Oshawa

==Economy==
Oshawa is headquarters to [[General Motors Canada]], which has large-scale manufacturing and administrative operations in the city and employs many thousands both directly and indirectly. Since [[Windsor, Ontario]] houses [[Chrysler]] Canada headquarters, the two cities have something of a friendly rivalry for the title of "Automotive Capital of Canada", which is now held by Oshawa.<ref name="capital" /> While the company's once essential role in the local economy has diminished, it remains the largest local employer. In November 2018, General Motors announced the closing of the plant, with the layoff of both salaried and hourly workers.<ref>{{Cite news |date=26 November 2018 |title=GM to shut Oshawa plant, slash thousands of jobs in bid to cut $6-billion globally |work=The Globe and Mail |url=https://theglobeandmail.com/business/article-gm-to-shut-oshawa-plant-slash-thousands-of-jobs-in-bid-to-cut/ |access-date=26 November 2018}}</ref> On 20 December 2018 the last car was assembled at the Oshawa plant.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://torontosun.com/news/local-news/end-of-the-line-despite-gm-closure-oshawa-has-plenty-of-gas-in-its-tank|title = END OF THE LINE: Despite GM closure, Oshawa has plenty of gas in its tank}}</ref> On 4 November 2020, GM announced "Subject to ratification of the 2020 agreement with Unifor, General Motors plans to bring pickup production back to the Oshawa Assembly Plant. Construction will begin immediately at Oshawa Assembly and will include a new body shop and flexible assembly module, to support a fast response to strong customer demand for GM's new family of pickup trucks. Oshawa pickup production started on 10 November 2021 when the first Canadian-made Silverado was completed.

The revenue collection divisions of the [[Ontario Ministry of Finance]] occupy one of the main office buildings in the city's downtown. Oshawa City Hall, Tribute Communities Centre, The Robert McLaughlin Gallery are also in the downtown core. [[Ontario Tech University]] occupies five buildings in downtown. More than 1,900 Ontario Tech University students and staff attend class and work in downtown Oshawa.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Downtown Oshawa |url=https://uoit.ca/about/campus-buildings/downtown-oshawa/index.php |access-date=2015-02-17 |publisher=University of Ontario Institute of Technology |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

The city's older southern neighbourhoods tend to be considerably less affluent than its more suburban northern sections, which are rapidly expanding as Toronto commuters move in. The southern half of the city consists of industrial zones and compact housing designed for early 20th century industrial workers, while the northern half has a suburban feel more typical of later decades. High wages paid to unionized GM employees have meant that these workers could enjoy a relatively high standard of living, although such jobs are much scarcer today than they once were. During its heyday after [[World War II]], General Motors offered some of the best manufacturing jobs available in Canada and attracted thousands of workers from economically depressed areas of the country, particularly the [[Maritimes]], [[Newfoundland and Labrador|Newfoundland]], rural [[Quebec]] and northern Ontario. The city was also a magnet for European immigrants in the skilled trades, and boasts substantial [[Polish people|Polish]], [[Ukrainians|Ukrainian]], [[Hungarian people|Hungarian]], [[Croatian people|Croatian]], [[German people|German]], Slovak and [[Russians|Russian]] ethnic communities.

Oshawa has become one of the fastest-growing cities in Canada, although statements to this effect are often in reference to the Census Metropolitan Area, which includes neighbouring [[Whitby, Ontario|Whitby]] and [[Clarington]]. Oshawa achieved a record-setting year of growth in 2015 with over a half a billion dollars in construction value (breaking its previous record in 2014).<ref>City of Oshawa news release: {{Cite web |title=Oshawa again surpasses half a billion in permits in 2015 |url=http://www.oshawa.ca/Modules/News/index.aspx?feedId=0e765813-d33e-4ba5-b464-3e0fff61eab4&page=5&newsId=87235bfa-d73f-434f-8a22-bdec382b669f |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160321233324/http://www.oshawa.ca/Modules/News/index.aspx?feedId=0e765813-d33e-4ba5-b464-3e0fff61eab4&page=5&newsId=87235bfa-d73f-434f-8a22-bdec382b669f |archive-date=21 March 2016 |access-date=2016-03-16 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> Many commuters have been enticed to Oshawa by comparatively low housing prices and the regular rail service into downtown Toronto provided by [[GO Transit]] and [[Via Rail]].

The growth of subdivisions to house Toronto commuters will likely accelerate with the [[Ontario Highway 407|Highway 407]] East extension. Highway 407 East (407E) opened to Harmony Road in Oshawa on 20 June 2016, including a tolled north–south link to Highway 401 known as [[Ontario Highway 412|Highway 412]]. The Highway 407 extension to [[Ontario Highway 35|Highway 35]]/[[Ontario Highway 115|Highway 115]] in [[Clarington]] was opened on 9 December 2019, with a second tolled link to Highway 401 known as [[Ontario Highway 418|Highway 418]] opened simultaneously.<ref>{{cite web |title = Extension of Ontario Hwy. 407, New Hwy. 418 Open East of Toronto |work = On-Site |url = https://www.on-sitemag.com/roads/extension-of-ontario-hwy-407-new-hwy-418-open-east-of-toronto/1003966229/ |access-date = 11 December 2019 |quote = An eastern extension of Ontario Hwy. 407 and a new toll road to connect the lengthened highway to nearby Hwy. 401 opened Dec. 9 on the outskirts of Toronto. |date = 9 December 2019 }}</ref> On 5 April 2022, Highways 412 and 418 became toll-free.<ref name=remove>{{Cite press release |first1 = Ivana |last1 = Yelich |first2 = Dakota |last2 = Brasier |first3 = Simisola |last3 = Ikotun |url = https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1001631/ontario-government-removing-tolls-on-highways-412-and-418 |title = Ontario Government Removing Tolls on Highways 412 and 418 |date = 18 February 2022 |publisher = Office of the Premier |access-date = 18 February 2022 }}</ref>
 
In spring 2016, Oshawa was ranked No. 1 city for jobs in Canada when compared to 33 cities across the country.<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 May 2016 |title=BMO Labour Report Card |url=http://www.bmonesbittburns.com/economics/provupdates/20160506/pu160506.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160601192151/http://www.bmonesbittburns.com/economics/provupdates/20160506/pu160506.pdf |archive-date=1 June 2016 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> The trend suggests major social and demographic changes for Oshawa, which has long had a vigorous [[labour union]] presence, a mostly [[European Canadian|white]] demographic, and a largely [[blue collar]] identity.

The city has been attracting film and television producers<ref>{{Cite web |title=Filming Office |url=https://www.oshawa.ca/business-and-investment/filming-office.asp |access-date=2017-09-13 |publisher=City of Oshawa |df=dmy-all}}</ref> who have made parts of a number of movies and TV series in Oshawa,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Filming Location Matching "Parkwood Estate, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada" (Sorted by Popularity Ascending) |url=https://www.imdb.com/search/title?locations=Parkwood%20Estate,%20Oshawa,%20Ontario,%20Canada |access-date=2017-09-13 |website=[[IMDb]] |df=dmy-all}}</ref> most recently ''[[It (2017 film)|It]]'' (based on the [[Stephen King]] book),<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 August 2016 |title='It' movie being filmed in Oshawa |url=http://www.torontosun.com/2016/08/03/it-movie-being-filmed-in-oshawa}}</ref> but also ''[[Billy Madison]]'', ''[[Chicago (2002 film)|Chicago]]'', and ''[[X-Men (film)|X-Men]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nearby Attractions |url=http://www.canadianautomotivemuseum.com/visit-oshawa/ |access-date=2017-09-13 |publisher=Canadian Automotive Museum |df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Top nine grossing movies filmed at Parkwood Estates in Oshawa |date=28 February 2015 |url=https://www.durhamregion.com/whatson-story/5450444-top-nine-grossing-movies-filmed-at-parkwood-estates-in-oshawa/ |access-date=24 November 2018 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> The most popular location in the city for film makers is [[Parkwood Estate]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Movies Filmed at Parkwood Estate & Gardens |url=https://moviemaps.org/locations/6q |access-date=24 November 2018 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>