Residents of Oshawa enjoy a wide variety of shopping, medical, educational, cultural and recreational facilities. The City’s proximity to Metropolitan Toronto means that the activities of Canada’s leading business and cultural centre are a short distance away. Thus, it is possible to enjoy the advantages of "big-city" living in Oshawa while avoiding the associated high costs and congestion. Oshawa’s location also provides convenient access to the surrounding country-side and the recreational opportunities afforded by Lake Ontario and the Kawartha and Haliburton tourist regions.