Toronto's Chinese population currently exceeds 400,000, making it the largest ethnic group of color, most of whom are Chinese immigrants from Hong Kong.

There are six Chinatowns in the Greater Toronto Area, four of which were formed in the suburbs in the past 15 years.

Toronto's Chinese community was formed in the area near today's City Hall in the early 20th century. The first Chinese recorded in Toronto city government documents was named Sam Ching, a laundry owner.

The Chinese community matured by 1935, when there were 300 Chinese-owned laundries within four streets.

Between 1947 and 1960, a large number of Chinese students, skilled workers and businessmen immigrated to Canada, causing the Chinese population in Toronto to increase rapidly.

Most of these early immigrants came from the northern provinces of China. Later immigrants included immigrants from Hong Kong, and some were overseas Chinese from Southeast Asia, Africa and West India.

When construction of City Hall began, Chinatown was moved to today's Spadina and Dundas streets, and has since become one of Toronto's busiest and bustling neighborhoods, making you feel like you're in Hong Kong.

The intersection of Spadina and Dundas streets is the center of Chinatown. The sidewalks here are filled with open-air stalls every day, where citizens of all ethnic groups shop, dine, and make friends.

There are many restaurants here, but they rarely offer modified versions of North American dishes, but authentic Chinese dishes, including Sichuan, Hunan, Cantonese, and even northern-style dishes. Their ingredients are all freshly purchased from the streets.

The aroma of roasted chicken, duck and suckling pig hanging in the street window always makes passers-by salivate.

Signs in Chinatown are written in both Chinese and English, and the two large shopping malls near the intersection of Spadina and Dundas Streets, Mandarin Center and Dragon Mart, are always crowded.