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The Town of Whitby, situated in Southern Ontario east of Ajax and west of Oshawa, is part of and home to the headquarters for Durham Region. 

The southern pockets of Whitby are known as a “predominantly urban and economic hub”, with the northern end encompassing the more rural bracket, home to communities such as Ashburn, Myrtle, Myrtle Station, Brooklin and Macedonian Village. 

Did you know? Whitby has two “sister cities” to its own on the global map - Feldrich in Austria and Longueuil in Canada. 

A 2019 piece by Macleans Canada ranked Whitby as one of Canada’s best places live, citing its weather, culture and community and amenities as some of its top features when compared to other Canadian communities. 

It’s not surprising so many individuals and families are choosing to join the fast-growing community of Whitby. The town’s not one, but two downtown areas are a unique feature but its the abundance of recreational offerings and events, excellent schooling options and thriving local business landscape that make Whitby an excellent candidate for your next home search. 

Whitby, by the numbers

• Population: as of the 2021 census, Whitby had a population of 138,501

• Location: located in Southern Ontario east of Ajax and west of Oshawa, along the north shore of Lake Ontario

• Size: 146.53 km2

An abundance of recreation and outdoor activities in Whitby

In Whitby, recreational options and outdoor activities are abundant for residents. 

Catering to all its residents, from kids to senior adults, Whitby’s extensive list of recreational programs gives locals a wide variety of options.  

If you’re looking to take the family - or even just your furry best friend - out and about along some of the lush, sprawling local greenspaces - why not check out one of Whitby’s 100 parkgrounds? Enjoy sports fields, tennis courts, skateboard parks, trails, splash pads, beaches, picnic areas, off-leash dog parks and more!

When it comes to get active in the great outdoors, Whitby has you covered via its many local offerings:

• Parks 
• Trails
• Beaches
• Community Gardens
• Cycling
• Off-Leash Dog Parks
• Picnic Areas and Gazebos
• Skateboard Parks
• Splash Pads
• Sports Fields
• Tennis Courts

Not surprisingly in a town where so much care and time is spent in the outdoors, there are also several local environmental initiatives, aiming to address and improve local environment and sustainability, planting, recycling, climate change, water quality and more. 

You can also find information on local sports programs and registration information as it becomes available each season here. 

Image Credit: Whitby Athletic Centre

And for those who are looking to merge their love of the outdoors with the town’s arts and culture scene, there are historical walking tours available - as well as galleries, museums and local theatres.

Some exciting ongoing news in the sports and recreation scene in Whitby is the development of the town’s new mega sports complex, to be located on the west side of Baldwin Street South, south of the intersection of Highway 407. Per the official plans, the complex is being constructed with environmental concerns in mind: 

“The Whitby Sports Complex will target both Canada Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED Gold and Zero Carbon Building (ZCB) Certifications. To achieve net-zero operational carbon, the design will eliminate fossil fuel use for heating, use renewable energy and reduce the use of high global warming potential refrigerants.”

You can find more information on this project via their official page and FAQ’s board. 

Excellent schooling options in Whitby 

The Durham District School Board is responsible for overseeing schooling in the public sectors in Whitby, and you can find a full listing of these local schools here. 

The Durham Catholic District School Board oversees public Catholic education in Durham Region, with twelve Catholic elementary schools and two secondary schools. 

French language education is offered via the Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir. 

Whitby is also home to the Skills Training Centre of Durham College. The main campus of the college is located in Oshawa, as well as Ontario Tech University. 

Canada Christian College is also based in Whitby.

For local private school options, parents can find a comprehensive listing via OurKids.net.

A few of these top-rated private schools include:

• Hatch House Montessori School - NS to grade 8 co-ed, a fully-bilingual elementary program is also available here

• Trafalgar Castle School - grades 4 - 12, girls’ boarding school

• École Montessori - NS to grade 6 co-ed, bilingual French schooling

• Crawford Adventist Academy - JK to grade 12 co-ed, graduates here have a 98% acceptance rate to their first-choice universities 

For parents curious about private school options, there is an annual Private School Expo event held in September and October. You can find more information about this event, including ticket details here. 

A thriving local business community in Whitby 

A community steadily growing, improving and expanding, Whitby is committed to supporting its local businesses. 

Encouraging its local residents to Start and Grow Your Business, this initiative is all about providing residents with the tools and resources they need to achieve their business goals in Whitby. This is achieved through the various strands of support available, as well as local partners like Whitby Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Whitby Business Improvement Area (BIA) and Invest Durham.

There are several resources of employment, building and business support available to residents in Whitby, including: 

• Building and renovating - the town offers building permits in a variety of designations to allow for ease in meeting regulations when undergoing building and renovations
• Economic development - Why Whitby is the local business centre to help offer resources and support for business owners, and there are also the downtown revitalization initiatives and local listings for available land 

• Planning and development - here you’ll find everything you need to learn about Whitby’s planning and development process, including how to submit applications, details on local plans and zoning by-laws and more

• Advertising and sponsorship opportunities - check out the many advertising and sponsorship opportunities available locally

Check out Whitby’s local job postings today for current employment opportunities. 

Conclusion

In a town where community involvement and local support is available at every level, it’s no wonder that Whitby is on a steady growth track, while consistently garnering attention from neighbouring regions and those looking for their next community to call home. 

Curious to know more about the thriving community of Whitby? 

CONTACT US today for more information on this and the many other communities Royal LePage Connect Realty serves. 

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