CHRISTIAN DATING : TORONTO
City of Toronto, Ontario, Canada Location.
Area: East to West: 43 km
North to South: 21 km
641 km²
Toronto skyline at duskToronto is Canada's largest city and the provincial capital of Ontario. The word Toronto comes from a Wyandot word for fishing weir. Toronto's population is 2,518,772 (2004 Statistics Canada estimate); that of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is 5,715,386 (2004). Residents of Toronto are termed Torontonians. Toronto is part of the Golden Horseshoe region of Ontario, a densely populated region of around 7 million people. Approximately one-third of the Canadian population lives within 160 km of Toronto, and about one-sixth of all Canadian jobs lie within the city limits. The largest ancestral groups in the Greater Toronto Area are British, Irish, Italian and Chinese. Smaller groups include Portuguese, Greek, Indian and those from the Caribbean.
Known as the "economic engine of Canada", Toronto is considered a major world city, exerting significant regional, national, and global influence. It is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, with more than half its population (52%) having immigrated from other countries, and 55% of its population comprised of visible minorities. Toronto is often described as the world's most cosmopolitan city. Every summer the city plays host to the "Largest Street Festival" in North America known as Caribana: a large Caribbean festival,
While English is the predominant language, Statistics Canada reports that there are significant populations of others, such as Chinese and Italian. Fewer than 2% of Torontonians claim French (Canada's other official language) as their mother tongue.
Until the 1970s, Toronto was the second largest city in Canada, after Montreal. The economic growth of Toronto was greatly stimulated by the development of the auto industry and of large mineral resources in its hinterland, and by the completion in 1959 of the St. Lawrence Seaway which allowed ships access to the Great Lakes from the Atlantic Ocean. Further growth in the Toronto area is often attributed to the rise of Quebec nationalism, though the extent of its influence is still contested by some who argue that its effect was exaggerated by the English media
During the 1970s, the Quebec Liberal Party and the Parti Québécois enacted several French-language laws that were perceived as
unfavorable towards English-language businesses and English-speaking Montrealers, and many relocated to Toronto where the French language is not necessary for business. A continuous influx of newcomers from Atlantic Canada, and large numbers of immigrants from around the world have contributed to the steady growth of Toronto and its surroundings since the second World War. Today, Toronto is the main destination for new immigrants to Canada.
European settlement
European settlement in central Canada was quite limited before 1788, amounting to only a few families, but it began growing quickly in the aftermath of the American Revolution. The French established a trading fort, Fort Rouillé, on the current Exhibition Grounds around 1750, but it was abandoned in 1759. United Empire Loyalists, American colonists who refused to accept being divorced from the United Kingdom, or who felt unwelcome in the new republic,
Christian singles note - some things never change. fled the US to the unsettled lands north of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario; some had fought in the British army and were paid with land in the region. In 1788 the British negotiated the purchase of more than a quarter million acres (1,000 km²) of land in the area of Toronto. The site was then chosen by Governor John Graves Simcoe on July 29, 1793 as the new capital of the newly organized province of Upper Canada, moving from Newark (now Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario) on February 1, 1796.
Christian singles may wish to note - The Irish potato famine of 1846–1849 brought a large numbers of Irish into the city. Protestant Irish immigrants were generally welcomed by the existing Scottish and English population, and soon occupied important positions in buiness, education and politics. Indeed, the Orange Order would become a dominant force in Toronto society, so much so that the 1920s Toronto would would be called the "Belfast of Canada", and the order's influence would only diminish in the 1940s. [3]
( In contrast, Irish Catholics arriving in Toronto faced widespread intolerance and severe discrimination, both social and legislative. The Irish population essentially defined the Catholic population until 1890, when German and French Catholics were welcomed to the city by the Irish, but the Irish proportion still remained 90% of the Catholic population. However, various powerful initiatives such as the foundation of St. Michael's College in 1852 (where Marshall McLuhan was to hold the chair of English until his death in 1980), three hospitals, and the most significant charitable organization in the city (The Society of St. Vincent de Paul) by Irish Catholic groups strengthened the Irish identity, transforming the Irish presence in the city into one of influence and power. [4]
(http://collections.ic.gc.ca/magic/mt38.html)
Recent history
Christian singles prospecting in this city may wish to note - According to a United Nations report, Toronto has the second-highest proportion of immigrants in the world, after Miami, Florida. Almost half of Toronto's residents were born outside Canada. [7] The resulting cultural diversity is reflected in the numerous ethnic
neighborhoods of the city; and the proliferation of authentic shops and restaurants derived from cultures around the world makes the city one of the most exciting places in the world to visit. Moreover, the relative tranquility that mediates between such diverse populations is a testament to the tolerant character of Canadian society. 25% of Toronto's population is South Asian, 25% are Chinese, 20% are African-Canadian and 30 per cent are of White or mixed race backgrounds.
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