London and Area
London, Canada's tenth largest city, is clean, safe, and peaceful, with the atmosphere of a small town and the business savvy and amenities of a larger centre. London was recently ranked the third healthiest city in Canada by Chatelaine, a national magazine. twenty-five cities were compared on hospitals, doctors, sewage treatment, crime, air quality, parks, mortality rates and infant birth weights. In August 1996, The Globe and Mail Report on Business Magazine ranked London as one of Canada's ten best cities for business. London is just two hours from Detroit and Toronto, on the major highway linking Canada's industrial heartland to the American northeast. It is within eight hours drive of over 150 million people. Regular rail service connects it with both Canadian and American destinations, London 's International Airport offers over 72 scheduled flights a day.
In London, it is possible to "work global and live local." In addition to being a global player through a number of successful industry sectors, it sits in the heart of Canada's most active economy. London, a city of 340,000, is within a one hour drive of the U.S. border - within two hours drive of a population in excess of 5.6 million. Many national and international businesses and industries have chosen London as their Canadian home, it offers the lifestyle and business atmosphere that is desired by today's decision makers. Labatts Breweries, 3M Canada, General Motors Diesel, Kellogg Salada, Canada Trust, Trojan Technologies, Phillips Lighting, and Diamond Aircraft are just a few of the companies that have made the business case to invest significantly in their London operations. London has a strong tradition in the financial services sector. Among the major banks, trust companies, insurance companies and investment dealers located in the city are several home- grown successes.
London Life Insurance Company, a fixture in London for almost 125 years, is Canada's largest individual insurer and is currently expanding internationally. Canada Trust, formed in London in 1872, now has 3.5 million customers across Canada. Avco Financial Services Canada Limited, also headquartered in London, has a national network of more than 230 branches. From a business perspective, these companies benefit from a skilled labour force, a growing population base, internationally recognized research and development facilities, highly developed telecommunications infrastructure, low cost healthcare, a compatible tax rate on the backdrop of one of the most successful regions in the country. | 
