In Ontario, anyone 19 years of age or over may buy liquor and imported or domestic wine and beer from government liquor stores known as the LCBO. These stores are open daily including some holidays (exceptions may apply). A large selection of domestic beer is available from Beer Stores throughout Ontario. These too are open daily including some holidays (exceptions may apply). Drinking hours in licenced establishments are from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. In Ontario it is illegal to consume alcohol anywhere other than in a residence or on licenced premises.
Driving motorized vehicles, including cars, trucks, All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), snowmobiles, and boats, while impaired is illegal. You can immediately lose your licence for 90 days for refusing to take a breathalyser test or having a breathalyser reading greater than 80 mg (0.08%) of alcohol per 100 mL of blood. Charges may be laid under the Criminal Code of Canada.
It is recommended that visitors use Canadian funds in Ontario. Currency exchange offices, conveniently located at most Ontario Travel Information Centres at the U.S./Ontario border, offer a good rate of exchange and are open daily. A good rate of exchange is also offered at the currency exchanges at international airports (Toronto, Ottawa) and at all banks, trust companies and credit unions. Banks are generally open Monday to Saturday.
Visitors are strongly urged to obtain health insurance before leaving their home province or country. (Your health insurance plan may not extend coverage outside your country of residence.) If you are taking medicine prescribed by your doctor, bring an adequate supply and a copy of the prescription in case it needs to be renewed by a doctor in Ontario. For further information and insurance details, contact your travel agent or insurance agent.
Although English is Ontario's official language, French is spoken in many communities, and French language rights have been extended to the legal and educational systems. The searchable Franco-Ontarian Directory lets you access approximately 3,000 organizations, associations and institutions that operate in French in Ontario.
Following is a list of holidays in Ontario for 2008:
- New Year's Day, January 1
- Good Friday, late March/early April
- Easter Sunday, late March/early April
- Victoria Day, Third Monday in May
- Canada Day, July 1
- Civic Holiday, First Monday in August
- Labour Day, First Monday in September
- Canadian Thanksgiving, Second Monday in October
- Remembrance Day, November 11
- Christmas Day, December 25
- Boxing Day, December 26
Most banks, trust companies, post offices and postsecondary institutions in Ontario close on these holidays; be sure to check ahead.
In general, Ontario's climate is considered continental, with temperatures ranging from humid in the south, with chilly winters and warm summers, to sub-Arctic in the north. Due to Ontario's size, temperatures may vary tremendously from region to region and even within the regions themselves. The large bodies of water in the north and south have a bit of a moderating effect on the climate, with less extreme temperatures during the summer and winter months. This effect also reduces the differences between day and night temperatures.
On average, the coldest month of the year is January and the warmest is July. January temperatures around the Ottawa River in Eastern Ontario average -13 C (9 F). From Niagara Falls to Windsor, the January average is about -4 C (25 F). The average temperatures in July range from 23 C (74 F) in Southwestern Ontario, to 19 C (64 F) in Eastern Ontario. The difference in seasonal temperature is much greater in Northern Ontario - for example, at Kapuskasing, the record low is -47 C (-53 F), while the record high is 38 C (101 F).
Environment Canada provides a current Ontario weather update and local forecasts.
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