Oakville, town in the Halton Regional Municipality, southern Ontario, Canada. A port on Lake Ontario at the mouth of Sixteen Mile Creek, Oakville is situated between the cities of Toronto and Hamilton. Major manufactures include motor vehicles, railroad equipment, refined petroleum, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. Aerospace and other high-tech industries are also in Oakville, and it is the location of more than 200 national and international corporate headquarters. Oakville is the site of the main campus of Sheridan College, the Oakville Museum, and the Glen Abbey Golf Course, which was designed by American golfer Jack Nicklaus and has been home to the annual Bell Canadian Open since 1977. The Oakville Waterfront Festival and the Oakville Jazz Festival take place each summer.
The community, once part of an area inhabited by the Mississauga First Nation, was founded in 1827 by businessman William Chisholm and grew as a shipbuilding and shipping center. Oakville incorporated in 1857. The town established itself as a major center for Ford Motor Company in Canada after World War II (1939-1945). The company played an important role in the town's economy. In 1962 Oakville was amalgamated with Trafalgar township, significantly increasing the area of the community.
