Cottage country
Encyclopedia
Cottage country is a common name in Eastern Canada
for areas that are popular locations for recreation
al properties such as cottage
s and summer homes. The name is often applied locally; that is, any major population centre may have its own popular "cottage country" area. For example, Toronto
, Ontario
residents might say "I am heading up to cottage country this weekend," which is locally understood to be referring to Muskoka, the Kawarthas
, or the Haliburton
area. On the other hand, a speaker from Ottawa
would use the same phrase to denote the Rideau Lakes
area.
In Toronto
, "cottage country traffic" refers to automobiles that travel to cottage country on Friday afternoons and back on Sunday afternoons. Cottage country traffic is usually extremely heavy on long weekends, such as Victoria Day in May, the Civic Holiday
in August, and Labour Day
in September, particularly on Highway 400 and Highway 11
. The Ontario media has often referred to these times of the year as a "highway blitz", which also refers to the related Ontario Provincial Police
efforts to step highway enforcement on these congested roads, that often yield record numbers of motor vehicle violations and fines.
In Canadian English
there is a regional distinction for the name of a summer recreation house. In Eastern Canada
"cottage" is used, while in Western Canada
"cabin" is preferred. In urban centres in Northern Ontario
the term "camp" is used. So in Western Canada few people would say that they are going to "cottage country", although the same phenomenon exists. People instead say that they are going to "the lake" or "the cabin" for the weekend. Recreational areas in the West are also more decentralized and variable than in the East. Rather than a single region, people holiday anywhere they can find a lake or other feature that provides recreation. Since lakes are smaller and scarcer on the drier southern prairies, those few lakes that are large enough to support development can be intensely used. However, in the boreal forest region thousands of large lakes exist and many are undeveloped. In the mountain regions of Alberta and British Columbia, lakes are not the only attraction, and mountain views are often the most prized.
Eastern Canada
Eastern Canada is generally considered to be the region of Canada east of Manitoba, consisting of the following provinces:* New Brunswick* Newfoundland and Labrador* Nova Scotia* Ontario* Prince Edward Island* Quebec...
for areas that are popular locations for recreation
Recreation
Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be "fun"...
al properties such as cottage
Cottage
__toc__In modern usage, a cottage is usually a modest, often cozy dwelling, typically in a rural or semi-rural location. However there are cottage-style dwellings in cities, and in places such as Canada the term exists with no connotations of size at all...
s and summer homes. The name is often applied locally; that is, any major population centre may have its own popular "cottage country" area. For example, 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...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
residents might say "I am heading up to cottage country this weekend," which is locally understood to be referring to Muskoka, the Kawarthas
Kawartha Lakes
The city of Kawartha Lakes is a unitary municipality in Central Ontario, Canada. Although called a city, Kawartha Lakes is the size of a typical Ontarian county and is mostly rural....
, or the Haliburton
Haliburton County, Ontario
Haliburton is a county of Ontario, Canada, known as a tourist and cottage area in Central Ontario for its scenery and for its resident artists. Minden Hills is the county seat. Haliburton County was established in 1983, but had existed as the Provisional County of Haliburton since 1874...
area. On the other hand, a speaker from Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
would use the same phrase to denote the Rideau Lakes
Rideau Lakes, Ontario
Rideau Lakes is a township located within Leeds and Grenville County in Eastern Ontario, Canada. The township was incorporated on 1 January 1998 by amalgamating the former townships of North Crosby, South Crosby, Bastard, South Burgess and South Elmsley with the village of Newboro.Rideau Lakes lies...
area.
In 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...
, "cottage country traffic" refers to automobiles that travel to cottage country on Friday afternoons and back on Sunday afternoons. Cottage country traffic is usually extremely heavy on long weekends, such as Victoria Day in May, the Civic Holiday
Civic Holiday
Civic Holiday is the most widely used name for a public holiday celebrated in parts of Canada on the first Monday in August, though it is only officially known by that term in Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, Prince Edward Island, and Manitoba...
in August, and Labour Day
Labour Day
Labour Day or Labor Day is an annual holiday to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. Labour Day has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for...
in September, particularly on Highway 400 and Highway 11
Highway 11 (Ontario)
King's Highway 11 is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. At , it is the second longest highway in the province after Highway 17. Highway 11 begins at Highway 400 in Barrie, and arches through northern Ontario, around Lake Superior, to the Ontario–Minnesota border...
. The Ontario media has often referred to these times of the year as a "highway blitz", which also refers to the related Ontario Provincial Police
Ontario Provincial Police
The Ontario Provincial Police is the Provincial Police service for the province of Ontario, Canada.-Overview:The OPP is the the largest deployed police force in Ontario, and the second largest in Canada. The service is responsible for providing policing services throughout the province in areas...
efforts to step highway enforcement on these congested roads, that often yield record numbers of motor vehicle violations and fines.
In Canadian English
Canadian English
Canadian English is the variety of English spoken in Canada. English is the first language, or "mother tongue", of approximately 24 million Canadians , and more than 28 million are fluent in the language...
there is a regional distinction for the name of a summer recreation house. In Eastern Canada
Eastern Canada
Eastern Canada is generally considered to be the region of Canada east of Manitoba, consisting of the following provinces:* New Brunswick* Newfoundland and Labrador* Nova Scotia* Ontario* Prince Edward Island* Quebec...
"cottage" is used, while in Western Canada
Western Canada
Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces and commonly as the West, is a region of Canada that includes the four provinces west of the province of Ontario.- Provinces :...
"cabin" is preferred. In urban centres in Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario is a region of the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north of Lake Huron , the French River and Lake Nipissing. The region has a land area of 802,000 km2 and constitutes 87% of the land area of Ontario, although it contains only about 6% of the population...
the term "camp" is used. So in Western Canada few people would say that they are going to "cottage country", although the same phenomenon exists. People instead say that they are going to "the lake" or "the cabin" for the weekend. Recreational areas in the West are also more decentralized and variable than in the East. Rather than a single region, people holiday anywhere they can find a lake or other feature that provides recreation. Since lakes are smaller and scarcer on the drier southern prairies, those few lakes that are large enough to support development can be intensely used. However, in the boreal forest region thousands of large lakes exist and many are undeveloped. In the mountain regions of Alberta and British Columbia, lakes are not the only attraction, and mountain views are often the most prized.
Areas commonly referred to as "cottage country"
- Central Ontario, including:
- Parry SoundParry Sound District, OntarioParry Sound District is a census division of the Canadian province of Ontario. Its seat is Parry Sound. Its boundaries are Muskoka to the south, the Sudbury District, the French River and Lake Nipissing in the north, Nipissing District, Ontario and North Bay in the north and east and parts of...
-MuskokaMuskoka District Municipality, OntarioThe District Municipality of Muskoka, more generally referred to as the District of Muskoka, or simply Muskoka, is a Regional Municipality located in Central Ontario, Canada. Muskoka extends from Georgian Bay in the west, to the northern tip of Lake Couchiching in the south, to the western border...
-HaliburtonHaliburton County, OntarioHaliburton is a county of Ontario, Canada, known as a tourist and cottage area in Central Ontario for its scenery and for its resident artists. Minden Hills is the county seat. Haliburton County was established in 1983, but had existed as the Provisional County of Haliburton since 1874...
region - Kawartha Lakes
- Bancroft & Northern Hastings CountyBancroft, OntarioBancroft is a town located on the York River in Hastings County in the Canadian province of Ontario.- History :In 1853 the first pioneer family settled in the area, and over the next 15 years the settlement grew quickly, as another 88 families followed...
- Parry Sound
- Eastern OntarioEastern OntarioEastern Ontario is a subregion of Southern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario which lies in a wedge-shaped area between the Ottawa River and St. Lawrence River...
- Rideau LakesRideau Lakes, OntarioRideau Lakes is a township located within Leeds and Grenville County in Eastern Ontario, Canada. The township was incorporated on 1 January 1998 by amalgamating the former townships of North Crosby, South Crosby, Bastard, South Burgess and South Elmsley with the village of Newboro.Rideau Lakes lies...
- Rideau Lakes
- Northwestern OntarioNorthwestern OntarioNorthwestern Ontario is the region within the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north and west of Lake Superior, and west of Hudson Bay and James Bay. It includes most of subarctic Ontario. Its western boundary is the Canadian province of Manitoba, which disputed Ontario's claim to the...
- Kenora, OntarioNorthwestern OntarioNorthwestern Ontario is the region within the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north and west of Lake Superior, and west of Hudson Bay and James Bay. It includes most of subarctic Ontario. Its western boundary is the Canadian province of Manitoba, which disputed Ontario's claim to the...
- Kenora, Ontario
- ManitobaManitobaManitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
- Whiteshell Provincial ParkWhiteshell Provincial ParkWhiteshell Provincial Park is a 2,729 km2 park centrally located in Canada in the province of Manitoba. It can be found in the southeast of the province along the Manitoba-Ontario border, approximately 130 km east of Winnipeg. The park is located in the Canadian Shield region and has many...
, Eastern ManitobaDivision No. 1, ManitobaDivision No. 1 is located in the Eastman Region of the Canadian province of Manitoba. It is located in the south-eastern corner of the province, lying between the Lake Winnipeg and Manitoba-Ontario border, and the US-Canada border...
- Whiteshell Provincial Park
- SaskatchewanSaskatchewanSaskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
- Prince Albert National ParkPrince Albert National ParkPrince Albert National Park covers in central Saskatchewan, Canada and is located north of Saskatoon. Though declared a national park March 24, 1927, it had its official opening ceremonies on August 10, 1928 performed by Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King. The park is open all year but...
- Prince Albert National Park
- Hants County, Nova ScotiaHants County, Nova ScotiaHants County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia which was the home of Thomas Chandler Haliburton, Alden Nowlan and Noel Doiron. The county of Hants was created June 17, 1781, and consisted of the townships of Windsor, Falmouth and Newport...
Other popular summer vacation areas
- British Columbia InteriorBritish Columbia InteriorThe British Columbia Interior or BC Interior or Interior of British Columbia, usually referred to only as the Interior, is one of the three main regions of the Canadian province of British Columbia, the other two being the Lower Mainland, which comprises the overlapping areas of Greater Vancouver...
, especially:- the OkanaganOkanaganThe Okanagan , also known as the Okanagan Valley and sometimes as Okanagan Country is a region located in the Canadian province of British Columbia defined by the basin of Okanagan Lake and the Canadian portion of the Okanagan River. As of 2009, the region's population is approximately 350,927. The...
, Shuswap CountryShuswap CountryThe Shuswap Country, or simply "the Shuswap" is a term used in the Canadian province of British Columbia to refer to the environs of Shuswap Lake. The upper reaches of the Shuswap basin, southeast of Shuswap Lake and northeast of the Okanagan, are generally considered to be part of Okanagan or of...
, etc.
- the Okanagan
- Sylvan Lake (Alberta)Sylvan Lake (Alberta)Sylvan Lake is a large lake in central Alberta, Canada. The resort town of Sylvan Lake is established on the shores of the lake, west of the city of Red Deer....
See also
- summer villageSummer villageSummer villages in Alberta are incorporated communities that have permanent populations generally less than 300 permanent inhabitants, as well as seasonal inhabitants....
, a type special municipality in Alberta used in resort areas, of which there are 51 - resortResortA resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. Resorts are places, towns or sometimes commercial establishment operated by a single company....
, resort townResort townA resort town, sometimes called a resort city or resort destination, is a town or area where tourism or vacationing is a primary component of the local culture and economy... - names for summer properties: cottageCottage__toc__In modern usage, a cottage is usually a modest, often cozy dwelling, typically in a rural or semi-rural location. However there are cottage-style dwellings in cities, and in places such as Canada the term exists with no connotations of size at all...
/ cabinLog cabinA log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
/ summer houseSummer houseA summer house or summerhouse has traditionally referred to a building or shelter used for relaxation in warm weather. This would often take the form of a small, roofed building on the grounds of a larger one, but could also be built in a garden or park, often designed to provide cool shady places...
/ beach houseBeach houseA beach house is a house on or near a beach, generally used as a vacation or second home for people who commute to the house on weekends or during vacation periods....
/ dachaDachaDacha is a Russian word for seasonal or year-round second homes often located in the exurbs of Soviet and post-Soviet cities. Cottages or shacks serving as family's main or only home are not considered dachas, although many purpose-built dachas are recently being converted for year-round residence...