Aurora (2021 population: 62,057[2]) is a town in central York Region in the Greater Toronto Area, within the Golden Horseshoe of Southern Ontario, Canada.

It is located north of the City of Richmond Hill and is partially situated on the Oak Ridges Moraine.

[4] Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe gave the order for Yonge Street to be extended to Holland Landing in 1793, the first step toward the establishment of a community where Aurora now stands.

Records from 1885 describe Aurora as the "largest village in the county" an "enterprising and stirring business community" with several factories and mills, five churches, a school house with 210 students, and two weekly newspapers.

By the turn of the century, many industries moved out of Aurora and as a result, the town suffered a downturn and reverted to its agricultural roots.

Aurora was the childhood home of Lester B. Pearson, Prime Minister of Canada from 1963 to 1968, when his father, Rev.

[7]: 40 For most of the 20th century, development in Aurora centred primarily around its historic downtown core at Yonge and Wellington Streets, bounded on the east by Industrial Parkway.

Since then, Aurora has grown considerably, with new developments stretching the built boundary of the town to be contiguous with Newmarket in the north and Highway 404 in the east.

Aurora is noted for preserving its historical built form in the older parts of town and in 2008 was awarded The Prince of Wales Prize for Municipal Heritage Leadership.

[15] On April 8, 2010, the town reopened the historic and fully renovated Church Street School as the Aurora Cultural Centre.

A residential area around Bathurst Street and St. John Sideroad developed in the 1980s and alongside St. Andrew's College.

White Rose is found near Lebovic Golf Club on Leslie Street north of Bloomington Road and was formerly located within what is now Whitchurch-Stouffville.

[21] The 2021 Census reported that average household income in Aurora was $161,800 in 2020, making it one of Canada's most affluent towns.

The most common ethnic origins in Aurora were Chinese (16.7%), English (16.0%), Irish (12.9%), Scottish (12.3%), Italian (10.3%), Canadian (8.9%), German (5.3%), Iranian (5.2%), French n.o.s (4.3%), British Isles, n.o.s.

There is currently no hospital within Aurora's boundaries; the nearest is Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket.

Aurora residents have access to a wide range of other educational facilities including daycares and nurseries.

The majority of future growth will be split between currently undeveloped portions Aurora along Leslie Street and St John's sideroad, along with intensification within existing built-up areas.

The portion of the 2C Lands between Highway 404 and Leslie Street has been designated as a significant employment zone by the region and the town.

Residential growth is restricted to the west side of Leslie Street, which has seen several new developments of detached homes, townhouses, and condominium apartments in the late 2010s.

It is anticipated that 2,930 additional residents will live along the Yonge and Wellington Street corridors, close to new major transportation systems being implemented by Viva.

The Capital Project Budget for the Square is a total of $51.6 million and is being implemented as part of a long-term strategy to transform and revitalize Aurora's ailing downtown core.

Wellington Street is the town's major east-west road, with the Yonge-Wellington area having the busiest traffic volume in Aurora.

[29] There are also plans to link the Newmarket and Richmond Hill Yonge Street Rapidway segments through portions of Aurora, though funding has not yet been allocated for the proposal.

Radio stations from Toronto are typically available, as in the nearby towns of Newmarket, south into Richmond Hill and Bradford.

The auto parts giant Magna International, founded by Frank Stronach, is based in Aurora.

Hillary House is recognized by the National Historic Sites and Monuments Board as one of Canada's best examples of Gothic Revival architecture.

[34] Aurora FC is a semi-professional soccer team that plays in League1 Ontario in both the men's and women's divisions.