Simcoe County | |
|---|---|
| County of Simcoe | |
    .jpg)  Clockwise from top left:Wasaga Beach,Collingwood Town Hall, straw bales nearAlliston, TheMartyrs' Shrine,Minesing Wetlands,Oro African Church | |
 Emblem | |
 Map showing Simcoe County's location in Ontario | |
| Coordinates:44°35′N79°44′W / 44.583°N 79.733°W /44.583; -79.733 | |
| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  Ontario |
| Established | 1843 (as Simcoe District) |
| County seat | Midhurst |
| Subdivisions | List
|
| Government | |
| • Type | Upper Tier municipality |
| • Council | Simcoe County Council |
| Area | |
| • Land | 4,691.39 km2 (1,811.36 sq mi) |
| • Census div. | 4,818.93 km2 (1,860.60 sq mi) |
| Land area excludes Barrie and Orillia | |
| Population | |
• Total | 351,929 |
| • Density | 75/km2 (190/sq mi) |
| • Census div. | 533,169 |
| • Census div. density | 110.6/km2 (286/sq mi) |
| Total excludes Barrie and Orillia | |
| Demonym | Simcoe Countian |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Area codes | 705, 249, and 683 |
| Website | www |
Simcoe County is acounty andcensus division located in thecentral region ofOntario,Canada. The county is located north of theGreater Toronto Area, and forms the northwestern edge of theGolden Horseshoe. Thecounty seat is located inMidhurst. The cities ofBarrie andOrillia are geographically within Simcoe County, but are bothpolitically independent single-tier municipalities.
Simcoe County stretches from the shores ofLake Simcoe in the east toGeorgian Bay in the west. The land area of the county is 4,818.93 square kilometres (1,860.60 sq mi). TheNiagara Escarpment runs through sections of the western part of the county, and theMinesing Wetlands, aRamsar Convention "Wetland of International Importance", is located in the centre of the county.
Simcoe County is informally split into two subregions, "South Simcoe" and "North Simcoe". The dividing line between these two areas is Simcoe County Road 90 (Mill St.).
South Simcoe municipalities are situated at the northern boundary of theGreater Toronto Area (GTA) and therefore generally have a closer socio-economic association with the GTA. South Simcoe is also within the Toronto commuter belt, as it is home to a relatively high proportion of people commuting to the GTA. South Simcoe is home to five municipalities, including: the Town ofInnisfil, the Township ofAdjala-Tosorontio, the Town ofBradford West Gwillimbury, the Township ofEssa and the Town ofNew Tecumseth (which includes:Alliston,Beeton andTottenham).
North Simcoe is less connected to the GTA due to its more remote geographic location, is generally less industrial than South Simcoe, and generally has a closer socio-economic association with theMuskoka area, located immediately north. However, North Simcoe hosts twoGO Transit train stations that provide daily commuter rail service toToronto. North Simcoe includes the Township ofClearview, the Township ofOro-Medonte, the Township ofRamara, the Township ofSevern, the Township ofSpringwater, the Township ofTay and the Township ofTiny, the Town ofCollingwood, the Town ofMidland, the Town ofPenetanguishene and the Town ofWasaga Beach. The cities ofBarrie andOrillia are geographically within North Simcoe, but both arepolitically independent single-tier municipalities.
Simcoe County, in particular the formerWendake area nearNottawasaga Bay, was the site of the earliest French exploration and settlement ofOntario; they were the first Europeans in the area. Several historic sites, includingCarhagouha andSainte-Marie among the Hurons, mark the earliest known contacts between the area's traditionalHuron population and Frenchmissionaries. The Huron capital,Ossossané, was at one time the largest aboriginal settlement in all ofNorth America outsideMexico.[citation needed]
The County, named byLieutenant Governor of Upper CanadaJohn Graves Simcoe in honour of his father Captain John Simcoe,[citation needed] was established as part of theHome District in 1798 by theLegislative Assembly of Upper Canada.[2] Its initial territory was described as follows:
...Matchedash, Gloucester, orPenetanguishene, together withPrince William Henry's Island,[3] and all the land lying between theMidland District and a line produced due north from a certain fixed boundary (at the distance of about fifty miles north-west from the outlet ofBurlington Bay) till it intersects the northern limits of the Province...
At its beginning, the County existed only for military enlistment.[4] In 1823, it became a separateconstituency for elections to theLegislative Assembly of Upper Canada,[4] but, as eligibility to vote was dependent upon having title to property, and Simcoe's first registrar of deeds was not appointed until 1826,[4] it did not send a separate member to the Assembly until the election ofJohn Cawthra in 1828.[4] It was withdrawn from the Home District in 1837,[5] with its territory divided as follows:
| District | County | Townships |
|---|---|---|
| Simcoe | Simcoe |
|
| Wellington | Waterloo |
|
| Home | Fourth Riding ofYork |
|
_-_Geographicus_-_WestCanada-tallis-1850.jpg)
Between 1837 and 1841, several acts were passed by the Legislature of Upper Canada that set apart the Simcoe District. These acts named the townships that the County would encompass and authorized the levying of taxes for the purpose of constructing a jail and courthouse. On January 11, 1843, the jail and courthouse having been duly erected, the Governor General proclaimed the County of Simcoe to be a separate and distinct District. The province of Canada also appointedJames R. Gowan as the first judge of the District of Simcoe.[6]
The District was restructured in 1845,[7] changing its composition to the following 24 townships:
Effective January 1, 1850, the Simcoe District was abolished, and Simcoe County was organized for municipal purposes.[8]
Between 1845 and 1851, there had been a campaign to have the part of West Gwillimbury south of theHolland River annexed toYork County. The County Council finally agreed to this action in 1851, subject to arbitration as to the division of liabilities.[9] It was implemented by an Act of theParliament of the Province of Canada later that year.[10]
On January 1, 1852, after transferring its five western townships toGrey County, the County was defined as including the following townships:[11]
Together with theunorganized territory bounded to the north by theFrench River, to the south by theSevern River and Rama Township, to the west byLake Huron and to the east by the former boundary between theHome District and theNewcastle District as extended to the French River.
The unorganized territory, some of which had been surveyed into townships, together with parts ofVictoria County andNipissing District, was withdrawn in 1868–1869 to form the newDistrict of Muskoka andDistrict of Parry Sound.[13] However, any municipalities established in them still formed part of the original counties for municipal purposes,[14] and they were still responsible for the administration of justice, which proved to be problematic.[15] The portions of the districts that were not part of Simcoe County were transferred to it in 1877.[16] This lasted until 1888, when the territory contained within the districts was separated from Simcoe County.[17]
Mono and Mulmur Townships were withdrawn from Simcoe County in 1881 and transferred to the newly formedDufferin County.[18]
Mara and Rama Townships were transferred to Simcoe County following the dissolution ofOntario County in 1974.
In 1994, the County was restructured into 16 local municipalities:[19]
The cities ofBarrie andOrillia are separated from the County, as are threeIndian reserves:
As acensus division in the2021 Census of Population conducted byStatistics Canada, Simcoe County had a population of533,169 living in202,824 of its225,087 total private dwellings, a change of11.2% from its 2016 population of479,635. With a land area of 4,818.93 km2 (1,860.60 sq mi), it had a population density of110.6/km2 (286.6/sq mi) in 2021.[1]
| 2021 | 2016 | 2011 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 533,169 (+11.2% from 2016) | 479,650 (+7.5% from 2011) | 446,063 (+5.7% from 2006) |
| Land area | 4,818.93 km2 (1,860.60 sq mi) | 4,859.64 km2 (1,876.32 sq mi) | 4,859.16 km2 (1,876.13 sq mi) |
| Population density | 110.6/km2 (286/sq mi) | 98.7/km2 (256/sq mi) | 91.8/km2 (238/sq mi) |
| Median age | 43.2 (M: 41.6, F: 44.4) | 43.1 (M: 41.9, F: 44.3) | |
| Private dwellings | 225,087 (total) 202,824 (occupied) | 206,549 (total) 183,536 (occupied) | 195,388 (total) |
| Median household income | $93,000 | $76,489 |
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| Population counts are not adjusted for boundary changes. Source: Statistics Canada[1][23] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Panethnic group | 2021[1] | 2016[24] | 2011[25] | 2006[26] | 2001[27] | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |||||
| European[a] | 435,295 | 82.9% | 415,205 | 88.13% | 400,355 | 91.35% | 387,295 | 92.88% | 351,440 | 94.39% | ||||
| Indigenous | 24,545 | 4.67% | 21,960 | 4.66% | 17,540 | 4% | 13,035 | 3.13% | 9,520 | 2.56% | ||||
| South Asian | 16,270 | 3.1% | 7,245 | 1.54% | 3,625 | 0.83% | 3,290 | 0.79% | 1,835 | 0.49% | ||||
| African | 12,725 | 2.42% | 7,150 | 1.52% | 4,465 | 1.02% | 3,660 | 0.88% | 2,850 | 0.77% | ||||
| Southeast Asian[b] | 8,895 | 1.69% | 5,375 | 1.14% | 3,270 | 0.75% | 2,615 | 0.63% | 1,800 | 0.48% | ||||
| East Asian[c] | 7,930 | 1.51% | 5,635 | 1.2% | 4,070 | 0.93% | 3,190 | 0.76% | 2,710 | 0.73% | ||||
| Latin American | 7,820 | 1.49% | 3,990 | 0.85% | 2,135 | 0.49% | 1,755 | 0.42% | 915 | 0.25% | ||||
| Middle Eastern[d] | 6,485 | 1.24% | 2,035 | 0.43% | 780 | 0.18% | 915 | 0.22% | 470 | 0.13% | ||||
| Other[e] | 5,110 | 0.97% | 2,540 | 0.54% | 2,050 | 0.47% | 1,235 | 0.3% | 790 | 0.21% | ||||
| Total responses | 525,080 | 98.48% | 471,130 | 98.22% | 438,285 | 98.26% | 417,000 | 98.77% | 372,330 | 98.75% | ||||
| Total population | 533,169 | 100% | 479,650 | 100% | 446,063 | 100% | 422,204 | 100% | 377,050 | 100% | ||||
| Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses | ||||||||||||||
The Corporation of the County of Simcoe comprises 16 local municipalities. As an "upper tier" municipality, the County of Simcoe is responsible for municipal services which include social housing, land ambulance and emergency planning, environmental services (solid waste management), aCounty road system, Ontario Works, children's services, homes for the aged, a library co-operative, museum, archives, County forest management, tourism, a Geographic Information System (computer mapping) and land use policy planning.
The local, or "lower tier" municipalities are responsible for water and sewer services, local roads, public libraries, recreation services, fire and police services, land use development control, and licensing and permitting services.
The cities ofBarrie andOrillia, although separate politically and administratively from the County, are geographically and economically part of the County and send elected representatives to serve on County committees which provide services to the residents of the cities, including paramedic services, long term care facilities, social services, social housing, archives and Museum. They are counted within the census division.
The County Council is composed of the mayors and deputy mayors of each of the sixteen towns and townships that comprise the County of Simcoe. The head of the County Council is called the Warden and is elected for a one-year term by the council members at the Inaugural Meeting, held each December.
Though once a consideration according to theWasaga Sun,[28] Simcoe County has elected not to restructure itself as aregional municipality.[29]
Simcoe County encompasses all or part of the federal electoral districts ofBarrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte,Barrie—Innisfil,York—Simcoe,Simcoe—Grey andSimcoe North.
The current Members of Parliament representing Simcoe County are:
Simcoe County encompasses all or part of the provincial electoral districts ofBarrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte,Barrie—Innisfil,York—Simcoe,Simcoe—Grey andSimcoe North.
The current Members of Provincial Parliament representing Simcoe County are:
Fivepolice services provide law enforcement and local policing in Simcoe County:[30]
The Midland Police Service, which served the Town ofMidland, was disbanded in February 2018. The OPP assumed policing responsibilities in Midland afterwards.[32][33]
Canadian Forces Military Police provides policing and security forCFB Borden (25 km southwest of Barrie).
The local public agency for the county, the cities ofBarrie andOrillia, and the neighbouringDistrict Municipality of Muskoka is the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit. It is responsible for delivering public health programs and services, enforcing public health regulations, and advising local officials and local governments on health issues.
Simcoe County has five hospitals:
Southern parts of the County are also served by theSouthlake Regional Health Centre inNewmarket, Ontario (York Region).
The County operatesambulance and paramedic services (EMS) for the county and the independent cities ofBarrie andOrillia. TheBeausoleil First Nation (Christian Island) and theChippewas of Rama First Nation (Rama) operate their own EMS services for their territories.
The economy of Simcoe County is diverse and includes a full range of businesses from agricultural, industrial, and high-tech sectors.
Honda of Canada Manufacturing has been established in Simcoe County since 1986 and is one of the county's largest single employers. In addition to the automotive industry, other industries include plastics, glass manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and aggregate resources. The county is also home to other institutions, includingCasino Rama,Georgian College,Canadian Forces Base Borden, a campus ofLakehead University, and theOntario Provincial Police Headquarters.
Agri-business is a diverse, multi-faceted industry, and farmland in the region is among the best in all of Canada, including a section of theHolland Marsh in Bradford.
Tourism is a vital industry in Simcoe County, providing a diversity of jobs and economic impact in a variety of sectors, including accommodation, restaurants, destinations, events, and retail. Simcoe County plays host to over eight million visitors annually, which contributes more than 570 million dollars in spending to its economy.
The road network in Simcoe County is based on a grid pattern, with most roads running north–south or east–west. The topography of the land has permitted roads to be set in predominantly straight lines.
Simcoe County is traversed by many Provincial Highways;Ontario Highway 400 being the most significant. Other provincial highways in Simcoe County include:Highway 11,Highway 12,Highway 26,Highway 89 andHighway 93.
Simcoe County also maintains an extensive series of County Roads, seeList of numbered roads in Simcoe County.
GO Transit operates daily commuter rail services to and from downtownToronto along itsBarrie line with three stops in Simcoe County: one stop inBradford West Gwillimbury (Bradford) and two stops inBarrie (Barrie South andAllandale Waterfront).
Via Rail'sCanadian Toronto-Vancouver transcontinental passenger train makesrequest stops at theWashago railway station inSevern.
There are three main rail freight operators in Simcoe County:Canadian National Railway (CN),Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), andBarrie Collingwood Railway.
Lake Simcoe Regional Airport is a registered airport located almost midway between Barrie and Orillia, in the township of Oro-Medonte. The airport is owned jointly by the City of Barrie (10%), and the County (90%). The airport is equipped to accommodate propeller and jet aircraft, and is classified as an airport of entry byNav Canada and is staffed by theCanada Border Services Agency. The County is also served by theOrillia Ramara Regional Airport inRamara, 12 km northeast of Orillia. The closest major airport, however, isToronto Pearson International Airport.
The County has operated an intercommunity regional bus service,LINX, since 2018. It also operates a subsidiaryparatransit service called LINX+. The LINX system connects population centres in the area, such as Barrie, Orillia, Midland, Penetanguishene, Wasaga Beach, and Collingwood, and acts as an intermediate transit layer between local community bus services and higher-order regional transit, such asGO Transit andOntario Northland. Planned future routes would connect Alliston with Bradford West Gwillimbury, and Midland with Orillia.[34]
Some of the County's larger urban centres have local public transit operations, which consist of bus services. These includeBarrie Transit,BWG Transit (Bradford West Gwillimbury),Colltrans (Collingwood),Orillia Transit,Midland Penetanguishene Transit, andWasaga Beach Transit.
Intercity bus services serving Simcoe County includeGO Transit (Route 68), andOntario Northland.
Four public school boards operate in Simcoe County:
Undergraduate and graduate university programs are offered atLakehead University inOrillia. Post-secondary education is also offered byGeorgian College inBarrie,Midland,Orillia andCollingwood. Several additional universities offer programs through the University Partnership Centre (UPC) inGeorgian College.
Places adjacent to Simcoe County | |
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Subdivisions ofOntario | |
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| Counties | |
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| Regional municipalities | |
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