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Durham Region – The Greater Toronto Area

Durham Region covers an area of over 2,500 square kilometers and is located east of downtown Toronto. Another region with a diverse landscape, Durham has everything from lakeside communities large and Oshawa Pickering farmland and recreational areas in the north. Durham Region has a well-educated population of over 570,000 who are employed by a variety of companies. These employers range from high-tech Siemens Corning and controls through agriculture and automobile manufacturing – GM Motors, Volkswagen and BMW Canada have facilities in the region.

Durham Region manages its health and education following the provincial guidelines. Responsibility for day to day operations of education belongs to the District School of Durham and Durham Catholic District School Board – all schools in the area governed by these boards.

One essential piece of research that you need do before buying / renting a house is to find the school (s) you want your son (s) to attend. It is vital that schools engage in a residential area is particularly so where you live, where you decide to go to school.

The region has excellent transport links including Pearson International Airport, the airport and the Port of Oshawa Oshawa tremendous giving access to North America. This is coupled with easy access to outdoor recreational opportunities and everything a major metropolitan area like the GTA has to offer!

Each section is only a summary so please use the links to each city / town website in the following main website link for more details. For research use definitely use the Chamber of Commerce websites for each place of great information about local businesses.

Municipalities of Durham

The city of Ajax – Ajax in 2005 celebrated its 50th anniversary as a city and has many activities planned to recognize this. A small town in southern Durham Region on the shores of Lake Ontario, was named after the Second World War The British warship Ajax.

With a population of over 80,000 the city covers an area over 65 square kilometers. The unemployment rate was 5.4% (2001) with an average household income about $ 80,000 a year. The median home price in the region was $ 215,000 Ajax making one of the cheaper areas in the GTA. Transportation is provided by the / Ajax Pickering Transit that also links to GO Transit and Greyhound bus.

There are two recreation centers in the city offering a wide range of activities and sports. There are skate parks for children and summer camps for various activities during school holidays. The lake offers a great recreation for residents during both summer and winter months.

The Municipality of Clarington – A collection of several small communities, the municipality has around 75,000 inhabitants and covers just over 600 square miles of shore of Lake Ontario, south of Durham Region. The main settlements are Darlington, Newcastle and Bowmanville / Courtice. The area is growing rapidly with a population of 10 years of growth averaging 4% a year.

Major companies are farming (and services), the total excavation and cement factories, tourism, manufacturing, retail and construction. There is an average unemployment rate of only 4.9% in the area is very favorable to business, with the average household income around $ 74,000. There are great transport links with 3 major roads, ports and railways, a regional airport with 2 runways and, of course – Pearson International. Clarington Transit connects with Whitby and Oshawa transit and you can even use same tickets on each system.

There are good facilities, a modern hospital that continues to grow, a lot of schools and new construction at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. There are 5 golf courses, 2 Navy, 2 indoor and 2 swimming pools, 5 of ARENA with 7 ice surfaces, spacious parks and 7 conservation areas to be declining and skiing. Last but not least – Bowmanville even has its own zoo!

The City of Pickering – Ideally located between downtown Toronto to the west and Port Whitby Marina del Este, the 94,200 population of the city of Pickering enjoy life on the shores of Lake Ontario. With the Waterfront Trail stretches along the coasts and the "environmentally sensitive wetlands in the Bay French residents have some great scenery and recreational opportunities. The principle that the impressive entertainment center has a fantastic modern facilities that any community would be proud. For those interested in the history of the region, a visit to the Museum of Pickering, Town not to be missed.

Business in Pickering is also very well attended and the unemployment rate in the city of 4.9% is well below the Canadian average. The main employers are the Ontario power generation plant that can be found on the waterfront and includes a massive wind turbine, industry and construction, business services and retail. As with all municipalities in Durham Region, to investigate employment go through the city's business directory for an idea that is in the area and how to contact them.
Public transport is managed by the whole Ajax Pickering Transit Authority, link also in the Toronto Transit Commission, GO Transit, Whitby, Oshawa and transit traffic to maintain a global network. Schools and medical are administered by the Durham Region school boards and health services.

The city is young, with 79% of the population under age 45 giving a mean age of just 35. The average family income is over $ 80,000 with a median home price around $ 235,000.

The City of Oshawa – After starting French as a fur trading post in 1750, the City of Oshawa has come a long way. Now it is known as the eastern gateway to the Greater Toronto Area and has become economic hub in the region of Durham. Its rapidly growing population of over 146,000 also marks it as the largest residential community.

General Motors of Canada is based here in North America's largest car production plant which produces more than 1 million vehicles year and are the leaders of the city as an employer. Minacs Call Center has arrived and along with many manufacturers, research and development, advanced manufacturing transportation equipment, healthcare, printing and publishing of the city has a truly diverse business base. The city has an unemployment rate of around 6%.

Being well located on the shores of Lake Ontario in southern Durham Region, the City has excellent transport links including a deepwater port. Two roads main pass through the city and has its own regional airport, with about the Pearson International. Links with the transit system in the GO Transit, Toronto Transit Commission and several other local community networks. Supply rail through the city's rail network to give all possible transport options.

There also much to do in the area – with the city, close to large and easily accessible. For outdoor activities, the Kawartha and Haliburton tourist areas are nearby, along with numerous parks and conservation areas that offer hiking, skiing and cycling. More than $ 60 million being invested in recreational infrastructure of the city the next 2 years. This includes many renovations and upgrades of existing facilities and a large recreation center for the city.

Many new residential developments and businesses are being built in the north of the town as it continues to grow. The cost of housing is cheaper than Toronto with an average house costs about $ 160,000 in 2001. The average income of each household in the region was $ 60,000.

The Municipality of Scugog – In the northeastern region of Durham, the township of Scugog is located in and around the shores of Lake Scugog and occupies about 470 square kilometers. Once separated from the Cities of Port Perry (now Municipal Government Headquarters), The Island Scugog, Cartwright and scope, all merged into the town only to reduce administration costs.

The area is well established for Tourism and the main employer is a casino. After that, retail and manufacturing to provide employment to approximately 20,000 inhabitants of the municipality. There are 5 marinas, 2 ice rinks, an indoor and outdoor theater and 4 golf courses. The average family income is about $ 70,000 with an unemployment rate of 5%. It will cost an average of 220,000 dollars to buy a detached house in the area. Police, health and schools are administered by the Government of the Region of Durham.

The municipality Uxbridge – Uxbridge The Township has a relatively small population of about 18,000 spread over the entire village communities of different sizes in northwest Durham Region. Located about 40 miles north of Toronto in scenic Oakridge moraines, the Town of Uxbridge is the centerpiece of the municipality. A nice community that is close enough to the big city for all its amenities, Uxbridge has its own recreation center, swimming pool and two ice field.

The city also has the terminal North York – Durham Heritage Railway in the form of a fully restored station.

The town's main industries are construction and manufacturing, services and retail trade. They provide a lot of work with a low unemployment rate of 4.1% (2001). The average family income is around $ 75,000 the cost of a home around $ 270,000.

The city of Whitby – Conveniently located just 15 miles east of Toronto, the city of Whitby is a town industrial. The rapidly growing population now over 100,000 cities and companies are also expanding at a rapid pace as it aims to be the center business in the region of Durham. With 4 major highways, close to the Port of Oshawa (and smaller proprietary port) and Pearson International Airport, extensive network railway transport system and enviable, the city is completely "connected".

The automotive industry has a large presence, although the city has a truly diverse base of businesses. Services range from plastics and steel work through telecommunications and pharmaceuticals. The (two main downtown Whitby and Brooklin) are both historical "heritage" areas with old world charm. The city has an unemployment rate of only 4.9% and an average household income of $ 80,000 taken from the 2001 figures.

For recreation, there is a leisure complex of several million dollars (Iroquois Park Sports Center), with fantastic facilities. Golf courses, parks, a marina, yacht club, wharf road Whitby Shores, football and all other facilities you would expect to find in a modern urban center in Canada. There are plenty of schools that are administered by school boards in Durham Region and near several universities and colleges. Health is administered by the Region of Durham and is provided through several clinics and the main center Lakeridge Health Whitby.

About the Author

Dave Lympany moved to Canada in 2003 and after settling successfully has developed htp://www.onestopimmigration-canada.com – the free onestop information resource for Canada and Canadian Immigration.

Capital Volunteering Hillingdon