Greater Toronto Area (original) (raw)
The Greater Toronto Area (called the GTA by local residents) is the largest Metropolitan area in Canada and fourth largest in North America, centred around Toronto, with an official population of 5,033,541 (2001). Besides the City of Toronto, it also includes four distinct Regional Municipalites and the Chippewas of Georgina Island Native Reserve. The federal government also includes portions of Simcoe County and Dufferin County and excludes portions of Durham Region and Halton Region for census purposes, but all areas combined are generally thought of being part of the GTA.
Municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area:
| Municipality | Population | Region | Association |
|---|---|---|---|
| Town of Ajax | 76,000 | Durham | GTAAM, CMA |
| Town of Aurora | 40,000 | York | GTAAM, CMA |
| City of Barrie | 104,000 | Simcoe County | Unofficial |
| Town of Bradford-West Gwillimbury | 22,000 | Simcoe County | CMA |
| City of Brampton | 352,000 | Peel | GTAAM, CMA |
| Township of Brock | 12,000 | Durham | GTAAM |
| City of Burlington | 151,000 | Halton | GTAAM |
| Town of Caledon | 51,000 | Peel | GTAAM, CMA |
| Municipality of Clarington | 70,000 | Durham | GTAAM |
| Town of East Gwillimbury | 21,000 | York | GTAAM, CMA |
| Town of Georgina | 39,000 | York | GTAAM, CMA |
| Town of Halton Hills | 48,000 | Halton | GTAAM, CMA |
| Town of Innisfil | 29,000 | Simcoe County | Unofficial |
| Township of King | 19,000 | York | GTAAM, CMA |
| Town of Markham | 209,000 | York | GTAAM, CMA |
| Town of Milton | 31,000 | Halton | GTAAM, CMA |
| City of Mississauga | 613,000 | Peel | GTAAM, CMA |
| Town of Mono | 7,000 | Dufferin County | CMA |
| Town of Newmarket | 66,000 | York | GTAAM, CMA |
| Town of New Tecumseth | 26,000 | Simcoe County | CMA |
| Town of Oakville | 145,000 | Halton | GTAAM, CMA |
| Town of Orangeville | 25,000 | Dufferin County | CMA |
| City of Oshawa | 139,000 | Durham | GTAAM |
| City of Pickering | 87,000 | Durham | GTAAM, CMA |
| Town of Richmond Hill | 132,000 | York | GTAAM, CMA |
| Township of Scugog | 20,000 | Durham | GTAAM |
| City of Toronto | 2,484,000 | GTAAM, CMA | |
| Township of Uxbridge | 17,000 | Durham | GTAAM |
| City of Vaughan | 182,000 | York | GTAAM, CMA |
| Town of Whitby | 87,000 | Durham | GTAAM |
| Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville | 22,000 | York | GTAAM, CMA |
Some municipalities are not within the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area (CMA), but are within the Greater Toronto Area Association of Municipalities (GTAAM). Likewise, some municipalities are not part of the GTAAM but part of the Toronto CMA. Some municipalities, such as Barrie, are in neither the GTAAM nor CMA but still considered part of the GTA by local residents. Ultimately, all the above listed municipalities are thought of as being part of the Greater Toronto Area, regardless of official association.
The following regional governments are included in the Greater Toronto Area:
- Regional Municipality of Durham
- Regional Municipality of Halton
- Regional Municipality of Peel
- Regional Municipality of York
The City of Hamilton, Regional Municipality of Niagara and City of Guelph all have significant ties to Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. Nonetheless, these ties aren't strong enough for them be considered part of the GTA, officially or otherwise. It is expected that with current rate of regional growth these areas will one day in the future become part of the Greater Toronto Area. In some cases the provincial government already includes Hamilton in Niagara as part of the GTA for record keeping purposes as well as for transportation planning. In 2001, Statistics Canada included a new level of census management called Census Regions, roughly equivilent to an American Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (CMSA). The Extended Golden Horseshoe Census Region includes all of the Greater Toronto Area listed above, as well as Niagara, Hamilton, Guelph and Kitchener-Waterloo. Combined, the Extended Golden Horseshoe has a population of 6.8 million people and contains roughly one quarter of Canada's population.
Toronto and the GTA are served by six distinct area codes. It is often thought that Toronto itself is area code 416, while the Greater Toronto Area is area code 905. This division by area code has become part of the local culture to the point where local media would refer to something inside Toronto as "The 416s" and outside of Toronto as "The 905s." Though for the most part this was correct, it isn't entirly true as some portions of Durham Region area area code 705, and some portions of Peel Region are area code 519. Things became even more complicated by the addition of two overlay area codes in the area with 647 being overlaid on 416 in March, 2001 and 289 on 905 in July, 2001. 10-digit telephone dialing, including the area code for local calls, is required throughout all of the GTA as well as Hamilton and Niagara.