About Burlington

If you are considering a trip to Burlington, we have you covered. Here are some facts about our city!

Welcome to Burlington, Ontario

Geographical Features

Fun Fact: The City of Burlington is nestled between two amazing geographical features – the Niagara Escarpment and the shores of Lake Ontario – Burlington’s total land area is 187 sq. km (73 sq. miles or 46,300 acres).

While Burlington’s urban area is located mainly south of Highway 407, its agricultural, rural residential, several golf courses, and conservation areas are in the northern reaches. This makes us the perfect destination for cycling along the foothills of the escarpment, or along the waterfront, hiking the Bruce Trail, or enjoying watersports in the summer months.

Climate

Fun Fact: Burlington is located in southern Ontario, so we LOVE our seasons! Generally, temperatures are warmer and more humid during the summer and cooler and damp in the winter. Located on the west end of Lake Ontario, we experience beautiful spring and summer weather. Burlington also benefits from the sheltering effects of the Niagara Escarpment creating the most spectacular canopies of fall colours in October. Spring blossoms are something to behold, generally popping out from mid-April to early June.

Bollards and chains along promenade covered in ice

Community & Lifestyle

Burlington boasts natural settings with 1,436 acres of parkland and some of the best hiking in the world as we are home to the Bruce Trail and the Niagara Escarpment, a UNESCO-designated World Biosphere Reserve. The Waterfront Trail – part of the Niagara-on-the-Lake to Québec border trail – and Spencer Smith Park give you a front-row seat to panoramic views of Lake Ontario. The cream-coloured sandy beaches and tepid waters at Beachway Park are a hot ticket spot all summer long. Burlington excels in public art, culture, and active living.

Fun Fact: Through its Mundialization Committee, Burlington promotes itself as a “world community.” Mundialization, one of the oldest municipal peace activities, encourages citizen connections by fostering world peace and global understanding. Burlington is dedicated to the United Nations’ philosophy of peaceful cooperation among the world’s peoples. It encourages community understanding of different cultures and global issues while maintaining a “twin city” relationship with Itabashi, Japan, and Apeldoorn, The Netherlands. Many ongoing community-based projects and events strengthen these ties.

Police officers handing out flags at Canada Day

Twin/Sister Cities

In 1984, a Mundialization Committee of volunteer citizens was formed in Burlington to pursue twinning with another country. A by-law was passed in 1985 to declare Burlington a “World Community” dedicated to international cooperation (mundialization) and that the City of Burlington, as part of its Mundialization program, proceed to undertake a twinning program with a municipality in another country, and to fly the United Nations flag with the Canadian flag from City Hall at all times.

Crowd at Netherlands Friendship Day event to celebrate twinning with Apeldoorn

Itabashi, Japan

ln May of 1989 the City of Burlington signed a twinning agreement with the City of Itabashi, Japan. Since that time various exchanges and programs have been carried out between Itabashi and Burlington and relations between the cities have flourished on all levels. In return for the City of Burlington naming a road in Burlington “Itabashi Way”, the City of Itabashi donated the Itabashi Bridge to the city.

Apeldoorn, Netherlands

The City of Burlington signed an official twinning agreement on May 6, 2005, in Apeldoorn. The Apeldoorn Mayor presented the citizens of Burlington with “Louise”, a piece of landscape furniture artwork as a sign of Apeldoorn’s commitment to the twinning. The City of Burlington presented a piece of original artwork entitled Jacob’s Creek, by Burlington artists Marian Cole and Elizabeth Pudsey, as a sign of friendship and commitment to the twinning relationship. Jacob’s Creek is a magnificent quilt with five mixed-media paintings.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, U.S.A.

After years of Burlington Teen Tour Band’s participation in Can-Am Days events during March Break in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, a Sister City/friendship affiliation was signed in 1992. Activities between the cities have focused primarily on sport and culture and involved participation in the Burlington International Games, the Sound of Music Festival and the Teen Tour Band visits. Myrtle Beach has also supported a number of Burlington events including the Mayor’s Golf Tournament, the Burlington Teen Tour Band Booster Golf Tournament and A Taste of Burlington by arranging contests and prize packages.

Government & Economy

The City of Burlington is the largest of the four municipalities that comprise the Regional Municipality of Halton. There are 6 wards in Burlington served by a Mayor and 6 Ward Councillors – all sit on both the municipal council and Halton Region council. There are also federal and provincial government ridings in the Halton Region: Burlington, Oakville and Halton.

Burlington is located at the geographic centre of Canada’s largest consumer and industrial market and urban corridor – the “Golden Horseshoe.” The local economy is diverse and includes among its leading industrial sectors: food processing, packaging, electronics, motor vehicle and transportation, business services, chemical and pharmaceutical, and environmental.