Oshawa, a city in the province of Ontario, is located on the shoreline of Lake Ontario. It is a part of the Greater Toronto Area and is the largest city in the Regional Municipality of Durham - located in Canada. The current metro area population of Oshawa in 2021 is 402,000, a 1.01% increase from 2020. The earliest known settlement in Oshawa started in the 1400s when the ancestral Wendat settled near Harmony Creek. Initially, in the 1700s, the settlement took place mainly along the shoreline because Lake Ontario was the only source of transportation. In 1973, Kingston Road (Highway 2) was planned, and settlement started moving further inland. In the early-mid -1800s, the population increased slowly along with infrastructure. In 1849 Oshawa was incorporated as a village. The name "Oshawa" was chosen to represent the original settlement. By 1840 Oshawa's harbor was known as Port Sydenham, which was located only five kilometers from the center of town and provided a means of importing and exporting goods to and from Oshawa. The railway's arrival in 1856 adversely affected the business at Port Sydenham. In the mid to late 1800s, Oshawa's industry continued to grow significantly. With the development of the Grand Trunk Railway from Toronto to Montreal. In 1876, Robert McLaughlin moved to Oshawa, and his company, the McLaughlin Carriage Company, quickly developed into the largest carriage works in the British Empire.
With the automobile gaining popularity in the early 1900s, the McLaughlin family decided to enter the business by contracting with the Buick Motor Car Company of Michigan to use the Buick engine in the McLaughlin car. Automobile production began in Oshawa in 1907 when 198 McLaughlin automobiles were built. In 1915, the McLaughlin's acquired the rights to build Chevrolets, creating Canada's Chevrolet Motor Car Company. Three years later, the McLaughlin Motor Car Company and Chevrolet Motor Car Company of Canada were merged to create General Motors of Canada Limited, a unit of the General Motors Corporation. At the same time, Pedlar People Limited, a metal roofing company, grew to be the largest in the British Empire, and by 1920, the number of people employed with industrial jobs in Oshawa grew to over 3,000. Oshawa continued to grow in size and people accompanied by public amenities. On March 8, 1924, with a population of 15,545, Oshawa received "City" status, and throughout the late 1900s, population and employment. It was continued to grow. Today, with a population of over 172,000, Oshawa is the largest municipality in Durham Region.
The total area of the city is over 903.69 square kilometers (348.91 square miles). The population density comes to about 420.6 residents per square kilometer (1,091 people living per square mile).
A substantial population of Oshawa falls in the working-age group. This means a potential for economic growth.
Once recognized as the sole "Automotive Capital of Canada," Oshawa today is an education and health sciences hub.
The significant sectors which produce the largest number of jobs are as follows:
The following companies have their head offices in Oshawa:
The top attractions to visit in Oshawa are:
Oshawa is the largest municipality within the Region of Durham and the eastern gateway to the Greater Toronto Area. Oshawa businesses enjoy direct access to Canada’s largest market through a connected and integrated transportation system, offering all modes of transportation. Oshawa’s roads, rail, seaway, air, and commuter services ensure passengers and freight have convenient access to North American and global markets.
The average rent for a 1bedroom apartment in Oshawa, ON, is currently $1,585.
The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Oshawa, ON, is currently $1,748.
The current metro area population of Oshawa in 2021 is 402,000.
The average price of a house in Oshawa (August 2021) is $773k.
The following list represents the list of post-secondary educational institutes in Oshawa:
Below you will find answers to the most commonly asked questions about Oshawa
Popular cities within a 100km radius of Oshawa