Translation Services in Oshawa – Economic Profile

Oshawa, with its roughly 330,600 residents in the metropolitan area, is located 60 km east of downtown Toronto and is part of the “Golden Horseshoe”. Its metropolitan area is the fourteenth largest in Canada.

The city of Oshawa has a great industrial heritage and has been home to Canada’s division of General Motors Corporation since 1876. The company is the largest local employer, and Oshawa has always been shaped by its blue collar and industrial identity.

Oshawa’s airport is an important center for passenger transport, trade and flight training and is home to several aviation and non-aviation related companies. This city is one of the fastest growing communities in Canada with many Toronto commuters moving in. New dynamics for the local economy have emerged thanks to rising property values and land speculation.

In 2003 the University of Ontario Institute of Technology was opened. Being located in a mainly industrial environment, the university focuses mainly on technology, manufacturing, and engineering, and it is the only institution in Canada that offers courses in automotive and nuclear engineering.

Thanks to the General Motors manufacturing and administrative operations Oshawa has always been a magnet to workers from across Canada and to immigrants from all over the world. Particularly Eastern European workers such as Poles, Ukrainians, Hungarians, Croatians, and Russians were attracted by Oshawa’s jobs opportunities. Oshawa features a surprisingly diverse ethnic makeup. 6.1% of its population are visible minorities, of which 37% are black. There are significant communities of English, Scottish, Irish, French, German, Dutch, and Italian origin.

Oshawa’s economic success sprawl, its dynamic economy, and its ethnically diverse community have created a significant demand for multilingual services.