City (pop., 2001: city, 2,481,494; metro. area, 4,682,897), capital of Ontario , Canada.
Canada's third largest city, it lies on the northern shore of Seneca tribes, it occupies the site of a French trading post established с 1750. It was founded in 1793 as York by Americans loyal to the British. U.S. troops sacked it twice during the War of 1812 . In 1834 it received its city charter and current name. It became the capital of Ontario in 1867. In 1954 it formed a municipality with the adjoining towns of Etobicoke , East York , North York , Scarborough , and York , making it the most populous metropolitan area in Canada. It is Canada's financial and commercial centre, the seat of the Toronto Stock Exchange, and a major international trading centre, with access to Atlantic shipping via the Saint Lawrence Seaway and to major U.S. ports via the Great Lakes . It produces more than half of Canada's manufactured goods. Extensive immigration (1950–90) brought a variety of foreign cultures that transformed it into one of the liveliest cities on the continent. It is the site of the CN Tower (the world's tallest freestanding structure), the Hockey Hall of Fame, and the annual Canadian National Exhibition. Its educational institutions include the University of Toronto (1827) and Victoria University (1836).