Ontario is a Canadian province that borders the United States in
the Great Lakes region (Lake Ontario) to the south, the province
of Manitoba to the west, and the province of Quebec (province)
to the east. Ontario is by far the most populous province in
Canada. In addition to Toronto, Niagara Falls is a tourist
highlight. Ontario lies between the Great Lakes and Hudson Bay.
The province essentially corresponds to the former English
Upper Canada, which was united with the predominantly
French-speaking Lower Canada (roughly equivalent to present-day
Quebec) to form the colony of Canada, from which the current
state emerged.
All major cities are in the southeast. The landscape there differs
little from that in the northeast of the USA or Central Europe. In the
north and west of the province, however, you can certainly experience
the Canadian wilderness.
Southwest
Hamilton
Kitchener - used to be called Berlin and is the secret capital of the
Germans in Canada, now known for its Oktoberfest
London - also
located in Canada on the Thames
Stratford - is known for the
Stratford Festival Theater in the summer
Waterloo
Windsor -
Detroit's Canadian sister
Centre
Toronto - capital of the province
and largest city in Canada
Mississauga - sister city of Toronto
Niagara Falls - located on the waterfalls of the same name
Northwest
Belleville
Prince Edward
Kawartha Lakes
Huntsville
East
Ottawa - the Canadian capital in the east
Kingston - capital of the
Thousand Islands
Brockville - small town on the St. Lawrence River
North
Dryden
Kirkland Lake
Thunder Bay
Sudbury
Wawa
The Niagara Falls at Niagara Falls
The Algonquin Provincial Park
The Bruce Peninsula National Park
The Georgian Bay Islands National
Park
The Point Pelee National Park
The Pukaskwa National Park
The St. Lawrence Islands National Park (Thousand Islands)
The Great
Lakes on the southern border
In Canada, French and English are the two official languages. In the
province of Ontario, English is the predominant language. More than 95%
of the population in Ontario is fluent in English and/or French. More
than 91% of the population is fluent in English.
French is spoken
in some parts of the province, especially along the borders in eastern
and northern Ontario. The closer you get to Quebec, the more likely you
are to receive services in French in shops, restaurants and other
establishments. Some banks and ATMs, especially in Ottawa and Toronto,
also offer Chinese as a language.
For long-distance routes, see the Toronto section.
By plane
The international airports of Toronto - Pearson (IATA: YYZ) and Ottawa
(IATA: YOW) are the two main airports in Ontario. Toronto's Lester B.
Pearson International Airport is the largest in the province and the
main transit point for most Canadian air freight. Those who want to go
to the far east of the province can also fly to one of the Montreal
airports. From there, you can be in Ontario in less than two hours.
In southern Ontario, there are airports in Windsor, Sarnia, London,
Hamilton, Kingston and Kitchener.
By train
The Canadian
national railway company VIA Rail operates connections to neighboring
provinces and the USA. The transcontinental The Canadian starts/ends in
Toronto and goes to Vancouver.
By road
As in all of North America, the car is the predominant
means of transport. In Toronto, a tram runs along Lake Ontario with a
connection to a smaller local rail network. All major long-distance rail
routes (passenger transport via Viarail) also run through Ontario. The
Ontario Ministry of Transportation provides free road maps for download
as PDFs. You can also order a printed road map of Ontario from the
tourist office after registering.
By bus
Various bus companies
(e.g. Greyhound and GO Transit) offer connections between almost all
cities.
By train
Within the area along Lake Ontario (called
the Golden Horseshoe), GO Transit is a suitable and fast way to travel.
In the summer months, special express trains run between Toronto and
Niagara Falls.
Presto
The Presto card is a contactless chip
card fare system used to participate in public transport in the province
of Ontario, Canada, especially in Greater Toronto, Hamilton and Ottawa.
Presto cards can be purchased at stations, by phone and online. When
boarding, you hold the prepaid card, with a built-in RFID chip, to a
reader. The reader checks the validity and automatically deducts the
lowest available fare from the card. Loyalty programs are also available
and frequent use leads to discounts.
In Toronto, the CN Tower offers an impressive view.
In Ottawa, you
can visit the Canadian Parliament.
On the border with New York, the
impressive Niagara Falls await a visit
Individual sights in other
places:
St. Raphael’s Ruins, County Road 18 = The King's Road, near
Frog Hollow Rd, Williamstown, just under 10 minutes by car northwest of
Lancaster. The bizarre ruins of a Catholic church built in the 19th
century and burned down in 1970. Price: Free admission, donations
welcome.
By boat along the Rideau Canal, a historic waterway opened in 1832 after five years of construction. Tours along the banks of the canal are also possible. Ottawa is the start/finish in the north, Kingston is in the south.
In addition to the national public holidays, Ontario has other public
holidays as a province. There are also recognized holidays on which many
employers grant paid leave, so it may happen that shops and government
offices are closed on these days.
January 1st New Year's Day New
Year's Day national public holiday
3rd Monday in February Family Day
Family Day provincial public holiday
Friday before Easter Good Friday
Good Friday national public holiday
Monday after Easter Easter Monday
Easter Monday generally recognized holiday
Monday before
May 25th
Victoria Day Official birthday of the Queen provincial public holiday
July 1st (July 2nd if this is a Monday) Canada Day Celebrating the
British North America Act of July 1st, 1867 national public holiday
First Monday in August various names various occasions recognized
holiday
First Monday in September Labour Day Labour Day national
public holiday
Second Monday in October Thanksgiving Day provincial
public holiday
November 11th Remembrance Day commemoration of the end
of World War I recognized holiday
December 25th Christmas Day
National public holiday
December 26th Boxing Day various provincial
public holiday
The sale and serving of alcohol is strictly regulated in Ontario, as
in most provinces in Canada. regulated and therefore expensive. Since
2015/6, licensed supermarkets etc. have been allowed to sell wine, cider
and beer. The state-owned chain Beer Store is still doing well. In terms
of price, wine of the same quality costs about three times as much as in
Germany. The situation is similar for other alcoholic beverages, and
German visitors are silent about the quality of the beer anyway.
The selling prices in cannabis stores were reduced in 2019. Sold as a
half or full ounce (28 g) for can$ 3.50-6.90/g. Anyone who mixes their
grass with tobacco will pay can$ 13-16 for a pack (in 2023).
Ontario's cuisine is essentially the same as south of the border, but
with some English influences. Although originally a Quebec specialty,
you can get poutine almost everywhere in Ontario. It is French fries
with fresh cheese curds and gravy.
In spring, maple syrup is
season, so you can watch the production. The syrup and other products
made from the syrup can be bought all year round. Here is a list of
producers.
The curfew comes into effect at 2 a.m. (4 a.m. in exceptional cases).
Nightlife starts earlier accordingly. Gambling is also heavily
regulated. Casinos can be found in Niagara Falls and Windsor.
When going out, you should remember that a 15% tip is the minimum that
is expected in restaurants. In addition, 13% “tax” (HST) is added to the
bill - so you pay a good third more than the price stated on the menu.
In winter and spring, make sure that rental cars are equipped with winter tires.