Pickering, Ontario
Pickering | |
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Website | pickering.ca |
Pickering (
Beginning in the 1770s, the area was settled by primarily British colonists. An increase in population occurred after the
History
Early period
The present-day Pickering was
The first recorded history of this area was made in 1669, when the French
Township of Pickering
The British took over Canada in 1763 following defeat of the French in the Seven Years' War, known in Colonial America as the French and Indian War. They likely completed survey of the township about 1776. British colonial settlers were steadily migrating into the area from eastern areas of Canada.[6] There is some controversy over the identity of the earliest European settler in the area.[7] One of the candidates is Mike Duffin, who settled in what later became the Pickering Village (now in Ajax), possibly in the 1770s.[8][9] The other candidate is Benjamin Wilson of Vermont, who probably lived in Pickering for sometime, before moving to Whitby in 1794.[7]
In the 1780s, the present-day Pickering area was a part of the
The township was originally called "Edinburgh" but in 1792 was renamed after Pickering, North Yorkshire.[11] 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 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.[8] In 1811, the Pickering Township became a separate municipality.[12] Several sawmills, gristmills, taverns, and other businesses operated in the area. During the War of 1812, the maintenance of the Kingston Road improved because of the increased military traffic and further contributed to the development of the area.[8]
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Reesor Mills, Altona in 1877
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Grand Trunk Railway bridge on the Duffins Creek in 1908
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Historic Whitevale Library
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Benley House, a heritage site in Brougham
In the 19th century, several other small communities developed in the Duffins Creek
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.[14] In 1851, the Pickering Township was severed from the York County, and became a part of the newly established Ontario County.[10]
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,[9] and the decline continued in the first half of the 20th century.[12]
In the first half of the 20th century, 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.[15] After the World War II, urbanization began in the southern part of Pickering, and later spread to other parts of the Township.[12]
City of Pickering
On 1 January 1974, the Ontario County was dissolved, and the area became part of the Regional Municipality of Durham. The southeastern portion of the Pickering Township, including the Pickering Village 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.[12]
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.[16]
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.[17] The city also saw a rise in the number of high-rise condos.[18]
Cityscape
Geography
The city covers an area of 231 square kilometres (89 sq mi)[19] with an elevation of 89 metres (292 ft).[20]
Toronto,
Communities
The southern part of the city is mainly
The northern part of the municipality is mainly
The abandoned ghost town of Altona is located there. Cherrywood, another hamlet in Pickering, is one of the few areas that are protected within the Greenbelt.[26][27]
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.[2] Dixie is a small rural community situated in rural Pickering, with more contemporary buildings.[28]
The film industry has been very active in communities such as
Nautical Village is located at Frenchman's Bay and features entertainment, a playground, a boardwalk, restaurants, shops and an art gallery.[30]
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Cherrywood
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Whitevale Craftworks Store
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Green River
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Country road to Greenwood
The city is divided into following neighbourhoods:[31]
- South Urban Pickering
- Rosebank
- West Shore
- Bay Ridges
- Brock Industrial
- Rougemount
- Woodlands
- Dunbarton
- City Centre
- Village East, the eastern part of the former Pickering Village 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
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1813 | 180 | — |
1981 | 37,754 | +20874.4% |
1991 | 68,831 | +82.3% |
2021 | 99,186 | +8.1% |
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Pickering had a population of 99,186 living in 33,425 of its 34,327 total private dwellings, a change of 8.1% from its 2016 population of 91,771. With a land area of 231.1 km2 (89.2 sq mi), it had a population density of 429.2/km2 (1,111.6/sq mi) in 2021.[32]
The city has estimated that by 2031, Pickering will be home to 131,608 residents.[31]
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.[33]
Immigrants made up 36.3% of the population in 2021. The top places of birth of the immigrant population were India (11.2%), Sri Lanka (8.2%), Pakistan (7.9%), Philippines (7.5%), Jamaica (7.2%), the United Kingdom (7.0%), Guyana (6.6%), Trinidad and Tobago (3.7%), China (2.7%), Bangladesh (2.5%), Afghanistan (2.4%), and the United States (1.7%).[33]
The median total income of households in 2020 for Pickering was $118,000.[33]
Ethnicity
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%).
Panethnic group |
2021[35] | 2016[36] | 2011[37] | 2006[38] | 2001[39] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |
European[a] | 46,395 | 47.06% | 50,875 | 55.91% | 55,940 | 63.63% | 60,075 | 68.77% | 63,340 | 73.07% |
South Asian | 20,890 | 21.19% | 13,820 | 15.19% | 9,690 | 11.02% | 7,940 | 9.09% | 6,075 | 7.01% |
African
|
11,275 | 11.44% | 9,810 | 10.78% | 10,050 | 11.43% | 8,845 | 10.12% | 8,070 | 9.31% |
Southeast Asian[b] | 5,585 | 5.67% | 3,810 | 4.19% | 3,535 | 4.02% | 3,025 | 3.46% | 2,045 | 2.36% |
Middle Eastern[c] | 3,700 | 3.75% | 3,100 | 3.41% | 1,665 | 1.89% | 1,410 | 1.61% | 1,010 | 1.17% |
East Asian[d] | 3,690 | 3.74% | 3,060 | 3.36% | 2,565 | 2.92% | 2,485 | 2.84% | 2,475 | 2.86% |
Latin American | 1,500 | 1.52% | 1,135 | 1.25% | 785 | 0.89% | 655 | 0.75% | 660 | 0.76% |
Indigenous | 1,065 | 1.08% | 1,070 | 1.18% | 850 | 0.97% | 600 | 0.69% | 435 | 0.5% |
Other[e] | 5,405 | 5.48% | 4,315 | 4.74% | 2,845 | 3.24% | 2,315 | 2.65% | 2,580 | 2.98% |
Total responses | 98,585 | 99.39% | 90,995 | 99.15% | 87,920 | 99.1% | 87,360 | 99.46% | 86,685 | 99.48% |
Total population | 99,186 | 100% | 91,771 | 100% | 88,721 | 100% | 87,838 | 100% | 87,139 | 100% |
- Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses.
Religion
In 2021, 53.7% of the population identified as
Language
The 2021 census found
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, 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.[40]
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.[41]
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.
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
The
Durham Regional Roads serve the city, north and south. Highway 401 runs near the south end of Pickering and Highway 407 ETR runs through the mid-north of the city.
Emergency services
Police services in Pickering are provided by the
Education
Pickering is served by the
Blaisdale
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
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Boats and benches by Frenchman's Bay by Millennium Square
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Nautical Village
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Wind Turbine and Pickering Nuclear Plant from Beachfront Park
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St. Isaac Jogues Church on Finch Avenue
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Pickering Pioneer Family by Andreas Drenters
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Pickering Museum
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Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex
Notable people
- Andy Andreoff, NHL player
- Bromley Armstrong, civil rights activist[48]
- Sean Avery, former NHL forward
- Shelley-Ann Brown, Olympic silver medalist
- NHLplayer
- Yannick Carter, Canadian Football League linebacker and special teams player
- Glenn Clark, former National Lacrosse League player and former head coach of the Toronto Rock
- Ernie Coombs, children's entertainer, better known as Mr. Dressup
- Laura Creavalle, Guyanese-born Canadian/American professional bodybuilder
- Ilona Duczynska, Polish-Hungarian communist revolutionary, active in Hungary, Austria, England and Canada
- Perdita Felicien, Olympic track and field athlete
- Dale Goldhawk, journalist and consumer rights advocate
- Glenn Healy, former NHL goalie, member of 1994 Stanley Cup Champion New York Rangers
- Kristen Holden-Ried, actor
- Nikkita Holder, Olympic track and field athlete
- Mark Holland, politician
- Craig Hutchison, Olympic swimmer
- Spider Jones, former professional boxer, media/radio personality
- Cory Joseph, NBA player for the Detroit Pistons
- Sheri Kershaw, Canadian musician, singer and songwriter
- Andrea Lewis, singer, actor and songwriter
- Manafest, Christian rap rock musician
- Shawn Mendes, singer and songwriter
- Caroline Nichols Churchill, American feminist, author, and editor
- Denis T. O'Connor, former Roman Catholic archbishop of Toronto
- Daniel David Palmer, the founder of chiropractic
- Griffen Palmer, country music singer-songwriter
- Paul Peschisolido, professional soccer player who played in England as a striker and was the Manager of Burton Albion F.C.
- Jaime Peters, professional soccer player who plays midfield for Ipswich Town in the United Kingdom
- Karl Polanyi, professor of economics at Columbia University and author of The Great Transformation
- Tony Sharpe, Olympic bronze medalist in the 4 x 100 metre relay at the 1984 Summer Olympics
- Kailen Sheridan, soccer goalkeeper for the Canada women's team[49]
- Sarah Slean, singer
- Tyler Stewart, Barenaked Ladies drummer/singer
- Chris Van Vliet, journalist
- Bree Williamson, actress best known for her role as Jessica Buchanan on soap opera One Life to Live
- Neil Young, rock singer-songwriter, lived in Pickering in his youth
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 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, with Denis Leary and Kevin Spacey, was filmed in part at Port Pickering Marina, on Frenchman's Bay.
- The 1995 family/adventure film Lolita Davidovitch, was filmed in and around Frenchman's Bay.
- The 1998 comedy/action film The Big Hit, with Mark Wahlberg, Lou Diamond Phillips, Avery Brooks, Christina Applegate and Elliott Gould, was partly filmed in Pickering near Petticoat Creek.[citation needed]
- The 2003 two-part mini-series Lives of the Saints, based on Nino Ricci'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.
- 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[50]
See also
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.[51]
Notes
- ^ Statistic includes all persons that did not make up part of a visible minority or an indigenous identity.
- ^ Statistic includes total responses of "Filipino" and "Southeast Asian" under visible minority section on census.
- ^ Statistic includes total responses of "West Asian" and "Arab" under visible minority section on census.
- ^ Statistic includes total responses of "Chinese", "Korean", and "Japanese" under visible minority section on census.
- ^ Statistic includes total responses of "Visible minority, n.i.e." and "Multiple visible minorities" under visible minority section on census.
References
- ^ Canada 2011 Census. Statistics Canada. 8 February 2012. Retrieved 2012-02-24.
- ^ a b "A Cultural Map of Pickering" (PDF). City of Pickering. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
- ^ Snowdon, Frazer (26 April 2019). "Construction of massive 'Vegas-style' entertainment venue well underway in Pickering". Global News.
- ^ James F. Pendergast, "The Confusing Identities Attributed to Stadacona and Hochelaga"[dead link], Journal of Canadian Studies, Winter 1998, pp. 3–4, accessed Feb 3, 2010.
- ^ Wood 1911, p. 11.
- ^ Wood 1911, p. 17.
- ^ ISBN 9780968499269.
- ^ ISBN 0-9699465-0-3.
- ^ ISBN 0-9699465-0-3.
- ^ a b "Stage 1 Archaeological Assessment (TRCA 2019)" (PDF). TRCA. 2019-06-25. pp. 12–13.
- ISBN 9780802006028.
- ^ a b c d e "Cultural Heritage Evaluation Report: 1723 Dunchurch Street" (PDF). IBI Group & Parsons. 2021. pp. 13–17. Retrieved 2022-07-23.
- ISBN 9780968499283.
- ^ Wood 1911, p. 27.
- ISBN 0-9699465-0-3.
- ISBN 9780774841818.
- ^ Kristen Calis (2022-03-24). "'This is kind of the heartland of agriculture and nature': Durham Region to consider Greenbelt protection for Pickering's Carruthers Creek headwaters". The Star.
- ^ "GTA communities worry about impact of high-density developments". City News. 2022-02-07.
- ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2017-02-08). "Census Profile, 2016 Census – Pickering, City [Census subdivision], Ontario and Durham, Regional municipality [Census division], Ontario". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
- ^ elevationmap.net. "Pickering, Durham, Canada on the Elevation Map. Topographic Map of Pickering, Durham, Canada". elevationmap.net. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
- ^ Calis, Kristen (17 June 2016). "More protections for Rouge Park in Toronto, Pickering, but Province still hasn't handed over its land". durhamregion.com. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
- ^ "Waterfront Trail". www.pickering.ca. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
- ^ "Display Location: Timothy Rogers House - Urban Exploration Resource".
- ^ "Biography – Diefenbaker, John George – Volume XX (1971–1980) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography". biographi.ca. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
- ^ "Home". greenwoodrecassociation.com. Greenwood Recreation Association. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
- ^ "Bill 135, Greenbelt Act, 2005". www.ontla.on.ca.
- ^ "Detailed Mapping of the Greenbelt Plan Area (2005)". www.mah.gov.on.ca. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
- ^ "Google maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
- ^ "Film Pickering". www.pickering.ca. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
- ^ "Pickering Nautical Village". York Durham Headwaters. 2022-01-26. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
- ^ a b "Detailed 20 Year Population Forecat" (PDF). City of Pickering.
- ^ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Ontario". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f "Profile table, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population - Pickering, City (CY) [Census subdivision], Ontario". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Statistics Canada. 9 February 2022.
- ^ Multiple ethnic/cultural origins can be reported
- ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2022-10-26). "Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
- ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2021-10-27). "Census Profile, 2016 Census". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
- ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2015-11-27). "NHS Profile". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
- ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2019-08-20). "2006 Community Profiles". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
- ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2019-07-02). "2001 Community Profiles". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
- ^ "Ontario Power Generation – Pickering Nuclear". www.opg.com. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
- ^ "Contact Us". IIBA. International Institute of Business Analysis. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
- ^ "Downtown Intensification Study". City of Pickering. Archived from the original on 26 March 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
- ^ "Downtown Pickering Intensification Study – Urban Strategies". urbanstrategies.com. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
- ^ Calis, Kristen (22 March 2017). "Pickering has big plans for a downtown". durhamregion.com. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
- ^ "Pedestrian Bridge". www.pickering.ca. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
- ^ "The Apostolopoulos family's plan to Vegas-ify Pickering, Ont". canadianbusiness.com. 26 November 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
- ^ Calis, Kristen (19 July 2017). "Ontario Municipal Board OK's plans for Durham Live in Pickering". durhamregion.com. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
- ^ Bromley Armstrong at The Canadian Encyclopedia
- ^ "Kailen Sheridan eager to fill Canada's 'keeper shoes left behind by retired Labbé".
- ^ "What's Going on Here: More filming of 'Jack Reacher' planned for north Pickering". 10 May 2021.
- ^ Wood, William R. (1911). Past Years in Pickering – Sketches of the History of the Community. Toronto, ON: William Briggs.