Get to know Ontario

The name "Ontario" comes from a native word, possibly "Onitariio" or "Kanadario", which can be loosely translated as "beautiful" or "sparkling" water or lake. The reason for this is there are over 250,000 lakes in Ontario which make up about one-third of the world’s fresh water. But Ontario is not just water, as the landscape includes the vast, rocky and mineral-rich Canadian Shield, which separates the farmland of the south and the grassy lowlands of the north.

In the summer, temperatures can rise above 30°C (86°F), while in winter they can drop to below -13°C (9°F).

Ontario's industries range from cultivating crops, to mining minerals, to manufacturing automobiles, to designing software and leading-edge technology.

Visitors can enjoy the many experiences Ontario has to offer, from a wilderness expedition in the north, to a "shop till you drop into your theatre seat" city excursion.

Ontario was one of the four original provinces of the Dominion of Canada, created by the Constitution Act of 1867. Ontario has grown to have a population of more than 11 million, and is home to about one third of all Canadians, with the largest concentration of people and cities being in the "Golden Horseshoe" along the western end of Lake Ontario which includes the Greater Toronto Area, Hamilton, St. Catharines and Niagara Falls. Toronto is the capital of Ontario, and Ontario is also home to Ottawa, the Capital of Canada.