Brant, Ontario
Encyclopedia
The County of Brant is a single-tier municipality and a census division
in the Canadian province of Ontario
. Despite its name, it is not a county
by the standard definition, as all municipal services are handled by a single level of government. The county has service offices in Burford
, Paris
and St. George.
It is a small, predominantly rural
municipality
in Southern Ontario
, approximately 100 kilometres southwest of Toronto
. It is bordered by the Region of Waterloo, the City of Hamilton
, Haldimand County, Norfolk County
, and Oxford County
. The County abuts the Greenbelt.
Geographically, the city of Brantford
is surrounded by the County of Brant. In Statistics Canada
's census
data, the Brant census division
also includes Brantford and the Six Nations
and New Credit
reserves
, although none of these is part of Brant's municipal government. The census division of Brant, inclusive of all four distinct municipalities, had a population of 125,099 in the 2006 census.
The primary centres in Brant are Paris
, St. George and Burford
. Smaller communities in the municipality include Bishopsgate, Burtch, Cainsville, Cathcart, East Oakland, Etonia, Fairfield, Falkland, Glen Morris, Gobles, Harley, Harrisburg, Hatchley, Langford, Lockie, Maple Grove, Middleport, Mount Pleasant, Mount Vernon, New Durham, Newport, Northfield, Northfield Centre, Oakland, Onondaga, Osborne Corners, and Scotland.
In 1999, the county was reorganized and all its individual municipalities, except Brantford, were amalgamated into a single-tier municipality with city status. As of December 31, 1998, all of the original townships were still intact, except for the incorporation of the Town of Paris.
, and Sustainable Brant dedicated to saving the disappearing farmland.
The County of Brant Public Library
is the public library serving the communities in the county of Brant, Ontario, Canada. It has 5 branches located in Paris, Burford, Scotland, St. George, and Glen Morris, Ontario. The system's main branch, in Paris, Ontario, was originally a Carnegie
Library, having received an endowment from Carnegie in 1902.
The Album of Honour for Brant County is a book compiled in 1946 by the Kinsmen Club of Brantford
to commemorate those of Brantford, the County of Brant and the peoples of the Six Nations who served Canada during the Second World War. The book lists the names of the Brant County men and women who served in World War II. There are more than 3,500 photographs. In addition, local companies provided the names of employees who served in this war. The book is kept on the Digital Archives Page at the Brantford Public Library.
Population trend:
Census divisions of Canada
The census geographic units of Canada are the country subdivisions defined and used by Canada's federal government statistics bureau Statistics Canada to conduct the country's five-yearly census...
in the Canadian province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. Despite its name, it is not a county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
by the standard definition, as all municipal services are handled by a single level of government. The county has service offices in Burford
Burford, Ontario
Burford is a rural community and is part of the County of Brant, in central southwestern Ontario. It has 1,940 residents . It is located eight kilometers west of the City of Brantford along Highway 53, and seventy kilometers east of London, Ontario...
, Paris
Paris, Ontario
Paris, Ontario is a community on the Grand River in Ontario, Canada. The town was established in 1850. In 1999, its town government was amalgamated into that of the County of Brant, Ontario, thus ending about 149 years as a separate incorporated municipality.-History:The town was first settled in...
and St. George.
It is a small, predominantly rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
in Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
, approximately 100 kilometres southwest of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. It is bordered by the Region of Waterloo, the City of Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, Haldimand County, Norfolk County
Norfolk County, Ontario
Norfolk County is a rural city-status single-tier municipality on the north shore of Lake Erie in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Bloomsburg is a small town located in Norfolk County and is the hometown of David Slater. The county seat and largest community is Simcoe...
, and Oxford County
Oxford County, Ontario
Oxford County is a regional municipality and census division of the Canadian province of Ontario, located in the Southern portion of the province. The regional seat is in Woodstock...
. The County abuts the Greenbelt.
Geographically, the city of Brantford
Brantford, Ontario
Brantford is a city located on the Grand River in Southern Ontario, Canada. While geographically surrounded by the County of Brant, the city is politically independent...
is surrounded by the County of Brant. In Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada is the Canadian federal government agency commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. Its headquarters is in Ottawa....
's census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
data, the Brant census division
Census divisions of Canada
The census geographic units of Canada are the country subdivisions defined and used by Canada's federal government statistics bureau Statistics Canada to conduct the country's five-yearly census...
also includes Brantford and the Six Nations
Six Nations 40, Ontario
Six Nations is the largest First Nation in Canada with a total of 23,902 band members. 11,865 are reported living in the territory. It is the only territory in North America that has the six Iroquois nations living together. These nations are the Mohawk, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Seneca and...
and New Credit
New Credit 40a, Ontario
Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation is a Mississauga Ojibwa First Nation located near Brantford in south-central Ontario, Canada. In May, 2008, New Credit had a registered population of 1,792 people, of which their on-Reserve population was 850 people....
reserves
Indian reserve
In Canada, an Indian reserve is specified by the Indian Act as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." The Act also specifies that land reserved for the use and benefit of a band which is not...
, although none of these is part of Brant's municipal government. The census division of Brant, inclusive of all four distinct municipalities, had a population of 125,099 in the 2006 census.
Communities
Paris, Ontario
Paris, Ontario is a community on the Grand River in Ontario, Canada. The town was established in 1850. In 1999, its town government was amalgamated into that of the County of Brant, Ontario, thus ending about 149 years as a separate incorporated municipality.-History:The town was first settled in...
, St. George and Burford
Burford, Ontario
Burford is a rural community and is part of the County of Brant, in central southwestern Ontario. It has 1,940 residents . It is located eight kilometers west of the City of Brantford along Highway 53, and seventy kilometers east of London, Ontario...
. Smaller communities in the municipality include Bishopsgate, Burtch, Cainsville, Cathcart, East Oakland, Etonia, Fairfield, Falkland, Glen Morris, Gobles, Harley, Harrisburg, Hatchley, Langford, Lockie, Maple Grove, Middleport, Mount Pleasant, Mount Vernon, New Durham, Newport, Northfield, Northfield Centre, Oakland, Onondaga, Osborne Corners, and Scotland.
Historical townships
The area had previously been part of Wentworth & Oxford County. Brant County was formed in 1851 and originally consisted of:- Brantford Township (Brantford, Paris, Mount Pleasant, Cainsville), Area 71122 acres (287.8 km²). First settlement made before 1810. The township was organized in 1840.
- Burford Township (Burford, Scotland), Area 71122 acres (287.8 km²). First of the midland townships to have settlers. Surveyed in 1793, four families settled on the land before 1800.
- Oakland Township (Scotland, Oakland), Area 10676 acres (43.2 km²). Originally called the Townsend Gore, then the Burford Gore, but organized a separate municipality in 1850.
- Onondaga Township (Onondaga, Middleport), Area 20613 acres (83.4 km²). First settled in 1838. The formal surrender of the township by the Indians did not take place until 1839.
- South Dumfries Township (Paris, St. George, Glen Morris), Area 46265 acres (187.2 km²).
- Tuscarora Township (Six Nations Indian Reserve, New Credit Indian ReserveSix Nations 40, OntarioSix Nations is the largest First Nation in Canada with a total of 23,902 band members. 11,865 are reported living in the territory. It is the only territory in North America that has the six Iroquois nations living together. These nations are the Mohawk, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Seneca and...
), created in 1784.
In 1999, the county was reorganized and all its individual municipalities, except Brantford, were amalgamated into a single-tier municipality with city status. As of December 31, 1998, all of the original townships were still intact, except for the incorporation of the Town of Paris.
Local organizations
Local organizations include the Kinsmen Club of BrantfordKin Canada
Kin Canada is a secular Canadian non-profit service organization that promotes service, fellowship, positive values, and national pride....
, and Sustainable Brant dedicated to saving the disappearing farmland.
The County of Brant Public Library
County of Brant Public Library
The County of Brant Public Library is the public library system serving the communities in the County of Brant, Ontario, Canada. It has five branches located in Paris, Burford, Scotland, St. George, and Glen Morris. In 2007 the library system circulated over 218,000 items and hosted over 107,000...
is the public library serving the communities in the county of Brant, Ontario, Canada. It has 5 branches located in Paris, Burford, Scotland, St. George, and Glen Morris, Ontario. The system's main branch, in Paris, Ontario, was originally a Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
Library, having received an endowment from Carnegie in 1902.
Album of Honour
Kin Canada
Kin Canada is a secular Canadian non-profit service organization that promotes service, fellowship, positive values, and national pride....
to commemorate those of Brantford, the County of Brant and the peoples of the Six Nations who served Canada during the Second World War. The book lists the names of the Brant County men and women who served in World War II. There are more than 3,500 photographs. In addition, local companies provided the names of employees who served in this war. The book is kept on the Digital Archives Page at the Brantford Public Library.
Demographics & geography
-
-
- N/A = Data Not Available
-
Population trend:
- Population in 2006: 34,415
- Population in 2001: 31,669
- Population total in 1996: 29,800
- Brantford (township): 6487
- Burford (township): 5858
- Oakland (township): 1377
- Onondaga (township): 1650
- Paris (town): 8987
- South Dumfries (township): 5441
- Population in 1991:
- Brantford (township): 6509
- Burford (township): 5733
- Oakland (township): 1398
- Onondaga (township): 1519
- Paris (town): 8600
- South Dumfries (township): 4624
External links
- County of Brant website
- Brant Tourism
- Kinsmen Club of Brantford Inc.
- County of Brant Public Library
- Brant County War Memorials Committee
- Our Brant local history wiki
- History of the County of Brant - Warner, Beers and Co.
- History of the County of Brant - F. Douglas Reville, Volume I
- History of the County of Brant - F. Douglas Reville, Volume II