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Ontario Tr a v e l b e t t e r , e n j o y m o r e nd Tobermory 6 ONTARIO Wiarton y Orrville Penetanguishene Parry Sound 69 Ardbeg Sundridge Erie 69 Bracebridge Carnarvon Dorset 60 11 Toronto N 502 622 62 Bancroft 28 599 Barry's Bay Maynooth Tory Hill Kinmount Minden Haliburton 127 60 Killaloe Station Madawaska Whitney Algonquin Provincial Park Gravenhurst Footes Bay Huntsville 11 Magnetawan Burk's Falls Port Loring Griffith Kaladar 417 16 43 31 ce N r ve Ri Malone NEW YORK 11 Potsdam Upper Canada Village Cornwall Smith Falls en wr Merrickville La Kemptville 401 Lancaster Alexandria Plantagenet Richmond Avonmore Ottawa er Riv Prescott Brockville Crosby Maberly Perth Lanark Carleton Place 7 Bon Echo Prov. Park Denbigh 15 Carp Gatineau QUÉBEC Calabogie Renfrew Ottaw a Shawville Not to be missed Worth a visit Interesting Essex Pointe Pelee National Park Lake Erie Waverley (United States) PENNSYLVANIA Buffalo 94 61 NORTHERN ONTARIO 35 53 28 Green Bay Rochester Lac Ontario l Is nd 75 101 129 Syracuse 637 Utica Owen Sound Barrie y Ba Amherstburg Detroit MICHIGAN Lake Huron Midland Frontenac Coboconk Bobcaygeon Petroglyphs Madoc 41 Prov. Park Prov. Park Port McNicoll u sa Kirkfield Tho Burleigh Tamworth Gananoque Marmora St. Lawrence Orillia Falls Owen Sound Wasaga 3 Meaford Lakefield 26 Islands National Lake Beaverton Beach Napanee Simcoe Park Southampton Thornbury Campbellford Hastings Kingston Lindsay Collingwood 23 Belleville Chatsworth Barrie Peterborough Sutton Creemore Watertown Adolphustown Bethany Angus Flesherton Quinte's Quinte Tiverton Cookstown Bewdley 401 Picton Isle Port Perry 10 Durham 12 Kincardine Walkerton Brighton 400 Bloomfield Shelburne (United States) Presqu'ile Port Hope Cobourg Schomberg 81 Aurora 6 Prov. Park Amberley Port Austin Newcastle Orangeville 86 Harriston Oshawa Markham Wingham 10 Fort Hope 0 200 400km Arthur James Harbor Alder Creek Ogoki Bay Moosonee Elora Beach Brampton 21 Listowel Moose Factory Goderich Elmira Bad Axe Fergus Acton Mississauga Rome 401 Clinton Armstrong St. Jacobs 72 QUÉBEC Sebewaing Savant Lake Kenora Bayfield Nakina Dryden Waterloo Oakville Guelph 104 Lake Mitchell Silver Dollar Kitchener Gulf Bay 71 Matagami Fraserdale Nipigon Niagara-onGeraldton Port 90 104 11 Ignace Hearst Beardmore 6 Burlington St. Joseph Caramat the-Lake Sanilac Stratford Lake of Mattice 8 Jellicoe The Woods 17 Upsala Kapuskasing Sangerfield Provincial Park Hornepayne Hamilton Russeldale Opasatika Cambridge Grand Bend Pine Portage Smooth Rock Falls Atikokan Nipigon Moonbeam Val-Paradis 20 Fort Frances Cochrane Raith Pinery P.P. Niagara Rossport Manitouwadge Grimsby QEW (United States) Batavia La Sarre 90 Red Ouimet St. Marys Terrace Bay Quetico 11 Rock Amos Parkhill White River Provincial Kakabeka Canyon Brantford St. Catharines Falls P. P. Neys Falls Senneterre Marathon Park Avon Sleeping Giant Timmins Rouyn20 Chapleau Crown Provincial Park P. P. Fort Woodstock Welland Thunder Bay 17 Noranda 88 Ingersol MINNESOTA Game Preserve Val-d’Or Erie Foleyet Kirkland Lake Pukaskwa Norwich London Malartic (United States) Ntl. Park Wawa Lovicourt Imlay City 69 Port Huron Sarnia 402 Matachewan 401 12 Deer River Port Colborne 3 Geneseo Virginia Lake Chapleau Elk Lake Oneonta Tillsonburg Simcoe Watford Hibbing Superior Lake Superior Réserve Faunique Strathroy Provincial Park La Vérendrye Cobalt St. Thomas 90 Aylmer Duluth 11 Petrolia Port Dover Ithaca Temagami 81 15 Glencoe Courtright Ashland Port Rowan 94 Samuel Port Marquette Sault Ste. Marie de Champlain Port Port Sudbury P. P. Dresden Copper Cliff 17 Stanley Pontiac Wallaceburg Mattawa Bruce Burwell Long Point Gros Cap Westfield MICHIGAN Espanola Massey North Bay 17 Binghamton Eagle (United States) Thamesville Gore Bay Algonquin Lake WISCONSIN Killarney EscanabaElmira Provincial 69 P. P. St. Clair Chatham Manitoulin Park Ridgetown (United States) G Parry e Island St. Paul or Huntsville Wellsville Sound Lake 17 3 Petoskey 17 90 Tobermory Michigan Menonimee Wausau Rondeau Blenheim Olean 17 Alpena Windsor 401 Lake Prov. Park Midland Huron Tilbury Merlin sla 6 Byng Inlet Pointe au Baril Station Killarney Little Current Prov. Park Excelsior MaEvansville nit ou lin I Gore Bay . Ba St n s e ia an d G g or an gi Ontario Sixth Edition Pascale Couture Out on the lake the last thin threads of the mist are clearing away like flecks of cotton wool. The long call of the loon echoes over the lake. The air is cool and fresh. There is in it all the new life of land of the silent pine and the moving waters. - Stephen Leacock Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town Tr a v e l b e t t e r , e n j o y m o r e Computer Graphics Marie-France Denis Pierre Ledoux Author Pascale Couture Publisher Olivier Gougeon Cartographer Bradley Fenton Production Director André Duchesne Photography Cover page Spring tulips in Ottawa © Masterfile / Bill Brooks Copy Editing Matthew McLauchlin Inside pages © Ontario Tourism © Dreamstime.com/ Artur Jan, Elena Elisseeva, Sergey Ivanov © Philippe Renault Translator Cindy Garayt Acknowledgements The author would like to thank Benoit Prieur for his assistance, as well as her children, Maxence and Alicia, for their patience and good cheer during the long trips. She would also like to thank Pierre David. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program (BPIDP) for our publishing activities. We would also like to thank the Government of Québec – Tax credit for book publishing – Administered by SODEC. Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec and Library and Archives Canada cataloguing in publication Couture, Pascale, 1966Ontario 6th ed. (Ulysses travel guide) Translation of: Ontario. Includes index. ISBN 978-2-89464-773-8 1. Ontario - Guidebooks. 2. Ontario - Tours. I. Title. II. Series. FC3057.C6813 2007 917.1304’5 C2006-941288-X No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including photocopying, without the written permission of the publisher. © June 2007, Ulysses Travel Guides All rights reserved Printed in Canada ISBN 13 978-2-89464-773-8 3 List of Maps List of In-Depth Articles Map Symbols Symbols Used In This Guide Ontario in Due Time Ontario À La Carte Where is Ontario in the World? 4 5 6 6 8 8 10 Portrait Geography Fauna History Politics Economy Architecture The Arts 11 12 13 15 23 24 25 27 Practical Information Entrance Formalities Getting There and Getting Around Useful Information, from A to Z 33 34 34 37 Outdoors Parks Summer Activities Winter Activities 47 48 50 53 Ottawa Getting There and Getting Around Useful Information Exploring Outdoor Activities Accommodations Restaurants Entertainment Shopping 55 57 58 59 76 78 83 89 91 Eastern Ontario Getting There and Getting Around Useful Information Exploring Outdoor Activities Accommodations Restaurants Entertainment Shopping 95 96 98 98 113 116 122 125 126 South-Central Ontario Getting There and Getting Around Useful Information Exploring Outdoor Activities Accommodations Restaurants Entertainment Shopping 129 130 131 131 140 142 147 151 151 Toronto Getting There and Getting Around Useful Information Exploring Parks Outdoor Activities Accommodations Restaurants 153 157 161 161 196 196 198 208 Entertainment Shopping 218 222 The Lakelands Getting There and Getting Around Useful Information Exploring Outdoor Activities Accommodations Restaurants Entertainment Shopping 227 228 230 230 241 243 249 253 253 The Niagara Peninsula and Surroundings Getting There and Getting Around Useful Information Exploring Outdoor Activities Accommodations Restaurants Entertainment Shopping 255 256 258 258 279 281 292 298 298 Southwestern Ontario Getting There and Getting Around Useful Information Exploring Outdoor Activities Accommodations Restaurants Entertainment Shopping 301 302 304 304 314 316 322 325 326 Northeastern Ontario Getting There and Getting Around Useful Information Exploring Outdoor Activities Accommodations Restaurants Entertainment Shopping 329 330 332 333 346 350 356 358 359 Northwestern Ontario Getting There and Getting Around Useful Information Exploring Outdoor Activities Accommodations Restaurants Entertainment Shopping 361 362 362 362 370 373 376 376 377 Appendix Index Our Guides Contact Us Write to Us Notes Table of Distances Weights and Measures Map Symbols Symbols Used In This Guide 379 380 391 393 393 394 399 399 400 400 Table of Contents Table of Contents 4 List of Maps Along the Shores of Lake Huron 239 Collingwood Attractions Accommodations and Restaurants 234 246 List of Maps Eastern Ontario Ottawa Downtown Attractions Accommodations and Restaurants 63 81 Ottawa and Gatineau Attractions 60 97 Gatineau Accommodations and Restaurants 82 Guelph Attractions Accommodations and Restaurants 264 284 Peterborough Attractions Accommodations and Restaurants Quinte’s Isle Hamilton Attractions Accommodations and Restaurants 269 286 Kitchener Attractions Accommodations and Restaurants 260, 261 282, 283 Kingston Attractions Accommodations and Restaurants 105 117 Lakelands, The 229 London, Downtown Attractions Accommodations and Restaurants 305 317 Manitoulin Island 342 Niagara-on-the-Lake Attractions Accommodations and Restaurants 275 287 Niagara and the Wine Route 273 138 146 135 Sault Ste. Marie Attractions Accommodations and Restaurants 339 353 South-Central Ontario 128 Southwestern Ontario 303 Stratford Attractions Accommodations and Restaurants 308 318 Sudbury Attractions Accommodations and Restaurants 335 351 Suggested Tours in Ontario Thunder Bay Attractions Accommodations and Restaurants 32 366 374 Toronto Niagara Falls Attractions Accommodations and Restaurants 277 291 Niagara Peninsula and Surroundings, The 257 Northeastern Ontario 328 Northwestern Ontario 360 Annex, The Attractions Accommodations and Restaurants 191 206 Bloor Street and Yorkville Avenue Attractions Accommodations and Restaurants 187 204 Cabbagetown Attractions Accommodations and Restaurants 169 205 Chinatown and Kensington Market Attractions Accommodations and Restaurants 181 202 Entertainment and Financial Districts, The Attractions 166, 167 Accommodations and Restaurants 210, 211 5 Old Town of York Attractions Accommodations and Restaurants 176 200 Queen’s Park and the University of Toronto Attractions Accommodations and Restaurants 185 203 Queen Street West Attractions Accommodations and Restaurants 178, 179 212, 213 Rosedale and Forest Hill Attractions Accommodations and Restaurants 193 207 Waterfront and Toronto Islands, The Attractions Accommodations and Restaurants 163 198 Toronto and Surroundings 155 Toronto Subway 160 Waterloo Attractions Accommodations and Restaurants 260, 261 282, 283 Windsor Attractions Accommodations and Restaurants 312 321 Banting and Co. 183 Scottish and Irish Stone Masons 99 Blockhouses and Martello Towers 104 Ed Mirvish 168 Thayendanegea, Mohawk Chief, British Military Officer and Man of Letters 266 Ferocious Predator Alert! 368 Hogtown 177 The First Industrial Wave: Victoria Island and the Area Surrounding Chaudière Falls 75 Ice Wines 274 The Invention of the Telephone 267 The Mennonites 259 The Niagara Escarpment 238 Lieutenant-Colonel John By 59 Loyalists 134 Niagara’s Wine Country 272 Norman Bethune 231 Rabies 51 Respect the Forest! 49 The Odawa 57 The Trent-Severn Waterway 132 Three Ottawa Neighbourhoods 67 Yonge Street 171 List of Maps − List of In-Depth Articles List of In-Depth Articles 6 Map Symbols Attractions Accommodations Restaurants Sea, lake, river International airport Market Building Museum Casino National or provincial park Cemetery Beach Forest or park Place National capital DUNDAS Church Metro station Provincial or state capital International border Provincial or regional border Train station Golf course Hospital Car ferry Tourist information Passenger ferry Train track Tunnel Map Symbols - Symbols Used In This Guide Symbols Used In This Guide a Air conditioning c q o g d Casino Fan Fax number Fireplace Fitness centre Full board (lodging + 3 meals) Half board (lodging + 2 meals) Kitchenette Internet access in the room Mosquito net Parking Pets allowed Pool Refrigerator Restaurant Sauna Shared bathroom Spa Telephone number Travel by bike Travel by bus Travel by car Travel by foot Travel by metro Ulysses favourite Wheelchair access Whirlpool bkfst incl. Breakfast included fb ½b f y h i s j k m n sb l p 4 6 5 3 7 ù t b Attraction Classification be missed Not Not to betomissed Worth a visit Worth a visit Interesting Interesting Accommodation Classification Unless otherwise otherwisenoted, noted, prices indicated this Unless all all prices indicated in thisinguide guidetoapply to a standard room two in people peak apply a standard room for two for people peakin season. season. $ less than 60$ $ $$ $ fromless 60$than to 100$ to 150$ $ $$$ $$ fromfrom 101$$ to to 225$ $ $$$$$$$ fromfrom 151$$ to $$$$ to $ $$$$$ morefrom than$ 225$ $$$$$ more than $ Restaurant Classification Restaurant Classification Prices in this guide are for a meal for one person, Prices in this guideexcluding are for a taxes mealand for one tip. person, excluding taxes and tip. $ less than 15$ than $ $$ $ 15$ less to 25$ $ $$$ $$ 26$ $toto50$ to $ 50$ $$$$$$$ more$ than $$$$ more than $ All prices in this guide are in Canadian dollars. All prices in this guide are in Canadian dollars. The grey-bordered sections of this guide list the covered areas distinctive establishments. You can refer to the following pictograms to find the information you need: H S R A Accommodations Entertainment Restaurants Shopping 7 My... Ontario! zzz My... Ontario! - zzz - zzz No matter what kind of trip you’re planning or the length of your stay in this Canadian province, whether you’re seeking to explore the urban, multicultural Ontario or the Ontario of wild open spaces and bucolic villages, you’ll find everything to satisfy your expectations. This selection of attractions is provided to help you customize your trip. 8 Ontario in Due Time One Week Any trip to Ontario should include, almost unavoidably, a visit to Niagara Falls, the province’s most spectacular natural site. The falls are located in a beautiful wine region that also deserves to be explored. Dynamic and hectic, Toronto is another obvious must. Canada’s metropolis offers all the attractions of a large sophisticated and lively city. You should also make a stop in Ottawa, where you will find some of the most impressive museums in the country, as well as an architectural heritage that is worthy of the city’s status as the nation’s capital. Two Weeks If you’re planning to travel in Ontario for an extra week, you should also visit the lovely St. Lawrence Islands National Park and Kingston, a former military garrison that is now a beautiful lakeside city on the shore of Lake Ontario. You can also enjoy a stay in the agricultural region of Kitchener-Waterloo and in Stratford, a small, quaint town that is famous for its Shakespeare festival. Finally, a trip to the Lake Huron, Georgian Bay and village of Collingwood area is ideal for a beach vacation and to enjoy great views of one of the Great Lakes. Three Weeks Continuing your trek towards southeastern Ontario, you can stop by the prosperous and pleasant town of London, before heading to Pointe Pelee National Park. If you’re in the mood for a real adventure and wish to discover the wilderness of the Canadian Shield, you should plan a trip to Algonquin Provincial Park. Dotted with a multitude of lakes and rivers, the park is a veritable haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Finally, the northern part of the province also features some lovely spots, including the city of Sault Ste. Marie. Ontario À La Carte zzz My... Ontario! - zzz - zzz Enchanting Weekends in the Country Ontario’s countryside is simply delightful. Blessed with the magnificent Great Lakes, vast, fertile lands that stretch as far as the eye can see, and the characteristic landscapes of the Canadian Shield, Ontario boasts magnificent rural regions. And at the heart of each of these regions are a string of enchanting towns. To the east are Merrickville, which was built around the windmill that stands at the edge of the Rideau River, and Brockville, which proudly sits on the shore of the St. Lawrence River. On Quinte Bay, Bloomfield will seduce you with its charming little streets lined with quaint homes. A stay in Ontario wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Niagara-on-the-Lake, with its wonderful shops, posh inns and nearby vineyards. Stratford, with its British charm, boasts a park that stretches all along the Avon River, an ideal spot to relax. Huntsville is the perfect vacation village; it is located in a beautiful countryside lake region and features large hotels. Elora, located in the heart of Mennonite country, boasts wonderful stone buildings. On the edge of Lake Huron, Goderich stands out thanks to its unusual downtown core, while the secret to Amherstburg lies in its military past; an old fort can still be visited here. You can stay in each of these lovely towns and, every morning, head off to discover new regions… miles away from the hustle and bustle of urban life. 9 Splendid Natural Attractions Niagara Falls is without a doubt one of the province’s top natural treasures. The falls are a must-see attraction, but Ontario’s natural heritage doesn’t stop there. Indeed, the St. Lawrence River is lined with a succession of more than 1,000 islands that make up the landscape protected by the St. Lawrence Islands National Park. Another strip of land is protected by Pointe Pelee National Park, which constitutes Canada’s southernmost strip of land and welcomes many species of birds during their migration. The Canadian Shield and its dramatic landscapes are an inspiration to many, so Algonquin Provincial Park was created to preserve this natural living portrait. Aside from exceptional panoramas, it offers a veritable sanctuary for those who wish to escape modern life. The natural treasures the Georgian Bay and its 30,000 islands are protected by the Georgian Bay Islands National Park and the Bruce Peninsula National Park. Northern Ontario, a vast territory that remains sparsely populated, also features several natural attractions that deserve to be mentioned. Lake Superior alone is worth the long drive, if only to marvel at its immensity. Two exceptional parks preserve some of its secrets: Lake Superior Provincial Park and Pukaskwa National Park. Finally, don’t forget to stop by the sandy beaches that stretch along Lake Ontario (Sandbanks Provincial Park), Lake Erie (Port Stanley) and Lake Huron (Pinery Provincial Park and Wasaga Provincial Park). Fascinating Museums and Festivals Boasting some of the most extensive collections of Canadian art, Ontario’s museums are full of surprises. Ottawa is the proud home of the splendid National Gallery of Canada and the Canadian War Museum. In Toronto, you can admire the collections of the Royal Ontario Museum and the Art Gallery of Ontario, or take part in an enlightening tour of the Ontario Science Centre. Another surprising museum that displays a lovely collection of works of art is the Art Gallery of Windsor. Sudbury also has its own worthy attraction, the unique science centre that is Science North. zzz My... Ontario! - zzz - zzz Cultural life in Ontario also encompasses a multitude of festivals. Ottawa is famous for its February Winterlude and its May tulip festival. The Toronto Jazz Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival, for their part, are also deservedly renowned. Niagaraon-the-Lake is not only famous for its vineyards, but also for its Shaw Festival, while Stratford attracts hordes of Shakespeare lovers who come to enjoy plays during the town’s reputed summer-long Stratford Festival. 10 Where is Ontario in the World? 0º Longitude (Greenwich Mean Time) NORTH AMERICA ASIA EUROPE IC AN IF FI AN C CE PA C CI AT L PA O AFRICA TI C O 0º Latitude (equator) C EA EAN OCEANIA N OC IA AN Baker Lake IND CE q Île Southampton N O NAVUT SOUTH AMERICA Rankin Inlet Mer du Labrador Ungava Bay Arviat NE ANWFO D UN LA D BR LA AD ND OR O BA Hudson Bay QUÉBEC P.E.I. Moosonee Charlottetown Red Lake Superior Québec City I T iga n E Ontario Country: Canada Capital: Toronto Area: 1,068,630km2 Population: 12,700,000 inhab. Pop. Density: 12,94 inhab./km2 Currency: Canadian dollar Main Cities: Climate: Temperate continental Average temperatures: in winter –5°C (min.) and 1°C (max.), in summer 17°C (min.) and 27°C (max.) Average precipitations: 80cm of rain and 300cm of snow Lake Mich N WISC. D Peterborough Toronto MICH. Detroit N.S. Halifax MAINE Montréal Ottawa ron Hu ke La oux Falls A D North Bay MINN. U Where is Ontario in the World? A VT. N.H. AN e Lak A N Marathon CE A Boston ri e Onta NEW Lak YORK Niagara New York Windsor Falls PENN. L rie E e AT Philadelphia Lak O C Thunder Bay London AN Kenora N.B. Fredericton o Winnipeg Hearst C Pickle Lake TI M AN IT James Bay ONTARIO S T Cleveland A T E S Chicago Highest Point: Ishpatina Ridge (693m) Time Zone: UTC –5 (EST) and –6 (EDT) Language: English; approximately 4% of the province’s population is Francophone 11 Portrait Geography 12 Economy 24 Fauna 13 Architecture 25 History 15 The Arts 27 Politics 23 12 O ften the first image that comes to mind when thinking of Ontario is the Great Lakes, those tremendous expanses of fresh water surrounded by an untamed abundance of nature. Another obvious image is of vast, fertile fields dotted with farmhouses charmingly adorned with balconies, shutters and flowers. Still another vision is that of tiny hamlets with their splendid dwellings that in many cases have reigned over their surroundings for more than a century and a half. Finally, there are the cities with their priceless architectural heritage, silent witnesses to the prosperity of Canada’s richest province. Rural Ontario certainly has plenty to delight romantic souls looking for tranquillity and a glimpse of the past, but this province also has an eminently modern, urban face. After all, it encompasses Toronto, Canada’s biggest city, and Ottawa, its federal capital. With a land mass of 1,068,000km², Ontario is the second-biggest Canadian province in terms of surface area, behind only Québec. It is bordered to the east by Québec, to the west by Manitoba, to the north by Hudson Bay, and to the south by the United States. Much of its southern boundary is formed by lakes Superior, Huron, Erie and Ontario, and, furthest east, by the St. Lawrence River. These waterways allow easy access to much of Ontario and in the past were the basis for settlement of the province. Geography Painter Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven captured all the beauty of Ontario’s natural assets in their paintings, which reveal wild landscapes that exude a sense of solitude and serenity. These panoramas, typical of the Canadian Shield, show some of Ontario’s vast riches, which you will discover as you explore the region. Portrait - Geography The Lakes Ontario is proud to be home to four of the five Great Lakes: Ontario, Erie, Huron and Superior (the fifth, Lake Michigan, is located in the United States). The size of these gigantic expanses of fresh water is quite impressive. The smallest of the Great Lakes, Lake Ontario, covers no less than 18,000km², while the largest, Lake Superior, which is also the largest fresh-water lake in the world, covers 82,700km². The lakes were formed by retreating glaciers during the Quaternary period. Draining the Lake Superior basin and several U.S. states, the majestic St. Lawrence River forms the south-eastern boundary of the province and crosses Québec to finally flow into the Atlantic Ocean. Aside from the Great Lakes, Ontario contains some 400,000 lakes and rivers that have played a key role in the province’s history; in addition to supplying essential food for Aboriginal nations, they were the main transportation routes into the territory. The Plains West of the St. Lawrence River and in the southwest part of the province are vast, fertile plains that produce most of Ontario’s agricultural output, such as wheat, corn, tobacco, vegetables and fruits. For its part, the Niagara Peninsula is ideal for growing peaches, cherries and grapes, thanks to its unique microclimate. Many Canadian wines come from wineries located in this peninsula. 13 The Canadian Shield The Canadian Shield forms a half-circle around Hudson Bay, from the northeastern part of the country to the Arctic archipelago, and covers a large part of Ontario. This vast territory, created during the Precambrian era, was shaped by retreating glaciers that exposed rocks and formed rivers and lakes along the way, as well as undulating landscapes of no more than 100 metres in elevation. This area is very rugged and unfavourable to agriculture. However, the type of forest that is found here has allowed the development of an important logging industry, while the subsoil has revealed great riches, such as deposits of gold and nickel, as well as silver veins. The Forest Today, Ontario’s territory is still largely covered by a vast forest that changes gradually from the north to the south. A small part of the territory (the southwest tip) hosts hardwood forests, with such species as maple, beech, elm, oak and ash. This type of forest is soon replaced by a mixed forest, however, which is mostly composed of maple, aspen and a multitude of softwood trees such as balsam fir, larch and jack pine. Further north, deciduous trees become increasingly rare, with the boreal forest dominated instead by conifers (mostly species of pine, larch, spruce and fir). This evergreen forest begins in Ontario’s mid-north and gives way in turn to transitional boreal forest containing smaller forms of vegetation that are better adapted to the rigours of the northern climate. The harsh climate in the province’s far north is characterized by long and very cold winters, short summers with fewer than 120 frost-free days, and low rainfall. This allows only stunted forms of vegetation to develop. Fauna The Deer Family The moose, nearly 2m high and weighing up to 600kg, is the biggest of the Cervidae. It is easily distinguished by its long head, round nose, the hump on its back and its brown coat. Males have enormous antlers. Moose are found near streams in the north of the province, and are particularly numerous in Algonquin Park. The white-tailed deer is noted for its reddish-brown coat and its white tail. This deer, scarcely a metre high, is found in forests in the southern part of the province, where it is relatively easy to observe. With few natural enemies apart from wolves and bears, it often forms oversized herds. Pinery and Rondeau parks are good places to observe this species. Portrait - Fauna Moose, deer, foxes and beavers are among the animal species inhabiting Ontario forests. To help you recognize them, here is a brief description of some of them. We will not even attempt to give a thorough description of the many hundreds of species of bird-life that can be observed year-round. You will, however, find bird-watching information in the “Outdoor Activities” sections of some chapters in this guide, with descriptions of good bird-watching spots. 14 Predators The wolf lives in packs. It resembles a grey German-shepherd-type dog, is between 67cm and 95cm long, and weighs at most about 50kg. It attacks its prey (often deer) in packs, making it unpopular with some animal-lovers. There have even been efforts in the past to eliminate it completely. These efforts failed, but they did reduce the numbers living in the wild. It is fairly common for campers in provincial parks to hear wolves howling, but they rarely approach human beings. The coyote is another canine predator. Smaller than the wolf, it is about 40cm long and weighs about 15kg. Its coat is grey and reddish-brown. This is another predator that, at one time, was slated for extermination. There remain a good number today despite trappers and hunters. They are found mostly in the bush. The fox is a cute little reddish-brown animal with magnificent fur. It is found throughout the Ontario forest, but this cunning animal often avoids inhabited areas and visitors, and thus is rarely seen. It hunts alone and also feeds on berries and nuts. The black bear is the most dangerous animal in the Southern Ontario forest. Incidents are rare, but each year a few visitors are injured by this beautiful and powerful animal. It is sometimes seen in parks, particularly in places where food can be found (campers: don’t leave any out!). It is mostly nocturnal. This is the smallest bear in Canada, about 1.5m long and about 220kg in weight. Rodents Canada’s emblem, the beaver, is found near bodies of water, where it builds its lodge. The technique is simple: it cuts down several trees to form a dam that controls the water level, and then it builds its lodge. It is an excellent swimmer. This small brown animal has a flat, spiky tail. With few means of defence, it has been heavily hunted, although there remain many in Ontario. Portrait - Fauna The prairie dog, a small, pale brown animal, is often found in the fields, where it lives in groups of about 20. It feeds on roots and herbs, and can quickly destroy crops. This explains the concern of farmers who find this animal in their fields. It is often hunted down. The porcupine is a small rodent that abounds in coniferous and deciduous forests. It is well known for its unusual way of defending itself. In case of danger, it curls up, extends its spines, and forms an unassailable pin cushion. Others The raccoon is easily identifiable. This little grey animal, scarcely bigger than a cat, has a black mask around its eyes and a black-and-grey-striped tail. It is seen frequently and does not hesitate to rummage through garbage or through campers’ food. Beware: it is best not to feed it. It is omnivorous and seems to like everything, and is often found in cities. The skunk is a little black animal distinguished by white stripes on its back and its bushy tail. But it is identified most of all by the very unpleasant odour it can give off. It defends itself by spraying its enemies with a foul-smelling liquid. 15 History When Europeans came to the New World, a mosaic of Aboriginal peoples had already occupied this vast continent for thousands of years. The ancestors of these peoples crossed the Bering Strait toward the end of the last Ice Age, more than 12,000 years ago, and gradually occupied the entire continent. During the following millennia, encouraged by the retreat of the glaciers, some of them began to migrate toward the most northerly lands of Eastern Canada. When Europeans launched their first intensive explorations of North America, several nations grouped according to two linguistic families (Iroquoian and Algonquian) shared the territory that would later be known as Ontario. Living in bands, the Aboriginal communities had to adapt themselves to the characteristics of the territory they occupied. The Algonquian nations who, in most cases lived in the mid-north and far north of Ontario, developed a way of life suited to a rigorous climate that was too cold for agriculture. They were nomads, living in small bands and subsisting mostly on hunting. In contrast, the Iroquoian nations in the south were much more sedentary. The land they lived on enabled them to prosper from agriculture, which provided most of their food. The Iroquois lived in big villages, often protected by wooden palisades, some of them with populations over 1,000. Efficient systems of communication and trading became established over the centuries between these Amerindian communities. Using a barter system, the Aboriginals of Southern Ontario traded their farming produce for furs from their more northerly neighbours, the Algonquians. The use of canoes along the many rivers and lakes lay at the heart of this way of life. Although they succeeded in making good use of the resources and the special characteristics of the lands they lived on, these societies would face unprecedented challenges with the arrival of Europeans beginning in the 16th century. Toward the year 1000, Viking explorers had taken advantage of a climatic warming to sail along the eastern coast of what is now Canada. They also fished and built settlements there. It was not until several centuries later, however, with the first voyage of Christopher Columbus in 1492, that Europeans began intensive exploration and colonization of the American continent. In Canada, the first European expeditions that would have long-lasting results were led by John Cabot and, later, by Jacques Cartier. John Cabot, born Giovanni Caboto, obtained financial and political support in England and set sail from the port of Bristol in 1497, heading west. Cabot was looking for a route that would lead him to the much-coveted riches of the Orient. His explorations ended instead on the island of Newfoundland. Nonetheless, Cabot’s expedition would have important consequences. Back in England, he spoke of the great riches he had discovered, the seemingly inexhaustible cod banks off the northern shores of the New World. From then on, English, French, Basque and Spanish fishers left European ports in ever greater numbers in search of this marine wealth off Newfoundland. In 1534, the Breton navigator Jacques Cartier launched the first of his three North American expeditions. Cartier was mandated by King François I to find gold and a passage to Asia. Cartier did not find either of these, although his expeditions did lead him up the St. Lawrence River as far as the site of the present-day city of Montréal. Portrait - History The Meeting of Two Civilizations 16 Disappointed by Cartier’s discoveries, the French authorities soon abandoned any further exploration of this territory, which they considered inhospitable. Even so, the expeditions of Cabot and Cartier were the prelude to colonization efforts in the following centuries. French Settlement A few decades later, the growing fashion among Europeans for fur hats and clothing, and the huge profits expected from this trade, rekindled the French authorities’ interest in North America. The fur trade required constant contact with Aboriginal suppliers, and a permanent presence thus became necessary. It was mostly for purposes of trade that posts were created at Québec in 1608 and at Montréal in 1642. In the following decades, these two posts along the St. Lawrence River would become the heart of New France. Located deeper in the interior, far from the Atlantic coast and from the easily navigable portion of the St. Lawrence River, the Ontario territory was not considered suitable for colonization by French authorities. Its lands were surveyed nevertheless by French explorers. In 1610, only two years after the founding of Québec, the explorer Étienne Brûlé set out to discover the interior of the continent. Like several of his predecessors, Brûlé was seeking a route that could lead him quickly across the continent to the fabulous riches of the Orient. Travelling alone, he was the first European to reach Lake Ontario and Lake Huron. Portrait - History A few years later, in 1615, Étienne Brûlé launched a new westward expedition, accompanied this time by the great explorer Samuel de Champlain, founder of the post at Québec. Champlain and Brûlé got as far as the shores of Georgian Bay, where an agreement was concluded between the French and the Hurons who inhabited the area. The Hurons agreed to trade exclusively with the French who, in return, offered them protection against their traditional Iroquois enemies who lived further south. Even though the fur trade continued to lie at the origin of colonization efforts during this period, the New World also held great interest for French religious orders. The Récollets arrived first, in 1615, before being replaced by the Jesuits starting in 1632. They saw the evangelization of the Aboriginals as an unprecedented opportunity to extend Christianity. In 1639, deep in the Ontario hinterland on the shores of Georgian Bay explored earlier by Brûlé and Champlain, a small group of Jesuits founded the mission of Sainte-Marie Among the Hurons, near the present-day town of Midland. The agreement allying them with the French was probably the main reason the Hurons accepted this religious presence. The mission was abandoned a few years later, however, after five Jesuits perished during the military defeats that the Hurons suffered at Iroquois hands in 1648 and 1649. This war was part of an extensive offensive campaign launched by the powerful Iroquois Five Nations confederacy between 1645 and 1655 intended to wipe out all rival nations. The Hurons, the Petuns, the Eries and the Neutrals, each at least 10,000 strong, were almost completely annihilated within the space of ten years. These Iroquoian-speaking nations of Southern Ontario were essentially victims of the war for the monopoly of the fur trade conducted by the European powers through intermediaries. Allied with the English, the Five Nations confederacy, whose traditional territories lay further south in what is now the United States, wanted to appropriate this lucrative trade for itself. The Iroquois military offensive also threatened the existence of the French colony. During 1660 and 1661, Iroquois warriors struck everywhere in New France, bringing a halt to the fur trade and ruining crops. French King Louis XIV reacted by sending in troops that succeeded in “pacifying” these Aboriginal people. 17 The Fur Trade The following years were marked by heavy growth in the fur trade, with Montréal at its centre. This period in the history of New France coincides with the glorious era of the coureurs des bois, literally the “runners of the woods.” Leaving their lands behind, these intrepid young men headed deep into the back-country, crisscrossing the territory of what is now Ontario, to trade directly with Aboriginal fur suppliers. Helped by the expeditions of these trappers and also by missionaries and explorers, French claims in North America grew rapidly. New France reached its zenith at the dawn of the 18th century, with a strong hold over the North American fur trade, control over the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes, and plans to further exploit its lands in Louisiana. These strategic positions enabled it to limit the expansion of the far more populous English colonies, wedged in the territory between the Atlantic Ocean and the Appalachian mountains. But France, after being defeated in Europe, agreed under the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht of 1713 to turn over official control of Hudson Bay, Newfoundland and Acadia to the English. This treaty led to New France’s loss of strategic military positions, weakening it severely and presaging its downfall. In the following years, the noose kept tightening around New France. When the Seven Years’ War (1756-63) broke out in Europe, the North American colonies quickly became one of the key stakes. On the territory of present-day Ontario, French troops managed in the early years to contain the British thrust and to retain control of navigation on the Great Lakes. The French forces were small in numbers, but they held strategic positions: Fort Frontenac, at the mouth of Lake Ontario; Niagara, an important link between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie; Detroit, situated at the point of Lake Erie; Michilimackinac, where lakes Michigan and Huron meet; and Fort Rouillé, built in the excellent port that is now called Toronto. One after another, however, each of these fortifications would fall into British hands. Although Montréal was the last city to fall, in 1760, the fate of New France had already been sealed the previous year in Québec City in the famous battle of the Plains of Abraham. By the Treaty of Paris, in 1763, France officially ceded all its North American possessions to England, except the Saint-Pierre and Miquelon islands. In the early years after the British conquest of Canada, little changed in Ontario, which remained a vast and largely unoccupied territory, except for aboriginal settlements and fur traders. The British Crown did not decree any colonization or development plans during this period apart from the fur trade. Ironically, it was the American War of Independence (1775-83) that would give birth to Ontario, radically changing the history of Canada. In the early years of the conflict that pitted Great Britain against insurgents in its 13 southern colonies, British forces established strategic positions in Ontario from which they launched attacks against the American rebels. Overall, however, the war went against the British troops and their allies, and they finally had to concede defeat. The American Revolution, at least in the beginning, had been a genuine civil war between two factions: the supporters of independence and the Loyalists who wished to maintain colonial ties with the British. More than 350,000 of these Loyalists played an active part, fighting on the British side. The signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1783, which recognized the British defeat at the hands of the American Revolutionaries, pushed tens of thousands of these Loyalists to seek refuge in Canada. Between 5,000 and 6,000 of them settled on the virgin Portrait - History British North America 18 western lands of what is now Ontario and developed the first permanent colonies in this territory. Most of them settled along the northern shore of the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario in the area around what are now Prince Edward County and the city of Kingston, as well as in the Niagara region. Some First Nations bands that had fought alongside the British were granted lands in the Grand River Valley. Until the arrival of the Loyalists, few citizens of British descent had emigrated to Canada, apart from some merchants who took the place of the French in the fur trade. Thus, two decades after the British conquest, the backgrounds of the vast majority of the Canadian population remained French and Catholic. With the rise of pro-independence feelings in the 13 southern colonies, the British Crown gave them the right to maintain their religion and customs to ensure the loyalty of these former subjects of the King of France. To keep the Loyalists from being in the minority, while at the same time upholding the rights of French Catholics, London promulgated the Constitutional Act of 1791 that divided Canada in two: Lower Canada and Upper Canada. The Creation of Upper Canada Lower Canada, with its large French majority, remained subject to French civil law, while Upper Canada, located west of the Ottawa River, was inhabited mostly by Loyalists of British stock and was subject to English common law. The Constitutional Act also introduced to Canada the beginnings of a parliamentary system, with the creation of a House of Assembly in each of the provinces. Portrait - History Upper Canada at first chose Newark, in the Niagara region, as its capital. But this did not last long, for the site was poorly protected and could easily fall if the Americans decided to invade Canada. In August 1793, the future site of Toronto, an easily defended port a good distance from the American border, was chosen to be capital of the new province. This site was strategic, but it remained virtually uninhabited. That same year, a little colony was set up along the Don River. Known as York until 1834, the capital of Upper Canada had only 800 inhabitants in 1810, and it would have been difficult then to predict its brilliant future. The Upper Canadian settlers certainly had reason to mistrust their southern neighbours, who soon justified these fears. In 1812, allegedly fed up with excessive British control over the Great Lakes, the Americans declared war on Britain and, thus, on Canada. Loyalists and their descendants still formed the majority of Upper Canada’s population, lending a rather emotional aspect to this conflict. Britain, tied down in Europe by the Napoleonic Wars, could not provide significant aid to its colony. The settlers managed nonetheless to repulse the American attacks and to inflict on the United States of America the first military defeat in its young history. Even though its downfall had been narrowly avoided, Upper Canada’s geographic isolation became evident in the War of 1812. Quite apart from rendering the colony vulnerable in wartime, the various sets of rapids that blocked navigation along the St. Lawrence River and between the Great Lakes limited commercial trade with the colony even in peacetime. To open the route to Upper Canada, canals were built in several places, notably at Lachine, in 1814, and at Welland, in 1824. 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