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95-605: The Walpole–Algonac Ferry Line has been in operation for over 100 years. Operating out of Walpole Island (Ontario, Canada), the ferry crosses the St. Clair River to Algonac (Michigan, USA) and is the closest route between Detroit and Chatham/Wallaceburg/London/Toronto areas. The two-ferry operation (12 car and 9 car) runs daily, year-round (weather permitting), with a crossing time of approximately seven minutes. 42°37′00″N 82°31′24″W  /  42.61667°N 82.52333°W  / 42.61667; -82.52333 This ferry article

190-543: A "Big Six" professional team. Various additional professional teams currently and have formerly existed in lower-tier professional leagues in the region, with the only current active professional teams being basketball teams in the Basketball Super League , and semi-professional baseball and soccer teams in the Intercounty Baseball League and League1 Ontario , respectively. Major junior hockey

285-573: A domestic source of out-of-season crops throughout Canada in the winter. The region is also a centre for wine production . While the majority of wine production in Ontario is currently located in the Niagara Region and Prince Edward County , a wine appellation designated by the Vinters Quality Alliance (VQA) , the regulatory system for wine in Ontario and British Columbia , is located on

380-462: A long groove called a "flute". The spear points would typically be made by chipping a single flake from each side of the point. The point was then tied onto a spear of wood or bone. As the environment changed with the ice age ending around 17–13 Ka BP on short, and around 25–27 Ka BP on the long, many animals migrated overland to take advantage of the new sources of food. Humans following these animals, such as bison, mammoth and mastodon, thus gained

475-681: A long history in the region. Oil was initially discovered in Canada in 1858, when the first oil well was advanced in Oil Springs , located in Lambton County. However, oil and petrochemicals did not play a significant role in the regional economy until the large-scale development of oil deposits in Alberta in the 1930s and after World War II , when the first large-scale oil refineries were built in Sarnia. Oil

570-612: A modest presence in the region. A strong commercial greenhouse sector has also emerged in the region, centred predominantly on the towns of Leamington and Kingsville in Essex County, which boast the largest concentration of commercial greenhouses in North America , made viable due to the presence of sandy soils, low energy costs, and mild winters. Crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers , bell peppers , berries, flowers , and cannabis are grown year-round in these greenhouses, providing

665-537: A much wider geographical distribution, but mostly in the central and southern part of the continent. The haplogroup most commonly associated with Amerindian genetics is Haplogroup Q-M3 . Y-DNA , like ( mtDNA ), differs from other nuclear chromosomes in that the majority of the Y chromosome is unique and does not recombine during meiosis . This allows the historical pattern of mutations to be easily studied. The pattern indicates Indigenous Amerindians experienced two very distinctive genetic episodes: first with

760-538: A readily-available supply of brine and chlorine , which has aided the ease of production of chemicals locally. Southwestern Ontario's economy and political identity is heavily rooted in the manufacturing industry. Proximity to heavy industry in the United States Rust Belt , predominantly Detroit , and the nearby location of hydroelectric power sources in Niagara Falls provided a foundation for allowing

855-752: A relatively flat geography with rolling hills, with the exception of areas near the Niagara Escarpment in Bruce and Grey Counties, where exposed limestone cliff faces can be seen along the shores of Georgian Bay . Sandier soils are generally located near Lake Erie, resulting in the creation of a sandy escarpment along the entire north shore, in addition to many sandspit peninsulas, including Point Pelee in Essex County, Pointe aux Pins ( Rondeau ) in Chatham-Kent, and Long Point in Norfolk County. Pelee Island ,

950-497: A sharp contrast, Essex County and Chatham-Kent receive less snow than average due to their location further south. Summers are typically hot and humid, with Windsor experiencing the warmest weather in Ontario. Summers are often cooler and less humid on the peninsulas in Lake Erie and Lake Huron. Southwestern Ontario also experiences the highest annual frequency of thunderstorms in Canada, with Windsor, Chatham-Kent, and London experiencing

1045-946: A single animal species: the bison (an early cousin of the American bison ). The earliest known of these bison-oriented hunting traditions is the Folsom tradition . Folsom peoples traveled in small family groups for most of the year, returning yearly to the same springs and other favored locations on higher ground. There they would camp for a few days, perhaps erecting a temporary shelter, making and/or repairing some stone tools, or processing some meat, then moving on. Paleo-Indians were not numerous, and population densities were quite low. Paleo-Indians are generally classified by lithic reduction or lithic core "styles" and by regional adaptations. Lithic technology fluted spear points, like other spear points, are collectively called projectile points . The projectiles are constructed from chipped stones that have

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1140-489: A variety of flora. Paleo-Indian groups were efficient hunters and carried a variety of tools. These included highly efficient fluted-style spear points, as well as microblades used for butchering and hide processing. Projectile points and hammerstones made from many sources are found traded or moved to new locations. Stone tools were traded and/or left behind from North Dakota and Northwest Territories , to Montana and Wyoming . Trade routes also have been found from

1235-456: A warm-summer Dfb climate , with the exception of Windsor and Chatham-Kent, which experiences a hot-summer Dfa climate. Additionally, a very small area near Long Point experiences a temperate oceanic Cfb climate, due to its location in Lake Erie creating slightly cooler summers and slightly warmer winters than the remainder of the province. Southwestern Ontario has historically been a strong centre for Canadian agricultural production, given

1330-456: Is Canada's smallest forest zone, but it is home to a very high biodiversity of species due to it being one of the warmest regions in the country. Over 500 rare and/or endangered species are located in this region and is estimated to contain around 25% of Canada's species at risk , including the American badger , Midland painted turtle , Jefferson salamander , monarch butterfly , and southern flying squirrel . Southwestern Ontario's climate

1425-559: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This Southwestern Ontario geographical article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about transport in Ontario is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about transportation in Michigan is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Southwestern Ontario Southwestern Ontario (census population 2,796,367 in 2021)

1520-566: Is a major fixture of the sporting landscape in the region, with all major cities hosting OHL teams. Southwestern Ontario teams regularly experience high attendance, with the London Knights and Kitchener Rangers regularly boasting the highest attendance in the league. In the late 2000s, former BlackBerry co- CEO Jim Balsillie made three unsuccessful attempts to purchase and move an NHL franchise to Southern Ontario , with planned destinations being either Kitchener or Hamilton ; in 2006 with

1615-703: Is a road that runs from St. Thomas to London, with a small section of freeway running north from Highway 401, formerly known as Highway 126. Southwestern Ontario also has multiple road connections with the United States. These include the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, the Bluewater Bridge in Sarnia, and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel that runs from downtown Detroit to downtown Windsor. A new bridge crossing,

1710-649: Is a secondary region of Southern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario . It occupies most of the Ontario Peninsula bounded by Lake Huron , including Georgian Bay , to the north and northwest; the St. Clair River , Lake St. Clair , and Detroit River , to the west; and Lake Erie to the south. To the east, on land, Southwestern Ontario is bounded by Central Ontario and the Golden Horseshoe . Southwestern Ontario

1805-483: Is central to the regional economy, with major active automotive plants being located in Windsor, London, Ingersoll , Woodstock , and Cambridge. The effects of the 2008–2010 automotive industry crisis on Canada included a large number of plants shutting down across the region in the following years. The 2020s saw a widespread resurgence in industrial development, predominantly due to the comparative lack of available land for development and fast-rising property prices in

1900-518: Is currently being planned. Freight rail in the region is dominated by CN Rail and CPKC , the two major cross-national Canadian rail companies. Smaller railway companies operating in the region include Essex Terminal Railway , Goderich-Exeter Railway , Ontario Southland Railway , Southern Ontario Railway , and Waterloo Central Railway . Southwestern Ontario has two major ports, located in Goderich and Windsor, that service cargo ships as part of

1995-481: Is heavily influenced by the proximity of the Great Lakes . Winters in the region are typically milder than the rest of Ontario due to the gradual release of stored heat in the lakes. Despite this, however, portions of the region experience significantly more snow than others due to lake-effect snow caused by eastward winds. A portion of the regional Snowbelt is located in Bruce, Grey, Huron, and Middlesex Counties. In

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2090-438: Is home to three major airports; Region of Waterloo International Airport (YKF) , London International Airport (YXU) , and Windsor International Airport (YQG) , in addition to multiple minor airports in various smaller communities, such as Sarnia Chris Hadfield Airport (YZR) and St. Thomas Municipal Airport (YQS) . The three major airports predominantly offer limited international flights (mainly to vacation destinations such as

2185-545: Is often not consistently defined. The Government of Ontario, in certain documents, classifies municipalities along the eastern side of Southwestern Ontario near the Grand River , including Wellington County , Waterloo Region , and Brant County , as part of the Greater Golden Horseshoe region that surrounds western Lake Ontario , mainly due to the presence of modern transportation connections that link these areas to

2280-496: The Bluewater Highway due to its route along the shore of Lake Huron). Southwestern Ontario's political sentiments have largely been influenced by its historical position as Canada's manufacturing heartland. The cities of Windsor , London , and Waterloo Region have historically been political strongholds for both the provincial and federal New Democratic Party , owing to all three having historically been major centres for

2375-469: The British Columbia Interior to the coast of California . The glaciers that covered the northern half of the continent began to gradually melt, exposing new land for occupation around 17,500–14,500 years ago. At the same time as this was occurring, worldwide extinctions among the large mammals began. In North America, camelids and equids eventually died off, the latter not to reappear on

2470-543: The Golden Horseshoe . Multiple large investments in electric vehicle production were also made in the region in the 2020s, and resulted in the establishment of multiple plants for battery production in Windsor and St. Thomas . (2021) (2016) (2011) (2006) (2001) (km ) (km ) Density (/km ) Southwestern Ontario is located within the Mixedwood Plains Ecozone (as classified by Environment and Climate Change Canada, further subclassified into

2565-706: The Great Lakes . Sections of Southwestern Ontario are occasionally referred to as Bluewater Country . This is predominantly used to refer to the areas surrounding Lake Huron , but is also used in areas around Lake Erie , to a lesser extent. Multiple locations and roads carry this moniker, including the Municipality of Bluewater (located in Huron County ), the Blue Water Bridge and Bluewater Trail System in Sarnia , and Ontario Highway 21 (informally being referred to as

2660-1052: The Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway system. The Port of Goderich is predominantly used for the export of salt from the Goderich Salt Mine, but also moves grain and calcium chloride. The Port of Windsor is significantly more developed and is the third-busiest Great Lakes port, behind the ports in Hamilton and Thunder Bay . The port of Windsor moves a wider variety of cargo including aggregates, salt, grain, fertilizer, lumber, steel, petroleum, vehicles and machinery. Minor ports are also located in Sarnia, Kingsville , Owen Sound , and Nanticoke . The Owen Sound Transportation Company currently operates passenger ferry services connecting Leamington to Pelee Island , and Tobermory to Manitoulin Island in Northern Ontario . Southwestern Ontario

2755-650: The Grey Cup prior to the formation of the CFL in 1958, including the Brantford Redskins , Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen , London Lords , Sarnia Imperials (2-time Grey Cup champions in 1934 and 1936 ), and Windsor Royals of the Ontario Rugby Football Union . The combined London-Kitchener TV market, as of 2023, is the fourth largest media market in Canada, and the largest in Canada without representation from

2850-501: The Gulf of Venezuela to the high mountains and valleys. The population using them were hunter-gatherers that seemed to remain within a certain circumscribed territory. El Jobo points were probably the earliest, going back to c.  14,200  – c.  12,980 BP and they were used for hunting large mammals. In contrast, the fish-tail points, dating to c. 11,000 B.P. in Patagonia , had

2945-850: The Laurentide and Cordilleran ice sheets . An alternative proposed scenario involves migration, either on foot or using boats , down the Pacific coast to South America. Evidence of the latter would have been submerged by a sea-level rise of more than a hundred meters following the end of the Last Glacial Period . The time range of the peopling of the Americas remains a source of substantial debate. Conventional estimates have it that humans reached North America at some point between 15,000 and 20,000 years ago. However, some groups of humans may have reached South America as early as 25,000 years ago. One of

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3040-629: The Pacific coast and valleys of North America . This allowed land animals, followed by humans, to migrate south into the interior of the continent. The people went on foot or used boats along the coastline. The dates and routes of the peopling of the Americas remain subjects of ongoing debate. It is likely there were three waves of ancient settlers from the Bering Sea to the America continent. Stone tools , particularly projectile points and scrapers , are

3135-820: The Pittsburgh Penguins , in 2007 with the Nashville Predators , and in 2009 with the Arizona Coyotes . Paleo-Indians Paleo-Indians were the first peoples who entered and subsequently inhabited the Americas towards the end of the Late Pleistocene period. The prefix paleo- comes from the Ancient Greek adjective: παλαιός , romanized :  palaiós , lit.   'old; ancient'. The term Paleo-Indians applies specifically to

3230-584: The U15 Group , the association of Canada's dominant research universities. The accent/dialect in the region, Southwestern Ontario English , is distinct from the rest of Ontario. The region also has a small Francophone population, predominantly located around the Windsor area, owing to the region's historical roots in French colonization . Local identity is heavily rooted in historical industries like agriculture and automotive manufacturing , as well as proximity to

3325-609: The United States border with Michigan in Sarnia to London, where it connects with Highway 401 in southern London. Highway 403 connects with Highway 401 in Woodstock and runs east toward Brantford, where it continues toward Hamilton and the Greater Toronto Area . Additional major provincial highways in the region include Highway 3 , Highway 4 , Highway 6 , Highway 7 , Highway 8 , Highway 10 , and Highway 85 . Additionally,

3420-442: The automotive industry . The decline and subsequent economic stagnation over the following decade resulted in the emergence of populist and protectionist political attitudes in cities like Windsor and London, holding the strongest such attitudes in Canada, ranking amongst Prairie cities like Regina , Saskatoon , Edmonton , and Calgary . Southwestern Ontario has never been the home of any professional sports franchises from

3515-680: The contemporary "Big Six" leagues ( MLB , NBA , NFL , NHL , MLS , and CFL ), with the exception of the NHL's Detroit Cougars (now the Detroit Red Wings ) in 1926-1927 , when they played at the Border Cities Arena (now Windsor Arena ) in Windsor for a singular season while the Detroit Olympia was under construction. Multiple cities historically hosted professional hockey teams from the OPHL in

3610-556: The giant beaver , steppe wisent , giant muskox , mastodon , woolly mammoth and ancient reindeer . The Clovis culture , appearing around 11,500 BCE ( c.  13,500 BP) in North America, is one of the most notable Paleo-Indian archaeological cultures. It has been disputed whether the Clovis culture were specialist big-game hunters or employed a mixed foraging strategy that included smaller terrestrial game, aquatic animals, and

3705-685: The lithic period in the Western Hemisphere and is distinct from the term Paleolithic . Traditional theories suggest that big-animal hunters crossed the Bering Strait from North Asia into the Americas over a land bridge ( Beringia ). This bridge existed from 45,000 to 12,000 BCE (47,000–14,000 BP ). Small isolated groups of hunter-gatherers migrated alongside herds of large herbivores far into Alaska . From c.  16,500  – c.  13,500 BCE ( c.  18,500  – c.  15,500 BP), ice-free corridors developed along

3800-601: The 1830s. Indigenous peoples had occupied Southwestern Ontario for thousands of years prior to European settlement. Archaeological sites such as the Princess Point Complex and the Parkhill Complex indicate the presence of Paleo-Indians in the area dating back approximately 11,000 years. First Nations peoples located in the region included Anishinaabe , Algonquin , Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) , and Wendat peoples. Initial European settlement and colonization of

3895-415: The 1920s until the early 2000s, when Ontario bought out the tobacco quotas of most farms in the region in 2008 for $ 300,000,000 CAD. While some tobacco farms still remain, most have switched to alternative crops, including specialty crops like ginseng , hazelnut , and mushrooms . Fruits such as blueberries , strawberries , raspberries , blackberries , gourds , apples , and tomatoes are also grown in

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3990-549: The American automotive companies such as Chrysler , Ford , General Motors , and Studebaker . Production increases during World War I and World War II allowed the industry to grow significantly, at one point making Canada the second largest automotive manufacturer globally, exporting predominantly to other countries within the British Empire . The Canadian and United States automotive industries were eventually integrated with

4085-458: The Americas becoming extinct towards the end of the Paleoindian period as part of the Late Pleistocene megafauna extinctions . The potential role of human hunting in the extinctions has been the subject of much controversy. From 8000 to 7000 BCE (10,000–9,000 BP) the climate stabilized, leading to a rise in population and lithic technology advances, resulting in a more sedentary lifestyle during

4180-928: The Americas suggest that Clovis (thus the "Paleo-Indians") time range should be re-examined. In particular, sites such as Cooper's Ferry in Idaho, Cactus Hill in Virginia , Meadowcroft Rockshelter in Pennsylvania , Bear Spirit Mountain in West Virginia , Catamarca and Salta in Argentina , Pilauco and Monte Verde in Chile , Topper in South Carolina , and Quintana Roo in Mexico have generated early dates for wide-ranging Paleo-Indian occupation. Some sites significantly predate

4275-430: The Americas. Due to the evidence that Paleoindians hunted now extinct megafauna (large animals), and that following a period of overlap, most large animals across the Americas became extinct as part of the Late Pleistocene megafauna extinctions , it has been argued by many authors that hunting by Paleoindians was an important factor in the extinctions, though this suggestion is controversial, with other authors placing

4370-677: The Early Archaic period in some regions. Sites in Alaska (eastern Beringia) exhibit some of the earliest evidence of Paleo-Indians, followed by archaeological sites in northern British Columbia , western Alberta and the Old Crow Flats region of the Yukon territory. The Paleo-Indians would eventually flourish all over the Americas. These peoples were spread over a wide geographical area; thus there were regional variations in lifestyles. However, all

4465-424: The Gordie Howe International Bridge, is currently under construction and slated to open in 2025, and is meant to serve as a direct freeway-to-freeway connection between Highway 401 and E.C. Row in Windsor and Interstate 75 in Detroit . Via Rail operates inter-regional passenger train service on the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor , in Windsor-London-Toronto and Sarnia-London-Toronto configurations, running both on

4560-446: The Lake Erie Lowland and Manitoulin-Lake Simcoe regions), which largely consists of glacial till and glaciolacustrine sand / silt / clay plains underlain by sedimentary limestone , dolostone , siltstone , sandstone , and shale bedrock, with pockets of evaporite gypsum and salt beds. Bedrock is rarely exposed in the region, with the exception being the Bruce Peninsula . The vast majority of Southwestern Ontario maintains

4655-425: The Lake Erie north shore and Pelee Island in Essex County. Additionally, the VQA recognizes additional emerging wine regions located in Norfolk County, Georgian Bay, and Lake Huron east shore. The energy sector is a major industry in Southwestern Ontario. Energy production in the region is sourced from a mixture of nuclear , hydroelectric , wind , solar , and natural gas sources. The bulk of energy production in

4750-470: The Lake Erie north shore and under the Lake Erie lake bed. The chemical industry also has a strong presence in Sarnia, to the point that the area including Sarnia and St. Clair Township is colloquially known as Chemical Valley . The chemical industry has its origins around the same time as the oil industry, during World War II, when tropical sources of natural latex for rubber production were being threatened. The federal government designated Sarnia as

4845-595: The Ontario government announced plans to expand the plant's generating capacity by an additional 4,800 MW to meet growing energy demands in the province. Additional energy production is supplemented by wind, solar, and hydroelectric power. Large-scale wind turbine fields are located predominantly in Essex County, Chatham-Kent, and Lambton County. Belwood Lake , Conestogo Lake , Fanshawe Lake , Guelph Lake , Pittock Reservoir , and Wildwood Lake are all artificial reservoirs created for local hydroelectric production. The petrochemical and oil/natural gas industry also has

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4940-403: The Province of Quebec from 1763 to 1791, and eventually the Province of Upper Canada from 1791 to 1841. One of the earliest British settlements, Port Talbot , was settled by Thomas Talbot in 1803, and was amongst the first successful settlements due to the construction of Talbot Trail , one of the earliest major roads in the region. Kitchener, originally known as Ebytown and later Berlin ,

5035-485: The United States, Mexico , and the Caribbean ) on a seasonal basis, in addition to some select all-season routes to other Canadian cities. All airports also offer frequent connecting flights to Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) , usually via Air Canada . Southwestern Ontario has multiple tertiary education institutions in the form of both universities and colleges . Two universities, University of Waterloo and University of Western Ontario , are part of

5130-529: The Y lineage specific to South America indicates that certain Amerindian populations have been isolated since the initial colonization of the region. The Na-Dené , Inuit and Indigenous Alaskan populations, however, exhibit haplogroup Q (Y-DNA) mutations that are distinct from other Amerindians with various mtDNA mutations. This suggests that the earliest migrants into the northern extremes of North America and Greenland derived from later migrant populations. Evidence from full genomic studies suggests that

5225-444: The abundance of arable land and warmer climate that provides for a longer growing season than the rest of the country. Most of the land area in the region is used for agriculture. Common crops grown in the region include sweet corn , soybean , winter wheat , and canola . Tobacco was also historically grown in the tobacco belt , centred on the towns of Delhi , Aylmer , and Tillsonburg in Elgin, Oxford, and Norfolk Counties from

5320-430: The area where synthetic petroleum-based rubbers would be developed for use in the allied war effort. Over time, various chemical companies, including Bayer and NOVA Chemicals , have built many facilities in the region for the production of various chemicals, including plastics , paints , lubricants , food additives , cosmetics , rubbers, and other chemicals. The presence of local underground salt beds resulted in

5415-401: The automotive sector in Southwestern Ontario. The modern regional automotive industry has multiple large-scale plants in the region, in addition to numerous smaller automotive parts manufacturers/suppliers. The following large automotive plants are currently active or under construction in the region (as of 2024): Food and beverage processing also has a significant regional presence, owing to

5510-542: The blame on climatic change. In a 2012 survey of archaeologists in The SAA Archaeological Record, 63% of respondents said that megafauna extinctions were likely the result of a "combination of factors". The Archaic period in the Americas saw a changing environment featuring a warmer, more arid climate and the disappearance of the last megafauna. The majority of population groups at this time were still highly mobile hunter-gatherers, but now individual groups started to focus on resources available to them locally. Thus with

5605-414: The chemical industry. Additionally, smaller-scale oil and natural gas development is common in rural Ontario, with small shale oil pools and natural gas deposits being found in local sedimentary bedrock. Shale oil pools are commonly found in Essex County, Chatham-Kent, and Lambton County, where small oil wells can often be seen operating on farms. Natural gas deposits are largely found and exploited along

5700-464: The cities of Windsor and London have municipally-owned expressways. E.C. Row Expressway is a fully grade-separated freeway running east-west through Windsor, formerly known as Highway 2 . Veteran's Memorial Parkway is a limited-access highway running north-south through London, formerly known as Highway 100. Dougall Avenue is a road in Windsor with a small section of freeway running north from Highway 401, formerly known as Highway 3B. Highbury Avenue

5795-410: The continent until the Spanish reintroduced the horse near the end of the 15th century CE. As the Quaternary extinction event was happening, the late Paleo-Indians would have relied more on other means of subsistence. From c.  10,500  – c.  9,500 BCE ( c.  12,500  – c.  11,500 BP), the broad-spectrum big game hunters of the Great Plains began to focus on

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5890-446: The core sections of the Golden Horseshoe . A more traditional definition of the region boundary can be traced back to early colonial districts in the British Province of Quebec and Upper Canada . The Western District , originally known as the Hesse District from 1788 to 1792, was originally designated as everything west of a north-south line intersecting the extreme projection of Long Point into Lake Erie , which roughly follows

5985-444: The early 20th century who competed for the Stanley Cup prior to the formation of the NHL in 1917, including the Berlin Dutchmen (who challenged the Montreal Wanderers for the Cup in 1910 ), Brantford Indians , Galt Professionals (who challenged the Ottawa Senators for the Cup in 1909 and 1911 ), Guelph Royals , and Waterloo Colts . The region has also historically hosted multiple Canadian football teams that competed for

6080-430: The eastern boundaries of modern Grey, Dufferin, Wellington, Brant, and Norfolk Counties. The northern portion of Southwestern Ontario is sometimes referred to as Midwestern Ontario . This area includes Perth, Huron, Wellington, Dufferin, Bruce, and Grey Counties, corresponding roughly with the historical boundaries of Queen's Bush , an area of crown land that did not see formal subdivision or wide-scale settlement until

6175-448: The few areas of agreement is the origin from Siberia , with widespread habitation of the Americas during the end of the Last Glacial Period, and more specifically after the end of the Last Glacial Maximum around 16,000 to 13,000 years before present. The Palaeoindian culture lasts 4000 years, from 12,000 to 8000 BP. It is divided into Early Palaeoindian (12,000-10,000 BP) and Late Palaeoindian (10,000-8000 BP), ending with early events of

6270-446: The first people in the Americas diverged from Ancient East Asians about 36,000 years ago and expanded northwards into Siberia, where they encountered and interacted with a different Paleolithic Siberian population (known as Ancient North Eurasians ), giving rise to both Paleosiberian peoples and Ancient Native Americans , which later migrated towards the Beringian region, became isolated from other populations, and subsequently populated

6365-550: The following Archaic Period . Researchers continue to study and discuss the specifics of Paleo-Indian migration to and throughout the Americas , including the dates and routes traveled. The traditional theory holds that these early migrants moved into Beringia between eastern Siberia and present-day Alaska 17,000 years ago, at a time when the Quaternary glaciation significantly lowered sea levels. These people are believed to have followed herds of now-extinct pleistocene megafauna along ice-free corridors that stretched between

6460-456: The forests and marshes. The fall would have been a busy time because foodstuffs would have to be stored and clothing made ready for the winter. During the winter, coastal fishing groups moved inland to hunt and trap fresh food and furs. Late ice-age climatic changes caused plant communities and animal populations to change. Groups moved and sought new supplies as preferred resources were depleted. Small bands utilized hunting and gathering during

6555-534: The individual groups shared a common style of stone tool production, making knapping styles and progress identifiable. This early Paleo-Indian period's lithic reduction tool adaptations have been found across the Americas, utilized by highly mobile bands consisting of approximately 20 to 60 members of an extended family. Food would have been plentiful during the few warm months of the year. Lakes and rivers were teeming with many species of fish, birds and aquatic mammals. Nuts, berries and edible roots could be found in

6650-462: The initial peopling of the Americas, and secondly with European colonization of the Americas . The former is the determinant factor for the number of gene lineages and founding haplotypes present in today's Indigenous Amerindian populations. Human settlement of the Americas occurred in stages from the Bering sea coast line , with an initial layover on Beringia for the founding population . The micro-satellite diversity and distributions of

6745-417: The manufacturing industry, and subsequently having large proportions of a unionized workforce, which the NDP's policies have historically favoured. Rural segments of the region have historically voted consistently for both the provincial Progressive Conservative party and federal Conservative Party of Canada . In the Great Recession , the manufacturing industry suffered significant decline, particularly in

6840-452: The migration time frame of ice-free corridors, thus suggesting that there were additional coastal migration routes available, traversed either on foot and/or in boats. Geological evidence suggests the Pacific coastal route was open for overland travel before 23,000 years ago and after 16,000 years ago. In South America, the site of Monte Verde indicates that its population was probably territorial and resided in their river basin for most of

6935-505: The most days on average with lightning per year. Southwestern Ontario also regularly experiences severe weather events, including tornadoes , due to its proximity to the Great Lakes and warmer-than-average weather during the summer. Under the Köppen climate classification , the vast majority of Southwestern Ontario has a humid continental climate , with a large portion of the area experiencing

7030-493: The name big-game hunters . Pacific coastal groups of the period would have relied on fishing as the prime source of sustenance. Archaeologists are piecing together evidence that the earliest human settlements in North America were thousands of years before the appearance of the current Paleo-Indian time frame (before the late glacial maximum 20,000-plus years ago). Evidence indicates that people were living as far east as Beringia before 30,000 BCE (32,000 BP). Until recently, it

7125-479: The northern route through Stratford and Kitchener, and the southern route through Woodstock and Brantford. GO Transit also operates inter-regional commuter rail in the region, currently limited to as far west as Waterloo Region on the Kitchener Line . In fall 2021, the provincial government announced a pilot program extending GO commuter rail service to London through Stratford and St. Mary's , but this service

7220-721: The passage of time there is a pattern of increasing regional generalization like the Southwest , Arctic , Poverty , Dalton , and Plano traditions. These regional adaptations would become the norm, with reliance less on hunting and gathering, and a more mixed economy of small game, fish, seasonally wild vegetables, and harvested plant foods. Many groups continued to hunt big game but their hunting traditions became more varied and meat procurement methods more sophisticated. The placement of artifacts and materials within an Archaic burial site indicated social differentiation based upon status in some groups. [REDACTED] Indigenous peoples of

7315-543: The primary evidence of the earliest human activity in the Americas. Archeologists and anthropologists use surviving crafted lithic flaked tools to classify cultural periods. Scientific evidence links Indigenous Americans to eastern Siberian populations by the distribution of blood types, and genetic composition as indicated by molecular data, such as DNA . There is evidence for at least two separate migrations. Paleoindians lived alongside and hunted many now extinct megafauna (large animals), with most large animals across

7410-511: The primary vehicular traffic network in Southwestern Ontario is served mainly by the controlled-access 400-series highways . Highway 401 , the main highway in the network, starts in Windsor at the terminus of the under-construction Gordie Howe International Bridge and runs northeast to Waterloo Region , where it continues northeast through the Golden Horseshoe and Eastern Ontario . Highway 402 , another major highway, runs east from

7505-488: The region due to extensive agricultural development and urbanization, but conservation efforts are underway to preserve and/or protect these forests. Three major federally protected areas, Point Pelee National Park , Bruce Peninsula National Park , and Long Point National Wildlife Area , are located in Southwestern Ontario. In 2021, the federal government announced plans to designate a new National Urban Park in Windsor's Ojibway Prairie Complex . The Carolinian forest zone

7600-571: The region is produced by the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station in Kincardine . The plant is the second largest nuclear generating station in the world. The plant began operation in 1971 and currently has a generating capacity of 6,550 MW spread across 8 CANDU PHWR reactors. It is anticipated to eventually reach a generating capacity of 7,000 MW through uprates achieved as a result of an ongoing reactor refurbishment program. In 2023,

7695-552: The region occurred in the 17th and 18th centuries by the French as part of the colony of Canada within New France . The oldest continually-inhabited European settlement in Southwestern Ontario is Windsor, which originated as a southerly extension of the settlement of Fort Detroit in 1701 and was established as la Petite Côte in 1749. Further development occurred under the British as part of

7790-664: The region to emerge as Canada's manufacturing heartland. Automotive manufacturing is a major component of the regional manufacturing sector. The Canadian automotive industry first emerged in Windsor and Chatham-Kent in the early 20th century, with the first large-scale automotive plant in Canada being opened in Walkerville in 1904 by the Ford Motor Company of Canada . Early domestic automotive brands in Canada were based in Windsor and Chatham-Kent, including Brooks , Gray-Dort , and Hyslop and Ronald , but were eventually dominated by

7885-680: The region, settling and owning farms in areas such as Essex County, Chatham-Kent , and Queen's Bush . The region's economy was predominantly focused on agriculture until the late 19th century, when industrialization of the region began to occur. Southwestern Ontario emerged as an ideal location for manufacturing due to the presence of cheap and abundant hydroelectric power sourced from the nearby Niagara Falls , and eventually became Canada's manufacturing heartland, which attracted multiple heavy industrial sectors, including automotive manufacturing , chemical production , petrochemical refinement and transport, and food processing . Automotive manufacturing

7980-564: The region. Cattle ranching is also another important agricultural industry in Southwestern Ontario, with dairy and beef farming, standardbred horse breeding and training, sheep , poultry , and pig farming being common. The dairy and cheesemaking industry in Southwestern Ontario has been predominantly concentrated in Oxford, Perth, and Wellington Counties, with the region accounting for approximately 56% of Ontario's milk production as of 2020. Sugar bushes for maple syrup production also have

8075-514: The signing of the APTA in 1965, which reduced cross-border tariffs and production inefficiencies in Canada, resulting an increase in motor vehicle exports to the United States and domestic parts production, but came at the cost of the decline of domestic automotive brands and consolidation of plants. The signing of NAFTA in 1994 with the United States and Mexico further integrated automotive production across North America , leading to further decline of

8170-497: The southernmost populated area in Canada, is located south of Point Pelee in Lake Erie. Southwestern Ontario was originally covered by vast forests prior to agricultural development in the region. Two forest regions are located in Southwestern Ontario; Carolinian forest , located predominantly along Lake Erie and the southern tip of Lake Huron, and Great Lakes-St. Lawrence forest , located around Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. A very small percentage of forest coverage areas remain in

8265-531: The spring and summer months, then broke into smaller direct family groups for the fall and winter. Family groups moved every 3–6 days, possibly traveling up to 360 km (220 mi) per year. Diets were often sustaining and rich in protein; clothing was made from a variety of animal hides that were also used for shelter construction. During much of the early and middle Paleo-Indian periods, inland bands are thought to have subsisted primarily through hunting now-extinct megafauna . Large Pleistocene mammals included

8360-774: The strong agricultural industry. Major food products processed in Southwestern Ontario include refined grains , tomato paste , sauces , condiments , meat products , canned foods , dairy products , parcooked foods , rendered products , and dietary supplements . Major plants include Cargill in London, Maple Leaf in Brantford , London, Guelph, and New Hamburg , Highbury Canco in Leamington , Bonduelle in Tecumseh , Ferrero in Brantford, and Jamieson in Windsor. Beer and liquor production

8455-796: The year. Some other South American groups, on the other hand, were highly mobile and hunted big-game animals such as gomphotheres and giant sloths . They used classic bifacial projectile point technology, such as Fishtail points . The primary examples are populations associated with El Jobo points ( Venezuela ), fish-tail or Magallanes points (various parts of the continent, but mainly the southern half), and Paijan points ( Peru and Ecuador ) at sites in grasslands, savanna plains, and patchy forests. The dating for these sites ranges from c.  14,000 BP (for Taima-Taima in Venezuela) to c.  10,000 BP. The bi-pointed El Jobo projectile points were mostly distributed in north-western Venezuela; from

8550-498: Was a major historical industry in the region. Windsor was an important location for production during Prohibition in the United States , where alcohol was smuggled across the Detroit River . Multiple large breweries and distilleries are located in Southwestern Ontario, in addition to a large number of small craft brewers , distillers , and local wineries . The following are located in the region (as of 2024): The vast majority of

8645-475: Was discontinued in fall of 2023 due to poor ridership and travel times along the corridor. As of 2024, the provincial government and Waterloo Region are planning for an extension of GO rail service into Cambridge. Only one municipality in Southwestern Ontario, Waterloo Region, currently has a rail-based transit system in operation. This transit system is known as the iON LRT and runs from Waterloo to Kitchener. A southern extension of this rail line into Cambridge

8740-515: Was established by German Mennonite and Pennsylvania Dutch settlers in 1807, after sections of the Haldimand Tract were purchased from the Six Nations in 1798. London, originally called Georgiana upon its selection in 1793 as the potential site of the future capital of Upper Canada, was formally founded in 1826 by John Graves Simcoe , the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada . Guelph

8835-538: Was founded in 1827 by John Galt as a headquarters for the Canada Company . Many other cities in the region did not see major settlement until the mid-19th century, when agricultural expansion was occurring. During the early-to-mid 19th century, the region was the northern terminus of the Underground Railroad for enslaved African Americans seeking escape from the United States. Thousands of slaves escaped to

8930-421: Was generally believed that the first Paleo-Indian people to arrive in North America belonged to the Clovis culture. This archaeological phase was named after the city of Clovis, New Mexico , where in 1936 unique Clovis points were found in situ at the site of Blackwater Draw , where they were directly associated with the bones of Pleistocene animals. Recent data from a series of archaeological sites throughout

9025-546: Was originally shipped by tankers through the Great Lakes from Superior, Wisconsin until the 1953 expansion of the Enbridge pipeline system into Sarnia. Today, Sarnia is home to 3 major oil refineries owned by Suncor , Imperial Oil , and Shell Canada . An additional refinery owned by Imperial Oil is located in Nanticoke . These refineries collectively supply much of the province's fuel demand, in addition to providing feedstocks for

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