Business climate Toronto is Canada's business and financial centre. The city's financial services sector employs around 230,000 people and you'll find most banks and financial institutions in the Bay Street area. There's also a thriving life-sciences sector, partly due to generous R&D tax incentives. Thousands of tech companies are also housed here. Ontario province is increasingly popular with cleantech and green-energy companies. A skilled and well-educated workforce, combined with a sophisticated infrastructure, attracts companies globally.
Etiquette Multicultural Toronto is welcoming and friendly. Business meetings tend to be relaxed and fairly informal, though punctuality is a must and politeness is paramount. Businesspeople here are rational and logical, so won't be won over by passion and feelings. There's a conventional dress code, with suits and ties expected for men in financial circles. But dress-down Fridays are increasingly common for both sexes. Use first names after formal introductions, and hand out business cards from the start. Canadians are known for their courtesy, so expect a give-and-take approach in meetings. Hold back on comparisons between Canada and the US.
Don't miss The neighbourhoods easily explored on foot. See the city from a Red Rocket streetcar. A ride to the top of the CN Tower
to take in dramatic views across the city and Lake Ontario is mandatory; those with a booking in the stylish revolving restaurant at the top skip long queues for the lift and the fee to enter the observation deck. Catch a ferry across the lake to the chain of peaceful Toronto islands.
Culture Check out the Art Gallery of Ontario, which displays 4,000 artworks. Alternatively, visit the Royal Ontario Museum, housed in a spectacular building with impressive exhibitions on world cultures and natural history. For a different experience, head for the Bata Shoe Museum, a collection of more than 10,000 shoes.
Where to stay For ultimate comfort the Park Hyatt Hotel is unbeatable. Located a short walk from the university, it's a stone's throw from the exclusive shops on Bloor Street's so-called Mink Mile. The Novotel Toronto Centre is a great option downtown, near Union Station and in walking distance of most sights, including the old Distillery District and the Rogers Centre.
Eat like a local The city's multiculturalism is reflected in its restaurants. C'est What? pub near St Lawrence Market serves quality home-cooked ethnic food and offers a mind-boggling array of microbrews as well as live music. The Canoe restaurant, left, atop the Dominion Bank Tower, offers striking city views along with fine-dining fare. For a typical snack, try the ubiquitous poutine, fries covered in gravy and cheese curd.
Getting there Air Canada and British Airways fly to Toronto Pearson International Airport daily from Heathrow while Thomas Cook offers twice-weekly departures from Gatwick. Indirect flights are available with other airlines, including KLM, Air France and United. The journey downtown on the Airport Express bus takes 40 minutes. Tickets cost around £23 return.
