Early
History of
Oshawa

Oshawa began as an important First Nations trading route, beginning as a transfer point for the fur trade. Beaver and other animal pelts where trapped by local natives and traded with the coureur des bois (voyagers). Furs were loaded onto canoes by the Mississauga Indians at the Oshawa Harbour and transported to trading posts located to the west at the mouth of the Credit River.

In the late 1700s a local resident, Roger Conant, started an export business shipping salmon to the United States. His success attracted further migration into the region.

Around 1760, the French constructed a trading post near the harbour location which later provided shelter for the first residents of what eventually became Oshawa. A large number of the founding immigrants were United Empire Loyalists, who left the United States to live under British rule. Later Irish and French-Canadian immigration increased in step with industrialization. When Col. Asa Danforth laid out his York-to-Kingston road, it passed through what would later become the City of Oshawa.

Modern Oshawa

2000s

A Thriving City

Today Oshawa is no longer the GM town of the past. It is a vibrant, culturally-rich city with a myriad of industries, exceptional institutes of higher learning and diverse cultural and recreational alternatives. As well, Oshawa’s proximity to Toronto has made it a natural choice for people working in the Big Smoke and opting to live in this affordable, fresh-air, safe, family-style community. Its location on Lake Ontario’s shoreline and the city’s commitment to protecting and developing parklands and green space, makes Oshawa as beautiful as it is livable.

  • Parks and Greenspace in Oshawa
    • Lakefront West Park
    • The Oshawa Valley Botanical Gardens
    • Knights of Columbus Park
    • Martindale Park
    • Florell Park
    • North Oshawa Park
    • Harmony Valley Park
    • Darlington Provincial Park
    • Lynde Shores Conservation Area
    • McLaughlin Bay Wildlife Reserve
    • Harmony Valley Conservation Area
    • The Oshawa Valley Botanical Gardens
    • Durham Regional Forest
  • Day Care
    • Harmony Montessori School
    • Edukids Child Care
    • SKD Bilingual Daycare
  • Elementary Schools
    • David Bouchard Public School
    • St. Hedwig Catholic School
    • Clara Hughes Public School
    • Campbell Children’s School
    • Forest View Public School
    • John XXIII Catholic School
  • Secondary Schools
    • Central Collegiate Institute
    • GL Roberts Collegiate and Vocational Institute
    • O'Neill Collegiate and Vocational Institute
    • Paul Dwyer Catholic High School
    • Monsignor John Pereyma Catholic Secondary School
    • Eastdale CVI
    • Maxwell Heights Secondary School
  • Post Secondary Schools
    • Ontario Tech University
    • Durham College (Oshawa Campus)
    • Durham College (Whitby Campus)
    • Trent University
  • Recreation / Leisure
    • Canlan Ice Sports
    • Durham Family YMCA
    • Donevan Recreation Complex
    • Harmony Creek Golf Centre Ltd
    • Boys & Girls Club of Durham
    • Kingside Community Centre
    • Tribute Communities Centre
    • Civic Recreation Complex
    • Treetop Eco-Adventure Park
    • Oshawa Zoo
    • Oshawa Golf and Curling Club
    • Goodlife
  • Restaurants
    • Spicy Affairs Indian Cuisine
    • Rainbow Family Restaurant
    • Legend Of Fazio’s
    • Teddy’s Restaurant & Deli
    • Berry Hill Food Company
    • Cyrus Persian Restaurant
    • Tim Hortons
    • Isabella’s Chocolate Café
    • Cork & Bean
    • Brew Wizards Board Game Café
    • The Corral
    • Simcoe Blues and Jazz Club
  • Entertainment
    • Cineplex Odeon Oshawa
    • Port Hope Drive-in
    • The Robert McLaughlin Gallery
    • The Music Hall Concert Theatre
    • Oshawa Little Theatre
    • Parkwood Estate
    • Canadian Automotive Museum
    • Oshawa Museum
  • Shopping
    • Oshawa Centre
    • Costco
    • Beer store
    • Nadim's No Frills
    • Joe & Barb's No Frills
    • LCBO
    • Freshco
    • Freshco
    • Walmart
    • SmartCentres Oshawa South
  • Services
    • Wilson Veterinary Clinic
    • Lakeridge Health Oshawa
    • King St Medical Clinic
    • Canada Post
  • Transit
    • Oshawa Go station and Via Rail
    • Bus Stop 411 - East & Westbound
    • Bus Stop 410 - North & Southbound