1. Toronto, Canada; US Northern Neighbor By: Salmeena Daya Destination Profile Report

2. Disclaimer: The following information is provided for informative purposes only and does not purport to give travel advice. Everybody’s opinions are different; In choosing a vacation destination, it is advisable to consult a travel and vacation specialist. Vacation Bound

3. Location Toronto encompasses 243 square miles and sits just north of the shore of Lake Ontario, one of the Great Lakes. Toronto is the capitol of the Province of Ontario, Canada. It has the largest population of all the Canadian provinces with a population of roughly 2.8 million..

4. How to Get There Pearson International Airport is the gateway for travelers coming into Toronto by plane. The airport is located about an hour from downtown Toronto. There are plenty of taxis, shuttles, and buses, and rental car places that you can choose from to take you to your final destination. Once you arrive in Toronto, the city is easy to navigate. Toronto has one of the best public transportation systems ( subway and buses) in North America and a large number of attractions concentrated in a walkable downtown.

5. Government: Torontonians elect representatives to three levels of government: The House of Commons in Ottawa has 23 Members of Parliament (MPs) representing Toronto. The Legislative Assembly in Toronto - Ontario's capital has 21 Members of Toronto’s Provincial Parliament (MPPs). Toronto's Municipal government has 44 elected Councillors who along with the elected Mayor make up Toronto's City Council. Government decision making is done through a series of committees that are part of City Council, and through agencies and corporations. Members of the public can get involved with many of the City's agencies, and can submit comments during the decision-making process. From 2004-2006, Toronto’s municipal government went through some transitional changes as the municipality became one large municipality rather than separated parts which led to changes in municipal structure and governance of committees and the authority of the mayor. As a Financial Planning Analyst working with CFO, City organizations, councillors and mayoral committee, I was happy to be a part of it. An interesting note though: Toronto’s recent Mayor Rob Ford, is making waves and unwanted publicity with his admitted drug problem and bizarre behavior. As of April 30, 2014, he has taken leave to attend rehab. City councillors had to elect to take some of his powers away. History

6. Toronto, Showing the Rest of The World How To Get Along; Diversity: Toronto is heralded as one of the most ethnic/multicultural cities in the world and is ranked as the safest large metropolitan city in North America by Places Rated Almanac. There are two official languages in Toronto; English and French. However, over 30 percent of Toronto residents speak a language other than English or French at home. In fact, over 200 languages and dialects are represented there, and over 100 religions. And as such, over 47 percent considered themselves minority. Surprisingly, with such diversity, everyone gets along! As of 2006, Toronto housed 8 percent of the population of Canada with 30 percent of all immigrants. Toronto’s majority groups include Canadians. English, French, and Italians. Toronto’s minority groups include South Asian, Chinese, Black, Filipino,and Latin American. Aboriginals (mostly North American Indians) accounted for 3.8 percent of the population. With such a booming population, Toronto is home to many high-rise apartment buildings and structures and Indian reserves. History

7. CN Tower: CN Tower is a Canadian National Tower standing at a staggering 1,815 ft. tall. It is one of Toronto’s (and Canada’s) most prized possessions. It was once the tallest tower in the world, but was recently beat out by both Dubai’s Burj Khalifa and Guangzou’s Canton Tower (in 2010). Like all towers, the CN Tower has a lookout point where you can view the city’s skyline. It has a revolving restaurant, a glass bottom floor, and a transparent elevator that races up 115 stories. Recently, they have added some further excitement; if you are brave enough to do an edge walk. It is a hands free walk on a 5 ft. wide ledge circling the tower! This is referred to as a Canadian signature experience. Can’t Miss Attractions

8. Hockey Hall of Fame Toronto is home to the world’s largest collection of hockey memorabilia in Canada’s Hockey Hall of Fame. Established in 1943, the Great Hall holds treasured artifacts from some of Canada’s leading figures in hockey, including Bobby Or, Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky.

9. Can’t Miss Attractions Casa Loma Casa Loma is Toronto’s majestic castle. The estate was formerly owned by a wealthy Toronto financier, industrialist and military man named Sir Henry Mill Pellatt who wanted a medieval- looking place to overlook the city. It is located at the top of a hill and surrounded by a lavish five- acre garden, it is truly beautiful. I was lucky enough to have my wedding there in 2006; it was an amazing venue and evening!

10. Can’t Miss Attractions St. Lawrence Farmer’s market: St. Lawrence Farmer’s Market is where farmers from all over southern Ontario have been selling their goods for over 200 years,” says Bruce Bell,Toronto historian. “It’s filled with local history, as well as fresh meat, fruit, vegetables, poultry and baked goods”.

11. Can’t Miss Attractions Beaches: Toronto is home to some decent, though not world class beaches. When on vacation, it is a great place to relax, soak in the sun, and do some boating or fishing. Toronto’s top beaches include: Woodbine beach Hanlan’s point Sunnyside Cherry Beach And Bluffer’s Park

12. Can’t Miss Attractions Niagara Falls, Niagara Casino, and Niagara on the Lake: Niagara Falls is an hour and half drive from Toronto. It is one of the seven natural wonders of the world and attracts many visitors and honeymooners. The falls consist of three different waterfalls. The American Falls the Bridal Veil Falls in the USA, and the Canadian "Horseshoe" Falls in Canada. The Canadian side appears to be more massive. The American falls are purported to shoot out 150,000 gallons of water per second while the Canadian falls shoots out 600,000 gallons of water per second! Maid of the Mist is a famous boat that will take you right up to the falling water. In my opinion, it’s a can’t miss attraction. Niagara Fallsview Casino is a great place to have a buffet lunch and view the falls from a different angle. Niagara on the Lake is a 19 th century village amongst Canada’s wine country. It is a must for honeymooners.

13. Arts, Culture & Dining Arts & Culture & Dining: The City is also home to over 50 major attractions including art museums, heritage sites, cultural centres and zoos. Hundreds of events, festivals, regattas and marathons take place throughout the year. There are 5 cultural districts: China Town, Greektown, Korea Town, Little India, and Little Italy There are many dining choices. The best rooftop patio in the city is The Thomson, The best local celebrity chef (and their restaurant) is Lynn Crawford at Ruby Watchco, The best kid-friendly restaurant are The Pickle Barrel/Marché, The best activity for the family is ice skating at Harbourfront in the Winter and biking on the Islands in the summer, The most romantic spot in the city is Niagara on the Lake, The most romantic restaurant in the city is George, The best place to dine solo is Studio Café, The best coffee shop is Tim Hortons, The best running path is Cedarvale Park, The most unique dining experience is Dining in the Dark, The best neighborhood for a stroll is West Queen West/The Beach, The best way to spend a rainy day is Art Gallery of Ontario, The best view in the city is from CN Tower, The best museum/art gallery is Royal Ontario Museum and the Art Gallery of Ontario The best shopping is at Bloor/Yorkville

14. Extended Trips It takes about 51/2 hours to get to Montreal from Toronto. It takes 4 ½ hours to drive to Ottawa. It takes about 8 hours to drive to New York. It takes about 8 ½ hours to get to Washington D.C. It takes about 8 hours to drive to Chicago. And, it takes about 3 days to drive to Florida.

15. Places to Stay Hotels: Toronto has several classes of hotels including luxury hotels, including: Ritz Carlton, Trump International, Thompson, Hazelton, Le Germain, Shangri-La and Four Seasons. Hotel prices are comparable to the US. Rental Cars: Rental cars are relatively expensive in Toronto. The cheapest way to get around is by subway or bus. There are also hop on, hop off bus tours.

16. Safety Toronto is relatively safe with little crime. In recent years crime has begun shifting from the gangs in New York area into Toronto. However, there have been few incidents and in no way comparable to the crime in other areas such as New York or California. Downtown Toronto is very lively, well lighted, and mostly safe even at night. Although stay away from the parks and Allen Gardens in the downtown area at night as there are a lot of drug addicts who like to hang out there. Other than that, pretty safe.

17. Recent Events of Interest The Pan Am/Para Pan Games will be hosted in Toronto in 2015. The Ripley's Aquarium of Canada opened in 2013 The $300 million Aga Khan Centre will also open in 2014. The Rogers Centre is the world's first stadium to have a fully retractable roof. A 31 story building could fit inside it when the roof is closed! Come visit Toronto, it’s a great vacation destination!