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DURHAM REGION

Situated immediately east of the City of Toronto, Durham Region is an area of endless variety and contrasts. The Regional Municipality of Durham is one of the fastest growing centres in North America. The Region comprises an area of approximately 1,000 square miles, providing ample space for industry, commerce and families to prosper. Durham Region is rapidly becoming the prime location for industry and commerce. It is also an equally popular location for residential expansion, thus evolving an almost perfect blend of location, resources and human attributes. Durham is home to over 495,000 residents.

In the mid 1970's, the Province of Ontario created several large regional municipalities in areas targeted for rapid development. As one of these designated areas, the Regional Municipality of Durham, through its twenty-eight member Council, is responsible for providing efficient economic development, planning, public works, health and social services as well as police protection to the eight member municipalities. These comprise the City of Oshawa, the Towns of Ajax, Pickering and Whitby, the Townships of Brock, Scugog, and Uxbridge and the Municipality of Clarington.

In 1998 our duties increased due to the Provincial downloading measures to include Social Housing, GO Transit, Land Ambulance, Property Assessment, Child Care as well as additional Social Assistance and Health services.

Durham Region provides excellent access to all transportation routes. Highway 401 is the major east-west artery and CN and CP Rail provide rail connections. The Port of Oshawa is a major commercial shipping centre, due to its ability to handle bulk goods and its accessibility to the St. Lawrence Seaway. The GO Transportation system, trains and buses provide an effective link to Toronto for Durham Residents. Executive Airlink provides  airfreight and passenger service out of Oshawa Municipal Airport to Windsor and Detroit. Pearson International Airport is a 40 minute drive away.

The Durham District School Board and the Durham Catholic District School Board administer over 150 public and parochial schools in the Region at the elementary and secondary levels. The Durham College of Applied Arts and Technology in Oshawa offers a variety of courses suited to meet the needs of the Region, with the Durham Industrial Training Centre offering training in automated manufacturing systems and related technologies. The College was the first in Ontario to become involved with Computer-Assisted Design and Computer Assisted Manufacturing programs.

More About Durham Region:
http://www.region.durham.on.ca