Burlington, Ontario, Canada

🇨🇦 Burlington is a city in the Regional Municipality of Halton at the west end of Lake Ontario in Ontario, Canada. Located approximately halfway between Toronto and Niagara Falls, it is part of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area and Hamilton metropolitan census area.

History Before the 19th century, the area between the provincial capital of York and the township of West Flamborough was home to the Mississauga nation. In 1792, John Graves Simcoe, the first lieutenant governor of Upper Canada, named the western end of Lake Ontario "Burlington Bay" after the town of Bridlington in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England.

The British purchased the land on which Burlington now stands from the Mississaugas in Upper Canada Treaties 3 (1792), 8 (1797), 14 (1806), and 19 (1818). Treaty 8 concerned the purchase of the Brant Tract, 14.0 km² (3,450 acres) on Burlington Bay which the British granted to Mohawk chief Joseph Brant for his service in the American Revolutionary War. Joseph Brant and his household settled on this tract of land around 1802. Brant is accordingly often referred to as the founder of Burlington, and the city of Burlington still celebrates an annual Joseph Brant Day in early August. Subsequent disputes between the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Canadian government over payment for the Brant Tract and the Toronto Purchase were settled in 2010 for the sum of $145 million (CAD).

By the turn of the 19th century, the name "Burlington" was already in common use. With the completion of the local survey after the War of 1812, the land was opened for settlement. Early farmers prospered in the Burlington area because the area had fertile soil and moderate temperatures. Produce from the farms was shipped out via the bustling docks of the lakeside villages of Port Nelson and Wellington Square, as well as Brown's Wharf in the nearby village of Port Flamborough (which was to become Aldershot). Lumber taken from the surrounding forests also competed for space on the busy docks. In the latter half of the 19th century, increased wheat production from Western Canada convinced local farmers to switch to fruit and vegetable production.

In 1873, the villages of Wellington Square and Port Nelson merged to become the Village of Burlington which then became the Town of Burlington in 1914. The arrival of large steamships on the Great Lakes made the small docks of the local ports obsolete, and the increased use of railway to ship goods marked the end of the commercial wharves.

Farming still thrived though, and the resultant growth resulted in continued prosperity. By 1906, the town boasted its own newspaper—the Burlington Gazette—as well as a town library and a local rail line that connected Burlington to nearby Hamilton. During the First World War, 300 local men volunteered for duty in the Canadian Expeditionary Force—38 did not return. In 1914, Burlington was incorporated into a town.

As more settlers arrived and cleared the land, cash crops replaced subsistence farming. Gradually, mixed farming and market gardens became the dominant form of agriculture, and in the early 20th century the area was declared the Garden of Canada. The first peaches grown in Canada were cultivated in the Grindstone Creek watershed in the city's south-west part. The farming tradition has passed down through the generations. Today over forty percent of the Grindstone Creek watershed is still devoted to farms, orchards and nurseries.

Following the Second World War, cheap electricity from nearby Niagara Falls and better transportation access due to the new (1939) Queen Elizabeth Way encouraged both light industry and families to move to Burlington. The population skyrocketed as new homes were built, encouraging developers to build even more new homes. On 1 January 1958, Burlington officially annexed most of the Township of Nelson, as well as Aldershot, formerly a part of East Flamborough Township. By 1967, the last cash crop farm within the city had been replaced by the Burlington Centre.

Burlington was the site of the Brant Inn built by the lake in 1917, which became famous during the ’40s and ’50s for showing big-band performers.

By 1974, with a population exceeding 100,000, Burlington was incorporated as a city. The extremely high rate of growth continued, and between 2001 and 2006, the population of Burlington grew by 9%, compared to Canada's overall growth rate of 5.4%. By 2006, the population topped 160,000.

Geography Burlington is at the south-western end of Lake Ontario, just to the north east of Hamilton and the Niagara Peninsula, roughly in the geographic centre of the urban corridor known as the Golden Horseshoe. Burlington has a land area of 187 km² (72 sq mi). The main urban area is south of the Parkway Belt and Hwy. 407. The land north of this, and north Aldershot is used primarily for agriculture, rural residential and conservation purposes. The Niagara Escarpment, Lake Ontario and the sloping plain between the escarpment and the lake make up the land area of Burlington. The city is no longer a port; sailing vessels in the area are used for recreational purposes and moor at a 215 slip marina in LaSalle Park.

Religion According to the 2011 census, 70% of Burlington residents identify as Christian, with Catholics (31.5%) making up the largest denomination, followed by Anglican (10%), United Church (9.2%), and other denominations. Others identify as Muslim (2%), Hindu (1.1%), Sikh (1%), Buddhist (0.4%), Jewish (0.4%), and with other religions. A total of 25% of the population report no religious affiliation.

Language According to the 2016 census, the most common mother tongue in Burlington is English (78.7%), followed by French (1.6%), Spanish (1.5%), Polish (1.3%), and Arabic (1.2). The three most commonly known languages are English (99.1%), French (9%), and Spanish (2.5%).

Economy Burlington's economic strength is the diversity of its economic base, mainly achieved because of its geography, proximity to large industries in southern Ontario (Canada's largest consumer market), its location within the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) and proximity to Hamilton, and its transportation infrastructure including the Port of Hamilton on Burlington Bay. This diversity has allowed for sustained growth with regards to the economy. The city has a robust economy with potential for growth—it is at the hub of the Golden Horseshoe, is largely driven by both the automotive and manufacturing sectors.

No single employer or job sector dominates Burlington's economy. The leading industrial sectors, in terms of employment, are food processing, packaging, electronics, motor vehicle/transportation, business services, chemical/pharmaceutical and environmental. The top five private sector employers in Burlington are Fearmans Pork Inc, Cogeco Cable, Evertz Microsystems, Boehringer Ingelheim and EMC2. Other notable business include The EBF Group, ARGO Land Development, The Sunshine Doughnut Company and TipTapPay Micropayments Ltd. The largest public sector employers in the city are the City of Burlington, the Halton District School Board, the Halton Catholic District School Board and Joseph Brant Hospital.

Burlington Centre and Mapleview Centre are popular malls within the city. The city's summer festivals include Canada's Largest Ribfest, and the Burlington Sound of Music Festival which also attract many visitors.

Culture: Organizations The Burlington Teen Tour Band has operated in the city since 1947, including members between the ages of 13 and 21. The marching band are regular participants in major international parades. They are also referred to as "Canada's Musical Ambassadors" and have represented Canada all over the world. One such occasion was during the 2018 Tournament of Roses Parade, where the band represented Canada for the fifth time in the band's history. The band is led by Rob Bennett, managing director.

The Junior Redcoats are the younger version of the Teen Tour Band. The band includes children between the ages of 9 and 12. The Junior Redcoats' major performances are most commonly at the Burlington Santa Claus Parade, the Waterdown Santa Claus Parade, the Burlington Performing Arts Centre (along with the Teen Tour Band) and the Sound of Music Parade. They are directed by Caroline Singh.

The Burlington Concert Band has been in operation since 1908. The band, composed of local volunteer musicians, plays a wide variety of musical styles and repertoire. It primarily performs to raise money for charitable causes. The Burlington Concert Band is a participating member of Performing Arts Burlington as well as the Canadian Band Association. The band maintains an open membership policy, allowing anyone who feels they can handle the music competently to join without an audition. Its primary venue has been the Burlington Performing Arts Centre since it opened in 2011. Zoltan Kalman is the former director of the Burlington Concert Band that is led by an elected board headed by Steven Hewis. The current musical director is Joanne Romanow.

The Burlington Symphony Orchestra, formed in 1973, is a community orchestra under the direction of Denis Mastromonaco.

Attractions There are 115 parks and 580 hectares (1,400 acres) of parkland in the city. On the shore of Lake Ontario, Spencer Smith Park features a shoreline walking path, an observatory, water jet play area and restaurant. The park includes the Burlington Rotary Centennial Pond, used for model sail boating and ice-skating. Festivals in Spencer Smith Park include Ribfest, the Sound of Music Festival, Canada Day, Children's Festival and Lakeside Festival of Lights.

The Brant Street Pier opened in Spencer Smith Park during the Sound of Music Festival in 2013.

The Art Gallery of Burlington contains permanent and temporary exhibits.

"Royal Canadian Naval Association Naval Memorial" (1995), by André Gauthier, is a 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) high cast bronze statue of a World War II Canadian sailor in Spencer Smith Park.

The Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington is the largest botanical garden in Canada. Ontario's botanical garden and National Historic Site of Canada features over 11 km² (2,700 acres) of gardens and nature sanctuaries, including four outdoor display gardens, the Mediterranean Garden under glass, three on-site restaurants, the Gardens' Gift Shop, and festivals.

Located at The Village Square in Burlington's downtown are historic landmarks, businesses, shopping, and dining area.

Mount Nemo Conservation Area is operated by Conservation Halton. Bronte Creek Provincial Park features a campground and recreational activities.

The local sections of the Bruce Trail and the Niagara Escarpment, which is a UNESCO designated World Biosphere Reserve, provide hiking trails. Kerncliff Park, in a decommissioned quarry on the boundary with Waterdown, is a naturalized area on the lip of the Niagara Escarpment. The Bruce Trail runs through the park, at many points running along the edge of the cliffs, providing an overlook.

The Joseph Brant Museum has exhibits on the history of Burlington, the Eileen Collard Costume Collection, Captain Joseph Brant and the visible storage gallery. Ireland House at Oakridge Farm is a museum depicting family life from the 1850s to the 1920s. Freeman Railway Station (1906) of the Grand Trunk Railway, reopened as an interpretive centre in 2017.

Burlington offers four indoor and two outdoor pools, one splash park, nine splash pads, seven arenas and ice centres, six community centres and nine golf courses. The Appleby Ice Centre is a 4-pad arena, used year-round for skating and ice hockey.

The Burlington Performing Arts Centre is a 940-seat facility opened in 2011.

Malls and shopping Burlington Centre is a two-storey mall opened in 1968, and Mapleview Centre is a two-storey mall opened in 1990.

Sport Burlington doesn't host any professional teams, though several minor league teams are based in the city.

Transport: Road Major transportation corridors through the city include: •  Queen Elizabeth Way •  Highway 403 •  407 ETR •  Highway 6; ◦ Boundary with City of Hamilton; The Queen Elizabeth Way and Ontario Highway 403 run concurrently throughout most of Burlington.

North-South Arterial Roads Source: • Burloak Drive; ◦ Signed as a standard road south/east of Wyecroft Road & Harvester Road; ◦ Northern/Western end continues as Upper Middle Road; ◦ Boundary with Town of Oakville • Tremaine Road; ◦ Boundary with Town of Oakville south of Burnhamthorpe Road West & Number 1 Side Road • Appleby Line; ◦ Signed as a standard road south/east of Fairview Street • Walkers Line • Guelph Line; ◦ Signed as a standard road south/east of Fairview Street • Brant Street; ◦ Signed as a standard road south/east of Fairview Street • Waterdown Road.

East-West Arterial Roads Source: • Lakeshore Road; ◦ Splits from North Shore Boulevard East at Maple Avenue intersection. • New Street • Fairview Street; ◦ Continues west of QEW Niagara off-ramp as Plains Road East; ▪ Continues west of Waterdown Road & Lasalle Park Road as Plains Road West • Harvester Road • Mainway • Upper Middle Road; ◦ Northern/Eastern end continues as Burloak Drive; ◦ Signed as a standard road west of Guelph Line • Dundas Street (former Highway 5) • Britannia Road • Derry Road; ◦ Boundary with Town of Milton

Public Transit Burlington Transit, the public transport provider in the city, provides bus service on a transportation grid centred on three commuter GO Train stations: Appleby, Burlington and Aldershot.

Commuter rail service is provided by GO Transit at the Appleby GO Station, Burlington GO Station and the Aldershot GO station. Intercity rail service is provided by Via Rail at Aldershot, which also serves Hamilton. Rail cargo transportation is provided by both Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific.

Burlington Airpark in the city's north end is a thriving general-aviation without regular commercial passenger flight service. Some charter operations are provided.

On 26 February 2012, a Via Rail train traveling from Niagara Falls to Toronto Union Station derailed in Burlington, with three fatalities.

Emergency services Halton Regional Police Service provides law enforcement; The Burlington Fire Department offers emergency services from eight fire stations. The services is made up of both career and volunteer fire fighters; Paramedic services are provided by Halton Region Paramedic Services; Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital is located in downtown Burlington.

Education Burlington's public elementary and secondary schools are part of the Halton District School Board. Burlington's Catholic elementary and secondary schools are part of the Halton Catholic District School Board. French public elementary and secondary schools are part of the Conseil scolaire Viamonde and French catholic elementary and secondary schools are part of the Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir. Several private schools are also available in the city; Elementary schools There are 29 public elementary schools and 14 Roman Catholic elementary schools in Burlington; High schools There are six public high schools and three Catholic high schools in the area.

Public • Aldershot School (1964) Sports Team: Lions • Burlington Central High School (1922) Sports Team: Trojans • Frank J. Hayden Secondary School (2013) Sports Team: Huskies • Gary Allan High School Burlington Campus – Adult Learners School • M. M. Robinson High School (1963) Sports Team: Rams • Nelson High School (1957) Sports Team: Lords; Catholic • Assumption Secondary School (1977) Sports Team: Crusaders • Corpus Christi Catholic Secondary School (2008) Sports Team: Longhorns • Notre Dame Secondary School (1989) Sports Team: Fighting Irish

Education: University • Australian university Charles Sturt University has had a study centre in Burlington since 2005 and offers programs in Master of International Education, Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies and Master of Business Administration.

Online media BurlingtonToday.com is an online local news source in Burlington, offering the latest breaking news, weather updates, entertainment, sports and business features, obituaries and more.

Media: Print Several publications are either published in or around Burlington, or have Burlington as one of their main subjects, including Burlington Post and View Magazine.

Media: Radio Burlington is part of the Hamilton radio market. One radio station, FM 107.9 CJXY, is licensed to Burlington and another, FM 94.7 CHKX, to "Hamilton/Burlington". Both presently broadcast from studios in Hamilton. Burlington listeners are also served by stations licensed to Toronto, St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Buffalo, New York.

Television stations Burlington is primarily served by media based in Toronto (other than those noted below), as it is geographically in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). • YourTV from the studio in the Cogeco Cable Headquarters at Harvester Road & Burloak Drive. • Yes TV is based in Burlington with studios on the North Service Road near the junction of the QEW, 403 and 407.