Introduction ๐
Welcome to Ontario, one of Canada's most amazing provinces! Ontario is like a giant playground filled with incredible waterfalls, towering towers, bustling cities, and millions of friendly people. It's a place where basketball was invented, where you can see one of the world's most famous waterfalls, and where people speak many different languages from around the world. Get ready to discover why Ontario is such a special place!
Where Is Ontario? ๐
Ontario is located right in the heart of Canada! Ontario shares borders with Manitoba to the west and Quebec to the east. To the north, it touches Hudson Bay and James Bay. To the south, Ontario borders the U.S. states of Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.
Ontario covers one million square kilometres. This makes it larger than Spain and France combined! Ontario is the second-largest province in Canada, coming in behind Quebec.
The province is so big that if it were a country, it would be the 28th largest one in the world. That's enormous! Ontario sits next to the famous Great Lakes, and Ontario is also the starting point of the Saint Lawrence River, the largest in Canada by drainage volume, which flows from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic.
How Many People Live There? ๐จโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ฆ
Ontario is home to lots and lots of people! As of July 1, 2025, Ontario's population reached 16,258,260
- that's more than 16 million people! To put that in perspective, Ontario is home to almost four in every ten (38.45% in 2021) Canadians.
Ontario is the largest province in Canada, and Canada's richest province. Toronto, the largest city in Ontario is also the largest city in Canada.
Toronto is the capital of Ontario and is the largest city in Canada with over 3 million residents. Almost 25% of Canada's population lives within a 160 km radius of Toronto.
Here's something really cool: 95% of Ontario's population live in Southern Ontario, which occupies only 13% of the province's total land. That means most people live in the warmer, southern part of the province!
Special Places to See ๐๏ธ
The CN Tower in Toronto
The CN Tower, an iconic symbol of Toronto, is another must-see landmark that offers unmatched city views. Standing 553 metres tall, it was once the tallest freestanding structure in the world and still stands as one of the tallest towers globally.
Feel the CN Tower sway in the wind in the Top, the highest observation platform in the Western Hemisphere. You can even walk around the outside edge of the tower in an activity called EdgeWalk - how exciting is that!
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is undoubtedly one of the most famous natural landmarks in the world. Located on the border between Ontario and New York, this incredible waterfall draws millions of visitors yearly.
For an immersive experience, take a boat ride on the Maid of the Mist, which brings you up close to the falls for an unforgettable, drenched experience.
Standing 520 feet tall from ground level, and towering 775 feet over the falls, this iconic attraction offers visitors an incredible view of the landscape below.
Language and Food ๐ฃ๏ธ๐ฝ๏ธ
People in Ontario speak many different languages! There are over 140 languages and dialects spoken in Toronto and 44% of residents have a first language that isn't English or French.
Although the whole country is technically bilingual, the majority of French-speakers are concentrated in the east of the country - including Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Quebec
- but English is the main language most people speak in Ontario.
When it comes to food, Ontario has some delicious treats! Maclean's 2017 survey of "favourite iconic Canadian food" placed poutine first with 21% of respondents, ahead of maple syrup with 14%. Poutine is crispy french fries topped with squeaky cheese curds and smothered in rich gravy. The combination of textures and flavors is simply irresistible, making poutine a beloved comfort food across the country.
Of course, maple syrup is perhaps the biggest Canadian foodie traditionsโit can't get more traditional than pure maple syrup extracted from forests across Canada. Pure Maple Syrup is used in plenty of recipes and suitable for every season. All four grades are 100% natural products that are perfect for adding a bit of sweetness to many favourite dishes and recipes.
A Famous Musician from Ontario ๐ต
Meet Shania Twain, one of Ontario's most famous musical superstars! Northeastern Ontario's most famous music export is Shania Twain. It's not really up for debate - she's sold over 100 million records and is the best-selling female country artist of all time.
Country-pop megastar Shania Twain might have sold more than 100 million albums, but the Windsor-born singer is still true to her roots. "Northern Ontario is unique," she told Maclean's in 2002. "I don't know whether it's just because I'm from there, but I just have a connection."
Shania is famous for hit songs like "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" and "That Don't Impress Me Much" that people all around the world love to sing along to. Even though she became a huge international star, she never forgot her Ontario roots!
A Scientist from Ontario ๐งช
Let's learn about Dr. James Naismith, an amazing inventor from Ontario! Almonte, Ontario native, James Naismith, M.A., M.D., D.D, (1861 โ 1939) advanced sports and sports inventions. Naismith, a physical education student in Montreal, is credited with inventing the 5-player, team basketball while teaching at what is now Springfield College in Massachusetts.
James Naismith was born on 6 November 1861 in Ramsay Township near Almonte, Ontario, a mill town in the Ottawa Valley, where he attended grade school. Naismith spent the bulk of his free time outdoors playing games with friends, developing a passion for sports and physical activity.
James Naismith, a native of Almonte, Ontario, invented basketball in 1891 at the YMCA International Training School, now Springfield College, in Springfield, Massachusetts. As a physical education instructor, he created this new sport by taking up a teacher's challenge to develop a game that would keep students active during the winter months. He sought to develop a game that emphasizes skill rather than strength. Today, millions of kids around the world play the game that Dr. Naismith invented!
Fun Fact About Ontario ๐คฏ
Here's an amazing fact that will blow your mind: Boasting approximately 250,000 lakes, Ontario is estimated to have 20% of the world's freshwater stores. What's more, there are over 100,000 kilometres of rivers! That means Ontario has more fresh water than almost anywhere else on Earth!
During World War II, Canada operated a spy school called Camp X near the town of Whitby, Ontario. Here, intrepid young men were trained to spy on the enemies of the Allies. Ian Fleming, creator of the James Bond series of books, and Roald Dahl, author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Today, Camp X is now Intrepid Park.
And here's another cool fact: The word 'Toronto' means 'meeting place' in the native American dialect of the Huron tribe. So Toronto has always been a place where people come together - just like it is today with people from all over the world!
Ontario truly is a wonderful place full of amazing people, incredible sights, and fascinating history. From the thundering Niagara Falls to the towering CN Tower, from basketball inventors to country music superstars, Ontario has something special for everyone to discover and enjoy! ๐