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Event
Information:
The
celebrations of Canada's 144th
birthday in Toronto will be marked
with music and a spectacular
fireworks display in Mel Lastman
Square. The evening starts with
musical performances by Canadian
bands and concludes with the
stunning fireworks display
choreographed to music. Frequently
referred to as "Canada's birthday",
particularly in the popular press,
the occasion marks the joining of
the British North American colonies
of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and
the Province of Canada into a
federation of four provinces (the
Province of Canada being divided, in
the process, into Ontario and
Quebec) on July 1, 1867. Canada
became a kingdom in its own right on
that date, but the British
Parliament kept limited rights of
political control over the new
country that were shed by stages
over the years until the last
vestiges were surrendered in 1982
when the Constitution Act patriated
the Canadian constitution.
Under
the federal Holidays Act, Canada Day
is observed on July 1 unless that
date falls on a Sunday, in which
case July 2 is the statutory
holiday, although celebratory events
generally take place on July 1 even
though it is not the legal holiday.
If it falls on a Saturday, the
following Monday is generally also a
day off for those businesses
ordinarily closed on Saturdays.
Toronto covers an area of 630 square
kilometres (243 sq mi), with a
maximum north-south distance of 21
kilometres (13 mi) and a maximum
east-west distance of 43 km (27 mi).
It has a 46-kilometre (29 mi) long
waterfront shoreline, on the
northwestern shore of Lake Ontario.
The Toronto Islands and Port Lands
extend some distance out into the
lake, allowing for a somewhat
sheltered Toronto Harbour
immediately south of the downtown
core. The city's borders are formed
by Lake Ontario to the south,
Etobicoke Creek and Highway 427 to
the west, Steeles Avenue to the
north and the Rouge River to the
east.
The
city is intersected by two rivers
and numerous tributaries: the Humber
River in the west end and the Don
River east of downtown at opposite
ends of the Toronto Harbour. The
harbour was naturally created by
sediment build-up from lake currents
that created the Toronto Islands.
The many creeks and rivers cutting
from north toward the lake created
large tracts of densely forested
ravines, and provide ideal sites for
parks and recreational trails.
However, the ravines also interfere
with the city's grid plan, and this
results in major thoroughfares such
as Finch Avenue, Leslie Street,
Lawrence Avenue, and St. Clair
Avenue terminating on one side of
ravines and continuing on the other
side. Other thoroughfares such as
the Prince Edward Viaduct are
required to span above the ravines.
These deep ravines prove useful for
draining the city's vast storm sewer
system during heavy rains, but some
sections, particularly near the Don
River are prone to sudden, heavy
floods.
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