Oshawa, ON Area Guide

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Family friendly Public transit is accessible Walkable to grocery stores Yards are well-kept Lots of parks Walkable to restaurants Friendly neighbors Safe at night Pet friendly Streets have sidewalks A quiet area Sense of community

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Oshawa, ON

The largest city in Durham region, Oshawa is a suburb of Toronto, located just 60 kilometres east of its city centre. It is often known as the eastern anchor of the GTA, although it has a large industry of its own. Most of this is in manufacturing, IT and logistics, though it also has a strong presence in health sciences. In fact, Oshawa is home to three post-secondary institutions, in addition to the Lakeridge Health Education and Research Network (LHEARN). In short, it is a city of education, with over 20,000 of its 150,000 residents being students.

Downtown Oshawa is the most prominent area in the city of terms of business, culture and entertainment. Oshawa is small in size, but doesn’t lack all the amazing amenities that you’d expect from a larger city as it is home to over 50 restaurants and cafés. It is also has a number of co-working offices, making in a trendy place in the city for any entrepreneur. Though it was not always like this. In the past, Oshawa was known predominately for its automobile industry, which dates back to 1876. There is still a strong automobile industry today, though there are also others, making it the best place in the country for jobs.

Oshawa developed quite rapidly between 1996 and 2001, and with this came many new residential developments. This has made it a prime city for families, particularly young families, with the average age in Oshawa being around 36. There are a total of 38 elementary schools and eight secondary schools in the city, as well as a few private schools, two of which teach in French. It is also a sports driven city, which just makes it more attractive city to call home. Plus, it is well connected to Toronto, making it appealing to commuters. GO trains and intercity buses link Oshawa to Downtown Toronto as well as other cities in the region. It is also well connected by highway. On top of that, there are 12 bus routes that travel through the city.

There is a large amount of cultural assets in Oshawa, making it a lovely city to live in. Some of these include the Canadian Automotive Museum, the Ontario Philharmonic, the Robert McLaughlin Gallery and General Motors Centre. Any Oshawa local will also mention its historic sites, like Parkwood Estate and Regent Theatre, and places like the Oshawa Centre, McLaughlin Bay Wildlife Reserve and the Oshawa Public Library. The city is also home to numerous parks, conservation areas and trails, as well as playgrounds, skateboard parks, ice pads and swimming pools.