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121-473: The Irish Benevolent Society of London, Ontario is a philanthropic organization founded on March 1, 1877. Its purposes are to provide opportunities for Canadians of Irish descent and their friends to engage in benevolent activities and to preserve their Irish heritage. The Society was unique at the time of its foundation in accepting both Roman Catholic and Protestant members. In much of Ontario sectarianism ruled, and continued to rule until well into

242-471: A humid continental climate , with a large portion of the area experiencing a warm-summer Dfb climate , with the exception of Windsor and Chatham-Kent, which experiences a hot-summer Dfa climate. Additionally, a very small area near Long Point experiences a temperate oceanic Cfb climate, due to its location in Lake Erie creating slightly cooler summers and slightly warmer winters than the remainder of

363-564: A "Big Six" professional team. Various additional professional teams currently and have formerly existed in lower-tier professional leagues in the region, with the only current active professional teams being basketball teams in the Basketball Super League , and semi-professional baseball and soccer teams in the Intercounty Baseball League and League1 Ontario , respectively. Major junior hockey

484-485: A July average of 21.0 °C (69.8 °F), and temperatures above 30 °C (86 °F) occur on average 11 days per year. In 2016, however, temperatures rose above this temperature on more than 35 days, and in 2018, four heatwaves led to a peak humidex of 46 °C (115 °F). The city is affected by frequent thunderstorms due to hot, humid summer weather, as well as the convergence of breezes originating from Lake Huron and Lake Erie . The same convergence zone

605-539: A centre of strong Tory support during the Upper Canada Rebellion of 1837, notwithstanding a brief rebellion led by Charles Duncombe . Consequently, the British government located its Ontario peninsular garrison there in 1838, increasing its population with soldiers and their dependents, and the business support populations they required. London was incorporated as a town in 1840. On 13 April 1845,

726-461: A distinct sense of place . In 1897, London West was annexed to London. London's eastern suburb, London East, was (and remains) an industrial centre, which also incorporated in 1874. It was founded as Lilley's Corners by Charles Lilley in 1854. Oil was discovered in the Petrolia area and Lilley's Corners was chosen as the refining site because it was close to the railroad. The Ontario Car Works,

847-595: A domestic source of out-of-season crops throughout Canada in the winter. The region is also a centre for wine production . While the majority of wine production in Ontario is currently located in the Niagara Region and Prince Edward County , a wine appellation designated by the Vinters Quality Alliance (VQA) , the regulatory system for wine in Ontario and British Columbia , is located on

968-421: A fire destroyed much of London, which was then largely constructed of wooden buildings. One of the first casualties was the town's only fire engine. The fire burned nearly 30 acres (12 ha) of land, destroying 150 buildings, before it burned itself out later that day. One fifth of London was destroyed in the province's first million-dollar fire. John Carling , Tory MP for London, gave three events to explain

1089-707: A long history in the region. Oil was initially discovered in Canada in 1858, when the first oil well was advanced in Oil Springs , located in Lambton County. However, oil and petrochemicals did not play a significant role in the regional economy until the large-scale development of oil deposits in Alberta in the 1930s and after World War II , when the first large-scale oil refineries were built in Sarnia. Oil

1210-770: A mixed use complex that blends retail, office, businesses, and education providers. Alongside Citi Cards Canada's offices, in November 2016, CBC announced plans to move its expanded operations into the building. There are many large Real Estate Development firms based in London which are active across Southwestern Ontario . These include Sifton Properties, Drewlo Holdings, Old Oak Properties, Tricar Developments, York Developments, Farhi Holdings and Westdell Developments. Combined, they own or operate over 300 million square feet of commercial and residential real estate . On 11 December 2009, Minister of State Gary Goodyear announced

1331-625: A modest presence in the region. A strong commercial greenhouse sector has also emerged in the region, centred predominantly on the towns of Leamington and Kingsville in Essex County, which boast the largest concentration of commercial greenhouses in North America , made viable due to the presence of sandy soils, low energy costs, and mild winters. Crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers , bell peppers , berries, flowers , and cannabis are grown year-round in these greenhouses, providing

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1452-694: A new $ 11-million cargo terminal at the London International Airport . Southwestern Ontario Southwestern Ontario is often not consistently defined. The Government of Ontario, in certain documents, classifies municipalities along the eastern side of Southwestern Ontario near the Grand River , including Wellington County , Waterloo Region , and Brant County , as part of the Greater Golden Horseshoe region that surrounds western Lake Ontario , mainly due to

1573-464: A new hotel (Delta London Armouries, 1996) in its place, preserving the shell of the historic building. In the 1950s, two reserve battalions amalgamated and became London and Oxford Rifles (3rd Battalion), The Royal Canadian Regiment . This unit continues to serve today as 4th Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment . The Regimental Headquarters of The Royal Canadian Regiment remains in London at Wolseley Barracks on Oxford Street. The barracks are home to

1694-406: A north-south line intersecting the extreme projection of Long Point into Lake Erie , which roughly follows the eastern boundaries of modern Grey, Dufferin, Wellington, Brant, and Norfolk Counties. The northern portion of Southwestern Ontario is sometimes referred to as Midwestern Ontario . This area includes Perth, Huron, Wellington, Dufferin, Bruce, and Grey Counties, corresponding roughly with

1815-406: A number of gardens and conservatories. In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , London had a population of 422,324 living in 174,657 of its 186,409 total private dwellings, a change of 10% from its 2016 population of 383,822 . With a land area of 420.5 km (162.4 sq mi), it had a population density of 1,004.3/km (2,601.2/sq mi) in 2021. At

1936-496: A platform to advertise and sell their services to those looking for voiceover work. Other tech companies located in London include AutoData, Carfax Canada , HRDownloads, Mobials, Northern Commerce and Paystone which recently raised $ 100M. The London Life Insurance Company was founded there, as was Canada Trust (in 1864), Imperial Oil , GoodLife Fitness , and both the Labatt and Carling breweries. The Libro Financial Group

2057-535: A population of 422,324 according to the 2021 Canadian census . London is at the confluence of the Thames River and North Thames River, approximately 200 km (120 mi) from both Toronto and Detroit ; and about 230 km (140 mi) from Buffalo, New York . The city of London is politically separate from Middlesex County , though it remains the county seat. London and the Thames were named after

2178-555: A readily-available supply of brine and chlorine , which has aided the ease of production of chemicals locally. Southwestern Ontario's economy and political identity is heavily rooted in the manufacturing industry. Proximity to heavy industry in the United States Rust Belt , predominantly Detroit , and the nearby location of hydroelectric power sources in Niagara Falls provided a foundation for allowing

2299-573: Is a major fixture of the sporting landscape in the region, with all major cities hosting OHL teams. Southwestern Ontario teams regularly experience high attendance, with the London Knights and Kitchener Rangers regularly boasting the highest attendance in the league. In the late 2000s, former BlackBerry co- CEO Jim Balsillie made three unsuccessful attempts to purchase and move an NHL franchise to Southern Ontario , with planned destinations being either Kitchener or Hamilton ; in 2006 with

2420-741: Is a road that runs from St. Thomas to London, with a small section of freeway running north from Highway 401, formerly known as Highway 126. Southwestern Ontario also has multiple road connections with the United States. These include the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, the Bluewater Bridge in Sarnia, and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel that runs from downtown Detroit to downtown Windsor. A new bridge crossing,

2541-655: Is also the site of the Flame of Hope, which is intended to burn until a cure for diabetes is discovered. London's role as a military centre continued into the 20th century during the two World Wars, serving as the administrative centre for the Western Ontario district. In 1905, the London Armoury was built and housed the First Hussars until 1975. A private investor purchased the historic site and built

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2662-468: Is centered on education , medical research , manufacturing , financial services , and information technology . London's university and hospitals are among its top ten employers. London lies at the junction of Highways 401 and 402 , connecting it to Toronto , Windsor , and Sarnia . These highways also make the Detroit-Windsor , Port Huron-Sarnia , and Niagara Falls border crossings with

2783-523: Is currently being planned. Freight rail in the region is dominated by CN Rail and CPKC , the two major cross-national Canadian rail companies. Smaller railway companies operating in the region include Essex Terminal Railway , Goderich-Exeter Railway , Ontario Southland Railway , Southern Ontario Railway , and Waterloo Central Railway . Southwestern Ontario has two major ports, located in Goderich and Windsor, that service cargo ships as part of

2904-476: Is currently the eleventh-largest urban area in Canada , eleventh-largest census metropolitan area in Canada , and the sixth-largest city in Ontario. On Victoria Day , 24 May 1881, the stern-wheeler ferry SS Victoria capsized in the Thames River close to Cove Bridge in West London. Approximately 200 passengers drowned in the shallow river, making it one of the worst disasters in London's history, and

3025-637: Is dominated by medical research , financial services , manufacturing , and information technology . Much of the life sciences and biotechnology related research is conducted or supported by the University of Western Ontario (partly through the Robarts Research Institute ), which adds about C$ 1.5 billion to the London economy annually. Private companies in the industry like PolyAnalytik , Alimentiv , KGK Sciences and Sernova are also based in London. The largest employer in London

3146-438: Is home to three major airports; Region of Waterloo International Airport (YKF) , London International Airport (YXU) , and Windsor International Airport (YQG) , in addition to multiple minor airports in various smaller communities, such as Sarnia Chris Hadfield Airport (YZR) and St. Thomas Municipal Airport (YQS) . The three major airports predominantly offer limited international flights (mainly to vacation destinations such as

3267-634: Is in a hosiery factory, and Arcane Digital moved into a 1930s industrial building in 2015. The Historic London Roundhouse, a steam locomotive repair shop built in 1887, is now home to Royal LePage Triland Realty, rTraction and more. Its redesign, which opened in 2015, won the 2015 Paul Oberman Award for Adaptive Re-Use from the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario. London is also home to StarTech.com , Diply , video game companies like Digital Extremes , Big Blue Bubble and Big Viking Games, and Voices.com , which provides voiceover artists

3388-513: Is now dubbed " The Victoria Day Disaster ". At the time, London's population was relatively low; therefore it was hard to find a person in the city who did not have a family member affected by the tragedy. Two years later, on 12 July 1883, the first of the two most devastating floods in London's history killed 17 people. The second major flood, on 26 April 1937, destroyed more than a thousand houses across London, and caused over $ 50 million in damages, particularly in West London. On 3 January 1898,

3509-599: Is rarely exposed in the region, with the exception being the Bruce Peninsula . The vast majority of Southwestern Ontario maintains a relatively flat geography with rolling hills, with the exception of areas near the Niagara Escarpment in Bruce and Grey Counties, where exposed limestone cliff faces can be seen along the shores of Georgian Bay . Sandier soils are generally located near Lake Erie, resulting in

3630-455: Is responsible for spawning funnel clouds and the occasional tornado. Spring and autumn in between are not long, and winters are cold but with frequent thaws. Annual precipitation averages 1,011.5 mm (39.82 in). Its winter snowfall totals are heavy, averaging about 194 cm (76 in) per year, although the localized nature of snow squalls means the total can vary widely from year to year as do accumulations over different areas of

3751-665: Is the London Health Sciences Centre , which employs 10,555 people. Since the economic crisis of 2009, the city has transitioned to become a technology hub with a focus on the Digital Creative sector. As of 2016, London is home to 300 technology companies that employ 3% of the city's labour force. Many of these companies have moved into former factories and industrial spaces in and around the downtown core, and have renovated them as modern offices. For example, Info-Tech Research Group 's London office

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3872-616: The American badger , Midland painted turtle , Jefferson salamander , monarch butterfly , and southern flying squirrel . Southwestern Ontario's climate is heavily influenced by the proximity of the Great Lakes . Winters in the region are typically milder than the rest of Ontario due to the gradual release of stored heat in the lakes. Despite this, however, portions of the region experience significantly more snow than others due to lake-effect snow caused by eastward winds. A portion of

3993-561: The Blackfriars Street Bridge , was constructed. It replaced a succession of flood-failed wooden structures that had provided the city's only northern road crossing of the river. A rare example of a wrought iron bowstring arch through truss bridge , the Blackfriars remains open to pedestrian and bicycle traffic, though it was temporarily closed indefinitely to vehicular traffic due to various structural problems and

4114-504: The Bluewater Highway due to its route along the shore of Lake Huron). Southwestern Ontario's political sentiments have largely been influenced by its historical position as Canada's manufacturing heartland. The cities of Windsor , London , and Waterloo Region have historically been political strongholds for both the provincial and federal New Democratic Party , owing to all three having historically been major centres for

4235-466: The English city and river in 1793 by John Graves Simcoe , who proposed the site for the capital city of Upper Canada . The first European settlement was between 1801 and 1804 by Peter Hagerman. The village was founded in 1826 and incorporated in 1855. Since then, London has grown to be the largest southwestern Ontario municipality and Canada's 11th largest metropolitan area , having annexed many of

4356-730: The Great Lakes . Sections of Southwestern Ontario are occasionally referred to as Bluewater Country . This is predominantly used to refer to the areas surrounding Lake Huron , but is also used in areas around Lake Erie , to a lesser extent. Multiple locations and roads carry this moniker, including the Municipality of Bluewater (located in Huron County ), the Blue Water Bridge and Bluewater Trail System in Sarnia , and Ontario Highway 21 (informally being referred to as

4477-1084: The Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway system. The Port of Goderich is predominantly used for the export of salt from the Goderich Salt Mine, but also moves grain and calcium chloride. The Port of Windsor is significantly more developed and is the third-busiest Great Lakes port, behind the ports in Hamilton and Thunder Bay . The port of Windsor moves a wider variety of cargo including aggregates, salt, grain, fertilizer, lumber, steel, petroleum, vehicles and machinery. Minor ports are also located in Sarnia, Kingsville , Owen Sound , and Nanticoke . The Owen Sound Transportation Company currently operates passenger ferry services connecting Leamington to Pelee Island , and Tobermory to Manitoulin Island in Northern Ontario . Southwestern Ontario

4598-678: The Grey Cup prior to the formation of the CFL in 1958, including the Brantford Redskins , Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen , London Lords , Sarnia Imperials (2-time Grey Cup champions in 1934 and 1936 ), and Windsor Royals of the Ontario Rugby Football Union . The combined London-Kitchener TV market, as of 2023, is the fourth largest media market in Canada, and the largest in Canada without representation from

4719-610: The Sifton Bog , as well as some of the most agriculturally productive areas of farmland in Ontario. The Thames River dominates London's geography. The North and South branches of the Thames River meet at the centre of the city, a location known as "The Forks" or "The Fork of the Thames". The North Thames runs through the man-made Fanshawe Lake in northeast London. Fanshawe Lake was created by Fanshawe Dam, constructed to protect

4840-593: The U15 Group , the association of Canada's dominant research universities. The accent/dialect in the region, Southwestern Ontario English , is distinct from the rest of Ontario. The region also has a small Francophone population, predominantly located around the Windsor area, owing to the region's historical roots in French colonization . Local identity is heavily rooted in historical industries like agriculture and automotive manufacturing , as well as proximity to

4961-630: The United States border with Michigan in Sarnia to London, where it connects with Highway 401 in southern London. Highway 403 connects with Highway 401 in Woodstock and runs east toward Brantford, where it continues toward Hamilton and the Greater Toronto Area . Additional major provincial highways in the region include Highway 3 , Highway 4 , Highway 6 , Highway 7 , Highway 8 , Highway 10 , and Highway 85 . Additionally,

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5082-442: The automotive industry . The decline and subsequent economic stagnation over the following decade resulted in the emergence of populist and protectionist political attitudes in cities like Windsor and London, holding the strongest such attitudes in Canada, ranking amongst Prairie cities like Regina , Saskatoon , Edmonton , and Calgary . Southwestern Ontario has never been the home of any professional sports franchises from

5203-741: The census metropolitan area (CMA) level in the 2021 census, the London CMA had a population of 543,551 living in 222,239 of its 235,522 total private dwellings, a change of 10% from its 2016 population of 494,069 . With a land area of 2,661.48 km (1,027.60 sq mi), it had a population density of 204.2/km (529.0/sq mi) in 2021. As per the 2021 census, the most common ethnic or cultural origins in London are English (21.9%), Scottish (17.4%), Irish (16.8%), Canadian (12.1%), German (9.3%), French (6.6%), Dutch (5.0%), Italian (4.5%), British Isles (4.3%), Indian (3.7%), Polish (3.6%), and Chinese (3.0%). Indigenous people made up 2.6% of

5324-711: The contemporary "Big Six" leagues ( MLB , NBA , NFL , NHL , MLS , and CFL ), with the exception of the NHL's Detroit Cougars (now the Detroit Red Wings ) in 1926-1927 , when they played at the Border Cities Arena (now Windsor Arena ) in Windsor for a singular season while the Detroit Olympia was under construction. Multiple cities historically hosted professional hockey teams from the OPHL in

5445-488: The 1900–1930 era. The London Technical and Commercial High School came under heavy attack from the city's social and business elite, which saw the school as a threat to the budget of the city's only academic high school, London Collegiate Institute. The Banting House , a National Historic Site of Canada, is where Frederick Banting developed the ideas that led to the discovery of insulin . Banting lived and practiced in London for ten months, from July 1920 to May 1921. London

5566-489: The 2008–2010 automotive industry crisis on Canada included a large number of plants shutting down across the region in the following years. The 2020s saw a widespread resurgence in industrial development, predominantly due to the comparative lack of available land for development and fast-rising property prices in the Golden Horseshoe . Multiple large investments in electric vehicle production were also made in

5687-561: The American automotive companies such as Chrysler , Ford , General Motors , and Studebaker . Production increases during World War I and World War II allowed the industry to grow significantly, at one point making Canada the second largest automotive manufacturer globally, exporting predominantly to other countries within the British Empire . The Canadian and United States automotive industries were eventually integrated with

5808-453: The First Hussars militia regiment as well. London annexed many of the surrounding communities in 1961, including Byron and Masonville, adding 60,000 people and more than doubling its area. After this amalgamation, suburban growth accelerated as London grew outward in all directions, creating expansive new subdivisions such as Westmount, Oakridge, Whitehills, Pond Mills, White Oaks and Stoneybrook. On 1 January 1993, London annexed nearly

5929-711: The Gordie Howe International Bridge, is currently under construction and slated to open in 2025, and is meant to serve as a direct freeway-to-freeway connection between Highway 401 and E.C. Row in Windsor and Interstate 75 in Detroit . Via Rail operates inter-regional passenger train service on the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor , in Windsor-London-Toronto and Sarnia-London-Toronto configurations, running both on

6050-623: The Great Western Gasworks and the London Street Railroad all had their headquarters in Lilley's Corners. In 1872, Lilley's Corners became a village. It was annexed to London in 1885. Attaining the status of town in 1881, it continued as a separate municipality until concerns over expensive waterworks and other fiscal problems led to amalgamation in 1885. The southern suburb of London, including Wortley Village,

6171-610: The Lake Erie north shore and Pelee Island in Essex County. Additionally, the VQA recognizes additional emerging wine regions located in Norfolk County, Georgian Bay, and Lake Huron east shore. The energy sector is a major industry in Southwestern Ontario. Energy production in the region is sourced from a mixture of nuclear , hydroelectric , wind , solar , and natural gas sources. The bulk of energy production in

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6292-470: The Lake Erie north shore and under the Lake Erie lake bed. The chemical industry also has a strong presence in Sarnia, to the point that the area including Sarnia and St. Clair Township is colloquially known as Chemical Valley . The chemical industry has its origins around the same time as the oil industry, during World War II, when tropical sources of natural latex for rubber production were being threatened. The federal government designated Sarnia as

6413-864: The Ojibwa. An Anishinaabeg community site was described as located near the forks of Thames River (Anishinaabe language: Eshkani-ziibi, "Antler River") in c.  1690 and was referred to as Pahkatequayang ("Baketigweyaang":"At the River Fork" (lit: at where the by-stream is)). Later, in the early 19th century, the Munsee-Delaware Nation (the Munsee are a subtribe of the Lenape or Delaware people), expelled from their homeland in Modern New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania after

6534-595: The Ontario government announced plans to expand the plant's generating capacity by an additional 4,800 MW to meet growing energy demands in the province. Additional energy production is supplemented by wind, solar, and hydroelectric power. Large-scale wind turbine fields are located predominantly in Essex County, Chatham-Kent, and Lambton County. Belwood Lake , Conestogo Lake , Fanshawe Lake , Guelph Lake , Pittock Reservoir , and Wildwood Lake are all artificial reservoirs created for local hydroelectric production. The petrochemical and oil/natural gas industry also has

6655-590: The School of Military Instruction in London. Established by Militia General Order in 1865, the school enabled Officers of Militia or Candidates for Commission or promotion in the Militia to learn Military duties, drill and discipline, to command a Company at Battalion Drill, to Drill a Company at Company Drill, the internal economy of a Company and the duties of a Company's Officer. The school was not retained at Confederation, in 1867. In 1875, London's first iron bridge,

6776-413: The United States easily accessible. The city also has railway stations and bus stations and is home to the London International Airport . A series of archaeological sites throughout southwestern Ontario , named for the Parkhill Complex excavated near Parkhill , indicate the presence of Paleo-Indians in the area dating back approximately 11,000 years. Just prior to European settlement, the London area

6897-485: The United States, Mexico , and the Caribbean ) on a seasonal basis, in addition to some select all-season routes to other Canadian cities. All airports also offer frequent connecting flights to Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) , usually via Air Canada . Southwestern Ontario has multiple tertiary education institutions in the form of both universities and colleges . Two universities, University of Waterloo and University of Western Ontario , are part of

7018-430: The area where synthetic petroleum-based rubbers would be developed for use in the allied war effort. Over time, various chemical companies, including Bayer and NOVA Chemicals , have built many facilities in the region for the production of various chemicals, including plastics , paints , lubricants , food additives , cosmetics , rubbers, and other chemicals. The presence of local underground salt beds resulted in

7139-401: The automotive sector in Southwestern Ontario. The modern regional automotive industry has multiple large-scale plants in the region, in addition to numerous smaller automotive parts manufacturers/suppliers. The following large automotive plants are currently active or under construction in the region (as of 2024): Food and beverage processing also has a significant regional presence, owing to

7260-431: The building's construction were fined $ 400,000, with The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development declaring the companies had failed to "provide proper information, instruction and supervision, specifically on the use of proper concrete measuring techniques on the project." The area was formed during the retreat of the glaciers during the last ice age , which produced areas of marshland , notably

7381-523: The casualties of the economic crisis in 2011, the site will soon be home to a major Amazon distribution center employing 2,000 workers by 2023. London's city centre mall was first opened in 1960 as Wellington Square with 400,000 sq ft (37,000 m ) of leasable area, with Eaton's and Woolworths as anchors. From 1986 to 1989, Campeau expanded Wellington Square into Galleria London with 1,000,000 sq ft (93,000 m ) of leasable area and 200 stores including The Bay and Eaton's. However,

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7502-414: The chemical industry. Additionally, smaller-scale oil and natural gas development is common in rural Ontario, with small shale oil pools and natural gas deposits being found in local sedimentary bedrock. Shale oil pools are commonly found in Essex County, Chatham-Kent, and Lambton County, where small oil wells can often be seen operating on farms. Natural gas deposits are largely found and exploited along

7623-449: The chief administrator of the area, who oversaw the land surveying and built the first government buildings for the administration of the western Ontario peninsular region. Together with the rest of southwestern Ontario, the village benefited from Talbot's provisions not only for building and maintaining roads but also for assignment of access priorities to main routes to productive land. Crown and clergy reserves then received preference in

7744-464: The cities of Windsor and London have municipally-owned expressways. E.C. Row Expressway is a fully grade-separated freeway running east-west through Windsor, formerly known as Highway 2 . Veteran's Memorial Parkway is a limited-access highway running north-south through London, formerly known as Highway 100. Dougall Avenue is a road in Windsor with a small section of freeway running north from Highway 401, formerly known as Highway 3B. Highbury Avenue

7865-445: The city. GDLS has a 14-year $ 15-billion deal to supply light armored vehicles and employs over 2,400 people. McCormick Canada , formerly Club House Foods, was founded in 1883 and currently employs more than 600 Londoners. A portion of the city's population work in factories outside of the city limits, including the General Motors automotive plant CAMI , and a Toyota plant in Woodstock . A Ford plant in Talbotville became one of

7986-439: The city. Some of the snow accumulation comes from lake effect snow and snow squalls originating from Lake Huron, some 60 km (37 mi) to the northwest, which occurs when strong, cold winds blow from that direction. From 5 December 2010, to 9 December 2010, London experienced record snowfall when up to 2 m (79 in) of snow fell in parts of the city. Schools and businesses were closed for three days and bus service

8107-402: The construction of Talbot Trail , one of the earliest major roads in the region. Kitchener, originally known as Ebytown and later Berlin , was established by German Mennonite and Pennsylvania Dutch settlers in 1807, after sections of the Haldimand Tract were purchased from the Six Nations in 1798. London, originally called Georgiana upon its selection in 1793 as the potential site of

8228-437: The creation of a sandy escarpment along the entire north shore, in addition to many sandspit peninsulas, including Point Pelee in Essex County, Pointe aux Pins ( Rondeau ) in Chatham-Kent, and Long Point in Norfolk County. Pelee Island , the southernmost populated area in Canada, is located south of Point Pelee in Lake Erie. Southwestern Ontario was originally covered by vast forests prior to agricultural development in

8349-479: The creation of the United States . The Oneida Nation of the Thames , Chippewas of the Thames First Nation , and Munsee-Delaware Nation reserves are located south-west of the city. The current location of London was selected as the site of the future capital of Upper Canada in 1793 by Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe , who also named the village which was founded in 1826. Originally, Simcoe had proposed to call it Georgiana , in honour of George III ,

8470-533: The development of London in a 1901 speech: the location of the court and administration in London in 1826, the arrival of the military garrison in 1838, and the arrival of the railway in 1853. The population in 1846 was 3,500. Brick buildings included a jail and court house, and large barracks. London had a fire company, a theatre, a large Gothic church, nine other churches or chapels, and two market buildings. The buildings that were destroyed by fire in 1845 were mostly rebuilt by 1846. Connection with other communities

8591-526: The downriver areas from the catastrophic flooding which affected the city in 1883 and 1937. London has a humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfb ), with modestly warm summers, and cold and cloudy winters with frequent snow. Because of its location in the continent, London experiences large seasonal contrast, tempered to a point by the surrounding Great Lakes . The proximity of the lakes also ensure abundant cloud cover, particularly in late Fall and Winter. The summers are usually warm to hot and humid, with

8712-542: The downstream rivers. Financing for this project came from the federal, provincial, and municipal governments. Other natural disasters include a 1984 tornado that led to damage on several streets in the White Oaks area of South London. On 11 December 2020, a partially-constructed apartment building just off of Wonderland Road in southwest London collapsed, killing two people and injuring at least four others. In January 2024, both Oxford County companies involved in

8833-457: The early 1990s recession, following by the bankruptcy of Eaton's in 1999 and then the departure of The Bay in 2000 resulted in only 20 stores left by 2001. Galleria London then began seeking non-retail tenants, becoming the home for London's central library branch, and satellite campuses for both Fanshawe College and Western University . The complex was purchased and renamed to Citi Plaza by Citigroup in 2009. Citi Plaza has been redeveloped as

8954-748: The early 20th century who competed for the Stanley Cup prior to the formation of the NHL in 1917, including the Berlin Dutchmen (who challenged the Montreal Wanderers for the Cup in 1910 ), Brantford Indians , Galt Professionals (who challenged the Ottawa Senators for the Cup in 1909 and 1911 ), Guelph Royals , and Waterloo Colts . The region has also historically hosted multiple Canadian football teams that competed for

9075-491: The entire township of Westminster , a large, primarily rural municipality directly south of the city, including the police village of Lambeth . With this massive annexation, which also included part of London township , London almost doubled in area again, adding several thousand more residents. In the present day, London stretches south to the boundary with Elgin County , north and east to Fanshawe Lake , north and west to

9196-446: The federal government announced plans to designate a new National Urban Park in Windsor's Ojibway Prairie Complex . The Carolinian forest zone is Canada's smallest forest zone, but it is home to a very high biodiversity of species due to it being one of the warmest regions in the country. Over 500 rare and/or endangered species are located in this region and is estimated to contain around 25% of Canada's species at risk , including

9317-570: The floor of the assembly hall at London City Hall collapsed, killing 23 people and leaving more than 70 injured. Testimony at a coroner's inquest described the wooden beam under the floor as unsound, with knots and other defects reducing its strength by one fifth to one third. After repeated floods, the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority in 1953 built Fanshawe Dam on the North Thames to control

9438-469: The future capital of Upper Canada, was formally founded in 1826 by John Graves Simcoe , the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada . Guelph was founded in 1827 by John Galt as a headquarters for the Canada Company . Many other cities in the region did not see major settlement until the mid-19th century, when agricultural expansion was occurring. During the early-to-mid 19th century, the region

9559-547: The highest annual frequency of thunderstorms in Canada, with Windsor, Chatham-Kent, and London experiencing the most days on average with lightning per year. Southwestern Ontario also regularly experiences severe weather events, including tornadoes , due to its proximity to the Great Lakes and warmer-than-average weather during the summer. Under the Köppen climate classification , the vast majority of Southwestern Ontario has

9680-607: The historical boundaries of Queen's Bush , an area of crown land that did not see formal subdivision or wide-scale settlement until the 1830s. Indigenous peoples had occupied Southwestern Ontario for thousands of years prior to European settlement. Archaeological sites such as the Princess Point Complex and the Parkhill Complex indicate the presence of Paleo-Indians in the area dating back approximately 11,000 years. First Nations peoples located in

9801-486: The importance of separate Protestant and Roman Catholic organizations in municipal politics was markedly reduced. The Society's chief fundraising event benefits the Lawson Health Research Institute , but it also helps many other institutions and individuals. London, Ontario London is a city in southwestern Ontario , Canada, along the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor . The city had

9922-660: The major banks. Industries included several tanneries, oil refineries and foundries, four flour mills, the Labatt Brewing Company and the Carling brewery in addition to other manufacturing companies such as EMCO Wheaton . Both the Great Western and Grand Trunk railways had stops here. Several insurance companies also had offices in the city. The Crystal Palace Barracks , an octagonal brick building with eight doors and forty-eight windows built in 1861,

10043-530: The manufacturing industry, and subsequently having large proportions of a unionized workforce, which the NDP's policies have historically favoured. Rural segments of the region have historically voted consistently for both the provincial Progressive Conservative party and federal Conservative Party of Canada . In the Great Recession , the manufacturing industry suffered significant decline, particularly in

10164-493: The more inclusive "London West", it remained a separate municipality until ratepayers voted for amalgamation with London in 1897, largely due to repeated flooding. The most serious flood was in July 1883, which resulted in serious loss of life and property devaluation. This area retains much original and attractively maintained 19th-century tradespeople's and workers' housing, including Georgian cottages as well as larger houses, and

10285-486: The northern route through Stratford and Kitchener, and the southern route through Woodstock and Brantford. GO Transit also operates inter-regional commuter rail in the region, currently limited to as far west as Waterloo Region on the Kitchener Line . In fall 2021, the provincial government announced a pilot program extending GO commuter rail service to London through Stratford and St. Mary's , but this service

10406-561: The official languages, 98% of the population reported knowing English and 7.2% French. In 2021, 48.8% of the population identified as Christian , with Catholics (21.5%) making up the largest denomination, followed by United Church (4.7%), Anglican (4.4%), Orthodox (2.0%), Presbyterian (1.5%), Baptist (1.4%), and other denominations. 37.2% of the population reported no religious affiliation. Others identified as Muslim (8.4%), Hindu (2.1%), Sikh (1.0%), Buddhist (0.9%), Jewish (0.5%), and with other religions. London's economy

10527-599: The population, with most being First Nations (1.9%). Ethnocultural backgrounds in the city included European (68.7%), South Asian (6.5%), Arab (5.3%), Black (4.2%), Latin American (3.0%), Chinese (2.9%), Southeast Asian (1.4%), Filipino (1.4%), West Asian (1.3%), and Korean (1.0%). The 2021 census found English to be the mother tongue of 71.1% of the population. This was followed by Arabic (3.7%), Spanish (2.7%), Mandarin (1.6%), Portuguese (1.3%), French (1.1%), Polish (1.1%), Korean (0.8%), Punjabi (0.8%), Malayalam (0.8%), and Urdu (0.7%). Of

10648-516: The presence of cheap and abundant hydroelectric power sourced from the nearby Niagara Falls , and eventually became Canada's manufacturing heartland, which attracted multiple heavy industrial sectors, including automotive manufacturing , chemical production , petrochemical refinement and transport, and food processing . Automotive manufacturing is central to the regional economy, with major active automotive plants being located in Windsor, London, Ingersoll , Woodstock , and Cambridge. The effects of

10769-538: The presence of modern transportation connections that link these areas to the core sections of the Golden Horseshoe . A more traditional definition of the region boundary can be traced back to early colonial districts in the British Province of Quebec and Upper Canada . The Western District , originally known as the Hesse District from 1788 to 1792, was originally designated as everything west of

10890-448: The primary vehicular traffic network in Southwestern Ontario is served mainly by the controlled-access 400-series highways . Highway 401 , the main highway in the network, starts in Windsor at the terminus of the under-construction Gordie Howe International Bridge and runs northeast to Waterloo Region , where it continues northeast through the Golden Horseshoe and Eastern Ontario . Highway 402 , another major highway, runs east from

11011-406: The province. Southwestern Ontario has historically been a strong centre for Canadian agricultural production, given the abundance of arable land and warmer climate that provides for a longer growing season than the rest of the country. Most of the land area in the region is used for agriculture. Common crops grown in the region include sweet corn , soybean , winter wheat , and canola . Tobacco

11132-832: The region in the 2020s, and resulted in the establishment of multiple plants for battery production in Windsor and St. Thomas . (2021) (2016) (2011) (2006) (2001) (km ) (km ) Density (/km ) Southwestern Ontario is located within the Mixedwood Plains Ecozone (as classified by Environment and Climate Change Canada, further subclassified into the Lake Erie Lowland and Manitoulin-Lake Simcoe regions), which largely consists of glacial till and glaciolacustrine sand / silt / clay plains underlain by sedimentary limestone , dolostone , siltstone , sandstone , and shale bedrock, with pockets of evaporite gypsum and salt beds. Bedrock

11253-512: The region included Anishinaabe , Algonquin , Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) , and Wendat peoples. Initial European settlement and colonization of the region occurred in the 17th and 18th centuries by the French as part of the colony of Canada within New France . The oldest continually-inhabited European settlement in Southwestern Ontario is Windsor, which originated as a southerly extension of

11374-590: The region is produced by the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station in Kincardine . The plant is the second largest nuclear generating station in the world. The plant began operation in 1971 and currently has a generating capacity of 6,550 MW spread across 8 CANDU PHWR reactors. It is anticipated to eventually reach a generating capacity of 7,000 MW through uprates achieved as a result of an ongoing reactor refurbishment program. In 2023,

11495-678: The region to emerge as Canada's manufacturing heartland. Automotive manufacturing is a major component of the regional manufacturing sector. The Canadian automotive industry first emerged in Windsor and Chatham-Kent in the early 20th century, with the first large-scale automotive plant in Canada being opened in Walkerville in 1904 by the Ford Motor Company of Canada . Early domestic automotive brands in Canada were based in Windsor and Chatham-Kent, including Brooks , Gray-Dort , and Hyslop and Ronald , but were eventually dominated by

11616-568: The region. Cattle ranching is also another important agricultural industry in Southwestern Ontario, with dairy and beef farming, standardbred horse breeding and training, sheep , poultry , and pig farming being common. The dairy and cheesemaking industry in Southwestern Ontario has been predominantly concentrated in Oxford, Perth, and Wellington Counties, with the region accounting for approximately 56% of Ontario's milk production as of 2020. Sugar bushes for maple syrup production also have

11737-648: The region. Two forest regions are located in Southwestern Ontario; Carolinian forest , located predominantly along Lake Erie and the southern tip of Lake Huron, and Great Lakes-St. Lawrence forest , located around Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. A very small percentage of forest coverage areas remain in the region due to extensive agricultural development and urbanization, but conservation efforts are underway to preserve and/or protect these forests. Three major federally protected areas, Point Pelee National Park , Bruce Peninsula National Park , and Long Point National Wildlife Area , are located in Southwestern Ontario. In 2021,

11858-422: The regional Snowbelt is located in Bruce, Grey, Huron, and Middlesex Counties. In a sharp contrast, Essex County and Chatham-Kent receive less snow than average due to their location further south. Summers are typically hot and humid, with Windsor experiencing the warmest weather in Ontario. Summers are often cooler and less humid on the peninsulas in Lake Erie and Lake Huron. Southwestern Ontario also experiences

11979-617: The reigning monarch at that time. It did not become the capital Simcoe envisioned. Rather, it was an administrative seat for the area west of the actual capital, York (now Toronto). The London Township Treaty of 1796 with the Chippewa ceded the original town site on the north bank of the Thames (then known as the Escunnisepe ) to Upper Canada. London was part of the Talbot Settlement , named for Colonel Thomas Talbot ,

12100-602: The rest of Ontario. In 1814, the Battle of Longwoods took place during the War of 1812 in what is now Southwest Middlesex , near London. The retreating British Army were staying at Hungerford Hill when they were attacked by the Kentucky Mounted Riflemen. In 1827, a settlement was started Bryon when Cyrenius Hall built a gristmill. In 1832, the new settlement suffered an outbreak of cholera . London proved

12221-463: The settlement of Fort Detroit in 1701 and was established as la Petite Côte in 1749. Further development occurred under the British as part of the Province of Quebec from 1763 to 1791, and eventually the Province of Upper Canada from 1791 to 1841. One of the earliest British settlements, Port Talbot , was settled by Thomas Talbot in 1803, and was amongst the first successful settlements due to

12342-518: The signing of the APTA in 1965, which reduced cross-border tariffs and production inefficiencies in Canada, resulting an increase in motor vehicle exports to the United States and domestic parts production, but came at the cost of the decline of domestic automotive brands and consolidation of plants. The signing of NAFTA in 1994 with the United States and Mexico further integrated automotive production across North America , leading to further decline of

12463-509: The smaller communities that surround it. London is a regional centre of healthcare and education, being home to the University of Western Ontario (which brands itself "Western University"), Fanshawe College , and three major hospitals: Victoria Hospital , University Hospital and St. Joseph's Hospital. The city hosts a number of musical and artistic exhibits and festivals, which contribute to its tourism industry, but its economic activity

12584-746: The strong agricultural industry. Major food products processed in Southwestern Ontario include refined grains , tomato paste , sauces , condiments , meat products , canned foods , dairy products , parcooked foods , rendered products , and dietary supplements . Major plants include Cargill in London, Maple Leaf in Brantford , London, Guelph, and New Hamburg , Highbury Canco in Leamington , Bonduelle in Tecumseh , Ferrero in Brantford, and Jamieson in Windsor. Beer and liquor production

12705-639: The township of Middlesex Centre (the nearest developed areas of it being Arva to the north and Komoka to the west) and east to Nilestown and Dorchester. The 1993 annexation, made London one of the largest urban municipalities in Ontario. Intense commercial and residential development is presently occurring in the southwest and northwest areas of the city. Opponents of this development cite urban sprawl , destruction of rare Carolinian zone forest and farm lands, replacement of distinctive regions by generic malls, and standard transportation and pollution concerns as major issues facing London. The City of London

12826-535: The twentieth century, with the Orange Order pitted against Roman Catholic and other organizations. In fact, the constitution of the Society provides that presidents (who are elected for one year) must be alternately Roman Catholic and Protestant. The discussion of Irish politics has also been forbidden at meetings since the Society's inception. The Society was immediately popular, and as a result of its popularity

12947-551: The university, and was not annexed until 1961. Broughdale was named after Reverend Charles C. Brough, the Anglican Archdeacon of London who settled there in 1854. Broughdale started to grow when it was connected to the London Street Railroad in 1901, leading to a real estate bubble. A post office was opened in Broughdale on 1 July 1904 with Charles Watlers as postmaster. Broughdale was initially named Brough, but

13068-505: Was a major historical industry in the region. Windsor was an important location for production during Prohibition in the United States , where alcohol was smuggled across the Detroit River . Multiple large breweries and distilleries are located in Southwestern Ontario, in addition to a large number of small craft brewers , distillers , and local wineries . The following are located in the region (as of 2024): The vast majority of

13189-623: Was also historically grown in the tobacco belt , centred on the towns of Delhi , Aylmer , and Tillsonburg in Elgin, Oxford, and Norfolk Counties from the 1920s until the early 2000s, when Ontario bought out the tobacco quotas of most farms in the region in 2008 for $ 300,000,000 CAD. While some tobacco farms still remain, most have switched to alternative crops, including specialty crops like ginseng , hazelnut , and mushrooms . Fruits such as blueberries , strawberries , raspberries , blackberries , gourds , apples , and tomatoes are also grown in

13310-429: Was by road, using mainly stagecoaches that ran daily. A weekly newspaper was published and mail was received daily by the post office. Two villages named Petersville and Kensington once stood where downtown London now is. Petersville was founded by Samuel Peters in 1853. Kensington was founded around about 1878. Petersville and Kensigton were amalgamated on 4 March 1881 to form London West. On 1 January 1855, London

13431-586: Was cancelled after the second day of snow. The highest temperature ever recorded in London was 41.1 °C (106 °F) on 6 August 1918. The lowest temperature ever recorded was −32.8 °C (−27 °F) on 9 February 1934. London has a number of parks. Victoria Park in downtown London is a major centre of community events, attracting an estimated 1 million visitors per year. Other major parks include Harris Park, Gibbons Park, Fanshawe Conservation Area ( Fanshawe Pioneer Village ), Springbank Park , White Oaks Park and Westminster Ponds. The city also maintains

13552-513: Was collectively known as "London South". Never incorporated, the South was annexed to the city in 1890, although Wortley Village still retains a distinct sense of place . The area started to be settled in the 1860s. In 1880, Polk's Directory called London South "a charming suburb of the City of London.". By contrast, the settlement at Broughdale on the city's north end had a clear identity, adjoined

13673-475: Was discontinued in fall of 2023 due to poor ridership and travel times along the corridor. As of 2024, the provincial government and Waterloo Region are planning for an extension of GO rail service into Cambridge. Only one municipality in Southwestern Ontario, Waterloo Region, currently has a rail-based transit system in operation. This transit system is known as the iON LRT and runs from Waterloo to Kitchener. A southern extension of this rail line into Cambridge

13794-598: Was founded in London 1951 and is the second largest credit union in Ontario and employs over 600 people. Downtown London is also home to major satellite offices for each of the Big Five banks of Canada , particularly TD Bank which employees 2,000 people, and the digital challenger bank VersaBank is also headquartered in the city. The headquarters of the Canadian division of 3M are in London. General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) builds armoured personnel carriers in

13915-490: Was incorporated as a city (10,000 or more residents). In the 1860s, a sulphur spring was discovered at the forks of the Thames River while industrialists were drilling for oil . The springs became a popular destination for wealthy Ontarians, until the turn of the 20th century when a textile factory was built at the site, replacing the spa. Records from 1869 indicate a population of about 18,000 served by three newspapers, churches of all major denominations and offices of all

14036-529: Was once again reopened to vehicular traffic 1 December 2018. The Blackfriars, amidst the river-distance between the Carling Brewery and the historic Tecumseh Park (including a major mill), linked London with its western suburb of Petersville, named for Squire Peters of Grosvenor Lodge. That community joined with the southern subdivision of Kensington in 1874, formally incorporating as the municipality of Petersville. Although it changed its name in 1880 to

14157-556: Was originally shipped by tankers through the Great Lakes from Superior, Wisconsin until the 1953 expansion of the Enbridge pipeline system into Sarnia. Today, Sarnia is home to 3 major oil refineries owned by Suncor , Imperial Oil , and Shell Canada . An additional refinery owned by Imperial Oil is located in Nanticoke . These refineries collectively supply much of the province's fuel demand, in addition to providing feedstocks for

14278-449: Was renamed Broughdale in 1906 because it sounded better. In 1924, the University of Western Ontario was founded in the former Broughdale. After the founding of the university, Broughdale became more like a city and less like a village. Broughdale was incorporated as a village in 1930. In 1961, Broughdale was annexed to London. Ivor F. Goodson and Ian R. Dowbiggin have explored the battle over vocational education in London, Ontario, in

14399-558: Was the northern terminus of the Underground Railroad for enslaved African Americans seeking escape from the United States. Thousands of slaves escaped to the region, settling and owning farms in areas such as Essex County, Chatham-Kent , and Queen's Bush . The region's economy was predominantly focused on agriculture until the late 19th century, when industrialization of the region began to occur. Southwestern Ontario emerged as an ideal location for manufacturing due to

14520-550: Was the site of several Attawandaron , Odawa , and Ojibwe villages. The Lawson Site in northwest London is an archaeological excavation and partial reconstruction of an approximately 500-year-old Neutral Iroquoian village, estimated to have been home to 2,000 people. These groups were driven out by the Iroquois by c.  1654 in the Beaver Wars . The Iroquois abandoned the region some 50 years later, driven out by

14641-653: Was used for events such the Provincial Agricultural Fair of Canada West held in London that year. It was visited by Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn , Governor-General John Young, 1st Baron Lisgar and Prime Minister John A. Macdonald . Long before the Royal Military College of Canada was established in 1876, there were proposals for military colleges in Canada. Staffed by British Regulars, adult male students underwent three-month-long military courses from 1865 at

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