Interesting Neighbourhoods

Toronto, Ontario, Canada lies on the shore of Lake Ontario, the easternmost of the Great Lakes. Toronto is ideally located for operations with a world-wide focus. The city is 1.5 hours by air to cities such as New York, Philadelphia, Hartford, Boston, and Chicago, with direct flights available to most major world cities. The city is located in the Eastern Time Zone which allows for convenient communications with key people in the eastern seaboard of North America, while providing excellent windows of communication to European centers. The multi-cultural nature of the city (over 100 ethnic groups) provides international companies a large pool of the language skills necessary to operate in international markets.



Toronto – Your Near shore Opportunity Toronto is one of the world’s most cost-effective cities for business and a major gateway to North America’s and Europe’s fast-growing markets and unlimited opportunities. Lower costs, reduced security risks and the availability and skill of the labour force has made Toronto the Near shore choice for many companies.
Toronto is competitive and has lower business costs than 99% of the European, North American and Asian cities studied in the 2004 Competitive Alternatives report by KPMG. Quite simply, Toronto provides excellent value and large profit potential. Toronto is the financial and investment capital of the country; Canada's largest five banks and 80% of foreign banks operating in Canada have their headquarters in Toronto as do 60 per cent of Canada's top insurers, responsible for 90 per cent of the industry's total assets. The deals and decisions made by businesses, banks and brokers in the city fuel economic activity across the country and around the globe.


With a population of more than 2.5 million people, Toronto is Canada’s largest retail market, representing $33 billion or 14 per cent of total Canadian retail sales annually. It is also one-day’s drive from more than 40% of the U.S. business and consumer market. Toronto’s creativity and productivity is a perfect fit for fast-growing technology-based industries, which continually rise to the forefront.
Toronto has the third largest concentration of private ICT facilities amongst North American metropolitan areas behind San Francisco and New York respectively, and ahead of Boston and Washington D.C. Some of the best R&D tax credits in the world and more than 15,000 researchers, along with a variety of centers of excellence, the University of Toronto and the newly opened Medical and Related Sciences centre (Mars), have helped to make Toronto a North American hub for scientific study, growing biotech companies, pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
Toronto's Industry Toronto is Canada's largest employment centre. Toronto's population is one of the most ethnically diverse in the world.

QUEEN STREET WEST
Queen Street’s anti-establishment attitude belies its patrician beginnings. Initially the pastoral preserve of the city’s first colonists, as the spacious lots were broken up and sold, smaller homes and factories cropped up, bringing with them an increasing number of Eastern European immigrants. In the 1970s and 80s the area attracted a number of artists and musicians, who’ve made the area their own. Now, the city’s most vibrant streetscape, Queen Street West’s rich history is evident in the distinctive mix of boho bars and lounges, art galleries and trendy boutiques with down-at-heel fabric stores and old-time discount stores.Itinerary• Queen Street is shopping mecca to the city’s style-conscious locals. Find cool footwear at PULL (435 Queen St. W.) and Heel Boy (682 Queen St. W.). Reconfigured vintage at Preloved (613 Queen St. W.), whimsical party dresses at Misdemeanors (322 1/2 Queen St. W.), fab tops by Montreal designer Francis Beauregard at Space fb (389 Queen St. W.) and of-the-moment Canadian designers at Willow Grant (960 Queen St. W.).• For one-of-a-kind gifts head to the Japanese Paper Place (887 Queen St. W.); find funky knitwear and handmade jewellery by local designers at Fresh Collective (692 Queen St. W.); gourmet chocolates in yummy flavours (like lemon and thyme) at j.s. bonbons (811 Queen St. W.).• Bijou Asian-fusion resto Red Tea Box (696 Queen St. W.) serves up tastefully arranged Asian-inspired bento box lunches. Pick up Chippy’s (893 Queen St. W.) English-style fish and chips and grab a seat on the bench outside or on the grass across the street at Trinity-Bellwood's Park (if you’re lucky, you might catch a glimpse of the legendary albino squirrel). Clafouti’s (915 Queen St. W.) heavenly pain au chocolate are without peer.• Queen Street culture is best experienced by a tour of its many art galleries. Spin Gallery (1100 Queen St. W.) is the area’s reigning art star. Angel Gallery (890 Queen St. W.), Clint Roenisch (944 Queen St. W.), Katharine Mullein (1086 Queen St. W.), Edward Day (952 Queen St. W.) and the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (952 Queen St. W.) also make space on the scrappy West Queen West strip. Catch up-and-comers at Mind Control (42 Gladstone Ave.).• Stare down locals (they aren’t shy) on an outdoor patio. The Rivoli (334 Queen St. W.) and Juice For Life (336 & 894 Queen St. W.) are popular people watching spots, as is no-frills hangout the Black Bull Tavern (298 Queen St. W.).• Dinner. Italian bistro Terroni (720 Queen St. W.) is consistently good and new kid on the block Czehoski (678 Queen St. W.) has recently received notice for its culinary daring. Lalot (200 Bathurst St.) does delicious Vietnamese and San (676 Queen St. W.) takes on Korean fare.• Queen Streeter’s love the nightlife. Live music is on offer at legendary rock ‘n roll watering hole The Horseshoe Tavern (368 Queen St. W.) and the Drake Hotel’s (1150 Queen St. W.) arts, music and cultural programming is jam packed seven nights a week.

THE ANNEX
The downtown filled up and quarters got tight in the late 19th century, wealthy families looking for more space fled to this lush district. Founding families like the Gooderhams, Eatons and Masseys built magnificent homes here—George Gooderham’s mansion at the corner of Bloor and St. George streets now serves as the prestigious York Club (135 St. George St.). Exclusivity didn’t last and neither did fortunes and many soon moved north to Rosedale, leaving behind whole blocks of elegant Romanesque revival mansions that were soon inhabited by students and professors. Proximity to the University of Toronto makes the Annex a university centric ‘hood. That means plenty of cool coffeehouses, cheap eats, bookstores and bars.Itinerary• Grab a latté at central social hub, Future Bakery (483 Bloor St. W.) or take your time and enjoy an omelette at the ever-popular By The Way Café (400 Bloor St. W.).• Honest Ed’s (581 Bloor St. W.) bargain emporium, with its over the top exterior, and twinkling Hollywood lights offers the quintessential Annex photo op.• The Bata Shoe Museum’s (327 Bloor St. W.) exterior playfully suggests an origami shoebox. Step inside and check out the vast collection, which includes the shoes of Elton John, Marilyn Monroe and Madonna.• From Bloor Street, turn down St. George and amble through the leafy University of Toronto campus. Architecture buffs ought to check out Ron Thom’s elegant Massey College and Pritzker Prize-winning Thom Mayne’s Graduate House.• Grab a sweet treat. The Annex is graced with two of the city’s favourite ice cream stops: Greg’s Ice Cream (200 Bloor St. W.) in the Bloor Street Jewish Community Centre and Sweet Fantasies, located in a tree house-like structure at the corner of Bloor and Brunswick streets.• Bloor Street from Spadina on features a small but diverse collection of ethnic restaurants. Try Serra (378 Bloor St. W.) and Via Oliveto (376 Bloor St. W.) are long established local Italian restaurants. Juice for Life (521 Bloor St. W.) is the vegetarian and health conscious resto of choice, while Yummy BBQ (551 Bloor St. W.) serves up classic Korean fare. Right next to the Bloor Cinema (506 Bloor St. W.), a funky repertory movie theatre, find cheap and cheerful falafel takeout or St. W.), the classic rock venue has seen the likes of Nirvana, Food Fighters and The Tragically Hip. Or see what’s on at the alternative t at Ghazale (504 Bloor St. W.).• Check the concert listings at graffiti-covered Lee’s Palace (529 Bloheatre space, The Poor Alex Theatre (296 Brunswick Ave.). The city’s Fringe Theatre Festival, July, a celebration of avant-garde theatre, stages several of its shows there. See www.fringetoronto.com for a full schedule.—F.D.


St Clair West
BIA would like to have the businesses from Glenholme to Winona join them (an area know as The Gap because it is one of the only areas along St Clair that is not covered by a BIA).During the month of August , the BIA is conducting a survey of businesses in the expansion area to determine the level of support for joining the BIA. People who are interested in seeing a BIA in that area are encouraged to let the businesses know their feelings and convince them to support the expansion.St. Clair GardensThe St. Clair Gardens BIA is located on St. Clair Avenue West. between Caledonia Rd and Old Weston Rd.This developing BIA is recognized for promoting the International flavor it brings to our neighborhood. Each July we host a two day Sidewalk Sale/Festival with Entertainment, Food, Activities, Clowns, Live Bands and much, much more!We remain focused on creating a thriving competitive, clean and beautiful district that will attract shoppers and new business to our area. Our future beautification will include a streetscape enhancement by installing banners, lights and benches

LITTLE ITALY
Little Italy, now more ethnically diverse than its name implies, still retains its European character and Italian spirit, making it one of the city’s most vibrant neighbourhoods day and night. The street is filled with trendy stores and boutiques, and lots of great spots to dine and drink. Most restaurants serve Mediterranean cuisine but you will also find Peruvian, Mexican, and Japanese fare, too. When the light dims and the street posts are lit up, the nightlife also heats up. Little Italy is a people place, great for meeting people, and for people watching.Itinerary• Shop at trendy boutiques: Unique jewellery at Mink (550 College St.) or the Organic Metal Gallery (619 College St.). You can find Vespas and related fare at Motoretta (554 College St.), and the plethora of indulgent offerings at Red Pegasus (628 College St.), make it hard to leave without buying something. Girl Friday’s (776 College St.) hip in-house label has stylin’ offerings in bright and vibrant patterns.• Take a break and have a canolli and expertly made espresso at the Golden Wheat Bakery (652 College St.) or Nova Era Bakery (593 College St.).• Take a break from the heat and check out a flick at the retro-styled Royal Cinema (608 College St.).• Think locally but eat globally at the Peruvian El Bodegon (537 College St.), Japanese at Tempo (596 College St.), Italian at Grappa (797 College St.) and Coco Lezzone (602 College St.), or Portuguese at Leao D’ouro (356 College St.).• Drink up at Wild Indigo (607 College St.), which serves up a wild cocktail and martini list, as does Li’ly (656 College St.). Il Gatto Nero’s (720 College St.) extensive wine list keeps the side street patio jammed until the wee hours of the morning.• Do a little dance, sing a little song: Located in a former legion hall, Revival (783 College St.), has live music seven nights a week and a jazz brunch on Sundays. Go Latin at El Convento Rico (750 College St.), on Fridays and Saturdays at midnight, College Streeters flock to the drag queen shows.—M.C.

BALDWIN STREET VILLAGE
In contrast to areas like Yorkville or Little Italy, Baldwin Street Village breathes an air of bohemian sophistication. This culturally diverse area has seen Irish, Jewish, Portuguese, Italian and Chinese communities make their homes here. The end result of the area’s rich history is an eclectic mixture of people, cuisines and shops. You’ll find French, Italian, Japanese, Thai, Indian, Chinese, Malaysian, and Vegetarian food. Lunchtime sees a rush of suits from nearby offices, while the afternoon lull gives off a siesta vibe that can be felt along the whole street. When the sun begins to sink, twinkling lights float romantically in the canopies above enhancing the intimacy of the setting. The sound of cutlery clinking on the plates begins again, and the street remains a private, delightful entity all its own.Itinerary• Traditional Japanese cuisine at Kon-nichi-wa (31 Baldwin St.) or Fujiyama (49 Baldwin St.), Indian at Jodhpore Club (33 Baldwin St.), or Italian at Café Tuscany (45 Baldwin St.). Or grab a Chinese pastry at the Yung Sing Pastry Shop (22 Baldwin St.), and sit on the bench and ponder what else you’re going to eat.• Chada Import Gallery (25 Baldwin St.) is crammed with exotica from around the world including jewellery, furniture, clothes and knick-knacks. Music of all kinds including albums (remember those?) are at Around Again (18 Baldwin St.).• A margarita at Margarita’s (14 Baldwin St.) is a great way to unwind. Finish off your day with an intimate dinner. Classical French can be found at Bodega (30 Baldwin St.) and Café la Gaffe (24 Baldwin St.), or if you have Malaysia on your mind, the Mata Hari Grill (39 Baldwin St.) will take you there. —M.C.

Dovercourt Village
Small but energetic and community-conscious, Dovercourt Village began in 1985 and extends along Dovercourt Road north and south from Hallam Street as well as east and west along Hallam. It boasts a concentration of small shops offering a variety of items, from taste-tempting baked goods to fashionable apparel.

Harbord Street
"Something for everyone" characterizes this pleasant retreat near the heart of the busy city. Here you'll find a number of specialty bookstores, including one just for children, arts and crafts galleries, a hair and skin studio for men and women, music stores, a famous bakery and calandrina plus a taste-tempting variety of eating places offering everything from your favourite sub or pizza as well as various other ethnic dishes to the trendiest in luxury dining. Harbord Street was established as a BIA in 1983.

Hillcrest Village
An area along St. Clair Avenue from Christie Street west to Winona Drive where shoppers can enjoy a wide range of services, with clothing stores galore, beauty salons, travel agencies, quality restaurants and fast food outlets. Hillcrest Village has been a BIA since 1984.

Junction,
The Junction encourages you to be yourself by creating a style of your own. We offer the best in: alternative medicine, leisure activities, home décor, personal style and international, licensed eateries. The Junction is an active & proud supporter of the Arts: enjoy the A&E offered in the annual Beat the February Blues Festival and mark your calendars for the Junction Arts Festival (mid-September), where art truly “meets street”. Include us in your enjoyment of citywide events, such as Contact (every May: photography) and the Home & Style Tour (October). The Junction is easily accessible by TTC (Dundas Street West, Keele stations) and is geographically located on Dundas Street West, from Indian Grove to Quebec Avenue.Kennedy Road

Little Italy
Its name is a tribute to the history of this great neighbourhood, which was once Italian to the core. Today Little Italy, etablished in 1985, is also home to South American, Portuguese, and Asian newcomers adding a diverse multicultural mosaic to this eclectic neighbourhood, which runs along College Street from Euclid Avenue west to Shaw Street.
St. Clair Gardens
The St. Clair Gardens BIA is located on St. Clair Avenue West. between Caledonia Rd and Old Weston Rd.This developing BIA is recognized for promoting the International flavor it brings to our neighborhood. Each July we host a two day Sidewalk Sale/Festival with Entertainment, Food, Activities, Clowns, Live Bands and much, much more!We remain focused on creating a thriving competitive, clean and beautiful district that will attract shoppers and new business to our area. Our future beautification will include a streetscape enhancement by installing banners, lights and benches