What's New

The Canadian tourism industry is dealing with something of a triple whammy these days: In addition to new U.S. passport requirements, the strength of the loonie has sent Canadian tourists out of the country and kept foreign visitors from spending as freely as they have in the past. Plus, the federal Visitor Rebate Program that allowed nonresident guests to recoup taxes they paid on purchases and lodging was eliminated in 2007. The following offers additional hints of new developments awaiting travelers to Canada.

Nova Scotia

There's a new lobster festival, Lobsterpalooza (tel. 902/270-3330; www.lobsterpalooza.ca), in the province: a month-long bash of lobster suppers, cultural events, and tours spread across various parts of 'Scotia (many are concentrated on Cape Breton Island). Check with the festival office about the 2008 schedule, when events will take place from late May to the end of June.

The Manse in Mahone Bay, one of Atlantic Canada's finest and friendliest inns, has closed. On Cape Breton Island, the Duffus House Inn in Baddeck has also closed.

New Brunswick

It's getting easier to reach this province. Where you once had to fly into Saint John first, Continental (tel. 800/523-FARE; www.continental.com) now flies directly from Newark, New Jersey's Liberty International Airport to Moncton.

Prince Edward Island

The island will go gaga for the 100th anniversary of the June 1908 publication of Lucy Maud Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables, with a full program of events including a children's literary festival, readings, plays, and the release of a new prequel novel written by a local children's author. Check the provincial tourism office's special Anne page at www.gentleisland.com/anne for more details and an event schedule.

Delta (tel. 800/221-1212; www.delta.com) has begun offering a new direct summer flight from Boston's Logan International Airport to Charlottetown.

Montreal

In summer 2007, the Québec province officially inaugurated the new Route verte (Green Route), a 4,000km (2,485-mile) bike network that stretches from one end of the province to the other and links up all regions and cities. Accredited accommodations along the way provide safe bike storage, basic tools, information about where to make repairs nearby, and high-carb meals.

Where to Stay -- There's an inexpensive new entry in downtown: The decor of Hôtel Le Dauphin, 1025 rue de Bleury (tel. 888/784-3888), may be just a step up from dorm-room functional, but each of its 72 rooms is equipped with a computer terminal and free Internet access.

The plush Hôtel Nelligan, 106 rue St-Paul ouest (tel. 877/788-2040) in Vieux-Montréal, expanded in 2007 from 63 to 105 rooms. The Ritz-Carlton Montréal, 1228 rue Sherbrooke ouest (tel. 800/363-0366), is planning a C$100-million renovation to begin sometime in 2008 that will last for 15 months.

Where to Dine -- In downtown, the very good Spanish resto Pintxo has added a new outpost at 2 rue Sherbrooke est at the corner of bd. St-Laurent. On Ile Ste-Hélène, Nuances (tel. 514/392-2708), the restaurant atop the city's casino, got a dazzling face-lift in 2007 and now looks as contemporary as the food on its plates. When published, Québec City restaurant hotshot Daniel Vézina was said to be preparing Laurie Raphaël Montréal, to open in the restaurant space within the Hôtel Le Germain; and the founders of the well-liked Joe Beef had just opened an Italian eatery, Liverpool House, at 2501 rue Notre-Dame ouest (tel. 514/313-6049), just a few doors away.

Quebec City

Québec has spent the last few years gearing up for its 400th anniversary party in 2008. Although celebrations are scheduled year-round, most events take place from June to September 2008. The biggest days will be July 3 to 6, with ceremonies, concerts, and huge outdoor parties. The waterfront has been spruced up, museums will show anniversary-related exhibits, and the Cirque du Soleil and other artists will be performing. Espace 400e, a new pavilion on the waterfront where the Centre d'Interprétation du Vieux-Port used to be, will be homebase. More details are at www.myquebec2008.com.

Where to Stay -- In Québec City's burgeoning arts and gastronomic community St-Roch, the new Auberge Le Vincent, 295 rue St-Vallier est (tel. 418/523-5000), has sophisticated rooms and luxe features.

Where to Dine -- The physical overhaul of Laurie Raphaël, 117 rue Dalhousie (tel. 418/692-4555), keeps it atop the local food pyramid: It's now endlessly eclectic and sophisticated.

Ottawa & Eastern Ontario

The Diefenbunker (tel. 613/839-0007; www.diefenbunker.ca), a former H-bomb bunker in the countryside outside Ottawa converted into a fascinatingly chilling museum, added two spectacular new permanent exhibitions in 2006: One very graphically archives the terrible physical toll (on structures and people) of nuclear weapons; the other is an exhibition about peacekeeping and peacekeepers around the world. Tours of the Diefenbunker are offered daily and the two new exhibits can be seen at the conclusion of the tour.

The Great Canadian Theatre Company (tel. 613/236-5196; www.gctc.ca) has moved into a brand-new theater facility known as the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre. It holds three performance spaces and is located at 1233 Wellington St. W. (at Holland Ave.).

But it's not all good news: The Storyland family park outside Ottawa closed its doors in September 2007 after 42 years of amusements, and the venerable Café Henry Burger in Gatineau -- one of the very longest-standing restaurants in the Ottawa area in recent memory -- has also been shuttered.

Toronto

The transformation of the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is almost complete: 10 new Daniel Libeskind-designed galleries are already open, and the World Culture and Natural World galleries will be unveiled in 2008. The Frank Gehry-designed renovation at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) will continue in 2008, with most of the building closed to the public while work is ongoing. There are also updates and expansions going on at the Ontario Science Centre, but that child-pleasing museum will stay open while the work is being done.

Toronto was already blessed with plenty of parkland, but in 2007 a particularly interesting new green space opened: Ireland Park, on the waterfront. It's a memorial to the 38,000 Irish who arrived in the city in 1847; the "Arrival" figures by Rowan Gillespie are the counterpoint to his "Departure" figures on Dublin's Liffey quayside.

Where to Stay -- The newest place to stay is actually Toronto's oldest continuously operating hotel. The Gladstone, 1214 Queen St. W. (tel. 416/531-4635; www.gladstonehotel.com), opened in 1889, but for the past several decades it had languished. However, with the march of gentrification moving steadily west along Queen Street, it was time for a top-to-toe reno by a new owner. The results employ the work of local artists in the unique rooms, and there's plenty going on to recommend the place. However, the West Queen West neighborhood won't appeal to all visitors -- it's cleaned up from what it used to be, but it's still rough around the edges.

Where to Dine -- Sampling all of Toronto's best new restaurants will have you running all over town. There's Thuet, 609 King St. W. (tel. 416/603-2777), an opulent bistro and bakery; Perigee in the Distillery District (55 Mill St.; tel. 416/364-1397), a dining room that is set up almost like a theater, only instead of a stage, there's an open kitchen; Cava, 1560 Yonge St. (tel. 416/979-9918), an uptown tapas bar from Chris McDonald, one of Toronto's greatest chefs; and Asia Republik, 372 Bloor St. W. (tel. 416/921-6787), which has the best lunch deal in the city.

Southwestern Ontario

If you're a cyclist, you'll appreciate Via Rail's new Toronto-Niagara Bike Train, which is available in the summer months; you can take the train to Niagara Falls and store your bike in a cargo car till you get there. While you're in the area, you might want to check out the increasingly popular Fort George Ghost Tours, which explore one of Ontario's best-known "haunted" places.

Northern Ontario

The Muskoka region has been a magnet for visitors since the 19th century, but only recently has its natural charms been rivaled by man-made ones. Several of the region's top-rated golf courses -- including Taboo and the Mark O'Meara Course at Grandview -- have joined forces to create the Muskoka Golf Trail (tel. 800/465-3034 or 905/755-0999; www.golfmuskoka.com). Luxurious spas at the Deerhurst Resort and Taboo attract both sexes (visit www.spasontario.com for offerings). On the restaurant front, 3 Guys and a Stove (tel. 705/789-1815) and Elements Restaurant, Culinary Theatre & Lounge (tel. 705/687-2233) are in top form.

Manitoba & Saskatchewan

The former Gull Harbour Resort in Hecla/Grindstone Provincial Park, an island in massive Lake Winnipeg, reopens in 2008 as the Hecla Oasis Resort (tel. 800/267-6700; www.heclaoasis.com) after a C$15-million remodel and the addition of a family water park, full-service day spa with mineral pool, and a health and wellness center.

Since the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) arrived on the Saskatchewan prairies in the 1870s, Regina's RCMP Training Academy has served as the primary training facility for the Mounties. In 2007, the RCMP Heritage Centre, (tel. 306/780-5838; www.rcmpheritagecentre.com), opened on the academy grounds. The striking new building, designed by famed Canadian architect Arthur Erickson, presents the story of the RCMP from the days of frontier justice to its current role as the Canadian national police force.

The South Saskatchewan Riverfront in the heart of Saskatoon is about to gain another landmark civic structure. Persephone Theatre (www.persephonetheatre.org), the city's top acting troupe, is building a two-theater performance center that will also offer workshop space and house a year-round farmer's market.

Alberta & the Rockies

The Kensington Riverside Inn (tel. 877/313-3733; www.kensingtonriversideinn.com), a small boutique lodging across the Bow River from downtown Calgary, has expanded its small dining area into a 25-seat dining room with two seatings each evening. The manager characterizes the planned menu as "French Laundry meets the Canadian heartland," referring to the Napa Valley restaurant known for its many small courses of exquisite, locally sourced food.

The Art Gallery of Alberta (tel. 780/422-6223; www.artgalleryalberta.com), whose long-time home in Winston Churchill Square is undergoing complete restructuring, has a new temporary home. Until the new building is complete (scheduled for 2009), the AGA is mounting shows and displaying works from its permanent collection at Enterprise Square, 10230 Jasper Ave. (formerly the Hudson Bay Building).

Near the Alberta Legislature Building and a few blocks from downtown, the Matrix Hotel (tel. 866/465-8150; www.matrixedmonton.com) is taking over a 1964 structure built as Edmonton's first luxury high-rise hotel. The slightly severe Moderne facade is the perfect foil for the Matrix Hotel's 185 urban-chic rooms and suites; we haven't reviewed it yet, but the manager promises cool decor and warm hospitality.

Vancouver

Prices are sure to rise for the 2010 Olympics, but for now, fabulous restaurants and accommodations in Vancouver are still priced lower than those in Toronto, Montréal, or any major U.S. city. This is true even with the weakening value of the U.S. dollar.

Getting Around -- Parts of Vancouver are torn up for the construction of Canada Line, a new light-rail hookup from Vancouver International Airport. When it begins operation in 2009, visitors will be able to board the train at the airport and arrive downtown or in Yaletown in 22 minutes.

Frontier Airlines has introduced a new daily nonstop service between its Denver hub and Vancouver, the first U.S. low-cost carrier to serve Vancouver.

Where to Stay -- Situated in Vancouver's downtown close to the Granville Street entertainment district, the Moda Hotel, 900 Seymour St. (tel. 604/683-4251), offers lots of style and excellent value. The hotel, located in a 1908 heritage building, recently opened its doors after receiving a significant makeover. Rooms feature a sleekly minimal European look.

Where to Dine -- After 18 years, Chef Hidekazu Tojo relocated Tojo's Restaurant (tel. 604/872-8050) to a stunning new space at 1133 W. Broadway. Designed by sculptor and architect Colin Kwok, the 604-sq.-m (6,500-sq.-ft.) vaulted restaurant is a blend of Zen spatial dynamics, crisp modern forms, and an underlying Japanese sensibility. The restaurant features an open-kitchen concept set behind the sushi bar.

An inexpensive and very welcome addition to Gastown's dining scene, Salt, in Blood Alley (tel. 604/633-1912), is Vancouver's only charcuterie and serves cured meats and artisan cheeses.

What to See & Do -- Gale-force winds in December 2006 wreaked havoc on Stanley Park, toppling thousands of trees. Expect some hiking trails to be closed well into 2008.

2010 Winter Olympics Update -- Construction of The Richmond Oval, where 12 speed skating events will be held, began in November 2006. The facility will house a 400m track and seating for 8,000 spectators. Post-games, the Oval will become a multipurpose sports, recreation, and wellness facility.

Construction is also underway on Hillcrest/Nat Bailey Stadium Park. Located about 15 minutes from downtown Vancouver, the facility will host the men's and women's curling competitions for the games, as well as the wheelchair curling tournament for the Paralympic Games. Post-games, Hillcrest/Nat Bailey Stadium Park will become a multipurpose community recreation center that will include an ice hockey rink, gymnasium, library, and a new aquatic center with a 50m (164-ft.) lap and leisure pool. The multipurpose center has been designed using leading environmental and business practices.

It's also been announced that the freestyle skiing site at West Vancouver's Cypress Mountain in Cypress Provincial Park is now competition-ready. The mountain, just 30 minutes from downtown, will serve as the venue for snowboarding, freestyle skiing, and the new ski cross events. In winter 2008, Cypress will open nine new runs for high-level intermediate/expert skiers and snowboarders, a 40% increase in the mountain's skiable terrain.

Vicoria & British Columbia

A ferry accident in March 2006 sank the Queen of the North, the BC Ferries (tel. 888/223-3779 or 250/386-3431; www.bcferries.com) vessel that previously sailed through the Inside Passage between Port Hardy and Prince Rupert. As of publishing time, schedule and vessel changes are possible along this route until a replacement ferry is put in operation. Service will continue on all the runs, but dates and times may be different from published schedules.

Getting Around -- Delta Airlines (www.delta.com) now offers a direct flight to Victoria from Salt Lake City.

The mile-long, three-lane Highway 97 bridge that connects Westbank to Kelowna across Okanagan Lake long ago ceased to handle the traffic load in this fast-growing resort and wine-growing mecca. A new five-lane bridge is scheduled for completion in 2008, which may ease congestion in this otherwise beautifully scenic area. But of course, build it and they will come: Within the decade, the new bridge's designers expect the span to carry nearly 70,000 vehicles a day (30% more than today).

Where to Stay -- As the name suggests, the Grand Okanagan Lakefront Resort (tel. 800/465-4651; www.grandokanagan.com), is the grandest place to stay in Kelowna. However, with the opening of the Royal Private Residence Club, a new building of opulent and spacious suites adjacent to the existing resort, the Grand Okanagan takes luxury to a new height. With rich but comfortable decor, fully equipped designer kitchens, multiple bathrooms and TVs, and views over the marina, these accommodations are perfect for a special occasion. You'll also want to watch the sunset from the top floor's heated infinity pool.

The small agricultural town of Oliver has been the hub of Okanagan Valley fruit production since the 1930s, and more recently it's become the locus of the valley's burgeoning wine industry. However, the town of Oliver itself has offered little for the traveling wine connoisseur. That's about to change: The Oliver Wine Village (www.oliverwinevillage.com), a mixed-use development that includes a condo hotel, fine-dining restaurant, and spa is slated to open in 2008. The grounds will also include the Okanagan Wine Interpretive Centre, which will educate wine lovers on the wine-making process, and the Okanagan Culinary Arts Centre, where food lovers can enjoy cooking lessons and food classes, and, of course, learn more about pairing wines with food.

Whistler -- With the Winter Olympics' skiing and sliding events coming to Whistler in 2010, the news in this world-renowned ski resort is always of building and rebuilding. The continuing road construction on the Sea to Sky Highway (Hwy. 99) between Horseshoe Bay and Whistler will probably have the most impact on pre-Olympics visitors. Expect delays of between 45 and 60 minutes. Note also that the entire route may be closed for most of the night (between midnight and 6am), due to blasting. Check the links under "Driving to Whistler" at www.tourismwhistler.com for the latest updates on construction schedules and closures.

One of the largest construction projects in Whistler history opens in winter 2008. Intrawest, the corporation behind Whistler Blackcomb Resort, is building a record-defying gondola that will link together the peaks of Whistler (elev. 2,182m/7,160 ft.) and Blackcomb (elev. 2,284m/7,494 ft.) mountains. The Peak to Peak Gondola will have the longest free-span lift in the world, at 3.024km (1 3/4 miles) and a total length of 4.4km (2 3/4 miles). The Peak to Peak Gondola will also be the highest detachable lift in the world, at 415m (1,362 ft.) above the valley floor. The gondola will be open in winter to skiers and in summer to sightseers seeking an adrenaline rush.