Oshawa is increasingly becoming a city where residents are choosing to stay, rather than leave, for cultural and social experiences elsewhere in the Greater Toronto Area.
That shift is subtle but significant. For years, many residents travelled to Toronto for dining, nightlife and cultural activity. Today, however, immigrant-owned food businesses in Oshawa are helping reshape where people gather, socialize and spend their leisure time.
The change reflects broader demographic trends. According to the 2021 Census, the Oshawa census metropolitan area grew by 9.3 per cent between 2016 and 2021, while 22.3 per cent of residents, more than 91,800 people, were born outside Canada. India, the Philippines and Nigeria are among the leading countries of origin for recent immigrants. Across Durham Region, the population surpassed 753,000 in 2023, with immigration accounting for more than 38 per cent of population growth in recent years.
As the city becomes more diverse, demand is rising not only for housing and employment, but also for local cultural and social spaces. In response, immigrant entrepreneurs are increasingly shaping Oshawa’s hospitality landscape in ways that extend beyond food service.
One example is Afro Roots and Grills, founded by Olajide Oni and Abimbola Adegbite. The restaurant has developed into a cultural anchor and destination where authentic African street cuisine is served in an environment that brings together families, students and professionals from across the city.
Oni says the goal was always broader than operating a restaurant.
“Food is one of the easiest ways to bring people together. We wanted to build a space where families from every background feel welcome and can enjoy themselves without leaving the city.”
He adds that Oshawa’s demographic changes are creating new opportunities for community-focused businesses.
“We are seeing more diversity and more opportunity. The goal is to help build a city where culture is part of everyday life.”
If Afro Roots represents Oshawa’s emerging cultural identity, Sekodu, founded by Mrs. Ajayi, represents its foundation. For more than 15 years, it has preserved African culinary heritage long before multicultural dining became widely visible in the Durham Region. Sekodu continues to serve as a cultural bridge through food, tradition and hospitality.
“Our menu celebrates the rich culinary heritage of Africa with traditional flavours, vibrant spices and diverse dishes,” Mrs. Ajayi said. “Every meal is a journey to the heart of Africa.
The city’s evolving identity is also reflected in Reetaj Authentic Syrian Cuisine, which brings Middle Eastern culinary traditions rooted in the Fertile Crescent to Oshawa. Through slow-cooked dishes and generational recipes, Reetaj expands the city’s cultural landscape while offering residents a direct connection to Syrian heritage expressed through food and storytelling.
As the restaurant describes it, “From the fragrant streets of Damascus to the bustling souks of Cairo, these recipes tell stories of history, love and community.”
While these restaurants shape Oshawa’s cultural identity, TJ’s Grill is redefining its lifestyle economy. Once, many residents routinely travelled to Toronto for nightlife and entertainment. Today, businesses like TJ’s Grill are helping keep that energy local, strengthening Oshawa’s evening economy and encouraging residents to spend more of their social life within the city.
Founder Olatunji Alao explains the shift:
“If we can recreate those experiences here in Oshawa, then we are not just running a business; we are helping the local economy keep its spending power within the city.”
In many ways, these businesses are becoming Durham Region’s “third places”, spaces beyond home and work where communities meet, relationships are formed and local identity takes shape. They are helping transform restaurants from places of transaction into places of connection.
That shift is already visible in how residents describe their daily lives.
“When I first moved here, most social life meant going to Toronto,” said Oshawa resident Sukanmi. “Now there are more options locally. It shows the city is becoming more diverse and more self-sufficient.”
Another resident, Sarah Williams, added: “You see families, students and professionals from different backgrounds sharing the same spaces. It feels more connected than before.”
Their success reflects something much larger than commercial achievement. It signals a city whose identity is being shaped by the diversity, creativity and ambitions of the people choosing to build their futures there.
The transformation taking place across Oshawa suggests immigrant entrepreneurship is no longer simply an economic story; it is becoming a defining part of the city's identity.
Immigrant entrepreneurs are responding to a changing city by building the social infrastructure it needs: places where culture is experienced, relationships are formed and community identity is strengthened. Their success reflects something much larger than commercial achievement. It signals a city whose identity is being shaped by the diversity, creativity and ambitions of the people choosing to build their futures there.
The future of Oshawa will not be defined only by the homes it builds, the roads it expands or the businesses it attracts. It will also be shaped by whether it creates an environment where entrepreneurs from every background can build thriving businesses that strengthen the city's social and cultural fabric.
That raises an important question for policymakers, business leaders and residents alike: If immigrant entrepreneurs are building Oshawa's new gathering places, how should the city support them as part of its economic development strategy?
And if today's immigrant-owned restaurants are becoming tomorrow's community hubs, what other parts of Oshawa's economy will be transformed next? Retail? Arts and culture? Tourism? Professional services? Creative industries?
The answers may help define not only how Oshawa grows, but how it competes with larger cities for talent, investment and innovation. More importantly, they will shape whether Oshawa becomes known not simply as a growing city, but as one where diversity fuels prosperity, entrepreneurship strengthens community, and people choose not only to live but to belong.
Answering
those questions may require city leaders, business organizations and community
groups to think differently about immigrant-owned businesses—not only as
contributors to economic growth, but as partners in placemaking, tourism,
cultural development and community building.
By
Tunde Mogaji
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