How old is ontario

The vast majority of electricity in Ontario is transmitted by Hydro One. For example, in Toronto , local distribution is provided by Toronto Hydro. The province is home to three nuclear power plants. Bruce Power, located just north of Tiverton on the shores of Lake Huron , is one of the largest nuclear power plants in the world. The Pickering and Darlington nuclear stations are located east of Toronto on the shores of Lake Ontario. Natural gas and hydroelectric stations are scattered throughout the province; the largest natural gas station, the St.

The company was a crown corporation until the provincial government, under the leadership of Kathleen Wynne , began the controversial process of privatizing the firm. By the end of November , Hydro One had completed its first initial public offering. The government plans to retain 40 per cent of Hydro One shares while the remainder will be held by other investors. Between and , Ontario shut down all of its coal-fired power plants, replacing them with a combination of renewable, natural gas and nuclear energy sources.

As a result of this shift, greenhouse gas emissions produced by the electricity sector dropped 80 per cent during the same time period. There are roughly 71 million hectares of forested land in Ontario, amounting to about two-thirds of the province. Ninety per cent of these lands are owned by the Crown. Ontario is home to the largest freshwater fishery in North America. Lawrence River. Commonly caught fish include yellow perch , walleye , lake whitefish , white bass and rainbow smelt.

Ontario is the leading manufacturing province in Canada. This situation was well-established at the time of Confederation, as the desire was to place industry in a province favoured by ample transportation, abundant natural resources and accessibility to export markets in the United States. Historically, proximity to the American automotive industry encouraged the location of manufacturing plants in Ontario. The establishment of Ford, General Motors and Chrysler plants spawned a series of related industries dotted all across Southern Ontario.

Between and , there was a 25 per cent decrease in manufacturing jobs in Ontario, or , jobs lost. The decline was in large part due to a strong Canadian dollar in the early s, in turn tied to the high price of oil at the time.

A strong dollar meant companies had higher labour costs, prompting many to close or move their businesses elsewhere. The financial crisis only added to the challenges faced by manufacturing firms. For example, in , unemployment in Ontario was 6. By industry, the largest number of Ontarians are employed in the retail and wholesale trade, followed by health care and social assistance, manufacturing, professional services, and financial and real estate industries.

According to the Elections Act , provincial elections are to be held on the first Thursday of June, every four years. Sometimes, should the party in power see it as advantageous, an election may be called before this date.

Elections may also occur before four years have passed in cases where the government no longer has the confidence of the Legislative Assembly see Minority Government.

As with the other provinces, Ontario uses a first past the post electoral system, meaning the candidate with the most votes in each electoral district wins. Typically, the party with the most seats forms the government, and the leader of this party becomes premier.

However, a party with fewer seats may also form a coalition with members of another party or parties in order to form the government.

The premier typically appoints members of the Cabinet from among the MPPs also belonging to the party in power. Cabinet members are referred to as ministers and oversee specific portfolios. Typical portfolios include finance, health and education. See also Politics in Ontario. Most medical services in Canada are free. Money from taxes is pooled together to fund a health care system often referred to as medicare.

While the federal government sets guidelines, each province and territory is responsible for administering its own health care insurance plan; funding for the plan comes from both governments. As with other provinces and territories, certain services in Ontario are not covered by the provincial health insurance plan. These include going to the dentist, prescription drugs and routine eye exams for those between the ages of 20 and In Ontario, the government department responsible for administering the health care system is the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

See also Health Policy. Within both of these systems are French-language school boards or French-language sections. Each system is run by boards elected by members of the public. Since , Ontario has provided public funds to support education in Roman Catholic separate schools to the end of grade In , Premier Bill Davis startled Catholics and non-Catholics alike with a sudden announcement that his government would cover all the costs of separate school education in the remaining grades.

This policy was implemented between and Private schools are permitted to operate in accordance with the Education Act but do not receive any funding. Parents may also obtain permission from their local school board to educate their school-age children at home. On reserves, schools are run by the local First Nation and financially supported by the federal government.

The federal government also operates six schools on reserves in Ontario, including five on the Six Nations reserve and one on Tyendinaga Mohawk territory see also Education of Indigenous Peoples. In , the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled that every francophone and anglophone student in the province has a right to education in his or her mother tongue. Linguistic minorities, the court also made clear, must be guaranteed representation on school boards and a say in minority-language instruction.

The education system is organized into elementary and secondary levels. Secondary students bound for university formerly completed a fifth year of high school, or grade In general, elementary schools provide programs for children from junior kindergarten to grade 8. As of September , all school boards were required to make junior and senior kindergarten programs available. By , full-day, optional kindergarten was available for all 4- and 5-year-olds attending English-language schools; this option had been available for over 10 years to those attending French-language schools.

Many municipalities in Ontario have public transit services, most of which include services operating on fixed routes and schedules for the general public and specialized door-to-door transit services for those with disabilities. Metrolinx, an agency of the Ontario government, was created in to improve the co-ordination of transportation in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton areas. In , Metrolinx merged with GO transit, a regional public transit service, and in introduced PRESTO, an electronic fare card with the goal of allowing passengers to transfer easily between different transit systems.

There are few roads in the North, and the most reliable form of transportation in this part of the province is still by air or water.

The Ontario Northland Transportation Commission, a provincial agency, provides train and bus services to northern communities. Ontario has a large navigable water system, the St. Lawrence Seaway , along its southern frontier. Thunder Bay moves mainly coal, wheat and canola , while Hamilton handles iron ore, iron, steel, alloys and coal. Munro International Airport.

Government services are provided in English and French in many designated regions across the province. Ontario's population growth has depended on immigration ever since the American Revolution sent Loyalists north to Canada. Toronto has been called the most multicultural city in the world, where more than languages and dialects are spoken.

The median age for Ontarians is about 40 years. There are about 5 million households in Ontario and the life expectancy is about 79 years for men and 84 years for women. Toronto has the largest variety of theatres and performing arts companies in Ontario, and the second largest in North America after New York.

Dozens more fine theatres operate throughout the province. Within Canada, Ontario is the leading province for film and television production, book and magazine publishing, and sound recording. The Toronto International Film Festival, one of the largest and most influential film festivals in the world, is an annual event.

As well, Ontario is an internationally recognized hub for the interactive digital media industry producing various cutting-edge digital products and services. Most Ontario cities and towns have carefully preserved historic buildings. You can see accurately rebuilt forts and pioneer villages around the province, including Upper Canada Village in Morrisburg and Fort Wellington in Prescott.

Some towns, like Niagara-on-the-Lake and Elora, make a special effort to preserve the flavour of the past. Touring Ontario is easy by highway, boat or rail. You can visit attractions throughout the province, from country fairs and museums to zoos, floral gardens, theme parks and special events. Summer and winter, Ontario's beautiful natural settings are home to all kinds of activities.

Summertime brings swimming, boating, baseball, hiking, camping, fishing and tennis. Popular winter activities in Ontario include skating, skiing, tobogganing, curling and hockey.

Lawrence Parks Commission and many provincial parks. Skip to main content. About Ontario. Key facts Ontario is a study in contrasts. Manufacturing Ontario is part of the North American manufacturing heartland. Services industry Although Ontario is a manufacturing powerhouse, the services sector is the largest part of Ontario's economy. History People have lived in what is now Ontario for more than 12, years. Geography Ontario is Canada's second largest province, covering more than 1 million square kilometres , square miles - an area larger than France and Spain combined.

The longest north-south distance is 1, kilometres 1, miles. The highest point is metres yards above sea level, in the Timiskaming area Manitoulin Island in Georgian Bay is the world's largest freshwater island, covering 2, square kilometres 1, square miles Ontario is home to 2 time zones: the boundary line between the Central Time Zone and Eastern Time Zone is just west of Thunder Bay, running north from the United States border to Hudson Bay Ontario's most northerly communities are close to the same latitude as London, England and Warsaw, Poland.

Learn more about these resources below: Water and lakes Ontario's many lakes, rivers and streams played a central role in the province's history and development.

Fish and wildlife Ontario's varied climate and geography support habitat for more than 3, species of plants, species of fish, 50 species of amphibians and reptiles, species of birds, and more than 81 species of mammals. Energy Ontario is an important Canadian petroleum refining region, ranking second behind Alberta in refinery production in People and culture With a population of more than Languages English is Ontario's official language, though there are several French-speaking communities across the province.

Demographics, education and labour The median age for Ontarians is about 40 years. There are 20 public universities and 24 colleges of applied arts and technology. Information from Justice for Children and Youth. Related Articles What human rights protection does Canada offer? What human rights protection does Ontario offer? What are my religious rights?

What can I do if I was seriously injured by the police? What can I do if I feel harassed or discriminated against? What is the Ombudsman of Ontario? Last updated: July 8, Human Rights Protecting My Rights.