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General Info about Toronto, Canada |
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Currency
The currency used in Canada is the Canadian dollar. There are no dollar bills, the lowest note is five dollars, so dollars and two dollars come in brass coins.
Language
While eighty different languages are spoken in the city, English is the official language of Toronto and the only one you will need while you are there.
Climate
Toronto has a moderate climate which is one of the mildest in Canada. Generally speaking it also has the warmest spring and summers with temperatures ranging from 15 degrees to 25 degrees Celcius. The hottest months are July and August where it can also become quite humid. During winter, temperatures rarely rise above freezing point and light snowfalls are common. January is the city’s coldest month.
Time Zone
Toronto operates on eastern time which is five hours behind Greenwich Mean Time. It also observes daylight saving time from the first Sunday in April until the last Sunday in October during which time it is six hours behind GMT.
Opening Hours
The majority of shops and supermarkets in Toronto are open between 10.00am and 6.00pm from Monday to Wednesday, 10.00am until 9.00pm on Thursday and Friday and between 10.00am and 5.00pm on Saturdays and Sundays. You will also find chemists and grocery stores that are open twenty-four hours a day.
Electricity
The electrical current used in Toronto is the same as that in the US, 110 to 115 volts.
Tax
Since 1991, there has been a 7% tax (GST) on virtually all goods and services in Canada. In certain shops and hotels this tax is included in the stated price, others add it on separately. The good news for visitors is that you can eventually claim back this tax once it is over $C7 and you file the claim within a year of purchase. To do this, you need to submit your receipts with an application form which you can get in some of the larger hotels and duty free shops or by calling 613 991 33 46 from outside Canada or 800 66 VISIT if you are still in the country. Once you have the necessary information in order you can make claims for under C$500 at designated duty free shops in international airports, or you can post them to Revenue Canada Customs and Excise, Visitors Rebate Programme, Ottawa, ON K1A 1J5.
Visa Requirements
Visa requirements for visitors to Canada have become stricter in recent years. All people entering the country must have proof of citizenship. For US citizens and permanent US residents, a passport is not required but it is the easiest way to prove cititizenship. IF you do not have a passport you will need to carry other proofs including a social security card, a birth certificate with a photo ID or a certificate of citizenship.
For most European residents and citizens of certain other countries including Korea and Japan, you do not need a visa but you must have a passport. Entry visas are required, however, for citizens of more than 130 countries so it is worth checking this out with the Canadian consulate in your home country. They will be able to tell you if you require a visa or not and if you do, it is also here that it must be applied for and received.
Tourist Office
The main tourist office in the city is operated by the Metropolitan Toronto Convention and Visitors Association (MTCVA) and you will find it in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre which is located at 255 Front Street W. It is open between 8.00am and 5.00pm from Monday to Friday.
The information here is related specifically to Toronto, however, so if you wish to find out more about the province of Ontario itself you should go to the Tourism Ontario travel centre in the Eaton Centre on Level 1 at the corner of Yonge and Dundas Streets. This office is open between 10.00am and 9.00pm from Monday to Friday, 9.30am and 6.00pm on Saturday and from noon until 5.00pm on Sunday.
Currency Exchange
Most tourist haunts in the city will take US dollars, but you will probably only get an exchange rate of about twenty five percent. For the best exchange rate you are recommended to change your money into Canadian currency at a bank.
Travellers’ cheques are also widely accepted. Several agencies sell them and refund you if the cheques are lost or stolen so remember to hold on to your receipts.
ATM cards which are part of the Cirrus or Plus network can be used in machines which contain the relevant sign. This service is particularly useful not only because it means you do not have to carry large sums of cash around, but the ATMs often offer exchange rates up to 5% better than the exchange rate of banks and other financial institutions. You will, however, pay a minimum charge each time you withdraw cash.
Finally, if you have a credit card, it is useful to know that all the major cards including Visa, MasterCard and American Express are widely accepted and can be used to withdraw cash from ATMs if you have the pin number.
Post Office
The main post office in Toronto is located at Adelaide Station, 31 Adelaide Street East. It is open between 8.00am and 5.45pm from Monday to Friday and is right beside the King subway station.
Telephones
To call Toronto from abroad you first dial 00, followed by 1, the local area code and the local number. It is worth noting that since March 5th, 2001 Toronto has two area codes, the old one, 416 and a new one, 647 which will co-exist with the original area code. If you wish to call abroad from Toronto you need to dial 001, followed by the international calling code for your particular country and then the local number.
When using public telephones in Canada, a calling card is your most convenient and cheapest option. If you do use coins be aware that for long distance and international calls, you will be surprised at how quickly they are used up.
To make calls within the country, prepaid calling cards again are the best method. Phone rates are highest in the morning but they do get lower in the evening and at the weekend. To make the cheapest calls, however, you need to wait until Sunday or late at night, as these times offer the best rates.
Tipping
Tips or service charges in Canada are not usually added to restaurant bills and salary levels in many are based on the assumption that their staff will receive a large part of their income from tips.
The amount depends on the quality of the service but the usual tip is an average of fifteen percent and a minimum of ten. This also applies to hairdressers and taxi drivers. Porters, bellhops and similar staff at hotels, airports and railway stations are usually paid one dollar per item of luggage carried.
Public Holidays
It is worth noting what the public holidays are before you travel to a country as the majority of businesses, banks and shops usually shut for the day. In Canada they take place on January 1st, Good Friday, May 21st, July 1st, September 3rd, October 8th, November 11th and December 25th. It is a good idea to check the particular region too as certain towns and areas also shut down during special events.
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