London, Ontario

London is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, along the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor. It sits where the Thames River and North Thames River meet, about 200 kilometres from both Toronto and Detroit, and around 230 kilometres from Buffalo, New York. In the 2021 Canadian census, London had a population of 422,324 people.

The city was named after the famous English city and river in 1793 by John Graves Simcoe, who chose the spot to be the capital of Upper Canada. The first European settlers arrived between 1801 and 1804, and the village was officially founded in 1826 and incorporated in 1855. Since then, London has grown into the largest city in southwestern Ontario and the 11th largest metropolitan area in Canada, with a population of 543,551.

Today, London is an important center for healthcare, education, and many jobs. It is home to the University of Western Ontario, Fanshawe College, and three big hospitals: Victoria Hospital, University Hospital, and St. Joseph’s Hospital. The city also has many festivals and attractions that bring visitors, but its main work comes from education, medical research, manufacturing, finance, and technology. London is a key spot where major highways meet, linking it to Toronto, Windsor, and Sarnia, and it also has airports, train stations, and bus services.

History

A series of archaeological sites throughout southwestern Ontario, named for the Parkhill Complex excavated near Parkhill, show that Paleo-Indians lived in the area about 11,000 years ago. Before Europeans arrived, the London area was home to Attawandaron, Odawa, and Ojibwe villages. The Lawson Site in northwest London is an excavation of an old Neutral Iroquoian village that once had about 2,000 people. These groups left after conflicts with the Iroquois around 1654 during the Beaver Wars.

The current site of London was chosen in 1793 by Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe to be the future capital of Upper Canada. It became an important administrative center for the area west of York (now Toronto). In 1814, the Battle of Longwoods happened nearby during the War of 1812.

London grew over time. It became a town in 1840 and a city in 1855 when its population reached 10,000. Fires and floods caused damage in the late 1800s, but the city kept growing. New bridges, railways, and industries helped London develop. By the early 1900s, London had many factories, schools, and important buildings.

In 1961, London expanded by joining many nearby areas, which more than doubled its size. Since then, the city has grown with new neighborhoods and developments. Today, London is one of the largest cities in Ontario.

John Carling, a member of Parliament for London, spoke about three key events that helped the city grow in 1901: the court and administration being located there in 1826, the arrival of soldiers in 1838, and the railway coming to London in 1853.

In 1846, London had about 3,500 people. There were brick buildings like a jail, a courthouse, and large barracks. The city had a fire company, a theatre, a big Gothic church, nine other churches, and two market buildings. The buildings destroyed in the 1845 fire were mostly rebuilt by 1846. People traveled by road using stagecoaches that ran every day. A weekly newspaper was published, and the post office received mail daily. Two villages named Petersville and Kensington were where downtown London is now. Petersville was founded by Samuel Peters in 1853. Kensington started around 1878. These villages joined together on March 4, 1881, to form London West.

On January 1, 1855, London became a city with more than 10,000 people. In the 1860s, a sulphur spring was found at the forks of the Thames River while people were looking for oil. The springs were popular for wealthy visitors until a textile factory was built there.

Records from 1869 show London had about 18,000 people. There were three newspapers, churches of all major groups, and offices for major banks. Industries included tanneries, oil refineries, foundries, four flour mills, the Labatt Brewing Company, and the Carling brewery, along with other companies like EMCO Wheaton. Both the Great Western and Grand Trunk railways had stops in London. Several insurance companies also had offices there.

The Crystal Palace Barracks, a special octagonal brick building with eight doors and forty-eight windows, was built in 1861. It was used for events like the Provincial Agricultural Fair of Canada West 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.

Before the Royal Military College of Canada was founded in 1876, there were ideas for military colleges in Canada. From 1865, British soldiers gave three-month military courses to adult men at the School of Military Instruction in London. This school, started in 1865, helped militia officers and candidates learn military duties, drills, and leadership. The school was closed after Canada became its own country in 1867.

In 1875, London's first iron bridge, the Blackfriars Street Bridge, was built. It replaced old wooden bridges that often failed during floods. This bridge, which still exists, was closed to cars for a time because of problems but reopened to traffic on December 1, 2018. The Blackfriars Bridge connected London with Petersville, named after Squire Peters of Grosvenor Lodge. That area joined with Kensington in 1874 and became London West in 1880. It stayed separate until 1897 when it joined London after many floods. The worst flood was in July 1883, which caused a lot of damage and loss of life. This part of London still has many old homes from the 1800s.

London's eastern area, London East, has always been an industrial center. It began in 1854 as Lilley's Corners by Charles Lilley. Oil was found in the Petrolia area, and Lilley's Corners was chosen for refining because it was close to the railroad. Companies like the Ontario Car Works, the Great Western Gasworks, and the London Street Railroad were based there. In 1872, Lilley's Corners became a village. It joined London in 1885. London South, including Wortley Village, was never officially a separate town but was added to London in 1890. Broughdale, on the north end, was named after Reverend Charles C. Brough and joined London in 1961 after the university was built there.

Ivor F. Goodson and Ian R. Dowbiggin studied the debates about vocational education in London from 1900 to 1930. The London Technical and Commercial High School faced opposition from the city's leaders who thought it took money away from the main high school, London Collegiate Institute.

The Banting House, a National Historic Site of Canada, is where Frederick Banting had the ideas that led to the discovery of insulin. He lived and worked in London for ten months from July 1920 to May 1921. London is also home to the Flame of Hope, which will stay lit until a cure for diabetes is found.

London kept its role as a military center into the 1900s during both World Wars, managing the Western Ontario area. In 1905, the London Armoury was built and housed the First Hussars until 1975. A new hotel (Delta London Armouries, 1988) was built on the site, keeping parts of the old building. In the 1950s, two reserve battalions joined to become London and Oxford Rifles (3rd Battalion), The Royal Canadian Regiment. This group is still active today as 4th Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment. The Regimental Headquarters of The Royal Canadian Regiment is in London at Wolseley Barracks on Oxford Street. The barracks are also home to the First Hussars militia regiment.

London annexed many nearby areas in 1961, including Byron and Masonville, adding 60,000 people and more than doubling its size. After this, London grew quickly with new neighborhoods like Westmount, Oakridge, Whitehills, Pond Mills, White Oaks, and Stoneybrook.

On January 1, 1993, London joined almost all of the Westminster township, a large rural area south of the city, including the police village of Lambeth. With this addition, London almost doubled in size again and added many more people. Today, London reaches south to the border with Elgin County, north and east to Fanshawe Lake, north and west to the township of Middlesex Centre (with Arva to the north and Komoka to the west), and east to Nilestown and Dorchester.

The 1993 annexation made London one of Ontario's largest cities. Now, there is lots of new building in the southwest and northwest parts of the city. Some people worry about too much building, losing green spaces and farms, and traffic and pollution problems. The City of London is now the eleventh-largest urban area in Canada, eleventh-largest census metropolitan area in Canada, and the sixth-largest city in Ontario.

On Victoria Day, May 24, 1881, the SS Victoria ferry turned over in the Thames River near Cove Bridge in West London. About 200 people drowned, making it one of London's worst disasters, known as "The Victoria Day Disaster".

Two major floods happened in London. The first was on July 12, 1883, and killed 17 people. The second was on April 26, 1937, which destroyed over a thousand homes and caused more than $50 million in damage, mainly in West London.

On January 3, 1898, the floor of the assembly hall at London City Hall fell down, killing 23 people and hurting more than 70 others. Tests later showed the wooden beams under the floor were weak because of knots and other problems.

After many floods, the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority built Fanshawe Dam on the North Thames River in 1953 to help control the rivers. Money for this came from the federal, provincial, and municipal governments. Other natural disasters include a 1984 tornado that damaged streets in the White Oaks area of South London.

On December 11, 2020, a building under construction near Wonderland Road in southwest London fell down, killing two people and hurting at least four others. In January 2024, the companies from Oxford County that built it were fined $400,000 because they did not give proper instructions about measuring concrete correctly.

Geography

The area around London, Ontario was shaped long ago when glaciers moved away during the last ice age. This created marshlands, like the Sifton Bog, and some of the best farmland in Ontario.

The city is centered around the Thames River, where its North and South branches meet at a place called "The Forks". The North Thames flows through Fanshawe Lake, which was made by a dam to prevent flooding.

London has warm summers and cold, snowy winters. The city's weather changes a lot through the year, with the nearby Great Lakes influencing the climate. Summer temperatures can get quite warm, and winters often bring plenty of snow. Some of this snow comes from winds over Lake Huron, creating heavy snowfalls. The city has many parks, such as Victoria Park, where lots of community events happen. Other parks include Harris Park, Gibbons Park, and Fanshawe Conservation Area. Remembrance Gardens honors those who served in wars with a poppy garden and a special bell from the Netherlands.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population done by Statistics Canada, London had 422,324 people living in 174,657 homes. This was a 10% increase from the 383,822 people who lived there in 2016. London covers 420.5 square kilometres, and in 2021, the number of people living there was 1,004.3 per square kilometre.

The area around London, called the census metropolitan area, had 543,551 people living in 222,239 homes in 2021. This was also a 10% increase from 2016. The area around London is 2,661.48 square kilometres, and in 2021, the number of people living there was 204.2 per square kilometre.

Ethnicity

The most common ethnic backgrounds in London, based on the 2021 census, include English (21.9%), Scottish (17.4%), Irish (16.8%), Canadian (12.1%), and German (9.3%). Other groups include French (6.6%), Dutch (5.0%), Italian (4.5%), and British Isles (4.3%). Indigenous people made up 2.6% of the population, mostly First Nations (1.9%). Other groups include 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%).

Language

In 2021, most people in London, about 71.1%, spoke English as their first language. Other languages spoken included Arabic (3.7%), Spanish (2.7%), Mandarin (1.6%), Portuguese (1.3%), and French (1.1%). Almost all people, 98%, could speak English, and 7.2% could speak French.

Religion

In 2021, about half of the people in London, 48.8%, said they were Christian. The largest group among Christians were Catholics (21.5%), followed by United Church (4.7%) and Anglican (4.4%). Over a third, 37.2%, said they did not follow any religion. Other religions included Muslim (8.4%), Hindu (2.1%), Sikh (1.0%), Buddhist (0.9%), and Jewish (0.5%).

Economy

See also: Category:Companies based in London, Ontario

London's economy is strong in areas like medical research, financial services, manufacturing, and information technology.

Medicine

A lot of work in life sciences and biotechnology happens at the University of Western Ontario, especially through the Robarts Research Institute. This work adds about C$1.5 billion to London's economy each year. Big companies such as Alimentiv and the London Health Sciences Centre, which is the city's largest employer, are also based here.

Technology

After the economic difficulties in 2009, London grew into a technology center, especially in the Digital Creative sector. By 2016, over 300 technology companies called London home, employing about 3% of the city's workers. Many of these companies moved into old factories and turned them into modern offices. For example, Info-Tech Research Group uses a former hosiery factory, and Arcane Digital moved into a building from the 1930s. The Historic London Roundhouse, built in 1887, now houses businesses like Royal LePage Triland Realty. London is also home to companies like StarTech.com, Diply, and video game makers such as Digital Extremes and Big Blue Bubble. There are also companies like Voices.com that help voice actors find work.

Petroleum

One of Canada's big oil companies, Imperial Oil, started in London in 1880 but moved its offices to Petrolia in 1883. Another company, Supertest Petroleum, began in London in 1925 before being bought by BP Canada in 1971.

Finance

London has a history of financial companies. The Bank of London was founded there in 1883 but closed in 1887. The Libro Financial Group started in 1951 and is now one of Ontario's largest credit unions. VersaBank is also based in London. In the late 1800s, London became a center for trust and loan companies. For example, Huron & Erie Mortgage Corporation started in 1864 and later became part of the Toronto-Dominion Bank. Other companies included Ontario Loan & Debenture Company and the Canadian Savings and Loan Company. In 1899, Huron & Erie moved Canada Trust to London, where it grew into a major trust company. London Life, founded in 1874, was another famous company. It was later bought by the Power Corporation of Canada and merged into Canada Life in 2020.

Brewing

Two big Canadian breweries started in London. The Carling Brewery was founded by Thomas Carling in 1840, and the Labatt Brewing Company was started by John Kinder Labatt in 1847.

Industrials

The Canadian office of 3M is in London. General Dynamics Land Systems makes special vehicles in the city and has a big contract worth $15 billion. McCormick Canada also has its headquarters there. Many people from London work at factories just outside the city, like the General Motors plant CAMI and a Toyota plant in Woodstock. A Ford plant in Talbotville closed during the economic crisis in 2011 and is now a large Amazon center with about 2,000 workers. London's main shopping area, Wellington Square, opened in 1960 and grew into Galleria London. But after some stores left, it changed into a mixed-use area with offices, schools, and the city's main library. In 2016, CBC planned to move into the building. The candy company O-Pee-Chee also started in London in 1911.

London has many big Real Estate Development companies that work across Southwestern Ontario. These include Sifton Properties, Drewlo Holdings, and others, managing hundreds of millions of square feet of commercial and residential real estate. In 2009, a new $11-million cargo terminal was announced for the London International Airport.

Culture

See also: Media in London, Ontario

Film production

In 2021, the city started a group called FilmLondon to bring more movies and TV shows to the area. Some well-known shows and films made here include The Amazing Race Canada 8 and The Changeling. Famous actors such as Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams, and Victor Garber were born in London.

Festivals

London hosts many fun events, such as SunFest, the London Fringe Theatre Festival, the Forest City Film Festival, and the London Ontario Live Arts Festival (LOLA). There is also the Home County Folk Festival, Rock the Park, Western Fair, and Pride London. The Rib Fest in London is one of the biggest barbecue festivals in North America. SunFest is a big world music celebration and one of the top summer events in North America.

Music

London has a rich history with music. Famous musicians from London include Big-Band leader Guy Lombardo, jazz musician Rob McConnell, and country singer Tommy Hunter. The city has also been home to many other musicians and bands, such as heavy metal group Kittie and hip-hop artist Shad Kabango.

American country star Johnny Cash once proposed to his wife June Carter Cash during a concert in London. The city also has a long-standing symphony orchestra, Orchestra London, and many other music groups. In 2021, London was named Canada’s first City of Music by UNESCO.

Art

London has many art galleries and museums. Museum London is the city's main art gallery. There is also the Museum of Ontario Archaeology, which shows what life was like for ancient people in the area. The London Regional Children's Museum offers fun, hands-on learning for kids.

The city also has many smaller galleries and art spaces. Every June, London holds an event called Nuit Blanche to celebrate art.

Theatre

London has several theatres, including the Grand Theatre, which offers professional shows and gives high school students a chance to work with experienced directors and actors. The Palace Theatre is another popular spot for live performances.

Literature

London is an important place for books, especially stories set in southern Ontario. Famous writers such as James Reaney and Emma Donoghue live or have lived in London. The city also hosts WordFest, an annual event celebrating books and writing.

Livability

London is a comfortable place to live. Though house prices have gone up, the city still costs less to live in than nearby places like Toronto. London has many parks, walking paths, and places to shop and get health care. It also has important schools, such as the University of Western Ontario and Fanshawe College. The city’s big park, Springbank Park, has lots of trails and a popular area called Storybook Gardens for families.

Sports

London is home to many sports teams. The London Knights play hockey in the Ontario Hockey League at the Canada Life Place. They have won several big championships. In the summer, you can watch the London Majors play baseball at Labatt Park. FC London is the city's top soccer team and plays at the German Canadian Club of London Field. There are also teams for swimming, volleyball, cricket, rugby, gymnastics, and rowing.

The London Lightning is London's basketball team, also based at Canada Life Place. They have won many championships too. London has hosted big events like the 2013 World Figure Skating Championships and the 1974 Macdonald Brier. The University of Western Ontario's teams are called the Mustangs, and Fanshawe College's teams are the Falcons.

Current franchises

Government and law

See also: London City Council and List of mayors of London, Ontario

London's municipal government has fourteen councillors, one for each of London's fourteen wards, plus a mayor. Josh Morgan became mayor after the 2022 municipal election. Before 2010, London had a Board of Control with four controllers and the mayor, all elected by the whole city.

London separated from Middlesex County in 1855, except for the Middlesex County Courthouse, which is run by the province.

In May 2017, London became the first city in Canada to use a ranked choice ballot for elections starting in 2018. Voters rank their top three favourite candidates. A candidate needs 50 per cent of votes to win. If no one reaches that, the candidate with the fewest votes is removed, and their second or third choices are added to the remaining candidates. This continues until someone gets over 50 per cent.

In 2001, London created one of North America's first accessibility rules, including Universal Design. Over 50 cities in Canada and the United States have since adopted similar rules.

City councillors

In addition to Mayor Josh Morgan, the following councillors were elected in the 2022 municipal election for the 2022–2026 term:

Provincial ridings

London includes four areas for provincial voting. In the provincial government, London is represented by New Democrats Terence Kernaghan (London North Centre), Teresa Armstrong (London—Fanshawe), and Peggy Sattler (London West), and Progressive Conservative Rob Flack (Elgin—Middlesex—London).

Federal ridings

The London area includes five areas for federal voting. In the federal government, London is represented by Conservatives Kurt Holman (London—Fanshawe), Andrew Lawton (Elgin—St. Thomas—London South), and Lianne Rood (Middlesex—London) and Liberals Peter Fragiskatos (London Centre) and Arielle Kayabaga (London West).

Law enforcement and crime

Law enforcement

Main article: London Police Service

As of 1 June 2023^[update], the London Police Service (LPS) is led by Chief of Police Thai Truong. He has two deputy chiefs: Paul Bastien for operations, and Trish McIntyre for administration. The service is overseen by a seven-member civilian police board, chaired by Ali Chabar. As of December 2020, the LPS had fewer police officers per person than any other area in Southwestern Ontario. Some of its vehicles are light armoured vehicles donated by General Dynamics Land Systems, which are rarely used.

Crime

Main article: Organized crime in London, Ontario

Police records show that the number of crimes in London stayed about the same between 2010 and 2016, with roughly 24,000 to 27,000 incidents each year. Most of these were property crimes, while violent crimes decreased by up to 20% between 2012 and 2014 but increased again in 2015–2016. In July 2018, a police deputy chief said many crimes are not reported to the police.

The city has seen several well-known events over the years, such as the Ontario Biker War and the London Conflict. It was also where most of the Shedden Massacre trial took place.

Civic initiatives

The City of London has projects in Old East London to bring new energy to the East London Business District. These include creating the Old East Heritage Conservation District, special building rules, and programs to restore building fronts.

London has many old buildings showing different architectural styles, like Queen Anne, Art Deco, Modern, and Brutalist.

People in London care about the city's trees and have protested when trees are removed. The City Council and tourism groups have started projects to plant new trees and even put up metal trees of different colours in the downtown area, which has caused some debate.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, many office spaces in London's downtown were empty. To help solve the housing shortage, the city council started a program to change offices into homes.

Transportation

See also: List of roads in London, Ontario

Road transportation

London is located where Highway 401 meets, connecting the city to Toronto and Windsor, and Highway 402 leads to Sarnia. Highway 403, which branches off from Highway 401 near Woodstock, offers easy travel to Brantford, Hamilton, and the Niagara Peninsula. Many smaller two-lane roads also go through or near London, linking it to places in Western Ontario, such as Goderich, Port Stanley, and Owen Sound. A part of Highbury Avenue, about 4.5 kilometres long, has special road rules and higher speed limits to connect London’s east end to Highway 401.

Wellington Road is the busiest road in London, with over 46,000 vehicles passing through each day. London does not have any freeways running straight through the city. Instead, the Veterans Memorial Parkway serves the east end. Some people think not having a freeway might slow down growth, while others worry it could harm the environment and increase sprawl. Improvements have been made to the Parkway, but there are plans to make it better by adding special intersections.

Public transit

Main articles: Streetcars in London, Ontario and Rapid Transit (London, Ontario)

In the past, London had many streetcar routes. Today, the city’s public transit is managed by the London Transit Commission, which operates 44 bus routes. Although fewer people are using the buses lately, the commission is working on a five-year plan to improve service. In 2015, they added 17,000 more hours of bus service, and in 2016, they added more buses and operators. London is building a bus rapid transit network, with the first part, the Downtown Loop, starting in spring 2021 and continuing until 2030. This project received C$170 million from the Ontario government in January 2018.

Cycling network

London has 330 kilometres of paths for cyclists, with 91 kilometres added since 2005. In June 2016, the city added special bike parking spots and repair stations. In September 2016, the city approved a plan to add 470 more kilometres of cycling paths over the next 15 years.

Intercity transport

London is located along major railway lines between Toronto and Chicago, and between Toronto and Detroit. Via Rail offers passenger service through London station, connecting to the United States. In October 2021, GO Transit started a two-year trial of commuter rail service between London and Toronto, which ended in October 2023.

London is also a popular spot for bus travelers. Although Greyhound Canada no longer operates, other companies like Megabus and FlixBus now serve the area.

London International Airport (YXU) is one of Canada’s busiest airports. It offers flights to many places, including Toronto, Orlando, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Calgary, Cancún, Vancouver, and more.

Plans

There are plans to add more cycling paths where roads are being widened. There might also be an expressway or freeway built along the eastern and western ends of the city, connecting different highways. The city is also looking at ways to improve the Veterans Memorial Parkway by adding special intersections and sections, so it could become a freeway for most of its length.

Education

See also: List of schools in London, Ontario

London has public elementary and secondary schools run by four school boards. These include the Thames Valley District School Board, the London District Catholic School Board, and two French-language school boards: the Conseil scolaire Viamonde and the Conseil scolaire catholique Providence (CSC). The CSC has a small office in London.

There are also more than twenty private schools in the city.

London is home to two places for students after high school: the University of Western Ontario (UWO) and Fanshawe College. UWO was started in 1878 and has many students and teachers. It includes special schools such as the Richard Ivey School of Business, Huron University College, King's University College, and Brescia University College.

Fanshawe College has thousands of students, including many from other countries, and offers many courses for adults looking to learn new skills.

The Ontario Institute of Audio Recording Technology (OIART), started in 1983, helps students learn about audio recording.

Westervelt College is a private school founded in 1885 that offers programs to help students start careers.