--- title: "Ontario" description: "Ontario’s amusement history includes a purpose-built park whose opening was staged as a major public occasion.The story behind the day outA new landmark north of TorontoCanada’s Wonderland officially opened on 23 May 1981. Ontario premier William Davis took part in the ceremony, and Wayne Gretzky made a special appearance. The opening brought a large permanent amusement destination to the Toronto area. Its historical identity was deliberately broader than one ride: the ceremony and the park’s name presented a new place for families from across the country to gather.Sources & further readingCanada’s Wonderland · Official historyHistorical sources checked 25 October 2026." canonical_url: "https://thmprk.com/region/ontario/" markdown_url: "https://thmprk.com/region/ontario/index.md" language: "en-US" content_type: "taxonomy_archive" taxonomy: "job_listing_region" term_id: 211 page: 1 --- # Ontario Ontario’s amusement history includes a purpose-built park whose opening was staged as a major public occasion. The story behind the day out ## A new landmark north of Toronto Canada’s Wonderland officially opened on 23 May 1981. Ontario premier William Davis took part in the ceremony, and Wayne Gretzky made a special appearance. The opening brought a large permanent amusement destination to the Toronto area. Its historical identity was deliberately broader than one ride: the ceremony and the park’s name presented a new place for families from across the country to gather. ### Sources & further reading - [Canada’s Wonderland · Official history]() Historical sources checked 25 October 2026. 1 published places. Page 1 of 1. - [Canada’s Wonderland]() · [Markdown](); location: Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. Canonical source: https://thmprk.com/region/ontario/