Puneet Varma (Editor)

Perth County, Ontario

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Country
  
Canada

County seat
  
Stratford

Area code(s)
  
519 and 226

Population
  
76,796 (2016)

Formed
  
1850

Time zone
  
EST (UTC−5)

Elevation
  
394 m

Province
  
Ontario


Municipalities
  
ListTown of North PerthTownship of Perth EastTownship of Perth SouthTownship of West Perth

Points of interest
  
Canadian Baseball Hall of Fa, Gallery Stratford, Brickman's Botanical Gardens, Stratford City Hall National, Stratford Perth Museum

Clubs and Teams
  
Stratford Warriors, St Marys Lincolns, Milverton Four Wheel Drives, Stratford Nationals, Stratford Kroehlers

Perth County, in the Canadian province of Ontario, is located in Southwestern Ontario, 100 kilometres (62 mi) west of Toronto and is very large, 2,218.46 square kilometers in size. The county seat is at Stratford. However, Stratford and the town of St. Marys, Ontario operate under their own municipal governments that are independent from the County's government. The County, Townhships and independent entities "enjoy a large degree of collaboration and work together to growth the region as a leading location for industry and people" according to the County. Census data published for Perth County by Statistics Canada includes those two separate municipalities and most Perth County publications also include the two, at least in some sections of the document.

Contents

Map of Perth County, ON, Canada

The County's most recent Official Plan, excluding St. Marys and Stratford which have their own plans, was published in February, 2016. This is a consolidated Plan. Previously, each of the fourteen local municipalities in the County had a local Official Plan.

Subdivisions

The county includes:

  • Municipality of North Perth, 2011 population 12,631
  • Township of Perth East, 2011 population 12,028
  • Township of Perth South, 2011 population 3,993
  • Municipality of West Perth, 2011 population 8,919
  • Town of St. Marys, 2011 population 6,655, and City of Stratford, 2011 population 30,886, with independent municipal governments

    • History

    Perth County was settled primarily through the efforts of the Canada Company agency which opened a road from the site of Stratford to Goderich. The settlers were almost equal in number as to their origins: English, Irish, Scottish and German. They began arriving in the 1820s but the majority arrived in the 1830s and the 1840s. Most became farmers, and even today, the county is known for mixed farming, dairying and hog production.

    This area originally formed part of the Huron District, which was constituted as the United Counties of Huron, Perth and Bruce in 1850. The County of Perth was given its own Provisional Municipal Council at that time, and was separated from the United Counties in 1853.

    It had 11 original townships:

  • Blanshard Township, area 45,952 acres (72 sq mi; 186 km2). Opened in 1830 and named from Richard Blanshard, Director of the Canada Company.
  • Downie Township, area 48,342 acres (76 sq mi; 196 km2). The township was opened for settlement in 1830 and named in honour of Robert Downie, M.P., one of the directors of the Canada Company.
  • Easthope Townships (North and South). Areas 43,117 and 23,641 acres (37 sq mi; 96 km2). Named from Sir John Easthope, M.P. A Director of the Canada Company. Opened for settlement in 1830. Until 1843 the townships were one.
  • Ellice Township. Area 54,520 acres (85 sq mi; 221 km2). Opened in 1830 and named in honour of Rt. Hon. Edward Ellice, a Canadian-born director of the Canada Company. His father was managing director of the Hudson's Bay Company.
  • Elma Township, Area 67,413 acres (105 sq mi; 273 km2). Opened in 1849; although the first settlers, Samuel Boyd and George Code, came from the east, Lanark County, in 1848. Named in honour of Lady Elma Bruce, daughter of James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin, Governor-general of Canada.
  • Fullarton Township. Area 40,198 acres (63 sq mi; 163 km2). Opened in 1830 and named from John Fullarton, Director of the Canada Company.
  • Hibbert Township. Area 41,421 acres (65 sq mi; 168 km2). Opened in 1830 and named in honour of William T. Hibbert, Director of the Canada Company. First settler was Thomas Fox who received 200 acres (0.8 km2) of land from the Company on the condition he open an inn for travelers on the Huron Road.
  • Logan Township. Area 53,748 acres (84 sq mi; 218 km2). Opened for settlement in 1830. Named in honour of Hart Logan, Director of the Canada Company and uncle of Sir William E. Logan, the founder of the Canadian Geological Survey.
  • Mornington Township Area 50,087 acres (78 sq mi; 203 km2). Opened for settlement in 1845 and surveyed in 1850. Named in honour of Richard Wellesley, Earl of Mornington, eldest brother of the Duke of Wellington.
  • Wallace Township. Area 50,508 acres (79 sq mi; 204 km2). Opened for settlement in 1849 and named in honour of Thomas, Baron Wallace, Vice-president of the British Board of Trade under Lord Goderich in 1820.
  • City of Stratford. In Downie, Ellice and Easthope Township. In 1831 William Sergeant was given a lot by the Canada Company on the condition that he open an inn. In 1832 he erected the first frame building in the region by the Avon River and called it the "Shakespeare Hotel." First purchaser of land was John Sharman (1834), a blacksmith from Bedfordshire, England. His son, Henry, was the first child born within the limits of the city.

    • Over time, four additional towns were incorporated as urban municipalities: St. Marys, Mitchell, Listowel and Milverton. On January 1, 1998, the county was restructured by reducing fourteen municipalities to four. Only the City of Stratford and the Town of St. Marys were unaffected.

    Demographics

    The population, excluding St. Marys and Stratford, has been quite stable in recent years:

  • Population in 2016: 38,006
  • Population in 2011: 37,571
  • Population in 2006: 37,212
  • Population in 2001: 37,602
  • Population in 1996: 37,147

    • Figures below are for the full Perth census division, which combines Perth County, the City of Stratford and the Town of St. Marys. The change between 2011 and 2016 is not significant. The 2016 population for all of the entities was 76,796.

    The average household income in Perth County (including Stratford and St. Marys) in 2011 was $75,863, in an area with housing prices and tax rates that are significantly below the provincial average. Housing in Perth County is also relatively affordable with the average sale price of a single detached dwelling in the County being $249,700 (including Stratford and St. Marys) in 2013.

    While the Perth County region is a successful agricultural area, only 4% of the workforce indicated employment in Natural Resources, Agriculture & Related category in the 2011 Census. The majority, 21.1%, were working in Sales and Service, including tourism. The next most significant category was Trades, Transport and Equipment Operators, employing 18.2% of the workforce. Business, Finance, Administration and Management, combined, accounted for 25.7% of the workforce.

    Township council

    Perth County Council is made up of representatives from the four member municipalities within the county’s boundaries, not including Stratford or St. Marys which had 48.8% of the population in 2011. The head of County Council is elected from amongst the council members annually, in December, by a vote at council and is known as the Warden. In 2016-2017, the Perth County Warden (Head of County Council) is Meredith (Mert) Schneider. Each of theTownships also has a mayor and Council.

    The full 2015-2018 Perth County Council consists of the following. Bob McMillan, Rhonda Ehgoetz and Helen Dowd from Perth East, Robert Wilhelm and James Aitcheson from Perth South, Walter McKenzie and Doug Eidt from West Perth, and three from North Perth, Julie Behrns, Doug Kellum and (already discussed) Meredith (Mert) Schneider.

    Fully independent of County Council, but located within the County of Perth, Stratford is governed by an elected mayor and ten councilors. Also independent, the Town of St. Marys has its own mayor and six councilors.

    Federal Government

    Perth—Wellington is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada since 2004. It was created in 2003 from parts of Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey,Perth—Middlesex and Waterloo—Wellington ridings.

    It consists of the County of Perth, the City of Stratford, the Town of St. Mary's and the Town of Minto and the townships of Mapleton and Wellington North in the County of Wellington.

    Provincial Government

    Perth—Wellington is a provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since the 2007 provincial election. It was created in 2003 from parts of Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey,Perth—Middlesex and Waterloo—Wellington ridings. It consists of the County of Perth, and the Town of Minto and the townships of Mapleton and Wellington North in the County of Wellington. As of October 6, 2011, the MPP for the riding is Randy Pettapiece.

    Recreational Facilities

    According to County documents, the area (including Stratford and St. Marys) encompasses the following:

  • 5 ice pads/arenas
  • 8 community centres
  • 4 swimming pools
  • 26 baseball diamonds
  • 16 soccer pitches
  • 50km of hiking trails
  • 262km of cycling trails
  • 7 tennis courts
  • 7 golf courses

    • Health Care

    Perth County has three hospitals, in Stratford, Listowel and St. Marys, with 24-hour emergency services. Large regional health care centres are located in London, Ontario and Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario.

    Listowel Hospital offers comprehensive care including a breast health centre and a Family Primary Care Centre. Stratford General Hospital offers many services, including MRI.

    Perth County Paramedic Services has seven staffed ambulances; stations are located in Stratford, St. Marys, Listowel, Mitchell and Milverton. The Headquarters are in Stratford.

    Police Services

    The City of Stratford has its own Police Department. Other areas of the county receive services from the Ontario Provincial Police, Perth County Detachment in Sebringville with satellite offices in Listowel and Mitchell.

    Education

    Perth County is served by the Avon Maitland District School Board and the Huron Perth Catholic District School Board. Private schools are also present: Sunshine Montessori School, Stratford & District Christian School and Stratford Middle Years School.

    Post-Secondary facilities include the Stratford Campuses of Conestoga College and the University of Waterloo as well as Stratford Chef’s School.

    Economy

    Perth County is an agricultural area; farm cash receipts for main commodities totaled $739 million in 2012. The County is home to 2,252 census farms and 506,291 acres of farmland, employing over 3,000 people (2012) in crop and animal production. Dairy farming is the primary category, with receipts of $210 million (2012) while pork production is second at $161 million. Food processing industries are also represented, with 20 such companies (2012).

    Manufacturing, primarily in Stratford and Listowel, Ontario is also significant. Categories include auto parts, metal fabrication, plastic injection moulding, robotics, and building and construction as well as plastics and textile manufacturing. Stratford has been attracting an increasing number of high-tech companies.

    The largest employers in Perth County include Maple Leaf Foods, Listowel Technology Inc., Spinrite Inc., Cooper Standard Automotive, Erie Meat Products Ltd., Parmalat, Armtech-Durisol, Ideal Supply Company Ltd., Taylor Construction and FGC Construction.

    Particularly in Stratford, tourism is a major part of the economy because of the Stratford Festival which runs from May to October each year. The full County has increased its efforts to boost tourism in the areas outside Stratford; it hired a full-time Tourism Coordinator in January 2017.

    Transportation

    The area is serviced by the Stratford Municipal Airport which can handle air traffic ranging from Dash 8s to helicopters. It services over 12,000 yearly flights: freight, corporate and recreational. Larger airports are located in London, Ontario, Hamilton, Ontario and outside Toronto, Ontario. Passenger rail service is offered by VIA Rail with trains from Stratford to Chicago, Toronto and Ottawa daily. Three carriers provide daily freight rail service.

    Newspapers

  • SNAP Perth
  • The Beacon Herald
  • The Stratford Gazette
  • "The St. Marys Journal Argus"
  • The St. Marys Independent
  • The Listowel Banner
  • Mitchell Advocate

    • Radio

  • CJCS AM
  • CHGK-FM

    • References

    Perth County, Ontario Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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