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.
Pre-Colonial Periods
The history of Ontario begins with its
Indigenous inhabitants, who have occupied the region for thousands of
years. Paleo-Indians, the earliest known residents, arrived around
11,000 years ago following the retreat of the last Ice Age glaciers.
These early peoples migrated from Asia via the Bering land bridge,
settling in a landscape that was gradually warming. During the Archaic
period (approximately 8000–1000 BC), societies were primarily
egalitarian hunter-gatherers, with populations growing slowly. Trade
networks emerged along major waterways like the St. Lawrence River and
the Great Lakes, facilitating the exchange of goods such as tools and
resources.
The Woodland period (1000 BC–AD 1000) marked significant
advancements. In the Early Woodland phase, ceramics were introduced,
enhancing food storage and cooking. The Middle Woodland saw
experimentation with horticulture, including early cultivation of crops
like maize, squash, and beans. By the Late Woodland period, particularly
in southern Ontario, agriculture became more established, leading to the
development of semi-permanent villages and more complex social
structures. Northern Ontario, however, retained more mobile lifestyles
with continued emphasis on mound building and pottery traditions.
Indigenous art, such as pictographs depicting animals, spiritual
symbols, and later post-contact elements like horses and firearms,
appeared on rock faces across the region.
Key Indigenous groups
included Algonquian-speaking peoples like the Ojibwa (Anishinaabe),
Cree, and Algonquin in the north and west, who relied on hunting,
fishing, and gathering. In the south, Iroquoian-speaking tribes such as
the Huron (Wendat), Petun (Tionontati), Neutral, and Erie established
agricultural societies with longhouses, confederacies, and extensive
trade networks. The Huron-Petun-Neutral alliance, for instance, formed a
powerful coalition in the Georgian Bay area. These societies contributed
immensely to Ontario's cultural landscape, including advanced
agricultural techniques (the "Three Sisters" cropping system of corn,
beans, and squash) and diplomatic confederacies like the Haudenosaunee
(Iroquois) Confederacy, which influenced later political structures.
Population estimates suggest thousands of people lived in organized
communities, with southern Ontario supporting denser settlements due to
fertile soils.
European Exploration and Settlement
European
contact began in the early 17th century, driven by the fur trade and
colonial ambitions. French explorer Étienne Brûlé became the first known
European to traverse parts of Ontario in 1610–1612, exploring the Ottawa
River and Great Lakes region. English explorer Henry Hudson claimed
Hudson Bay for England in 1611, while Samuel de Champlain reached Lake
Huron in 1615, establishing alliances with the Huron. French Jesuit
missionaries followed, setting up posts along the Great Lakes to convert
Indigenous peoples and secure trade routes.
The fur trade intensified
competition between the French and British. The French built forts in
the Pays d'en Haut (upper country), including areas around the Great
Lakes, while the British established trading posts via the Hudson's Bay
Company in the late 17th century, such as Moose Factory (1673).
Conflicts arose, particularly between the French-allied Huron and the
British/Dutch-allied Iroquois. The Beaver Wars (1640s–1650s) saw the
Iroquois, armed by European powers, disperse southern tribes like the
Petun and Neutral, leading to significant depopulation in southwestern
Ontario. A small French settlement at Petite Côte (near present-day
Windsor) in 1747 became the oldest continuous European community in
western Ontario.
Indigenous alliances were crucial; the French often
partnered with Algonquian and Huron groups, while the British leveraged
Iroquois support. This era introduced diseases like smallpox, which
devastated Indigenous populations, reducing them by up to 90% in some
areas.
Colonial Era
The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) shifted
control decisively. The Treaty of Paris (1763) ceded New France to
Britain, incorporating Ontario into the Province of Quebec.
Post-American Revolution (1775–1783), around 5,000 United Empire
Loyalists—fleeing persecution—settled in areas like the Thousand
Islands, Niagara Peninsula, and along the St. Lawrence. They were
granted land (typically 200 acres per household) between 1783 and 1796,
forming the backbone of British settlement. The Constitutional Act of
1791 divided Quebec into Lower Canada (French-majority) and Upper Canada
(English-majority, southern Ontario), with John Graves Simcoe as the
first Lieutenant-Governor in 1793. He founded York (now Toronto) as the
capital in 1793 to distance it from American threats.
The War of 1812
turned Upper Canada into a major battlefield, fueled by U.S. grievances
over British impressment and support for Indigenous resistance. Key
events included the Battle of Queenston Heights (1812), where British
General Isaac Brock died but forces repelled the invasion; the American
capture and burning of York (1813); and victories at Stoney Creek and
Beaver Dams. Indigenous leader Tecumseh allied with the British, forming
a confederacy, but was killed at the Battle of the Thames (1813). The
war ended with the Treaty of Ghent (1814), restoring pre-war borders but
boosting Canadian nationalism.
Post-war infrastructure boomed: the
Welland Canal (1829) linked Lakes Ontario and Erie, facilitating trade.
Politically, the Family Compact—an elite oligarchy of loyalists and
Anglican clergy like John Strachan—dominated, opposing democratic
reforms. This led to tensions with reformers, culminating in the Upper
Canada Rebellion (1837) led by William Lyon Mackenzie, who sought
responsible government. Though crushed, it paralleled the Lower Canada
Rebellion and prompted British reforms. The Act of Union (1840) merged
Upper and Lower Canada into the Province of Canada (Canada West for
Ontario), granting responsible government in 1848. Immigration surged in
the 1840s, doubling the population, with Irish fleeing the potato
famine.
Confederation and Provincehood
By the 1850s–1860s,
economic growth from railways and U.S. trade, coupled with fears of
American annexation during the Civil War, spurred Confederation. Leaders
like John A. Macdonald and George Brown from Canada West played pivotal
roles in the Charlottetown, Quebec, and London Conferences. The British
North America Act (1867) created the Dominion of Canada, with Ontario
(formerly Canada West) as a founding province alongside Quebec, New
Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. Toronto became the provincial capital,
Ottawa the federal one.
Premier Oliver Mowat (1872–1896) championed
provincial rights, expanding boundaries (e.g., via the 1889 Ontario
Boundary Act) and decentralizing power against federal overreach by
Macdonald. Disputes, like the 1882 Manitoba boundary, were resolved by
the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in favor of provinces.
Ontario's name derives from an Iroquoian word meaning "sparkling water,"
referring to its lakes.
Industrial Development
The late 19th
century saw rapid industrialization under Macdonald's National Policy
(1879), which imposed tariffs to protect manufacturing. The Canadian
Pacific Railway (1875–1885) traversed northern Ontario, opening
resource-rich areas and boosting Toronto's wholesale sector. Agriculture
modernized with mechanization, shifting to dairy, eggs, and soybeans by
the mid-20th century; the Ontario Agricultural College (1874) advanced
techniques. Wine production started in the 1860s.
Mining boomed in
the northeast: Sudbury's nickel (1883), Cobalt's silver (1903), and
Timmins' gold (1909). Hydro-electric power, via the Hydro-Electric Power
Commission (1906), harnessed Niagara Falls, powering industries like
automobiles (Ford in 1904, GM in 1918). This era transformed Ontario
into Canada's industrial heartland.
20th Century Events
The
early 20th century featured social reforms and conflicts. Regulation 17
(1912–1927) restricted French-language education, sparking
Franco-Ontarian protests and reducing WWI enlistment among French
Canadians. WWI saw strong support, but anti-German sentiment renamed
Berlin to Kitchener. Prohibition (1916–1927) was enforced via the
Ontario Temperance Act, later replaced by the Liquor Control Board.
The United Farmers of Ontario government (1919–1923), led by Ernest
Drury, introduced mothers' pensions and minimum wages. The Great
Depression devastated lumber, auto, and steel sectors; the Ontario Milk
Control Board stabilized dairy. Post-1934, Conservatives under George
Drew embraced state intervention, health care, and autonomy.
WWII and
post-war eras brought immigration surges: Europeans initially, then
Asians after 1967 policy changes, diversifying from British roots.
Toronto emerged as Canada's financial hub amid Quebec nationalism. The
NDP's Bob Rae (1990–1995) faced economic challenges, imposing austerity.
Women's rights advanced with the Female Employees Fair Remuneration Act
(1951) for equal pay. Medical breakthroughs included insulin's discovery
in Toronto (1921) by Frederick Banting and Charles Best.
Modern
History
Since the late 20th century, Ontario has become a
multicultural powerhouse, with massive immigration to Toronto and
suburbs like Brampton. Population grew from 952,000 in 1851 to over 14
million by 2021, making it Canada's most populous province. Economic
shifts emphasized services, tech, and finance, earning the nickname
"Empire Ontario."
The COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2023) disrupted
society, with lockdowns and vaccines managed provincially. Indigenous
reconciliation has gained prominence, addressing historical injustices
like residential schools. Cultural contributions include ice hockey's
development (influenced by Lady Stanley in the 1890s) and transportation
like the Queen Elizabeth Way (1939). Ontario remains central to Canada,
balancing urban growth in the south with resource extraction in the
north, while honoring Indigenous heritage amid ongoing land claims and
environmental challenges.
Ontario, Canada's most populous province, is situated in east-central
Canada and covers a vast area of approximately 1,076,395 square
kilometers (415,598 square miles), making it the second-largest province
by land area after Quebec. This expanse is larger than France and Spain
combined. About 85.3% of the province is land, with the remaining 14.7%
consisting of water bodies. Ontario's coordinates center around
49°15′0″N 84°29′59″W. It borders Manitoba to the west, Hudson Bay and
James Bay to the north (part of the Arctic Ocean), Quebec to the east,
and the United States to the south, including the states of Minnesota,
Michigan, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The southern border is
largely defined by the Great Lakes—Superior, Huron, Erie, and
Ontario—creating a shared boundary of about 2,700 kilometers with the
U.S., much of it water-based. The province's northern boundary does not
include islands in Hudson and James Bays, which belong to Nunavut.
Ontario's name originates from Iroquoian words meaning "beautiful lake"
or "beautiful water," reflecting its abundant aquatic features.
The
province stretches 1,568 kilometers east-west and 1,691 kilometers
north-south, encompassing diverse landscapes from subarctic tundra in
the far north to fertile lowlands in the south. Its coastline along
Hudson Bay, James Bay, and the Great Lakes totals about 3,840
kilometers. Ontario is home to more than one-third of Canada's
population, with over half of all Canadians living near the Great Lakes
and St. Lawrence River in southern Quebec and Ontario combined. The
capital is Toronto, Canada's largest city, while Ottawa, the national
capital, is also located here. Geographically, Ontario is divided into
three primary physiographic regions: the Hudson Bay Lowlands, the
Canadian Shield, and the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Lowlands, each shaped
by geology, climate, and vegetation.
Terrain and Elevation
Ontario's elevation varies dramatically, from sea level along Hudson Bay
to rugged highlands in the Shield. The lowest points are the northern
coastal wetlands, while the highest is Ishpatina Ridge at 693 meters
above sea level in the Temagami area. Other elevated areas include the
Algonquin, Haliburton, and Madawaska Highlands (over 500 meters) and the
Niagara Escarpment's cliffs. Southern Ontario features flatter
landscapes, with rolling hills in counties like Dufferin and Grey
(430–540 meters) and lower plains in the southwest and east (300–400
meters). The far north's lowlands are characterized by poor drainage and
extensive bogs, while the Shield offers a mosaic of rocky knobs,
valleys, and glacial features like eskers and moraines. Glaciation
during the last Ice Age sculpted much of the terrain, leaving behind
drumlins, till plains, and innumerable lakes.
Bodies of Water
Ontario is renowned for its water resources, holding about 20% of the
world's fresh surface water through the Great Lakes system. It boasts
over 250,000 lakes and more than 100,000 kilometers of rivers,
facilitating exploration, hydroelectric power, and industry. Key
features include:
Great Lakes: Borders four—Lake Superior
(largest portion in Ontario: 28,700 km²), Huron, Erie, and Ontario.
These moderate climates and support shipping.
Major Lakes: Lac Seul,
Lake Nipigon, Lake of the Woods, Lake Nipissing, Lake Timiskaming, and
smaller ones like Lake Simcoe and Lake Temagami.
Rivers: Longest is
the Albany River (980 km), followed by the Ottawa (shared with Quebec),
Severn, Winisk, Attawapiskat, Moose, Missinaibi, and Mattagami. The St.
Lawrence River forms part of the eastern border.
Other: Georgian Bay
(part of Huron), numerous wetlands in the north, and the Height of Land
Portage dividing watersheds between the Great Lakes and Hudson Bay.
These waters are integral to ecosystems, recreation, and economy,
with precipitation mostly from rainfall (snow in winter).
Climate
Ontario's climate is predominantly humid continental (Köppen Dfb/Dfa),
varying by latitude and proximity to water bodies. Influenced by Arctic
air from the north, Pacific polar air from the west, and warm
Gulf/Atlantic air from the south, it features four distinct seasons.
Southern Ontario: Warm, humid summers (averages up to 10°C annually)
and cold, moist winters. Great Lakes moderate temperatures, extending
frost-free days (over 200 in some areas) and reducing extremes.
Precipitation: 75–110 cm/year, peaking in summer; snowfall varies (e.g.,
over 2 meters in Barrie, under 1 meter in Chatham).
Central and
Northern Ontario: Shorter growing seasons, severe winters (Dfb in
Sudbury/North Bay). Lake-effect snow is heavy near Superior/Huron (up to
3 meters in Wawa). Far north (Dfc subarctic) has long winters (snow
October–May), short summers, and extremes like -40°C, though hot spells
occur.
Severe Weather: Thunderstorms (34 days/year in London),
tornadoes (average 18.2/year, mostly weak), derechos, and rare hurricane
remnants (e.g., Hazel in 1954).
Climate change is increasing
extremes, with warmer winters and more intense storms.