Ontario
Ontario is a Canadian province bordered by the Great Lakes and Hudson Bay. It contains Canada’s capital, Ottawa, and its largest city, Toronto.
Great Lakes: A chain of five large freshwater lakes on the Canada–United States border. Four Great Lakes form Ontario’s southern and western borders.
Legislative Assembly of Ontario: Ontario’s elected legislature, which makes provincial laws and holds the government accountable. It is the province’s central lawmaking institution.
Indigenous peoples in Canada: The First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples whose histories and communities predate and continue within Canada. Indigenous nations have longstanding connections to the lands now called Ontario.
Economy of Ontario: The economic system of Ontario, spanning manufacturing, finance, natural resources, and services. The province has Canada’s largest provincial economy.
Northern Ontario: The sparsely populated northern region of Ontario, characterized by forests, lakes, and extensive mineral resources. It contrasts sharply with the province’s dense southern corridor.
Hudson Bay: A large inland sea in northeastern Canada connected to the Atlantic Ocean. Ontario reaches Hudson Bay in its sparsely populated northern region.
Premier of Ontario: The head of government in Ontario, usually the leader of the largest party in the legislature. The premier leads the provincial cabinet and sets its policy agenda.
Province of Quebec (1763–1791): A British colony created after the Seven Years’ War, encompassing much of former New France. The territory that became Ontario was governed within this colony.
St. Lawrence Seaway: A system of locks, canals, and channels enabling ocean-going vessels to reach the Great Lakes. It links Ontario’s Great Lakes ports to Atlantic trade routes.
Southern Ontario: The most densely populated region of Ontario, extending from the Great Lakes toward the province’s interior. Most of Ontario’s population and major cities are concentrated here.