Agencies and Attractions

Fort William Historical Park

Fort William Historical Park in Thunder Bay recreates the days of the North West Company and the fur trade in one of the largest living history sites. It has been voted one of the Top Ten Attractions in Canada.

Visitors enjoy a rich tapestry of fur trading life, from culture to crafts, medicine to business, domestic life to heritage farming through a choice of overnight experiences, education programs, artisan workshops, conferences, banquets, festivals, camping, boating, concerts, and more.

Huronia Historical Parks

Discovery Harbour on Penetanguishene Bay traces its roots and location back to the original Penetanguishene British naval and military base built as a result of the War of 1812 to safeguard access to Upper Canada. Popular events include Pirates of the Bay and Pumpkinferno at Haunted Harbour.

Sainte-Marie among the Hurons in Midland was the 17th century headquarters for the French Jesuit mission to the Huron Wendat First Nation and Ontario's first European community. It has 25 reconstructed buildings, school programs, restaurant and award-winning festivals and events such as First Light and the Bagattaway Lacrosse Festival.

The Art Gallery of Ontario* cultivates and advances the visual arts. It offers education, art programs, exhibits and displays.

The McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg displays many of the Group of Seven works of art.

The Metro Toronto Convention Centre is Canada's largest convention centre and is located in the core of Canada's largest metropolis.

The Niagara Parks Commission is the park system preserving and programming the natural heritage and cultural landscape (including the famed Niagara Falls) along the 56-kilometre Niagara Parkway from Fort Erie to Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Ontario Place Corporation, Toronto's waterfront family entertainment playground, is set in a park complex on the shores of Lake Ontario.

The Ontario Science Centre uses science as the lens to inspire and engage people in new ways of seeing, understanding and thinking about themselves and the world. It is also a leading developer of interactive exhibitions for science centres around the world.

The Ottawa Convention Centre is the key convention facility in Canada's capital.

The Ontario Heritage Trust is responsible for the identification, protection, renewal and promotion of all types of Ontario heritage — built, cultural and natural and is the Government of Ontario's trustee for properties of provincial heritage interest. Among its many programs and activities, it provides public access to many of its properties and participates in the very popular Doors Open program.

The Royal Botanical Gardens* is recognized worldwide for its unique contribution to the collection, research, exhibition and interpretation of the plant world and for developing public understanding of nature.

The Royal Ontario Museum showcases art, archaeology and science. It is the largest museum in Canada to explore the natural world and humankind's cultural past.

St. Lawrence Parks Commission includes Upper Canada Village, Fort Henry and a series of recreational facilities and parks spread along 280 kilometres of the St. Lawrence River.

Science North educates the public about the origins, development and progress of science and technology and their relationship to society. It features exhibits, a model mine, museum and IMAX theatre.

The Ontario Arts Council provides funding to support artists and arts organizations, ensures access to the arts, and recognizes artists and their accomplishments.

The Ontario Library Service-North* delivers programs and services to Northern Ontario. It increases cooperation and coordination among public library boards and information providers, and also offers consulting, training and development services.

The Ontario Media Development Corporation supports cultural industries including book publishing, music, film, interactive digital media and television.

The Destination Ontario works with tourism partners to develop integrated, research-driven marketing programs that establish Ontario as a premier, four-season destination and has a consumer travel website www.ontariotravel.net.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation makes strategic investments to build healthy, sustainable and caring communities. It reaches out to new sectors in the community to support the important role that arts, culture, recreation, sports, the environment and social services play in the creation of vibrant communities.

The Southern Ontario Library Services* delivers programs and services to Southern Ontario, excluding Metropolitan Toronto, by increasing co-operation and co-ordination among public library boards and information providers. The organization also provides consulting, training and development services.

* While the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Royal Botanical Gardens, Ontario Library Service – North, and Southern Ontario Library Services receive transfer payments from the province, they are not provincial agencies. These entities have at least one provincially appointed representative on their governing boards, but they are not bound by the financial and administrative requirements for agencies set by the provincial government.