Little Canada, formerly referred to as Our Home and Miniature Land, is a charming tourist destination situated in the basement of The Tenor, close to Yonge–Dundas Square in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Little Canada is a welcoming space where both locals and tourists can gather to share their stories and celebrate their love for Canada, all in one location. In 2011, Dutchman Jean-Louis Brenninkmeijer conceived the idea for Little Canada, inspired by his visit to Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg, Germany. Over a hundred passionate model enthusiasts were brought on board, dedicating approximately 100,000 hours together from 2014 to 2019 in a warehouse in Mississauga to craft the intricate scale-model components.
After ten years of development, Little Canada opened its doors to the public in August 2021. The attention to detail is truly remarkable. The attraction is divided into several destinations, with each one showcasing a unique aspect of Canada. The miniature representations of Canadian cities are crafted with exceptional skill. Currently, six Little Destinations have been completed, including Little Niagara, Little Toronto, Little Golden Horseshoe, Little Ottawa, Little Petit Québec, and Little East Coast.
Little Toronto is a remarkable destination that required over 35,000 hours of careful design and construction. It features iconic elements such as GO Transit trains, Union Station, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and Toronto City Hall. Visitors can also find helicopters, streetcars, the Don Valley Parkway, and the Gardiner Expressway, all beautifully integrated into this miniature representation of the city. The model of the Rogers Centre, constructed at a cost of $60,000 and measuring 5 by 5 feet (1.5 by 1.5 m), features a working retractable roof and is equipped with a scoreboard that displays highlights from the previous day’s Toronto Blue Jays game.
The Ottawa location features a replica of the Canadian Parliament Buildings, particularly showcased during Canada Day. Additionally, the Château Laurier is notable for its absent back wall, which allows visitors to view the elegantly furnished rooms within. The site also includes the building of the Canada Revenue Agency.
Covering 720 square feet, Little East Coast highlights iconic provincial landmarks such as the Bay of Fundy and Cape Breton Island, where visitors on the famous Cabot Trail can enjoy the stunning fall colors. This area also features notable sites like Gros Morne National Park, Green Gables and Confederation House in Prince Edward Island, Pays de la Sagouine and Metepenagiag Heritage Park in New Brunswick, as well as the Peggy’s Cove lighthouse, the Bluenose II in Nova Scotia, and Signal Hill, St. John’s Harbour, and L’Anse Aux Meadows in Newfoundland.
The Niagara Falls area is characterized by the impressive 50-foot (15 m) Horseshoe Falls, the iconic Rainbow Bridge, the vibrant Clifton Hill, and the picturesque town of Niagara-on-the-Lake.
The intricately crafted and interactive miniature display offers breathtaking scenery, engaging soundscapes, and moving elements, including cars, trains, and boats, all operating within a 15-minute day-night cycle. Among these sculptures, you can find significant moments, such as a tiny figure of Terry Fox dipping his prosthetic foot into the Atlantic Ocean at Little Canada’s St. John’s Harbour. During a memorable event last year, Terry’s older brother, Fred Fox, along with school ambassador Calvin, placed the miniature Terry Fox at the national monument.
The displays feature a variety of hidden surprises, including a red panda from the film Turning Red located in the Chinatown area of the Toronto exhibit, and there is also a chance to catch a glimpse of the Grinch.
We got a cool peek behind the curtain at how Miniature Makers bring our tiny nation to life. To top off our day, we swung by the Little Bites Café for some classic Canadian food and drinks. Plus, visitors can have some fun becoming a ‘Little Canadian’ by trying out the 3D scanning at the Littlization Station. When you buy a ticket, you also get a visitor guide and a scavenger hunt, which makes it easy to dive into all the intricate details of the exhibits.
The team showed outstanding expertise, as a staff member came to us several times during our two-hour stay, pointing out different details and sharing information along the way. Truly, the whole staff displayed an impressive degree of friendliness. Little Canada also offers coat check services, women’s hygiene products in the restrooms, and has a gift shop on-site.
Little Canada quickly became my favorite spot in Toronto. Skip the ZOO and dedicate a couple of hours to explore Little Canada instead.
Sounds wonderful.
They had something like this in Victoria, bc! It was amazing to see our country through all its various seasons of time in little miniature form
Ohhh that’s so cool. We love miniatures
Details and creations are incredibly done many with moving parts all to scale.
It is equally delightful to observe how locations you have explored in Canada are depicted in miniature form, such as the small Mounties in Ottawa.
I highly recommend Little Canada.