Central Provinces - The Most Beautiful provinces in CanadaCentral Canada-Ontario Originated from Iroquois word "kanadario" meaning "sparkling"+ water. Map of Ontario  Ontario was first inhabited by the Algonquian and Iroquoian-speaking nations. The most important Algonquian nation in Ontario was the Ojibwa, which lived in northern Ontario. There were two major Iroquoian confederacies: the Iroquois and the Huron. The Five Nations of the Iroquois (Seneca, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga and Mohawk) lived near Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. The Huron nation inhabited the area near Lake Simcoe. Ontario Flag  These nations were highly developed politically and culturally by the time the Europeans penetrated the area. In 1610, Henry Hudson became the first European to set foot in Ontario. Samuel de Champlain and Étienne Brűlé first established contact with the First Nations of Southern Ontario in 1613. By 1774, the British controlled what is now Southern Ontario, then part of the Province of Quebec. After the American Revolution, the great influx of Loyalists to this region led to the creation of a new province. The Constitutional Act of 1791, which split the province in two, renamed the area Upper Canada. Rebellions against undemocratic government in 1837, in both Upper and Lower Canada, prompted the British to send Lord Durham to report on the troubles. As a result of Durham’s recommendations, the Act of Union of 1840 joined Upper and Lower Canada once again, this time as the Province of Canada. Although a more democratic and responsible government resulted, the union was not a success: Canada East and Canada West continued to be two distinct regions. They entered the confederation conferences of 1864 as though they were separate, and they became different provinces — Ontario and Quebec — at Confederation in 1867. Ontario Symbol-White Trillium  Ontario is the second largest and the most populous province of Canada. At Confederation, the province was little larger than present-day southern Ontario. Bitter border disputes with Manitoba over the area north of Lake Superior ended in 1889, when it became part of Ontario. The rest of Northern Ontario was annexed in 1912 when Ontario expanded to its current size. Toronto, the capital of Ontario, is the centre of Canada's financial services and banking industry. Suburban cities in the Greater Toronto Area like Brampton, Mississauga and Vaughan are large product distribution centres, in addition to having manufacturing industries. The information technology sector is also important, particularly in Markham, Waterloo and Ottawa. Hamilton is the largest steel manufacturing city in Canada, and Sarnia is a centre for petrochemical production. Construction employs at least 7% of the work force, but because of undocumented workers, the figure is likely over 10%. This sector has thrived over the last ten years because of steadily increasing new house and condominium construction combined with low mortgage rates and climbing prices, particularly in the Greater Toronto area. Mining and the forest products industry, notably pulp and paper, are vital to the economy of Northern Ontario. More than any other region, tourism contributes heavily to the economy of Central Ontario, peaking during the summer months owing to the abundance of fresh water recreation and wilderness found there in reasonable proximity to the major urban centres. Niagra Falls -Spring 2006  At other times of the year, hunting, skiing and snowmobiling are popular. This region has some of the most vibrant fall colour displays anywhere on the continent, and tours directed at overseas visitors are organized to see them. Tourism also plays a key role in border cities with large casinos, among them Windsor, Rama, and Niagara Falls, which attract many U.S. visitors. Niagra Falls-Maid of the Mist 2006  Population of Ontario In 2006 the estimated population of Ontario was 12,687,000 which is 38.9 Percentage of total Canadian Population. According to the 2001 census by Statistics Canada, Canada has 34 ethnic groups with at least one hundred thousand members each, of which 10 have over 1,000,000 people and numerous others represented in smaller amounts. 16.2% of the population belonged to visible minorities: most numerous among these are:
Hamilton is ranked the third-most diverse urbanized area in Canada (after Toronto and Vancouver). Immigration in Ontario Immigrant population growth is concentrated in or near large cities (particularly Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal). These cities are experiencing increased services demands that accompany strong population growth, causing concern about the capability of infrastructure in those cities to handle the influx. For example, a Toronto Star article published on 14 July 2006 authored by Daniel Stoffman noted that 43% of immigrants move to the Greater Toronto Area and said "unless Canada cuts immigrant numbers, our major cities will not be able to maintain their social and physical infrastructures". Life in Ontario If you coming to Ontario, there are many things you can see and do. As you probably know that the CN Tower in Toronto is a must see. If you like to visit the tallest freestanding Tower in the world-CN Tower then it is right here. You can take your friends or family to Harbor Front. The beautiful Harbor Front has a board walk where you can walk miles and take a boat to Island. From there you can also walk to CN Tower. Toronto Harbor Front  Then you walk around, stop by the Tim Horton-the favorite Canadian coffee house. The buildings here have their own unique personalities. The downtown Toronto is not just working place, It has neighborhoods with families living there just like small town in anywhere in the rest of the country. For more information on daily life in Toronto area subscribe to my e-letter. It is free and local. Past events and pictures:
1. Book of Canada Heritage From Central Provinces to Canada History. From Province and Territories to Canada Mongolia Connection.
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