Pickering ( 2021 population 99,186) is a

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

located in Southern Ontario, Canada, immediately east of

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...

Durham Region The Regional Municipality of Durham (), informally referred to as Durham Region, is a regional municipality in Southern Ontario, Canada. Located east of Toronto and the Regional Municipality of York, Durham forms the east-end of the Greater T ...

. Beginning in the 1770s, the area was settled by primarily ethnic British colonists. An increase in population occurred after the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

, when the Crown resettled Loyalists and encouraged new immigration. Many of the smaller rural communities have been preserved and function as provincially significant historic sites and museums. The city also includes the development of

Durham Live Durham Live is an entertainment district that is currently under development in the Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural ...

, a multi-billion-dollar casino complex.

History

Early period

The present-day Pickering was Aboriginal territory for thousands of years. The Wyandot (called the Huron by Europeans), who spoke an Iroquoian language, were the historical people living here in the 15th century. Archeological remains of a large village have been found here, known as the Draper Site. Later, the Wyandot moved northwest to

Georgian Bay Georgian Bay (french: Baie Georgienne) is a large bay of Lake Huron, in the Laurentia bioregion. It is located entirely within the borders of Ontario, Canada. The main body of the bay lies east of the Bruce Peninsula and Manitoulin Island. T ...

, where they established their historic homeland. There they encountered French explorers in the early 17th century, followed by missionaries and fur traders. The first recorded history of this area was made in 1669, when the French Jesuit

missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Tho ...

François de Salignac de la Mothe-Fénelon noted reaching what he called the Seneca (more likely the Onondaga) village of Gandatsetiagon, on the shores of

Frenchman's Bay Frenchman's Bay is a body of water in Pickering, Ontario, Canada, believed to be named for François de Salignac de la Mothe-Fénelon. The bay was once land locked before a canal was dug into the sandbar to allow vessels to serve what was then r ...

(for whom it would be named). The Onondaga (and the Seneca) were among the Five Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. The Onondaga (and other Iroquois) generally occupied territory to the south and west of Lakes Ontario and Erie in present-day New York that extended into Pennsylvania and the Ohio Valley, where they maintained hunting grounds. (The Seneca were located farther west, near Seneca Lake, among the Finger Lakes. Fenelon wintered at the village and started missionary work with this people.)

Township of Pickering

The British took over Canada in 1763 following defeat of the French in the

Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754 ...

, known in Colonial America as the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the st ...

. They likely completed survey of the township about 1776. British colonial settlers were steadily migrating into the area from eastern areas of Canada. There is some controversy over the identity of the earliest European settler in the area. One of the candidates is Mike Duffin, who settled in what later became the

Pickering Village Pickering Village is a former municipality and now a neighbourhood in the town of Ajax, within the Durham Region of Ontario, Canada. The Pickering Village derives its name from the former Pickering Township, which included the present-day town of ...

(now in Ajax), possibly in the 1770s. The other candidate is Benjamin Wilson of

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provin ...

, who probably lived in Pickering for sometime, before moving to

Whitby Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, Whitby has a maritime, mineral and tourist heritage. Its East Cl ...

in 1794. In the 1780s, the present-day Pickering area was a part of the Nassau District of the

Province of Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirteen ...

. In 1791,

Augustus Jones Augustus Jones ( – November 16, 1836) was an American-born Upper Canadian farmer, land speculator, magistrate, militia captain and surveyor. Jones trained as a surveyor in New York City, and fled as a United Empire Loyalist to Upper Cana ...

undertook a survey of the area, establishing the baseline and some of the concessions. The same year, the District was transferred to the newly-created province of

Upper Canada The Province of Upper Canada (french: link=no, province du Haut-Canada) was a Province, part of The Canadas, British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North Americ ...

. In 1792, the district was renamed Home District, and Pickering was established as a

township A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, ...

. The township was originally called "Edinburgh" but in 1792 was renamed after Pickering, North Yorkshire. Pickering Village, now part of Ajax, emerged as the major population and commercial centre of the Pickering Township in the early 19th century. The conversion of a local trail into the Kingston Road in 1799 contributed greatly to the increased settlement in the area. In 1807,

Quakers Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belief in each human's abili ...

led by Timothy Rogers settled in the area, and by 1809, the population of Pickering Township consisted of 180 people, most of whom lived along the Duffins Creek. In 1811, the Pickering Township became a separate municipality. Several

sawmill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logging, logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes ...

gristmill A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that has been separat ...

s, taverns, and other businesses operated in the area. During the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It be ...

, the maintenance of the Kingston Road improved because of the increased military traffic and further contributed to the development of the area. Reesor Mills Altona Ontario Illustrated Historical Atlas of the County of Ontario 1877.JPG , Reesor Mills, Altona in 1877 Pickering Village Ontario - Grand Trunk Railway bridge on Duffins Creek - 1908.png , Grand Trunk Railway bridge on the Duffins Creek in 1908 WhitevaleLibrary.jpg , Historic Whitevale Library File:BentleyHouse,ON.JPG , Benley House, a heritage site in Brougham In the 19th century, several other small communities developed in the Duffins Creek

watershed Watershed is a hydrological term, which has been adopted in other fields in a more or less figurative sense. It may refer to: Hydrology * Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins * Drainage basin, called a "watershe ...

, within the Pickering Township. These included Whitevale, Brougham, Green River, Claremont, Altona, Greenwood, and Balsam. A few communities also developed in the smaller Carruthers Creek watershed, including Audley (now part of Ajax), Kinsale, and Salem. In 1849, the village of Dunbarton was established along the Dunbarton Creek. The Grand Trunk Railway reached the Township in 1856. Pickering was represented in the Mackenzie Rebellion of 1837. One of its leaders, Peter Matthews, had been one of the most prominent members of the community. In 1851, the Pickering Township was severed from the York County, and became a part of the newly-established Ontario County. In the later decades of the 19th century, a fall in the demand for wheat led to economic decline in the primarily-agricultural township. The township lost over 40% of its population in the second half of the 19th century, and the decline continued in the first half of the 20th century. In the first half of the 20th cenutry, two new communities emerged in the Pickering Township: the cottage community of Pickering Beach and the self-contained community around the federal government-owned Defence Industries Limited Pickering Works munitions plant. Both areas are now part of Ajax. After the

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, urbanization began in the southern part of Pickering, and later spread to other parts of the Township.

City of Pickering

On 1 January 1974, the Ontario County was dissolved, and the area became part of the

Regional Municipality of Durham The Regional Municipality of Durham (), informally referred to as Durham Region, is a regional municipality in Southern Ontario, Canada. Located east of Toronto and the Regional Municipality of York, Durham forms the east-end of the Greater T ...

. The southeastern portion of the Pickering Township, including the

and Pickering High School, became part of the independent town of Ajax. The rest of the township became the Town of Pickering, which in 2000, became the City of Pickering. In the last quarter of the 20th century, much of the government-owned land in northern Pickering sat idle because of uncertainty over the proposed Pickering Airport. That included the land expropriated by the federal government for the airport and the adjacent land expropriated by the provincial government for the proposed Seaton community that would benefit from the airport. The development of Seaton picked up pace in the 21st century, but as of 2022, only 1,549 of the 20,989 planned units had been built. The city also considered the development of a new community called Veraine, to be built in northeastern Pickering. The city also saw a rise in the number of high-rise condos.

Geography

The city covers an area of 231 square kilometres (89 sq mi) with an elevation of 89 metres (292 ft). Toronto, Markham, and Rouge Park border Pickering on the west; Ajax and Whitby border Pickering on the east; Uxbridge is to the north; and

Lake Ontario Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north, west, and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south and east by the U.S. state of New York. The Canada–United States border sp ...

forms Pickering's southern boundary.

Communities

The southern part of the city is mainly

suburban A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separa ...

, with industrial areas restricted to the area around Pickering Nuclear Generating Station. Most of the suburban areas were built as subdivisions after

, starting in the area around Frenchman's Bay. Prior to the war, the few suburban areas in the township were the communities of Dunbarton, Fairport Beach, Liverpool Market, and Rouge Hill. Squires Beach, located by the lakeshore in the southeast part of the city, is now a

ghost town Ghost Town(s) or Ghosttown may refer to: * Ghost town, a town that has been abandoned Film and television * ''Ghost Town'' (1936 film), an American Western film by Harry L. Fraser * ''Ghost Town'' (1956 film), an American Western film by All ...

as the area was cleared from 1966 to make way for the construction of the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station. The only home standing in Squires Beach was built by Timothy Rogers in 1842 and relocated to Montgomery Park Road. Squires Beach Road is now cut off from the lake by a waste water treatment plant. The northern part of the municipality is mainly

rural In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. Typical rural areas have a low population density and small settlements. Agricultural areas and areas with forestry typically are de ...

, primarily used for agricultural purposes. However, a number of residential developments are found in this area, and the locally controversial Seaton area also falls within this part of the city. The primary rural communities in Pickering are Claremont, Brougham, and Whitevale; a number of smaller communities exist throughout northern Pickering, such as Greenwood. John Diefenbaker, a Prime Minister of Canada, lived in Greenwood for a number of years. The abandoned

of Altona is located there. Cherrywood, another

hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

in Pickering, is one of the few areas that are protected within the

Greenbelt A green belt is a policy and land-use zone designation used in land-use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighboring urban areas. Similar concepts are greenways or green wedges, which ...

. The communities of Kinsale in the northeast and Green River on the York-Durham town line are other small communities in Pickering, with a population each of between 50 and 100 people. Most of these communities were founded in the 1700s and 1800s and have churches and historic estates that have been restored through government funding. Dixie is a small rural community situated in rural Pickering, with more contemporary buildings. The film industry has been very active in communities such as Whitevale, since the 1980s, due to the quality of the historical buildings and untouched nature of the landscape. The television shows ''Hannibal'' (2013–2015) ''Suits'' (2011–2019), and ''American Gods'' (2017) have filmed extensively in Whitevale and in other locations in Pickering. Nautical Village is located at Frenchman's Bay and features entertainment, a playground, a boardwalk, restaurants, shops and an art gallery. Hamlet of Cherrywood.jpg, Cherrywood Historic Whitevale Craftworks Store.jpg, Whitevale Craftworks Store Green River sign.jpg, Green River Greenwood Pickering.jpg, Country road to Greenwood The city is divided into following neighbourhoods: * South Urban Pickering ** Rosebank ** West Shore ** Bay Ridges ** Brock Industrial ** Rougemount ** Woodlands ** Dunbarton ** City Centre ** Village East, the eastern part of the former

municipality ** Highbush ** Amberlea ** Brock Ridge ** Liverpool ** Rouge Park ** Duffin Heights * Seaton Urban Area ** Lamoureaux ** Brock-Taunton ** Mount Pleasant ** Wilson Meadows ** Thompson's Corners ** Innovation Corridor * Rural Pickering ** Claremont & Area ** Greenwood, Kinsale & Estate Residential Clusters ** Other Rural Area

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by

Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; french: Statistique Canada), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and cultu ...

, Pickering had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021. The city has estimated that by 2031, Pickering will be home to 131,608 residents. In 2021, 16.5% of the population was under 15 years of age, and 16.6% was 65 years and over. The median age in Pickering was 40.8 years. The median total income of households in 2020 for Pickering was $118,000. As per the 2021 census, the most common ethnic or cultural origins in Pickering are English (14.0%), Irish (11.5%), Scottish (11.0%), Canadian (10.6%), Indian (9.6%), Italian (5.6%), German (5.0%), Jamaican (4.3%), Filipino (4.3%), Chinese (3.9%), British Isles (3.6%), Pakistani (3.5%), Sri Lankan (3.3%), and French (3.3%). Indigenous people made up 1.1% of the population, mostly First Nations (0.5%) and Métis (0.5%). Ethnocultural backgrounds in the town included European (47.0%), South Asian (21.2%),

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

(11.4%), Filipino (4.1%), Chinese (3.0%),

West Asian Western Asia, West Asia, or Southwest Asia, is the westernmost subregion of the larger geographical region of Asia, as defined by some academics, UN bodies and other institutions. It is almost entirely a part of the Middle East, and includes An ...

(2.1%),

Arab The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...

(1.7%), and

Latin American Latin Americans ( es, Latinoamericanos; pt, Latino-americanos; ) are the citizens of Latin American countries (or people with cultural, ancestral or national origins in Latin America). Latin American countries and their diasporas are multi-e ...

(1.5%). Immigrants made up 36.3% of the population in 2021. The top places of birth of the immigrant population were

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

(11.2%),

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

(8.2%),

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

(7.9%),

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

(7.5%),

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of Hispa ...

(7.2%), the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

(7.0%), Guyana (6.6%),

Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago (, ), officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean. Consisting of the main islands Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous much smaller islands, it is situated south of ...

(3.7%),

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...

(2.7%),

Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mo ...

(2.5%),

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is borde ...

(2.4%), and the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

(1.7%). In 2021, 53.7% of the population identified as Christian, with

Catholics The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

(25.7%) making up the largest denomination, followed by

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of t ...

(3.9%), Orthodox (3.8%), United Church (3.0%), and other denominations. 23.2% of the population reported no religious affiliation. Others identified as

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

(12.6%),

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

(8.3%), Sikh (0.8%),

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

(0.5%), and with other religions. The 2021 census found

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

to be the mother tongue of 69.2% of the population. This was followed by

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
'' Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia ** Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, na ...

(3.0%),

Tagalog Tagalog may refer to: Language * Tagalog language, a language spoken in the Philippines ** Old Tagalog, an archaic form of the language ** Batangas Tagalog, a dialect of the language * Tagalog script, the writing system historically used for Taga ...

(1.8%),

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...

(1.2%), Spanish (1.1%),

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

(1.1%), Italian (1.0%),

Gujarati Gujarati may refer to: * something of, from, or related to Gujarat, a state of India * Gujarati people, the major ethnic group of Gujarat * Gujarati language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by them * Gujarati languages, the Western Indo-Aryan sub- ...

(1.0%),

Dari Dari (, , ), also known as Dari Persian (, ), is the variety of the Persian language spoken in Afghanistan. Dari is the term officially recognised and promoted since 1964 by the Afghan government for the Persian language,Lazard, G.Darī ...

(0.9%), Mandarin (0.8%), and

Cantonese Cantonese ( zh, t=廣東話, s=广东话, first=t, cy=Gwóngdūng wá) is a language within the Chinese (Sinitic) branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages originating from the city of Guangzhou (historically known as Canton) and its surrounding a ...

(0.8%). Of the official languages, 98.6% of the population reported knowing English and 7.3% French.

Economy

Pickering is home to the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station, an eight-reactor facility with a capacity of 4,120 megawatts. The first station, Pickering A, opened with four reactors in 1971.

Ontario Power Generation Ontario Power Generation Inc. (OPG) is a Crown corporation and "government business enterprise" that is responsible for approximately half of the electricity generation in the province of Ontario, Canada. It is wholly owned by the government ...

, the plants' operator, is the largest single employer in the city. In 2001, the wind-powered OPG 7 Commemorative Turbine was opened on the generating station site. The nuclear power plant is expected to start decommissioning in 2024. A number of manufacturers are also located in the city. Major employers include Yorkville Sound (audio equipment), the Canadian headquarters of Purdue Pharma (pharmaceuticals and health & beauty products), Hubbell Canada (electrical equipment), PSB Speakers – Lenbrook (stereo equipment) and Eco-Tec Inc. (industrial water purification and chemical recovery systems). Pickering is a founding member of the Durham Strategic Energy Alliance or DSEA. The nucleus of the DSEA is primarily Pickering businesses, such as Ontario Power Generation, Veridian, Siemens/Trench, Tetra Tech WEI, AECL, Intellimeter, Areva and Eco-Tec Inc. Other notable organizations with headquarters in Pickering include: Municipal Property Assessment Corporation. MPAC performs value assessment for property tax purposes for all municipalities in Ontario. In 2012 Search Engine People, Canada's largest Internet-marketing company, moved to Pickering's downtown. The International Institute of Business Analysis is also headquartered in Pickering. In 2006, ''Profit'' magazine recognized Pickering as one of the top 10 cities in Canada for growing a business. In 2013, the Region of Durham released its Business Count (Employment Survey), which indicated that Pickering has the most jobs amongst Durham Region municipalities, with 29,000+ positions. This figure represents a near 1/3 ratio of jobs to residents. With the implementation of Seaton and downtown intensification, the Province of Ontario's planning anticipates the creation of 40,000 new jobs for Pickering over the next two decades. Pickering has planned a downtown intensification program, which includes new condominium developments around the Pickering GO station and Pickering Town Centre. Pickering Town Centre is a two-story mall located in Pickering. An enclosed pedestrian bridge constructed over the 14 lanes of highway 401 was a recent development that has contributed to Pickering's push for more density downtown. The project

in south Pickering received approval for construction in 2017. It will include a water park, film studio, five star hotel, performing arts theater and possibly a casino.

Government

The city council consists of a mayor, three regional councillors, and three city councillors. The mayor and regional councillors sit on the council and also represent the city at Durham Regional Council. The city councillors sit on city council only. Pickering is divided into three wards of roughly equal population, with one city councillor and one regional councillor elected to represent each ward, in what are known as single-member districts. The current mayor, Kevin Ashe, has held the mayoralty since 2022.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Transit service began in Pickering with the Bay Shores dial-a-bus, which began in 1970–1973. In 2001 Pickering Transit merged with former

Ajax Transit {{more citations needed, date=August 2021 Ajax Transit was a public transit operator in the Town of Ajax, Ontario, Canada. Ajax Transit and Pickering Transit were merged on September 4, 2001, to form the Ajax Pickering Transit Authority (APTA). ...

to form the Ajax-Pickering Transit Authority (APTA). In 2006, the regional transit system Durham Region Transit took over operations in the

Durham Regional Municipality The Regional Municipality of Durham (), informally referred to as Durham Region, is a regional municipality in Southern Ontario, Canada. Located east of Toronto and the Regional Municipality of York, Durham forms the east-end of the Greater To ...

. The Pickering GO station offers public rail transit on an east-west axis. In 2012, Pickering's landmark bridge opened – connecting the Pickering GO station to the City's downtown core. Durham Regional Roads serve the city, north and south.

Highway 401 King's Highway 401, commonly referred to as Highway 401 and also known by its official name as the Macdonald–Cartier Freeway or colloquially referred to as the four-oh-one, is a controlled-access 400-series highway in the Canadian provin ...

runs near the south end of Pickering and

Highway 407 The following highways are numbered 407: Canada * Manitoba Provincial Road 407 * Newfoundland and Labrador Route 407 * Ontario Highway 407 King's Highway 407, commonly referred to as Highway 407 and colloquially as the "four-oh-seven", is a ...

ETR runs through the mid-north of the City. Pickering Airport was a planned second major airport for the Greater Toronto Area. Lands were expropriated in north Pickering in 1972 but the plan was stopped. As of 2021 no firm plans for the airport exist.

Emergency services

Police services in Pickering are provided by the Durham Regional Police from a division office located in the eastern section of the city. Officers from this location also patrol Ajax. Pickering Fire Services operates from four stations with a force of all full-time firefighters. Claremont Fire Hall is now fully staffed by full-time firefighters 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Ambulance/emergency medical services are provided by Durham Region.

Education

Pickering is served by the Durham District School Board, the

Durham Catholic District School Board The Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB, known as English-language Separate District School Board No. 45 prior to 1999) is a Catholic school board located in Durham Region, east of Toronto, Ontario. It currently runs 39 elementary sc ...

, the Conseil scolaire Viamonde and the Conseil scolaire de district catholique Centre-Sud. As of early 2007, the public board operates 17 elementary schools and two secondary schools,

Dunbarton High School Dunbarton High School is located in Pickering, Ontario, Canada, and is part of the Durham District School Board. The school has students in grades 9-12 and offers a wide range of academic and extracurricular activities. Their mascot is the Spart ...

and

Pine Ridge Secondary School Pine Ridge Secondary School is a public secondary school located in Pickering, Ontario operating within the Durham District School Board. It serves students in grades 9 through 12. Location The school is situated outside a natural conservation ...

( Pickering High School was previously located in Pickering, but was transferred to Ajax when the city boundaries were changed). The Catholic board runs eight elementary schools and one secondary school, Saint Mary Catholic Secondary School. The French public school board operates École Ronald-Marion, which serves both elementary and secondary students. Blaisdale

Montessori The Montessori method of education involves children's natural interests and activities rather than formal teaching methods. A Montessori classroom places an emphasis on hands-on learning and developing real-world skills. It emphasizes indepen ...

School, a private school chain, has several locations throughout Pickering serving children from preschool age to grade 8. There is also a private elementary and junior high school there called Montessori Learning Centre. Also serving the Durham Region is Durham Secondary Academy and Middle School, an inspected private high school and middle school for grades 5 to 12. In September 2012, the Durham College/Centennial College Joint Learning Site opened at the north terminus of the pedestrian bridge. The Joint Learning Site offers primarily graduate certificate programs, with a number of complementary courses and classes. At the time of its opening, it was the only public post-secondary institution in the Province of Ontario with a direct connection to public transit.

Gallery

File:Nautical Village Millennium Square, Pickering.jpg, Boats and benches by Frenchman's Bay by Millennium Square File:Nautical Village by Lake Ontario and Frenchman's Bay, Pickering.jpg, Nautical Village File:Pickering Nuclear Plant & Wind Turbine from Beachfront Park.JPG, Wind Turbine and Pickering Nuclear Plant from Beachfront Park File:Entrance to St. Isaac Jogues Church, Pickering.JPG, St. Isaac Jogues Church on Finch Avenue File:Andreas Drenters Pickering Pioneer Family.jpg, Pickering Pioneer Family by Andreas Drenters File:Pickering Museum.jpg, Pickering Museum File:Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex Arena - Pickering, ON.jpg, Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex

Notable people

Andy Andreoff Andy Andreoff (born May 17, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Bridgeport Islanders of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL). Andreoff was s ...

, NHL player *

Andrea Lewis Andrea Desiree Lewis (born August 15, 1985) is a Canadian actress and singer known for her role as Hazel Aden in the long-running TV series '' Degrassi: The Next Generation''. Television and film Lewis appeared with Diahann Carroll in the biopi ...

, singer, actor and songwriter * Bree Williamson, actress best known for her role as Jessica Buchanan on soap opera ''One Life to Live'' *

Bromley Armstrong Bromley Lloyd Armstrong, (February 9, 1926 – August 17, 2018) was a Canadian civil rights leader. He was active in the nascent civil rights era in Canada, beginning with his arrival in 1947. Armstrong was a committed union activist who worked ...

, civil rights activist * Cory Joseph, NBA player for the Sacramento Kings *

Chris Van Vliet Christopher Van Vliet (born May 19, 1983) is a Canadian television/radio personality, YouTuber, professional film critic, and entrepreneur currently living in Studio City, Los Angeles. He is an entertainment reporter for FOX affiliate WSVN in ...

, journalist * Craig Hutchison, Olympic swimmer *

Dale Goldhawk Dale Goldhawk (born ) is a Canadian broadcaster, journalist, and investigative reporter. Goldhawk graduated from the journalism program at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in 1967 and began his career as a reporter for the ''Toronto Telegram''. ...

, journalist and consumer rights advocate * Daniel David Palmer, the founder of chiropractic * Denis T. O'Connor, former Roman Catholic archbishop of Toronto *

Drake Caggiula Drake Caggiula (; born June 20, 1994) is a Canadian professional ice hockey left wing currently playing for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National H ...

, NHL player * Ernie Coombs, children's entertainer, better known as Mr. Dressup * Glenn Clark, former

National Lacrosse League The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is a men's professional box lacrosse league in North America. The league is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The NLL currently has fifteen teams: ten in the United Stat ...

player and former head coach of the

Toronto Rock The Toronto Rock are a professional box lacrosse franchise based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the North Division of the National Lacrosse League (NLL). The team was the first Canadian franchise in the NLL. Oakville reside ...

* Glenn Healy, former NHL goalie, member of 1994 Stanley Cup Champion New York Rangers * Ilona Duczynska, Polish-Hungarian communist revolutionary, active in Hungary, Austria, England and Canada * Jaime Peters, professional soccer player who plays midfield for Ipswich Town in the United Kingdom * Karl Polanyi, professor of economics at

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

and author of '' The Great Transformation'' * Kristen Holden-Ried, actor * Laura Creavalle, Guyanese-born

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

professional bodybuilder * Manafest, christian Rap Rock musician * Mark Holland, politician *

Neil Young Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian-American singer and songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, joining Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Richie Fu ...

, rock singer-songwriter, spent part of his early years in Pickering, living on Brock Road * Nikkita Holder, Olympic track and field athlete * Paul Peschisolido, professional soccer player who played in England as a striker and was the Manager of Burton Albion F.C. * Perdita Felicien, Olympic track and field athlete *

Sarah Slean Sarah Hope Slean (born June 21, 1977) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, composer and musician. She has released eleven albums to date (including EPs and live albums). She is also a poet, visual artist, and occasional actress. Career Major recordi ...

, singer * Sean Avery, former NHL forward * Shawn Mendes, singer and songwriter * Shelley-Ann Brown, Olympic silver-medalist *

Sheri Kershaw Sheri Kershaw (born Sheri Pogmore in 1953) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. From 1983 to 2003 she was married to Nik Kershaw. She toured extensively with him and sang backing vocals on his early albums, achieving a No. 3 singles hit with his son ...

, Canadian musician, singer and songwriter *

Spider Jones Charles "Spider" Jones (born April 20, 1946) is a Canadian journalist, author, and former amateur boxing, amateur boxer. He is a former three-time Golden Gloves, Golden Glove Champion and was inducted into the Canadian Boxing Hall of Fame in 19 ...

, former professional boxer, media/radio personality, currently with CFRB radio *

Tony Sharpe Anthony "Tony" Sharpe (born 28 June 1961) is a Jamaican-born Canadian former sprinter who won an Olympic bronze medal in the 4 x 100 metres relay and was a finalist in the 100 metres in Los Angeles 1984. In 1982, he set a Canadian record in t ...

, Olympic bronze medalist in the 4 x 100 metre relay at the 1984 Summer Olympics *

Tyler Stewart Tyler Joseph Stewart (born September 21, 1967) is the drummer for the Canadian music group Barenaked Ladies. Role in Barenaked Ladies Stewart met Steven Page, Ed Robertson, and Jim Creeggan at the Waterloo Busker Carnival in Waterloo, Ontario, ...

, Barenaked Ladies drummer/singer * Yannick Carter,

Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a c ...

linebacker and special teamer for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats

In popular culture

Film

* The 1957 CBC/Hollywood production of the classic television show '' Hawkeye and the Last of the Mohicans'' was filmed in Pickering. A farm at the corner of Valley Farm Rd. and 3rd Concession, owned by Arthur Gottlieb, was the setting for the 25-episode series. * The 1979 film ''

The Black Stallion The Black Stallion, known as the Black or Shêtân, is the title character from author Walter Farley's bestselling series about the Arab stallion and his young owner, Alec Ramsay. The series chronicles the story of a Sheikh's prized stallion a ...

'' was shot at a farm on Sideline 34 in north Pickering near Altona. * The Canadian television show '' Paradise Falls'' first season was filmed in the village of Whitevale, as was David Cronenberg's film '' The Dead Zone''. * The 1994 comedy ''

The Ref ''The Ref'' (''Hostile Hostages'' in some countries) is a 1994 American black comedy film directed by Ted Demme, starring Denis Leary, Judy Davis, Kevin Spacey and Glynis Johns. Plot On Christmas Eve in an affluent Connecticut hamlet, Lloyd and ...

'', with Denis Leary and

Kevin Spacey Kevin Spacey Fowler (born July 26, 1959) is an American actor. He began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, obtaining supporting roles before gaining a leading man status in film and television. Spacey has received various accolade ...

, was filmed in part at Port Pickering Marina, on Frenchman's Bay. * The 1995 family/adventure film ''

Salt Water Moose ''Salt Water Moose'' is a 1996 Canadian family film directed by Stuart Margolin. Filmed in Toronto and in Nova Scotia, it stars Timothy Dalton, Lolita Davidovich, Johnny Morina, and Katharine Isabelle. Plot The plot revolves around two kids who ...

'', starring Timothy Dalton and Lolita Davidovitch, was filmed in and around Frenchman's Bay. * The 1998 comedy/action film ''

The Big Hit ''The Big Hit'' is a 1998 American action comedy film directed by Hong Kong filmmaker Che-Kirk Wong, and stars Mark Wahlberg, Lou Diamond Phillips, Christina Applegate, Bokeem Woodbine, Antonio Sabàto Jr., China Chow, Avery Brooks, Lainie Kazan, ...

'', with

Mark Wahlberg Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg (born June 5, 1971), former stage name Marky Mark, is an American actor, businessman, and former rapper. He has received List of awards and nominations received by Mark Wahlberg, multiple accolades, including a B ...

, Lou Diamond Phillips, Avery Brooks, Christina Applegate and Elliott Gould, was partly filmed in Pickering near Petticoat Creek. * The 2003 two-part mini-series '' Lives of the Saints'', based on

Nino Ricci Nino Pio Ricci (born 1959) is a Canadian novelist who lives in Toronto, Ontario.Nino Ricci's
...

's award-winning trilogy co-starring Sophia Loren, filmed scenes on a farm just north of Pickering. * Pickering Museum Village has been used as a setting in '' Road to Avonlea'', '' Little Men'', and the films '' Anne of Green Gables'' and ''

Lantern Hill Lantern Hill, elevation 491 feet (149 m), is a hill located in North Stonington, New London County, Connecticut. Name Lantern Hill The hill's white quartz cliffs are said to shine in sunlight when viewed from the Atlantic Ocean (Caulkins 1 ...

''. * The final scene in ''Boondock Saints 2: All Saints' Day'' was filmed in Pickering.

TV

* A television adaptation of '' Jack Reacher'' was partially filmed in North Pickering

Literature

*Wood, William Robertson (1911). ''Past years in Pickering: Sketches of the History of the Community''. Retrieved at the website "Our Roots – Nos Racines", University of Calgary/Université Laval.

References

External links

* Cities in Ontario Lower-tier municipalities in Ontario Populated places on Lake Ontario in Canada Populated places established in 1791 1791 establishments in Canada {{Coord, 43.8354, N, 79.0890, W, type:city_region:CA-ON, display=title