Ontario Travel Guide
Ontario currently has 13 million residents. 44% of Ontarians live in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), so over 5 million residents.
Here are some facts about visiting Ontario.
Banking Hours: varies by institution but generally M-Th 10am-4pm, Friday 10am-5pm with a few banks being open on Saturday as well. Banks are closed on Sundays and federal public holidays. Credit and Debit cards are widely accepted in the GTA but may be less accepted in more remote areas of Ontario.
Ontario entered the Confederation on July 1, 1867. Four of the five Great Lakes are in Ontario. (Lake Ontario, Lake Huron, Lake Superior and Lake Erie) so water covers about 1/6 of Ontario and forests cover about 2/3 of it. The St. Lawrence Seaway opened in 1959 and links the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.
Capital Cities
The Capital of Ontario is Toronto, Ontario.
The Capital of Canada is Ottawa, Ontario.
Shopping in Ontario
Currently the sales tax in Ontario is 8% PST (provincial sales tax) plus the federal GST of 5% for a total of 13% on most goods in Ontario. If you reside outside of Canada, you may be able to reclaim the GST paid on purchases during your visit, but you have to have your receipts stamped before you leave Canada such as at a Canada Customs Office or most participating duty-free shops. (immediate refunds available for under $500 Canadian Dollars). In addition visitors to Ontario can claim the 8% RST (PST) refund on goods removed from Ontario within 30 days of purchase.
Most stores such as grocery stores, shopping malls and tourist stores are open on Sundays as well from 11am to 6pm.
Southwestern Ontario
In addition to plenty of golf courses and downtown Toronto, Southwestern Ontario offers many scenic destinations including Blue Mountain and the Collingwood area, the Muskoka lakes and Wasaga Beach. The Georgian Bay shoreline is a popular destination of local "Cottagers" as well. Other popular destinations include Niagara Falls and the golf courses around London and as far West as Windsor, Ontario featuring nightlife and right next to Detroit.
If visiting in the fall, check out the Oktoberfest in the Guelph-Kitchener-Waterloo area.
Festivals and Events for 2010
There are many events throughout Ontario that attract international visitors as well. Some of the upcoming events include:
Antiquing at Sherway Gardens Jan 24, 2010
The Taylor Cup Pond Hockey Tourney Jan. 30, 2010
Classic Albums Live: Supertramp - Crime of the Century Feb. 11, 2010
QS: World MBA Tour - Spring 2010 Feb 21, 2010
Tap Kids March 4, 2010
CFC Worldwide Short Film Festival (WSFF) June 1, 2010
Under 30 Crafts Market - June 5, 2010