Chinatown

You’ll know you’ve arrived in Toronto’s main Chinatown because English disappears from the storefront signs, replaced by the elegant strokes of Chinese script. Even the street signs are bilingual here. Wander the sidewalks until you spot an unfamiliar fruit. Maybe it’s mangosteen or maybe dragonfruit. Over five percent of Toronto speaks Mandarin or Cantonese at home and more than a quarter-million are of Chinese background.

Their cultural epicentre is at Dundas and Spadina, but there are other pockets of interest. One is located at Gerrard and Broadview. Another is anchored by the Pacific Mall and its 400 stores, selling everything from herbs to jade jewelry. The Chinatowns in Mississauga and Scarborough are prime examples of how strong the Chinese community has grown.

Major Event
Chinatown’s Chinese New Year festivities climax with the Dragon Dance Parade. Colourful dragons swirl through the neighbourhood, bringing good luck for the coming year.

Interesting Fact
Chinatown was once located where Toronto’s new city hall is. To make room for the city’s municipal masterpiece, it moved and eventually lost the moniker of “New” Chinatown.