Oshawa

Suburban Coastal Beaches

Population: 336k

Cost of Living: Moderate

Train Access: Yes (GO Transit)

Bus Access: Yes (Oshawa Transit)

Weather: Oshawa experiences a humid continental climate with cold, snowy winters and warm summers, typical of the Greater Toronto Area region near Lake Ontario.

Oshawa sits on the northern shore of Lake Ontario, about 50 kilometers east of Toronto, where industrial heritage meets waterfront revival. Once the automotive heart of Canada—General Motors built its largest plant here—the city has spent recent decades reimagining itself beyond the factory gates. The downtown core has seen renewed investment, with restored heritage buildings now housing restaurants, galleries, and shops alongside newer developments. The waterfront, long dominated by industrial uses, is gradually opening to public access with parks and recreational spaces. Oshawa's grid of tree-lined streets reflects its early 20th-century planning, and neighborhoods range from Victorian-era residential blocks to mid-century suburbs. The city functions as both a destination in its own right and a commuter hub for those working in the Greater Toronto Area, offering more space and affordability than its western neighbor while maintaining urban services and cultural institutions.

BlueCross BlueShield Global Solutions
Get Quote

BlueCross BlueShield Global Solutions (BCBS) offers global health plans for international assignments or trips lasting 6 months or longer. With access to over 1.7M medical providers in 190 countries around the world, BCBS provides members with solutions and industry-leading digital services - ensuring top-quality coverage to people who live, work, study and travel internationally.

BlueCross BlueShield Global Solutions

Keep reading. It is free.