Best Web Design in London, ON (2026)

Web Design for London, Ontario

London sits on the Forks of the Thames River in southwestern Ontario, a mid-sized city named after London, England, by John Graves Simcoe in 1793. Long called the Forest City for its dense tree canopy, it is a regional hub for healthcare, education and manufacturing, home to Western University and one of Canada's largest teaching hospitals. It carries an outsized cultural footprint, from bandleader Guy Lombardo to actors Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, and became Canada's first UNESCO City of Music.

AppWT works with London, ON businesses from Livonia, Michigan, mostly online and travelling as needed.

About London

Also known as. The Forest City. The Insurance Capital of Canada (19th-century financial-sector nickname). UNESCO City of Music (designated 2021, Canada's first).

History. Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe selected the site at the Forks of the Thames in 1793 and named it London after the English capital, intending it as a colonial capital The village was founded in 1826 and incorporated as a city in 1855 A major fire in 1845 destroyed roughly 150 buildings The 1881 Victoria Day Thames River disaster, when the overloaded pleasure steamer Victoria capsized, killed roughly 180-200 people A devastating 1937 flood of the Thames destroyed over 1,000 houses The city dramatically expanded through annexations, notably in 1961 and again in 1993 (Westminster Township), reshaping its size

Local economy. Healthcare and education anchor the economy; London Health Sciences Centre is the city's largest employer with over 10,000 staff and is one of Canada's largest teaching hospitals Western University (University of Western Ontario) and Fanshawe College are major economic and research drivers, with strong life-sciences and biotech output Manufacturing remains significant; General Dynamics Land Systems Canada builds armored vehicles in London and employs thousands Deep brewing heritage: Labatt was founded in London in 1847 and Carling traces its roots here (1840) Historic identity as the "Insurance Capital of Canada," with a strong 19th- and 20th-century financial and insurance sector Modern finance and fintech presence includes Libro Credit Union and VersaBank

Culture and community. The London Knights (OHL) are among Canadian junior hockey's premier franchises, winning the Memorial Cup in 2005, 2016 and 2025 and playing at Budweiser Gardens London Ribfest is billed as one of the largest barbecue festivals in North America SunFest is one of Canada's largest world-music and multicultural festivals The Western Fair is a major long-running annual fair and exhibition Rich music legacy: bandleader Guy Lombardo was born here, the experimental Nihilist Spasm Band formed downtown in 1965, and London hosted the Juno Awards in 2019 Named Canada's first UNESCO City of Music in 2021

What makes London distinct. Actors Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, plus director Paul Haggis and actors Hume Cronyn and Victor Garber, all have London roots Frederick Banting was living in London when he had the idea that led to insulin; the Flame of Hope at Banting House is meant to burn until a cure for diabetes is found The Forest City name comes from London emerging out of dense woodland, and the city maintains millions of trees London, England's namesake even shares the Thames River name for its own river

London Landmarks and Local Life

• Covent Garden Market - a historic downtown public market
• Budweiser Gardens - the main downtown arena and concert venue
• Victoria Park - a central green space that draws around a million visitors a year and hosts many festivals
• Eldon House - built in 1834, London's oldest surviving residence, now a museum
• Banting House National Historic Site - where Frederick Banting conceived the idea leading to the discovery of insulin, home to the Flame of Hope
• Storybook Gardens - a family theme park in Springbank Park; and Museum London at the Forks of the Thames