Golden Horseshoe

area, Ontario, Canada

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Last updated

July 17, 2026

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The Golden Horseshoe is a metropolitan region in Southern Ontario, Canada, that encircles the western end of Lake Ontario. It stretches from Oshawa in the east to St. Catharines in the west. This area includes Toronto, Canada's largest city, and the industrial port city of Hamilton. The region is characterized by significant urban growth and suburban sprawl, which has impacted surrounding farmland. It is a major hub for transportation, with extensive road, rail, and air networks, including GO Transit, a comprehensive mass transit system serving commuters.12

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Ontario
Settlement patterns
…complex known as the “Golden Horseshoe” sprawls along the Lake Ontario shore from Oshawa to St. Catharines and includes greater Toronto and the port and industrial city of Hamilton. Toronto is Canada’s largest city. Its hinterland embraces not only much of the province but also a good part of…
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…complex known as the “Golden Horseshoe” sprawls along the Lake Ontario shore from Oshawa to St. Catharines and includes greater Toronto and the port and industrial city of Hamilton. Toronto is Canada’s largest city. Its hinterland embraces not only much of the province but also a good part of…
Read More