Ontario, yours to Discover

Ontario, is the second largest province in Canada and the most populous province sitting at 13 million people (40% of Canada, 2005 estimates). Ontario’s surface area is 1 million square kilometers, (twice the size of France or California). Ontario’s GDP is 538 billions dollars, representing also 40% of Canada’s GDP.

The largest city in Ontario (and in Canada too), is Toronto with 5,5 million people, 51% of which are pure immigrants…..the others are of Italian, German, Chinese, Portuguese, Indian, Polish, Caribbean or Arab origin.

Ontario’s population is mostly made of loyalist, British colonialists who fled the US independence war in 1781. But before that, Ontario’s original inhabitants (the true Canadian) were the Ojibwa, the Nipissing and the Algonquin and many others.

As far as education is concerned, Ontario has the best universities in Canada, namely University of Toronto (U.Of.T) and Queen’s University in Kingston (old capital of Canada)

Ontario’s economy is based solely on manufacturing and export; its main trading partner is the United States of America much less than neighboring Quebec or Europe and Asia. Ontario due to its culture, language and people are high integrated in the US, however it is still represents the founding nation of Canada (along with Quebec).

As far as nature is concerned, Ontario is full of natural parks, among them Algonquin park which is roughly the size of the republic of Tunisia in square kms. This is my favorite destination during the summer as it is only 4 hours drive north. Ontario has also 250,000 lakes; representing roughly 10% of the world water reserves (Canada has 25% of all world water reserves).

The most striking fact about Ontario is the cost of doing business. Ontario ranks first among the G7 countries (France second, UK fourth) in competitiveness in terms of setting up a business or conducting Scientific or Industrial R&D.

Overall cost of living varies from City to city, with Toronto – the capital of Ontario - being the most expensive to live in, as the cost of living there is comparable to that of the big apple city or Los Angeles, with housing prices starting from 600k. In other cities, like Ottawa, Kingston or Sudbury, it is more manageable.

Ontario is famous for its wineries, it's nickel mines and famously for Niagara Falls. One of the north american must go places for tourists.

Ontario has a population of 300 to 500 Tunisians (compared to 8000 in quebec), most of who, are high income earners with university degrees, bi-lingual, working in the high tech sector / government jobs or teaching at universities. These Tunisians are unfortunately scattered all over the province, clustered in groups with no sense of community or belonging. However, during the past few years, a new trend of immigration of English Speaking Tunisians have emerged, these are mostly coming from Europe or from the US fearing backlash against muslim and Arab after sept 11. Ontario is by far the least islamphobic place in North amerca...but that's changing...

Ontario has been my home since 1994 (at the exception of few years spent in the states for school or work) . You you come by, drop me a line...