Ontario

Ontario is Canada's most populous and second-largest province, home to the Canadian capital city of Ottawa, and Toronto, which is Ontario's capital and Canada's largest city. Ontario is bordered by the province of Quebec to the east, by the Great Lakes and the United States to the south, and by Manitoba to the west.

While southern Ontario is Canada's dominant population centre and the north only has a few cities, with most of it being boreal forest extending to the Hudson Bay and the Arctic.

Ontario Halal Explorer

In addition to being Canada's most populous province, it is also a major tourist destination, especially around the Niagara Region|Niagara Falls. More than 90% of the population resides in the four regions that make up Southern Ontario, which covers a much smaller land area than the expansive north, making them worlds apart in topography and local culture. Due to its massive size, Ontario can provide the visitor with access to Canada's most populous city, Toronto; the world's largest freshwater lake, Lake Superior; and even a polar bear park in the Arctic Circle. While English is the first language of most people, one will find historic French speakers and some signage in French, many other immigrant languages in the greater Toronto area, and First Nations peoples' native tongues still being spoken, though dwindling.

Regions of Ontario

Greater Toronto Area The wealthiest and most urban region, it contains a multitude of cities filled with museums, historic architecture, great restaurants, great shopping, late night restaurants, and cultural institutions.

Hamilton and the Niagara Peninsula bordered by Lake Ontario to the north and the Niagara River to the east, and Lake Erie to the south, and includes Niagara Falls, and parts of Hamilton.

Eastern Ontario A land of lakes and boreal forests, it also contains the elegant national capital: Ottawa. Along the St. Lawrence River there is a multitude of historic towns.

Southwestern Ontario Ontario's breadbasket with extensive farmland and quiet, historical villages sprinkled throughout that can be easily compared to bucolic parts of Michigan or Wisconsin.

Central Ontario Peaceful lakes and rivers earn this region the nickname "Cottage Country".

Northern Ontario This area is home to the Canadian Shield with extensive forests and isolated communities.

The Greater Toronto Area, Hamilton and the Niagara Peninsula are usually described as the Golden Horseshoe. This are together with Southwestern Ontario is described as "southern Ontario".

Cities

Ontario has many cities. Here are some of the major ones.

• Toronto — Canada's largest city and capital of Ontario with 6.1 million people
• Ottawa — Canadian capital with 1.19 million people
• Niagara Falls
• Kingston — historic and beautiful
• Hamilton
• Kitchener
• London
• Windsor — across the river from Detroit
• Thunder Bay

More Destinations

• Niagara Region — premier region
• Lake Huron — including Grand Bend, Sauble Beach, and Wasaga Beach and the world's longest freshwater beach.
• Bruce Peninsula — southwestern Ontario's last major forested area, home to a National Park, and endpoint of the Bruce Trail
• Algonquin Provincial Park — a huge, isolated expanse of rugged backcountry forests and lakes
• Thousand Islands — countless stop-offs, some with castles, on the Street Lawrence River bordering New York
• Rideau Canal — connecting Kingston and Ottawa
• St. Joseph Island — a pretty place to break up the 24h drive across northern Ontario

Local Language in Ontario

English is the official language of Ontario, and is widely spoken throughout the province. French is spoken in some parts of the province especially along the border in eastern and northern Ontario, and has been officially recognized as a minority language by the provincial government. Services are available in both English and French at all federal and provincial government offices, and some municipal government offices. Many large and small businesses, especially in Ottawa, offer services in French although this is not always mandated by statute. The closer one gets to Quebec and the more likely one is to be able to receive service in French in stores, restaurants and other businesses. Some banks and ATMs also offer service in Chinese, particularly in Ottawa and Toronto.

More than 95% of the Ontarian population is fluent in English and/or French. More than 91% of the population is fluent in English.

Travel to Ontario

Buy a Flight ticket to and from Ontario

Most visitors arrive by way of Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga (just outside of Toronto). The airport is a major hub for most Canadian air carriers. If your destination is in Southern Ontario, you will likely pass through Pearson at some point. Many Flights from overseas will land in Toronto, and daily flights are available from many Canadian cities and most American hubs. Pearson is a expensive airport, however, so alternative airports in smaller cities (such as Hamilton, or even Buffalo across the border) are popular with travellers on a budget.

For destinations in Eastern Ontario and the Ottawa Valley, Flights from within Canada, from the United States, and the United Kingdom are also available to Ottawa. Many American hubs have daily direct connecting flights into Ottawa.

In Southern Ontario and there are airports at Windsor, Sarnia, London, Hamilton and Kingston that are served by Air Canada and/or WestJet to various Canadian destinations (but most commonly only to Toronto). There is also an airport at Kitchener that is served by Delta Air Lines to Detroit and WestJet to Calgary. If you are going to Windsor, you will land at Detroit Metro Airport just across the border crossing. For Cornwall and the closest major airport is across the Québec border in Dorval.

If you plan to travel to Northwestern Ontario or the North of Superior region and then Thunder Bay International Airport is your best option. Air Canada's direct connecting flights include those from Toronto and Winnipeg, and Westjet has Flights from Hamilton and Winnipeg.

By car

Driving from the USA, border crossings include: International Falls, Minn. to Fort Frances, Ontario; Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan to Sault Ste Marie, Ontario; Port Huron, Michigan to Sarnia, Ontario; Detroit, Michigan to Windsor, Ontario; Buffalo, NY to Fort Erie, Ontario; Niagara Falls, New York to Niagara Falls, Ontario; Lewiston to Queenston; Cape Vincent to Wolfe Island (seasonal), Wellesley Island NY to Hill Island (Lansdowne), Ontario; Ogdensburg to Prescott; Massena to Cornwall.

If you are coming from the St. Lawrence River valley in Quebec and the southern routes are autoroute 20 to the 401 (Windsor-Quebec corridor to Toronto) or autoroute 40 to 417 (Trans-Canada Highway through Ottawa). If your intentions are northerly and the Ottawa route is the most direct. From Hull, five local bridges lead south into Ottawa; from l'île aux Alumettes a bridge on highway 148 leads south into Pembroke. From the westernmost portions of Québec (Rouyn-Noranda and Abitibi-Témiscamingue), regional highways lead to North Bay, Temiskaming Shores, and the Trans-Canada Highway (11).

From Manitoba and there really is only one option by vehicle (unless you are coming via the USA), and that is TransCanada Highway 1, which becomes Highway 17 in Ontario.

Travel on a Bus in Ontario

Greyhound Canada services Toronto and Ottawa, with frequent daily connections to Montreal, and connects to the USA via Buffalo, NY.

Megabus provides service from New York City, Buffalo, Buffalo Airport, Philadelphia, Syracuse, Rochester, and Washington, D.C.]] to Toronto.

Kasper runs multiple regional shuttle buses a few times weekly on the Trans-Canada Highway mainline through Winnipeg-Sioux Lookout -Thunder Bay -White River (Ontario) | White River; from there, Ontario Northland continues to Sault Sainte Marie - Sudbury - Ottawa.

For more structured bus trips/transport there is also   Out Here Travel, a backpacker-focused hybrid bus transport/tour company which picks up passengers in the Toronto area and other nearby locations - heading east primarily. For trips to national parks, such as Algonquin Park and there is also Park Bus.

By Rail

Within Canada, VIA Rail Canada is the most common way to enter Ontario by train. It is not unheard of to enter Ontario from the USA by train (VIA/Amtrak jointly operate the "Maple Leaf", New York City through Buffalo-Niagara to Toronto), but the customs waits between the USA and Canada are no different than might be expected by vehicle or plane.

On foot or bicycle

A few central points in Ottawa (such as the Byward Market, Centretown, Parliament Hill and the National Gallery and Major Hill Park) are within walking distance from Hull. There are paths on the Québec side, suitable for cycling, which easily reach the Alexandra (Interprovincial) bridge to Ottawa-Lowertown.

There is no easy way to enter Windsor from Detroit on foot or by bicycle. Tunnel Bus is a feasible alternative (C$6), but bicycles may need to be partially disassembled to lie flat for transport if there's insufficient space on the bike racks (and may not be able to be brought aboard at all if the bus is full). The ferry from Marine City, Minnesota, to Sombra, Ontario, will accept a bicycle and rider (C$2, one way).

It is feasible to cross from New York State on foot using the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls. It is feasible to cross by seasonal ferry to the Thousand Islands (Cape Vincent, New York to Wolfe Island, Ontario) with a bicycle; crossing on foot there makes little sense due to the rural distances involved.

How to get around in Ontario

By car

Ontario is a large province and, as a result and the vehicle is nearly the most convenient way to explore it. If you are arriving by plane, cars are easily rented if you are over 23, but easiest if you are over 25 years of age. There is more to Ontario than Southern Ontario and Toronto (or Hamilton, or Niagara), and driving to and through the vast and varied regions of Ontario can be an adventure. Coming from the USA, your options are numerous.

In Northern Ontario and the vehicle is a must if you wish to get from place to place. In most cases, you will be driving the Trans-Canada Highway (a cross-Canada network of highways, often offering more than one route), either on Highway 17 or Highway 11. 17 follows a more southerly route hugging Lake Superior, while 11 ventures northward at North Bay and heads through a less populous region of the province before heading southwards. Highways 11 and 17 run concurrently from the Nipigon River west to the Thunder Bay region, a single point of failure. To the west, 11 heads to the U.S. border at Rainy River while Trans-Canada 17 continues west to Manitoba.

Even by car, you will be unable to access the northern half of Ontario. Roads are the exception, not the rule, and you will rely on plane and train nearly anywhere north of Lake Nipigon.

Speed limits are posted in metric. Roadways are usually in good condition. Freeways which had posted 70 mph speeds were lowered to 100km/h (62mph) during the energy shortages of the 1970s and the original speed limits never returned; Ontario outlaws radar detectors as the revenue from speeding tickets is very profitable for provincial coffers. On major highways, drivers occasionally exceed the speed limit by 20 to 49 km/h despite the threat of hefty fines.Anyone caught exceeding the speed limit by 50 km/h or more, or making certain undesirable driving manoeuvres such as racing, preventing others from passing or rushing to turn left on a fresh green light before the oncoming lanes have moved, can be hit with an automatic fine between $2000 and $10,000, a seven-day licence suspension and a seven-day vehicle impound.

Lane discipline by drivers is considered mediocre at best. Although it is widely known that passing should be only done on the leftmost lanes, drivers routinely pass on the rightmost lanes, mostly due to slower drivers failing to change lanes to the rightmost lanes.

Ontario has High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes on Highway 403 and 404. Cars and even motorcycles require at least two occupants per vehicle to use them around the clock. If you are coming from the USA, remember that motorcycles without passengers are banned from Ontario HOV lanes. It is different from US training, where all HOV lanes allow motorcycles even if they only have a single rider.

Travel on a Bus in Ontario

Within and near the Greater Toronto Area, GO Transit buses serve many cities and towns near Toronto. GO buses often complement GO Transit rail service for destinations or time periods not covered by GO trains. A few GO bus terminals are at stations along Toronto's subway system.

Book a Halal Cruise or Boat Tour in Ontario

Ontario contains many excellent recreational waterways including: the Great Lakes and the Rideau Canal and the Trent-Severn Waterway and the Ottawa and Street Lawrence Rivers. The Street Lawrence River includes the Thousand Islands region and the Street Lawrence Seaway system.

The Niagara River is one of the wonders of our natural world although it is most definitely not a recreational waterway! The river includes the great cataract, Niagara Falls, and is bypassed for navigational purposes by the Welland Ship Canal.

• The Pelee Islander - ☎ +1-800-661-2220 - Daily trips to Pelee Island and mainland Ontario, Canada. Service from Sandusky is limited to once daily during the summer months, and is further restricted during the spring and fall. Advance vehicle reservations.

• The MV Jiimaan - Jackson St., Sandusky Ohio - The largest passenger ferry along the Lake Erie route to Pelee Island. Leaves from the foot of Jackson St., Sandusky. To Leamington, Canada, Kingsville Govt. Dock, Ontario, Canada and Pelee Island, Ontario, Canada.

By Rail

VIA Rail services many areas of Ontario, from small towns to the largest cities. Many of the larger stations are served by several trains each day. Stations are often in the downtown area of some cities, and are sometimes served by local public transit. In Toronto, vehicle rentals are available from within Union Station.

Within and near the Greater Toronto Area, GO Transit offers train service on several routes radiating from Toronto's Union Station. There is daily train service (including evening service) between Burlington and Pickering with more limited service to other destinations, some having only rush-hour, peak-direction service. GO Transit bus service often complements the rail service for destinations or time periods not covered by GO trains. In the summer months, GO Transit runs the Rail travel in Niagara Seasonal GO Train Service between Toronto and Niagara Falls.

The big exception to the above is if your destination is Northern Ontario (such as Moosonee or Lake Superior Provincial Park). There are train services to these areas that are your only options, excepting planes.

Buy a Flight ticket to and from Ontario

Toronto Pearson International Airport (IATA Flight Code: YYZ), as the province's largest airport, is a major hub for most Canadian air carriers with regular service to regional airports throughout Ontario. More locations are served by Toronto]'s Downtown Airport.

Ottawa has the Macdonald Cartier International Airport (IATA Flight Code: YOW) for destinations in Eastern Ontario and the Ottawa Valley.

In Southern Ontario and there are airports at Windsor, Sarnia, London, Hamilton, Kingston, and Kitchener.

If you plan to travel to Northern Ontario or the North of Superior region, airports include Thunder Bay, Sudbury (Ontario), Timmins, Sault Sainte Marie (Ontario), and many smaller airports. The larger carriers serving Northern Ontario from airports in Toronto and Ottawa include Air Canada Express, Bearskin Airlines, and Porter Airlines.

What to see in Ontario

• Old Fort William in Thunder Bay, a historical fort with the best historical reenactments available in Ontario
• Lake Huron Lighthouses along Southwestern Ontario's Lake Huron coastline
• The National Capital Region in Ottawa
• Take in the view from the CN Tower in Toronto

• Sainte-Marie among the Hurons - ☎ +1 705 526-7838 1.5 hours north of Toronto on Hwy. 12. French Jesuits settled here for 10 years until they fled in 1649 after attacks from the Iroquois.

• Explore the Historic Nipissing Road now part of the Great (Trans Canada) Trail. You can drive the road as well as hike it. See Magnetawan.

Halal Tours and Excursions in Ontario

• Bruce Trail — the oldest and longest marked footpath in Canada
• Rideau Canal — a scenic waterway linking Kingston and Ottawa
• Windsor-Quebec corridor

Top Muslim Travel Tips for Ontario

• Hike the Sleeping Giant, a series of mesas that resemble a human figure, near Thunder Bay
• Visit Niagara Falls.
• Visit and hike through Temagami's Old Growth Forest, climb the Fire Tower and canoe Lake Temagami.
• Dive around or take a boat tour of shipwrecks at Fathom Five National Marine Park at Tobermory
• Camp at Bruce Peninsula National Park.
• Visit Manitoulin Island and the largest freshwater lake island in the world.
• Visit one of Ontario's freshwater sandy beaches: Wasaga Beach, Sauble Beach or Grand Bend in Southwestern Ontario; Pancake Bay Provincial Park in Northern Ontario. Also visit these Ontario Parks for great beaches: Sandbanks, Lake Superior, Awenda, Charleston Lake, and the Pinery.
• Hike the Bruce Trail (or portions of it) from Niagara Falls to Tobermory, or the Ontario sections of the Trans Canada Trail.
• Visit Point Pelee National Park and Pelee Island and the southernmost point in Canada.
• Camp and canoe at one of the province's extensive Provincial Parks: Algonquin Park, Quetico.
• Ride one of several Heritage railways legacy railways in Ontario operated by rail-fans using vintage rail equipment.
• Try Walleye and Bass fishing in Ahmic Lake in Magnetawan.
• Mississauga offers a wide amount of biking/hiking trails with stunning vistas of trees, birds, and the Credit River, despite being in the Greater Toronto Area. Hardly crowded at all and easy terrain.
• Watch large commercial ships climb the Niagara Escarpment using the Welland Canal.

• Visit maple sugar shacks -

Halal Restaurants in Ontario

The Greater Toronto Area, Ottawa, Golden Horseshoe, and Niagara Falls/Niagara Region each offer you a wide variety of Indian, Chinese, (Thai), Italian, Latin American, Japanese, fast food, and French cuisines (all formal and informal). Toronto and Ottawa have large immigrant populations, and have an unusually high variety of quality specialty cuisines, that cater to Western, Asian, European palates.

Muslim Friendly Shopping in Ontario

In Ontario and the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) is 13% (5% federal, 8% provincial). Exceptions do apply. Basic necessities such as hygiene products, unprocessed fruits, vegetables and Meat, bread (6 or more) and children's clothing are tax-exempt. Fast food which is under C$4 are charged only at 5% tax. As is the case for rest of Canada, visitors cannot claim tax refund on their purchases.

Travel Next

• Quebec, to the east, is the nearest populated area of Canada and presents an interesting contrast to Ontario.
• Ohio is directly south, ferries are available to Sandusky and Cedar Point.

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