Canada is referred to as the Great White North for a reason – it’s absolutely massive, and many of its cities are pretty chilly across the year! One of the region’s most notable cities, Toronto, is found in the southeast of the country, and is the capital of Ontario.
While it might not be the Canadian capital, there are still plenty of reasons why Toronto remains one of the most popular cities not only with locals, but with tourists, too. In this fact file, I’ll take you through some top facts about Toronto that might just surprise you on your next visit out here.
Got some Toronto facts of your own? Be sure to leave a comment at the end of this article.
1. Toronto used to have a pretty British name.
At least, it was named the same as one of England’s most iconic cities. That is, it was once known as York – until around 1834, when the city was officially renamed. Interestingly, it also used to be the official capital of what was known as Upper Canada!
2. It’s a city shaped by ice.
Over thousands of years, the landscape surrounding Toronto was transformed thanks to the melting of glacial age ice – specifically, the ancient Lake Iroquois eventually receded to drop water levels. It was reportedly deeper than Lake Ontario by around 130 feet!
After receding, the lake would rise again, and over time, the city would be built on what remained after the end of the glacial age.
3. It’s a very flat area.
Toronto is one of the most impressively flat cities you’ll find in Canada, not that we’re expecting you to take a spirit level out there or anything! The steepest incline in Toronto reaches about 40 feet, thanks to the old lake that once rose here. You’ll find it a few miles inland if you fancy taking a peek at the peak!
4. Toronto has its own islands.
It’s true! You can now visit Toronto’s unique islands through a special tunnel that was erected here back in 2015. Before then, and even now, you can still take tourist ferries out there to explore the floating land.
And yet, do you know how these islands came to be? They actually used to be a single, joined peninsula! Believe it or not, this was split in two by a particularly rough series of storms in the 1850s. They broke the islands off the mainland, leading to the Eastern Gap that people travel across regularly.
5. It’s one of the biggest cities in North America.
When I tell you that Toronto is absolutely massive, I mean it! It’s officially the fourth biggest city across the North American continent, and is also the largest city in Canada outright. There are more than three million people living in the city itself, and reportedly six million living in the broader area. Regardless, there are a million more people living in Toronto centre compared to Montreal city!
6. It’s sometimes mistaken as the capital of Canada.
Given Toronto’s size and its massive population, it’s sometimes easy for non-Canadians to assume that it’s also the capital of Canada outright. It isn’t! That honour goes to Ottawa – and where you might be mistaken is that Toronto is the capital of Ontario, which is one of Canada;’s provinces.
7. Toronto developed over centuries thanks to rich soil.
Remember the glacial factors I mentioned earlier? Well, it turns out the soil that remained around the area following this watery time helped Toronto to develop into a genuinely thriving region. It’s thought that the sediment out here proved to be immensely useful for farming and agriculture.
The soil out here also led to the growth of some impressive trees, too. You can’t go far out here without spotting a spruce or two, that’s for sure!
8. It’s Canada’s sporting capital.
If you’re a sports fan and are visiting Canada soon, you might want to make a beeline for Toronto. Right now, it’s Canada’s only city to host not one, not two, but seven major league sports teams. That means if you’re a fan of football, American football, basketball, rugby, lacrosse, baseball, and – of course – hockey, there’s tons of action to sink your teeth into out here.
9. There really are millions of trees in Toronto.
Toronto is probably responsible for the mental image many people conjure up when they think of Canada – a frosty landscape with tons of trees. So much so, it’s thought there are more than ten million of the beauties standing tall across the city.
One of the oldest of these – if not the oldest – is the majestic red oak that’s still standing in the region of North York. Believe it or not, the epic natural wonder very nearly got sold as part of a land deal – until the City board stopped the transaction at the last minute!
10. Toronto is perhaps a little warmer than you might expect.
When you think of Canada, you probably think you’ll have to get wrapped up warm just to walk around the streets – not so much in Toronto, at least in the summer! It actually gets quite humid out here with a maximum temperature of around 26-27 degrees C in July. So, warmth you might be used to in the UK.
That said, the winters do get biting! The average lowest temperature during January here reaches a blistering -7 degrees C. Things don’t start heating up again until at least February heading into March, so pack some thermals!
11. It got extremely hot in Toronto in the past.
Sticking with temperatures, even Toronto has felt the effects of global warming in the last century – but that said, the hottest temperatures recorded here occurred all the way back in July 1936!
That’s when the city experienced a completely unheard-of heatwave that soared to around 40.6 degrees C! And, if you think -7 degrees sounds pretty chilly, spare a thought for anyone in the area back in January 1859 – when thermometers frosted up to the tune of around -32 degrees!
12. The city is mostly female.
In an interesting split, Toronto’s demographics appear to sway more towards female residents than male. At the last count, it’s thought that around 52% of the city is female – and that there are more female than male citizens in every adult demographic.
13. There are people here from cultures spread all over the world.
Toronto has a large multicultural population, with 46.6% of the region reportedly comprising immigrants. It’s thought that most people having immigrated here are of Filipino descent, accounting for over 10% of the population, with the Chinese population measuring at a similar level.
The Indian population in Toronto measures just below 8%, while 3.7% of people here are Sri Lankan. Oddly, only 2.8% of people living here are from the UK – meaning it might not be as big an expat hotspot as you might have thought!
14. Toronto played host to one final execution.
The Don Jail in Toronto was, reportedly, the site of the very last hanging execution to take place in Canada, full stop. It’s thought that Arthur Lucas and Ronald Turpin met their ends here in December 1962, having been found guilty of murder.
It wouldn’t be until 1976, however, that Canada would erase capital punishment from its criminal code outright. Strange but true!
15. Parts of the city are supposedly haunted.
Toronto certainly doesn’t escape from having a few spooky touches about it – in fact, there’s a whole haunted legend here that might inspire some people to come and visit!
It’s thought that the city’s original mayor’s residence continues to be haunted to this day – with some people reporting inanimate objects moving inside during the night! The house is now a museum – but believe it or not, an exorcist was once called to the building to try and suss out the supernatural goings-on!
16. The majority of religious people in Toronto are Christian.
Christianity is by far the most followed religion in the city of Toronto, with around 46% of citizens thought to be practicing. That said, around 31% of people don’t follow a religion at all here!
Other religions practiced by Toronto citizens include Islam, which accounts for around 9.6% of the populace, Hinduism, which accounts for 6.2%, and Judaism, accounting for around 3.6%. Fewer than 1,000 people, at last count, practice a form of indigenous spirituality.
17. Most people speak English, but it’s not everyone’s first language.
Given the multicultural makeup of Toronto, it’s not surprising that there are more than a few languages spoken across the region. That said, around 95% of people here speak English – the interesting side to this is the slim majority say it’s their first language.
Thanks to the wide range of languages and dialects spoken here, the emergency services are always ready to support callers with help in more than 150 different tongues! There’s even a type of slang here known as Greater Toronto English.
18. The CN Tower hides a fruity secret.
The staggering CN Tower is arguably Toronto’s best-known modern landmark, which has been a part of the skyline here for decades. However, it’s hiding something of a hidden feature that’s made its way into the Guinness World Records.
Believe it or not, the Tower plays host to a wine cellar – that’s not actually built underground! It stands at 351 metres above the ground level, which, weirdly enough, makes it the highest wine cellar in the world. That is, unless someone builds one at the top of Mount Everest!
19. Toronto has a firm place on the global cultural stage.
People out there who are into finer culture might already know Toronto for its fantastic symphony orchestra, which has a major global reputation. It’s also home to several different theatres and is the home base for the popular Ontario Science Centre.
You’ll also find plenty to look at when you explore the fabulous Art Gallery of Ontario – meaning Toronto really is the place to come for some of Canada’s highest art.
20. It’s bursting with parkland.
Toronto is also immensely popular with visitors and locals thanks to its astounding acres of parkland, protected by an agency known as the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.
It’s estimated that there are around 20,000 acres of parkland here, and that there continues to be discussions regarding how to develop the area’s burgeoning waterfront potential, too!
What’s also really interesting about Toronto’s parks is that it’s mostly legal to camp out within the city itself – that’s something few areas in North America currently permit!
21. The area is famous for the 6ix.
If you’ve ever heard of the 6ix and you’re not a fan of Drake, then there’s a chance you’ve been to Toronto before! The 6ix refers to a series of boroughs surrounding Toronto, which it’s thought the singer helped to bring to global attention.
Specifically, the 6ix refers to the boroughs of York, North York, East York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, and the City of Toronto itself.
22. The name comes from native language.
It’s thought that the name Toronto actually derives from Tkaronto, a phrase or name that means “place where trees stand in the water”, or at least a rough translation. It’s thought to refer to trees that grow between the famous lakes north of the city – Couchiching and Simcoe.
Interestingly, the city and general area have been referred to as Toronton and Tarento over the years. These name changes or variations have differed between English and French speakers living in the area.
23. The city has an official motto that was almost changed.
Officially, the motto or slogan of Toronto is “Diversity Our Strength” – pretty fitting given the multicultural makeup of the city. However, this long-standing phrase came under threat back in 2005, when the City tried to push a brand new slogan.
That modern slogan? “Toronto Unlimited”. Yeah… it didn’t stick – but Diversity Our Strength has endured.
24. It’s an extremely safe city to live in.
While there is crime and danger everywhere in the world, Toronto frequently comes at the top of lists of cities considered some of the safest on the planet. In fact, it was once recognised as the safest major city in the whole of North America!
If that isn’t an accolade enough, it’s also broken the top ten and even the top six safest cities in the world in the past few years. With that being said, if you’re travelling here from abroad, it is still always wise to keep your wits about you, no matter what polls tell us!
25. There are scores of neighbourhoods in Toronto.
Given the size of the city and its wider area, and the fact there are so many districts, it makes sense that there are plenty of different neighbourhoods out here, too. In fact, there are 140 – which has led to Toronto even gaining a nickname of “City of Neighbourhoods”!
26. The majority of Canada’s tallest structures are in Toronto.
Toronto also holds the honour of having the tallest skyline in the country – it’s thought that around 17 of Canada’s 20 tallest buildings can be found in the city. Plenty for you to look at from on high, then – it’s just a shame the city isn’t hillier!
27. There are plenty of famous people to have hailed from toronto.
Toronto is a hotbed of celebrity talent – Drake, DeadMau5, Samantha Bee, The Weeknd, Margaret Atwood, Mike Myers, John Candy, Jim Carrey, Stephen Amell, and Howie Mandel were all born in the city or the surrounding area.
28. It’s where Babe Ruth first made a big hit.
Baseball legend Babe Ruth, interestingly, made a huge career first over on Toronto Island, specifically over at Hanlan’s Point. It’s here where the star hit his first-ever home run back in 1914. He was just 19 at the time – and there’s even a special plaque marking this pivotal moment.
FAQS About Toronto
Is Toronto expensive to live in?
Yes, Toronto is considered one of the most expensive cities to live in across Canada – in fact, it was once named the most expensive city in the country to live and work in, beating other areas such as Vancouver and Montreal. It’s a highly desirable area!
Why is Toronto famous?
Where do you start? Toronto is famous for its fabulous lakes and parkland, and for its burgeoning multicultural population. It’s also notable for its tall, modern architecture, and for its incredible musical and artistic events. There’s lots to see and do out here!
What is the most popular food in Toronto?
Toronto citizens love to eat poutine, sushi, dim sum, pho, fresh oysters, pizza… a real mixture. This is all thanks to the incredible cultural diversity across the city. There are tons of cuisines and recipes to tuck into, so if you’re a real foodie, head out here and you’ll be spoiled for choice!
Do you know any fun facts about Toronto? Share them in the comments below!