city, regional municipality of Durham county, southeastern Ontario, Canada. It lies on the north shore of Lake Ontario, just northeast of Toronto. Founded as Skea's Corners on the military Kingston Road in 1795, it was renamed Oshawa—an Indian word referring to a stream crossing—in 1842, when a post office was established there. The city, which is now a port of entry and a major manufacturing centre, is the home site of General Motors of Canada. There are also woolen mills, foundries, and plants that manufacture machine parts, fabricated metals, glass, plastics, pharmaceuticals, furniture, leather, and electrical appliances. Inc. village, 1850; town, 1879; city, 1924. Pop. (2006) 141,590.