 7 million people. Approximately 23% of the Canadian population live within the Golden Horseshoe region, and about one-sixth of all Canadian jobs lie within the city limits.

Transport

Railways

Toronto is served by intercity VIA Rail, Ontario Northland, and Amtrak trains through Union Station, a grand neoclassical structure in the heart of the city's downtown, which is shared with GO Transit's commuter trains. Toronto may soon have its own high-speed airport to downtown rail link with the proposed construction of the Blue22 transit route.

Related Topics:
VIA Rail - Ontario Northland - Amtrak - Union Station - Neoclassical - GO Transit - Blue22

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Highways

:See also List of Toronto, Ontario roads

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There are a number of freeways that serve the city and the Greater Toronto Area. Forming part of Toronto's municipal expressway system, the Don Valley Parkway (or colloquially, the DVP) connects the city's eastern and northern suburbs to downtown, while the Gardiner Expressway (or colloquially, "the Gardiner") connects its western suburbs to the downtown core. Extending northward from the Don Valley Parkway is Highway 404, towards Markham, Richmond Hill, Aurora, and Newmarket. Extending westward from the Gardiner Expressway is the Queen Elizabeth Way (often called the QEW), which heads towards Hamilton, Niagara, and Buffalo, New York.

Related Topics:
Municipal expressway - Don Valley Parkway - Gardiner Expressway - Highway 404 - Markham - Richmond Hill - Aurora - Newmarket - Queen Elizabeth Way - Hamilton - Niagara - Buffalo, New York

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Highway 401 (or simply, "the 401") acts as a by-pass of downtown Toronto, and is one of the most congested highways in North America. It connects to Highway 427 (an important connector highway, leading into downtown Toronto), Highway 400 (towards Barrie and Ontario's "cottage country"), Allen Road, and Highway 409 (a connector route to Toronto Pearson International Airport).

Related Topics:
Highway 401 - Highway 427 - Highway 400 - Barrie - Allen Road - Highway 409 - Toronto Pearson International Airport

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Highway 407 ETR does not operate within Toronto proper, but is a major highway in the Greater Toronto Area acting as a secondary by-pass around the northern end of Toronto. It is an electronic toll road with no physical toll booths, instead depending on automatic recognition of license plates or electronic toll collection.

Related Topics:
Highway 407 ETR - Greater Toronto Area - Automatic recognition of license plates - Electronic toll collection

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Public transport

Within the city, the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) operates an extensive system of subways, buses, and streetcars. Toronto has a relatively simple subway/RT system (known locally as simply "the subway"). Composed of the Yonge-University-Spadina, Bloor-Danforth, Sheppard, and Scarborough RT lines, the subways run along principal streets and connect Toronto's outlying areas with its downtown core. All except for 1 of the city's bus routes connect to subway/RT stations, allowing for free transfers between them. People who live in and around Toronto use their transit system extensively. Toronto has the second highest transit system ridership in the U.S. and Canada (after New York City). This network of subway trains, streetcars and buses covers 1,200km (754 miles) of routes.

Related Topics:
Toronto Transit Commission - Subway - Bus - Streetcar - Subway/RT - Yonge-University-Spadina - Bloor-Danforth - Sheppard - Scarborough RT

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Toronto's streetcars are one of its most distinctive features, as it is one of two North American cities (besides San Francisco, California) which still has a large streetcar system that uses mostly in-street operation. Serving a network of eleven different routes, the streetcars operate primarily in the downtown core, though some streetcars do operate outside of that area.

Related Topics:
Streetcars - San Francisco - California

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Interregional commuter train and bus service is provided by GO Transit. GO trains and buses connect the city to the rest of the Greater Toronto Area.

Related Topics:
Commuter train - Bus - GO Transit

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Airports

:Main article: List of airports in the Greater Toronto Area

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Toronto's primary airport is Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), located just outside the city's borders in neighbouring Mississauga. It is the fourth-largest international airport in North America and is the world's largest originator of air traffic into the United States. The city also has a smaller commercial airport, the Toronto City Centre Airport (YTZ). Situated on the Toronto Islands, the City Centre Airport is primarily a general aviation airport, but Air Canada Jazz does operate commercial flights. In recent years the destinations served from YTZ have been reduced, and currently Ottawa is the only desination for commercial flights. It is connected to the mainland by a short ferry that is free to airline passengers.

Related Topics:
Toronto Pearson International Airport - Mississauga - Toronto City Centre Airport - Ottawa

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The Hamilton International Airport is an alternate, relief airport to Pearson, but not in the GTA. Situated in Hamilton, 85 km (53 miles) west of Toronto, it is also a terminus for low-cost carrier, charter airline, and courier traffic. There are a number of other general aviation airports in and around the city, including Buttonville Municipal Airport, Markham Airport, Oshawa Airport, Brampton Airport, and Burlington Airpark.

Related Topics:
Hamilton International Airport - Hamilton - Low-cost carrier - Charter airline - Courier - Buttonville Municipal Airport - Markham Airport - Oshawa Airport - Brampton Airport - Burlington Airpark

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Other

Passenger ferry service to the Toronto Islands is provided by the city's Department of Parks and Recreation. Ferries run year-round from the Toronto Ferry Docks at the foot of Bay Street to Hanlan's Point, Centre Island, and Ward's Island.

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A high-speed passenger/vehicle ferry service across Lake Ontario to Rochester, New York was launched on June 17, 2004, using the vessel Spirit of Ontario I. The service was marketed using the name "The Breeze", however it was suspended after operating 11 weeks when the company ran into financial difficulties. The vessel was subsequently purchased in a bankruptcy sale by Rochester Ferry Company LLC, a subsidiary of the City of Rochester, and the vessel returned to service June 30, 2005, operated by Bay Ferries Great Lakes Limited, using the marketing term "The Cat".

Related Topics:
Ferry - Rochester, New York - June 17 - 2004 - Spirit of Ontario I - Bay Ferries Great Lakes Limited

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Seaboard Flights operated a hydrofoil service between Toronto and the Niagara Region. The service has since ceased to operate.

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