Ontario is Canada's most populous province, with more than 14 million people (2021 Census) spread across about 1,076,395 square kilometers (415,598 square miles) of lakes, farmland and Canadian Shield forest. The great majority of Ontarians live in the south, especially in the chain of cities around the western end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe, while the north is dotted with regional hubs that serve enormous stretches of wilderness. This list covers twenty of Ontario's most interesting cities and city regions, from the vast Toronto and Hamilton corridor and the national capital area to the border city of Windsor, the historic canal and college cities of the south, and the Lake Superior and Georgian Bay centers of the north. Where a metropolitan area covers many municipalities, the larger communities it includes are named.

Toronto and Hamilton Metropolitan Area: Combined Metro Pop. ~6,987,409 | City of Toronto Pop. ~2,794,356 | City of Hamilton Pop. ~569,353 (2021 Census)

This is the largest urban region in Canada, a nearly continuous band of cities and suburbs wrapped around the western end of Lake Ontario. The Toronto metro area includes the City of Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Markham, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Oakville, Milton, Pickering and Ajax, along with many smaller communities. The Hamilton metro area adds the City of Hamilton, Burlington and Grimsby, and the two regions blend together along the lakeshore. The figures above combine two separate census metro areas.

History

Indigenous peoples have lived on this shore for thousands of years, and the land around Toronto was held by the Mississaugas of the Credit when the British acquired it in the Toronto Purchase of 1787. Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe founded the Town of York in 1793 as the new capital of Upper Canada, and American forces captured and burned it during the War of 1812. York was incorporated as the City of Toronto in 1834, taking a name that is thought to come from a Mohawk word often translated as "where there are trees standing in the water." Waves of immigration, the railways and the port made it the commercial and financial center of the country, and it overtook Montreal as Canada's largest city in the 1970s.

Hamilton, at the western end of the lake, was laid out in 1816 by George Hamilton and became a city in 1846. Its natural harbour and its position on the Niagara Escarpment turned it into a manufacturing center, and the steel companies Stelco and Dofasco, founded in the early 1900s, earned it the nickname "Steel City." In 1998 the older City of Toronto and five neighboring municipalities were merged into the "megacity" that exists today, and the surrounding suburbs have grown rapidly since the 1960s.

What city is most noted for

Toronto is known for the CN Tower, which at 553 meters (1,815 feet) was the tallest free-standing structure in the world from 1976 until 2007, and for a skyline that rises beside the waterfront. Its neighborhoods include the Distillery District, with restored Victorian factory buildings, Kensington Market, St. Lawrence Market and Chinatown, and it is home to the Royal Ontario Museum, the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Hockey Hall of Fame and the Toronto International Film Festival. The Toronto Islands, reached by a short ferry ride, offer beaches and car-free paths with views of the city. It is also known for one of the most diverse populations and food scenes in the world.

Hamilton is called the "Waterfall Capital of the World" for the more than 100 waterfalls that tumble over the escarpment, including Webster's Falls and Tew's Falls. The Royal Botanical Gardens, Dundurn Castle, the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum and the arts and restaurant scene along James Street North all draw visitors, and the lakeshore towns of Burlington and Oakville add harbours, parks and boutique shopping. Together the region offers everything from major-league sports and theatre to wineries and escarpment hiking within an hour's drive.

Ottawa Metro Region: Ottawa-Gatineau Metro Pop. ~1,488,307 | City of Ottawa Pop. ~1,017,449 (2021 Census)

Ottawa and Gatineau form a single metropolitan area on opposite banks of the Ottawa River, in two provinces. The Ontario side includes the City of Ottawa, which now takes in former municipalities such as Nepean, Kanata, Orléans and Gloucester, plus nearby communities such as Clarence-Rockland and Russell. The Quebec side is centered on the city of Gatineau, with Chelsea, Cantley and other smaller municipalities. Gatineau has its own entry on the Quebec cities page.

History

The Algonquin Anishinaabe have used the Ottawa River as a highway for thousands of years, and the Chaudière Falls were an important meeting and ceremonial place. The modern city began in 1826, when Lieutenant-Colonel John By arrived to build the Rideau Canal, and the construction camp that grew up beside it was called Bytown. It was incorporated in 1850 and renamed Ottawa in 1855, and the name comes from the Odawa people, who traded along the river.

In 1857, Queen Victoria chose Ottawa as the capital of the Province of Canada, a decision that surprised many people, and the Parliament Buildings were completed in the 1860s. When Confederation took place in 1867, it became the capital of the new Dominion of Canada. A devastating fire in 1900 destroyed part of the city and nearby Hull, but both were rebuilt, and in 2001 the City of Ottawa merged with its suburbs into its present, very large form. Government remains the largest employer, with a large high-tech sector centered in Kanata.

What city is most noted for

Parliament Hill, with the Peace Tower and the Gothic Revival Centre Block rising above the river, is the heart of the city, and the Changing of the Guard takes place on the lawn in summer. The Rideau Canal runs through the middle of downtown and, in winter, becomes the Rideau Canal Skateway, about 7.8 kilometers (4.8 miles) of naturally frozen ice that is promoted as the largest skating rink in the world. The ByWard Market, which dates to 1826, is the city's main gathering place for food, shopping and nightlife.

Ottawa is also a city of national museums, including the National Gallery of Canada, the Canadian Museum of Nature, the Canadian War Museum and the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, and the Canadian Museum of History is just across the river in Gatineau. Each May, the Canadian Tulip Festival fills the parks with blooms, a tradition that grew from a gift of tulip bulbs sent by the Dutch royal family in thanks for the safe haven Canada gave them in the Second World War. Winterlude, Dow's Lake and nearby Gatineau Park add year-round outdoor activities.

Kingston: Pop. ~132,485 (2021 Census)

History

Kingston sits where the St. Lawrence River leaves Lake Ontario, a strategic point that Indigenous peoples used long before Europeans arrived. The French built Fort Frontenac here in 1673 as a trading post and military base, and the British captured it in 1758. After the American Revolution, Loyalists settled the site in 1784 and named it Kingston, for "King's Town." It became a major naval and military base and an important point in the defense of Upper Canada during the War of 1812.

The Rideau Canal, completed in 1832, ended at Kingston, and in 1841 the city was named the first capital of the united Province of Canada, a role it held until 1844. Queen's University was founded in 1841, the Royal Military College of Canada in 1876, and Kingston Penitentiary opened in 1835. Sir John A. Macdonald, who became Canada's first prime minister, grew up and practiced law here, and the city still celebrates his legacy while also reexamining it.

What city is most noted for

Kingston is known as the "Limestone City" for the handsome gray stone buildings that line its streets, including the domed City Hall from 1844 and the waterfront Market Square, where a farmers' market has run for generations. Fort Henry, a large 19th-century fortress overlooking the harbour, offers costumed drills and musket firing in summer, and it is part of the Rideau Canal UNESCO World Heritage Site. Bellevue House, the home of Macdonald in 1848 and 1849, is a national historic site.

The waterfront and the nearby Thousand Islands are major draws, with boat cruises, sailing, diving on shipwrecks and ferry rides to Wolfe Island. Kingston Penitentiary, which closed in 2013, has offered public tours, and the downtown has a strong restaurant and pub scene thanks to its student population. Its mix of history, water and university life makes it one of the most appealing mid-sized cities in the country.

Windsor and the Detroit Region: Windsor Metro Pop. ~422,630 | City of Windsor Pop. ~229,660 (2021 Census)

Windsor is Canada's southernmost major city and sits directly across the Detroit River from Detroit, Michigan, forming one of the busiest border crossings in North America. The Windsor metro area includes the City of Windsor, LaSalle, Tecumseh, Lakeshore and Amherstburg. Across the river, the Detroit metro area is home to roughly 4.4 million people and includes Detroit, Dearborn, Warren, Troy and Livonia, so the two cities function as one binational region, linked by the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel.

History

French settlers began farming the south shore of the Detroit River in the 1700s, after Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac founded Fort Pontchartrain on the north shore in 1701, and Assumption Parish, established in 1767, is one of the oldest in Ontario. The community, first known as Richmond and then as Windsor, became a village in the 1830s and a city in 1892. During the 1800s, Windsor was a key destination on the Underground Railroad, welcoming thousands of people who had escaped slavery in the United States.

In 1904, Ford Motor Company of Canada was founded in nearby Walkerville, and Windsor became the center of Canada's auto industry, with plants for Ford, Chrysler and General Motors. Hiram Walker's distillery, opened in 1858, made Canadian Club whisky, and during American Prohibition in the 1920s, Windsor became a hub for the whisky trade across the river. The Ambassador Bridge opened in 1929, and today manufacturing, logistics and the border trade remain central to the local economy.

What city is most noted for

Windsor's riverfront is its best known feature, with a long park and trail that faces the Detroit skyline, including the Windsor Sculpture Park, Dieppe Gardens and the annual fireworks that light up the river each summer during the Freedom Festival. Caesars Windsor, a large casino and entertainment complex, is another major draw. The city is nicknamed the "Rose City" and the "Border City."

Walkerville, a historic neighborhood founded around the distillery, has tree-lined streets, restaurants and shops, and holds Willistead Manor, a large Tudor Revival home built in 1906. The Art Gallery of Windsor, Ouellette Avenue's shops and the Windsor-Essex wine country, which stretches along Lake Erie to Pelee Island, round out the visit. Crossing the river to explore Detroit's museums, sports and music history is a popular part of a stay.

Thunder Bay: Pop. ~108,843 (2021 Census)

History

Thunder Bay sits on the northwest shore of Lake Superior, at the head of the Great Lakes shipping route and at the mouth of the Kaministiquia River, a long-used Anishinaabe travel route. In 1803, the North West Company built Fort William here, which became the summer meeting place for fur traders and one of the busiest inland trading posts in North America. The Hudson's Bay Company took over after 1821, and the fort's role faded as the fur trade declined.

The two communities that later formed the city grew with the railway and the grain trade. Port Arthur, named for Prince Arthur, and Fort William, both on the lake, became major ports as the Canadian Pacific Railway reached the head of the lakes in the 1880s, and huge grain elevators were built to move prairie wheat onto lake freighters. The two towns merged in 1970 to form Thunder Bay, a name chosen by referendum, and the city remains the largest in northwestern Ontario.

What city is most noted for

Fort William Historical Park is a large reconstruction of the 1816 fur trading headquarters, with costumed interpreters, canoe building and a re-created Indigenous encampment. The Sleeping Giant, a peninsula of cliffs shaped like a giant lying on his back, dominates the view across the bay, and the Terry Fox Monument and Lookout, east of the city, honors the Marathon of Hope runner who was forced to stop near here in September 1980 when his cancer returned.

Outdoor adventure is just outside the door, with Kakabeka Falls, Ouimet Canyon, Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, amethyst mines and good skiing at nearby hills. The city's food scene reflects a large Finnish and Italian heritage, and the "Persian," a pink-glazed local pastry, is a well-known specialty. The waterfront, the Thunder Bay Art Gallery and the Anishinaabe cultural sites add to its character.

Sault Ste. Marie: Pop. ~72,051 (2021 Census)

History

The Anishinaabe call the site Bawating, "place of the rapids," because the St. Marys River tumbles over rapids here between Lake Superior and Lake Huron, and it was a major fishing and meeting place for centuries. French Jesuit missionaries established a mission at the rapids in 1668, and the name "Sault Ste. Marie" means "Saint Mary's Rapids." The fur trade made the area important, and the North West Company built a canal and a lock here in 1798, one of the earliest in North America.

The city grew rapidly in the 1890s and early 1900s, when American financier Francis Clergue built a pulp mill, a power company, a railway and a steelworks that became Algoma Steel. The Algoma Central Railway, built to reach the interior, still carries passengers through the wilderness. The International Bridge, opened in 1962, links the city with its twin across the river, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and steel production remains a central part of the local economy.

What city is most noted for

The Agawa Canyon Tour Train, which runs from the city through about 185 kilometers (115 miles) of forest into a deep canyon, is the city's signature attraction and a favorite for fall colors. The Ermatinger-Clergue National Historic Site, which includes a stone house built in 1814, is among the oldest stone houses in the region, and the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre tells the story of the aircraft that opened up the north.

The Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site and the busy locks across the river show how ships move between the Great Lakes, and the waterfront boardwalk is a pleasant place for a walk. Hiawatha Highlands and nearby Lake Superior Provincial Park offer hiking and skiing, and the city is a main stop on the Lake Superior circle tour.

Greater Sudbury: Pop. ~166,004 (2021 Census)

History

The Sudbury area has been home to the Anishinaabe, including the Atikameksheng Anishnawbek and Wahnapitae First Nations, for thousands of years. The city began in 1883 as a work camp during construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, when workers uncovered rich copper and nickel deposits in the rocks. The settlement was named by railway contractor James Worthington for his wife's hometown of Sudbury, England.

Mining quickly became the community's lifeblood, with the creation of the Canadian Copper Company, which later became Inco, and Falconbridge. The Sudbury Basin, one of the largest known impact craters on Earth, was formed by a huge meteorite about 1.85 billion years ago, and the impact is the reason for the exceptionally rich ores. Heavy mining damaged the landscape in the 20th century, but decades of tree planting and liming have turned the area green again. The present city was created in 2001 when Sudbury merged with surrounding towns and townships.

What city is most noted for

The Big Nickel, a 9-meter (30-foot) replica of a 1951 Canadian nickel, built in 1964, is the city's best known landmark, and it stands beside Dynamic Earth, a mining museum with an underground tour. Science North, a hands-on science center on Lake Ramsey built in the shape of a snowflake, is one of the most visited attractions in the north.

The city has more than 300 lakes within its limits, which makes it a popular base for swimming, paddling and fishing, and the nearby Killarney Provincial Park and French River draw canoeists and hikers. Laurentian University, a lively arts community and a large Franco-Ontarian population shape the city's character, and it hosts the Northern Lights Festival Boréal, a long-running music festival, each summer.

Barrie: Pop. ~147,829 (2021 Census)

History

Barrie sits on Kempenfelt Bay, a long arm of Lake Simcoe, and the Anishinaabe and Huron-Wendat used the area as a route between Lake Simcoe and Georgian Bay for centuries. The British developed the site in 1812 as a supply depot at the end of the Nine Mile Portage, to move goods and troops north during the War of 1812. The town was named for Commodore Robert Barrie, a British naval officer who served at Kingston.

The arrival of the railway in 1853 turned Barrie into a lively commercial and farming center, and it was incorporated as a city in 1959. Its position about an hour north of Toronto, along Highway 400, led to rapid growth in the late 20th century, and today it is one of the fastest growing cities in Ontario. It serves as the gateway to cottage country and the ski areas of Simcoe County.

What city is most noted for

Barrie's waterfront on Kempenfelt Bay is the heart of the city, with Centennial Beach, a long promenade, marinas and the Spirit Catcher sculpture, a famous local landmark. Downtown Dunlop Street has restaurants, shops and theatres, and events such as Winterfest, Kempenfest, a large summer arts and crafts festival, and live music keep the waterfront busy.

Barrie is a popular base for skiing at Horseshoe Valley and Snow Valley, and for the beaches of Wasaga Beach and Georgian Bay, which are about an hour away. Its mix of lakeside living and easy highway access makes it a convenient stop for travelers heading north to Muskoka and the Bruce Peninsula.

London: Pop. ~422,324 (2021 Census)

History

London sits at the forks of the Thames River in southwestern Ontario, on land long used by the Attawandaron, also called the Neutral, and later by the Anishinaabe and the Lunaapeewak (Delaware). In 1793, Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe chose the site for the capital of Upper Canada and gave it the names London and Thames, but the capital went to York instead. Settlement began in earnest in 1826, when the town was laid out as a district courthouse seat.

London grew as a regional center for farming, banking, insurance and brewing, and the arrival of the railway in the 1850s boosted its economy. Labatt Brewery was founded here in 1847 and Carling soon followed, and Western University opened in 1878. The nickname "Forest City" dates to the 1850s, when the city was known for its many shade trees, and London is now a major center for education, health care and insurance.

What city is most noted for

Covent Garden Market, in the downtown core, is a long-running indoor market for food and local products, and Victoria Park, a leafy green space in the middle of the city, hosts concerts and the Rhythm and Blues festival. Museum London, the Grand Theatre and Budweiser Gardens, home of the London Knights hockey team, make downtown a lively destination. Banting House National Historic Site is where Dr. Frederick Banting conceived the idea that led to the discovery of insulin in 1920.

Springbank Park and the Thames Valley Parkway, a trail of about 40 kilometers (25 miles) along the river, provide green space close to downtown, and Storybook Gardens is a favorite for families. Western University's campus, Fanshawe Pioneer Village and the nearby beaches of Lake Huron at Grand Bend and Port Stanley all add to the visit.

Niagara Falls: Pop. ~94,415 (2021 Census)

History

The Niagara River's great falls have been known to Indigenous peoples for thousands of years, and the name Niagara is believed to come from an Iroquoian word. The first European to describe the falls was Father Louis Hennepin in 1678. After the War of 1812, in which the Battle of Lundy's Lane, fought nearby in 1814, was one of the bloodiest battles, the area was settled by Loyalists and others, and a small community grew near the falls.

The village, first called Clifton, was renamed Niagara Falls in 1881 and became a city in 1904. In the 1800s the falls became a world famous tourist destination, with daredevils such as Charles Blondin, who crossed on a tightrope in 1859, drawing crowds. Hydroelectric power plants along the river, starting in the early 1900s, brought industry and jobs, and the Niagara Parks Commission, created in 1885, protected the land around the falls for public use.

What city is most noted for

The Horseshoe Falls, which drop about 51 meters (167 feet) and carry more water than any other waterfall in North America, are the city's main attraction. Visitors can ride the Hornblower boat tour into the mist, walk through tunnels in the Journey Behind the Falls, or watch the falls lit up each night. The Skylon Tower, built in 1965, offers views from above.

Clifton Hill is a lively strip of arcades, museums and restaurants, and Fallsview Casino Resort draws visitors in the evening. The city sits at the center of the Niagara Region, with the Niagara Parkway, the Butterfly Conservatory, Niagara-on-the-Lake and a major wine region all within a short drive.

Kitchener-Waterloo: Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo Metro Pop. ~575,847 | City of Kitchener Pop. ~256,885 (2021 Census)

The Waterloo Region is a cluster of three cities and several rural townships along the Grand River in southwestern Ontario. It includes Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge, along with the townships of Woolwich (home of St. Jacobs and Elmira), Wilmot (New Hamburg), Wellesley and North Dumfries. Kitchener and Waterloo grew into each other and are usually treated as twin cities, with Cambridge a short drive to the south.

History

The Attawandaron, also called the Neutral, lived along the Grand River for centuries before the land became part of the Haldimand Tract, granted to the Six Nations after the American Revolution. In the early 1800s, Mennonite families from Pennsylvania bought land in what is now the region, traveling in Conestoga wagons, and they were soon joined by German immigrants. The community of Berlin, founded in the early 1800s, grew into a prosperous manufacturing town, but in 1916, during the First World War, residents voted to rename it Kitchener, after the British field marshal Lord Kitchener.

The region became a center of furniture, rubber, leather and insurance industries, and the Mutual Life Assurance Company of Canada was founded in Waterloo in 1869. The University of Waterloo, opened in 1957 and known for its co-operative education program, and Wilfrid Laurier University turned the area into one of Canada's leading technology centers, and the company that made the BlackBerry phone began in Waterloo in the 1980s. Today it is known as a hub for startups, research and innovation.

What city is most noted for

Kitchener-Waterloo is best known for Oktoberfest, held each October since 1969, one of the largest Bavarian festivals in North America, with parades, beer halls, music and food that reflect the German heritage of the region. The Kitchener Market, dating to the 1860s, is a busy indoor market, and Victoria Park, with its lake and historic buildings, is the best known green space in the city center. The Waterloo Region Museum and Doon Heritage Village tell the story of the area's settlers.

Just north of Waterloo, the village of St. Jacobs is the center of Ontario's Mennonite country, with a large farmers' market, craft shops and horse-drawn buggies on the roads. The Mennonite Story visitor center explains the history and beliefs of the community. Cambridge adds a historic downtown in the former town of Galt, with stone mills along the Grand River, and the Perimeter Institute in Waterloo, a major center for theoretical physics, shows the region's scientific side.

Peterborough: Pop. ~83,651 (2021 Census)

History

Peterborough sits on the Otonabee River, at the gateway to the Kawartha Lakes, on land that the Anishinaabe, including the Mississaugas, have used for thousands of years. Nearby Petroglyphs Provincial Park holds one of the largest collections of Indigenous rock carvings in Canada. European settlement began in the 1820s, when Scottish and Irish immigrants arrived, and in 1825 the Peter Robinson settlement scheme brought about 2,000 Irish settlers to the area. The town takes its name from Peter Robinson, the colonial official who organized it.

The Otonabee River provided power for sawmills and, later, factories. Peterborough became a manufacturing center, with the Canadian General Electric plant opened in the 1890s, the Quaker Oats plant and the famous Peterborough Canoe Company, which built wooden and cedar-strip canoes for the world. It was incorporated as a city in 1905, and Trent University, founded in 1964, set on the river just north of downtown, helped shape its modern character.

What city is most noted for

Peterborough is known for the Peterborough Lift Lock, opened in 1904, a huge hydraulic boat lift that raises boats about 19.8 meters (65 feet) and is the tallest of its kind in the world. It is the highlight of the Trent-Severn Waterway and one of the most visited sites in the region, and visitors can watch boats rise and fall or ride through the lock themselves. The Canadian Canoe Museum, which holds one of the largest paddling collections in the world, tells the story of the canoe in Canada.

Downtown Peterborough has a lively mix of independent shops, restaurants and galleries, with a farmers' market in Morrow Park on Saturdays and a long list of local festivals, including the Peterborough Folk Festival and the Peterborough Musicfest. The city is a gateway to the Kawartha Lakes, with boating, fishing and cottage country just outside town, and to the nearby Serpent Mounds and Petroglyphs.

Guelph: Pop. ~143,740 (2021 Census)

History

Guelph was founded in 1827 by John Galt, the Scottish novelist and commissioner of the Canada Company, who planned it as a model town. According to local tradition, Galt chose the site on April 23, St. George's Day, and he named it Guelph in honor of the royal family of that name, the House of Hanover. He laid out the streets in a radiating pattern from the Speed River, and the settlers who followed, many from Scotland and England, built mills and homes from the local limestone.

Guelph was incorporated as a city in 1879. The Ontario Agricultural College opened here in 1874, and it later became part of the University of Guelph, which was formed in 1964 and is known for agriculture, veterinary medicine and food science. John McCrae, the author of the poem "In Flanders Fields," was born here in 1872, and his birthplace is now a museum. Manufacturing and food industries added to the local economy, and the city has long been known for its green and pleasant setting.

What city is most noted for

The Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate, a limestone church with twin spires that stands on a hill above downtown, dominates the skyline and is one of the best known buildings in the city. Downtown Guelph is compact and walkable, with stone buildings, independent shops, cafes and restaurants, and the Guelph Farmers' Market, which has operated for generations, is a good place to sample local foods. The Speed and Eramosa rivers run through the city, and the River Run Centre and the Guelph Museums add to the cultural scene.

The city has a strong reputation for music, with the Guelph Jazz Festival, held each September, and the Hillside Festival, a well-loved folk and alternative music event on an island in Guelph Lake. The Arboretum at the University of Guelph and trails along the river give plenty of green space, and the nearby villages of Elora and Fergus are an easy drive away.

St. Catharines-Niagara Metro Area: Metro Pop. ~433,604 | City of St. Catharines Pop. ~136,803 (2021 Census)

This metropolitan area covers the Niagara Peninsula between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. It includes St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland, Thorold, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Fort Erie, Port Colborne, Pelham, Lincoln and several smaller municipalities. Niagara Falls has its own entry, and Niagara-on-the-Lake appears on the Ontario towns page.

History

The Neutral people lived on the Niagara Peninsula before European settlement, and Loyalists arrived after the American Revolution, settling an area that was first known as The Twelve, for a creek that flows into the lake. According to local tradition, the city is named for Catharine Hamilton, the wife of a local landowner, and it grew around a mill and a river crossing in the late 1700s. St. Catharines was incorporated as a city in 1876.

The Welland Canal, first opened in 1829 to bypass Niagara Falls and link Lake Ontario with Lake Erie, changed the city's future. The canal has been rebuilt four times, and the current version, opened in 1932, lifts ships about 99 meters (326 feet) through eight locks. St. Catharines was also a final stop on the Underground Railroad, and Harriet Tubman lived here in the 1850s while helping others escape slavery. Industry, including auto parts, and Brock University, founded in 1964, shaped the city's later history, and its fertile land earned it the nickname "The Garden City."

What city is most noted for

The Welland Canal's Lock 3 Viewing Complex lets visitors watch huge lake freighters move through the lock, with a museum, the Welland Canals Centre, explaining how the canal works. Port Dalhousie, a historic harbour district on Lake Ontario, has a restored carousel at Lakeside Park, where rides have cost a nickel since the early 1900s, as well as a lively waterfront with restaurants and a beach. Martindale Pond, nearby, is the course for the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta, a rowing event held since 1903.

The region is at the heart of Niagara wine country, with dozens of wineries and the Niagara Grape and Wine Festival each September. Salem Chapel, a historic Black church linked to the Underground Railroad, and the Harriet Tubman Institute tell an important part of the city's story, while Niagara College and Brock University give downtown a youthful energy. The city is only a short drive from Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Brantford: Pop. ~104,688 (2021 Census)

History

Brantford sits on the Grand River and is named for Joseph Brant (Thayendanegea), the Mohawk leader who led his people to this land after the American Revolution, when the Crown granted the Six Nations a large tract along the river in 1784. Her Majesty's Royal Chapel of the Mohawks, built in 1785 and the oldest surviving Protestant church in Ontario, still stands in the city. Non-Indigenous settlement grew in the early 1800s, and Brantford was incorporated as a city in 1877.

The city became a manufacturing center, with the Massey-Harris and Cockshutt farm implement companies as major employers. In 1874, Alexander Graham Bell, then visiting his family at their home on the Grand River, conceived the idea of the telephone at what is now called Tutelo Heights, and in 1876 he made the first long-distance telephone call from Brantford to nearby Paris, Ontario. This gave the city its nickname, "The Telephone City." Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky also grew up here, and his childhood backyard rink is part of local lore.

What city is most noted for

The Bell Homestead National Historic Site preserves the Bell family home, with exhibits on the invention of the telephone, and the Bell Memorial, a large monument on the riverfront, honors Bell's work. The Mohawk Chapel, the Brant Museum and Archives and the Glenhyrst Arts Gallery add to the historical picture, and the Grand River offers a long, scenic trail system.

Brantford is also next to the Six Nations of the Grand River, the largest First Nations community in Canada by population. The Woodland Cultural Centre, in the former Mohawk Institute Residential School, tells the story of the school and its survivors and shares Haudenosaunee culture, and the "Save the Evidence" campaign preserved the building as a place of education and remembrance. Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre and a downtown that is slowly being revitalized add to the visitor experience.

Belleville: Pop. ~55,071 (2021 Census)

History

Belleville sits at the mouth of the Moira River on the Bay of Quinte, on land of the Mississaugas of the Credit and near the Mohawk community of Tyendinaga. Loyalists began to settle the area in the 1780s, after the American Revolution, and the community was first called Meyer's Creek. In 1816, Lieutenant Governor Sir Francis Gore renamed it Belleville in honor of his wife, Lady Annabella Gore. It grew as a milling, lumbering and shipping center and was incorporated as a city in 1877.

The arrival of the Grand Trunk Railway in the 1850s boosted the economy, and the bay and the rich farmland around it supported farming, cheese making and light industry. Belleville is the seat of Hastings County, and its location next to the large air base at Trenton has added to its steady local economy. Loyalist College, founded in 1967, adds a student presence to the city.

What city is most noted for

Belleville's waterfront is its best known feature, with a long trail, parks and a marina along the Bay of Quinte and the Moira River, and the bay is famous for walleye fishing, drawing anglers from across Ontario. Glanmore National Historic Site, a grand Second Empire mansion built in 1883, is open as a museum of Victorian life, and the Quinte Museum, the historic downtown along Front Street and Bridge Street East and a lively farmers' market add to its character.

Belleville is the main gateway to Prince Edward County, with its wineries, beaches and farm-to-table restaurants, and the Bay of Quinte's calm waters are popular for boating. Within an hour's drive are the Sandbanks, Presqu'ile and the Thousand Islands, which makes it a convenient base for exploring eastern Ontario.

Sarnia: Pop. ~72,047 (2021 Census)

History

Sarnia sits at the southern end of Lake Huron, where the lake narrows into the St. Clair River, on land that is the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe. The Chippewas of Aamjiwnaang remain next to the city today. European settlement began in the 1830s, and the community was named in 1835 by Lieutenant Governor Sir John Colborne, who had served on Guernsey, whose Latin name is Sarnia. It became a city in 1914.

Sarnia's story is bound up with oil. In 1858, the world's first commercial oil well in North America was drilled at Oil Springs, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) to the southeast, and Petrolia grew nearby as an oil boom town. Imperial Oil moved its refinery to Sarnia in 1897, and during the Second World War, the city became the center of Canada's synthetic rubber industry, with Polymer Corporation (later Polysar) built here in 1942. The area, known as "Chemical Valley," remains one of the largest petrochemical centers in the country.

What city is most noted for

The Blue Water Bridge, which links Sarnia with Port Huron, Michigan, is one of the busiest border crossings in North America, and its twin spans, from 1938 and 1997, stand against the sky at the point where Lake Huron meets the river. The waterfront parks, including Centennial Park and Sarnia Bay, offer views of passing freighters, and the Sarnia Historical Museum and Lambton Heritage Museum cover the story of the region.

Canatara Park, on the lake, has a beach, a children's farm, a nature center and a boardwalk, and the nearby beaches of Lake Huron, including Pinery Provincial Park and Grand Bend, are a short drive away. The Bluewater Festival and local music events bring life to the waterfront in summer, and the city is also a good base for visiting Oil Springs and Petrolia to see the Oil Museum of Canada.

North Bay: Pop. ~52,662 (2021 Census)

History

North Bay sits on the northeastern shore of Lake Nipissing, on the old canoe route between the Ottawa River and the Great Lakes that was used by the Nipissing people, the Anishinaabe, and later by French explorers. Samuel de Champlain passed through in 1615, and the fur trade followed. The modern city began in the early 1880s, when the Canadian Pacific Railway was built through the area, and the railway made it a regional hub, giving it the title "Gateway to the North."

North Bay was incorporated as a city in 1925. In 1934, the Dionne quintuplets, the first quintuplets known to survive infancy, were born near Callander, just south of the city, and they became an international sensation. The city is also home to a major air force base, and the Cold War era North American Aerospace Defense Command facility was built in tunnels under the rock. Canadore College and Nipissing University, which opened in 1992 as a university, give the city a student presence.

What city is most noted for

North Bay's waterfront on Lake Nipissing is its main draw, with a boardwalk, Lee Park, a beach and the Chief Commanda II, an excursion boat that cruises the lake and the nearby French River. Lake Nipissing is known for walleye fishing, and in winter the lake is dotted with ice fishing huts. The Kate Pace Way, a long multi-use trail, links the waterfront to the rest of the city.

The Dionne Quints Museum, in the family's original farmhouse that was moved to the city, tells the story of the famous sisters, and the Callander Bay Heritage Museum nearby offers further background. The Heritage Railway and Carousel and the Discovery North Bay Museum add to local history, while Laurentian Ski Hill and the French River and Algonquin Park areas nearby make it a good base for northern outdoor trips.

Oshawa: Pop. ~175,383 (2021 Census)

History

Oshawa lies on Lake Ontario, east of Toronto, and its name is thought to come from an Ojibwe word often translated as "crossing of a stream." The Mississaugas and earlier peoples used the lakeshore, and settlers arrived in the 1790s, including Loyalists. It grew slowly as a farming and milling community until the 19th century, when it became a center of carriage and wagon making, and it was incorporated as a city in 1924.

Oshawa's identity was shaped by the automobile. The McLaughlin Carriage Company, founded by Robert McLaughlin, started building cars in 1907 as the McLaughlin Motor Car Company, and in 1918 it was merged into General Motors of Canada. For most of the 20th century, Oshawa was known as the "Motor City" of Canada, and the General Motors plant was the city's main employer. When the plant's main production ended in 2019 the city faced a major change, and it has since been working to grow other industries, including education, with Ontario Tech University and Durham College.

What city is most noted for

Parkwood National Historic Site, the grand estate of R. S. McLaughlin, built in 1917 and filled with art and period furnishings, is the city's best known attraction, and it has been used as a film location many times. The Canadian Automotive Museum, which holds a large collection of historic cars, tells the story of the industry that built the city, and the Robinson House and the Oshawa Museum cover local history.

Lakeview Park and the Oshawa Valley Botanical Gardens offer waterfront and garden space, and the Tribute Communities Centre is home to the Oshawa Generals, the junior hockey team where Bobby Orr once played. The city is part of the Greater Toronto Area, and the lakeshore trails, downtown shops and the nearby Lynde Shores Conservation Area make it an easy stop on the way along the Lake Ontario shore.

Stratford: Pop. ~33,232 (2021 Census)

History

Stratford sits on the Avon River in southwestern Ontario, in the heart of Perth County farm country. The land was part of the Huron Tract purchased by the Canada Company, and settlement began in the 1830s. The town was named for Stratford-upon-Avon in England, and the likeness continued, as the river was named the Avon and many of the streets, parks and bridges took Shakespearean names. It was incorporated as a city in 1886.

For nearly a century Stratford was a railway town, home to the Grand Trunk Railway's locomotive repair shops, which employed thousands of workers. When the railway shops declined in the 1950s, the city's future was in doubt. Journalist Tom Patterson had the idea of creating a Shakespeare festival, and in 1953 the Stratford Shakespearean Festival opened in a large tent with Alec Guinness in the lead role of Richard III. The festival was a success, a permanent Festival Theatre opened in 1957, and it has grown into one of the largest classical repertory theatres in North America.

What city is most noted for

The Stratford Festival, running from spring to fall in several theatres, is the city's heartbeat, presenting Shakespeare, musicals and modern plays. Visitors can also tour backstage areas and the costume warehouse. The Avon River, lined with parks, gardens and a flock of swans, runs through the center of town, and Queen's Park hosts concerts and picnics along the water.

Downtown Stratford is compact and walkable, with a handsome City Hall, independent shops, galleries and some of the best restaurants in the province. The Stratford Chefs School, the Stratford Perth Museum and several farmers' markets and food festivals show off the local food scene, while the Gallery Stratford and summer music events add to the cultural calendar. Stratford is also the hometown of singer Justin Bieber, a source of local pride.