Misplaced Pages

Kawartha Lakes
City (single-tier)
City of Kawartha Lakes
Kawartha Lakes city hall in Lindsay
Logo
Motto: "Jump In"
Kawartha Lakes' location within Ontario
Coordinates: 44°21′N 78°45′W / 44.350°N 78.750°W / 44.350; -78.750
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
County (historical)	Victoria
Formed by political merger	January 1, 2001
Seat	Lindsay
Government
• Mayor	Doug Elmslie
• Deputy Mayor	Charlie McDonald
• Council	City of Kawartha Lakes Council
• MP	Jamie Schmale (CPC)
• MPP	Laurie Scott (PC)
Area
• Land	3,084.38 km (1,190.89 sq mi)
Population
• Total	79,247
• Density	26.1/km (68/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
Postal Code	K0L, K0M, K9V, L0A, L0B, L0K
Area code	705 / 249
Website	www.kawarthalakes.ca

The City of Kawartha Lakes (2021 population 79,247) is a unitary municipality in Central Ontario, Canada. It is a municipality legally structured as a single-tier city; however, Kawartha Lakes is the size of a typical Ontario county and is mostly rural. It is the second largest single-tier municipality in Ontario by land area (after Greater Sudbury).

The main population centres are the communities of Lindsay (population: 22,367), Bobcaygeon (population: 3,576), Fenelon Falls (population: 2,490), Omemee (population: 1,060) and Woodville (population: 718).

History

The Kawartha Lakes area is situated on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg, Huron-Wendat and more recently, the Haudenosaunee peoples. The city's name is from the Kawartha Lakes. Kawartha is an anglicization of Ka-wa-tha (from Ka-wa-tae-gum-maug or Gaa-waategamaag), which was coined in 1895 by Martha Whetung of the Curve Lake First Nations. It meant "land of reflections" in the Anishinaabe language, according to Whetung. The word was later changed by tourism promoters to Kawartha, meaning "bright waters and happy lands."

Prior to its restructuring as a city, the area was known as Victoria County. The city was created in 2001, during the ruling provincial Progressive Conservative party's "Common Sense Revolution". Through provincial legislation, the former Victoria County and its constituent municipalities were amalgamated into one entity named the City of Kawartha Lakes.

This act was implemented by the Victoria County Restructuring Commission, led by commissioner Harry Kitchen. Despite a general opposition from residents of the area, the provincial government pushed forward with the amalgamation, which officially came into effect on January 1, 2001.

By a narrow margin (51% for, 49% against), the citizens of Kawartha Lakes voted to de-amalgamate in a November 2003 local plebiscite, but the provincial and municipal governments have not taken any steps since the vote to initiate de-amalgamation.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Kawartha Lakes had a population of 79,247 living in 32,708 of its 38,947 total private dwellings, a change of 5.1% from its 2016 population of 75,423. With a land area of 3,033.66 km (1,171.30 sq mi), it had a population density of 26.1/km (67.7/sq mi) in 2021.

In the 2016 census, the population of the Lindsay urban area was 20,713, up from 20,291 in 2011.

Town of Lindsay

Census	Population	Change (%)
2021	22,367	8.0%
2016	20,713	24.1%
1991	16,696	22.8%
1981	13,596	6.7%
1971	12,746	11.8%
1961	11,399	18.7%
1951	9,603	15.1%
1941	8,345	11.2%
1931	7,505	1.5%
1921	7,620	9.4%
1911	6,964	0.6%
1901	7,003	15.2%
1891	6,081	19.7%
1881	5,080	25.5%
1871	4,049	n/a

Ethnicity

Ethnic Origins 2021

Only ethnic groups that comprise greater than 1% of the population are included. Note that a person can report more than one group

• English: 35.9%
• Irish: 27.2%
• Scottish: 25.5%
• Canadian: 20.6%
• German: 8.8%
• French n.o.s: 7.5%
• British Isles n.o.s: 5.8%
• Dutch: 5.3%
• Italian: 3.4%
• Welsh: 3.0%
• Polish: 2.5%
• Caucasian (White), n.o.s.: 2.1%
• Ukrainian: 2.1%
• European, n.o.s.: 1.5%
• First Nations n.o.s: 1.4%
• Métis: 1.1%
• French Canadian: 1.0%

In 2021, Kawartha Lakes was 93.7% white/European, 3.4% visible minorities, and 2.9% Indigenous. The largest visible minority groups were South Asian (0.9%), Black (0.8%) and Chinese (0.5%).

Religion

53.8% of Kawartha Lakes residents were Christian in 2021, down from 68.8% in 2011. 28.3% were Protestant, including 12.7% United Church, 7.0% Anglican, 3.3% Presbyterian and 2.5% Baptist. 15.6% were Catholic, 5.8% were Christian n.o.s, and 4.1% belonged to other Christian denominations or Christian-related traditions. Non-religious and secular residents were 44.5% of the population, up from 30.3% in 2011. 1.7% of the population belonged to other religions and spiritual traditions, up from 0.9% in 2011. The largest non-Christian religion was Hinduism (0.4%).

Government

Kawartha Lakes is governed by a City Council consisting of the Mayor and one councillor from each of the City's wards. From 2001 to the 2018 election, there were 16 wards and councillors, but this was changed to 8 wards for the 2018 election. The mayor and councillors are elected for four-year terms, as mandated by the Government of Ontario for all municipalities in the province. The mayor of Kawartha Lakes is Doug Elmslie and Deputy Mayor is Charlie McDonald. The Deputy Mayor is a special appointment for one of the 8 councillors and is elected each year by members of Council at a Regular Council meeting in December.

For purposes of electing representatives both provincially and federally, the city is within the riding of Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock. Its Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) is Laurie Scott of the Progressive Conservative Party, elected in 2018. Its federal Member of Parliament (MP) is Jamie Schmale of the Conservative Party, who was elected in 2015.

Mayors of Kawartha Lakes include:

• Art Truax (2001-2003)
• Barb Kelly (2003-2006)
• Ric McGee (2006-2014)
• Andy Letham (2014-2022)
• Doug Elmslie (2022-Present)

Communities

• Ancona Point
• Bethany
• Bobcaygeon
• Bolsover
• Burnt River
• Cameron
• Coboconk
• Dalrymple
• Dongola
• East Emily
• Eldon
• Fenelon Falls
• Glenarm
• Head Lake
• Kinmount
• Kirkfield
• Lindsay
• Little Britain
• Lorneville
• Manvers
• Mariposa
• Norland
• Omemee
• Pontypool
• Rokeby
• Rosedale
• St. Mary's
• Sturgeon Point
• Valentia
• Victoria Road
• View Lake
• Woodville

Climate

The Kawartha Lakes area has a humid continental climate with warm, sometimes humid summers and cold snowy winters. The snowier areas are typically the ones closer to large lakes, and snow usually ranges from 150 cm to 200 cm in a year in most areas.

Victoria County

Prior to 2001, Victoria County consisted of 13 separate townships and 6 incorporated communities, each with their own local governments:

Townships

Incorporated Township Name (Population centres):

• Bexley (Victoria Road, Coboconk)
• Carden (Dalrymple)
• Dalton (Sebright, Uphill, Sadowa)
• Eldon (Glenarm, Kirkfield, Woodville)
• Emily (Omemee, Downeyville, Fowlers Corners)
• Fenelon (Cameron, Cambray, Powles Corners)
• Laxton, Digby and Longford (Uphill, Norland)
• Longford (largely uninhabited)
• Manvers (Janetville, Bethany, Pontypool)
• Mariposa (Oakwood, Little Britain, Manilla)
• Ops (Reaboro)
• Somerville (Coboconk, Kinmount)
• Verulam (Dunsford, Bobcaygeon)

The township of Laxton, Digby and Longford is an amalgamation of the once individual townships of Digby and Laxton, and half of the original Longford Township. The separate township of Longford is uninhabited, though dotted with abandoned logging towns. In 2000, just prior to amalgamation into the city of Kawartha Lakes, the township of Verulam and the village of Bobcaygeon were amalgamated into the Municipality of Bobcaygeon/Verulam, and the separate townships of Carden and Dalton amalgamated into the Township of Carden/Dalton.

Incorporated communities

• Town of Lindsay
• Village of Bobcaygeon
• Village of Fenelon Falls
• Village of Omemee
• Village of Sturgeon Point
• Village of Woodville

Transportation

Air transportation

Kawartha Lakes Municipal Airport, a Transport Canada certified airport, has 24-hour radio operated lighting and provides access to key points throughout Ontario. Kawartha Lakes Municipal Airport is located one nautical mile west north west of Lindsay. It offers a card lock fuel system and can be used by both private and commercial airplanes.

Water transportation

Towns and villages in City of Kawartha Lakes are interconnected by rivers, lakes and streams that can be best navigated May to October. The Trent-Severn Waterway, which extends from Bay of Quinte on Lake Ontario to Georgian Bay in the north, is part of the waterways in City of Kawartha Lakes. Five locks, Bobcaygeon 32, Lindsay 33, Fenelon Falls 34, Rosedale 35, and Kirkfield 36 are part of the Trent-Severn National Historic site and operated by Parks Canada. Coboconk is noted as being Canada's fresh water summit with waters flowing two different directions. It is the highest navigable point in Canada from which it is possible to reach the world. There are no water taxis operating in City of Kawartha Lakes. Boat and houseboat rentals are available.

Land transportation

The following King's Highways pass through the city:

• Highway 7, part of the Trans-Canada Highway
• Highway 7A
• Highway 35
• Highway 115
• Highway 7B also exists entirely within the city, following the length of Kent Street through Lindsay, and cosigning with Highway 35 for 800 m.

The following multi-use trails pass through the city:

• Lindsay-Peterborough (east-west) rail line, part of the Trans Canada Trail
• Bethany-Haliburton (north-south) rail line, known as the Victoria Rail Trail

Public transportation

Because of the largely rural composition of the City of Kawartha Lakes, public transportation is very limited. The City of Kawartha Lakes has public bus transit in the town of Lindsay only (known as Lindsay Transit), running four lines of hourly service Monday to Saturday from 7am to 7pm, and Sunday from 9am to 4pm (except holidays).

On June 21, 2015 a pilot project rural bus route serving part of City of Kawartha Lakes ended service. The rural bus stopped in Lindsay, Dunsford, Bobcaygeon, Fenelon Falls, and Cameron.

Most school children are bussed to elementary and high school.

Bus companies

TOK Coachlines (formerly called CanAr Bus Lines) offers service between Toronto and Haliburton with several stops in City of Kawartha Lakes, however this service will be discontinued on January 31, 2024.

Train routes

The last Canadian National Railway (CN) train to run through City of Kawartha Lakes was on the Lindsay - Uxbridge line which ceased operation in 1990. The last passenger train to run through the City of Kawartha Lakes was No. 189 with Budd Car VIA 6104 from Havelock to Toronto Union Station over Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) lines on January 14, 1990.

CP freight trains continue to operate through the City of Kawartha Lakes on the Havelock Subdivision (MP 133.23 - MP 143.22) which passes through Pontypool (MP 139.1)

High-level discussions organized by the Shining Waters Railway continue about returning passenger rail-service to the Midtown Toronto to Havelock line with a stop in Pontypool.

The Trans Canada Trail which is situated on the old rail line from Uxbridge, continues to be a possibility for commuter service to Toronto and Pearson Airport, from the Highway 7 bridge via Uxbridge and the GO Transit Stouffville Line.

Taxi services

There are several private taxi services in City of Kawartha Lakes licensed by the local government.

Car/van pools

Several businesses and organizations offer car and van pooling through Car Pool World including Sir Sandford Fleming College.

Attractions

• Academy Theatre
• Lindsay Little Theatre
• The Lindsay Gallery
• Maryboro Lodge: The Fenelon Museum
• Devil's Elbow Ski Area, Bethany
• Ganaraska Hiking Trail
• Trans-Canada Trail, and Doube's Trestle Bridge
• Lindsay Airport, Lindsay
• Youngtown Rock and Roll Museum
• Olde Gaol Museum
• Victoria Recreation Corridor
• Highland Cinema and Museum, Kinmount
• Trent-Severn Waterway
  • Lock 32: Bobcaygeon
  • Lock 33: Lindsay
  • Lock 34: Fenelon Falls
  • Lock 35: Rosedale
  • Lock 36: Kirkfield lift lock

Protected areas

• Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park
• Carden Alvar Provincial Park
• Balsam Lake Provincial Park
• Indian Point Provincial Park
• Emily Provincial Park
• Pigeon River Headwaters Conservation Area
• Fleetwood Creek Conservation Area
• Windy Ridge Conservation Area
• Ken Reid Conservation Area
• Gamiing Nature Centre

Media

• The Standard News (published weekly in print and online throughout Kawartha Lakes and Durham)
• The Lindsay Advocate (online and print news magazine focused on social and economic issues.)
• The Kawartha Promoter (online news magazine published out of Bobcaygeon)
• 91.9 Bounce FM (CKLY-FM) transmits from Lindsay
• Global Peterborough, established as CHEX-TV transmits on Channel 12 from Peterborough
• 100.3 LIFE FM, transmitting at 89.3 from Peterborough
• The Lindsay Post (established in Beaverton as The Canadian Post in 1857, moved to Lindsay in 1861. Ceased publication in 2013.)
• YourTV (Cogeco) Formerly CogecoTV, TV Cogeco, Cogeco Cable, Lindsay Com Cable(The Community Access Channel) Transmits from Peterborough

Surrounding counties

• Muskoka District Municipality
• Haliburton County
• Northumberland County
• Peterborough County
• Regional Municipality of Durham
• Simcoe County

See also

• List of secondary schools in Ontario#City of Kawartha Lakes

Notes

1. Statistic includes all persons that did not make up part of a visible minority or an indigenous identity.
2. Statistic includes total responses of "Chinese", "Korean", and "Japanese" under visible minority section on census.
3. Statistic includes total responses of "Filipino" and "Southeast Asian" under visible minority section on census.
4. Statistic includes total responses of "West Asian" and "Arab" under visible minority section on census.
5. Statistic includes total responses of "Visible minority, n.i.e." and "Multiple visible minorities" under visible minority section on census.

References

1. "Census Profile, 2016 Census: Kawartha Lakes, City [Census subdivision], Ontario". Statistics Canada. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
2. ^ "Census Profile, 2021 Census: Kawartha Lakes, City [Census subdivision], Ontario". Statistics Canada. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
3. "Kawartha Lakes (Ont) | The Canadian Encyclopedia". thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
4. Rayburn, Alan. Place Names in Ontario. University of Toronto Press. p. 176.
5. "Municipal Government for Victoria County: A New Beginning - Final Report and Order" (PDF). ODW Ontario Government Documents. 2000-04-19. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-04-12. Retrieved 2017-06-07.
6. ^ "Yes Victoria - Citizens for the de-amalgamation of the city of Kawartha Lakes". Yesvictoria.com. Retrieved 2009-07-12.
7. ^ "Voices of Central Ontario - Historical summary". Voconews.com. Archived from the original on 2009-10-27. Retrieved 2009-08-05.
8. "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Ontario". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
9. "2021 Community Profiles". 2021 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. February 4, 2022. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
10. "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. August 12, 2021. Retrieved 2017-06-07.
11. "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. March 21, 2019. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
12. "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. August 20, 2019.
13. "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. July 18, 2021.
14. "Lindsay, Ontario Census Profile". 2016 Census of Population. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2017-06-07.
15. ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2022-02-09). "Profile table, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population - Kawartha Lakes, City (CY) [Census subdivision], Ontario". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
16. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2022-10-26). "Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
17. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2021-10-27). "Census Profile, 2016 Census". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
18. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2015-11-27). "NHS Profile". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
19. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2019-08-20). "2006 Community Profiles". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
20. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2019-07-02). "2001 Community Profiles". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
21. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2013-05-08). "2011 National Household Survey Profile - Census subdivision". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-01-17.
22. "Ward Boundaries". City of Kawartha Lakes. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
23. "Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2000, Janetville". Environment Canada. 25 September 2013.
24. "Lindsay Frost". Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010. Environment Canada. Archived from the original on 2020-07-17. Retrieved February 8, 2014.
25. Algonquin Park and Kawarthas map. MapArt Corporation. 1998.
26. Order of the Commission, (on Victoria County) (PDF), April 19, 2000, archived from the original (PDF) on May 9, 2008, retrieved 2009-08-05
27. "Victoria Rail Trail Corridor (VRTC) — City of Kawartha Lakes". City.kawarthalakes.on.ca. Archived from the original on 2016-04-06. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
28. "Lindsay Transit — City of Kawartha Lakes". City.kawarthalakes.on.ca. Archived from the original on 2016-03-24. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
29. "Rural Transit" (PDF). City of Kawartha Lakes. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 14, 2014.
30. "Schedules: Toronto – Haliburton & Toronto – Port Elgin Scheduled Services". TOK Coachlines. 3 July 2019. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
31. McKechnie, Ian (April 4, 2018). "'A whole chapter is nearly over:' How Lindsay lost its train service". Lindsay Advocate. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
32. "6104". Cnrphotos.com. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
33. "2011 Subdivision List" (PDF). Canadian Pacific Railway. p. 9. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 18, 2014.
34. "Shining Waters Railway". Shiningwatersrailway.com. Archived from the original on 2013-05-04. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
35. "Kawartha Lakes Car Pooling - Need A Ride?". Kawarthalakesmums.blogspot.ca. 2 February 2014.
36. "Kawartha Trans Canada Trail - Kawartha Trans Canada Trail". Ktct.ca. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
37. Krewen, Nick (26 March 2011). "Neil Young: take a look at his life" – via Toronto Star.
38. "Magazine". Thepromoter.ca. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
39. Municipal Government for Victoria County - A New Beginning (Final Report) (PDF), 2000-04-19, archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-21, retrieved 2009-07-22
40. "Kawartha Lakes (city) community profile". 2006 Census data. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2011-06-10.

External links

• Official website

v t e Places adjacent to Kawartha Lakes
Gravenhurst Bracebridge Minden Hills Ramara Brock Kawartha Lakes Trent Lakes Selwyn Scugog Clarington Cavan Monaghan

v t e City of Kawartha Lakes
City seat: Lindsay
Towns	Lindsay
Villages and unincorporated communities	Ancona Point Argyle Avery Point Baddow Baker Trail Ballyduff Barclay Bellevue Bethany Bethel Bobcaygeon Bolsover Burnt River Burton Cambray Cameron Coboconk Dalrymple Dartmoor Daytonia Beach Dongola Downeyville Dunsford Emily Eldon Station Feir Mill Fenelon Falls Fowlers Corners Fleetwood Glenarm Greenhurst-Thurstonia Hartley Head Lake Janetville Kinmount Kirkfield Little Britain Long Beach Long Point Lorneville Manilla Manvers Station Mariposa Station Mariposa Norland Oakwood Omemee Pontypool Ragged Rapids Rokeby Rosedale Sadowa St. Mary's Sebright Sturgeon Point Uphill Valentia Verulam Park Victoria Road View Lake Woodville
Former townships	Bexley Carden Dalton Laxton, Digby and Longford Eldon Emily Fenelon Manvers Mariposa Ops Somerville Verulam
Major lakes	Trent River Shadow Lake Silver Lake Four Mile Lake Balsam Lake Cameron Lake Sturgeon Lake Lake Scugog Pigeon Lake Talbot River Canal Lake Mitchell Lake Talbot Lake Severn River Lake Dalrymple Cranberry Lake Head Lake Fishog Lake
Topics	List of roads Victoria County
1) This area lies on the border of an adjacent region, but is part of the Kawartha Lakes census.

• Kawartha Lakes
• 2001 establishments in Ontario
• Cities in Ontario
• Populated places established in 2001
• Single-tier municipalities in Ontario