Toronto is one of the most important and noticeable cities in Canada, and for a good reason. It is home to many people, both locals and immigrants; it hosts numerous businesses and supports arts; it accepts huge numbers of tourists yearly; it has many curious cultural and historical peculiarities that make it so unique.
Toronto is not the capital of Canada, but it can be considered “the second capital” due to its economical, historical, cultural importance. Visiting Toronto is literally a must, so let’s find out some amazing facts about this exceptional city.
Underground City
Toronto has a well-developed transportation system and the city infrastructure can serve as an example for many other cities in the world. However, one of the most outstanding things about Toronto is its underground system of tunnels and walkways called PATH.
The PATH network of pedestrian tunnels covers almost 30 km, and connects important objects, such as subway stations, towers, and hotels. The PATH is actually listed in the Guinness Book of World Records.
The PATH system is located mostly under the city center (which is reasonable), it has floors which are heated and lit, and are not your typical underground tunnels dangerous to walk into. Over 200,00 people use this system every day, and it is completely safe and comfortable, offering its own stores, restaurants, and even “parks” for some rest. It is literally an underground city!
At the time of writing this, the PATH connects over 70 buildings in downtown Toronto, and has over 1200 retail stores. Besides being a great place for small businesses that can find space for themselves without the need to build even more constructions on the surface, the PATH is a safe and comfortable place to walk to where you need to, during rain or winter storm.
Green City
While Toronto may seem to be this typical piece of concrete jungle, in reality, it is one of the greenest cities in the country. There are over 1,500 parks in the city, and these are not just generic parks. There are dog parks, mini zoos, sports fields, hiking trails, cycling parks, etc. People can enjoy their activities outdoors without the need to drive far away and leave the city; most of the citizens’ needs for entertainment or sports are met in those parks. Even small green playgrounds here and there already created the necessary effect.
Eventually, the parks take over 18% of the total area of the city, and there are 10 million trees, with 4 million being publicly owned.
Little Italy
Some say that there are so many Italians in Toronto that you can find more only in Italy. However, this is not exactly true, and Toronto has the fourth largest Italian population (after São Paulo, Buenos Aires and New York City). Yet, there are still many Italians!
The reason why is of course historical events. In the middle of the 19th century, a massive wave of immigration to Canada from Italy took place. Toronto became one of the major cities where the immigrants decided to settle not because it was so special, but because, as other big cities, Toronto had infrastructure and job opportunities – two things the immigrants definitely needed.
Almost Hollywood
This may be a huge surprise, but the reality is that one fourth of the Hollywood movies are shot in Toronto. Toronto boasts a huge movie industry, where over 30,000 people are employed. The reasons are quite obvious – impressive resources and workforce, numerous and various locations are almost at hand, plus the very atmosphere and lifestyle stimulate the creative vibes necessary for productive movie making. The industry brings in around $1.5 billion annually.
Moreover, many world-level movie stars live in Toronto, or visit it during the festivals and other occasions.
Toronto International Film Festival
There are over 70 movie festivals taking place in Toronto every year, but the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is one of the biggest occasions in the global movie industry. Besides being really prestigious within the industry, and being visited by many world-class movie stars, the Toronto International Film Festival is publicly attended, and the tickets are very affordable, starting from the price of $2. This way, TIFF supports Toronto’s reputation as a cultural center open to everyone.