Oshawa << OSH uh wuh >> (pop. 175,383; met. area pop. 415,311) is a city in southeastern Ontario, Canada. It lies about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of Toronto on Lake Ontario. Historically known as a center of automobile manufacturing, Oshawa has been called Canada’s Motor City.
The Oshawa area was first settled in 1794, when Benjamin Wilson, a Vermont farmer, and his family moved there. In 1842, the community was named Oshawa, an Indigenous (Native American) word meaning crossing between the waters. The community was given this name because it lay between Lake Ontario, to the south, and Lake Scugog, to the north.
In 1907, R. S. McLaughlin established the McLaughlin Motor Car Company in Oshawa. This firm produced McLaughlin-Buick automobiles. The Chevrolet Motor Car Company of Canada was established in Oshawa in 1915. The two firms united in 1918 to form General Motors of Canada. Oshawa received a city charter in 1924.
Oshawa developed as a manufacturing center, but its economy has grown more diverse. For example, health and educational services have gained significance. Important employers in Oshawa include General Motors, the Ontario Ministry of Finance, Oshawa’s hospital, the regional school system, Durham College, and Ontario Tech University. Oshawa has a council-manager form of government.
