In this Neighbourhood Guide, you'll find out more about the people who live here as well as the schools, parks and recreation facilities, homes, and more.
A charming neighbourhood with a mix of older and newer homes, surrounded by parks and natural areas.
Mostly detached homes, with a mix of semi-detached homes and townhouses.
A diverse community with families, professionals, and retirees, offering a welcoming and friendly atmosphere.
Great schools, parks, and recreational facilities, along with access to Lake Ontario.
West Shore has a consistent population, and is popular with families with teens, people in their 40s, people in their 50s, and people in their 60s. The West Shore neighbourhood is in southwest, bordering Lake Ontario. Petticoat Creek forms its western boundary, Frenchman's Bay its eastern boundary, and Highway 401 is at the north. An older neighbourhood in Pickering, West Shore was initially developed between 1900 and 1940, followed by more development beginning in the 1960’s. Housing consists of a mix of detached and semi-detached homes, and townhouses. A more recent infill project has added some larger homes. West Shore is also home to an industrial business park in the northwest region. There are a number of parks as well as natural areas along the creek and bay, a lakeshore path and promenade, and a yacht club and canoe club.
People & Families in West Shore
Families with kids make up 46% of households in West Shore, while couples without children make up 27% of households and 21% of households are one person living alone. People in West Shore come from 84 different ethnic origins, and 25% are first-generation immigrants, while 30% are second-generation immigrants.
Neighbourhood Households
2,285
Neighbourhood Population
5,914
Household Size
- 1 person - 20%
- 2 persons - 35%
- 3 persons - 19%
- 4 persons - 15%
- 5 or more persons - 8%
Household Types
- One-person households - 21%
- Non-family households - 3%
- Families with children - 45%
- Couples without children - 27%
- Multiple families in household - 2%
Children Per Family
- 1 child - 33%
- 2 children - 23%
- 3 or more children - 8%
Broad Age Ranges
- 0 to 14 years - 13%
- 15 to 64 years - 67%
- 65 years and over - 18%
Most Common Ethnic Origins
- Canadian - 28%
- English - 26%
- Irish - 23%
- Scottish - 22%
- German - 9%
Age of Primary Household Maintainer
- 15 to 24 years - 0%
- 25 to 34 years - 9%
- 35 to 44 years - 15%
- 45 to 54 years - 22%
- 55 to 64 years - 23%
- 65 to 74 years - 17%
- 75 to 84 years - 9%
- 85 years and over - 2%
Specific Age Groups
- 0 to 4 years - 3%
- 5 to 9 years - 4%
- 10 to 14 years - 5%
- 15 to 19 years - 6%
- 20 to 29 years - 11%
- 30 to 39 years - 9%
- 40 to 49 years - 13%
- 50 to 59 years - 17%
- 60 to 69 years - 12%
- over 70 years - 11%
West Shore Schools
This neighbourhood has great elementary schools, great secondary schools, elementary special programs, and secondary special programs. There are 6 public schools and 4 Catholic schools serving West Shore. The special programs offered at local schools include Fine Arts, Advanced Placement, French Immersion, and International Baccalaureate.
Public Schools
6
Catholic Schools
4
Having Fun in West Shore
Fun is easy to find at the many parks & rec facilities here. Parks in this neighbourhood feature playgrounds for kids, sports parks, and water access. There are 8 parks in this neighbourhood, with 33 recreational facilities in total. The average number of facilities per park is 4.
Number of Parks
8
Number of Recreation Facilities
33
Recreation Facilities in Neighbourhood Parks
- Playgrounds - 5
- Tennis Courts - 4
- Basketball Courts - 4
- Ball Diamonds - 5
- Sports Fields - 3
- Community Centre - 1
- Beach - 1
- Sports Courts - 2
- Boating Facility - 1
- Fishing Location - 1
- Trails - 6
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Getting Around in West Shore
There are 50 transit stops in West Shore. Rail stations include Pickering GO. In West Shore, there are mostly vehicle commuters and most commute to another city.
Commute Destination for Residents
- Commute within the city - 21%
- Commute to another city - 79%
Commute Types
- Vehicle - 80%
- Transit - 18%
- Walk/bike - 0%
Commute Times of Residents
- 15 to 29 minutes - 27%
- 30 to 44 minutes - 21%
- 45 to 59 minutes - 13%
- 60 minutes and over - 20%
- Less than 15 minutes - 17%
Work and Education in West Shore
In this neighbourhood, 28% of adult residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher and 64% have any postsecondary education. The health care and social assistance industry is the most common for residents.
Household Income
- Under $30,000 - 7%
- $30,000 to $39,999 - 5%
- $40,000 to $49,999 - 4%
- $50,000 to $59,999 - 7%
- $60,000 to $69,999 - 7%
- $70,000 to $79,999 - 6%
- $80,000 to $89,999 - 6%
- $90,000 to $99,999 - 5%
- $100,000 to $124,999 - 14%
- $125,000 to $149,999 - 10%
- $150,000 to $199,999 - 13%
- $200,000 and over - 7%
Most Common Occupations (Top 3)
- Sales and service occupations - 20%
- Business, finance and administration occupations - 19%
- Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations - 16%
Most Common Industries (Top 3)
- Health care and social assistance - 10%
- Construction - 10%
- Retail trade - 9%
Employment
- Employed - 59% of people over age 15 are employed
- Unemployed - 6% are unemployed
- Not in the labour force - 33% are retired, students, homemakers, etc.
West Shore Homes
In West Shore, there are mostly detached homes. West Shore has a consistent population, with 26% of households having moved within the past 5 years and 10% having moved within the past year. It has mostly older homes and is mostly owner-occupied.
Home Types
- Single-detached house - 66%
- Semi-detached house - 8%
- Duplex - 8%
- Row house - 14%
- Low-rise apartment/condo - 5%
- High-rise apartment/condo - 0%
Condominium Status
- Condominium - 13%
- Not condominium - 86%
Number of Bedrooms in Homes
- 1 bedroom - 3%
- 2 bedrooms - 8%
- 3 bedrooms - 45%
- No bedrooms - 0%
- 4 or more bedrooms - 43%
Period of Home Construction
- 1961 to 1980 - 70%
- 1981 to 1990 - 8%
- 1991 to 2000 - 5%
- 2001 to 2005 - 0%
- 2006 to 2010 - 0%
- 2011 to 2016 - 2%
- 1960 or before - 12%
Renters & Owners
- Owner - 91%
- Renter - 8%