Victoria County, Nova Scotia
Encyclopedia
Victoria County is a county
in the Canadian
province of Nova Scotia
.
The shire town and largest municipality is the village of Baddeck
.
, it was established by statute in 1851. Cape Breton County
was divided into two counties in that year, with Victoria County being subdivided at that time.
, Baddeck, Middle River and the Washabuck Peninsula. The county is 2,768 square kilometers in size, 80% of which is covered by forest and the remainder largely by water.
Mother tongue language (2006)
Ethnic Groups (2006)
The county's population has slowly declined over the last ten years and has also aged, with all age groups under the age of 65 experiencing net out-migration. Half of the county's labor force does not have a high school diploma, and only 5% have college educations.
.
For a list of communities in Victoria County, see List of communities.
The federal Electoral Riding is Sydney—Victoria
.
, as well as the Cabot Trail
, whereas Inverness County contains the western half of these features. The county also contains St. Paul Island
, known as the "Graveyard of the Gulf of St. Lawrence" for its many shipwrecks during the age of sail.
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County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
in the Canadian
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...
province of Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
.
The shire town and largest municipality is the village of Baddeck
Baddeck, Nova Scotia
Baddeck is a Canadian village in Victoria County, Nova Scotia.It is the county's shire town and is situated on the northern shore of Bras d'Or Lake on Cape Breton Island...
.
History
Named after Queen VictoriaVictoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
, it was established by statute in 1851. Cape Breton County
Cape Breton County, Nova Scotia
Cape Breton County, officially, County Cape Breton, is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, on Cape Breton Island.Taking its name from Cape Breton, the most easterly point of the island which was called after the Bretons of Brittany, this municipality has what is probably the oldest...
was divided into two counties in that year, with Victoria County being subdivided at that time.
Geography
There are several distinctive geographic regions in Victoria county: north of Smokey Mountain, south of Smokey Mountain, St. Ann's Bay, Boularderie IslandBoularderie Island
Boularderie Island is an island separating the Cabot Strait from Bras d'Or Lake on the eastern coast of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. It takes its name from Louis-Simon le Poupet de la Boularderie, who was granted the area as a concession from the King of France.At 40 km long and...
, Baddeck, Middle River and the Washabuck Peninsula. The county is 2,768 square kilometers in size, 80% of which is covered by forest and the remainder largely by water.
Demographics
Population trend| Census | Population | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 7,594 | 4.6% |
| 2001 | 7,962 | 6.1% |
| 1996 | 8,482 | 2.6% |
| 1991 | 8,708 | N/A |
Mother tongue language (2006)
| Language | Population | Pct (%) |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 7,030 | 93.73% |
| Other languages | 410 | 5.47% |
| French only | 50 | 0.67% |
| Both English and French | 10 | 0.13% |
Ethnic Groups (2006)
| Race | Population | Pct (%) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 7,010 | 93.47% |
| Aboriginal | 450 | 6.00% |
| Asian | 30 | 0.40% |
| Black | 10 | 0.13% |
The county's population has slowly declined over the last ten years and has also aged, with all age groups under the age of 65 experiencing net out-migration. Half of the county's labor force does not have a high school diploma, and only 5% have college educations.
Communities
Indian Reserves in Victoria County include Wagmatcook 1Wagmatcook 1, Nova Scotia
Wagmatcook 1 is a Mi'kmaq reserve located in Victoria County, Nova ScotiaIt is administratively part of the Wagmatcook First Nation....
.
- Census Subdivisions
- Victoria, Subd. A
- Victoria, Subd. B
For a list of communities in Victoria County, see List of communities.
Economy
71% of the workforce is employed in the services sector. An additional 18% are employed in the primary resources industry, a category that includes both forestry and fishing. Just 11% are employed in manufacturing, less than half of the levels seen in the 1960s.Government and politics
The county is administered by a county government which is incorporated as the Municipality of the County of Victoria. The county is governed by eight councillors and a warden who oversee the work of a Chief Administrative Officer.The federal Electoral Riding is Sydney—Victoria
Sydney—Victoria
Sydney–Victoria is a federal electoral district in Nova Scotia, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997. Its population in 2006 was 76,801...
.
Features
Victoria County contains the eastern half of the Cape Breton Highlands National ParkCape Breton Highlands National Park
Cape Breton Highlands National Park is located on northern Cape Breton Island in the province of Nova Scotia. One-third of the Cabot Trail passes through the park featuring spectacular ocean and mountain views. The park was the first National Park in the Atlantic provinces of Canada and covers an...
, as well as the Cabot Trail
Cabot Trail
The Cabot Trail is a highway and scenic roadway in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.It is located in northern Victoria County and Inverness County on Cape Breton Island....
, whereas Inverness County contains the western half of these features. The county also contains St. Paul Island
St. Paul Island, Nova Scotia
St. Paul Island is a small uninhabited island located approximately northeast of Cape North on Cape Breton Island and southwest of Cape Ray on Newfoundland; it is along the boundary between the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Cabot Strait....
, known as the "Graveyard of the Gulf of St. Lawrence" for its many shipwrecks during the age of sail.
Access Routes
Highways and numbered routes that run through the county, including external routes that start or finish at the county limits:- Highways
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- Trunk Routes
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- Collector Routes:
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- External Routes:
- None
External links
- Municipality of Victoria County website
- Visit Victoria County Official Tourism website
- Central Cape Breton
- Visit Baddeck
- North Shore Community Portal
- Cape Breton Highlands
- Hike the Highlands Festival,
- Photographs of historic monuments in Victoria County
- Victoria County CAP Site Association