London, Ontario

London
City( single-tier)
City of London
From top, left to right: Downtown London skyline, Budweiser Gardens, Victoria Park, Financial District, London Normal School
Flag Coat of arms
Nickname: "The Forest City"
Motto(s): Labore et Perseverantia ( Latin) "Through Labour and Perseverance"
London
Coordinates:42°58′03″N81°13′57″W / 42.96750°N 81.23250°W /42.96750; -81.23250[1]
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
Settled	1826 (as village)
Incorporated	1855 (as city)
Named for	London, England
Government
• Body	London City Council
•Mayor	Josh Morgan
•MPs	List of MPs Arielle Kayabaga(Liberal) Peter Fragiskatos(Liberal) Lindsay Mathyssen(NDP) Karen Vecchio(Conservative)
•MPPs	List of MPPs Teresa Armstrong(NDP) Terence Kernaghan(NDP) Peggy Sattler(NDP) Rob Flack(PC)
Area [2] [3]
•City(single-tier)	437.08 km2(168.76 sq mi)
• Land	420.50 km2(162.36 sq mi)
• Urban	232.48 km2(89.76 sq mi)
• Metro	2,662.40 km2(1,027.96 sq mi)
Population ( 2021) [4] [5] [6]
•City(single-tier)	422,324 (15th)
• Density	913.1/km2(2,365/sq mi)
•Metro	543,551 (11th)
Gross Metropolitan Product
• LondonCMA	CA$27.9billion (2020)[7]
Time zone	UTC−05:00(EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00(EDT)
Forward sortation area	N5V to N6P
Area codes	519, 226, and 548
Website	london.ca

Londonis a city insouthwestern Ontario, Canada, along theQuebec City–Windsor Corridor. The city had a population of 422,324 according to the2021 Canadian census. London is at the confluence of theThames Riverand North Thames River, approximately 200 km (120 mi) from bothTorontoandDetroit; and about 230 km (140 mi) fromBuffalo, New York. The city of London ispolitically separatefromMiddlesex County, though it remains the county seat.

London and theThameswere named after theEnglish cityandriverin 1793 byJohn Graves Simcoe, who proposed the site for the capital city ofUpper Canada. The first European settlement was between 1801 and 1804 by Peter Hagerman.^[8]The village was founded in 1826 andincorporatedin 1855. Since then, London has grown to be the largest southwestern Ontario municipality and Canada's11th largest metropolitan area, having annexed many of the smaller communities that surround it.

London is a regional centre of healthcare and education, being home to theUniversity of Western Ontario(which brands itself "Western University"),Fanshawe College, and three major hospitals:Victoria Hospital,University Hospitaland St. Joseph's Hospital. The city hosts a number of musical and artistic exhibits and festivals, which contribute to its tourism industry, but its economic activity is centered oneducation,medical research,manufacturing,financial services, andinformation technology. London's university and hospitals are among its top ten employers. London lies at the junction ofHighways 401and402, connecting it toToronto,Windsor, andSarnia. These highways also make theDetroit-Windsor,Port Huron-Sarnia, andNiagara Fallsborder crossings with the United States easily accessible. The city also has railway stations and bus stations and is home to theLondon International Airport.

A series of archaeological sites throughoutsouthwestern Ontario, named for the Parkhill Complex excavated nearParkhill, indicate the presence ofPaleo-Indiansin the area dating back approximately 11,000 years.^[9][10]Just prior to European settlement, the London area was the site of severalAttawandaron,Odawa, andOjibwevillages. TheLawson Sitein northwest London is an archaeological excavation and partial reconstruction of an approximately 500-year-old Neutral Iroquoian village, estimated to have been home to 2,000 people.^[11][12]These groups were driven out by theIroquoisbyc. 1654in theBeaver Wars. The Iroquois abandoned the region some 50 years later, driven out by the Ojibwa.^[13]AnAnishinaabegcommunity site was described as located near the forks of Thames River (Anishinaabe language: Eshkani-ziibi, "Antler River") inc. 1690^[14]and was referred to as Pahkatequayang^[15]("Baketigweyaang":"At the River Fork" (lit: at where the by-stream is)).

Later, in the early 19th century, theMunsee-Delaware Nation(the Munsee are a subtribe of theLenapeor Delaware people), expelled from their homeland in ModernNew Jerseyand EasternPennsylvaniaafter the creation of theUnited States.^{[citation needed]}

TheOneida Nation of the Thames,Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, andMunsee-Delaware Nationreserves are located south-west of the city.

The current location of London was selected as the site of the future capital ofUpper Canadain 1793 byLieutenant-GovernorJohn Graves Simcoe, who also named the village which was founded in 1826.^[16]Originally, Simcoe had proposed to call itGeorgiana, in honour ofGeorge III, the reigning monarch at that time.^[17]It did not become thecapitalSimcoe envisioned. Rather, it was an administrative seat for the area west of the actual capital,York(now Toronto). The London Township Treaty of 1796 with the Chippewa ceded the original town site on the north bank of the Thames (then known as theEscunnisepe) to Upper Canada.^[18][19]

London was part of theTalbot Settlement, named for ColonelThomas Talbot, the chief administrator of the area, who oversaw the land surveying and built the first government buildings for the administration of the western Ontario peninsular region. Together with the rest of southwestern Ontario, the village benefited from Talbot's provisions not only for building and maintaining roads but also for assignment of access priorities to main routes to productive land.^[20]Crown andclergy reservesthen received preference in the rest of Ontario.

In 1814, theBattle of Longwoodstook place during theWar of 1812in what is nowSouthwest Middlesex, near London.^[21]

In 1832, the new settlement suffered an outbreak ofcholera.^[22]London proved a centre of strongTorysupport during theUpper Canada Rebellionof 1837, notwithstanding a brief rebellion led byCharles Duncombe. Consequently, the British government located its Ontario peninsular garrison there in 1838, increasing its population with soldiers and their dependents, and the business support populations they required.^[20]London was incorporated as a town in 1840.^[22]

On 13 April 1845, a fire destroyed much of London, which was then largely constructed of wooden buildings.^[23]One of the first casualties was the town's only fire engine. The fire burned nearly 30 acres (12 ha) of land, destroying 150 buildings, before it burned itself out later that day. One fifth of London was destroyed in the province's first million-dollar fire.^[24]

John Carling, Tory MP for London, gave three events to explain the development of London in a 1901 speech: the location of the court and administration in London in 1826, the arrival of the military garrison in 1838, and the arrival of the railway in 1853.^[25]

The population in 1846 was 3,500. Brick buildings included a jail and court house, and large barracks. London had a fire company, a theatre, a large Gothic church, nine other churches or chapels, and two market buildings. The buildings that were destroyed by fire in 1845 were mostly rebuilt by 1846. Connection with other communities was by road, using mainlystagecoachesthat ran daily. A weekly newspaper was published and mail was received daily by the post office.^[26]

On 1 January 1855, London was incorporated as a city (10,000 or more residents).^[20]In the 1860s, a sulphur spring was discovered at the forks of the Thames River while industrialists were drilling foroil.^[27]The springs became a popular destination for wealthy Ontarians, until the turn of the 20th century when atextilefactorywas built at the site, replacing the spa.

Records from 1869 indicate a population of about 18,000 served by three newspapers, churches of all major denominations and offices of all the major banks. Industries included several tanneries, oil refineries and foundries, four flour mills, theLabatt Brewing Companyand theCarling breweryin addition to other manufacturing. Both the Great Western andGrand Trunkrailways had stops here. Several insurance companies also had offices in the city.

TheCrystal Palace Barracks, an octagonal brick building with eight doors and forty-eight windows built in 1861, was used for events such theProvincial Agricultural Fair of Canada Westheld in London that year. It was visited byPrince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, Governor-GeneralJohn Young, 1st Baron Lisgarand Prime MinisterJohn A. Macdonald.^[30][31]

Long before theRoyal Military College of Canadawas established in 1876, there were proposals for military colleges in Canada. Staffed by British Regulars, adult male students underwent three-month-long military courses from 1865 at the School of Military Instruction in London. Established by Militia General Order in 1865, the school enabled Officers of Militia or Candidates for Commission or promotion in the Militia to learn Military duties, drill and discipline, to command a Company at Battalion Drill, to Drill a Company at Company Drill, the internal economy of a Company and the duties of a Company's Officer.^[32]The school was not retained at Confederation, in 1867.^[33]

In 1875, London's first iron bridge, theBlackfriars Street Bridge, was constructed.^[23]It replaced a succession of flood-failed wooden structures that had provided the city's only northern road crossing of the river. A rare example of a wrought iron bowstring arch throughtruss bridge, the Blackfriars remains open to pedestrian and bicycle traffic, though it was temporarily closed indefinitely to vehicular traffic due to various structural problems^[34]and was once again reopened to vehicular traffic 1 December 2018, seeBlackfriars Bridge Grand Opening.The Blackfriars, amidst the river-distance between theCarlingBrewery and the historicTecumseh Park(including a major mill), linked London with its western suburb of Petersville, named for Squire Peters of Grosvenor Lodge. That community joined with the southern subdivision of Kensington in 1874, formally incorporating as the municipality of Petersville. Although it changed its name in 1880 to the more inclusive "London West", it remained a separate municipality until ratepayers voted for amalgamation with London in 1897,^[20]largely due to repeated flooding. The most serious flood was in July 1883, which resulted in serious loss of life and property devaluation.^[35]This area retains much original and attractively maintained 19th-century tradespeople's and workers' housing, includingGeorgiancottages as well as larger houses, and a distinctsense of place.

London's eastern suburb, London East, was (and remains) an industrial centre, which also incorporated in 1874.^[20]It was founded as Lilley's Corners by Charles Lilley in 1854.^[36]Oil was discovered in the Petrolia area and Lilley's Corners was chosen as the refining site.^[37]It was annexed to London in 1885.^[38]Attaining the status of town in 1881,^[39]it continued as a separate municipality until concerns over expensive waterworks and other fiscal problems led to amalgamation in 1885.^[40]The southern suburb of London, including Wortley Village, was collectively known as "London South". Never incorporated, the South was annexed to the city in 1890,^[20]although Wortley Village still retains a distinctsense of place. The area started to be settled in the 1860s.^[41]In 1880, Polk'sDirectorycalled London South "a charming suburb of the City of London.".^[42]By contrast, the settlement at Broughdale on the city's north end had a clear identity, adjoined the university, and was not annexed until 1961.^[43]Broughdale was named after Reverend Charles C. Brough.^[44]Broughdale started to grow when it was connected to the London Street Railroad in 1901.^[45]A post office was opened in Broughdale on 1 July 1904.^[46]In 1924, the University of Western Ontario was founded in the area.^[47]

Ivor F. Goodsonand Ian R. Dowbiggin have explored the battle over vocational education in London, Ontario, in the 1900–1930 era. The London Technical and Commercial High School came under heavy attack from the city's social and business elite, which saw the school as a threat to the budget of the city's only academic high school, London Collegiate Institute.^[48]

TheBanting House, a National Historic Site of Canada, is whereFrederick Bantingdeveloped the ideas that led to the discovery ofinsulin. Banting lived and practiced in London for ten months, from July 1920 to May 1921. London is also the site of the Flame of Hope, which is intended to burn until a cure fordiabetesis discovered.^[49]

London's role as a military centre continued into the 20th century during the two World Wars, serving as the administrative centre for the Western Ontario district. In 1905, the London Armoury was built and housed the First Hussars until 1975. A private investor purchased the historic site and built a new hotel (Delta London Armouries, 1996) in its place, preserving the shell of the historic building. In the 1950s, two reserve battalions amalgamated and becameLondon and Oxford Rifles (3rd Battalion), The Royal Canadian Regiment.^[50]This unit continues to serve today as 4th Battalion,The Royal Canadian Regiment. The Regimental Headquarters ofThe Royal Canadian Regimentremains in London at Wolseley Barracks on Oxford Street. The barracks are home to the First Hussars militia regiment as well.^[50]

Londonannexedmany of the surrounding communities in 1961, includingByronand Masonville, adding 60,000 people and more than doubling its area.^[20]After this amalgamation, suburban growth accelerated as London grew outward in all directions, creating expansive new subdivisions such as Westmount, Oakridge, Whitehills, Pond Mills, White Oaks and Stoneybrook.^[20]

On 1 January 1993, London annexed nearly the entire township ofWestminster, a large, primarilyrural municipalitydirectly south of the city, including thepolice villageofLambeth.^[51]With this massive annexation, which also included part ofLondon township, London almost doubled in area again, adding several thousand more residents. In the present day, London stretches south to the boundary withElgin County, north and east toFanshawe Lake, north and west to the township ofMiddlesex Centre(the nearest developed areas of it being Arva to the north and Komoka to the west) and east toNilestownandDorchester.

The 1993 annexation, made London one of the largest urban municipalities in Ontario.^[52]Intense commercial and residential development is presently occurring in the southwest and northwest areas of the city. Opponents of this development citeurban sprawl,^[53]destruction of rareCarolinian zoneforest and farm lands,^[54]replacement of distinctive regions by generic malls, and standard transportation and pollution concerns as major issues facing London. The City of London is currently theeleventh-largest urban area in Canada,eleventh-largest census metropolitan area in Canada, and the sixth-largest city in Ontario.^[55][56]

OnVictoria Day, 24 May 1881, thestern-wheelerferrySS Victoriacapsized in theThames Riverclose to Cove Bridge in West London. Approximately 200 passengers drowned in the shallow river, making it one of the worst disasters in London's history, and is now dubbed "The Victoria Day Disaster". At the time, London's population was relatively low; therefore it was hard to find a person in the city who did not have a family member affected by the tragedy.

Two years later, on 12 July 1883,^[23]the first of the two most devastating floods in London's history killed 17 people. The second major flood, on 26 April 1937, destroyed more than a thousand houses across London, and caused over $50 million in damages, particularly in West London.^[57][58]

On 3 January 1898, the floor of the assembly hall at London City Hall collapsed, killing 23 people and leaving more than 70 injured. Testimony at a coroner's inquest described the wooden beam under the floor as unsound, with knots and other defects reducing its strength by one fifth to one third.^[59]

After repeated floods, theUpper Thames River Conservation Authorityin 1953 built Fanshawe Dam on the North Thames to control the downstream rivers.^[60]Financing for this project came from the federal, provincial, and municipal governments. Othernatural disastersinclude a 1984tornadothat led to damage on several streets in the White Oaks area of South London.^[61]

On 11 December 2020, a partially-constructed apartment building just off ofWonderland Roadin southwest London collapsed, killing two people and injuring at least four others.^[62][63]In January 2024, both Oxford County companies involved in the building's construction were fined $400,000, with The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development declaring the companies had failed to “provide proper information, instruction and supervision, specifically on the use of proper concrete measuring techniques on the project.”^[64]

The area was formed during the retreat of theglaciersduring thelast ice age, which produced areas ofmarshland, notably theSifton Bog, as well as some of the most agriculturally productive areas of farmland in Ontario.^[65]

The Thames River dominates London's geography. The North and South branches of the Thames River meet at the centre of the city, a location known as "The Forks" or "The Fork of the Thames."^[66]The North Thames runs through the man-made Fanshawe Lake in northeast London. Fanshawe Lake was created by Fanshawe Dam, constructed to protect the downriver areas from the catastrophic flooding which affected the city in 1883 and 1937.^[67]

London has ahumid continental climate(KöppenDfb), though due to its downwind location relative to Lake Huron and elevation changes across the city, it sits on the Dfa/Dfb (hot summer) boundary favouring the former climate zone to the southwest of the confluence of the South and North Thames Rivers, and the latter zone to the northeast (including the airport). Because of its location in the continent, London experiences largeseasonalcontrast, tempered to a point by the surroundingGreat Lakes. The proximity of the lakes also ensure abundant cloud cover, particularly in late Fall and Winter. The summers are usually warm to hot and humid, with a July average of 21.0 °C (69.8 °F), and temperatures above 30 °C (86 °F) occur on average 11 days per year.^[68]In 2016, however, temperatures rose above this temperature on more than 35 days, and in 2018, four heatwaves led to a peakhumidexof 46 °C (115 °F). The city is affected by frequent thunderstorms due to hot, humid summer weather, as well as theconvergence of breezesoriginating fromLake HuronandLake Erie. The same convergence zone is responsible for spawning funnel clouds and the occasional tornado. Spring and autumn in between are not long, and winters are cold but with frequent thaws. Annual precipitation averages 1,011.5 mm (39.82 in). Its winter snowfall totals are heavy, averaging about 194 cm (76 in) per year,^[69]although the localized nature of snow squalls means the total can vary widely from year to year as do accumulations over different areas of the city.^[70]Some of the snow accumulation comes fromlake effect snowandsnow squallsoriginating from Lake Huron, some 60 km (37 mi) to the northwest, which occurs when strong, cold winds blow from that direction. From 5 December 2010, to 9 December 2010, London experienced record snowfall when up to 2 m (79 in) of snow fell in parts of the city. Schools and businesses were closed for three days and bus service was cancelled after the second day of snow.^[71]

The highest temperature ever recorded in London was 41.1 °C (106 °F) on 6 August 1918.^[72][73]The lowest temperature ever recorded was −32.8 °C (−27 °F) on 9 February 1934.^[72]

London has a number of parks.Victoria Parkin downtown London is a major centre of community events, attracting an estimated 1 million visitors per year. Other major parks include Harris Park, Gibbons Park, Fanshawe Conservation Area (Fanshawe Pioneer Village),Springbank Park, White Oaks Park and Westminster Ponds. The city also maintains a number of gardens and conservatories.^[66]

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1856	5,000	—
1861	7,200	+44.0%
1866	8,000	+11.1%
1871	18,000	+125.0%
1881	26,266	+45.9%
1891	31,977	+21.7%
1901	37,976	+18.8%
1911	46,509	+22.5%
1921	50,959	+9.6%
1931	71,148	+39.6%
1941	78,134	+9.8%
1951	95,343	+22.0%
1956	101,693	+6.7%
1961	169,569	+66.7%
1966	194,416	+14.7%
1971	223,222	+14.8%
1976	240,392	+7.7%
1981	254,280	+5.8%
1986	269,140	+5.8%
1991	311,620	+15.8%
1996	325,699	+4.5%
2001	336,539	+3.3%
2006	352,395	+4.7%
2011	366,151	+3.9%
2016	383,822	+4.8%
2021	422,324	+10.0%
[75][76][77][78][79][80][81]

In the2021 Census of Populationconducted byStatistics Canada, London had a population of422,324living in174,657of its186,409total private dwellings, a change of10% from its 2016 population of383,822. With a land area of 420.5 km²(162.4 sq mi), it had a population density of1,004.3/km²(2,601.2/sq mi) in 2021.^[82]

At thecensus metropolitan area(CMA) level in the 2021 census, the London CMA had a population of543,551living in222,239of its235,522total private dwellings, a change of10% from its 2016 population of494,069. With a land area of 2,661.48 km²(1,027.60 sq mi), it had a population density of204.2/km²(529.0/sq mi) in 2021.^[83]

As per the 2021 census, the most common ethnic or cultural origins in London are English (21.9%), Scottish (17.4%), Irish (16.8%), Canadian (12.1%), German (9.3%), French (6.6%), Dutch (5.0%), Italian (4.5%), British Isles (4.3%), Indian (3.7%), Polish (3.6%), and Chinese (3.0%).^[84]Indigenouspeople made up 2.6% of the population, with most beingFirst Nations(1.9%). Ethnocultural backgrounds in the city includedEuropean(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%), andKorean(1.0%).^[85]

Panethnicgroups in the City of London (2001−2021)

Panethnic group	2021[86]		2016[87]		2011[88]		2006[89]		2001[90]
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
European[b]	285,955	68.7%	293,190	77.56%	295,905	82.03%	295,695	84.8%	291,920	87.68%
Middle Eastern[c]	27,245	6.55%	16,910	4.47%	12,275	3.4%	9,920	2.84%	7,400	2.22%
South Asian	27,085	6.51%	11,660	3.08%	8,010	2.22%	6,195	1.78%	4,660	1.4%
African	17,450	4.19%	11,325	3%	8,760	2.43%	7,620	2.19%	7,140	2.14%
East Asian[d]	16,930	4.07%	14,320	3.79%	10,625	2.95%	8,735	2.51%	6,455	1.94%
Latin American	12,575	3.02%	9,050	2.39%	9,640	2.67%	7,730	2.22%	4,330	1.3%
Southeast Asian[e]	11,885	2.86%	7,920	2.1%	6,020	1.67%	5,490	1.57%	4,465	1.34%
Indigenous	10,955	2.63%	9,725	2.57%	6,845	1.9%	5,040	1.45%	4,600	1.38%
Other/Multiracial[f]	6,180	1.48%	3,960	1.05%	2,635	0.73%	2,260	0.65%	1,970	0.59%
Total responses	416,265	98.57%	378,040	98.49%	360,715	98.52%	348,690	98.95%	332,940	98.93%
Total population	422,324	100%	383,822	100%	366,151	100%	352,395	100%	336,539	100%
Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses

The 2021 census found English to be themother tongueof 71.1% of the population. This was followed byArabic(3.7%),Spanish(2.7%),Mandarin(1.6%),Portuguese(1.3%),French(1.1%),Polish(1.1%),Korean(0.8%),Punjabi(0.8%),Malayalam(0.8%), andUrdu(0.7%). Of the official languages, 98% of the population reported knowing English and 7.2% French.^[91]

In 2021, 48.8% of the population identified asChristian, withCatholics(21.5%) making up the largest denomination, followed byUnited Church(4.7%),Anglican(4.4%),Orthodox(2.0%),Presbyterian(1.5%),Baptist(1.4%), and other denominations. 37.2% of the population reported no religious affiliation. Others identified asMuslim(8.4%),Hindu(2.1%),Sikh(1.0%),Buddhist(0.9%),Jewish(0.5%), and with other religions.^[92]

London's economy is dominated bymedical research,financial services,manufacturing,^[93]andinformation technology.^{[citation needed]}Much of thelife sciencesandbiotechnologyrelated research is conducted or supported by the University of Western Ontario (partly through theRobarts Research Institute), which adds about C$1.5 billion to the London economy annually.^[94]Private companies in the industry likePolyAnalytik,Alimentiv, KGK Sciences and Sernova are also based in London. The largest employer in London is theLondon Health Sciences Centre, which employs 10,555 people.^[95]

Since the economic crisis of 2009, the city has transitioned to become a technology hub with a focus on the Digital Creative sector.^[96]As of 2016, London is home to 300 technology companies that employ 3% of the city's labour force.^[97]Many of these companies have moved into former factories and industrial spaces in and around the downtown core, and have renovated them as modern offices. For example,Info-Tech Research Group's London office is in a hosiery factory, and Arcane Digital moved into a 1930s industrial building in 2015.^[98]The Historic London Roundhouse, a steam locomotive repair shop built in 1887, is now home to Royal LePage Triland Realty, rTraction and more. Its redesign, which opened in 2015, won the 2015 Paul Oberman Award for Adaptive Re-Use from the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario.^[99]London is also home toStarTech.com,Diply, video game companies likeDigital Extremes,Big Blue Bubbleand Big Viking Games, andVoices.com, which provides voiceover artists a platform to advertise and sell their services to those looking for voiceover work. Other tech companies located in London include AutoData,Carfax Canada, HRDownloads, Mobials, Northern Commerce and Paystone which recently raised $100M.^[100]

TheLondon Life Insurance Companywas founded there,^[101]as wasCanada Trust(in 1864),^[102]Imperial Oil,^[103]GoodLife Fitness, and both theLabattandCarlingbreweries. TheLibro Financial Groupwas founded in London 1951 and is the second largestcredit unionin Ontario and employs over 600 people.^[104]Downtown London is also home to major satellite offices for each of theBig Five banks of Canada, particularlyTD Bankwhich employees 2,000 people, and the digital challenger bankVersaBankis also headquartered in the city.

The headquarters of the Canadian division of3Mare in London.General Dynamics Land Systems(GDLS) buildsarmoured personnel carriersin the city.^[105]GDLS has a 14-year $15-billion deal to supply light armored vehicles and employs over 2,400 people.^[106]McCormick Canada, formerly Club House Foods, was founded in 1883 and currently employs more than 600 Londoners. A portion of the city's population work in factories outside of the city limits, including theGeneral Motorsautomotive plantCAMI, and aToyotaplant inWoodstock. AFord plantinTalbotvillebecame one of the casualties of theeconomic crisisin 2011,^[107]the site will soon be home to a majorAmazondistribution center employing 2,000 workers by 2023.^[108]

London's city centre mall was first opened in 1960 as Wellington Square with 400,000 sq ft (37,000 m²) of leasable area, with Eaton's and Woolworths as anchors. From 1986 to 1989, Campeau expanded Wellington Square into Galleria London with 1,000,000 sq ft (93,000 m²) of leasable area and 200 stores including The Bay and Eaton's. However, the early 1990s recession, following by the bankruptcy of Eaton's in 1999 and then the departure of The Bay in 2000 resulted in only 20 stores left by 2001. Galleria London then began seeking non-retail tenants, becoming the home for London'scentral librarybranch, and satellite campuses for bothFanshawe CollegeandWestern University. The complex was purchased and renamed to Citi Plaza byCitigroupin 2009.^[109]Citi Plaza has been redeveloped as a mixed use complex that blends retail, office, businesses, and education providers. Alongside Citi Cards Canada's offices, in November 2016,CBCannounced plans to move its expanded operations into the building.^[110]

There are many largeReal Estate Developmentfirms based in London which are active acrossSouthwestern Ontario. These include Sifton Properties, Drewlo Holdings, Old Oak Properties, Tricar Developments, York Developments, Farhi Holdings and Westdell Developments. Combined, they own or operate over 300 million square feet ofcommercialandresidential real estate.

On 11 December 2009,Minister of StateGary Goodyearannounced a new $11-million cargo terminal at theLondon International Airport.^[111]

In 2021, the city establishedFilmLondon^[112]through theLondon Economic Development Corporationin order to attract film and television productions to the city as an alternative to filming in theGreater Toronto Area.^[113]Notable productions that have resulted from this effort includeThe Amazing Race Canada 8^[114]andThe Changeling.^[115]Notable actors born in London includeRyan Gosling,Rachel McAdams,Victor Garber,Hume Cronyn,Michael McManus, and directorPaul Haggis.

The city is home to many festivals includingSunFest, theLondon Fringe Theatre Festival, theForest City Film Festival, theLondon Ontario Live Arts Festival(LOLA), theHome County Folk Festival,Rock the ParkLondon,Western Fair, Pride London,^[116]and others. The LondonRib Festis the second largest barbecue rib festival in North America.^[117]SunFest, aworld musicfestival, is the second largest in Canada afterToronto Caribbean Carnival(Caribana)and is among the top 100 summer destinations in North America.^[118]

London has a rich musical history.Guy Lombardo, the internationally acclaimed Big-Band leader, was born in London, as was jazz musicianRob McConnell, country music legendTommy Hunter, singer-songwriterMeaghan Smith, the heavy metal bandKittie, film composerTrevor Morris, and DJ duoLoud Luxury; it is also the adopted hometown of hip-hop artistShad Kabango, rock-music producerJack Richardson, and 1960s folk-funk bandMotherlode.

American country-music iconJohnny Cashproposed to his wifeJune Carter Cashonstage at theLondon Gardens—site of the famous April 26, 1965, fifteen-minuteRolling Stonesconcert—during his February 22, 1968 performance in the city (the hometown of his managerSaul Holiff).

Avant-garde noise-pioneersThe Nihilist Spasm Bandformed in downtown London in 1965. Between 1966 and 1972, the group held a Monday night residency at the York Hotel in the city's core, which established it as a popular venue for emerging musicians and artists; known asCall the Office, the venue served as a hotbed forpunk musicin the late 1970s and 1980s and hosted college rock bands and weekly alternative-music nights until closing indefinitely in 2020.^[119]

In 2003,CHRW-FMdeveloped The London Music Archives, an online music database that chronicled every album recorded in London between 1966 and 2006,^[120]and in 2019the CBCreleased a documentary entitled "London Calling" which outlined "The Secret Musical History of London Ontario" (including its importance for the massively popularelectronic-musicduoRichie HawtinandJohn Acquaviva). London also had (and still has, in an unofficial capacity) a professional symphony orchestra –Orchestra London– which was founded in 1937; although the organization filed for bankruptcy in 2015, members of the orchestra continue to play self-produced concerts under the moniker London Symphonia. In addition, the city is home to theLondon Community Orchestra, the London Youth Symphony, and theAmabile Choirs of London, Canada. TheJuno Awards of 2019were hosted in London in March 2019, hosted by singer-songwriterSarah McLachlan. In 2021, London was named Canada's firstCity of Music, byUNESCO.^[121]The labor union representing entertainment venue workers in London isIATSELocal 105.^[122]

London artistsJack ChambersandGreg Curnoeco-founded The Forest City Gallery in 1973 and theCanadian Artists' Representationsociety in 1968.Museum London, the city's central Art Gallery, was established in 1940 (initially operated from theLondon Public Library, until 1980, when Canadian architectRaymond Moriyamawas commissioned to design its current home at the forks of theThames River). London is also home to theMuseum of Ontario Archaeology, owned and operated byWestern University; it is Canada's only ongoing excavation and partial reconstruction of a prehistoric village—in this case, aNeutral Nationvillage.^[123]The Royal Canadian Regiment Museumis a military museum atWolseley Barracks(a Canadian former Forces Base in the city's Carling neighbourhood). TheSecrets of Radar Museumwas opened at Parkwood Hospital in 2003, and tells the story of the more than 6,000 CanadianWorld War IIveterans who were recruited into a top-secret project duringWorld War IIinvolvingradar. TheLondon Regional Children's Museumin South London provides hands-on learning experiences for children and was one of the first children's museums established in Canada. TheCanadian Medical Hall of Famehas its headquarters in downtown London and features a medical history museum.

Eldon Houseis the former residence of the prominent Harris Family and oldest surviving such building in London. The entire property was donated to the city of London in 1959 and is now aheritage site. An Ontario Historical Plaque was erected by the province to commemorate The Eldon House's role in Ontario's heritage.^[124]

In addition toMuseum Londonand The Forest City Gallery, London is also home to a number of other galleries and art spaces, including the McIntosh Gallery atWestern University, TAP Centre for Creativity, and various smaller galleries such as the Thielsen Gallery, the Westland Gallery, the Michael Gibson Gallery, the Jonathon Bancroft-Snell Gallery, The Art Exchange, Strand Fine Art and others. London also hosts an annualNuit Blancheevery June.

London is home to theGrand Theatre, a professionalproscenium archtheatre in Central London. The building underwent renovations in 1975 to restore the stage proscenium arch and to add a secondary performance space. The architectural firm responsible for the redesign was awarded aGovernor General's awardin 1978 for their work on the venue. In addition to professional productions, the Grand Theatre also hosts the High School Project, a program unique to North America that provides high school students an opportunity to work with professionaldirectors,choreographers,musical directors, andstage managers. The Palace Theatre, in Old East Village, originally opened as a silent movie theatre in 1929 and was converted to a live theatre venue in 1991.^[125]It is currently the home of the London Community Players, and as of 2016 is undergoing extensive historical restoration. The Original Kids Theatre Company, a nonprofit charitable youth organisation, currently puts on productions at the Spriet Family Theatre in the Covent Garden Market.^[126]

London serves as a core setting inSouthern Ontario Gothicliterature, most notably in the works ofJames Reaney. The psychologistRichard Maurice Bucke, author ofCosmic Consciousness: A Study in the Evolution of the Human MindandWalt Whitman's literary executor, lived and worked in London, where he was often visited by Whitman^[127](theMaurice Bucke Archiveare part of the Special Collections inThe Weldon LibraryofWestern University). Modern writers from this city include fantasy-fiction authorsR. Scott BakkerandKelley Armstrong,Man Booker PrizewinnerEleanor Catton,Scotiabank Giller PrizewinnerBonnie Burnardand distinguished nomineeJoan Barfoot.Emma Donoghue, whose 2010 novel,Room, was adapted into a2015 Academy Award-winning filmof the same name, also lives in London. WordFest is an annual literary and creative arts festival that takes place each November.

In 2020 and 2021, house prices rose significantly across Canada. The average price of a home in Canada in March 2021 was $716,828, a 31.6% year-over-year increase.^[128]Meanwhile, the average cost to purchase a home in London was $607,000 in January 2021; since then increasing to $641,072 in June 2021 according toLSTAR.^[129]As the COVID-19 pandemic has begun to decrease in severity, the housing market in London is showing signs of a cool-down according to some realtors.^[130]In April 2021, theBank of Canadareported that the primary reason house prices had increased to such an unprecedented extent was due to housing inventory reaching record lows.^[131]

Nevertheless, the city's cost of living remains lower than many other southern Ontario cities. London is known for being a medium-sized city with big city amenities, having over 422,000 residents as of the 2021 census yet having all of the services one could find in a large city, including two large-scale shopping malls,Masonville PlaceandWhite Oaks Mall, regional health care centres,theLondon International Airport,Boler Mountainskiing center and post secondary education hubs such as the world-classUniversity of Western Ontarioand well-knownFanshawe College. In mid-2021, London had an 8.75% cheaper cost of living, and 27.5% cheaper cost of rent, compared to nearbyToronto.^[132]

London has nine major parks and gardens throughout the city, many of which run along theThames Riverand are interconnected by a series of pedestrian and bike paths, known as the Thames Valley Parkway.^[133]This path system is 40 km (25 mi) in length, and connects to an additional 150 km (93 mi) of bike and hiking trails throughout the city.^[134]The city's largest park,Springbank Park, is 140-hectare (350-acre) and contains 30 km (19 mi) of trails. It is also home to Storybook Gardens, a family attraction open year-round.

The city includes many pedestrian walkways throughout its neighbourhoods. Newer settled areas in the northwest end of the city include long pathways between housing developments and tall grass bordering Snake Creek, a thin waterway connected to theThames River. These walkways connect the neighbourhoods of Fox Hollow, White Hills, Sherwood Forest and the western portion of Masonville, also running through parts of Medway Valley Heritage Forest.

London is the home of theLondon Knightsof theOntario Hockey League, who play at theBudweiser Gardens. The Knights are 2004–2005 and 2015–2016 OHL andMemorial CupChampions. During the summer months, theLondon Majorsof theIntercounty Baseball Leagueplay atLabatt Park.FC LondonofLeague1 Ontarioand founded in 2008 is the highest level of soccer in London. The squad plays atGerman Canadian Club of London Field. Other sports teams include the London Silver Dolphins Swim Team, the Forest City Volleyball Club, London Cricket Club, the London St. George's Rugby Club, the London Aquatics Club, the London Rhythmic Gymnastics Club, the London Rowing Club, London City Soccer Club andForest City London.

The Eager Beaver Baseball Association (EBBA) is a baseball league for youths in London. It was first organized in 1955 by formerMajor League BaseballplayerFrank Colman, London sportsman Gordon Berryhill and Al Marshall.^{[citation needed]}

Football teams include the London Beefeaters (Ontario Football Conference).

London's basketball team, theLondon Lightningplays atBudweiser Gardens. Originally members of theNational Basketball League of Canadauntil the league folded in 2023, they are now members of theBasketball Super League. As members of the NBLC, the London Lightning became six time NBL Canada champions.

There are also a number of former sports teams that have moved or folded. London's four former baseball teams are theLondon Monarchs(Canadian Baseball League), theLondon Werewolves(Frontier League), theLondon Tecumsehs(International Association) and theLondon Tigers(AAEastern League). Other former sports teams include theLondon Lasers(Canadian Soccer League)

In March 2013, London hosted the2013 World Figure Skating Championships. The University of Western Ontario's teams play under the nameMustangs. The university's football team plays atTD Stadium.^[135]Western's Rowing Team rows out of a boathouse at Fanshawe Lake. Fanshawe College teams play under the nameFalcons. The Women's Cross Country team has won 3 consecutiveCanadian Collegiate Athletic Association(CCAA) National Championships.^[136]In 2010, the program cemented itself as the first CCAA program to win both Men's and Women's National team titles, as well as CCAA Coach of the Year.^[137]

The Western Fair Raceway, about 85 acresharness racingtrack and simulcast centre, operates year-round.^[138]The grounds include a coin slotcasino, a formerIMAXtheatre, and Sports and Agri-complex.Labatt Memorial Parkthe world's oldest continuously used baseball grounds^[139][140]was established as Tecumseh Park in 1877; it was renamed in 1937, because the London field has been flooded and rebuilt twice (1883 and 1937), including a re-orientation of the bases (after the 1883 flood). TheForest City Velodrome, at the formerLondon Ice House, is the only indoor cycling track in Ontario and the third to be built in North America, opened in 2005.^[141]London is also home to World Seikido, the governing body of a martial art called Seikido which was developed in London in 1987.^[142]

Active sports teams in London

Club	League	Sport	Venue	Established	Championships
London Knights	OHL	Ice hockey	Budweiser Gardens	1965	4
London Nationals	GOJHL	Ice hockey	Western Fair District	1950	7
London Lightning	NBL Canada	Basketball	Budweiser Gardens	2011	3
London Majors	IBL	Baseball	Labatt Memorial Park	1925	9
London St. George's RFC	ORU(Marshall Premiership)	Rugby Union	London St. George's Club	1959	0
FC London	League1 Ontario	Soccer	Western Alumni Stadium	2009	1
London Beefeaters	CJFL	Canadian Football	Western Alumni Stadium	1975	1
London Blue Devils	Ontario Junior B Lacrosse League	Lacrosse	Earl Nichols Recreation Centre	2003	0
Prospect Fighting Championships	Provincial MMA Promotion	Mixed Martial Arts	Varies	2013	N/A

Active professional sports teams in London

Club	League	Sport	Venue	Established	Championships
Adrenaline MMA training & fitness	UFC and other International promotions	Mixed Martial Arts	Adrenaline Training centre	2001	1

London'smunicipal governmentis divided among fourteencouncillors(one representing each of London's fourteenwards) and themayor.Josh Morganwas elected mayor in the2022 municipal election. Until the elections in 2010, there was aBoard of Control, consisting of four controllers and the mayor, all elected citywide.^[143]

Although London has many ties toMiddlesex County, it is a totally separate entity; the two have no jurisdictional overlap^{[since when?]}. The exception is theMiddlesex County Courthouseand former jail, as the judiciary is administered directly by the province.^[144]

London was the first city in Canada (in May 2017) to decide to move aranked choice ballotfor municipal elections starting in 2018. Voters mark their ballots in order of preference, ranking their top three favourite candidates. An individual must reach 50 per cent of the total to be declared elected; in each round of counting where a candidate has not yet reached that target, the person with the fewest votes is dropped from the ballot and their second or third choice preferences reallocated to the remaining candidates, with this process repeating until a candidate has reached 50 per cent.^[145]

In 2001, the City of London first published their Facilities Accessibility Design Standards (FADS) which was one of the first North American municipalaccessibilityrequirements to includeUniversal Design. It has since been adopted by over 50 municipalities inCanadaand theUnited States.^[146]

In addition to mayor Josh Morgan, the following were elected in the2022 municipal electionfor the 2022–2026 term:

Councillor	Office	Communities
Hadleigh McAlister	Ward 1	Hamilton Road, Chelsea Green, Fairmont, River Run, Glen Cairn
Shawn Lewis	Ward 2	Pottersburg, Nelson Park, Trafalgar Heights
Peter Cuddy	Ward 3	Huron Heights
Susan Stevenson	Ward 4	East London
Jerry Pribil	Ward 5	Stoneybrook, Northdale, Northerest, Uplands
Sam Trosow	Ward 6	Broughdale, University Heights, Orchard Park, Sherwood Forest
Corrine Rahman	Ward 7	White Hills, Medway Heights, Masonville, Hyde Park
Steve Lehman	Ward 8	Oakridge Park, Oakridge Acres,
Anna Hopkins	Ward 9	Byron, Lambeth
Paul Van Meerbergen	Ward 10	Westmount
Skylar Franke	Ward 11	Cleardale, Southcrest Estates, Berkshire Village, Kensal Park, Manor Park
Elizabeth Peloza	Ward 12	Glendale, Southdale, Lockwood Park, White Oak, Cleardale
David Ferreira	Ward 13	Downtown London, Midtown, Blackfriars, Piccadilly/Adelaide, SoHo, KeVa, Woodfield, Oxford Park
Steve Hillier	Ward 14	Glen Cairn Woods, Pond Mills, Wilton Grove, Summerside, Glanworth

London federal election results ^[147]

Year		Liberal		Conservative		New Democratic		Green
	2021	34%	62,780	29%	53,985	30%	56,020	1%	1,410
	2019	38%	75,667	26%	51,832	27%	53,918	6%	11,803

London provincial election results ^[148]

Year		PC		New Democratic		Liberal		Green
	2022	33%	44,211	43%	56,872	15%	19,891	4%	5,202
	2018	31%	50,294	52%	86,038	11%	18,819	4%	6,954

The city includes four provincial ridings. In theprovincial government, London is represented byNew DemocratsTerence Kernaghan(London North Centre),Teresa Armstrong(London—Fanshawe) andPeggy Sattler(London West), andProgressive ConservativeRob Flack(Elgin—Middlesex—London).^[149]

The London and surrounding area includes four federal ridings.^[150]In thefederal government, London is represented by ConservativeKaren Vecchio(Elgin—Middlesex—London), LiberalsPeter Fragiskatos(London North Centre) andArielle Kayabaga(London West), and NDPLindsay Mathyssen(London—Fanshawe).^[151]

London Police Service
Motto	Facta Non Verba Deeds not Words
Agency overview
Formed	February, 1855
Annual budget	$117.84 million (2021)[152]
Jurisdictional structure
General nature	Local civilian police
Operational structure
Headquarters	601 Dundas Street
Sworn members	617[153]
Unsworn members	227
Elected officer responsible	Sylvia Jones,Solicitor General
Agency executive	Stephen Williams, Chief of Police
Website
http://www.londonpolice.ca

As of 1 June 2023^[update]the London Police Service (LPS) is headed byChief of PoliceThai Truong. He is supported by two deputy chiefs: Paul Bastien, in charge of operations, and Trish McIntyre, in charge of administration.^[154]The service is governed by a seven-member civilianpolice board, of which the current board chair is Ali Chabar, General Legal Counsel and Executive Officer with the Thames Valley District School Board c.^[155]As of December 2020, the LPS had the fewest police officers per capita inSouthwestern Ontario.^[156]Its vehicles includelight armoured vehiclesdonated byGeneral Dynamics Land Systems, which the CBC observed in 2019 were rarely used.^[157]

Statistics from police indicate that total overall crimes in London held steady between 2010 and 2016, at roughly 24,000 to 27,000 incidents per year.^[158]The majority of incidents are property crimes, with violent crimes dropping markedly (up to about 20%) between 2012 and 2014 but rising again in 2015–2016. In July 2018, Police Deputy Chief Steve Williams was quoted as saying many crimes go unreported to police.^[159]However, in 2021, the city surpassed its 2005 homicide record, with the city reporting 16 murders with a rate of 3.8 per 100,000 people.^[160]

The city has been home to several high-profile incidents over the years such as theOntario Biker Warand theLondon Conflict, it was also the location where most of the trial for theShedden Massacretook place.

Research byMichael Andrew Arntfield, a police officer turned criminology professor, has determined that on a per-capita basis, London had more activeserial killersthan any locale in the world from 1959 to 1984.^[161]Arntfield determined there were at least six serial killers active in London during this era. Some went unidentified, but known killers in London includedRussell Maurice Johnson,Gerald Thomas Archer, and Christian Magee.^[162]

On 6 June 2021, theLondon, Ontario truck attacktook place in the North West of the city. Four members of a Canadian Muslim family, two women aged 74 and 44, a 46-year-old man and a 15-year-old girl were all killed by a pickup truck, which jumped the curb and ran them over. The sole survivor was a 9-year-old boy. According to the London Police Service, they were deliberately targeted in anti-Islamic hate crime. Later on the same day, 20-year-old Nathaniel Veltman was arrested in the parking lot of a nearby mall. He was charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.^[163][164]

In September 2023, the trial for the accused began inWindsor, ON. This was the first time Canadian jurors heard legal arguments for terrorism related to white supremacy.^[165]Shortly after the attack, the accused told police, "I admit it was terrorism...I was a ticking bomb, ready to go off." He also admitted that his hate towards minority groups began with looking for information online about Donald Trump's election for U.S. president.^[166]

In February 2024 Veltman was sentenced to five life sentences with no possibility of parole for 25 years.^[167]

The City of London initiatives in Old East London are helping to create a renewed sense of vigour in the East London Business District. Specific initiatives include the creation of the Old East Heritage Conservation District under Part V of theOntario Heritage Act, special Building Code policies and Facade Restoration Programs.^[168]

London is home to heritage properties representing a variety ofarchitectural styles,^[169]includingQueen Anne,Art Deco,Modern, andBrutalist.

Londoners have become protective of the trees in the city, protesting "unnecessary" removal of trees.^[170]The City Council and tourist industry have created projects to replant trees throughout the city. As well, they have begun to erect metal trees of various colours in the downtown area, causing some controversy.^[171]

London is at the junction ofHighway 401that connects the city to Toronto and Windsor, andHighway 402toSarnia.^[172][173]Also,Highway 403, which diverges from the 401 at nearbyWoodstock, provides ready access toBrantford,Hamilton, and theNiagara Peninsula.^[174]Many smaller two-lanehighwaysalso pass through or near London, includingKings Highways2,3,4,7and 22. Some of these are no longer highways, as provincial downloading in the 1980s and 1990s put responsibility for most provincial highways on municipal governments.^[175]Nevertheless, these roads continue to provide access from London to nearby communities and locations in much ofWestern Ontario, includingGoderich,Port StanleyandOwen Sound. A 4.5 km long section of Highbury Ave., connecting the east end of London to Highway 401, consists of ancontrolled-access highwaywith 100 km/h speed limits.^[176]

Since the 1970s, London has improved urban road alignments that eliminated "jogs" in established traffic patterns over 19th-century street misalignments. The lack offreewaysdirectly through the city as well as the presence of two significant railways (each with attendant switching yards and few over/underpasses) are the primary causes ofrush hourcongestion, along with construction and heavy snow. Thus, traffic times can be significantly variable, although major traffic jams are rare.^[177]Wellington Road between Commissioners Road E and Southdale Road E is London's busiest section of roadway, with more than 46,000 vehicles using the span on an average day^[178]City council rejected early plans for the construction of a freeway, and instead accepted theVeterans Memorial Parkwayto serve the east end.^[179]Some Londoners have expressed concern the absence of a local freeway may hinder London's economic and population growth, while others have voiced concern such a freeway would destroy environmentally sensitive areas and contribute to London's suburban sprawl.^[177]Road capacity improvements have been made to Veterans Memorial Parkway (formerly named Airport Road andHighway 100) in the industrialized east end.^[180]However, the Parkway has received criticism for not being built as a proper highway; a study conducted in 2007 suggested upgrading it by replacing the intersections with interchanges.^[181]

In the late 19th century, and the early 20th century, an extensive network of streetcar routes served London.^[182][183]

London'spublic transitsystem is run by theLondon Transit Commission, which has 44 bus routes throughout the city.^[184]Although the city has lost ridership over the last few years, the commission is making concerted efforts to enhance services by implementing a five-year improvement plan. In 2015, an additional 17,000 hours of bus service was added throughout the city. In 2016, 11 new operators, 5 new buses, and another 17,000 hours of bus service were added to the network.^[185]London has started construction of abus rapid transitnetwork.^[186]Construction of this network was initially anticipated to begin in 2019,^[187]but after delays, changes to the design,^[188]construction started on the first BRT project, the Downtown Loop, in spring 2021 and will continue in phases until 2030.^[189]The project receivedC$170 million in funding from theOntario governmenton January 15, 2018.^[190]

London has 330 km (210 mi) of cycling paths throughout the city, 91 km (57 mi) of which have been added since 2005.^[191]In June 2016, London unveiled its first bike corrals, which replace parking for one vehicle with fourteenbicycle parkingspaces, and fix-it stations, which provide cyclists with simple tools and a bicycle pump, throughout the city.^[192]In September 2016, city council approved a new 15 year cycling master plan that will see the construction of an additional 470 km (290 mi) of cycling paths added to the existing network.^[191][193]

London is on theCanadian National Railwaymain line between Toronto andChicago(with a secondary main line toWindsor) and theCanadian Pacific Railwaymain line between Toronto and Detroit.^[194]Via Railoperates regional passenger service throughLondon stationas part of theQuebec City–Windsor Corridor, with connections to theUnited States.^[195]Via Rail's London terminal is the fourth-busiest passenger terminal in Canada.^[194]In October 2021GO Transitbegan a two-year pilot project providingcommuter railservice between London and Toronto along theKitchener line.^[196]The pilot project ended in October 2023.^[197][198]

London is also a destination for inter-citybustravellers. In 2009, London was the seventh-busiestGreyhound Canadaterminal in terms of passengers.^[199]Greyhound Canada no longer operates,^[200]but other operators have entered the market, includingMegabus^[201]andFlixBus^[202]that provide service throughoutsouthwestern Ontario.

London International Airport(YXU) is the 12th busiest passenger airport in Canada and the 11th busiest airport in Canada by take-offs and landings.^[194]It is served by airlines includingAir Canada Express, andWestJet, and provides direct flights to both domestic and international destinations, includingToronto,Orlando,Ottawa,Winnipeg,Calgary,Cancún,Vancouver,Varadero,Punta Cana,Montego Bay,Santa Clara, andHolguin.^[203]

Additional cycleways are planned for integration in road-widening projects, where there is need and sufficient space along routes. Anexpressway/freeway network is possible along the eastern and western ends of the city, fromHighway 401(andHighway 402for the western route) past Oxford Street, potentially with another highway, joining the two in the city's north end.^[177]

The city of London has assessed the entire length of the Veterans Memorial Parkway, identifying areas where interchanges can be constructed, grade separations can occur, and wherecul-de-sacscan be placed. Upon completion, the Veterans Memorial Parkway would no longer be an expressway, but a freeway, for the majority of its length.^[204]

London publicelementaryandsecondary schoolsare governed by fourschool boards– theThames Valley District School Board, theLondon District Catholic School Boardand the French first-language school boards (theConseil scolaire Viamondeand theConseil scolaire catholique Providenceor CSC).^[205]The CSC has a satellite office in London.^[206]

There are also more than twenty private schools in the city.^[205]

The city is home to twopost-secondaryinstitutions: theUniversity of Western Ontario(UWO) andFanshawe College, a college of applied arts and technology.^[205]UWO, founded in 1878, has about 3,500 full-time faculty and staff members and almost 30,000undergraduateandgraduatestudents.^[207]TheRichard Ivey School of Business, part of UWO, was formed in 1922.^[208]UWO has two affiliated colleges:Huron University College, founded in 1863 (also the founding college of UWO) andKing's University College, founded in 1954.^[209][210]As well as one former affiliated college;Brescia University College, founded in 1919 (Canada's only university-level women's college).^[211][212]All three areliberal arts collegeswith religious affiliations: Huron with theAnglican Church of Canadaand King's and Brescia with the Roman Catholic Church.^[213]

Fanshawe Collegehas an enrollment of approximately 15,000 students, including 3,500 apprentices and over 500 international students from more than 30 countries.^[214]It also has almost 40,000 students in part-timecontinuing educationcourses.^[214]

TheOntario Institute of Audio Recording Technology(OIART), founded in 1983, offers recording studio experience for audio engineering students.^[215]

Westervelt Collegeis also in London. This private career college was founded in 1885 and offers several diploma programs.^[216]

• CFB London
• List of people from London, Ontario
• List of royal visits to London, Ontario
• List of tallest buildings in London, Ontario
• Asteroid12310 Londontario, named for the city.

• Armstrong, Frederick H; Lutman, John (1986).The Forest City: An Illustrated History of London, Canada. Windsor Publications.ISBN978-0897811804.

• Official website