ITUATED ON THE IDYLLIC shores of Lake Ontario, and with a surprisingly moderate climate, Toronto offers an ideal, acces- sible location for meetings, con- ventions, and other events. It’s easy to see why this city, the financial capital of Canada, is the most popular destination
for U.S.-sponsored association meetings outside of the U.S. — Toronto is the fifth-largest city on the continent, and is just a 90-minute flight away for 60 percent of the U.S. population. Beyond its good- on-paper attributes, Toronto’s vibrant, multicul- tural downtown is stocked with high-end shopping, stunning architecture from masters such as Frank Gehry, and an eclectic array of ethnic eateries. Downtown Toronto’s centerpiece venue for
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TOP-TIER: According to a 2010 survey of more than 600 planners, the Metro Toronto Conven- tion Centre ranks No. 1 in superior convention services. Meeting plan- ners also ranked Tour-
ism Toronto as the No. 1 “superior CVB/DMO” in North America.
meetings, the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC), is currently undergoing a $29-million reno- vation that is aimed for completion by the end of 2013. The project will modernize most of the North Building, including a revamp of its 32 meeting rooms for a more modern look, an upgrade of the building’s meeting technology, and a redesign of pre-function spaces to increase flexibility for events. In the South Building, two brand-new meeting spaces will debut in early 2012, adding an additional 10,000 square feet of space. The two glass-encased rooms will feature prime south-facing views of
Toronto has welcomed a long list of new attractions, hotels, and transportation options in the past year.
the neighboring park. The project will also update registration areas and restroom facilities in both buildings, and add directional signage to streamline traffic flow. Toronto has welcomed a long list of new attractions, hotels, and
transportation options in the past year, all in close proximity to the MTCC. Recent additions include a new 267-room Ritz-Carlton hotel, the adrenaline-pumping EdgeWalk attraction at the CN Tower, and Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, a 135,000-square-foot aquarium open- ing in the summer of 2013. n
pcma convene November 2011
AT A GLANCE
Convention facilities: More than two million square feet of total space, including 460,000 square feet of exhibit space divisible into seven halls, 200,000 square feet of column-free space, 64 meeting rooms, the 1,330-seat John Bassett Theatre, two ballrooms, 28 load- ing docks, and 1,700 on-site parking spaces (with 10,000 more within one kilometer of the center) Hotel rooms: 13,000 within walking distance; 34,000 in the Greater Toronto area Nearby attractions: More than 7,000 restaurants, a vibrant the- ater district, the Rogers Centre (home of the Toronto Blue Jays), and the world’s largest indoor shopping complex, with more than 1,200 stores
For more information: Metro Toronto Convention Centre; (416) 585-8120; www.mtcc.com