Friday, December 28, 2007

Fun Facts about Toronto

One quarter of Canada’s population lives within a 160 km radius of Toronto
Toronto is Canada’s largest retail market
There are 100 + languages spoken throughout the city
Over half of Toronto's labour force has a university degree or college diploma
Toronto is Canada’s number one tourist destination
Toronto is the largest and most important financial centre in all of Canada and the fourth largest in North America. Only New York city, Chicago and Los Angeles are larger.
North America's largest continuous underground pedestrian system PATH, connects about 1200 stores and restaurants, 50 office towers, five subway stations, Union Station, six major hotels and several entertainment centres under Toronto's financial core.
Yonge Street is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest street in the world, stretching 1,896 km from the lakeshore in Toronto, north to Rainy River, Ontario, near the Minnesota border.
Toronto is home to the world's tallest free-standing structure, the CN Tower standing 1,815 feet (553 meters) tall.
Toronto is the third largest centre for English language theatre in the world, behind New York City and London.
Toronto's public transit system is the second largest in North America and has the highest per capita ridership rate on the continent.
The Toronto Zoo is home to more than 5,000 animals.
Many of today's famous movie stars hail from Toronto and the GTA including Jim Carrey, Mike Myers and Eugene Levy.
About 25% of films produced in Hollywood are actually filmed in Toronto, making it North America's 3rd largest TV and movie production venue.
The Caribana parade is the largest single-day parade and largest Caribbean festival in North America.
Toronto is North America's 5th-largest city after Mexico City, New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

http://www.toronto.com/article/000375228
Toronto has North America's largest public transit system after New York City. GO Transit moves people in and out of the city, while two airports service the skies above. Toronto gets its water from Lake Ontario, 8th largest fresh-water lake in the world. Above ground or below ground, here are some facts about what's moving around in, on and under Toronto:
there are 10,033 different streets or, 5,365 km of road (streets, expressways, ramps and laneways) covering 27.4 per cent of the city's area
there are 20,371 street intersections in Toronto
the longest street is Lawrence Avenue East at 25 km; the shortest street is Sea Grassway at 9.72 m
there are 7060 km of sidewalks
535 bridges
there are 1773 traffic control signals and 158,890 streetlights
the 337 km of railway, rapid transit rails and hydro corridors make up 2.3 per cent of the city's area
34.8 per cent of the city's area is residential; 7.8 per cent industrial, 2.3 per cent commercial, 7.3 per cent institutional (schools, universities, churches and cemeteries)
8,000 hectares - or 18.1 per cent of Toronto's area - is parkland (ravines, valleys, woodlots, waterfront natural areas, parks and farmland)
The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) took over nine existing fare systems and routes in 1920. Today over 2.2 million trips are made on the TTC daily. More facts
GO Transit is the interregional public transit for the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Get the facts.
Toronto is served by VIA Rail, the network that provides all rail service throughout Canada. View some Via facts.
Historic Union Station is the hub of Toronto's transportation network. 96 per cent of all GO Train riders pass through its concourse. Learn more.
Pearson International Airport is the busiest in Canada, 4th busiest in North America. The Greater Toronto Airports Authority is responsible for air traffic above the Toronto area.
North America's largest continuous underground pedestrian system PATH, connects 1200 stores and restaurants, 50 office towers, five subway stations, Union Station, six major hotels and several entertainment centres under Toronto's financial core.
average annual demand of water per day is 1.24 million cubic metres. Enough to fill the Rogers Centre (formerly Skydome) every day, 365 days a year
18 water pumping stations, 10 water storage reservoirs and 4 filtration plants clean and hold that water
there are 10,002 km of sewers (sanitary, combined and storm) under the city
40,460 water hydrants
residential water usage accounts for 52 per cent of water used in Toronto; average household use: 280 cu. metres/year
toilets are the #1 indoor water users; they account for 28 per cent of the total indoor water use or use 100 litres of water/day
Toronto Police Services has 5,028 uniformed officers, including the chief. They patrol the city with 1,228 cars, 138 motorcycles, 19 boats and 25 horses. More police statistics Toronto Fire Services -->
Emergency Medical Services' 850 paramedics respond from 41 stations across Toronto. 65 Emergency Medical Dispatchers take 425,000 calls yearly (forwarded from 9-1-1)
Toronto has an excellent telecommunications infrastructure in terms of access lines with digital switching and advanced signaling technology. Toronto is also located in the largest flat rate calling area in the world, and has the most fibre optic cable of any city in North America.

http://www.toronto.ca/toronto_facts/infrastructure.htm

David Pylyp I was very impressed with the fact that Toronto's Path System is the largest in the world for underground access and shopping.

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