Oshawa (2011 population 149,607; CMA 356,177) is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the Lake Ontario shoreline. It lies in Southern Ontario approximately 60 kilometres east of downtown Toronto. It is commonly viewed as the eastern anchor of both the Greater Toronto Area and the Golden Horseshoe. It is the largest municipality in the Regional Municipality of Durham. The name Oshawa originates from the Ojibwa term aazhaway, meaning "the crossing place" or just "(a)cross".
Oshawa is, as of 2011, the sole "Automotive Capital of Canada", having shared the title with Windsor, Ontario in the past. The automobile industry, specifically the Canadian division of General Motors Company, known as General Motors Canada, has always been at the forefront of Oshawa's economy. Founded in 1876 as the McLaughlin Carriage Company, General Motors of Canada's headquarters and major assembly plants are located in the city. Until the current motto, Oshawa's previous mottos were "The City That Motovates Canada", and "The City in Motion". The lavish home of the carriage company's founder, Parkwood Estate, is a National Historic Site of Canada, and a backdrop favoured by numerous film crews, and has been featured in many movies including Studio 54, Billy Madison, Chicago, and X-Men.
Oshawa was also home to Windfields Farm, a thoroughbred horse breeding operation and birthplace of Canada's most famous racehorse, Northern Dancer.
Once very much a distinct community—physically, economically, and culturally—Oshawa has since become part of the ever expanding population of the Greater Toronto Area.
Oshawa will be hosting the boxing, shooting (shotgun) and softball events for the 2015 Pan American Games.
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