Downtown Toronto

Last updated

Downtown Toronto
Toronto August 2017.jpg
Skyline of Downtown Toronto seen from the Toronto Islands in August 2017
CountryCanada
ProvinceOntario
Downtown Toronto
Area
[1]
  Total16.6 km2 (6.4 sq mi)
Population
 (2016) [2]
  Total237,698
  Density14,000/km2 (37,000/sq mi)

Downtown Toronto is the main central business district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Located entirely within the district of Old Toronto, it is approximately 16.6 square kilometres in area, [3] bounded by Bloor Street to the northeast and Dupont Street to the northwest, Lake Ontario to the south, the Don Valley to the east, and Bathurst Street to the west. It is also the home of the municipal government of Toronto and the Government of Ontario.

Contents

The area is made up of Canada's largest concentration of skyscrapers and businesses that form Toronto's skyline. Since 2022, Downtown Toronto has the second most skyscrapers in North America exceeding 200 metres (656 ft) in height, behind only Midtown Manhattan, New York City. [4]

Neighbourhoods

The retail core of the downtown is located along Yonge Street from Queen Street to College Street. There is a large cluster of retail centres and shops in the area, including the Toronto Eaton Centre indoor mall. There are an estimated 600 retail stores, 150 bars and restaurants, and 7 hotels. In recent years the area has been experiencing a renaissance as the Business Improvement Area (BIA) has brought in new retail and improved the cleanliness. The area has also seen the opening of the Dundas Square public square, a public space for holding performances and art displays. The area includes several live theatres, a movie complex at Dundas Square and the historic Massey Hall. Historical sites and landmarks include the Arts & Letter Club, the Church of the Holy Trinity, Mackenzie House, Maple Leaf Gardens, Old City Hall, and the Toronto Police Museum and Discovery Centre.

Dundas Square, Toronto's landmark public square at the intersection of Yonge Street and Dundas Street East. Ribfest at Dundas Square on May 21, 2022.jpg
Dundas Square, Toronto's landmark public square at the intersection of Yonge Street and Dundas Street East.

The Financial District, centred on the intersection of Bay Street and King Street is the centre of Canada's financial industry. It contains the Toronto Stock Exchange, which is the largest in Canada and tenth in the world by market capitalization as of 2021. The construction of skyscrapers in downtown Toronto had started to rapidly increase since the 1960s.

Located within the Old Town, St. Lawrence is one of several historic districts in downtown Toronto. Thomas Helliwell Block.JPG
Located within the Old Town, St. Lawrence is one of several historic districts in downtown Toronto.

The area of St. Lawrence to the east of the financial district is one of the oldest areas of Toronto. It features heritage buildings, theatres, music, dining and many pubs. It is a community of distinct downtown neighbourhoods including the site of the original Town of York, which was Toronto's first neighbourhood, dating back to 1793. The area boasts one of the largest concentrations of 19th-century buildings in Ontario. Of particular note is St. Lawrence Hall, St. James' Cathedral, St. Michael's Cathedral, St. Paul's Basilica, the Enoch Turner School House, the Bank of Upper Canada, Le Royal Meridien King Edward Hotel, and the Gooderham Building. On Saturday there is a farmers' market. Other historical districts in downtown Toronto include Cabbagetown, Corktown, the Distillery District, and Old Town.

To the west of the financial district is the Entertainment District. It is home to hundreds of restaurants, nightclubs, sporting facilities, boutiques, hotels, attractions, and live theatre. The district was formerly an industrial area and was redeveloped for entertainment purposes in the early 1980s, becoming a major centre for entertainment. The redevelopment started with the Mirvish family refurbishing the Royal Alexandra Theatre and their construction of the Princess of Wales Theatre. The area is now the site of Roy Thomson Hall and the Canadian Broadcasting Centre.

The Royal Ontario Museum is a museum of art, world culture and natural history, located in the upscale Yorkville district. Royal Ontario Museum2.jpg
The Royal Ontario Museum is a museum of art, world culture and natural history, located in the upscale Yorkville district.

The Yorkville area, to the north, north of Bloor Street and the Mink Mile, has more than 700 designer boutiques, spas, restaurants, hotels, and world-class galleries. It is a former village in its own right (prior to 1883) and since the early 1970s has developed into an up-scale shopping district. The intersection of Bloor and Yonge Streets is the intersection of the city's subway lines and is one of the busiest intersections in the city. At the intersection of Avenue Road and Bloor Street is the Royal Ontario Museum, the largest museum in the city, with a diverse anthropological and natural history collection.

The Harbourfront area to the south was formerly an industrial and railway lands area. Since the 1970s, it has seen extensive redevelopment, including the building of the Rogers Centre stadium, numerous condominiums and the Harbourfront Centre waterfront revitalization. The area to the east of Yonge Street is still in transition, with the conversion of industrial lands to mixed residential and commercial uses planned.

Among the important government headquarters in downtown Toronto include the Ontario Legislature, and the Toronto City Hall.

List of neighbourhoods

Bay-and-gable style residences in Cabbagetown Cabbagetown houses.jpg
Bay-and-gable style residences in Cabbagetown

Architecture

Downtown Toronto holds a large concentration of skyscrapers. Old Town, Toronto, ON, Canada - panoramio (6).jpg
Downtown Toronto holds a large concentration of skyscrapers.

In the 1970s, Toronto experienced major economic growth and surpassed Montreal to become the largest city in Canada. Many international and domestic businesses relocated to Toronto and created massive new skyscrapers downtown. All of Canada's Big Five banks constructed skyscrapers beginning in the late 1960s up until the early 1990s.

Since 2022 Downtown Toronto has been home to the second highest number of skyscrapers in North America just behind Midtown Manhattan. Toronto downtown at night from the CN Tower.jpg
Since 2022 Downtown Toronto has been home to the second highest number of skyscrapers in North America just behind Midtown Manhattan.

Today downtown Toronto contains dozens of notable skyscrapers. The area's First Canadian Place is the tallest building in Canada at a height of 298 metres (978 feet). The CN Tower, once the tallest free-standing structure in the world, remains the tallest such structure in the Americas, standing at 553.33 metres (1,815 ft., 5 inches). Other notable buildings include Scotia Plaza, TD Centre, Commerce Court, the Royal Bank Plaza, The Bay's flagship store, and the Fairmont Royal York Hotel.

Since 2007, urban consolidation has been centred in downtown Toronto and as a result has been undergoing Manhattanization with the construction of new office towers, hotels and condos.

Demographics

As of 2016, the population of Downtown Toronto was 237,698 people with 503,575 jobs located within the area. [5] The population density was 143 people per hectare, and the job density was 303 jobs per hectare.

Landmarks

Nathan Phillips Square is a public square and landmark in downtown Toronto. Old City Hall, another landmark in the area, is visible in the background. Skaters at dusk.jpg
Nathan Phillips Square is a public square and landmark in downtown Toronto. Old City Hall, another landmark in the area, is visible in the background.
The Hockey Hall of Fame and the Allen Lambert Galleria complex are a major landmark located on Yonge Street. Allen Lambert Galleria Designed by Santiago Calatrava Incorporating the 1890s-era Merchants' Bank building (9160002325).jpg
The Hockey Hall of Fame and the Allen Lambert Galleria complex are a major landmark located on Yonge Street.

Education

The Royal Conservatory of Music is a non-profit music education institution that is headquartered in downtown Toronto.

Primary and secondary

Four different public school boards provide primary and secondary education for the City of Toronto, as well as the downtown area. Two Toronto-based school boards provide instruction in the English language, the secular Toronto District School Board, and the separate Toronto Catholic District School Board. The other two Toronto-based school boards, the secular Conseil scolaire Viamonde, and the separate Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir provide instruction in the French language.

Several independent schools also operate within downtown Toronto.

Tertiary

The University of Toronto's St. George Campus is located in the north-west portion of downtown. Uoft universitycollege.jpg
The University of Toronto's St. George Campus is located in the north-west portion of downtown.

Downtown Toronto is home to four public universities, the University of Toronto, OCAD University, Université de l'Ontario français and Toronto Metropolitan University. OCAD University is an arts school whose main building is located in Grange Park. The Université de l'Ontario français is a French-language postsecondary institution situated in East Bayfront. Toronto Metropolitan University and the University of Toronto are research universities, with the former located in the Garden District and the latter's St. George campus situated in the Discovery District. Apart from its St. George campus, the University of Toronto also operates two satellite campuses outside the downtown core in Mississauga and Scarborough.

Colleges based in downtown Toronto include George Brown College, Toronto Film School, Trebas Institute, and the Randolph College for the Performing Arts. Four other colleges that are based outside of downtown Toronto, but operate satellite branches in the downtown core include Collège Boréal, Georgian College, Humber College and the Seneca Polytechnic.

Retail

Hudson's Bay department store. Hudson's Bay department store, Toronto, Yonge and Queen (35474972636).jpg
Hudson's Bay department store.

Downtown Toronto is home to the flagship department stores of The Bay, Saks Fifth Avenue and Holt Renfrew. The traditional shopping districts concentrated on Queen Street West and King Street East have seen recent growth to encompass the area surrounding Yonge–Dundas Square. The Old Town portion of the downtown, stretching from St. Lawrence Market to the Distillery District is home to many furniture stores, interior design studios and contemporary casual dining options.

The CF Toronto Eaton Centre, a large, multilevel enclosed shopping mall and office complex that spans several blocks and houses 330 stores, is the city's top tourist attraction with over one million visitors weekly. Other indoor shopping malls include College Park, the Tenor, Aura, Yorkville Village, Atrium on Bay, Village by the Grange, Manulife Centre and the PATH underground city network, the largest underground shopping complex in the world.

Emerging retail destinations include Mirvish Village, the Well and the renovated St. Lawrence Market North.

Transportation

The TTC operates bus, streetcar, and subway systems. Streetcars on King St East 2022.jpg
The TTC operates bus, streetcar, and subway systems.

Yonge Street, a major arterial route in the city, begins at the northern shore of the Toronto Harbour and runs through downtown, continuing north all the way to the city of Barrie, Ontario. Other notable streets include Dundas, Bloor, Queen, King, and University.

Union Station, Toronto's main intermodal transit hub providing inter-city Via Rail services and commuter services to the rest of the city region. Toronto Union Station (9841374213).jpg
Union Station, Toronto's main intermodal transit hub providing inter-city Via Rail services and commuter services to the rest of the city region.

The Toronto Transit Commission administers the Toronto area's public transportation system, including buses, streetcar, and subways. The regional public transportation service, GO Transit, also provides bus and commuter train service to downtown Toronto from its hub, Union Station. Union Station is the city's major intermodal transportation hub, providing access not only to local and regional public transit, but also to inter-city rail services like Via Rail.

In addition to surface-level pedestrian sidewalks, much of downtown Toronto is also connected through the PATH Underground, an extensive network of underground pedestrian tunnels, skyways, and at-grade walkways.

Nearby airports include Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, which is adjacent to the downtown area, and the much larger Toronto Pearson International Airport located 27 km to the northwest.

See also

Notes

  1. This neighbourhood includes areas outside the boundaries of downtown Toronto.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yonge Street</span> Historic road in Ontario, Canada

Yonge Street is a major arterial route in the Canadian province of Ontario connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. Ontario's first colonial administrator, John Graves Simcoe, named the street for his friend Sir George Yonge, an expert on ancient Roman roads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bay Street</span> Thoroughfare in Toronto, Canada

Bay Street is a major thoroughfare in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the centre of Toronto's Financial District and is often used by metonymy to refer to Canada's financial services industry since succeeding Montreal's St. James Street in that role in the 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spadina Avenue</span> Thoroughfare in Toronto, Ontario

Spadina Avenue is one of the most prominent streets in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Running through the western section of downtown, the road has a very different character in different neighbourhoods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King Street (Toronto)</span> Thoroughfare in Canada

King Street is a major east–west commercial thoroughfare in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was one of the first streets laid out in the 1793 plan of the town of York, which became Toronto in 1834.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto—St. Paul's (federal electoral district)</span> Federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada

Toronto—St. Paul's is a federal electoral district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada since 1935. Before the 2015 election, the riding was known as St. Paul's.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queen station</span> Toronto subway station

Queen is a subway station on Line 1 Yonge–University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located under Yonge Street north from Queen Street to Shuter Street. Wi-Fi service is available at this station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bloor Street</span> Major thoroughfare in Toronto

Bloor Street is a major east–west residential and commercial thoroughfare in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Bloor Street runs from the Prince Edward Viaduct, which spans the Don River Valley, westward into Mississauga where it ends at Central Parkway. East of the viaduct, Danforth Avenue continues along the same right-of-way. The street, approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) long, contains a significant cross-sample of Toronto's ethnic communities. It is also home to Toronto's famous shopping street, the Mink Mile.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Downtown Calgary</span> Neighbourhood in Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Downtown Calgary is a dense urban district in central Calgary, Alberta. It contains the second largest concentration of head offices in Canada, despite only being the country's fourth largest city in terms of population. The downtown is divided into several residential, commercial, corporate, and mixed-use neighbourhoods, including the Financial District (CBD), Eau Claire, Chinatown, East Village, Beltline, and the West End.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Downtown Montreal</span> Neighbourhood, central business district of Montreal in Quebec, Canada

Downtown Montreal is the central business district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culture in Toronto</span> Overview of the culture of Toronto, Canada

Toronto is the largest city in Canada and one of the most multicultural cities in the world. Many immigrant cultures have brought their traditions languages and music to Toronto. Toronto, the capital of the province of Ontario, is a major Canadian city along Lake Ontario's northwestern shore. It's a dynamic metropolis with a core of soaring skyscrapers, all dwarfed by the iconic, free-standing CN Tower. Toronto also has many green spaces, from the orderly oval of Queen's Park to 400-acre High Park and its trails, sports facilities and zoo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islington-City Centre West</span> Neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Islington-City Centre West is a commercial and residential neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. One of four central business districts outside Downtown Toronto, it is bounded by Rathburn Road to the north, Islington Avenue to the east, Bloor Street to the south, Mimico Creek to the west.

Uptown Toronto is an area in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that is considered to be north of Midtown Toronto.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Discovery District</span> Neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The Discovery District is one of the commercial districts in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It has a high concentration of hospitals and research institutions, particularly those related to biotechnology. The district is roughly bounded by Bloor Street on the north, Bay Street on the east, Dundas Street on the south, and Spadina Avenue on the west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Downtown Yonge</span>

Downtown Yonge is a retail and entertainment district centred on Yonge Street in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Downtown Yonge district is bounded by Richmond Street to the south; Grosvenor and Alexander Streets to the north; Bay Street to the west; and portions of Church Street, Victoria Street, and Bond Street to the east. All property owners and commercial tenants within these boundaries are members of the Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area association, founded in 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal York Road</span> Thoroughfare in Toronto, Ontario

Royal York Road, historically known as Church Street or New Church Street, is a north-south arterial road in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is a concession road, 5 concessions (10 km) west of Yonge Street, and runs through many residential neighbourhoods, most notably Mimico and the Kingsway. It is classified as a "minor arterial" road by the city of Toronto.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grange Park (neighbourhood)</span> Neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Grange Park is a neighbourhood in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is bounded on the west by Spadina Avenue, on the north by College Street, on the east by University Avenue and on the south by Queen Street West. It is within the 'Kensington-Chinatown' planning neighbourhood of the City of Toronto. Its name is derived from the Grange Park public park. The commercial businesses of Chinatown extend within this neighbourhood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto Theatre District</span>

The Toronto Theatre District is a part of the Toronto Entertainment District in Downtown Toronto that contains the largest concentration of stage theatres in Canada. It is the third largest English-speaking theatre district in the world, after West End in London and Broadway in New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dundas Street</span> Major arterial road in Ontario, Canada

Dundas Street is a major historic arterial road in Ontario, Canada. The road connects the city of Toronto with its western suburbs and several cities in southwestern Ontario. Three provincial highways—2, 5, and 99—followed long sections of its course, although these highway segments have since been downloaded to the municipalities they passed through. Originally intended as a military route to connect the shipping port of York to the envisioned future capital of London, Ontario, the street today connects Toronto landmarks such as Yonge–Dundas Square and the city's principal Chinatown to rural villages and the regional centres of Hamilton and London.

References

  1. "Defining Canada's Downtown Neighbourhoods: 2016 Boundaries" (PDF). www150.statcan.gc.ca. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  2. "Defining Canada's Downtown Neighbourhoods: 2016 Boundaries" (PDF). www150.statcan.gc.ca. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  3. "Defining Canada's Downtown Neighbourhoods: 2016 Boundaries" (PDF). www150.statcan.gc.ca. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  4. "Database - SkyscraperPage.com". skyscraperpage.com.
  5. "Defining Canada's Downtown Neighbourhoods: 2016 Boundaries" (PDF). www150.statcan.gc.ca. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 25 September 2021.

43°39′9.01″N79°23′0.81″W / 43.6525028°N 79.3835583°W / 43.6525028; -79.3835583