Burlington is the largest city in the regional municipality of Halton. This lakefront community resides at the heart of an urban and industrial territory known as the Golden Horseshoe. Toronto is only 56 kilometres to its east, Hamilton 19 kilometres to the west, so Burlington has emerged as a commuter city in recent years.

United Empire Loyalists were the early settlers of the area. In the early years of the nineteenth century James Gage of Stoney Creek bought a portion of land and started to lay out the future Wellington Square. In 1873, Wellington Square joined forces with Port Nelson and became the Village of Burlington. Gage built a wharf, a warehouse and a steam-powered flour mill, and as business prospered so too did the port. It became the largest grain and timber port in this part of Upper Canada. In the mid-19th century, Burlington was a major ship-building centre. But by the end of the century the best timber had disappeared and ships sought the better shelter of Hamilton harbour.

About 75 parks distinguish the city today, so you are never without a place in which to relax. Two of the most popular are La Salle Park, where walking trails wind along the hilly shoreline of the bay, and Spencer Smith Park on Lake Ontario where you can gaze at the ships passing by.