City Introduction

Toronto is Canada's largest city and the provincial capital of Ontario, which is located in the southern Ontario region on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. As Canada's largest city, it is also North America's fourth largest city surpassing Chicago. Toronto is one of the world's most diverse cities, and 49% of the residents are immigrants from more than 100 different nationalities, and thus more than 140 languages are brought together in this North American metropolis. Because the lower crime rate and pleasant environment there, Toronto is famous as one of the "World's Most Livable Cities", ranking among Top 10 global livable cities for many years on end.

 

 

 

 

History and Culture

Before colonization began, Toronto was inhabited by the Huron tribes. In 1783, the British people established Yorktown here, which officially became the City of Toronto on March 6, 1834. At that time there was a population of only nine thousand, including African-American slaves escaping from the United States. William? Leon? Mackenzie became the first mayor of Toronto and led the local people against the British colonial government in the Upper Canada rebellion in 1837, but ended in failure. Toronto enjoyed the rapid growth in the remaining time of the 19th century and became an important foothold for immigrants arriving in Canada. Ireland's Great Famine made a lot of Irish people rush into Toronto between 1846 and 1849, and the Irish people have become the city's largest ethnic group since 1851. The capital of the United Province in Canada was relocated in Toronto for twice: The first relocation occurred between 1849 and 1852 after the riots in Montreal City; the other relocation took place from 1856 to 1858. Then the government moved the capital to Quebec City and didn’t change the capital to the existing capital Ottawa until 1866 (just one year before the formal establishment of Canadian Confederation). Ontario was established in 1867, and its capital was set up in Toronto. The Canadian Government canceled the Immigration Act containing the content of racial discrimination in the late 1960s, and then more immigrants arrived in Toronto from all corners of the world. On January 1, 1998, the six districts were merged into the new City of Toronto, and the Toronto urban district was removed correspondingly. Since then Toronto has become a city directly under the administration of the provincial government.

 

 

 

 

Natural Environment

Located on the northwest coast of Lake Ontario, Toronto is one of the southernmost cities in Canada and is only one-hour flying distance away from New York City. In fact, its latitude is almost the same with that of Northern California. Therefore, there is a quite mild climate in Toronto which has the warmest spring and summer in Canada.

 

 

 

 

Climate

Toronto's unique geographical conditions and historical and economic advantages, contribute to the unique position of Toronto. Toronto has four distinct seasons, with short spring, hot and humid summer and sunshiny autumn. It also has pleasant temperatures, where the midday temperature sometimes rises to the level of summer but it’s very cold in winter, and the winter season extends until mid-April. If traveling to Toronto in summer, you need thin loose clothes, and prepare a sweater in the mornings and afternoons; but if going to Toronto in winter, you need thick jackets or coats, waterproof boots, gloves, and wool hats.

 

 

 

 

Useful Information

Like the United States Canada provides 110v power, and Canada's three-hole plugs are like this: A round hole is in the upper part while the two holes in the low part are flat in parallel; such three-hole plugs need to be provided with adapters; a transformer will also be needed if they don’t support 110v power. The two-hole plug is flat, and can be direct used for your appliances if they support such two-hold plug and the power of 110-240v, otherwise an additional transformer shall be required.

China's single-frequency GSM 900, GSM 900/1800 dual-band or tri-band GSM 900/1800/1900 mobile phones can roam in Canada. If there is not such a phone, you can buy a prepaid phone at an electronics store at the price of generally not more than 100 US dollars. The price also includes some paid airtime and free voicemail services. Such a phone avoids contracting and billing troubles, does not need ID but generates higher call charges per minute.

 

 

 

 

Visa Information

Visa materials to be prepared All applicants must submit the following documents: Visa application form completed and signed, correct visa application content and visa fees, passport with six-month valid period and sufficient blank pages (double-sided), old passport (if any); and photo specifications - Two recent color photos (of the frame size at least 35 mm x45 mm, and taken within six months, with an appropriate white background); Visa Center of Beijing, 12F Block A Zhonghui Plaza No. 11 Dongzhimen South Street Dongcheng District Beijing; Zip Code:100007; Hotline: 010-57636878 Guangdong Development Bank Building, 2F No. 555 Xujiahui Road Shanghai; Post Code: 200023 Tel: 021-63901830 / 63901221 Room 351 3F Chengjian Building No. 189 West Tiyu Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou; Zip Code: 510620 Tel: 020-38898475/38898476 3U-6 3F JW Marriott World Trade Center No. 77 Qingnian Road Yuzhong District Chongqing China；Zip Code: 400010；Tel: 023-63721388

 

 

 

 

Currency Exchange

The legal currency is the Canadian dollar (C $). Canada's currency system is similar to the US in using dollars and cents as units. 1 Canadian dollar (C $) = 100 cents (¢), and the Canadian dollar has the banknote denominations of 5 dollars,10 dollars, 20 dollars, 50 dollars and 100 dollars, and the coin denominations of 1cent,5 cents, 10 cents, 25 cents, 1-dollar cent and 2-dollarand coins. And 1 Canadian dollar is divided into 100 cents.

 

 

 

 

Notes

Canadian Customs prohibits or restricts the entry of some goods; Canadian law provides that all passengers must declare all agricultural products carried with them to the customs officials upon arrival in Canada whether by land, by sea or by plane. All plants except indoor potted plants from the United States, must be subject to the approval before entering Canada. Pistols, maces, pepper spray and other weapons are prohibited from entering Canada.

In addition, some fruits, vegetables, honey, eggs, meat, dairy products and plants from other countries, can not enter Canada. For pets, all animals should be subject to veterinary quarantine before their entry into Canada. Visitors can enjoy tariff or tax-free treatment for gifts at the unit price of 60 Canadian dollars or less when carrying them into Canada. Tariff shall be imposed on excess amounts of gifts priced at above 60 Canadian dollars. Alcoholic beverages, tobacco products and promotional materials don’t belong to the gift category. For alcohol and tobacco, visitors in conformity with the age requirements in Canadian provinces or regions (see below) can carry a limited amount of alcoholic beverages into the country of Canada. However, visitors must arrive there together with alcoholic beverages carried by them.

Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec provinces provide that any visitor carrying alcoholic beverages must reach the minimum age of 18, while the minimum age is stipulated to be 19 in the Yukon, Northwest, Nunavut, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador. You are only be allowed to bring one of the following specified amounts of alcoholic products before the entry: 53 ounces of wine, 40 ounces of hard liquor, a total of 40 ounces of wine and hard liquor, or 24 × 12 ounces canned or bottled beer or ale. You can enjoy duty-free treatment for the following items before entry into Canada: 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or cigarillos, 7 ounces manufactured tobacco or 200 tobacco stems. Special Remarks

1. China's outbound tourists per person can carry 20,000 yuan and 5000 US dollars(or other foreign currency amounts equivalent of USD 5,000), and must declare valuables to customs;

2. You must declare to the customs laptops, cameras, zoom cameras and other electronic equipment if carry any of them;

3. You should make a few copies of your passports, tickets and travel arrangements, of which you can carry one copy with you, and put another copy at home for unexpected query; 4. After the 9.11 terrorist attacks in the United States, all countries are very strict with security checks, and the testing strength of X-ray equipment is also increased. So please do not put films in checked baggage, otherwise the films will be exposed.

In Canada there are tipping habits, as follows:

1 Canadian dollar for a hotel porter / per piece of luggage;

1-2 Canadian dollars for a room waiter each time you ask for something or send something to your room;

15% of total spending (excluding taxes) or at least 1 Canadian dollar for a waiter at restaurants or cafes. You can fill out the tip amount on the bill in time of payment by credit card.

10-15% of the fares or at least 1 Canadian dollar for a taxi driver;

1-2 Canadian dollars for an airport bus driver;

2-5 Canadian dollars for a local guide driver.