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101-715: Clarington is part of the Oshawa census metropolitan area in the eastern end of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Major employers in Clarington include the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station , General Motors Canada , and several medium to large-sized manufacturing businesses. Most residents commute for work in Durham Region or Toronto. Clarington is governed by an elected municipal council consisting of

202-467: A humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification : Dfb ) with vast, but not extreme, seasonal temperature differences. Summers are generally warm, while winters are cold, but not extreme by Canadian standards. Oshawa receives one of the lowest yearly snowfall totals in all of Ontario. In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Oshawa had a population of 175,383 living in 66,634 of its 69,324 total private dwellings,

303-402: A mayor , and local councillors representing each of the municipality's four wards . In addition, two regional councillors each represent a pair of wards. The mayor and the regional councillors sit on both Clarington Council and Durham Region Council. The current council was elected on October 24, 2022 . In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Clarington had

404-487: A "colonization road" (a north–south road to facilitate settlement) known as Simcoe Street was constructed. It more or less followed the path of an old native trail known as the Nonquon Road, and ran from the harbour to the area of Lake Scugog. This intersected the " Kingston Road " (present-day King Street) at what would become Oshawa's "Four Corners." In 1836, Edward Skae relocated his general store approximately 800 m east to

505-469: A Canadian corporation. Following the successful IPO, CN has recorded impressive gains in its stock price, largely through an aggressive network rationalization and purchase of newer more fuel-efficient locomotives. Numerous branch lines were shed in the late 1990s across Canada, resulting in dozens of independent short line railway companies being established to operate former CN track that had been considered marginal. This network rationalization resulted in

606-669: A Conservative seat Jim Flaherty followed Starr (after over 40 years) into the Cabinet of Canada as Minister of Finance . In 2014, Jennifer French of the Ontario New Democratic Party was elected as Member of Provincial Parliament in the provincial riding of Oshawa with over 40% of the vote. The council of the City of Oshawa has eleven members – one mayor, five regional and city councillors and five city councillors. The current term of council began on 15 November 2022. The mayor

707-668: A blue-plate tourist service, the Rocky Mountaineer , with fares well over double what the BCR coach fares had been. CN also announced in October 2003 an agreement to purchase Great Lakes Transportation (GLT), a holding company owned by Blackstone Group for US$ 380 million. GLT was the owner of Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad , Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway (DM&I), and the Pittsburgh & Conneaut Dock Company. The key instigator for

808-481: A change of 10% from its 2016 population of 159,458 . With a land area of 145.72 km (56.26 sq mi), it had a population density of 1,203.6/km (3,117.2/sq mi) in 2021. At the census metropolitan area (CMA) level in the 2021 census, the Oshawa CMA had a population of 415,311 living in 149,047 of its 153,565 total private dwellings, a change of 9.3% from its 2016 population of 379,848 . With

909-463: A core east–west freight railway stretching from Halifax to Chicago and Toronto to Vancouver and Prince Rupert . The railway also operated trains from Winnipeg to Chicago using trackage rights for part of the route south of Duluth. In addition to the rationalization in Canada, the company also expanded in a strategic north–south direction in the central United States . In 1998, in an era of mergers in

1010-620: A great deal of public and political attention. Canada was one of many nations to engage in railway nationalization in order to safeguard critical transportation infrastructure during the First World War . In the early 20th century, many governments were taking a more interventionist role in the economy, foreshadowing the influence of economists like John Maynard Keynes . This political trend, combined with broader geo-political events, made nationalization an appealing choice for Canada. The Winnipeg General Strike of 1919 and allied involvement in

1111-498: A land area of 903.25 km (348.75 sq mi), it had a population density of 459.8/km (1,190.9/sq mi) in 2021. Religious profile 2021: According to the 2021 Census English was the mother tongue of 79.5% of the residents of Oshawa. 1.7% of the population had French as their mother tongue. Other common mother tongues were Urdu (1.5%), Chinese Languages (1.3%), Tamil (1.2%), Tagalog (1.0%), Spanish (1.0%), Polish (0.8%), and Italian (0.7%). In 2006, 8.1% of

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1212-575: A mostly white demographic, and a largely blue collar identity. The city has been attracting film and television producers who have made parts of a number of movies and TV series in Oshawa, most recently It (based on the Stephen King book), but also Billy Madison , Chicago , and X-Men . The most popular location in the city for film makers is Parkwood Estate . The dominant presence of General Motors (and its autoworkers) meant that Oshawa

1313-594: A north–south NAFTA railway (in reference to the North American Free Trade Agreement ). CN was then feeding Canadian raw material exports into the U.S. heartland and beyond to Mexico through a strategic alliance with Kansas City Southern Railway (KCS). In 1999, CN and BNSF Railway , the second largest rail system in the U.S., announced their intent to merge, forming a new corporate entity North American Railways , headquartered in Montreal to conform to

1414-410: A population of 101,427 living in 35,953 of its 36,852 total private dwellings, a change of 10.2% from its 2016 population of 92,013 . With a land area of 610.84 km (235.85 sq mi), it had a population density of 166.0/km (430.1/sq mi) in 2021. 2011 Census data show that Clarington has one of the highest proportions of residents that have English as their mother tongue within

1515-644: A population of about 1,000 in a community surrounded by farms. There were three churches, a post office, tradesmen of various types and some industry: a foundry, a grist mill and a fulling mill, a brewery, two distilleries, a machine shop and four cabinet makers. The newly established village became an industrial centre, and implement works, tanneries, asheries and wagon factories opened (and often closed shortly after, as economic "panics" occurred regularly). In 1878, Robert Samuel McLaughlin Sr. moved his carriage works to Oshawa from Enniskillen to take advantage of its harbour and of

1616-522: A possible merger of the two companies. This was later rejected by the Government of Canada, whereupon CPR offered to purchase outright all of CN's lines from Ontario to Nova Scotia, while an unidentified U.S. railroad (rumoured to have been Burlington Northern Railroad ) would purchase CN's lines in western Canada. This too was rejected. In 1995, the entire company including its U.S. subsidiaries reverted to using CN exclusively. The CN Commercialization Act

1717-424: A significant role in the city's economy. After having been closed for about 2 years, the Oshawa car assembly plant reopened on 10 November 2021, when the first Canadian-made Chevy Silverado was completed. GM invested C$ 1.3bn into plant retooling. Prior to reopening, GM said that the site would continue to be used for autonomous vehicle testing and production of vehicle stampings and other sub-assemblies. The city

1818-630: A streetcar line, but c. 1910 a second "freight line" was built slightly to the east of Simcoe Street. This electric line provided streetcar and freight service, connected central Oshawa with the Grand Trunk (now Canadian National) Railway, and with the Canadian Northern (which ran through the very north of Oshawa) and the Canadian Pacific, built in 1912–13. The Oshawa Railway was acquired by the Grand Trunk operation around 1910, and streetcar service

1919-728: A toll highway. The tolls were removed on April 5, 2022, by the Ontario government. Highway 2 , once the primary east–west route across the southern portion of Ontario, runs through Clarington. Downtown Newcastle and Bowmanville are situated along Highway 2. Bus services are offered by Durham Region Transit and GO Transit . Freight rail is carried along the Canadian National Kingston subdivision and Canadian Pacific Belleville subdivision which pass through Clarington. The wooden bridge on Lakeshore Road in Lovekin, Ontario, which traverses

2020-510: A town park, with trails connection the surrounding housing areas. A major attraction in the municipality is the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (formerly Mosport Park), a multi-track facility located north of Bowmanville that features a 2.459-mile (4.0 km), 10-turn road course; a half-mile paved oval; a 2.4 km advanced driver and race driver training facility and a 1.4 km kart track (Mosport International Karting). It

2121-739: Is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec , which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States . CN is Canada's largest railway, in terms of both revenue and the physical size of its rail network, spanning Canada from the Atlantic coast in Nova Scotia to the Pacific coast in British Columbia across approximately 20,000 route miles (32,000 km) of track. In

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2222-757: Is commonly viewed as the eastern anchor of the Greater Toronto Area and of the Golden Horseshoe . It is the largest municipality in the Regional Municipality of Durham . The name Oshawa originates from the Ojibwa term aazhawe , meaning "the crossing place" or just "a cross". Founded in 1876 as the McLaughlin Carriage Company by Robert McLaughlin, and then McLaughlin Motors Ltd by his son, Sam, General Motors of Canada's headquarters are located in

2323-679: Is elected at large by electors throughout the city, heads the council of the City of Oshawa and is also a representative of the city on the council of the Regional Municipality of Durham. There are five wards in the City of Oshawa. Each of the five wards are represented by one regional and city councillor and one city councillor. There are four standing committees of council: The city comprises following communities or neighbourhoods: Oshawa has parks, walking trails, conservation areas, indoors and outdoor public swimming pools, community centres, and sports facilities. Lakeview Park stretches along

2424-620: Is home to Darlington Provincial Park , which is located in Darlington. Clarington was home to the Bowmanville Zoo , until its closure in 2016. The Clarington Family Outdoor Adventure Park occupied the same property as the former Bowmanville Zoo lands for several years under the same ownership, until closure. As of 2022, the Township is working with volunteers at Valley 2000 to convert the Zoo grounds into

2525-422: Is home to a Regional Innovation Centre and offers start-up facilities for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Co-working offices are also located in the downtown. Historians believe that the area that would become Oshawa began as a transfer point for the fur trade . Beaver and other animals trapped for their pelts by local natives were traded with the coureurs des bois (voyagers). Furs were loaded onto canoes by

2626-678: Is home to several highways; three of which are 400 series highways . Highway 401 stretches through the entirety of Clarington, connecting Newtonville, Newcastle, Bowmanville, and Courtice along the route. Highway 407 is located in north Clarington. It was extended to and terminates at Highway 35 / 115 . The 35 / 115 , also in Clarington, begins at Highway 401 in Newcastle, and run concurrently until they split north of Kirby and head separate directions towards Lindsay and Peterborough . Highway 418 , begins at Highway 401 and heads north to connect to Highway 407. The 418 opened on December 9, 2019, as

2727-740: Is home to the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League . In 2015, the Oshawa Generals won the Ontario Hockey League Championship, and ended their season winning the 2015 Memorial Cup . Famous alumni of this team include Bobby Orr , Alex Delvecchio , Wayne Cashman , Tony Tanti , Dave Andreychuk , Marc Savard , Eric Lindros , and John Tavares . The team moved from the Oshawa Civic Auditorium into

2828-546: Is home to the Enniskillen General Store which opened in 1840 and stills operates today. Clarington is home to Jungle Cat World . Clarington Museums & Archives is the local museum in the municipality. Clarington is home to Camp 30 , a World War II Prisoner-of-war camp , and located on Lambs Road, in Bowmanville. Clarington is also home to Brimacombe, a ski resort located near Kirby, Ontario. Clarington

2929-558: Is home to three post-secondary institutions, including Durham College , Trent University Durham , and Ontario Tech University , formerly the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT). The Lakeridge Health Oshawa operates the Lakeridge Health Education and Research Network (LHEARN) in Oshawa as well. Key labour force sectors include advanced manufacturing, health technology, logistics, energy and IT. In 2016, Oshawa

3030-442: Is located in Clarington. It is home to a 20 MW energy-from-waste (EFW) generation unit that opened in early 2016 that takes waste (140,000 tonnes per year) from Durham and York Regions to burn to generate electricity. Co-developed by Durham and York Region cost $ 295 million Canadian to build was built and operated by American-based Covanta . The unit sells and transmits electricity onto Hydro One 's distribution network. Clarington

3131-480: Is now held by Oshawa. While the company's once essential role in the local economy has diminished, it remains the largest local employer. In November 2018, General Motors announced the closing of the plant, with the layoff of both salaried and hourly workers. On 20 December 2018 the last car was assembled at the Oshawa plant. On 4 November 2020, GM announced "Subject to ratification of the 2020 agreement with Unifor, General Motors plans to bring pickup production back to

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3232-537: Is organized by "T.H.E.E. Farmer's Parade of Lights", which is a special Christmas parade put on by the farmers from the communities of Tyrone, Haydon, Enniskillen and Enfield. Enniskillen, which is located in the northern part of Clarington, was the birthplace of Samuel McLaughlin . Mr. McLaughlin started the McLaughlin Motor Car Co. in 1904 and was one of the first major automobile manufacturers in Canada, which evolved into General Motors of Canada. Enniskillen

3333-579: Is the current coach and general manager of the Saskatchewan Rush . He was inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2012. Oshawa was home to Windfields Farm , a thoroughbred horse breeding operation and birthplace of one of Canada's most famous racehorses, Northern Dancer . Canadian National The Canadian National Railway Company ( French : Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada ) ( reporting mark CN )

3434-625: The CN train line is a popular destination for rail photographers . On June 20, 2016, it was announced that the Lakeshore East line of GO Transit would be extended to Bowmanville. Clarington gained two new stations. Darlington GO Station , in Courtice and the terminus; Bowmanville GO Station . As of the announcement, the stations are scheduled to open in 2024. Clarington is home to the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station . The Durham-York Energy Centre

3535-595: The CN Commercialization Act of 1995. The merger announcement by CN's Paul Tellier and BNSF's Robert Krebs was greeted with skepticism by the U.S. government's Surface Transportation Board (STB), and protested by other major North American rail companies, namely CPR and Union Pacific Railroad (UP). Rail customers also denounced the proposed merger, following the confusion and poor service sustained in southeastern Texas in 1998 following UP's purchase of Southern Pacific Railroad two years earlier. In response to

3636-570: The Connecticut River valley from Quebec to Long Island Sound ; and the Berlin subdivision to Portland, Maine , known informally as the Grand Trunk Eastern , sold to a short-line operator in 1989. In 1992, a new management team led by ex-federal government bureaucrats, Paul Tellier and Michael Sabia , started preparing CN for privatization by emphasizing increased productivity. This

3737-582: The Mississauga Natives at the Oshawa harbour and transported to the trading posts located to the west at the mouth of the Credit River . Around 1760, the French constructed a trading post near the harbour. This location was abandoned after a few years, but its ruins provided shelter for the first residents of what later became Oshawa. Most notably, one of the fur traders was Moody Farewell, an early resident of

3838-573: The Russian Revolution seemed to validate the continuing process. The need for a viable rail system was paramount in a time of civil unrest and foreign military action. Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad The B&LE was acquired with the purchase of Great Lakes Transportation and the DM&;IR. British Columbia Railway In 2003, BCOL sold to Canadian National and leased the railroad to CN for 60 years. Central Vermont Railway Central Vermont

3939-480: The United Auto Workers (Local 222). The then-Liberal government of Mitchell Hepburn , which had been elected on a platform of being the working man's friend, sided with the corporation and brought in armed university students to break up any union agitation. These much-derided "Hepburn's Hussars" and "Sons of Bitches" were never needed as the union refused to be drawn into violent acts. The union and workers had

4040-530: The 2004 federal election the riding of Oshawa (not coterminous with the City of Oshawa, but containing most of it) was the country's most competitive. The candidate of the new Conservative Party of Canada , Colin Carrie , edged out his NDP rival Sid Ryan by several hundred votes; it was an atypical and ideologically stark race that left Louise Parkes of the Liberals in third place. In 2006, Whitby-Oshawa also became

4141-522: The Family Stone . John Lennon was to be the headline act, bidding to gain exposure for his peace campaign, but after months of planning he backed out due to differences with the show's promoter. However, the event still used the title of The Beatles ' 1967 single of the same name. Led Zeppelin were booked to play but also backed out. Canada Jam was held August 26, 1978 and the Heatwave Festival

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4242-866: The GTA (91.2%). French is the native language for 1.8% of the population of Clarington. No other language has more than 1% of native speakers ( Dutch with 0.8% - 695 native speakers - tops the pack of immigrant languages). The municipality of Clarington consists of several urban communities, including Bowmanville , Courtice , Newcastle and Orono ; as well as several rural communities such as Bond Head, Brownsville, Burketon, Clarke, Cowanville, Crooked Creek, Enfield, Enniskillen, Gaud Corners, Hampton , Haydon, Kendal, Kirby , Leskard, Lovekin, Maple Grove, Mitchell Corners , New Park, Newtonville , Port Darlington, Port Granby , Salem , Solina, Starkville, Taunton (east portion; west portion split with Oshawa along Townline Road), Tyrone , West Side Beach and Wilmot Creek . Clarington

4343-874: The McLaughlin name, using Buick engines and other mechanical parts. 1908 Buick was merged into General Motors Holding shortly after, and in 1915 the firm acquired the manufacturing rights to the Chevrolet brand. Within three years, the McLaughlin Motor Car Company and the Chevrolet Motor Car Company of Canada owned the General Motors Holding in 1916 he in 1918 merged his Chevrolet and Buick, creating General Motors of Canada in 1918 with McLaughlin as President. The factory expanded rapidly, eventually covering several blocks. The growing usage of

4444-549: The Montreal commuter trains are now operated by Montreal's EXO . On November 17, 1995, the Government of Canada privatized CN. Over the next decade, the company expanded significantly into the United States, purchasing Illinois Central Railroad and Wisconsin Central Transportation , among others. The excessive construction of railway lines in Canada led to significant financial difficulties striking many of them, in

4545-550: The Oshawa Assembly Plant. Construction will begin immediately at Oshawa Assembly and will include a new body shop and flexible assembly module, to support a fast response to strong customer demand for GM's new family of pickup trucks. Oshawa pickup production started on 10 November 2021 when the first Canadian-made Silverado was completed. The revenue collection divisions of the Ontario Ministry of Finance occupy one of

4646-689: The Oshawa Peony Festival, Kars on King, and Oshawa Fiesta Week, which is hosted by the Oshawa Folk Arts Council and has been celebrated for more than 45 years. At the center of Oshawa is the Oshawa Centre shopping mall, the largest mall in the Durham region as well as in Ontario east of Toronto . The executive offices there include the Ministry of Long Term Health Care for Ontario. Oshawa

4747-650: The Power announced a move from Oshawa to Mississauga , a western suburb of Toronto. The Power played home games at the General Motors Centre. Oshawa was home of the Oshawa Green Gaels , one of the most storied teams in the sport. A player of note in the 1920s was Nels Stewart , who became a Hall of Famer in the National Hockey League . Former Oshawa Green Gaels captain and Oshawa native, Derek Keenan ,

4848-500: The U.S. rail industry, CN bought the Illinois Central Railroad (IC), which connected the already existing lines from Vancouver , British Columbia, to Halifax , Nova Scotia, with a line running from Chicago, Illinois, to New Orleans , Louisiana. This single purchase of IC transformed CN's entire corporate focus from being an east–west uniting presence within Canada (sometimes to the detriment of logical business models) into

4949-418: The area; their reply was "Oshawa," which translates to "where we must leave our canoes". Thus, the name of Oshawa, one of the primary "motor cities" of Canada, has the meaning "where we have to get out and walk". The name "Oshawa" was adopted and the post office named accordingly. In 1849, the requirements for incorporation were eased, and Oshawa was incorporated as a village in 1850. The 1846 Gazeteer indicates

5050-447: The automobile in the 1920s generated rapid expansion of Oshawa, which grew in population from 4,000 to 16,000 during this decade, and of its land area. In 1924, Oshawa annexed the area to its south, including the harbour and the community of Cedardale. This growth allowed Oshawa to seek incorporation as a city, which took place on 8 March 1924. With the wealth he gained in his business venture, between 1915 and 1917, McLaughlin built one of

5151-460: The availability of a rail link not too far away. He constructed a two-story building on Simcoe Street, just north of the King's Highway. This building was heavily remodelled in 1929, receiving a new facade and being extended to the north using land where the city's "gaol" (jail, firehall and townhall) had once stood. The village became a town in 1879, in what was then called East Whitby Township. Around 1890,

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5252-499: The backing of the local population, other unions and the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation party and, on 23 April, two weeks after the strike started, the company gave in to most of the workers' demands, although it pointedly did not recognize the union. In 1950, the city annexed a portion of East Whitby Township west of Park Road. Some of this area had been developed during the 1920s boom period, although it

5353-489: The best manufacturing jobs available in Canada and attracted thousands of workers from economically depressed areas of the country, particularly the Maritimes , Newfoundland , rural Quebec and northern Ontario. The city was also a magnet for European immigrants in the skilled trades, and boasts substantial Polish , Ukrainian , Hungarian , Croatian , German , Slovak and Russian ethnic communities. Oshawa has become one of

5454-472: The carriage works relocated from its Simcoe Street address to an unused furniture factory a couple of blocks to the northeast, and this remained its site until the building burned down in 1899. Offered assistance by the town, McLaughlin chose to stay in Oshawa, building a new factory across Mary Street from the old site. Rail service had been provided in 1890 by the Oshawa Railway; this was originally set up as

5555-440: The city consists of industrial zones and compact housing designed for early 20th century industrial workers, while the northern half has a suburban feel more typical of later decades. High wages paid to unionized GM employees have meant that these workers could enjoy a relatively high standard of living, although such jobs are much scarcer today than they once were. During its heyday after World War II , General Motors offered some of

5656-496: The city. The automotive industry was the inspiration for Oshawa's previous mottos: "The City that Motovates Canada", and "The City in Motion". The lavish home of the automotive company's founder, Parkwood Estate , is a National Historic Site of Canada is located in the city. Once recognized as the sole "Automotive Capital of Canada", Oshawa is now considered to be an education and health sciences hub, although General Motors still plays

5757-578: The coast of Lake Ontario, complete with a sandy beach, and is the location of the Oshawa Museum . Also, the McLaughlin Bay Wildlife Reserve and Second Marsh Wildlife Area offer protected marshland areas with interpretive trails and viewing platforms. Oshawa's parks and trail system encompasses almost 410 hectares (1,000 acres) of parkland and more than 27 kilometres (17 mi) of paved trails. Oshawa has more than 130 parks, more than 110 playgrounds, nine splash pads, eight ice pads and three skateboard parks. Oshawa hosts many annual festivals and events including

5858-488: The community who was to some extent responsible for its name change. In the late 18th century a local resident, Roger Conant, started an export business shipping salmon to the United States. His success attracted further migration into the region. A large number of the founding immigrants were United Empire Loyalists , who left the United States to continue to live under British rule. Later, Irish and then French Canadian immigration increased as did industrialization. Oshawa and

5959-433: The construction of a mall. The opening of what later became Highway 401 , then known as Highway 2A, shortly after World War II sparked increased residential growth in Oshawa and the other lakeshore municipalities of Ontario County, which led to the creation of the Regional Municipality of Durham in 1974. Oshawa was amalgamated with the remaining portions of East Whitby Township and took on its present boundaries, which included

6060-532: The deal was the fact that since the Wisconsin Central purchase, CN was required to use DM&I trackage rights for a short 18 km (11 mi) "gap" near Duluth, Minnesota , on the route between Chicago and Winnipeg. To purchase this short section, CN was told by GLT it would have to purchase the entire company. Also included in GLT's portfolio were eight Great Lakes vessels for transporting bulk commodities such as coal and iron ore as well as various port facilities. Following Surface Transportation Board approval for

6161-448: The end of the 1990s, the city's changing economy and demographics led many voters to the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario and the Canadian Alliance , a conservative party at the federal level. Conservative candidates have won recent provincial and federal elections, whereas from 1968 to 1993 the city was a safe NDP seat in both the federal and provincial legislatures. The city's shifting social and political dynamics were seen in

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6262-420: The fastest-growing cities in Canada, although statements to this effect are often in reference to the Census Metropolitan Area, which includes neighbouring Whitby and Clarington . Oshawa achieved a record-setting year of growth in 2015 with over a half a billion dollars in construction value (breaking its previous record in 2014). Many commuters have been enticed to Oshawa by comparatively low housing prices and

6363-479: The government. Primarily a freight railway, CN also operated passenger services until 1978, when they were assumed by Via Rail . The only passenger services run by CN after 1978 were several mixed trains (freight and passenger) in Newfoundland , and several commuter trains both on CN's electrified routes and towards the South Shore in the Montreal area (the latter lasted without any public subsidy until 1986). The Newfoundland mixed trains lasted until 1988, while

6464-442: The largest single shareholder of CN stock, owning a 14.2% interest through Cascade Investment and his own Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation . From 1919 to 1978, the railway was known as "Canadian National Railways" (CNR). The Canadian National Railways (CNR) was incorporated on June 6, 1919, comprising several railways that had become bankrupt and fallen into Government of Canada hands, along with some railways already owned by

6565-402: The late 20th century, CN gained extensive capacity in the United States by taking over such railroads as the Illinois Central . CN is a public company with 22,600 employees and, as of July 2024 , a market cap of approximately US$ 75 billion. CN was government-owned, as a Canadian Crown corporation , from its founding in 1919 until being privatized in 1995. As of 2019 , Bill Gates was

6666-523: The main office buildings in the city's downtown. Oshawa City Hall, Tribute Communities Centre, The Robert McLaughlin Gallery are also in the downtown core. Ontario Tech University occupies five buildings in downtown. More than 1,900 Ontario Tech University students and staff attend class and work in downtown Oshawa. The city's older southern neighbourhoods tend to be considerably less affluent than its more suburban northern sections, which are rapidly expanding as Toronto commuters move in. The southern half of

6767-442: The most stately homes in Canada, " Parkwood ". The 55-room residence was initially designed by Toronto architect firm Darling and Pearson as well as John M. Lyle in the late 1930s. McLaughlin lived in the house for 55 years with his wife and they raised five daughters. The house replaced an older mansion, which was about 30 years old when it was demolished; the grounds of the earlier home had been operated as Prospect Park, and this land

6868-410: The new General Motors Centre in November 2006. In 2016 the city of Oshawa partnered with Tribute Communities for naming rights and the General Motors Centre was renamed the Tribute Communities Centre. The Oshawa Generals' home arena has been destroyed by fire twice in the franchise history. In June 1928, the Bradley Arena was destroyed by fire. Then, 25 years later, in September 1953 the Hambly Arena

6969-566: The northernmost trackage of the contiguous North American railway network. Since being purchased by CN in 2006, it has been officially known as the Meander River Subdivision. Newfoundland Railway On 31 March 1949, CNR acquired the assets of the Newfoundland Railway , which in 1979 were reorganized into Terra Transport . CN officially abandoned its rail network in Newfoundland on 1 October 1988. Savage Alberta Railway On December 1, 2006, CN announced that it had purchased Savage Alberta Railway for $ 25 million and that it had begun operating

7070-474: The outlying villages of Columbus, Raglan and Kedron. Much of Oshawa's industry has closed over the years; however, it is still the headquarters of GM Canada and its major manufacturing site. Current industries of note include manufacturing of railway maintenance equipment, mining equipment, steel fabrication, and rubber products. Oshawa is also recognized as an official port of entry for immigration and customs services. Similar to all of southern Ontario, Oshawa has

7171-437: The owner of EWS , the principal freight train operator in the United Kingdom. On May 13, 2003, the provincial government of British Columbia announced the provincial Crown corporation , BC Rail (BCR), would be sold with the winning bidder receiving BCR's surface operating assets (locomotives, cars, and service facilities). The provincial government is retaining ownership of the tracks and right-of-way. On November 25, 2003, it

7272-601: The proximity to Lake Ontario. In spite of this the average low is around −10 °C (14 °F) in January. Summers are normally moderately warm with averages of around 26 °C (79 °F) during the day but with nights cooling off rapidly to fall below 15 °C (59 °F) on many occasions. Clarington is home to five Christmas parades. It has more Santa Claus/Christmas parades than any other town-sized municipality in Canada . The parades are run in: Bowmanville, Newcastle, Courtice, Orono, and Enniskillen/Tyrone. The latter parade

7373-763: The rail industry, shippers, and political pressure, the STB placed a 15-month moratorium on all rail-industry mergers, effectively scuttling CN-BNSF plans. Both companies dropped their merger applications and have never refiled. After the STB moratorium expired, CN purchased Wisconsin Central (WC) in 2001, which allowed the company's rail network to encircle Lake Michigan and Lake Superior , permitting more efficient connections from Chicago to western Canada. The deal also included Canadian WC subsidiary Algoma Central Railway (ACR), giving access to Sault Ste. Marie and Michigan's Upper Peninsula . The purchase of Wisconsin Central also made CN

7474-883: The railway the same day. TransX Group of Companies In 2018, CN acquired the Winnipeg-based TransX Group of Companies. Transx continues to operate independently. Wisconsin Central Railroad In January 2001, CN acquired the WC for $ 800 million. CN's railway network in the late 1980s consisted of the company's Canadian trackage, along with the following U.S. subsidiary lines: Grand Trunk Western Railroad (GTW) operating in Michigan , Indiana , and Illinois ; Duluth, Winnipeg and Pacific Railway (DWP) operating in Minnesota ; Central Vermont Railway (CV) operating down

7575-526: The regular rail service into downtown Toronto provided by GO Transit and Via Rail . The growth of subdivisions to house Toronto commuters will likely accelerate with the Highway 407 East extension. Highway 407 East (407E) opened to Harmony Road in Oshawa on 20 June 2016, including a tolled north–south link to Highway 401 known as Highway 412 . The Highway 407 extension to Highway 35 / Highway 115 in Clarington

7676-438: The residents were visible minorities , 37.4% of whom were Black Canadians . Oshawa is headquarters to General Motors Canada , which has large-scale manufacturing and administrative operations in the city and employs many thousands both directly and indirectly. Since Windsor, Ontario houses Chrysler Canada headquarters, the two cities have something of a friendly rivalry for the title of "Automotive Capital of Canada", which

7777-567: The sale of BC Rail. Also contested was the economic stimulus package the government gave cities along the BC Rail route. Some saw it as a buy-off to get the municipalities to cooperate with the lease, though the government asserted the package was intended to promote economic development along the corridor. Passenger service along the route had been ended by BC Rail a few years earlier due to ongoing losses resulting from deteriorating service. The cancelled passenger service has subsequently been replaced by

7878-484: The southeast corner of this intersection; as his store became a popular meeting place (probably because it also served as the Post Office), the corner and the growing settlement that surrounded it were known as Skae's Corners. In 1842, Skae, the postmaster, applied for official post office status, but was informed the community needed a better name. Moody Farewell was requested to ask his native acquaintances what they called

7979-505: The surrounding Ontario County were also the settling grounds of a disproportionate number of 19th century Cornish immigrants during the Cornish emigration which emptied large tracts of that part of England. As well, the surveys ordered by Governor John Graves Simcoe , and the subsequent land grants, helped populate the area. When Col. Asa Danforth laid out his York-to-Kingston road, it passed through what would later become Oshawa. In 1822,

8080-423: The system was more or less finalized at that point. However, certain related lawsuits were not resolved until as late as 1936. Canadian National Railways was born out of both wartime and domestic urgency. Until the rise of the personal automobile and creation of taxpayer-funded all-weather highways, railways were the only viable long-distance land transportation available in Canada. As such, their operation consumed

8181-414: The transaction shortly thereafter. The EJ&E lines create a bypass around the western side of heavily congested Chicago-area rail hub and its conversion to use for mainline freight traffic is expected to alleviate substantial bottlenecks for both regional and intercontinental rail traffic subject to lengthy delays entering and exiting Chicago freight yards. The purchase of the lightly used EJ&E corridor

8282-456: The transaction, CN completed the purchase of GLT on May 10, 2004. On December 24, 2008, the STB approved CN's purchase for $ 300 million of the principal lines of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Company (EJ&E) ( reporting mark EJE) from the U.S. Steel Corporation , originally announced on September 27, 2007. The STB's decision was to become effective on January 23, 2009, with a closure of

8383-599: The two railroads were formally amalgamated into the CN system. Iowa Northern Railway In 2023, CN acquired the Iowa Northern Railway , but the transaction is awaiting approval by the Surface Transportation Board (STB). Mackenzie Northern Railway In 2006, CN acquired Mackenzie Northern Railway , previously purchased by RailAmerica . This purchase allowed CN to increase their network footprint and hold

8484-549: The years leading up to 1920: The Canadian National Railway Company then evolved through the following steps: GTR management and shareholders opposed to nationalization took legal action, but after several years of arbitration, the GTR was finally absorbed into the CNR on January 30, 1923. Although several smaller independent railways would be added to the CNR in subsequent years as they went bankrupt or it became politically expedient to do so,

8585-558: Was a candidate location to host ITER in 2001, but the bid was withdrawn two years later. Environment Canada operates a weather station in Bowmanville. Under the Köppen climate classification Bowmanville has a humid continental climate with warm summers and cold winters. Unlike many other locations on similar latitudes on the eastern half of the North American continent the winters are relatively mild, with cold extremes being moderated by

8686-557: Was a high ranking Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) and Cabinet Member during the Diefenbaker era. Starr served the new Oshawa-Whitby riding for one term, before being narrowly defeated by future federal NDP leader Ed Broadbent in 1968. Broadbent then represented the city in the House of Commons until 1989, and in the 1980s led the NDP to its greatest electoral successes. By

8787-435: Was achieved largely through aggressive cuts to the company's management structure, widescale layoffs in its workforce and continued abandonment or sale of its branch lines. In 1993 and 1994, the company experimented with a rebranding that saw the names CN , Grand Trunk Western , and Duluth, Winnipeg, and Pacific replaced under a collective CN North America moniker. In this time, CPR and CN entered into negotiations regarding

8888-677: Was acquired by the town and became its first municipal park, Alexandra Park. Parkwood today is open to the public as a National Historic Site. Tours are offered. On 8 April 1937, disputes between 4,000 assembly line workers and General Motors management led to the Oshawa Strike, a salient event in the history of Canadian trade unionism . As the weight of the Great Depression slowly began to lift, demand for automobiles again began to grow. The workers sought higher wages, an eight-hour workday, better working conditions and recognition of their union,

8989-502: Was also a host of the Canadian Grand Prix of Formula One before the event was moved to a circuit in Montreal in the 1970s. Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP) was also the location of three major music festivals held between 1970 and 1980. The Strawberry Fields Festival held August 7–9, 1970 featured Alice Cooper , Jethro Tull , Grand Funk Railroad , Procol Harum , Ten Years After , Lighthouse , Crowbar and Sly and

9090-604: Was also destroyed by fire. Oshawa hosted Ron MacLean and the Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour on 26–27 December 2015. In September 2018, the city hosted its first National Hockey League preseason game, when the Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders played an exhibition contest. The Oshawa Power of the National Basketball League of Canada began playing in October 2011. In the spring of 2013,

9191-488: Was announced CN's bid of CA$ 1   billion would be accepted over those of CPR and several U.S. companies. The transaction was closed effective July 15, 2004. Many opponents – including CPR – accused the government and CN of rigging the bidding process, though this has been denied by the government. Documents relating to the case are under court seal, as they are connected to a parallel marijuana grow-op investigation connected with two senior government aides also involved in

9292-409: Was enacted into law on July 13, 1995, and by November 28, 1995, the Government of Canada had completed an initial public offering (IPO) and transferred all of its shares to private investors. Two key prohibitions in this legislation include, 1) that no individual or corporate shareholder may own more than 15% of CN, and 2) that the company's headquarters must remain in Montreal , thus maintaining CN as

9393-592: Was held August 23, 1980. CTMP was home to Republic Live's Boots and Hearts Music Festival , which first opened in the summer of 2012. In 2015, the event was abruptly moved to Burl's Creek Event Grounds , near Barrie. Oshawa Town: 1879 Oshawa is a city in Ontario , Canada, on the Lake Ontario shoreline. It lies in Southern Ontario , approximately 60 km (37 mi) east of Downtown Toronto . It

9494-587: Was merged with Central Vermont in 1971 with the creation of the Grand Trunk Corporation. In 1991 the GTW was merged with CN under the "North America" consolidation program. Many of GTWs locomotives and rolling stock would be repainted and the motive power would get the new CN scheme. Illinois Central Railroad In 1998, IC was purchased by CN, which also acquired the Chicago Central in the deal. A year later,

9595-623: Was nationalized in 1918 and consolidated into the Grand Trunk Western in 1971 with the creation of the Grand Trunk Corporation. Duluth Missabe & Iron Range Railroad The DM&IR was purchased by Great Lakes Transportation and in 2011 the DM&IR was merged into CN's Wisconsin Central Subsidiary. The DM&IR was acquired at the same time as the Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad. Duluth Winnipeg & Pacific Railroad The DWP

9696-562: Was nationalized with CN in 1918 and became a part of CN's Grand Trunk Corporation in 1971. In 2011 the DWP was merged into the larger Wisconsin Central Subsidiary of CN. Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway In 2009, CN acquired the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway to assist with traffic congestion in Chicago and the surrounding area. In 2013 EJ&E was merged into the greater Wisconsin Central Subsidiary of CN. Grand Trunk Western Railroad The GTW

9797-475: Was not within the boundaries of the city. The opening of the Oshawa Shopping Centre (now the Oshawa Centre ) fewer than two kilometres west of the "four corners" in 1956 struck a blow to Oshawa's downtown from which it has never been able to recover. The shopping centre was built on land which had been an unproductive farm; when its owner gave up on agriculture, this released a very large area of land for

9898-412: Was opened on 9 December 2019, with a second tolled link to Highway 401 known as Highway 418 opened simultaneously. On 5 April 2022, Highways 412 and 418 became toll-free. In spring 2016, Oshawa was ranked No. 1 city for jobs in Canada when compared to 33 cities across the country. The trend suggests major social and demographic changes for Oshawa, which has long had a vigorous labour union presence,

9999-480: Was replaced by buses in 1940. After GM moved its main plants to south Oshawa in 1951, freight traffic fell and most of the tracks were removed in 1963, although a line to the older remaining "north" plant via Ritson Road remained until 2000. Col. R. S. McLaughlin and "Billy" Durant signed a 15-year contract in 1907, under which the McLaughlin Motor Car Company began to manufacture automobiles under

10100-601: Was the sixth best place in Canada to find full-time employment based on data from StatsCan. Downtown Oshawa is identified as an Urban Growth Centre in the Government of Ontario's Places to Grow initiative. More than 5,000 people work and more than 2,400 university students study in the downtown core. The downtown is a prominent centre for entertainment and sporting events (Regent Theatre and Tribute Communities Centre ), food (50+ restaurants and cafes) and culture ( The Robert McLaughlin Gallery and Canadian Automotive Museum ). Oshawa

10201-582: Was well known as a bastion of unionist, left-wing support during the decades following the Second World War . The city played an important role in Canada's labour history, including the 1937 " Oshawa Strike " against General Motors and the considerable financial support provided by the city's autoworkers to the New Democratic Party (NDP) and its predecessors. However, Oshawa was part of the Ontario (County) riding when Michael Starr served. Starr

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