The Regional Municipality of Durham (), informally referred to as Durham Region, is a regional municipality in Southern Ontario, Canada. Located east of Toronto and the Regional Municipality of York, it forms the east end of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and is part of the Golden Horseshoe region. It has an area of approximately 2,500 km2 (970 sq mi). The regional government is headquartered in Whitby.
The southern portion of Durham Region, on Lake Ontario, is primarily suburban in nature, forming the eastern end of the "905 belt" of suburbs around Toronto, while the northern portion comprises rural areas and small towns. The city of Pickering, town of Ajax, and the township of Uxbridge are part of the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, while the communities of Oshawa, Whitby, and Clarington comprise the Oshawa Census Metropolitan Area.
Administrative divisions
Durham Region consists of eight municipalities:
It also contains one First Nations reserve: Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.
Local government
History
The Region of Durham was established in 1974 as one of several new regional governments in the Province of Ontario, primarily in fast-growing urban and suburban areas. It encompasses areas that had been part of Ontario County and the United Counties of Northumberland and Durham, and was the culmination of a series of studies into municipal governance in the "Oshawa-Centred Region" that had begun in the late 1960s.
The boundaries of the region were different from what had been anticipated and announced in late 1972. For example, it was widely expected that Pickering would be annexed to Metropolitan Toronto, which residents had supported in a ballot question. In addition, the region was proposed to extend further east to include Hope Township and the town of Port Hope, and did not include the northern townships of Scott, Brock and Thorah.
Climate
Under the Köppen climate classification, the Durham Region has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb). On average July is the hottest month while January is the coldest month.
Demographics
As a census division in the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Regional Municipality of Durham had a population of 696,992 living in 243,048 of its 250,559 total private dwellings, a change of 7.9% from its 2016 population of 645,862. With a land area of 2,521.11 km2 (973.41 sq mi), it had a population density of 276.5/km2 (716.0/sq mi) in 2021.
Services
The regional government, within its geographic area, has sole responsibility for the following:
Durham Regional Police Service provides local policing for all municipalities.
The Ontario Provincial Police patrol provincial highways
Durham Region Transit provides public transit service
Main roads, traffic lights and controls
Strategic land use planning
Subdivision and condominium approval
Water supply and distribution
Sewage collection and treatment
Collection of recyclable materials
Waste collection, except in Whitby and Oshawa
Waste disposal
Public health and social services
The region also provides services in:
Economic development
Tourism
Local municipalities have responsibility for:
Local planning
Local streets and sidewalks
Fire protection
Parks and recreation
Tax collection
Building inspection and permits
Public libraries
Licensing
Waste collection in Whitby and Oshawa
Economy
With a current population of 700,000, the population is expected to exceed one million by 2041. Of considerable potential impact to the future of the economy in Durham Region is the proposed federal airport in north Pickering. The federal government acquired 18,600 acres of land in Pickering under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau in 1972 for the construction of a future airport. However, the project has remained in limbo since and much of the land has been leased for farming. In January 2018, a report released by Urban Strategies, Inc. indicated that the Pickering airport lands provide the best opportunity to meet the growing demand for air travel and goods movement in the Greater Toronto Area, demand that Toronto Pearson airport will eventually be unable to accommodate.
As of December 2016, Durham Region had over 250 energy, environment, and engineering related businesses that employed over 11,000 individuals, making Durham Region the top employer of energy sector professionals in the Greater Toronto and Hamiton Area (GTHA). Durham Region's agricultural sector is one of the largest primary goods-producing sectors in the region. The agriculture sector is supported by local organizations such as Durham Farm Fresh who assist in the marketing, promotion, and advocacy for local food. The film industry is active and growing in Durham Region, due to increasing demands for locations and talent across Ontario. In June 2015, a major film studio development was announced in Pickering. Canada’s largest film industry backlot opened in Pickering in late 2021.
The innovative technology sector is emerging in Durham Region, supported by a Regional Innovation Centre in Oshawa and a technology accelerator in Whitby. Whitby is the location of the headquarters of 360 Insights a significant employer in Durham Region.
83 per cent of Durham residents over 18 have a certificate, diploma or degree.
The unemployment rate is 5.4% as of March 2022. Emerging employment sectors in Durham Region include sustainable energy, local food production, bio-sciences, next-generation automotive, logistics, advanced manufacturing, construction, and technology.
Major employers in Durham Region include General Motors of Canada, Ontario Power Generation, Lakeridge Health, Durham District School Board, Durham College, the Ontario Ministry of Finance, Minacs Worldwide, TDS Automotive, and University of Ontario Institute of Technology.
Manufacturing and energy industries
Durham Region is a major centre of the automotive industry in Canada. Oshawa is the Canadian headquarters of General Motors and home of what was once GM's largest plant in North America. In addition, the Canadian headquarters of Volkswagen is located in the region, BMW was located in the region until moving to Richmond Hill in 2010. The worldwide recession and spike in oil prices resulted in large-scale layoffs at GM beginning in 2008, along with the closure of the Oshawa Truck plant in 2009. This dramatically reduced employment levels at GM, and also resulted in significant employment losses and closures in the auto parts industry. On November 26, 2018, General Motors announced that no future product would be allotted to Oshawa beyond 2019 and that manufacturing operations would cease in December 2019. In October 2019, General Motors announced the construction of a 55-acre autonomous vehicle test track in Oshawa to be named the Canadian Technical Centre (CTC) McLaughlin Advanced Technology Track. GM Canada then reopened the plant in Oshawa and began manufacturing trucks in November 2021.
Durham Region is the Clean Energy Capital of Canada. Ontario Power Generation (OPG) is the largest employer in the region. OPG is Canada's largest owner of nuclear power plants with responsibility for operating the Pickering A, B, and Darlington nuclear generating stations, all of which are located in Durham Region. In June 2019 OPG announced it would be building a new corporate campus in Durham Region, in the Municipality of Clarington, by 2024. In 2023, Ontario Power Generation announced they were changing plans and had purchased the former General Motors Canada head office building and were updating it to be their new corporate headquarters. Ontario Tech University offers the first accredited program of its kind in Canada with an undergraduate degree program in Nuclear Engineering. It is also a leader is Energy Systems and Nuclear Science programs. The Clean Energy Research Lab (CERL) is a facility focused on pioneering clean energy research.
Tourism
Tourism is a significant economic sector in Durham Region. Durham Region currently hosts more than four million visitors each year, who spend over $300 million. A casino resort is under development in Durham Region which will include a casino resort, convention centre, film studios, indoor waterpark, cinemas, restaurants, office tower and an amphitheatre. The Pickering Casino Resort opened in July 2021, and the Hotel opened in January 2023 and construction of various associated amenities is ongoing.
Shopping
Major shopping centres located in Durham Region include:
First Pickering Place (Pickering)
Oshawa Power Centre (Oshawa)
Oshawa Centre (Oshawa)
Pickering Town Centre (Pickering)
Thickson Centre (Whitby)
Rio-Can Durham Centre (Ajax)