Chatham–Kent
Encyclopedia
Chatham–Kent is a unitary authority
in Southwestern Ontario
, Canada
. Mostly rural, its centres of population are Blenheim
, Chatham
, Dresden
, Ridgetown
, Tilbury
and Wallaceburg
. Modern Chatham–Kent was created in 1998 by the merger of Kent County
and its municipalities.
. The town was named after Chatham, Kent, England, which was also developed around a naval dockyard. In England, the name Chatham came from the British root ceto and the Old English ham thus meaning a forest settlement. Following the American Revolution
and the Gnadenhutten Massacre
, a group of Christian Munsee
Indians settled in what is now Moraviantown.
In the War of 1812
, the Battle of the Thames
took place between Moraviantown and Thamesville
on October 5, 1813.
During the 19th century, the area was part of the Underground Railroad
. As a result, Chatham–Kent is now part of the African-Canadian Heritage Tour. Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site is a museum of the Dawn Settlement, established in 1841 by Josiah Henson
near Dresden as refuge for the many slaves who escaped to Canada from the United States. John Brown
, the abolitionist, planned his raid on the Harpers Ferry Virginia Arsenal in Chatham and recruited local men to participate in the raid. The small village of North Buxton
, part of the African Canadian Heritage Tour, also played an important role in the Underground Railroad
.
Kent County consisted of the townships
of Camden, Chatham, Dover, Harwich, Howard, Orford, Raleigh, Romney, Tilbury East and Zone. In some of Canada's earliest post-Confederation census
es, some residences in Kent County were incorrectly reported as being in Bothwell "County", which was a separate electoral district
comprising parts of Kent and Lambton
counties but not a distinct county in its own right.
In 1998 the County of Kent
and the city of Chatham
were amalgamated to form the Municipality of Chatham–Kent.
Chatham Kent Has many historic festivals throughout the year such as the battle of longwoods reenactment, which takes place on Labour Day weekend at Fairfield Museum on Longwoods road.
Chatham Kent is also home to many historic buildings which are part of an annual ghost tour offered each year at Halloween. The participants go on a guided walk of downtown while the guide informs them of various ghost stories tied to the local buildings in which they pass. Chatham Kent plays host to so much paranormal activity, that numerous books have been published on it.
Chatham Kent was a major part of the underground railroad and as such hosts the Buxton Homecoming each September. This celebrates the areas rich black culture and the roots laid by early black settlers in the Buxton area.
, Botany, Bothwell, Bothwell Station, Bradley, Briarwood Estates, Cedar Springs, Charing Cross, Chatham, Clearville, Coatsworth, Croton, Darrell, Dawn Mills
, Dealtown, Dover Centre, Doyles, Dresden
, Duart, Eatonville, Eberts, Electric, Erie Beach, Erieau, Fargo Station, Fletcher, Florence, Glenwood, Grande Pointe, Guilds, Highgate, Holiday Harbour, Huffman Corners, Jeannette, Jeannette's Creek, Kent Bridge, Kent Centre, Lake Morningstar, Louisville, McKay's Corners, Merlin
, Mitchell's Bay, Morpeth
, Muirkirk, Mull, New Scotland, North Buxton
, North Thamesville, Northwood, Oldfield, Oungah, Ouvry, Pain Court
, Palmyra, Pardoville, Pinehurst, Port Alma, Port Crewe, Prairie Siding, Quinn, Raglan, Renwick, Rhodes, Ridgetown
, Ringold, Rondeau, Rondeau Bay Estates, Selton, Shrewsbury, Sleepy Hollow, South Buxton
, Stevenson, Stewart, Thamesville
, Thornecliffe, Tilbury
, Troy, Tupperville, Turin, Turnerville, Valetta, Van Horne, Vosburg, Wabash, Wallaceburg
, Wheatley
, Whitebread and Wilson's Bush.
, Blenheim
and Tilbury
, Ridgetown
and Dresden
.
The Lower Thames River
runs through Chatham–Kent to Lake St. Clair
in the west, while the Sydenham River
flows through Wallaceburg and Dresden. The municipality has approximately 88 kilometres of shoreline along lake Erie
and 24 kilometres along lake St. Clair.
The Indian reserve
of Bkejwanong
(commonly referred to as Walpole Island) borders on Chatham–Kent, whereas the Indian reserve of Moravian 47
is an enclave within the city and is part of the Chatham–Kent census agglomeration and census division.
.
Approximately 8,500 residents of Chatham–Kent have French as a mother tongue and 1,500 have French as their home language. Essex County
also has a relatively large francophone population, especially in the municipality of Lakeshore
. Together, Chatham–Kent and Essex Counties make up one of the concentrations of Franco-Ontarian
s in the province of Ontario.
Both elementary and secondary francophone schools exist across the municipality. A French cultural organization, La Girouette, which is based in Pain Court, promotes French-Canadian culture and language in the area.
Located in the "industrial heartland", Chatham's roots in the automotive sector go back to Gray-Dort Motors Ltd.
, one of Canada's earliest automobile manufacturers. (Chatham was also the birthplace of Hank Chrysler, father of Walter P. Chrysler
, founder of the Chrysler
automobile company). Other auto industry plants in the municipality include AutoLiv Canada in Tilbury (airbags), Mahle
in Tilbury (emissions controls and plastics).
Blenheim is home to RM Auctions, the world's largest vintage automobile auction house and RM Restorations, the world's largest vintage automobile restoration company. The nickname "The Classic Car Capital of Canada" comes from the company's position in the industry and abundance of classic car events in the community.
Chatham–Kent is the headquarters for Pioneer Hi-Bred Limited (a division of DuPont
), a major agricultural seed breeding and biotechnology company. In 1996, Chatham became the home of Commercial Alcohols, which is the largest ethanol
plant in Canada, and one of the largest in the world. It produces ethanol for industrial, medical, and beverage uses. In January 2005, the plant was named as one of Canada's 50 best managed companies. There are plans to double the size of the current Chatham facility. The plant faced criticism in the past due to corn mash odour from its stack, but has installed technology to eliminate the problem. However, these efforts need to be readressed, due to the fact that this technology has been discovered to be faulty by many of the local residents.
There are many farms in the municipality, and a number of vineyards
have been opened in the last few years.
Many international workers come to Chatham–Kent, especially in the warmer seasons, to do farm labour. In the past there have been allegations of low pay and poor living and working conditions for these agricultural labourers. 'El Contrato', a film by The National Film Board of Canada, addresses these issues in depth.
Chatham is home to the headquarters of Union Gas
, a natural gas utility and Spectra Energy
company. Other energy related activities include wind farms
near the shores of Lake Erie
.
Chatham also serves as a retail centre for the municipality and surrounding area. This has included the development of large big-box stores particularly at the north end of Communication Road in Blenheim, and at the north end of St. Clair Street in Chatham.
Mallory Industries is a third generation family owned business started in 1891 by George W. Mallory at his home in Guilds. The factory moved Blenheim in 1914 in order to secure electricity, and moved to its current location on Communication Road south of Blenheim in 1957. Their international operations in Blenheim, ON and Sioux City, Iowa supply squeegees and wash brushes to many top retailers across North America. http://www.malloryindustries.com/alt/aboutus.php?c=1®ion=CANADA
Thompsons Limited, formerly known as W.G. Thompson and Sons, Limited, is a third generation family owned and operated business headquartered in Blenheim serving the agricultural industry http://www.thompsonslimited.com/index.cfm?pagepath=About_Us/Our_History&id=15384. Thompsons has a network of modern elevators located across southern Ontario and the United States that receive, process and ship grain and edible beans for domestic and export markets. In addition, the regional grain handling facilities serve as retail centres for seed, fertilizer, crop protectants and other farm services. It also sells Hyland Seeds brand seed at all of its retail locations http://hylandseeds.com/products.php as well as packages and sells edible bean products and its own popcorn.
Chatham is home to many technology companies as well. For example, Chatham Internet Access was first to provide internet access in the area. TekSavvy Solutions Inc. provides high-speed internet, telephone, and other advanced telecommunications services across Canada.
The long, white sandy beaches, the fishing, convenient water access, hiking trails and conservation areas make Erieau a popular vacation getaway.
On May 5, 2009, it was announced that the Wheels Inn would be closing and downsizing into a Holiday Inn Express
.
There are two Provincial Parks
in Chatham–Kent, Rondeau Provincial Park
and Wheatley Provincial Park
, and Point Pelee National Park
is nearby. There are also numerous local conservation areas.
Downtown Chatham is home to the annual "Retrofest" organized by the Historic Downtown Chatham BIA, in partnership with the Kent Historic Auto Club. Hundreds of classic car enthusiasts travel to Downtown Chatham to showcase their classic cars and vintage vehicles.
Downtown Chatham is also home to the Chatham Capitol Theatre, a community-based theatre that, when it opened in 1930, was the largest in the region. The current renovation of the theatre is run under the auspices of the Chatham Capitol Theatre Association, a not-for-profit corporation with registered charitable status. The theatre has recently reopened in September 2010.
Wolfe Creek BMX is a non profit BMX dirt race track located off of Creek Rd behind The Chatham Compost Depot. Wolfe Creek BMX is affiliated with American Bicycle Association (ABA) and runs sanctioned races including The Provincial Championship Series. www.wolfebmx.com Local citizen Tom Maciejowski along with the help of family friends and generous volunteers and contributors are responsible for the upkeep of the facility.
in nearby Middlesex County
.
Research published in 2002 by the Heart and Stroke Foundation cited Chatham–Kent as a hotspot for heart disease
in Ontario. Further research is underway to determine the reasons for this and other hotspots. Chatham–Kent Public Health launched a campaign in fall 2007 to tackle other ailments prevalent throughout the community, including asthma
, chronic allergies, sinus problems, many types of cancer
, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease
, alcoholism
, and obesity
.
In October 2008, Chatham–Kent Health Alliance was named one of "Canada's Top 100 Employers
" by Mediacorp Canada Inc., and was featured in Maclean's
newsmagazine.
Chatham–Kent features one of the 14 provincial Local Health Integration Networks (LHIN)
. The Erie St. Clair (ESC) LHIN services the Chatham–Kent Community as well as Sarnia/Lambton and Windsor/Essex. The ESC LHIN is located in the town of Chatham.
Chatham–Kent is also served by stations coming from Windsor, London, Detroit, Toledo, and Cleveland.
CKSY, CFCO and CKUE are owned by Blackburn Radio
.
, the North Kent Leader in Dresden, Ridgetown Independent News, Tilbury Times, the Wallaceburg Courier Press and the Wheatley Journal.
The Chatham Daily News, Chatham This Week, Wallaceburg Courier Press, Wallaceburg News, and Dresden's North Kent Leader are all owned by Quebecor
through their Osprey Media Group and Bowes Publishers Limited subsidiaries.
(headquartered in Sarnia) and the St. Clair Catholic District School Board
(headquartered in Wallaceburg). The LKDSB is a public school board, and consists of 13 secondary and 53 elementary schools. The St. Clair Catholic board consists of three secondary schools, one in Chatham and two in Sarnia, and 16 elementary schools. There are also independent schools, such as Wallaceburg Christian School and Chatham Christian Schools—an elementary and secondary school in the same building.
Every year in September, Chatham–Kent hosts a "Red Feather" weekend. It is a charity event in support of the local United Way, and runs from Monday-Sunday, but the weekend is the focus of the event. All of the local high schools compete in different competitions. The weekend culminates in a huge dance, but has also faced criticism from locals due to drinking, noise, drug use, and vandalism. In August 2007, the local school board revamped Red Feather due to the above mentioned problems. The traditional dance, the annual parade and broomball and other minor events, have been suspended indefinitely. Although the event has not been completely cancelled, the weekend will only be a shadow of what it once was. It is unknown whether or not it will return in the foreseeable future.
and University of Guelph
Ridgetown Campus, popularly known as Ridgetown College.
St. Clair College is a satellite of St. Clair College of Windsor. There are two campuses located in the municipality - Thames Campus (located in Chatham) and the Wallaceburg Campus (located in Wallaceburg). More than 5,000 full time and 12,000 part time students attend the college each year.
Ridgetown College offers diplomas in agriculture
, horticulture
, and veterinary technology. It was formerly known as Ontario Agricultural College and then Ridgetown College of Agricultural Technology.
Western Junior B league:
There are also four teams in the Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League
Other teams that take to the ice in Chatham-Kent include the Chatham Outlaws Girls Hockey Association, the Chatham AAA Cyclones, and St. Clair College Saints* (Chatham Thames Campus).
in Chatham–Kent.
, connecting Montreal
, Toronto
, Kitchener
-Waterloo
, London
, and Windsor, Ontario
; and Detroit, Michigan
via the Ambassador Bridge
. Blenheim, Chatham and Wallaceburg are linked with Sarnia, Ontario
and the Blue Water Bridge
to the United States by Highway 40
.
The sections of Highway 2
and Highway 3
(the Talbot Trail) in Chatham–Kent were downloaded by the province in 1998, becoming local roads 2 and 3, but they remain significant through routes and are still locally known by their old names.
The first gas station in Canada to sell E85
fuel to the public is located on Park Avenue East in Chatham.
is served by Via Rail
passenger services between Toronto and Windsor, part of the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor
with four trips in each direction daily, and the community is served by both the Canadian National Railway
and the Canadian Pacific Railway
for freight transportation.
. Chatham–Kent has an intercity bus
service, also provided by CK Transit, between all communities in the municipality except Blenheim.
In addition, Chatham–Kent also has intercity bus
services, with Greyhound Canada
services to and from Windsor, London and Toronto, and through Detroit, Michigan
to Chicago, Illinois. These services stop at Thamesville
, Chatham and Tilbury
.
located 14 km south east of Chatham featuring a 5000 feet (1,524 m) paved, lighted runway, with refuelling facilities, tie-down services, pilot training and chartered flights. The nearest airports served by regional carriers are Windsor
and London
.
Kenneth Lyle "Chub" Houston (born September 15, 1953) is a retired Canadian ice hockey player.
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
in Southwestern Ontario
Southwestern Ontario
Southwestern Ontario is a subregion of Southern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario, centred on the city of London. It extends north to south from the Bruce Peninsula on Lake Huron to the Lake Erie shoreline, and east to south-west roughly from Guelph to Windsor. The region had a population...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Mostly rural, its centres of population are Blenheim
Blenheim, Ontario
Blenheim is a community located in south-central Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada, with a population of 4,800.- History :By 1783, there were French settlers in Detroit and Windsor. There were also settlers in the Niagara and Kingston region, but no real settlers to speak of in the Kent County region...
, Chatham
Chatham, Ontario
Chatham is the largest community in the municipality of Chatham-Kent, Ontario. Formerly serving as the seat of Kent County, the governments of the former city of Chatham, the county of Kent, and its townships were merged into one entity known as the Municipality of Chatham-Kent in 1998.Located on...
, Dresden
Dresden, Ontario
Dresden is a community in southwestern Ontario, Canada, part of the municipality of Chatham-Kent. Dresden is best known as the home of Josiah Henson, the former U.S. slave whose life story was the inspiration for the novel Uncle Tom's Cabin...
, Ridgetown
Ridgetown, Ontario
Ridgetown is a community located in south-east Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada. It is home to the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus. It has a population of roughly 3,500 and is one of many small farming communities in Chatham-Kent.-History:...
, Tilbury
Tilbury, Ontario
Tilbury is a community in the municipality of Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada. It is located between Chatham and Windsor on Highway 401.-History:...
and Wallaceburg
Wallaceburg, Ontario
Wallaceburg is an unincorporated community and town located in the municipality of Chatham-Kent in Southern Ontario, Canada. Originally a small settlement, it was recognized for its significant contribution to the lumber and boat building industries and strategic location along the banks of the...
. Modern Chatham–Kent was created in 1998 by the merger of Kent County
Kent County, Ontario
Kent County, area 2,458 sq km is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario. Population in 2006 was 108,589.The county was created in 1792 and named by John Graves Simcoe in honour of the English County. The county is in an alluvial plain between Lake St...
and its municipalities.
History
The former city of Chatham began as a naval dockyard in the 1790s, as it straddles the Thames RiverThames River (Ontario)
The Thames River is located in southwestern Ontario, Canada.The Thames flows west through southwestern Ontario, through the cities of Woodstock, London and Chatham to Lighthouse Cove on Lake St. Clair...
. The town was named after Chatham, Kent, England, which was also developed around a naval dockyard. In England, the name Chatham came from the British root ceto and the Old English ham thus meaning a forest settlement. Following the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
and the Gnadenhutten Massacre
Gnadenhütten massacre
The Gnadenhutten massacre, also known as the Moravian massacre, was the killing on March 8, 1782, during the American Revolutionary War, of 96 Christian Lenape by colonial American militia from Pennsylvania. The militia attacked Lenape at the Moravian missionary village of Gnadenhütten, Ohio.The...
, a group of Christian Munsee
Christian Munsee
The Christian Munsee were a group of Lenape native American Indians, primarily Munsee-speaking, who converted to Christianity, following the teachings of the Moravian missionaries...
Indians settled in what is now Moraviantown.
In the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, the Battle of the Thames
Battle of the Thames
The Battle of the Thames, also known as the Battle of Moraviantown, was a decisive American victory in the War of 1812. It took place on October 5, 1813, near present-day Chatham, Ontario in Upper Canada...
took place between Moraviantown and Thamesville
Thamesville, Ontario
Thamesville is a community in Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada. It is located at the junction of former provincial Highways 2 and 21, between Chatham and London. Its name comes from the Thames River that flows nearby and the suffix -ville....
on October 5, 1813.
During the 19th century, the area was part of the Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
. As a result, Chatham–Kent is now part of the African-Canadian Heritage Tour. Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site is a museum of the Dawn Settlement, established in 1841 by Josiah Henson
Josiah Henson
Josiah Henson was an author, abolitionist, and minister. Born into slavery in Charles County, Maryland, he escaped to Ontario, Canada in 1830, and founded a settlement and laborer's school for other fugitive slaves at Dawn, near Dresden in Kent County...
near Dresden as refuge for the many slaves who escaped to Canada from the United States. John Brown
John Brown (abolitionist)
John Brown was an American revolutionary abolitionist, who in the 1850s advocated and practiced armed insurrection as a means to abolish slavery in the United States. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre during which five men were killed, in 1856 in Bleeding Kansas, and made his name in the...
, the abolitionist, planned his raid on the Harpers Ferry Virginia Arsenal in Chatham and recruited local men to participate in the raid. The small village of North Buxton
North Buxton
North Buxton is a rural community located in Southwestern Ontario. It rests in the Chatham-Kent municipality with a population of approximately 200 almost exclusively Black Canadians. North Buxton's historic population has been over 2000 residents, almost exclusively descendants of freed and...
, part of the African Canadian Heritage Tour, also played an important role in the Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
.
Kent County consisted of the townships
Township (Canada)
The term township generally means the district or area associated with a town. However in some systems no town needs to be involved. The specific use of the term to describe political subdivisions has varied by country, usually to describe a local rural or semi-rural government within the county...
of Camden, Chatham, Dover, Harwich, Howard, Orford, Raleigh, Romney, Tilbury East and Zone. In some of Canada's earliest post-Confederation 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...
es, some residences in Kent County were incorrectly reported as being in Bothwell "County", which was a separate electoral district
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
comprising parts of Kent and Lambton
Lambton County, Ontario
Lambton County is a census division of the Canadian province of Ontario. The county is located in Southwestern Ontario. It is bordered on the north by Lake Huron, which flows into the St. Clair River, the county's western border and part of the Canada-United States border. To the south is Lake...
counties but not a distinct county in its own right.
In 1998 the County of Kent
Kent County, Ontario
Kent County, area 2,458 sq km is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario. Population in 2006 was 108,589.The county was created in 1792 and named by John Graves Simcoe in honour of the English County. The county is in an alluvial plain between Lake St...
and the city of Chatham
Chatham, Ontario
Chatham is the largest community in the municipality of Chatham-Kent, Ontario. Formerly serving as the seat of Kent County, the governments of the former city of Chatham, the county of Kent, and its townships were merged into one entity known as the Municipality of Chatham-Kent in 1998.Located on...
were amalgamated to form the Municipality of Chatham–Kent.
Chatham Kent Has many historic festivals throughout the year such as the battle of longwoods reenactment, which takes place on Labour Day weekend at Fairfield Museum on Longwoods road.
Chatham Kent is also home to many historic buildings which are part of an annual ghost tour offered each year at Halloween. The participants go on a guided walk of downtown while the guide informs them of various ghost stories tied to the local buildings in which they pass. Chatham Kent plays host to so much paranormal activity, that numerous books have been published on it.
Chatham Kent was a major part of the underground railroad and as such hosts the Buxton Homecoming each September. This celebrates the areas rich black culture and the roots laid by early black settlers in the Buxton area.
Communities
The Municipality of Chatham–Kent currently consists of the communities of Appledore, Arkwood, Bagnall, Baldoon, Bates Subdivision, Bearline, Beechwood, BlenheimBlenheim, Ontario
Blenheim is a community located in south-central Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada, with a population of 4,800.- History :By 1783, there were French settlers in Detroit and Windsor. There were also settlers in the Niagara and Kingston region, but no real settlers to speak of in the Kent County region...
, Botany, Bothwell, Bothwell Station, Bradley, Briarwood Estates, Cedar Springs, Charing Cross, Chatham, Clearville, Coatsworth, Croton, Darrell, Dawn Mills
Dawn Mills, Ontario
In 1837, William Taylor and James Smith erected a saw, grist and wool mill on the banks of the Sydenham River in Camden Township of Kent County, Ontario near Dresden, Ontario. The mills were welcomed by residents at Dawn Mills who previously had to transport their produce for milling to Detroit by...
, Dealtown, Dover Centre, Doyles, Dresden
Dresden, Ontario
Dresden is a community in southwestern Ontario, Canada, part of the municipality of Chatham-Kent. Dresden is best known as the home of Josiah Henson, the former U.S. slave whose life story was the inspiration for the novel Uncle Tom's Cabin...
, Duart, Eatonville, Eberts, Electric, Erie Beach, Erieau, Fargo Station, Fletcher, Florence, Glenwood, Grande Pointe, Guilds, Highgate, Holiday Harbour, Huffman Corners, Jeannette, Jeannette's Creek, Kent Bridge, Kent Centre, Lake Morningstar, Louisville, McKay's Corners, Merlin
Merlin, Ontario
Merlin is a small farming community inhabited by 750 residents located in Southwestern Ontario. It lies five kilometres due north off the shores of Lake Erie in the municipality of Chatham-Kent.Merlin is the hometown of country music singer Michelle Wright....
, Mitchell's Bay, Morpeth
Morpeth, Ontario
Morpeth is a community in Southern Ontario, Canada that is between Blenheim and St. Thomas on Highway 3 in the municipality of Chatham-Kent. It is located less than two hours away from Windsor.-History:...
, Muirkirk, Mull, New Scotland, North Buxton
North Buxton
North Buxton is a rural community located in Southwestern Ontario. It rests in the Chatham-Kent municipality with a population of approximately 200 almost exclusively Black Canadians. North Buxton's historic population has been over 2000 residents, almost exclusively descendants of freed and...
, North Thamesville, Northwood, Oldfield, Oungah, Ouvry, Pain Court
Pain Court, Ontario
Pain Court, often incorrectly spelled Paincourt, is an agricultural village in southwestern Ontario, Canada, in the municipality of Chatham-Kent. It was established in 1854, as one of the earliest French-speaking settlements in southern Ontario...
, Palmyra, Pardoville, Pinehurst, Port Alma, Port Crewe, Prairie Siding, Quinn, Raglan, Renwick, Rhodes, Ridgetown
Ridgetown, Ontario
Ridgetown is a community located in south-east Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada. It is home to the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus. It has a population of roughly 3,500 and is one of many small farming communities in Chatham-Kent.-History:...
, Ringold, Rondeau, Rondeau Bay Estates, Selton, Shrewsbury, Sleepy Hollow, South Buxton
South Buxton, Ontario
South Buxton is an unincorporated community in Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada. The population is approximately 78. The majority of the population is retirees. South Buxton has only two roads and a single church. It is near the South Buxton raceway...
, Stevenson, Stewart, Thamesville
Thamesville, Ontario
Thamesville is a community in Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada. It is located at the junction of former provincial Highways 2 and 21, between Chatham and London. Its name comes from the Thames River that flows nearby and the suffix -ville....
, Thornecliffe, Tilbury
Tilbury, Ontario
Tilbury is a community in the municipality of Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada. It is located between Chatham and Windsor on Highway 401.-History:...
, Troy, Tupperville, Turin, Turnerville, Valetta, Van Horne, Vosburg, Wabash, Wallaceburg
Wallaceburg, Ontario
Wallaceburg is an unincorporated community and town located in the municipality of Chatham-Kent in Southern Ontario, Canada. Originally a small settlement, it was recognized for its significant contribution to the lumber and boat building industries and strategic location along the banks of the...
, Wheatley
Wheatley, Ontario
Wheatley is a community in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, within the municipality of Chatham-Kent. It lies about east of Leamington. Nearby parks include Two Creeks Conservation Area, which has 15 km of hiking and bicycling paths, Kopegaron Woods Conservation Area, Hillman Marsh Conservation...
, Whitebread and Wilson's Bush.
Geography
At 2,458 square kilometres, Chatham–Kent is the 12th largest municipality by area in Canada and the largest in southwestern Ontario. Over 59,000 of the 110,000 residents live in the former City of Chatham. Other population centres in the municipality include WallaceburgWallaceburg, Ontario
Wallaceburg is an unincorporated community and town located in the municipality of Chatham-Kent in Southern Ontario, Canada. Originally a small settlement, it was recognized for its significant contribution to the lumber and boat building industries and strategic location along the banks of the...
, Blenheim
Blenheim, Ontario
Blenheim is a community located in south-central Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada, with a population of 4,800.- History :By 1783, there were French settlers in Detroit and Windsor. There were also settlers in the Niagara and Kingston region, but no real settlers to speak of in the Kent County region...
and Tilbury
Tilbury, Ontario
Tilbury is a community in the municipality of Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada. It is located between Chatham and Windsor on Highway 401.-History:...
, Ridgetown
Ridgetown, Ontario
Ridgetown is a community located in south-east Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada. It is home to the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus. It has a population of roughly 3,500 and is one of many small farming communities in Chatham-Kent.-History:...
and Dresden
Dresden, Ontario
Dresden is a community in southwestern Ontario, Canada, part of the municipality of Chatham-Kent. Dresden is best known as the home of Josiah Henson, the former U.S. slave whose life story was the inspiration for the novel Uncle Tom's Cabin...
.
The Lower Thames River
Thames River (Ontario)
The Thames River is located in southwestern Ontario, Canada.The Thames flows west through southwestern Ontario, through the cities of Woodstock, London and Chatham to Lighthouse Cove on Lake St. Clair...
runs through Chatham–Kent to Lake St. Clair
Lake Saint Clair (North America)
Lake St. Clair is a fresh-water lake named after Clare of Assisi that lies between the Province of Ontario and the State of Michigan, and its midline also forms the boundary between Canada and the United States of America. Lake St. Clair includes the Anchor Bay along the Metro Detroit coastline...
in the west, while the Sydenham River
Sydenham River
The Sydenham River is a river in Kent County, Lambton County and Middlesex County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, flowing southwest from its source west of London, Ontario and emptying into Lake Saint Clair. The length of the river is and it drains a watershed of approximately 2,700 square...
flows through Wallaceburg and Dresden. The municipality has approximately 88 kilometres of shoreline along lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
and 24 kilometres along lake St. Clair.
The Indian reserve
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...
of Bkejwanong
Walpole Island
Walpole Island is an island and Indian reserve in southwestern Ontario, Canada, on the border between Ontario and Michigan in the United States. It is located in the mouth of the St. Clair River on Lake St. Clair, approximately thirty miles northeast of Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario.In...
(commonly referred to as Walpole Island) borders on Chatham–Kent, whereas the Indian reserve of Moravian 47
Moravian 47, Ontario
Moravian No. 47 is an Indian reserve located in Chatham-Kent Ontario with an area of 13 km². It is occupied by the Moravian of the Thames First Nation, a part of the Munsee branch of the Lenape, and is commonly known as Moravian of the Thames reserve...
is an enclave within the city and is part of the Chatham–Kent census agglomeration and census division.
Adjacent counties and municipalities
- Lambton CountyLambton County, OntarioLambton County is a census division of the Canadian province of Ontario. The county is located in Southwestern Ontario. It is bordered on the north by Lake Huron, which flows into the St. Clair River, the county's western border and part of the Canada-United States border. To the south is Lake...
(north and northwest) - Middlesex CountyMiddlesex County, OntarioMiddlesex County is a primarily rural county in Southwestern Ontario. Landlocked, the county is bordered by Huron and Perth counties on the north, Oxford County on the east, Elgin County on the south, and Chatham-Kent and Lambton County on the west.The seat is the city of London, although the city...
(northeast) - Elgin CountyElgin County, OntarioElgin County is a county and census division of the Canadian province of Ontario with a current population of approximately 46,000. The county seat is St. Thomas.It consists of:*Town of Aylmer*Municipality of Bayham*Municipality of Central Elgin...
(northeast and east) - Across Lake ErieLake ErieLake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
lies ErieErie County, OhioAs of the census of 2000, there were 79,551 people, 31,727 households, and 21,764 families residing in the county. The population density was 312 people per square mile . There were 35,909 housing units at an average density of 141 per square mile...
, LorainLorain County, OhioLorain County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio, and is considered to be a part of what is locally referred to as Greater Cleveland. As of the 2010 census, its population was 301,356. an increase from 284,664 in 2000...
and CuyahogaCuyahoga County, OhioCuyahoga County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. It is the most populous county in Ohio; as of the 2010 census, the population was 1,280,122. Its county seat is Cleveland. Cuyahoga County is part of Greater Cleveland, a metropolitan area, and Northeast Ohio, a...
Counties, OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, USUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(south) - Essex CountyEssex County, OntarioEssex County is a county and census division located in Southwestern Ontario and covers an area at the southernmost tip of Canada. The administrative seat is Essex...
(southwest and west) - Across Lake St. ClairLake Saint Clair (North America)Lake St. Clair is a fresh-water lake named after Clare of Assisi that lies between the Province of Ontario and the State of Michigan, and its midline also forms the boundary between Canada and the United States of America. Lake St. Clair includes the Anchor Bay along the Metro Detroit coastline...
lies MacombMacomb County, Michigan-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 788,149 people, 309,203 households, and 210,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,640 people per square mile . There were 320,276 housing units at an average density of 667 per square mile...
and St. ClairSt. Clair County, Michigan-Interstates:* I-69 enters the county from the west, coming from Lansing and Flint, terminating at the approach to the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron....
Counties, MichiganMichiganMichigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, US (west)
Demographics
Population trend:- Population in 2006: 108,177
- Population in 2001: 107,341
- Population total in 1996: 109,350
Language
Although most of the population of Chatham–Kent is English-speaking, a few of its communities and Catholic parishes were settled by francophone (French-speaking) farmers in the mid-nineteenth century. These include Pain Court, Tilbury and Grande Pointe, where French is still spoken by a significant percentage of the population. These communities are designated French language service areas under Ontario's French Language Services ActFrench Language Services Act
The French Language Services Act is a law in the province of Ontario, Canada which is intended to protect the rights of Franco-Ontarians, or French-speaking people, in the province....
.
Approximately 8,500 residents of Chatham–Kent have French as a mother tongue and 1,500 have French as their home language. Essex County
Essex County, Ontario
Essex County is a county and census division located in Southwestern Ontario and covers an area at the southernmost tip of Canada. The administrative seat is Essex...
also has a relatively large francophone population, especially in the municipality of Lakeshore
Lakeshore, Ontario
Lakeshore is a town in southwestern Ontario, Canada, on Lake St. Clair. Its nearest city is Windsor, located in Essex County. The town was incorporated in 1999 by amalgamating the Town of Belle River with the townships of Maidstone, Rochester, Tilbury North, and Tilbury West.Lakeshore has a...
. Together, Chatham–Kent and Essex Counties make up one of the concentrations of Franco-Ontarian
Franco-Ontarian
Franco-Ontarians are French Canadian or francophone residents of the Canadian province of Ontario. They are sometimes known as "Ontarois"....
s in the province of Ontario.
Both elementary and secondary francophone schools exist across the municipality. A French cultural organization, La Girouette, which is based in Pain Court, promotes French-Canadian culture and language in the area.
Economy and industry
Chatham–Kent's economy has a base in the agricultural and automotive sectors. The municipality and senior levels of government are keen to promote continuing diversification.Located in the "industrial heartland", Chatham's roots in the automotive sector go back to Gray-Dort Motors Ltd.
Gray-Dort Motors Ltd.
Gray-Dort Motors was a Canadian automobile manufacturer in Chatham, Ontario, Canada, from 1915 to 1925. It started as Canadian carriage works of William Gray & Sons Company Ltd, founded in 1855 by William Gray. In the mid 1900s Robert Gray began to build Ford bodies for the Walkerville factory....
, one of Canada's earliest automobile manufacturers. (Chatham was also the birthplace of Hank Chrysler, father of Walter P. Chrysler
Walter Chrysler
Walter Percy Chrysler was an American machinist, railroad mechanic and manager, automotive industry executive, Freemason, and founder of the Chrysler Corporation.- Railroad career :...
, founder of the Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
automobile company). Other auto industry plants in the municipality include AutoLiv Canada in Tilbury (airbags), Mahle
Mahle GmbH
Mahle GmbH is one of the 30 largest automotive suppliers worldwide. As the leading manufacturer of components and systems for combustion engines and its periphery, the Mahle Group is among the top three systems suppliers worldwide for piston systems, cylinder components, valve train systems, air...
in Tilbury (emissions controls and plastics).
Blenheim is home to RM Auctions, the world's largest vintage automobile auction house and RM Restorations, the world's largest vintage automobile restoration company. The nickname "The Classic Car Capital of Canada" comes from the company's position in the industry and abundance of classic car events in the community.
Chatham–Kent is the headquarters for Pioneer Hi-Bred Limited (a division of DuPont
DuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
), a major agricultural seed breeding and biotechnology company. In 1996, Chatham became the home of Commercial Alcohols, which is the largest ethanol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
plant in Canada, and one of the largest in the world. It produces ethanol for industrial, medical, and beverage uses. In January 2005, the plant was named as one of Canada's 50 best managed companies. There are plans to double the size of the current Chatham facility. The plant faced criticism in the past due to corn mash odour from its stack, but has installed technology to eliminate the problem. However, these efforts need to be readressed, due to the fact that this technology has been discovered to be faulty by many of the local residents.
There are many farms in the municipality, and a number of vineyards
Canadian wine
Canadian wine is produced in mainly southern British Columbia and southern Ontario. There is also a growing number of small scale producers of grapes and wine in southern Quebec and Nova Scotia. The two largest wine-producing regions in Canada are the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia and the...
have been opened in the last few years.
Many international workers come to Chatham–Kent, especially in the warmer seasons, to do farm labour. In the past there have been allegations of low pay and poor living and working conditions for these agricultural labourers. 'El Contrato', a film by The National Film Board of Canada, addresses these issues in depth.
Chatham is home to the headquarters of Union Gas
Union Gas
Union Gas Limited is a major Canadian natural gas storage, transmission and distribution company based in Chatham-Kent, Ontario. The distribution business serves 1.3 million residential, commercial and industrial customers in more than 400 communities across northern, southwestern and eastern...
, a natural gas utility and Spectra Energy
Spectra Energy
Spectra Energy Corp is a S&P 500 company headquartered in Houston, Texas, that operates in three key areas of the natural gas industry: transmission and storage, distribution, and gathering and processing. Spectra was formed in late 2006 from the spin-off from Duke Energy...
company. Other energy related activities include wind farms
Wind power
Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, windmills for mechanical power, windpumps for water pumping or drainage, or sails to propel ships....
near the shores of Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
.
Chatham also serves as a retail centre for the municipality and surrounding area. This has included the development of large big-box stores particularly at the north end of Communication Road in Blenheim, and at the north end of St. Clair Street in Chatham.
Mallory Industries is a third generation family owned business started in 1891 by George W. Mallory at his home in Guilds. The factory moved Blenheim in 1914 in order to secure electricity, and moved to its current location on Communication Road south of Blenheim in 1957. Their international operations in Blenheim, ON and Sioux City, Iowa supply squeegees and wash brushes to many top retailers across North America. http://www.malloryindustries.com/alt/aboutus.php?c=1®ion=CANADA
Thompsons Limited, formerly known as W.G. Thompson and Sons, Limited, is a third generation family owned and operated business headquartered in Blenheim serving the agricultural industry http://www.thompsonslimited.com/index.cfm?pagepath=About_Us/Our_History&id=15384. Thompsons has a network of modern elevators located across southern Ontario and the United States that receive, process and ship grain and edible beans for domestic and export markets. In addition, the regional grain handling facilities serve as retail centres for seed, fertilizer, crop protectants and other farm services. It also sells Hyland Seeds brand seed at all of its retail locations http://hylandseeds.com/products.php as well as packages and sells edible bean products and its own popcorn.
Chatham is home to many technology companies as well. For example, Chatham Internet Access was first to provide internet access in the area. TekSavvy Solutions Inc. provides high-speed internet, telephone, and other advanced telecommunications services across Canada.
Attractions
On May 5, 2009, it was announced that the Wheels Inn would be closing and downsizing into a Holiday Inn Express
Holiday Inn Express
Holiday Inn Express is a mid-priced hotel chain within the InterContinental Hotels Group family of brands. As an "express" hotel, their focus is on offering limited services and a reasonable price. Standard amenities lean toward the convenient and practical which cater to business travelers and...
.
There are two Provincial Parks
Ontario Parks
Ontario Parks is the branch of the Ministry of Natural Resources that administers the provincial parks in Ontario, Canada. The Ontario Parks system covers over 78,000 square kilometres , about 10 percent of the province's surface area or the equivalent of an area approximately equal to Nova Scotia...
in Chatham–Kent, Rondeau Provincial Park
Rondeau Provincial Park
Rondeau Provincial Park is a provincial park in southwestern Ontario, Canada, located on an 8 km long crescentic sand spit extending into Lake Erie. There are only two sand spits like this one in all of North America, one in Rondeau and one in Florida. Rondeau was established in 1894 as a response...
and Wheatley Provincial Park
Wheatley Provincial Park
Wheatley Provincial Park is a protected area in the municipality of Chatham–Kent in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. It is located on Lake Erie near the community of Wheatley and occupies an area of...
, and Point Pelee National Park
Point Pelee National Park
-See also:*National Parks of Canada*List of National Parks of Canada*Long Point-External links:**...
is nearby. There are also numerous local conservation areas.
Downtown Chatham is home to the annual "Retrofest" organized by the Historic Downtown Chatham BIA, in partnership with the Kent Historic Auto Club. Hundreds of classic car enthusiasts travel to Downtown Chatham to showcase their classic cars and vintage vehicles.
Downtown Chatham is also home to the Chatham Capitol Theatre, a community-based theatre that, when it opened in 1930, was the largest in the region. The current renovation of the theatre is run under the auspices of the Chatham Capitol Theatre Association, a not-for-profit corporation with registered charitable status. The theatre has recently reopened in September 2010.
Wolfe Creek BMX is a non profit BMX dirt race track located off of Creek Rd behind The Chatham Compost Depot. Wolfe Creek BMX is affiliated with American Bicycle Association (ABA) and runs sanctioned races including The Provincial Championship Series. www.wolfebmx.com Local citizen Tom Maciejowski along with the help of family friends and generous volunteers and contributors are responsible for the upkeep of the facility.
Health care
Chatham–Kent is served by the Chatham–Kent Health Alliance. The Public General Hospital and St. Joseph Hospital in Chatham were moved to a single campus in 2004, while the former Sydenham District Hospital remains in Wallaceburg. The eastern portion of the municipality is served by the Four Counties Health Services in NewburyNewbury, Ontario
Newbury is a village in the Canadian province of Ontario, located in Middlesex County. It is located in the southwestern corner of the county, entirely surrounded by the municipality of Southwest Middlesex.-History:...
in nearby Middlesex County
Middlesex County, Ontario
Middlesex County is a primarily rural county in Southwestern Ontario. Landlocked, the county is bordered by Huron and Perth counties on the north, Oxford County on the east, Elgin County on the south, and Chatham-Kent and Lambton County on the west.The seat is the city of London, although the city...
.
Research published in 2002 by the Heart and Stroke Foundation cited Chatham–Kent as a hotspot for heart disease
Heart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
in Ontario. Further research is underway to determine the reasons for this and other hotspots. Chatham–Kent Public Health launched a campaign in fall 2007 to tackle other ailments prevalent throughout the community, including asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
, chronic allergies, sinus problems, many types of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease
Inflammatory bowel disease
In medicine, inflammatory bowel disease is a group of inflammatory conditions of the colon and small intestine. The major types of IBD are Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.-Classification:...
, alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
, and obesity
Obesity
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems...
.
In October 2008, Chatham–Kent Health Alliance was named one of "Canada's Top 100 Employers
Canada's Top 100 Employers
Canada's Top 100 Employers is an annual competition that recognizes the best places in Canada to work. First held in 1999, the project aims to single out the employers that lead their industries in offering exceptional working conditions and progressive human resources policies. Winners are...
" by Mediacorp Canada Inc., and was featured in Maclean's
Maclean's
Maclean's is a Canadian weekly news magazine, reporting on Canadian issues such as politics, pop culture, and current events.-History:Founded in 1905 by Toronto journalist/entrepreneur Lt.-Col. John Bayne Maclean, a 43-year-old trade magazine publisher who purchased an advertising agency's in-house...
newsmagazine.
Chatham–Kent features one of the 14 provincial Local Health Integration Networks (LHIN)
Local Health Integration Network
A Local Health Integration Network is a type of health organisation in Ontario, Canada.Across the province of Ontario there are 14 LHINs. The LHINs have been given the mandate for planning, integrating and funding health care services at a local level...
. The Erie St. Clair (ESC) LHIN services the Chatham–Kent Community as well as Sarnia/Lambton and Windsor/Essex. The ESC LHIN is located in the town of Chatham.
Television stations
- CHWICHWI-TVCHWI-DT is a Canadian television station owned by Bell Media. It is part of the CTV Two system. The station is licensed to Wheatley, Ontario, but operates out of Windsor. CHWI also has offices in Chatham....
(A): a Bell Media television station. The station operates out of WindsorWindsor, OntarioWindsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
and has a tower in WheatleyWheatley, OntarioWheatley is a community in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, within the municipality of Chatham-Kent. It lies about east of Leamington. Nearby parks include Two Creeks Conservation Area, which has 15 km of hiking and bicycling paths, Kopegaron Woods Conservation Area, Hillman Marsh Conservation...
(where it is licensed). This television station has been operating since October 19, 1993, on channel 16.
- CKCOCKCO-TVCKCO-DT is a television station broadcasting on channel 13 in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. Owned and operated by Bell Media, it is a part of the CTV Television Network and has been branded CTV Southwestern Ontario since 2005.-History:...
(CTVCTV television networkCTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
): a Bell Media television station. The station operates out of KitchenerKitchener, OntarioThe City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
, and has offices in LondonLondon, OntarioLondon is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
, Chatham, and SarniaSarnia, OntarioSarnia is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada . It is the largest city on Lake Huron and is located where the upper Great Lakes empty into the St. Clair River....
. The station broadcasts locally on CKCO-TV-3 channel 42.
Chatham–Kent is also served by stations coming from Windsor, London, Detroit, Toledo, and Cleveland.
Radio broadcast stations
- CKSY 94.3FM: an adult contemporary music station on the air since July 1, 1986. In 2002, CKSY swapped broadcasting frequencies with CKUE. CKSY can be heard regularly in the Metro DetroitMetro DetroitThe Detroit metropolitan area, often referred to as Metro Detroit, is the metropolitan area located in Southeast Michigan centered on the city of Detroit which shares an international border with Windsor, Ontario. The Detroit metropolitan area is the second largest U.S. metropolitan area...
Area. - CKUE 95.1FM: The Rock, a rock music station established on October 6, 1999. In 2002, CKUE swapped broadcasting frequencies with CKSY. CKUE operates a repeater station in Windsor, OntarioWindsor, OntarioWindsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
, formerly on 95.1 FM (now moved to 100.7 FM), and thus the broadcast day originates from both the Chatham and Windsor studios. - CFCO 92.9FM and 630AM: A news, sports, Country music station. The original AM broadcasting station was launched in 1926; the repeater FM signal, meant to improve the station's reception in office buildings in Chatham–Kent, was launched in 2000. CFCO boasts a large daytime signal that covers much of MichiganMichiganMichigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, including Metro DetroitMetro DetroitThe Detroit metropolitan area, often referred to as Metro Detroit, is the metropolitan area located in Southeast Michigan centered on the city of Detroit which shares an international border with Windsor, Ontario. The Detroit metropolitan area is the second largest U.S. metropolitan area...
, and some of OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and IndianaIndianaIndiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
in addition to southwestern Ontario. - CBEE 88.1FM: the radio rebroadcast station for CBC Radio One (CBE) out of Windsor, Ontario.
- CKGW-FMCKGW-FMCKGW-FM is a Christian music radio station broadcasting at 89.3 FM in Chatham, Ontario, Canada. The station is owned by United Christian Broadcasters Canada . It was originally a rebroadcaster of CKJJ from Belleville, but became an independent station in April 2007.- External links :* * at...
89.3 FM: Christian music/news/talk station. CKGW is part of the UCB Canada family of stations. Originally planned as repeater of BellevilleBelleville, OntarioBelleville is a city located at the mouth of the Moira River on the Bay of Quinte in Southern Ontario, Canada, in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. It is the seat of Hastings County, but is politically independent of it. and the centre of the Bay of Quinte Region...
's CKJJ-FMCKJJ-FMCKJJ-FM is a Christian music radio station, broadcasting at 102.3 FM in Belleville, Ontario, Canada. The station began broadcasting in 2003 and is owned by United Christian Broadcasters Canada.-Transmitters:...
102.3 FM, it was reorganized into a stand-alone station before its launch in 2007 and operates at 89.3FM. It includes some programmes from Belleville, plus local standalone programming. - CKXS-FM 99.1 FM: The newest radio station in Chatham–Kent, based in Wallaceburg, ON, is operated by Five Amigos Broadcasting. The station began broadcasting in October 2009, and offers an Adult contemporary musicAdult contemporary musicAdult contemporary music is a broad style of popular music that ranges from lush 1950s and 1960s vocal music to predominantly ballad-heavy music with varying degrees of rock influence, as well as a radio format that plays such music....
radio formatRadio formatA radio format or programming format not to be confused with broadcast programming describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. Radio formats are frequently employed as a marketing tool, and constantly evolve...
. It provides a minimum of 91 hours of local programming per broadcast week, with the remainder consisting of syndicated programming.
CKSY, CFCO and CKUE are owned by Blackburn Radio
Blackburn Radio
Blackburn Radio is a Canadian radio broadcasting group, which owns several radio stations in Southwestern Ontario. Headquartered in London, Ontario, the company is owned by 2061302 Ontario Limited, which is majority owned by Cogent Investments....
.
Print media
The Chatham Daily News is the only daily newspaper in Chatham–Kent. There are several weeklies located in Chatham and the various communities in the municipality, including the Blenheim News Tribune, Chatham This WeekChatham This Week
Chatham This Week is a community newspaper serving the city of Chatham, Ontario, with a controlled circulation to approximately 19,400 homes.-History:...
, the North Kent Leader in Dresden, Ridgetown Independent News, Tilbury Times, the Wallaceburg Courier Press and the Wheatley Journal.
The Chatham Daily News, Chatham This Week, Wallaceburg Courier Press, Wallaceburg News, and Dresden's North Kent Leader are all owned by Quebecor
Quebecor
Quebecor Inc. is a communications company based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was founded by Pierre Péladeau, and remains run by his family. Quebecor Inc. owns 55% of Quebecor Media Inc...
through their Osprey Media Group and Bowes Publishers Limited subsidiaries.
Online media
The Chatham Kent Daily Post is the only daily online newspaper in Chatham–Kent that provides coverage of local news, sports, entertainment, and cultural events as well as a number of regular contributing columnists.Elementary and secondary
There are two anglophone school boards in Chatham–Kent. These are the Lambton Kent District School BoardLambton Kent District School Board
The Lambton Kent District School Board is the school board responsible for public education in Lambton County and Chatham-Kent, Ontario.The high schools managed by the Board are:*Alexander Mackenzie Secondary School in Sarnia*Blenheim District High School...
(headquartered in Sarnia) and the St. Clair Catholic District School Board
St. Clair Catholic District School Board
The St. Clair Catholic District School Board manages Catholic education in the county of Lambton including the city of Sarnia as well as in the regional municipality of Chatham-Kent, in southern Ontario, Canada....
(headquartered in Wallaceburg). The LKDSB is a public school board, and consists of 13 secondary and 53 elementary schools. The St. Clair Catholic board consists of three secondary schools, one in Chatham and two in Sarnia, and 16 elementary schools. There are also independent schools, such as Wallaceburg Christian School and Chatham Christian Schools—an elementary and secondary school in the same building.
Every year in September, Chatham–Kent hosts a "Red Feather" weekend. It is a charity event in support of the local United Way, and runs from Monday-Sunday, but the weekend is the focus of the event. All of the local high schools compete in different competitions. The weekend culminates in a huge dance, but has also faced criticism from locals due to drinking, noise, drug use, and vandalism. In August 2007, the local school board revamped Red Feather due to the above mentioned problems. The traditional dance, the annual parade and broomball and other minor events, have been suspended indefinitely. Although the event has not been completely cancelled, the weekend will only be a shadow of what it once was. It is unknown whether or not it will return in the foreseeable future.
Post-secondary
Chatham–Kent is the home of two colleges – St. Clair CollegeSt. Clair College
St. Clair College of Applied Arts and Technology is a college in the Southwestern Ontario counties of Essex and Chatham-Kent.-Campus:Its main administration and largest campus sites are in Windsor, Canada. In addition, other campuses are located in Chatham and Wallaceburg. In 2007, St...
and University of Guelph
University of Guelph
The University of Guelph, also known as U of G, is a comprehensive public research university in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. It was established in 1964 after the amalgamation of Ontario Agricultural College, the Macdonald Institute, and the Ontario Veterinary College...
Ridgetown Campus, popularly known as Ridgetown College.
St. Clair College is a satellite of St. Clair College of Windsor. There are two campuses located in the municipality - Thames Campus (located in Chatham) and the Wallaceburg Campus (located in Wallaceburg). More than 5,000 full time and 12,000 part time students attend the college each year.
Ridgetown College offers diplomas in agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, horticulture
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
, and veterinary technology. It was formerly known as Ontario Agricultural College and then Ridgetown College of Agricultural Technology.
Ice hockey
Chatham has a team in the Ontario Hockey AssociationOntario Hockey Association
The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the...
Western Junior B league:
- Chatham Maroons
There are also four teams in the Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League
Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League
The Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League is a Junior "C" ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada, sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association. The Champion of the Great Lakes will compete for the All-Ontario Championship and the Clarence Schmalz Cup....
- Blenheim BladesBlenheim BladesThe Blenheim Blades are a Junior "C" team based out of Blenheim, Ontario. They play out of the Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League.-History:In 1968, the Golden Blades joined the Border Cities Junior "B" Hockey League. In 1971, the league was demoted and renamed the Great Lakes Junior "C" Hockey...
- Dresden Jr. KingsDresden Jr. KingsThe Dresden Jr. Kings are a Junior "C" hockey team based out of Dresden, Ontario. They play out of the Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League.-History:...
- Wheatley Sharks
- Wallaceburg LakersWallaceburg LakersThe Wallaceburg Lakers are a junior "C" team based out of Wallaceburg, Ontario. They play out of the Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League.-History:...
Other teams that take to the ice in Chatham-Kent include the Chatham Outlaws Girls Hockey Association, the Chatham AAA Cyclones, and St. Clair College Saints* (Chatham Thames Campus).
- Currently defuct.
Canadian football
In 2006 Chatham entered a team into the inaugural season of the Allstar Peewee Football League, and in 2007 entered a team into the Jr. Ontario Varsity Football League.- Chatham–Kent Cougars
Rugby Union football
Founded in 2001, Chatham has a rugby team in the Southwest Rugby Union:- Chatham–Kent Havoc http://www.havocrugby.com/
Association Football/Soccer
Chatham–Kent does not have a professional or semi-pro football/soccer team, but there are many leagues for young children to adults that operatein Chatham–Kent.
Road
Chatham–Kent is situated just off Highway 401Highway 401 (Ontario)
King's Highway 401, also known by its official name as the Macdonald–Cartier Freeway and colloquially as the four-oh-one, is a 400-Series Highway in the Canadian province of Ontario stretching from Windsor to the Quebec border...
, connecting Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, 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...
, Kitchener
Kitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
-Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is the smallest of the three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, and is adjacent to the city of Kitchener....
, London
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
, and Windsor, Ontario
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
; and Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
via the Ambassador Bridge
Ambassador Bridge
The Ambassador Bridge is a suspension bridge that connects Detroit, Michigan, in the United States, with Windsor, Ontario, in Canada. It is the busiest international border crossing in North America in terms of trade volume: more than 25 percent of all merchandise trade between the United States...
. Blenheim, Chatham and Wallaceburg are linked with Sarnia, Ontario
Sarnia, Ontario
Sarnia is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada . It is the largest city on Lake Huron and is located where the upper Great Lakes empty into the St. Clair River....
and the Blue Water Bridge
Blue Water Bridge
The Blue Water Bridge is a twin-span international bridge across the St. Clair River that links Port Huron, Michigan, USA and Sarnia, Ontario, Canada...
to the United States by Highway 40
Highway 40 (Ontario)
Highway 40 is the main North-South Provincial highway in Southwestern Ontario, linking Chatham, Ontario to Sarnia, Ontario.- Origins :The road originally connected Highway 2 in Chatham, Ontario to Highway 7/Highway 22 in Sarnia, Ontario. It was created in 1934...
.
The sections of Highway 2
Highway 2 (Ontario)
King's Highway 2, usually referred to simply as Highway 2 is a provincially maintained highway in Ontario. Once the primary east–west route across the southern end of the province, Highway 2 became mostly redundant in the 1960s following the completion of Highway 401, which more or less...
and Highway 3
Highway 3 (Ontario)
King's Highway 3, commonly referred to as Highway 3 and historically as the Talbot Trail, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario which travels parallel to the shore of Lake Erie. It has three segments, the first of which runs from the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor...
(the Talbot Trail) in Chatham–Kent were downloaded by the province in 1998, becoming local roads 2 and 3, but they remain significant through routes and are still locally known by their old names.
The first gas station in Canada to sell E85
E85
E85 is an abbreviation for an ethanol fuel blend of up to 85% denatured ethanol fuel and gasoline or other hydrocarbon by volume. E85 is commonly used by flex-fuel vehicles in the US, Canada, and Europe. Some of the benefits of E85 over conventional gasoline powered vehicles include the potential...
fuel to the public is located on Park Avenue East in Chatham.
Rail
Chatham stationChatham, Ontario railway station
The Chatham railway station in Chatham, Ontario, Canada is a station for Via Rail trains running from Toronto west to Windsor. The station is wheelchair-accessible.-External links:*...
is served by Via Rail
VIA Rail
Via Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....
passenger services between Toronto and Windsor, part of the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor
Quebec City-Windsor Corridor
Quebec City – Windsor Corridor is the most densely-populated and heavily-industrialized region of Canada. As its name suggests, it extends from Quebec City in the east to Windsor, Ontario in the west, spanning . With more than 18 million people, it contained 51% of the country's population and...
with four trips in each direction daily, and the community is served by both the Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
and the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
for freight transportation.
Bus
Within Chatham public bus services are provided by CK TransitCK Transit
CK Transit provides the conventional bus transportation in Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada.There are four local bus routes within the urban boundaries of the old City of Chatham , providing services every 30 minutes Monday through Saturday...
. Chatham–Kent has an intercity bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
service, also provided by CK Transit, between all communities in the municipality except Blenheim.
In addition, Chatham–Kent also has intercity bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
services, with Greyhound Canada
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
services to and from Windsor, London and Toronto, and through Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
to Chicago, Illinois. These services stop at Thamesville
Thamesville, Ontario
Thamesville is a community in Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada. It is located at the junction of former provincial Highways 2 and 21, between Chatham and London. Its name comes from the Thames River that flows nearby and the suffix -ville....
, Chatham and Tilbury
Tilbury, Ontario
Tilbury is a community in the municipality of Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada. It is located between Chatham and Windsor on Highway 401.-History:...
.
Air
There is a municipal airportChatham-Kent Airport
Chatham-Kent Airport, , is located southeast of Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada.The Chatham-Kent Municipal Airport is owned and operated by the Municipality of Chatham-Kent. The airport is managed by Z3 Aviation...
located 14 km south east of Chatham featuring a 5000 feet (1,524 m) paved, lighted runway, with refuelling facilities, tie-down services, pilot training and chartered flights. The nearest airports served by regional carriers are Windsor
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
and London
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
.
Famous people from Chatham-Kent
- Chris AllenChris Allen (ice hockey)Chris Allen is a Canadian ice hockey defenceman who is currently Player/Head Coach of the Peterborough Phantoms.-Playing career :...
- Former NHL player with the Florida Panthers - Douglas Anakin - won a gold medal at the 1964 Olympics1964 Winter OlympicsThe 1964 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Innsbruck, Austria, from January 29 to February 9, 1964...
in the bobsled - Bill Atkinson - former Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
relief pitcherRelief pitcherA relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter... - Courtney BabcockCourtney BabcockCourtney Babcock is a Canadian runner, who is a two-time national champion in the women's 5.000 metres.Born and raised in Chatham, Ontario Babcock now trains in the United States. Her father was a hockey player who was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens . In high school she was more interested in...
- OlympicOlympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
distance runner - Shae-Lynn BourneShae-Lynn BourneShae-Lynn Bourne, MSC is a Canadian ice dancer. She and partner Victor Kraatz became the first North American ice dancing world champions in 2003. They competed at three Winter Olympic Games, placing 10th at the 1994 Winter Olympics, 4th at the 1998 Winter Olympics, and 4th at the 2002 Winter...
- championship figure skaterFigure skatingFigure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions... - Sinead BradySinead BradySinead Brady is a Canadian fashion model. She was the runner-up of the second cycle of Canada's Next Top Model.-Early life:...
- Runner up in Canada's Next Top Model - Ernest BurgessErnest BurgessErnest Watson Burgess was an urban sociologist born in Tilbury, Ontario. He was educated at Kingfisher College in Oklahoma and continued graduate studies in sociology at the University of Chicago. In 1916, he returned to the University of Chicago, as a faculty member. Burgess was hired as an...
- 24th President of the American Sociological AssociationAmerican Sociological AssociationThe American Sociological Association , founded in 1905 as the American Sociological Society , is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the discipline and profession of sociology by serving sociologists in their work and promoting their contributions to serve society.The ASA holds its...
, author and urban sociologistUrban sociologyUrban sociology is the sociological study of social life and human interaction in metropolitan areas. It is a normative discipline of sociology seeking to study the structures, processes, changes and problems of an urban area and by doing so providing inputs for planning and policy making. Like...
who is known for his groundbreaking social ecologySocial ecologySocial ecology is a philosophy developed by Murray Bookchin in the 1960s.It holds that present ecological problems are rooted in deep-seated social problems, particularly in dominatory hierarchical political and social systems. These have resulted in an uncritical acceptance of an overly...
research - June CallwoodJune CallwoodJune Rose Callwood, was a Canadian journalist, author and social activist. She was born in Chatham, Ontario and grew up in nearby Belle River.-Early life and career:...
- prominent magazine writer in the 1950s who became an Officer in the Order of CanadaOrder of CanadaThe Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
in 1986 - Joseph CaronJoseph CaronJoseph Caron is a former Canadian High Commissioner to India and former Canadian Ambassador to China and Japan. Born and raised in the small francophone agricultural village of Pain Court in South-western Ontario , Caron attended the University of Ottawa Joseph Caron (born 1947) is a former...
- Former Canadian High Commissioner to India and former Canadian Ambassador to China and Japan - Chandra K. ClarkeChandra K. ClarkeChandra K. Clarke , is an author, columnist, and business woman.Clarke began her career as a freelance journalist, working for several small weeklies and community newspapers in Southwestern Ontario, specializing in municipal affairs and agribusiness reporting, while completing a Bachelor of Arts...
- entrepreneur, published author, and humour columnist. - James CouzensJames J. CouzensJames J. Couzens was a U.S. Senator from the state of Michigan, the Mayor of Detroit, an industrialist, and philanthropist.-Early life and career:...
- U.S. Senator, MayorMayorIn many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Detroit, industrialist, philanthropistPhilanthropistA philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
, and vice president and general manager of the Ford Motor CompanyFord Motor CompanyFord Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK... - Robertson DaviesRobertson DaviesWilliam Robertson Davies, CC, OOnt, FRSC, FRSL was a Canadian novelist, playwright, critic, journalist, and professor. He was one of Canada's best-known and most popular authors, and one of its most distinguished "men of letters", a term Davies is variously said to have gladly accepted for himself...
- novelist - Kenne DuncanKenne DuncanKenne Duncan , born Kenneth Duncan MacLachlan, was a well-known B-movie character actor. Hyped professionally as "The Meanest Man in the Movies," the vast majority of his over 250 appearances on camera were Westerns, but he also did occasional forays into horror, crime drama, and science fiction...
- western/action movie actor - Andy FantuzAndy FantuzAndrew "Andy" Fantuz, is a gridiron football wide receiver who is currently a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed drafted by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the first round of the 2006 CFL Draft...
- former CISCanadian Interuniversity SportCanadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada, comprising the majority of degree granting universities in the country. Its equivalent body for organized sports at colleges in Canada is The Canadian Colleges Athletic Association...
Offensive MVP, former Slotback for the Saskatchewan RoughridersSaskatchewan RoughridersThe Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
of the CFLCanadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
and current Receiver for the Chicago BearsChicago BearsThe Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the NFLNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing... - Wally FloodyWally FloodyFlight Lieutenant Wally Floody OBE , was an imprisoned Second World War pilot who was instrumental in organizing and implementing the "Great Escape" from the German Stalag Luft III prisoner of war camp.Floody was born in Chatham, Ontario. He attended Northern Vocational School...
- the "Tunnel King" from The Great Escape - Dave GagnerDave GagnerDavid R. Gagner is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player and current Director of Player Development for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
- retired NHL hockey player and brother-in-law of Diane Gagner - former Chatham–Kent mayor - Frank GrossFrank GrossFrank George Gross, OMC was awarded the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship one month after his death in 2006, the only Chatham-Kent resident to be recognized by the Government of Ontario for humanitarianism....
, OMC - philanthropistPhilanthropistA philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
posthumously awarded the Ontario Medal for Good CitizenshipOntario Medal for Good CitizenshipThe Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship is an honorary medal produced by the Canadian Province of Ontario. It was established by the Government of Ontario in 1973 to recognize people who, through exceptional long-term efforts, have made outstanding contributions to the well being of their...
in 2006 - Tracey HoytTracey HoytTracey Hoyt is a Canadian voice actress and alumna of York University and the Second City National Touring Company , possessing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater Performance. She played the first North American voice of Rini in the Sailor Moon R series and movies. Hoyt played the voice of Me Bear...
- actress who plays Aurora Farqueson on the CBC TelevisionCBC TelevisionCBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
series The TournamentThe Tournament (TV series)The Tournament was a Canadian television series, which aired on CBC Television in 2005 and 2006. The series, a mockumentary show about a community minor hockey team, depicted the behind-the-scenes interactions between the players, their parents and coaches as the team competed for a spot in the... - Fergie JenkinsFerguson JenkinsFerguson Arthur "Fergie" Jenkins, CM, is a Canadian former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He was a three-time All-Star and the 1971 NL Cy Young Award winner. In 1991, Jenkins was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. During a 19-year career, he pitched for four different teams,...
- Baseball Hall of Famer - Ryan JonesRyan Jones (ice hockey)Ryan Jones is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League . He was drafted in the fourth round, 111th overall, by the Minnesota Wild in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft....
- Former finalist of 2008 Hobey Baker Award and current member of the Edmonton OilersEdmonton OilersThe Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League .... - Paul Lachine - Multiple Award-Winning cartoonist and illustrator.
- Judy LaMarshJudy LaMarshJulia Verlyn LaMarsh, PC, OC, QC was a Canadian politician, lawyer, author and broadcaster. In 1963, she was only the second woman to ever serve as a federal Cabinet Minister...
- former Canadian Minister of HealthMinister of Health (Canada)The Minister of Health is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's health department and the enforcing the Public Health Agency of Canada, Canada Health Act, the law governing Medicare... - Lori LansensLori LansensLori Lansens is a bestselling, internationally acclaimed novelist. Her first three books - "Rush Home Road", "The Girls", and "The Wife's Tale", have won acclaim throughout the world, and been translated into dozens of languages....
- author of Rush Home Road and The GirlsThe Girls (novel)The Girls is the second novel by Canadian novelist and screenwriter Lori Lansens. It was first published in 2005 by Knopf CanadaIt is the life story of a pair of conjoined twins, Rose and Ruby Darlen, narrated by the twins themselves... - Victor Lauriston - McAvee Award Winning Columnist, newspaper editor, novelist, author of Romantic Kent
- John B. LeeJohn B. LeeJohn Busteed Lee is a Canadian author and poet who is presently Poet Laureate of Brantford, Ontario. He has received more than 60 prestigious international awards for poetry.- Early life :...
- Author, poet and current Poet LaureatePoet LaureateA poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events...
of Brantford, OntarioBrantford, OntarioBrantford 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... - Doug MelvinDoug MelvinDouglas Robert Melvin is a Canadian front office executive in Major League Baseball who currently serves as the general manager of the Milwaukee Brewers of the National League...
- General ManagerGeneral managerGeneral manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
of the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee BrewersThe Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League... - Harry Garnet Bedford MinerHarry Garnet Bedford MinerHarry Garnet Bedford Miner, VC was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:Harry Garnet Bedford Miner was born in Raleigh County, near Cedar Springs,...
- Victoria Cross winner during World War 1, born in Cedar Springs - Leah Morise - award winning singer/songwriter
- Dave NicholDave NicholDavid Nichol is an award-winning Canadian Product Marketing expert. He introduced several store branded lines of products in the 1970s that propelled Loblaws from a struggling chain to an industry leader...
- award winning product marketing expert and former president of Loblaw'sLoblaw CompaniesLoblaw Companies Limited is the largest food retailer in Canada, with over 1,400 supermarkets operating under a variety of regional banners, including the namesake Loblaws. LCL is headquartered in Brampton, Ontario... - Geoffrey O'HaraGeoffrey O'HaraGeoffrey O'Hara was a Canadian American composer, singer and music professor.O'Hara was born in Chatham, Ontario, Canada. He initially planned a military career. O'Hara entered the prestigious Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario at age 18 and he trained with the 1st Hussars...
- early 20th century composer, singer and music professor who was the writer of such popular songs as the 1918 hit K-K-K-Katy - Ron PardoRon PardoRon Pardo is a Canadian actor, voice artist and impressionist, known for playing a wide variety of characters on the television show History Bites.-Life and Career:...
- comedian and impressionist, from Pardoville - Doug SheddenDoug SheddenDouglas Arthur Shedden is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He coached Team Finland to a bronze medal in 2008 World Championships...
- professional ice hockey coach and former player - Glen SkovGlen SkovGlen Frederick Skov was a centre in the NHL who played for the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Black Hawks and Montreal Canadiens and is the younger brother of former referee Art Skov. He won 3 Stanley Cups with Detroit in 1952, 1954, 1955.-References:...
- National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player - Ron Sparks - award-winning comedian, actor and writer best known for Video on TrialVideo On TrialVideo on Trial is a Canadian comedy television program that airs on Canadian television network MuchMusic. The show consists of a panel of musicians, comedians, and entertainment columnists critiquing five different music videos in a courtroom-esque manner. The panel acts as the jurors, poking fun...
- Joseph StoreyJoseph StoreyJoseph William Storey was an internationally-renowned architect based in Chatham, Ontario, Canada. He graduated from the University of Toronto School of Architecture in 1946. He designed hundreds of unique homes, stores, offices, and public buildings, and many of his designs from 1950s and 1960s...
- Architect; designer of many local landmarks in the 1950s and 1960s - Shaun SuishamShaun SuishamShaun Christopher Suisham is a Canadian placekicker of American football for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League . He was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
- Pittsburgh Steelers kicker (formerly Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins) - Sylvia TysonSylvia TysonSylvia Tyson, CM , is a musician, performer, singer-songwriter and broadcaster. From 1959 to 1974, she was half of the popular folk duo Ian & Sylvia with Ian Tyson....
- singer-songwriter, broadcaster, and guitarist who found early fame with her then-husband Ian Tyson in their folk duo Ian and SylviaIan and SylviaIan & Sylvia were a Canadian folk and country music duo which consisted of Ian and Sylvia Tyson, née Fricker. They began performing together in 1959, married in 1964, and divorced and stopped performing together in 1975.-Early lives:... - Todd WarrinerTodd WarrinerTodd Eaton Warriner is a retired Canadian ice hockey forward. Over the course of his career, Warriner has played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning, Phoenix Coyotes, Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers, and Nashville Predators of the NHL...
- former NHL hockey player picked 4th overall in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft1992 NHL Entry DraftThe 1992 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 20 at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec. A total of 264 players were drafted.-Selections by round:Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:...
by the Quebec NordiquesQuebec NordiquesThe Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League... - Brian WisemanBrian WisemanBrian Wiseman was a Canadian ice hockey forward and college assistant coach.As a novice player, Brian scored an astounding 413 goals in a single season. This broke a record held by Wayne Gretzky, and brought about national attention to the nine year-old Wiseman.Brian owns the only retired number...
- 1999 IHL MVP Houston AerosHouston AerosThe Houston Aeros are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The team plays in Houston, Texas, at the Toyota Center. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.- History :... - Michelle WrightMichelle WrightMichelle Wright is a Canadian country music artist. She is one of the country's most widely recognized and awarded female country singers of the 1990s, winning the Canadian Country Music Association's Fans' Choice Award twice...
- award winning country music singer
Kenneth Lyle "Chub" Houston (born September 15, 1953) is a retired Canadian ice hockey player.