Toronto, that is derived from the Iroquois word 'tkaronto' means "place where trees stand in the water." During the nineteenth century, a large-scale sewage system was built, illuminating the streets with gas lighting as a regular service. Long-distance railway lines were likewise built, comprising the Northern Railway of Canada and the Grand Trunk Railway. The dramatic increase of these railways has significantly increased the number of immigrants who settled in the area. Following the Second World War, job-finders from China, refugees from war-torn Europe and construction workers from Portugal and Italy arrived. Elimination of racial immigration policies by the late 1960's have increased Toronto's population to over one million in the year 1951. By the 1980's, Toronto's population became a lot bigger compared to Montreal, and during the year 1954, the City of Toronto and other twelve nearby municipalities were federated into a regional government called Metropolitan Toronto.
Toronto City has more than 50 dance and ballet companies, six opera companies, two symphony orchestras, and lots of theatres. The City houses the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, National Ballet of Canada, Canadian Stage Company, and the Canadian Opera Company. various popular places consist of: Toronto Centre for the Arts, Sony Centre for the performing Arts, the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre, Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Roy Thomson Hall, the Royal Alexandra Theatre and the Princess Wales Theatre. Ontario Place boasts of Cinesphere, the globe's first permanent IMAX movie theatre. Molson Ampitheatre is an open-air venue used for large scale music concerts. The Canadian Stage Company also presents an outdoor Shakespeare production in Toronto's High Park called "Dream in the Park" every summertime. Canada likewise has a Walk of Fame that recognizes Canadians who are successful. The Distillery District is a pedestrian village which has various art studios, boutiques, restaurants, art galleries, small breweries, including the popular Mill Street Brewery. The Young Centre for the Performing Arts is home to the drama production of George Brown College and Soulpepper Theatre Company.
One of the more elegant and luxurious shopping and dining places could be found within the Yorkville neighbourhood. Various international celebrities can be spotted within this area, specially all through the Toronto International Film Festival. The Toronto Eaton Centre is likewise of the very best shopping sites in North America, drawing over fifty-two million tourists and visitors each and every year. Greektown (Danforth) is also another major tourist attraction. It has one of the biggest number of restaurants for every kilometer in the globe, and is likewise home to the annual "Taste of the Danforth" festival that draws more than one million individuals every 2 days.
All of the big five banks of Canada are based in Toronto City: Bank of Nova Scotia, Royal Bank of Canada, Toronto-Dominion Bank, Bank of Montreal, and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. The city is an influential centre for the publishing, film production, telecommunications, media and information technology industry. Celestical, Thompson Corporation, Rogers Communication, and CTVglobemedia are located here, as well as Manulife Financial, Sun Life Financial, Four Seasons Hotels, and Hudson's Bay Company. Toronto City is also a distribution point for the industrial sector. Quebec City-Windsor Corridor's extensive road and rail connections support the neighboring manufacturing of paper, chemicals, food, machinery, steel, iron, and motor vehicles.